Review
The Second Food Truck Mystery
Kluckin’ Good is doing brisk business and Beth Lloyd is delighted to have her food truck at the Flavors of the Bay Food Festival. Her twin brother, Seth, is not as pleased in his cow costume passing out samples and fliers promoting their new sliders. The first shock arrives when Beth's ex-boyfriend shows up. Brad Dawson has moved back to town, reinventing himself as a food critic. After more than one public confrontation, the second shock comes when Beth finds Brad's body on the festival grounds. Although several people had issues with the critic, police are eyeing both Beth and Seth, even as the festival promoter is saying that the death is just an accident. With a murder charge looming, Beth and her bestie, Rylie, once again start referencing their favorite true crime podcast as they are determined to find the real killer.
Let the fun begin as readers are transported to a California food fest featuring food that's to die for. I was laughing throughout this fast paced novel, almost as much as I was wishing for some wings! Twins Beth and Seth bicker and tease and each are overprotective of the other, but together they make a formidable team along with Rylie. I really enjoyed seeing Detective Kane in this off duty role and appreciate as he looks out for Beth. Other characters are not so pleasant. The more we learn about Brad the more despicable he becomes, and there are other unpleasant characters too, namely Layla and Caren. The variety of characters, even the likable ones, made good suspects. Of course, my favorite new character is Teriyaki! I think she's an even better mascot than Rylie in the chicken suit or Seth in the new cow costume. Of course, Teriyaki can't exactly hand out fliers and samples.
But it's not just laughter, or even murder, that makes everything so enjoyable. There's depth here-and not just in the quality of the sauces. Love and friendship are mainstays even as secrets come back to bite several of the characters in the second Food Truck Mystery.
Lots of laughs, good food, and a cute chicken make HOT WINGS AND HOMICIDE a delectable read sure to satisfy your mystery loving cravings.
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Hot Wings and Homicide (A Food Truck Mystery) by Carmela Dutra
About Hot Wings and Homicide
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - San Francisco, California
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: May 12, 2026
Print Length: 320 pages
Twins Beth and Seth Lloyd are on the chopping block in the follow-up to A Murder Most Fowl, where a perfect recipe for murder is stirred up.
Business at Kluckin’ Good is smoking hot. To keep momentum going, Beth and her twin brother, Seth, just scored a prime spot at the Flavors of the Bay Food Festival. For three and a half days, food lovers will flock to the Bay Area’s biggest culinary event to enjoy gourmet food trucks, cook-offs, and live music, but this recipe for success is also the perfect setup for murder.
When the infamous food critic Brad Dawson—also Beth’s ex—turns up dead, the only clue at the scene of the crime is a Kluckin’ Good tumbler mug. The timing couldn’t be worse. Beth and Brad were seen in a heated altercation, and days prior, witnesses saw Seth punch Brad. Suspicion naturally falls on the twins. With the cops hot on their trail, Beth will have to avoid the flames to clear their names and save her food truck’s reputation.
But the chickens are out of the coop, and as Beth digs into Brad’s final hours, she will uncover rivalries, grudges, and a different side of Brad she never knew. If she doesn’t crack the case soon, she might be the next one to get cooked. Best of cluck!
A mouthwatering mystery for fans of Joanne Fluke that will leave you peckish for more.
About Carmela Dutra
Carmela Dutra is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. She is the author of the Food Truck Mysteries, including A Murder Most Fowl and Hot Wings and Homicide. Her series has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, which called her debut “a serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” and by Library Journal, which noted that Hot Wings and Homicide “is perfect for foodies.” Criminal Element highlighted the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself,” and New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams described the books as “the perfect escapist read, brimming with banter and an extra helping of fun.” Carmela has also been featured in CrimeReads Magazine.
A lover of humor, quirky characters, and all things geeky, Carmela spends her days sketching, sipping far too much coffee, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She lives with her husband and two dinosaur-obsessed sons, drawing inspiration from rainy afternoons, bustling farmers’ markets, and the unexpected moments that make life memorable.
Author Links:
Website: Carmeladutra.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarmelaDutra/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarmela
Threads: http://www.threads.com/authorcarmela
Twitter/X: https://x.com/authorcarmela
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240113718-hot-wings-and-homicide
Purchase Links - Universal Link Amazon Barnes & Noble
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