A Delicious Deception - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

A DELICIOUS DECEPTION by Lucy Burdette
The Sixteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery 

When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers appears at the doorway of Hayley and Nathan's new home asking for a favor Hayley is surprised and her husband is furious. Darcy wants the very pregnant Hayley to bring a young woman to the county's safe exchange place to pick up her daughter. The neutral location is also home to the county jail,with an animal farm open to the public and video surveillance so while Nathan is upset, Hayley is happy to help. After all, with all of those precautions already in place, plus Darcy nearby, what could go wrong? Quite a lot as Reba, the young woman, disappears, the husband is murdered, and the little girl goes missing. Will Nathan have an aneurysm before murdering Darcey? Will Hayley solve the murder before giving birth? Grab some fresh Key West eats and find out! 

Just about everything that could go wrong does in this, the sixteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery. Aside from the custodial transfer that backfired, construction on Hayley's new home has stalled and she and "the old ladies" are missing their lives on Houseboat Row. Not to mention two things near the end of the book that I won't say for spoilers sake. I like how the very pregnant Hayley was not taking any nonsense from anyone and was determined to bring matters to a close while keeping herself well fed.

Descriptions of Key West and the various food offerings had me feeling the ocean breeze and wishing I could enjoy a meal with Hayley and the gang. The mystery was well plotted with lots of nasty suspects and suspicious behavior. Unrelated to the mystery the author made two major choices that I found interesting and wonder the reason for them.

Concepts of home and family together with the uniqueness that is Key West make A DELICIOUS DECEPTION a mystery you won't want to miss.

************************************************************************** 

 The Mango Murders & A Delicious Deception Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette

About A Delicious Deception

A Delicious Deception: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery 16th in Series
Setting - Florida
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date: ‎ July 14, 2026
Language: ‎ English
Print length: ‎ 320 pages

Mother-to-be Hayley Snow bites off more than she can chew in the sixteenth installment of Lucy Burdette’s USA Today bestselling Key West Food Critic mysteries.

When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers asks Hayley for a small favor, she can’t say no. Nine months pregnant and temporarily benched from her food critic duties, Hayley’s itching for a distraction and eager to help. All she has to do is tag along while a young woman picks up her daughter from her father at Monroe County’s safe custody exchange location. Easy, right?

Wrong.

In the chaos of the Sheriff’s Office open house, the mother disappears. Then the father bolts, leaving Hayley with a terrified girl and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Hayley and Deputy Rogers head north up the Keys to search for answers.

When a body turns up, Hayley realizes this isn’t just a missing-persons case—it’s a race against time. With the little girl’s safety at risk, Hayley must trust her instincts—and her heart—to uncover the truth.

About Lucy Burdette

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette writes the USA Today best-selling Key West food critic mysteries, a cozy, culinary mystery series starring food critic Hayley Snow, including #16, A DELICIOUS DECEPTION. A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS, won the Florida Book Award's gold medal for popular fiction. Both the 12th book in the series, A DISH TO DIE FOR, and the 10th, THE KEY LIME CRIME, won the bronze medal for popular fiction from the Florida Book Awards. Lucy's first women's fiction title, THE INGREDIENTS OF HAPPINESS, came out in July 2023.

As Roberta Isleib, she wrote the golf lover's mystery series (SIX STROKES UNDER) and the advice column mysteries (DEADLY ADVICE.) Lucy loves using her psychology background in her stories. She also loves to cook and to eat and to talk and write and read about food. She blogs with the wonderful crime fiction writers at Jungle Red Writers, and shares recipes and stories with twelve other cozy mystery writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

Lucy's books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of both Sisters in Crime and the Friends of the Key West library.

Author Links: 

Website https://lucyburdette.com  

Facebook https://facebook.com/LucyBurdette  

Instagram instagram.com/LucyBurdette 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-burdette   

Purchase Links - A Deadly Deception - Amazon - B&N - PenguinRandomHouse

The Mango Murders - A Review & Giveaway

Today I thought I'd repost my review of THE MANGO MURDERS by Lucy Burdette in honor of the paperback release this week, along with a new giveaway. Tomorrow you can read my review of the Sixteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery, A DEADLY DECEPTION.

THE MANGO MURDERS by Lucy Burdette
The Fifteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery 

In order to boost Key Zest's popularity and sales the e-zine has rented a Hemingway lookalike yacht to take Key West movers and shakers on an evening cruise. With Hayley Snow's mom providing the catering it's sure to be a delectable good time. But before anyone can even sample the shrimp fritters an explosion tosses everyone overboard! Was it an accident or sabotage? Does someone want Key Zest to fail? Or Perhaps Janet's catering company is the target? Or could someone have it out for Hayley herself? Between the multiple 85th birthday celebrations for Miss Gloria Hayley will try to figure out just what happened and why, despite her detective husband's desire for her to leave it to the police.

The mystery in the fifteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery is an intriguing maze of possibilities and clues. Without being certain of the intended victim, how can Hayley and her friends figure out the culprit? Is the reason food related, political, or even more personal?  Rest assured, Hayley investigates all possibilities.  

I relish the love shown to Miss Gloria in celebration of her 85th birthday. I've had issues with her sons since the first book in the series, but this shows how their wives are decidedly worse! What horrible people, shown even more ugly by the goodness of the Miss Gloria's chosen family.

THE MANGO MURDERS is a delicious mystery fueled by inquisitiveness, tolerance, and love. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the next one.

************************************************************************* 

 The Mango Murders & A Delicious Deception Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette

About The Mango Murders

Now Available in Paperback

The Mango Murders: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery 15th in Series
Setting - Florida
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ August 12, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 288 pages
Paperback Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ July 7, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 288 pages

The turquoise waters of Key West are stained with pink in this explosive 15th installment of the Key West Food Critic mysteries from USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette.

Food critic Hayley Snow’s employer, Key Zest, is throwing the event of the season, a lavish cocktail party catered by Janet Snow, Hayley’s mother. As Hayley boards the luxurious cruise, she anticipates a smooth sailing soirée filled with shimmering cocktails, mouthwatering mango-infused delicacies, and new supporters for the e-zine. But as the boat sets sail, the festivities take a tragic turn when an explosion rocks the vessel, plunging the party guests into chaos.

In the days that follow, Hayley learns that a local culinary entrepreneur died in the explosion and it was no accident–someone on board had a deadly agenda. With the tropical city of Key West as her backdrop, Hayley navigates a web of secrets and lies. Her investigation takes her from the shadowy corners of island politics to fierce competition between high-end event caterers and personal vendettas.

With the clock ticking and the stakes higher than ever, Hayley must rely on her keen intuition to unmask a cunning culprit before they strike again.

About Lucy Burdette

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette writes the USA Today best-selling Key West food critic mysteries, a cozy, culinary mystery series starring food critic Hayley Snow, including #16, A DELICIOUS DECEPTION. A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS, won the Florida Book Award's gold medal for popular fiction. Both the 12th book in the series, A DISH TO DIE FOR, and the 10th, THE KEY LIME CRIME, won the bronze medal for popular fiction from the Florida Book Awards. Lucy's first women's fiction title, THE INGREDIENTS OF HAPPINESS, came out in July 2023.

As Roberta Isleib, she wrote the golf lover's mystery series (SIX STROKES UNDER) and the advice column mysteries (DEADLY ADVICE.) Lucy loves using her psychology background in her stories. She also loves to cook and to eat and to talk and write and read about food. She blogs with the wonderful crime fiction writers at Jungle Red Writers, and shares recipes and stories with twelve other cozy mystery writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

Lucy's books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of both Sisters in Crime and the Friends of the Key West library.

Author Links: 

Website https://lucyburdette.com  

Facebook https://facebook.com/LucyBurdette 

 Instagram instagram.com/LucyBurdette  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-burdette  

Purchase Links - The Mango Murders - Amazon - B&N - PenguinRandomHouse

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading A Delicious Deception by Lucy Burdette. This book is the sixteenth in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and will be released next week.

When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers appears at the doorway of Hayley and Nathan's new home asking for a favor Hayley is surprised and her husband is furious. Darcy wants the very pregnant Hayley to bring a young woman to the county's safe exchange place to pick up her daughter. The neutral location is also home to the county jail,with an animal farm open to the public and video surveillance so while Nathan is upset, Hayley is happy to help. After all, with all of those precautions already in place, plus Darcy nearby, what could go wrong? Quite a lot as Reba, the young woman disappears, the husband is murdered, and the little girl goes missing. Will Nathan have an aneurysm before murdering Darcey? Will Hayley solve the murder before giving birth? Grab some fresh Key West eats and find out!

The Mango Murders - A Review

 Review

 

THE MANGO MURDERS by Lucy Burdette
The Fifteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery 

In order to boost Key Zest's popularity and sales the e-zine has rented a Hemingway lookalike yacht to take Key West movers and shakers on an evening cruise. With Hayley Snow's mom providing the catering it's sure to be a delectable good time. But before anyone can even sample the shrimp fritters an explosion tosses everyone overboard! Was it an accident or sabotage? Does someone want Key Zest to fail? Or Perhaps Janet's catering company is the target? Or could someone have it out for Hayley herself? Between the multiple 85th birthday celebrations for Miss Gloria Hayley will try to figure out just what happened and why, despite her detective husband's desire for her to leave it to the police.

The mystery in the fifteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery is an intriguing maze of possibilities and clues. Without being certain of the intended victim, how can Hayley and her friends figure out the culprit? Is the reason food related, political, or even more personal?  Rest assured, Hayley investigates all possibilities.  

I relish the love shown to Miss Gloria in celebration of her 85th birthday. I've had issues with her sons since the first book in the series, but this shows how their wives are decidedly worse! What horrible people, shown even more ugly by the goodness of the Miss Gloria's chosen family.

THE MANGO MURDERS is a delicious mystery fueled by inquisitiveness, tolerance, and love. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the next one. 

A Poisonous Palate - A Review

 Review

A POISONOUS PALATE by Lucy Burdette
The Fourteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery 

 

An e-mail asking Hayley Snow to look into a cold case of a missing person piques her curiosity. In the late 1970s Catherine Davitt and her friend, Victoria, left Michigan on a whim and wound up in a quasi commune in Big Pine Key. Victoria disappeared, never to be heard from again. Catherine has returned to the Keys to research Hemingway and his wives for her latest book on toxic love and decided to try, once again, to discover what happened to her friend. Cautious, nonetheless Hayley is intrigued and decided to help. How dangerous could it be, plus she could broaden her restaurant review range outside of Key West. Unfortunately, when the pair visit the hotel owned by one of the men in the group, they find him murdered. Perhaps this cold case isn't quite so cold!

 

I love a cold case and a very interesting one is presented in the fourteenth Key West Food Critic Mystery. I also like the fact that it gives Hayley an opportunity to investigate something without much danger, at least to start. What harm could come from looking into a missing person's case from thirty years prior? Unfortunately, a lot. Catherine's journal entries from 1978 gave a much needed look into the past, making Victoria more real. I appreciated Hayley's skeptical approach and the fact that she didn't automatically trust Catherine. I also liked how she managed to tie in her work as a food critic into her investigation. And of course, I really enjoyed the delectable food descriptions.

What I found most interesting was the unreliable narrator aspect of the book. While Hayley is the actual narrator and quite reliable, Catherine certainly isn't. Her story and behavior is suspect, indeed her whole demeanor is questionable, facts that kept me intrigued.

It was fascinating how the toxic relationships of the people involved in the commune dovetailed with the relationships Hemingway had with his wives. Indeed toxic love is the theme, not only for Catherine's new book, but A POISONOUS PALATE as well.

Grab some crab cakes with avocado and mango salsa or perhaps some profiteroles and prepare to be entertained as A POISONOUS PALATE heats up a cold case in this absorbing Key West mystery.

A Clue in the Crumbs - A Review

 Review

A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS by Lucy Burdette
The Thirteenth Key West Food critic Mystery 

Having met them on her honeymoon Hailey Snow is delighted to welcome the Scottish Scone Sisters to Key West. The pair is bringing their UK Bakes! to the states looking for American bakers. There's a fire at their B&B, but Miss Gloria is happy to have them bunk with her. The first day's filming goes well, until the husband of the best contestant storms in demanding his wife leave. It turns out the couple own the B&B that burned. Then the angry husband is found dead and the wife goes missing. Could the Scottish Scone Sister tour end even before it truly begins?

The Key West Food Critic Mystery series joins the world of baking competitions in its thirteenth outing. I absolutely love the Great British Baking Show for its kind competitors, savvy judges, and fantastic bakers. Here we get the funny and genial hosts in the guise of the Scottish Scone Sisters, but the competitors aren't that kind and the bakes not great. Having met the Scottish Scone Sisters in the twelfth book in the series it was great to have them back and learn more about them. They are also integral to the mystery, both in propelling the investigation and solving it!

The mystery itself was compelling. Was the fire related to the murder? Is someone sabotaging the competition? How are the Scottish Scone Sisters involved? Suspicious behavior, conflicting perceptions, and unknown motives combined to create a delightfully complex mystery.

I particularly love the vibrancy and outgoing nature of the older characters. Just because a woman is in her eighties doesn't mean she can't live life to its fullest. Seniors can start new careers and be popular, as seen with the Scottish Scone Sisters. While some may be content to sit back, no one should be put out to pasture just because they've reached a certain age. Miss Gloria, as well as the Scottish Scone Sisters, make me laugh, not only with their antics, but with their joy of life.

Part baking competition, part mystery, all fun, A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS is a delicious addition to the Key West Food Critic Mystery series.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Clue in the Crumbs by Lucy Burdette. This book is the thirteenth in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Having met them on her honeymoon Hailey Snow is delighted to welcome the Scottish Scone Sisters to Key West. The pair is bringing their UK Bakes! to the states looking for American bakers. There's a fire at their B&B, but Miss Gloria is happy to have them bunk with her. The first day's filming goes well, until the husband of the best contestant storms in demanding his wife leave. It turns out the couple own the B&B that burned. Then the angry husband is found dead and the wife goes missing. Could the Scottish Scone Sister tour end even before it truly begins?

A Dish to Die For - A Review

 Review

A DISH TO DIE FOR by Lucy Burdette
The Twelfth Key West Food Critic Mystery 

Known for trying to appease everybody, Haley Snow is working on boundaries. Her resolve to say no is challenged by her father-in-law's visit and the dead body she and Ziggy uncovered. Literally uncovered, when a trip to the beach to relax turned anything but. Vowing to keep out of the investigation, Haley's interest can't help but be piqued when she starts to hear about the victim-a man actively opposing the wishes of almost everyone in Key West. Will Hayley be able to keep her distance from the murder or will she once again be drawn in?

A DISH TO DIE FOR looks at the role women have played and continue to play in Key West. A vintage cookbook published by the Woman's Club in 1949 sheds light on the role of women as well as the food of the time, both having aspects today's women may find slightly appalling.

I enjoyed getting to know Nathan's father and seeing how the various relationships in the series react and adapt. The mystery kept me captivated while descriptions of food had me salivating. I can picture Hayley on her scooter and enjoy visiting the Florida Keys from my nicely air conditioned home up North.

An additional benefit of reading the Key West Food Critic Mystery series is getting to know Key West, from the Little White House to the Woman's Club to Mallory Square and beyond. This twelfth mystery actually takes us beyond, off the rock, seeing communities a little farther off the tourist path that is Key West. Showing the problems as well as the beauty, we get a glimpse into the lives of "regular people". We also get a look at the grittier, less appealing side of the Keys.

A DISH TO DIE FOR is a delectable mystery made more compelling by its subtle commentary on important issues facing the world today.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette. This book is the twelfth book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and will be released next week.

Known for trying to appease everybody, Haley Snow is working on boundaries. Her resolve to say no is challenged by her father-in-law's visit and the dead body she and Ziggy uncovered. Literally uncovered, when a trip to the beach to relax turned anything but. Vowing to keep out of the investigation, Haley's interest can't help but be piqued when she starts to hear about the victim-a man actively opposing the wishing of almost everyone in Key West. Will Hayley be able to keep her distance from the murder or will she once again be drawn in?

A Scone of Contention - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

A SCONE OF CONTENTION by Lucy Burdette
The Eleventh Key West Food Critic Mystery

 

Hayley and Nathan's honeymoon is not quite the intimate getaway they planned. Staying with Nathan's sister, Vera, and brother in law is only part of it. Not only is Miss Gloria accompanying them, but Nathan's mother has decided to join their visit to Scotland as well. While William has commandeered Nathan into a golfing tournament, Hayley and Miss Gloria are accompanying Vera to some of the more haunting places of Scotland as Vera attempts to finish the book she and her partners are writing. But something's rotten in the state of Scotland. First, one of the partners gets ill during a dinner party, with her spouse yelling "poison!", then the group witness a man fall to his death. It soon becomes obvious something more than artistic differences is driving these people apart. Will Hayley be able to sort out the truth? Will Hayley and Nathan have any romantic time together on their honeymoon? Or will a killer ruin it all?

A SCONE OF CONTENTION had me hankering for a scone from page one. And I still want one. A cinnamon scone or just a simple cheese scone, for which the author does provide a recipe, although I'd prefer a real one, warm from the oven and handed to me. While food definitely plays a part I was also intrigued by the thin places, where the veil between heaven and earth have lifted. I loved learning about them and would like to learn more.

While I wouldn't count SCONE OF CONTENTION as a great honeymoon, I certainly would rate it as a great mystery! A literary versus media conflict, most of the characters hiding things, and a determination to bring the truth out make this eleventh Key West Mystery a knock out. A feisty Miss Gloria who becomes vulnerable pulls at the heart strings and an ongoing mystery back home kept me engrossed.

Although the majority of the novel takes place in Scotland and not Key West, we still get to enjoy plenty of good food and the antics of the feisty Miss Gloria, and while we may not have the Key West pets, we do get the company of a few Scottish felines. We also get to visit some of the highlights of Scotland vicariously.

SCONE OF CONTENTION is a delightful mystery that shows how conflicts of the past can impact the present. I enjoyed this trip to Scotland with a nip of whiskey, a slather of butter on a hot scone, and a devilishly good mystery. My only hope is that Hayley and Nathan get a few days to themselves to celebrate a real honeymoon!

***********************************************************************

A Scone of Contention: A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette

About A Scone of Contention

A Scone of Contention: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery 11th in the Series
Publisher ‏: ‎ Crooked Lane Books (August 10, 2021)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

A murderer's out to spoil Hayley's honeymoon in national bestselling author Lucy Burdette's eleventh Key West Food Critic Mystery.

Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow and her groom, police detective Nathan Bransford, chose Scotland for their long-delayed honeymoon, hoping to sightsee and enjoy some prize-winning scones. But their romantic duo swells to a crowd when they're joined by Nathan's family as well as octogenarian Miss Gloria.

Nathan's sister Vera takes the women on a whirlwind tour of some of Scotland's iconic mystic places as research for a looming book project. But the trip takes a deadly tartan turn when a dinner party guest falls ill and claims she was poisoned. And then the group watches in horror as a mysterious tourist tumbles to his death from the famous Falkirk Wheel, high above the Forth & Clyde canal.

Vera and her friends deny knowing the dead man, but after observing their reactions to the fall, Hayley is not convinced. With one person dead, a second possibly poisoned, and the tension among Vera's friends as thick as farmhouse cheese, Hayley fears her long-awaited honeymoon might end with another murder.

Far away from home, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, eccentric characters, and a forbiddingly gorgeous setting, Hayley must call on all her savvy to keep a killer from striking again and then escaping Scot free.

About Lucy Burdette

Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 19 mysteries, including A SCONE OF CONTENTION, the eleventh book in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. THE KEY LIME CRIME won the bronze medal for popular fiction in the Florida Book Awards. Lucy’s books and stories have also been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime, and currently serving as president of the Friends of the Key West Library.

Author Links: 

Instagram - instagram.com/LucyBurdette  

Website - http://lucyburdette.com  

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-burdette  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lucyburdette  

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette  

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib  

Blogs: http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com http://www.jungleredwriters.com  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound - PenguinRandomHouse  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Key Lime Crime - A Review & Giveaway

Review

THE KEY LIME CRIME by Lucy Burdette

The Tenth Key West Food Critic Mystery

The week between Christmas and the New Year is Key West's busiest time. Locals try to capitalize by holding special events, such as the search for the best Key Lime Pie, as more rowdy tourists than ever arrive en masse. It's not only the streets that are crowded. Since construction on their new houseboat isn't complete, newlyweds Hayley and Nathan are squeezing in with Miss Gloria and each of their pets. Nathan's announcement that his mother, whom Hayley has yet to meet, is arriving for an unexpected visit is the icing on the already tilting cake. While Hayley's mother-in-law seems slightly aloof and not at all interested in Hayley, her foodie lifestyle, or food in general, she becomes very interested and involved after she and Hayley discover a dead body. Could the murder be due to a culinary feud? While Nathan urges Hayley to stay out of it, his mother encourages Hayley to investigate. Will Hayley be able to please them both? More importantly, will she be able to avoid becoming the murderer's next target?

Ulterior motives and secrets are to be found in the tenth Key West Food Critic Mystery as Hayley deals with her new mother-in-law, a too busy new husband, and a murdered pastry chef in the wild and wacky too crowded town that is Key West. I love how Hayley tries to win over her new mother-in-law, but that she doesn't try too hard. Hayley remains true to herself, and her job and family, as she tries to add Helen to the mix. I really enjoyed the look into Nathan's backstory, and with it a better understanding of his motivation. You can't help but love Miss Gloria and I welcome the addition of T-Bone, although with six cats of my own, I still shudder over the introduction process she and Hayley used.

As always, Key West is a character unto itself. As unique as the people that inhabit it, I'd love to visit and soak up the ambiance, eating a variety of Key Lime pies...but after reading this book I would never visit during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve!

THE KEY LIME CRIME is a complex mystery wrapped up in familial adjustments. It's a whirlwind tour of Key West during its busiest time of year that touches on serious issues without becoming overburdened. In short, it's a fun, fast paced mystery filled with multilayered characters and lots of key lime pie.

***************************************************************************

The Key Lime Crime: A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette

About The Key Lime Crime

The Key Lime Crime: A Key West Food Critic Mystery  

Cozy Mystery 10th in Series  

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2020)  

Hardcover: 320 pages 

National bestselling author Lucy Burdette's tenth Key West Food Critic mystery is piping hot with pie-enthusiasts and murder suspects.

 

When a fierce rivalry between key lime pie bakers leads to a pastry chef's murder, food critic Hayley Snow is fit to be pied.

 

During the week between Christmas and New Year's, the year-round population of Key West, Florida, faces a tsunami of tourists and snowbirds. It doesn't help that outrageously wealthy key lime pie aficionado David Sloan has persuaded the city to host his pie-baking contest. Every pie purveyor on the island is out to win the coveted Key Lime Key to the City and Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow is on the scene to report it.

 

Meanwhile, Hayley's home life is turning more tart than sweet. Hayley's new hubby, police detective Nathan Bransford, announces that her intimidating mother-in-law is bearing down on the island for a surprise visit. Hayley offers to escort Nathan's crusty mom on the iconic Conch Train Tour of the island's holiday lights, but it becomes a recipe for disaster when they find a corpse among the glittering palm trees and fantastic flamingos. The victim--Au Citron Vert's controversial new pastry chef--was a frontrunner in Sloan's contest.

 

It's bad enough that Hayley's too-curious mother-in-law is cooking up trouble. Now, the murderer is out to take a slice out of Hayley. Can she handle the heat of a killer's kitchen?

About Lucy Burdette

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 16 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, DEATH ON THE MENU (Crooked Lane Books, August 2018.) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs at Jungle Red Writersand shares her love for food with the culinary writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen She lives in Madison CT and Key West FL. Read more at www.lucyburdette.com.  

Author Links:  
Facebook: WWW.facebook.com/lucyburdette  
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucyburdette  
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib  
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4781149.Lucy_Burdette

 Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound  


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading The Key Lime Crime by Lucy Burdette. This book is the tenth in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and was released yesterday.

The week between Christmas and the New Year is Key West's busiest time. Locals try to capitalize by holding special events, such as the search for the best Key Lime Pie, as more rowdy tourists than ever arrive en masse. It's not only the streets that are crowded. Since construction on their new houseboat isn't complete, newlyweds Hayley and Nathan are squeezing in with Miss Gloria and each of their pets. Nathan's announcement that his mother, whom Hayley has yet to meet, is arriving for an unexpected visit is the icing on the already tilting cake. While Hayley's mother-in-law seems slightly aloof and not at all interested in Hayley, her foodie lifestyle, or food in general, she becomes very interested and involved after she and Hayley discover a dead body. Could the murder be due to a culinary feud? While Nathan urges Hayley to stay out of it, his mother encourages Hayley to investigate. Will Hayley be able to please them both? More importantly, will she be able to avoid becoming the murderer's next target?

A Deadly Feast - A Review

Review

A DEADLY FEAST by Lucy Burdette

The Ninth Key West Food Critic Mystery

Hayley Snow has a busy week ahead. Not only is Thursday Thanksgiving, but the following day is her wedding to Detective Nathan Bransford! She has one more article to write before she can concentrate on the holiday meal, the arrival of her family, and last minute wedding preparations. For her assignment Hayley joins a seafood tasting tour given by her friend, Analise. At the last stop the loud, somewhat pushy woman from the tour collapses, dying. Was it a tragic accident? Was someone trying to sabotage the tour? Or did someone want Audrey dead? Hayley is persuaded to talk to the grieving husband and ask questions at the restaurants on the tour. But will she be able to figure out what happened before her wedding bells chime?

While I don't eat seafood and don't care for the heat, I always love visiting Key West and spending time with Hayley Snow and her friends and family. This ninth adventure is extra special as it's the wedding book! After trials and tribulations, which continue here, Hayley and her detective are finally tying the knot. Featuring a wedding and Thanksgiving, this book has a focus on family. Not only  blood relatives either, as A DEADLY FEAST showcases blended families and friends that become family. It also looks at marriage, and some things that help to make it work. I love how integral, not only Miss Gloria, but Lorenzo is to Hayley's life and the plot!

I really enjoyed the mystery here. We're not even sure if there is a murder, but we know people are lying. Why? I relished the puzzle and really appreciated the solution, the reasons behind how things occurred.

A DEADLY FEAST is a fast paced book centered around family with plenty of culinary treats and a mystery to die for.

Death on the Menu - Review

Review

DEATH ON THE MENU by Lucy Burdette

The Eighth Key West Food Critic Mystery

Key West is abuzz with excitement as the Harry S. Truman Little White House hosts a Havana/Key West Conference. Hayley Snow is thrilled to help her mom whose newly founded catering company was chosen to cater the event. Unfortunately, the buzz is not all positive and the island is on high alert with increased security. Hayley is determined to help her mom succeed despite warnings from her boyfriend, Detective Nathan Bransford to stay away from the conference. As the conference begins tensions that are already running high spike when Ernest Hemingway's Nobel Prize medal goes missing. Will the delicious food calm the crowd or is death on the menu?

I'm delighted to be back in Key West. Lucy Burdette's evocative prose makes me feel that I am actually on the key and part of the action. I can sense the tension, feel the ocean air, and see the sights. If only I could taste the food!

In DEATH ON THE MENU Lucy Burdette looks into the difficult reality of US relations with Cuba, illustrating various opinions and beliefs without judgement. The cultural and political issues are a part of the mystery and add substance to the plot without detracting from it. The other prime component that truly adds depth is character development and relationships. As the series progresses we see the characters change and grow. This eighth Key West Food Critic has Hayley pursuing serious introspection as she tries to mirror her own relationship to those of her family and friends.

DEATH ON THE MENU is a delicious addition to the Key West Food Critic Mystery series filled with cultural relevance and delectable food.

************************************************************************

Death on the Menu: A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette

About the Book

Death on the Menu: A Key West Food Critic Mystery  

Cozy Mystery 8th in Series 

Crooked Lane Books (August 7, 2018) 

Hardcover: 295 Pages 

When a killer strikes just before flan time, beloved food critic Hayley Snow is forced to sniff out the killer before someone else bites the dust.

Hayley Snow, fiery food critic for Key Zest magazine, has just landed a ticket to one of the most prestigious events in Key West: a high-brow three-day conference at the Harry Truman Little White House. Even though she’ll be working the event helping her mother’s fledgling catering business, there’s plenty of spicy gossip to go around. But just before her mother’s decadent flan is put to the test, Key West’s most prized possession, Hemingway’s Nobel prize gold medal for The Old Man and the Sea, is discovered stolen from its case.

Unsavory suspicions point to Gabriel, a family friend and one of the new busboys working the event, who mysteriously goes missing moments later. Anxious to clear his name, Gabriel’s family enlists Hayley to help find him, but right as they begin their search, his body is found stabbed to death in the storeroom.

Hayley has no shortage of suspects to interrogate and very little time before the killer adds another victim to the menu in national bestselling author Lucy Burdette’s delectable eighth Key West Food Critic mystery, Death on the Menu.

About the Author

Courtesy Carol Tedesco

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 16 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, DEATH ON THE MENU (Crooked Lane Books, August 2018.) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs at Jungle Red Writers and shares her love for food with the culinary writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen She lives in Madison CT and Key West FL. Read more at www.lucyburdette.com.

Author Links:

Facebook: WWW.facebook.com/lucyburdette  
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette  
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucyburdette  
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib  
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4781149.Lucy_Burdette  

Purchase Links: Amazon B&N IndieBound BookBub Kobo

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death on the Menu by Lucy Burdette. This book is the eighth in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and will be released August 7, 2018.

Key West is abuzz with excitement as the Harry S. Truman Little White House hosts a Havana/Key West Conference. Hayley Snow is thrilled to help her mom whose newly founded catering company was chosen to cater the event. Unfortunately, the buzz is not all positive and the island is on high alert with increased security. Hayley is determined to help her mom succeed despite warnings from her boyfriend, Detective Nathan Bransford to stay away from the conference. As the conference begins tensions that are already running high spike when Ernest Hemingway's Nobel Prize medal goes missing. Will the delicious food calm the crowd or is murder on the menu?

Review - Killer Takeout

Review

KILLER TAKEOUT by Lucy Burdette

The Seventh Key West Food Critic Mystery

Temperatures soar in Key West as the town celebrates Fantasy Fest. The Royal Court has been chosen, but one runner up does not take losing lightly and picks a fight with the Queen, Hayley's co-worker Danielle. As Haley Snow works on covering the event for Key Zest Magazine she samples numerous takeout foods and partakes of the the many activities found on the island. Adding to the activities, Hayley's mom and fiance are in town to get married. But with a hurricane brewing, tempers flaring, and Danielle a prime suspect in the suspicious death of her rival, Haley's got more on her plate than a mango hot dog!

Burdette has crafted a fine mystery in this seventh installment of the Key West Food Critic Mystery series. Her use of atmosphere drives both the plot and the characters. Hayley Snow has really grown since her first appearance.She's toughened up. While she loves her family, island family as well as blood, and enjoys their company, she's evolving into an independent woman who doesn't need a man to be happy. She's able to stand up and speak out for herself. Her confidence has grown without sacrificing her caring wholesome self.

KILLER TAKEOUT captures the atmosphere of a town on edge, a party town a step away from going too far. The weather turns up the heat creating tension, desires, and bringing out the competitiveness in its populace. As Hayley looks into the suspicious death she continues her work as a food critic providing us with mouthwatering food descriptions. We can almost taste the food, see the sights, and feel the humidity, thankfully safe in our cool homes without a murderer on the loose! In KILLER TAKEOUT Burdette skillfully combines atmosphere and characterization, with a thoughtfully plotted mystery to create a winning book!

Recipes included.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.

Review - Fatal Reservations

Review

Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette
The 6th book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series

There's a new floating restaurant in Key West, but it's causing a commotion at the city commission meeting, as it seems not to be bound to the same constraints as its on land competition. Add an unruly group of street performers to a volatile meeting and you have a recipe for disaster. Hayley's friend and confidant, the tarot reader Lorenzo, didn't see bad fortune lurking and when a fellow street performer winds up dead Lorenzo becomes the main suspect and flees town. Is Hayley right to believe in him? Even when his story keeps changing?

Truths will come out.  

The life of a psychic: able to see and read others, but unable to foretell his own future. Hayley has always relied on Lorenzo to guide her when faced with a crisis. In Fatal Reservations, however, Lorenzo is the one facing a crisis. Although Hayley wants to believe in him, and help him, Lorenzo's actions belie his innocence. Why run? As hard evidence begins to stack up against him, even Hayley has to wonder if her trust could possibly be misplaced. As Hayley discovers she really doesn't know much about Lorenzo, is she right to stand up for him?

With her mother back in wintry New Jersey caring for Sam, Wally acting more like a non-boyfriend, and  her roomie, Miss Gloria, caught up with her own friends and new hobby, Hayley finds herself more alone than ever. 

I enjoy being back in Key West with Hayley and her friends...and the food. Fatal Reservations is a wonderful addition to the series. Lucy Burdette brings the charm of Key West, but doesn't hide its dark side and faults as well. The popular fun tourist attractions can have a seedy underbelly. The author also has us question what we know. Are people really what they seem? Should we stay with the comfortable or reach for something better. What is worth the risk? Lucy Burdette combines cozy fun with the gritty details of life, past and present, with a hopeful look to the future showing us that how we deal with past crises can color our world, either positively or negatively. How will you see your world?

Recipes included.

Fatal Reservations will be released Tuesday, July 7, 2015. Amazon has it available for pre-order and is offering the mass market paperback for a sale price of only $5.45. I'm not sure how long the sale will last!
 

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette. This book is the 6th in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series and will be released July 7, 2015.

There's a new floating restaurant in Key West, but it's causing a commotion at the city commission meeting, as it seems not to be bound to the same constraints as its on land competition. Add an unruly group of street performers to a volatile meeting and you have a recipe for disaster. Hayley's friend and confidant, the tarot reader Lorenzo, didn't see bad fortune lurking and when a fellow street performer winds up dead Lorenzo becomes the main suspect and flees town. Is Hayley right to believe in him? Even when his story keeps changing?

I enjoy being back in Key West with Hayley and her friends...and the food. This book is proving to be a wonderful addition to the series.

Why I Love Writing Cozy Mysteries - Lucy Burdette Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

Why I Love Writing Cozy Mysteries by Lucy Burdette


A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of teaching a class on writing a cozy mystery series. You could probably guess that that I love writing these books just from the fact that book number thirteen is out this month. But more on that in a little bit…

What attracts me (and maybe you) to this kind of story? The character lives by her wits and solves mysteries through her curiosity and her ability to observe things and understand the people around her. There’s no special assist from police tactics and training: no search warrants, no takedowns with guns or Tasers, no computer database to help sort out clues. The only real skills that my character brings to the series are her recipes!

So I have to tackle questions in each book: First, what business is it of Hayley's to get involved in solving a crime? What does she want more than anything? Why does she care? To put it another way, what’s her stake in the story? And yikes, who would ever listen to her when she does discover an important clue? That brings us to my favorite part of writing these books, relationships. When I think about developing a victim and possible suspects, I think about who knows who and what secrets they are hiding. And what's important to Hayley, and to her friends and her family.

The brand new book, the fifth book in the Key West food critic mystery series, is called Death with all the Trimmings. Hayley has landed the interview of her career as a food critic, talking with and observing a top chef who's moved from New York City to Key West. She soon discovers that the chef’s been experiencing sabotage in her kitchen. With a fire and a murder, things whirl out of control from there. As usual, there's lots of food and family, and in this case, the charm of a Key West Christmas, too. Hayley and I and the whole Key West gang hope you'll enjoy the read!

About Death with all the Trimmings: It may be Christmastime, but thoughts of peace on earth, good will toward men, don’t seem to extend to the restaurant business. Food critic Hayley Snow has been assigned to interview Edel Waugh, chef/owner of Key West’s hottest new restaurant. But off the record, Edel reveals that there’s been sabotage in the kitchen and asks Hayley to investigate. Things heat up fast when the restaurant is set on fire—and a body is discovered in the charred wreckage. Is someone out to destroy the chef’s business—or actually kill her? Amid holiday festivities like the lighted boat parade, and visiting relatives who stir up mixed emotions, Hayley needs to smoke out an arsonist and a killer before they turn up the heat again…on her!


Buy the Book: http://www.penguin.com/book/death-with-all-the-trimmings-by-lucy-burdette/9780451465900


Bio:

Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 13 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs about food and mysteries at Mystery Lovers Kitchen  and Jungle Red Writers. You can also find her on Facebook, and Twitter, and Pinterest.

******************************************************************************

Review

Death with all the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
The 5th Key West Food Critic Mystery

It's Christmastime in Key West and Hayley Snow has a lot on her plate. Hayley is dealing with the fact that her mom has decided that wintering in Key West is a great idea, a hiatus from a romance that was just starting to brew, and the fact that Ava, co-owner of the magazine, is still trying to get her fired. On the upside, Hayley has landed a great interview with the chef/owner of a new restaurant opening in town. What Hayley doesn't know is that the chef is hoping for more than an interview from Hayley-she needs her help. Someone is sabotaging the restaurant and Chef Edel has learned that Hayley has a nose for investigating. Things have just turned deadly on Key West-here's hoping that Hayley can find some peace this Christmas! 

The more I read this series, the more I love it. Lucy Burdette gives us Christmas in Key West featuring a Hometown Holiday Parade (where Hayley, Wally, and Danielle design their golf cart to look like a giant Key Lime pie pulled by reindeer), a town wide Christmas light competition, and the lighted boat parade, followed by the Dachshund Parade on New Years Day. The vivid descriptions transport me to the scene so that even I think a warm Christmas may be delightful. But there's more than Christmas ambiance to this book.

Lucy Burdette gives us a restaurant full of suspects, but what is the real motive? Was the kitchen sabotage perpetrated by the same person who killed Juan Carlos? Why kill him? Does it all have to do with a woman scorned? A business rivalry? Both? Hayley and Miss Gloria also have to deal with the consequences of getting involved in murder; possibly the most dangerous consequences they've ever faced! Death with all the Trimmings is a delightful read that kept me intrigued. We have a well thought out mystery enriched by characters who keep evolving, the uniqueness of Key West, the spirit of Christmas, and the promise that is a new year.

Recipes included.

*********************************************************************************

This book would make a perfect stocking stuffer! For a chance of your own print copy of Death with all the Trimmings leave a comment on this post describing your favorite holiday event no later than Saturday, December 6th at 11:59 pm EST. Sorry, US addresses only. Be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I may contact you should you win.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death with all the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette. Sadly, you'll have to wait until December 2 to get this book, the fifth in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series, while I get to gobble it up now!

It's Christmastime in Key West and Hayley Snow has a lot on her plate. Hayley is dealing with the fact that her mom has decided that wintering in Key West is a great idea, a hiatus from a romance that was just starting to brew, and the fact that Ava, co-owner of the magazine, is still trying to get her fired. On the upside, Hayley has landed a great interview with the chef/owner of a new restaurant opening in town. What Hayley doesn't know is that the chef is hoping for more than an interview from Hayley-she needs her help. Someone is sabotaging the restaurant and Chef Edel has learned that Hayley has a nose for investigating. Things have just turned deadly on Key West-here's hoping that Hayley can find some peace this Christmas!