Dollycas’s Thoughts

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is crazy in Key West, Florida when tourists take over the area. One enterprising chef thought it was the perfect time to hold a contest to find the place serving the best Key Lime Pie. The first event to introduce the chefs participating ends with tempers flaring and pies flying. Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow was there to witness it all.

Hayley and Nathan are starting their life together. They are living with Miss Gloria waiting for their houseboat renovation to happen, Nathan is working overtime with the influx of people on the island, while Hayley is working on several articles for Key Zest. Then Nathan announces his mother is coming for a visit. With every hotel and B&B booked solid, they need to find a place for her to stay because there is no way she will appreciate sleeping on the houseboat. Nathan also explains that he is not going to have time to entertain her and apologies for putting something else on Hayley’s plate. She decides to take the woman on the Conch Train Tour to see the houses all decorated on the island and Gloria goes along for the ride. Eagle-eyed Gloria is sure she saw something at one of the houses and they went to check it out but they found much more than they bargained for . . . a dead pastry chef in a Santa suit. Her mother-in-law is intrigued and has her own ideas for investigating the death. Hayley is worried because Nathan is not going to be happy and she is afraid they may be the killer’s next victims.

I loved this story! Christmastime in Key West! What could be better?

Lucy Burdette has created such wonderful characters for this series and now she has added Helen Bransford, Nathan’s mother, and she is more than first meets the eye. She is a force no matter what character she is interacting with. I hope to see more of her in future installments because she is unique and savvy. Hayley is one busy lady but she finds time to entertain a woman she had never met, Helen didn’t attend the wedding, and who really loved Nathan’s first wife. Hayley was eager to impress and she did all she could. Miss Gloria never fails to crack me up throughout the story. Her relationship with Hayley continues to grow. They depend on each other. Thankfully, Hayley and Nathan’s houseboat is right next to Gloria. All the characters in this story are well developed and their dialogues are crisp and true to life.

Ms. Burdette was cooked up a fabulous mystery too. Plenty of suspects, plenty of twists, and plenty of turns, all leading to some great surprises. I was already totally captivated by the story when a very suspenseful part had me truly on the edge of my seat. I was also totally wrong on the guilty party too.

The setting for this series is a delight, I have loved each and every visit. I understand why snowbirds leave the cold weather as we have in Wisconsin behind to spend time at such a happening place. Hopefully without the dead bodies.

I can’t leave without the food mentioned. This time Key Lime Pie was the star and I quickly found out I didn’t know the different ways Key Lime Pie can be made. Learning something new is always a bonus.

Lucy Burdette is a fantastic storyteller who seems to keep topping herself with each book in this series. I highly recommend all 10 books. In fact, this book is one of the best cozies I have read this year earning my Paradise Rating!

I would have to say that the last thing a new wife wants to do is have her new MIL, who didn’t make it to the wedding, to suddenly announce a visit. The only thing worse would be if the newlyweds were waiting on their houseboat to be remodeled and habitable while sharing a boat with an old friend and 3 pets. I’m not talking yacht I am talking sailboat that is less than 30 feet in length. And to add a cherry to the top of this oh so special ice cream sundae is for the new husband, who is also a local detective, to get pulled into a murder investigation during the New Year’s eve Key West crazy time. Imagine taking your new MIL to tour the Christmas lights around town on the Conch Train and coming upon the dead body of a local pastry chef in a Santa Suit Time waits for no one and neither does the newspaper which means that Hayley needs to cover the David Sloan Key Lime Pie Contest. Apparently there are several ways to make key lime pie, flaky crust vs. graham cracker, meringue piping vs. a mile high meringue top, even creamy vs. thick. So in addition to trying all of the pies, because how can one possibly write a proper article without getting a taste of each an every type of pie is essential and also gives Hayley and new MIL Helen a chance to “not investigate” the mysterious murder.

This was a fun book, one that makes me want to try all the Key Lime options available and to visit Florida. I found Hayley's mother-in-law interesting and her abrupt arrival frustrating. Hayley handled it better than I would have, I did like that Helen was a take the initiative kind of person and her backstory as to why is heartbreaking. I was happy to see Hayley take a little more initiative and assert herself in regards to Helen, especially when it came to being a foodie.

I definitely need to read the other books, I felt as though I was missing some backstory... my fault on that one.

Lucy Burdette continues her food critic culinary series set in key west. The series is moving forward in time, with Haley and Nathan married, trying to settle into life together, waiting for their house boat to be remodeled. Nathan's mother decides to make a surprise visit for Christmas. With the annual Key Lime Pie contest, mother in law visit, and of course murder, it does not make for a joyful yuletide.

The Key Lime Crime by Lucy Burdette is a pie-licious mystery filled with insecurities, ambitions, and murder.

Will Hayley and Helen figure out who killed Claudette before they completely hate key lime pies?

Haley and Helen
Haley is in her first month of marriage to her brilliant cop husband, Nathan, when his mother calls to come and visit the week unexpectedly between Christmas and New Year's Eve. This is the busiest time for the police, not to mention Hayley's job and her parents' catering business. Key West is pretty crazy this time of year.

Hayley has so many questions about Nathan's childhood, but she is very intimidated by Nathan's mom, Helen. Helen also works in law enforcement but as a forensic scientist. Hayley learns some things about Nathan's past that she didn't know before. However, Helen is full of other surprises. Hayley and Helen are starting to get along, but one of the things that make them so different is that Hayley loves food, whereas Helen needs nourishment.

I like the way Ms. Burdette allows Hayley's insecurities to play out and how we slowly see Hayley and Helen getting closer. However, I always have such a problem with Nathan and his issues with Hayley's well-being. I try to grasp his past and how that affects his current life. Yet, there are times when he drives me crazy.

The Mystery
Claudette, the newest pastry chef in town, is murdered after throwing a pie in the face of one of the more popular citizens. Hayley, Helen, and Miss Gloria find the deceased. Then Helen and Hayley begin to investigate the crime. I totally thought it was a red herring, I even got caught up in the wrong motive.

Miss Gloria Update
Miss Gloria is a kick in the pants. She is my favorite character. In this installment, she gets another cat, a kitten named T-Bone. So let's do a quick rundown. That's three people, two adult cats, one dog, and now a kitten all living in a two-bedroom boathouse. Talk about tight quarters, but it is fine as Miss Gloria is already worried about how lonely she will be when Hayley and Nathan finally move on to their houseboat that's right next door.

Honestly, it's harder to find contractors there in Key West than it is here in Montana, and that is saying a lot.

Five Stars
I love the dynamics of Hayley, her family, Nathan, and Miss Gloria. Seriously, this book has it all, murder, cats, a dog, and food (lots of key lime pie). My rating for The Key Lime Crime by Lucy Burdette is five stars. I recommend it to all you cozy readers out there.

Oh and don't forget the recipes at the back:
• Cheese Puffs with Fig Jam
• Alvina's Crumb Cake
• Cheryl's Chai Snickerdoodles
• Knockoff Baby's Salad with Italian Dressing a la Clemente's Trolley Pizzeria
• Eric's Chick and Stuffing Casserole for 160 People
• David Sloan's Key Lime Martini
• Lucy Burdette's Decadent Key Lime Parfait
• Caprese Salad with Grilled Flank Steak

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Key Lime Crime by Lucy Burdette.

This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Light cozy mystery set in Key West. Recommended for fans of the series, though I think it can be read as a standalone. 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #cozymystery

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?
Amazon.com

The Key Lime Crime is Lucy Burdette’s tenth Key West Food Critic mystery. Main character, Hayley Snow, is a food critic with Key Zest magazine. Hayley is a likable character because she cares about people, especially victims of murder. Solving cases introduced her to Nathan Bransford, a police detective who serves on the on the Key West force.

She also befriends Miss Gloria, an octogenarian and houseboat owner, who invites Hayley to be her roommate. When renovations on Nathan and Hayley’s own houseboat are delayed, the newlyweds and Miss Gloria are forced to cohabitate, making for cramped quarters and a stressful situation. And then, there are two cats, a dog, and one bathroom. And then, there’s the murder of a pastry chef. And then, Hayley’s mother-in-law, who refused to attend their wedding, drops in for a visit. Can anyone not have sympathy for Hayley?

If you’ve ever tried to make Key Lime Pie, you’ll also have sympathy for those who make it regularly. Key limes are the smallest dang things. To get the amount of juice needed for one pie, I squeezed over twenty of the itty-bitty things by hand.

Here’s a link to my previous interview with Lucy when her fourth book in the series was released. Please welcome Lucy Burdette to WWK. E. B. Davis

I keep trying to envision Key West with all of the tourists and attractions. How many square miles is the Key? Does the city encompass the entire area of the Key? How many people are residents? How many visitors does it get?

The island of Key West is 4 miles by about two, depending where you measure. It makes up the City of Key West along with a couple small islands and part of Stock Island, the next one north. There are about 24,000 residents, but this can swell to 75,000 during a busy event like fantasy fest, which was featured in Killer Takeout.

Miss Gloria gives Hayley marriage advice. Was Miss Gloria ever married?

Yes, Miss Gloria was married to her husband Frank for many years. They had two sons who live in Michigan, and are greatly relieved to have Hayley looking out for her. (Don’t ask me exactly how many years she was married because I am terrible at keeping track of details!)

I love Hayley’s cat. How did he get his name, Evinrude?

Evinrude is the name of a motor, and it seemed like a good choice when we were looking for something nautical. He is modeled after my gray tiger Jack the cat, who was a wonderful guy who accompanied me on many moves during my 20’s and 30’s.

I like my Key Lime Pie to have a graham cracker crust, tart filling (preferably green) with lots of browned meringue. What do you think is the most important part of Key Lime Pie? The crust, filling, or topping?

We agree on the first two—graham cracker crust and tart filling. It should be pale yellow however, if it’s made from real key limes. The green pies are usually doctored with food color. I prefer whipped cream, but I’ll eat any of them. And my hub and I did eat many while I was writing!

How was Key Lime Pie developed by a sailor?

This may be an old wives’ tale, but some people say sponge fishermen developed the first key lime pie when they were out at sea with few fresh ingredients available. Those included eggs, condensed milk, citrus, and soda crackers. Others say that Aunt Sally created the first pie in the late 1800s in Key West. I will leave that argument to the food historians.

Are Key Lime martinis any good? They could be cloying.

Of course, I tried the recipe from David Sloan which he allowed me to print in the back of the book. It was quite delicious, but I wouldn't advise more than one of them! And probably not too often ...

Where are key limes grown?

As with other citrus fruits, they require a tropical environment. So that means they can be grown in places like Florida, Texas, and California. Probably more frequently they come from Mexico.

You begin each chapter with a quote. Are they real quotes? I loved the one by Julia Child.

Thanks for noticing! I spend a fair amount of time looking for these. Since I read a lot of novels involving food and also read nonfiction food writing, it's not so hard to find them if you are watching. However, I also try to arrange them so that each quote has a little connection to what's going on in that chapter. Some are a better fit than others.

I was relieved for Hayley when her mother offered to put up Nathan’s mother in her guestroom. Are mothers and mothers-in-law equal if opposing forces even at the best of times?

I think that’s a good point, if they feel as though they are fighting over the couple. In this case, Hayley’s mom has a big edge. However, Nathan's mother was a lot of fun to write. A number of readers have mentioned that they don't know Nathan very well, and that they couldn't quite understand how taken Hayley is with him. So, it was fun to think about what in his background had molded him into the person he is now. And I hope that he is evolving along with Hayley. Hayley's own mother has grown a lot over these books as well. This is my favorite part of writing a series, watching the characters grow and change.

I was miffed at Nathan. Every time he was supposed to spend time with his mother, he bailed. Work was his excuse, leaving Hayley to occupy his mother and try to do her job. Doesn’t he like his mother? Why did he expect Hayley to entertain his mother when she also has a job?

Honestly, I think that Nathan is a little bit afraid of his mother. They have not been terribly close up to this point. And we shouldn't underestimate the stress of having the New Year's Eve crowds descend on the island. It's an astonishing feat for the Police Department to watch over this mob of people who have come to party, often more seriously than is good for them. I did want a believable reason for Nathan to leave Hayley and his mother to solve the mystery, and this seemed like a reasonable solution. You'll see more of the two of them in the next book!

Hayley finds common ground when Nathan’s mom has a premonition as she approaches what ends up being a murder scene. I was surprised by this because Nathan’s mom is a scientist. I thought the science types wouldn’t have premonitions. Is Nathan’s mom atypical?

I suspect that you are right, often science and spiritual leanings are not found together in one person. But who says characters should follow anybody's rules?

Nathan always tries to keep Hayley out of his investigations. But Nathan’s mother criticizes her for not asking enough questions. Is Nathan’s mom a detective? Is she competing with her son?

I want to be careful about answering this so I don't give spoilers for people who are looking forward to reading the story. I will say that there is a trauma in their background that has led Mrs. Bransford to become a sort of detective. And like her son, she is not naturally at ease with people the way Hayley and her mother are. I was very pleased with how everyone ended up working together and look forward to having you read the rest ...

What is Fantasy Fest? How does it result in naked, painted people?

The initial idea was to have an event that would attract visitors in the slow season. A king and queen are elected based on how much money they raise for the Aids charity, and there are parades and parties and even a zombie bike ride. My husband and I participated in that one year (research!)—it was a lot of fun involving face paint and costumes with hundreds of very creative zombies. Some people enjoy the exhibitionist nature of the events, but we prefer the creativity.

Outdoor tables come with heat lamps to ward off the chill—how cold does it get in Key West?

The coldest I’ve experienced was in the 50’s. For Key West natives, that’s the occasion for coats, hats, and even mittens. In the summer, it remains pretty much in the high 80’s, but very humid. Not for the faint of heart!

Nathan’s mom is picture perfect. She doesn’t seem to enjoy most of the things people enjoy, like tasting food or being adventurous. There’s a saying, “Adversity is what makes you.” But adversity also can break you or make you behave in the extreme. Is this Nathan’s mom’s problem?

I envisioned her as a very buttoned up and well-mannered southern lady. After the trauma in her family (see above avoiding spoilers,) she tended even further in that direction. I think that it's true that some people don't care that much about food. Of course, I am not one of them! But Nathan's mother is, and that became a way to set up conflict between Hayley and her new mother-in-law.

What is a pie drop?

I pictured it to be about as silly as it sounds. Contestants would walk to the top of the Key West lighthouse (across the street from the Hemingway house) carrying their pies. The contest involved dropping them and seeing which ones splats on to the ground first. More silly Key West fun!

What is Florida’s stand-your-ground statute?

This is a law stating that a person who is attacked where he or she has a right to be, has the right to stand his or her ground and use force to defend themselves if needed. That’s a very simplistic summary—it’s complicated and controversial!

You provide recipes, but no Key Lime Pie recipe. Why?

I don’t have a key lime pie recipe that’s different enough to call mine, so I thought I’d leave that one to the experts.

What’s next for Hayley, Nathan, and Miss Gloria?

I’m finishing the 11th book in the series right now, and a lot of it takes place in Scotland. Last summer we had a wonderful trip to Scotland, and this book has been a way to relive those memories since we aren’t going anyplace else!



Painting by Karen Beauprie

Even though this is book 10 in the 'Key West Food Critic Mystery' series, and I have only read one other instalment - A Deadly Feast (book 9) - I still jumped at the chance to read The Key Lime Crime, finding it a fun, delightful and amusing cozy.

The week between Christmas and New Year is a busy one in Key West, Florida when tourists take over the area. Enterprising and wealthy superstar chef, David Sloan decided it was the perfect time to hold a contest to find the pedlar that serves the best Key Lime Pie. The first event ends with tempers flaring and a public altercation between Sloan and Claudette Parker, one of the top contestants. Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow is there to report on proceedings.

Hayley and police detective Nathan Bransford are enjoying their life together as a married couple, until he announces that her intimidating mother-in-law is coming for a surprise visit. They are currently bunking in with her octogenarian friend, Miss Gloria whilst waiting for their houseboat renovations to be completed, but with every hotel and B & B fully booked, they need to find a place for her to stay. Responsible for entertaining Nathan's mother, Hayley takes the woman on the Conch Train Tour to see the houses all decorated on the island and Gloria goes along too. When Gloria spots something suspicious at one of the houses, they check it out... and find a dead pastry chef in a Santa suit. Her mother-in-law is intrigued and insists on getting involved but Hayley is worried about Nathan's reactions as well as the alarming possibility of becoming the killer’s next victims.

Lucy Burdette has created such wonderful characters for this series and this story, and Helen Bransford, Nathan’s mother, was certainly a force to be reckoned with! Thoughtful Hayley, although very busy, made sure to devote some of her time to her. Miss Gloria provided many comedic moments, and I adore her great relationship with Hayley. All of the characters have excellent parts to play and the dialogue is sharp and punchy. The mystery itself was well plotted, with precisely the right amount of drive. There was a choice of suspects and plenty of twists propelling towards a few surprises. This delightfully entertaining story has given me the inspiration to do two things: the first is to read the first book in the series, An Appetite for Murder and the second is to try a slice of Key Lime Pie! Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Another excellent addition to this series, highly enjoyable and engrossing.
I was happy to meet again the cast of characters and read about the developments in their life.
The mystery was solid, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next installment, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A fantastic addition to a wonderful series! Hayley is newly married still trying to work out the logistics for living together. With the holidays coming it just gets more stressful. then the town decides to host a pie making contest focused just on Key Lime pie. Things get interesting from the get go when one contestant is disqualified so she shoves a pie in the hosts face. Then hubby announces his mom is coming for a surprise visit the very next day and she had never met Hayley. Add the murder of the disqualified lady and things really get interesting if not somewhat stressful. Talk about a first impression. Then the MIL insists on investigating leading to a surprise twist of an ending. A well written cozy full of food (especially let lime is of course) that will leave you drooling while keeping up with all the little clues and twists. A pleasant read for fans of the genre. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.

I have jumped right into this series at book 10 with The Key Lime Crime, and I really wish I had read the previous books as I enjoyed this one so much! I did feel a slight disconnect with the characters to start with coming into the series so late, but once I found my footing with them all I soon became to love the quirky and fun loving Hayley. She is newly married to police detective Nathan Bransford and it is apparent that there has been some things gone on in his past growing up that Hayley still isn't 100% sure of what exactly, he announces that his mother is coming for a surprise visit for the holidays and Haley is a little stressed seeing as she hasn't spent much time with her!

Hayley is a food critic for Key Zest and she is reporting on the Key Lime Pie contest which she takes her mother in law Helen along with her, only they get more than pie when they find one of the main contenders dead! This was quite an entertaining read, I loved how Hayley and Helen's relationship progressed through this book and I loved Miss Gloria - she was a hoot!

The setting of Key West, Florida the quirky characters and the delicious food is a great recipe for murder! At the end of the book there are some amazing recipes that I would love to try (though I would need to try vegan-ise them)

This was a 4 star read for me and I cant wait to start at the very beginning.

This is my first book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series but it won’t be my last – and it can definitely be read as standalone. The writing voice hooks you from the beginning & the characters keep you invested all the way through. Clever plotting & several twists had me guessing what would happen next & I enjoyed the wittiness throughout. A great place to jump into the series or pick up where you left off!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

In Key West, Florida, Key Lime Pies are the favorite dessert of locals and tourists alike. At the kickoff of a Key Lime Pie contest, a new bakery owner named Charlotte is frustrated by not being allowed entry into the contest. Her oh-so-French Key Lime Neapolitan is ruled not a pie. Charlotte retaliates by throwing a pie into Sloan, the contest host’s, face. Only hours later, Charlotte is found dead on her lawn posing as a drunken Santa in The (perfect) Key Lime Crime.

Hayley Snow is a food critic for Key Zest Magazine. She married Key West Detective Nathan only three weeks ago. Nathan’s mother, who Hayley has never met, visits the newlyweds and discovers Charlotte’s dead body along with Hayley and her elderly neighbor, Gloria. Even though Nathan tells Hayley to leave the detecting to him, she can’t help investigating too.

Even though this is the tenth book in the series, I had no trouble with reading it as a stand-alone. The hijinks of the denizens of Key West are hilarious. Think Dave Barry’s Florida non-fiction or Serge Storm’s fictional adventures but toned down to a cozy mystery level. The characters are sincere and began to feel like friends by the end of the novel. The mystery was challenging. Overall, 4 stars for this funny foody cozy mystery.

There are also eight recipes seen in the book included at the end. From cheese puffs to chai snickerdoodles to steak and salad, many different choices are available. Plus the book’s David Sloan is based on a real person who wrote the book described in this book. Talk about being meta-fiction.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is the direct cause of the 5 pounds I gained this summer.

I look forward to each Key Lime Food Critic book that comes out, and was this one was no exception. I feel like I am on vacation each time I read one, and with being stuck at home with no hope of traveling anytime soon, I was VERY excited to get to take a trip to Key West with Hayley.

As I've come to expect from the series, Key Lime Crime give us wonderful characters, both familiar and new - the addition of Nathan's mom brings a little fresh air to the usual group. We get just the right twists at the right times, and in the vein of the cozy mystery, it's the perfectly satisfying story. As with your usual foodie cozy, we get wonderful descriptions of the food along the way - in this story, a key lime pie competition is at the center of the action! My mouth watered through the book, and for better or worse, I learned how to make my own key lime pies to satisfy my cravings! Three pies later, I finally finished the book, and am so happy I did. I can't wait to visit Key West with Hayley again!

This is the tenth book in the Key West Food Critic series but the first I have read. Since I didn't know the characters and setting well, I felt a little disinterested at first but it turned into a quirky and entertaining mystery. It takes place between Christmas and New Year's on Key West and includes a visit from a new and uptight mother-in-law. They were many plausible suspects, including one that the characters forgot to investigate, and the culprit was completely unsuspected!

I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Lucy Burdette and Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have not read any of the previous books in this series but that did not stop me from enjoying this book. The author did a good job of introducing the characters and providing enough back story that you have an idea of how we have arrived at this book.

The book was fun, I loved the recipes at the end, definitely going to have to try some of them. I did not guess who the killer was so, well done with the reveal. I am looking forward to reading more of the "A Key West Food Critic" mysteries in the future.

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.

4.5 stars

This is the tenth book in the Key West Food Critics series by Lucy Burdette.

This book almost felt like book one in a series. I have read book 9 in this series but this one felt so fresh. Having Nathan’s mother make her appearance here put a great ingredient into the Key West character base. She is what this series needed. Loved her so much! I did miss having Nathan in the mix. I felt like he wasn’t in the story enough though.

The whodunit was original and characters well crafted. I was sucked in from the very beginning. Loved this book so much. Looking forward to reading other books in this series to get more background on everyone.

If you like cozy mysteries, you won’t be disappointed in this series. Take a deep dive into this fantastic series!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

It’s the week before the New Year and Key West is buzzing with local events aplenty. Food critic and Key Zest reporter Hayley Snow is covering the newly added key lime extravaganza hosted by David Sloan, which will feature key lime pies from all the hottest restaurants and bakeries in Key West. The competition is heated, but no one expected the murder of one of the competitors. The time of the year plus the murder have Hayley’s husband and police detective, Nathan Bransford, busier than ever. Much to both of their surprise, Nathan’s mom (who didn’t attend their recent wedding) decides to visit and now Hayley is also escorting her mother-in-law around town. Will Hayley and her mother-in-law avoid danger when they are in the thick of things?

THE KEY LIME CRIME is the 10th book in the Key West Food Critic series and one of the few in the series that works best if you’ve read at least one other book in the series and are familiar with the relationship between Hayley and Nathan. It can still be read as a standalone story, but new readers may question the strength of their relationship as Nathan isn’t present during large portions of the story. Instead, we spend a lot of time with his mom, Helen, and learning about his family history. What we learn, however, is very enlightening and adds so much to his character development!

I love the emotional depth of the story line in THE KEY LIME CRIME. We dig into Nathan’s past as well as getting to know his seemingly standoffish mother, Helen. Hayley’s reactions and anxiety over it all are very relatable and add to the overall story line. Watching Hayley and Helen learn to work together as they slowly build a relationship is enjoyable, even as we worry right along with Hayley about what Helen is truly thinking. Fortunately, Gloria’s steadfast friendship is always there as Gloria offers Hayley just the right amount of emotional support when she needs it.

I’m suffering Key West withdrawals as we always make a trip there once a year and this year are unable to do so (thanks, Covid) so THE KEY LIME CRIME is a true blessing right now! Lucy Burdette takes readers on a tour of the best key lime pies in Key West and my mouth is still watering from all the scrumptious delights she describes! How I miss roaming the streets of Duval and Fleming, while seeing the Cuban Coffee Queen, the Truman Annex, and Mallory Square! I also love that Lucy Burdette includes a few new restaurants for me to try on my next visit while adding in tidbits about Key West history. I love the mentions of the Green Parrot, Sloppy Joe’s, Captain Tony’s, and Pepe’s as it was like a tiny taste of paradise. And yes, I’ve added Blue Heaven and Turtle Kraals on my list of places to visit next time I’m in Key West!

THE KEY LIME CRIME is the perfect antidote to anyone missing travel right now! Not only does Lucy Burdette offer up one heck of a good story line, she also takes us on a delectable and mouth-watering tour of Key West. True Conchs will notice she inserts real life folks into her story line, adding the perfect dose of realism. I have to give a shout out to Lucy Burdette for including Hayley’s work with Metropolitan Community Church to help feed those who may be food insecure, as this only makes me love Hayley, Lucy Burdette, and the Key West Food Critic series even more! If you love tasty food, excellent character development, and a darned good mystery, then THE KEY LIME CRIME is the perfect read for you!

I've read every book in this series, so I obviously like it. I had noticed in previous books that the author is very frank about the problems of living in the Keys (especially the one featuring the hurricane) which is a departure from the usual sunny local of most cozies (despite the high murder count...kinda like Cabot Cove). It doesn't dampen my reading experience, but seems to perk me up from my cozy complacency.

We also see life in a houseboat, especially one with 3 adults and 3 pets isn't golden, nor is marriage, even if one of the couple isn't the murder victim du livre.

The usual dynamic duo of Hayley and Miss Gloria becomes a trio when Nathan's mom unexpectedly arrives. The mystery takes a second seat to page time about Hayley's job, her strange mother in law, homeless animals and more. I felt the murder was deal with adequately, but some readers may be disappointed and feel it was a bit unrealistic. there were not enough details to make it truly seem logical/believable. Also, Hayley's lack of knowledge about her husband's life pre-time together also seems very strange this day in age. Her not questioning meeting his family before the wedding or the mother not attending?!?!

That said, it was still a positive read for me and kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next. However, like Helen (the MIL), I was glad to end all things key lime by the end of the book. I swear the words "key lime" must have been written a thousand times in this book.

Looking forward to the next book which sounds like it will take place on distant shores. Yes! A cozy road trip!!!

I got my copy of Key Lime Crime from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.