3.5 stars! This is the second book in the Italian Chef Mysteries series. I enjoyed this one more than the first book, and hope that the author writes more books with these characters! The only downside is that when I read these books I crave all the Italian food, and this one gave me major cravings for cannoli.

I want to start off by saying I LOVE the title of this books. Punny cozy mystery titles make me smile and sometimes giggle uncontrollably. I picked this title as an eARC from NetGalley because of the title. Upon starting it was obvious this was #2 in a series. Luckily, as I read on it didn't seem to matter, the author often let the reader know when something was referenced in the first and told us a little of what we needed to know if necessary.

Tessa, is working on organizing her restaurant, Anything's Pastable (another pun!), to get ready for opening in about a week. She is nervous but excited, she's taking reservations for opening night but none have booked yet. Her cousin, Gabby, runs a book store in town and is having an author signing and Tessa has agreed to help make and serve refreshments. Gabby is also nervous and excited for the author signing because it's an author she idolizes and hopes that this will drum up business as she's seen a decline recently. The night seems to start off well, even if Tessa thought the author was being pompous and treating Gabby like a servant, until Gabby's high school bully, Daphne, walks in, turns out she's the author's publicist. Daphne hasn't changed a bit. At this point I thought it was 50/50 if it was Daphne or the author that would turn up dead. (If there's no dead body within the first five chapters of a cozy it's going to be a slow ride.) Daphne was nasty to Gabby and Gabby "accidentally" spilled her wine down the front of Daphne's shirt, causing Daphne and the author to become upset and leave. Gabby and Tessa close up for the night and go home, albeit a little disappointed that the end of the night wasn't as successful as the beginning. In the morning Tessa realizes that she forgot her phone at the book store and asks Gabby to go back to the store with her to get it. Gabby apparently drowned her sorrows in wine the previous night and wasn't up to it. She gives Tessa a spare key because she can't find hers. Tessa arrives to the store finds her phone...but wait there's a trail of cannoli down the aisles...a dead body!

So the ride along this cozy mystery was fine, it wasn't too slow and it wasn't too fast. There were some weird relationship quirks that I didn't find terribly realistic. Gabby's constant crying about having to close her store because her reputation is ruined after a person was murdered in her store seemed over the top. In almost every murder mystery I've ever heard of it's always been the opposite. Murder piques everyone's interest and they are able to get more business from the intrigue. At every interaction with Gabby after the murder she whines about it though. I understand it's her business and livelihood but it was too much. The way Tessa and Gabby teamed up and took it into their own hands to solve the murder also seemed unrealistic. I've read so many cozies and I know the main character is always an amateur detective who has no business looking into the murder investigation but somehow solves it but every other story makes it work. This one it was just like why are they crossing so many lines? It was also hard because Gabby's brother and boyfriend are cops. While in other stories this is a way to help with realism and get information in this story they just seemed to pop up conveniently to scold the women into minding their business but yet give them information they needed? It was strange.

Cozies are a nice fun fluff mystery so I wasn't extremely bothered by the criticisms I had. Luckily in the end everything was tied up with a nice bow. Tessa and Gabby's respective businesses had success and weren't blamed for the murder at all and even helped another suspect get his life on track. I'm curious to know what happens next in Tessa's life because they lined up a couple of romantic relationships for her but none of them worked out for her in this book. If you've read every other cozy on the shelf I would recommend this one. If you're just getting started I've got some others for you to check out.

P.S. there's recipes in the back of this and I am definitely trying the biscotti!

There is really no way to describe how much I enjoyed It Cannoli Be Murder, the second installment in Catherine Bruns’s Italian Chef Mysteries. As much as I loved the first book in the series, Penne Dreadful, It Cannoli Be Murder was even better. From the opening pages to the picture-perfect ending, this is a book to be savored.

Chef Tessa Esposito is busy preparing for the grand opening of her restaurant, Anything’s Pastable. She nonetheless agrees to cater dessert at her cousin Gabby’s struggling book store Once Upon a Book, where bestselling author Preston Rigotta will be signing his latest suspense novel. Rigotta, it turns out, is a demanding prima donna whose imperious attitude creates immediate tension at the event. Making things worse, his recently-hired publicist, Daphne Daniels, is Gabby’s high school rival, who, it seems, is intent upon gaining favor with Rigotta by demeaning both Gabby and Tessa. Gabby retaliates by “accidentally” spilling her wine on Daphne, thereby further offending Rigotta. Despite the problems, all of Rigotta’s books are sold and the signing appears to be a success. However, the next morning, Tessa discovers that Daphne has been murdered in Once Upon a Book, and suspicion immediately falls on Gabby. Eager to help her cousin – and clear her own name in the process – Tessa begins to investigate.

This book is charming from minute one. Tessa is both complex and relatable; strong, yet vulnerable; compassionate and resourceful. Gabby is a loyal friend, and Gino, Vinny and Justin are all extremely likeable and nuanced. With this second book, we delve more into each of their backstories, making them even more endearing. Even Tessa’s cat, Luigi, was charismatic in his own right. And while I identified the perpetrator early on, this did not detract from the delightful twists and turns in the mystery. And the recipes included at the end of the novel sound delicious. I can’t wait to try them.

But for me, the most compelling part of this novel is its emotional punch. Tessa’s grief at having lost her husband (prior to the first book) draws you in and touches your soul in a way that is rare for books of this genre. Catherine Bruns once again has created a cozy mystery novel that is so much more. It Cannoli Be Murder is a book I will treasure for years to come. Needless to say, I can’t wait until the next installment in this wonderful series.

Note: I received an ARC of It Cannoli Be Murder from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. The above is my honest review.

This was such a wonderfully compelling mystery from start to finish!

In this second instalment of the Italian Chef Mysteries, It Cannoli Be Murder, the reader meets protagonist Tessa Esposito, a trained chef and the proud owner of 'Anything's Pastable'. While she’s preparing for her restaurant's grand opening she agrees to make sweet treats for bestselling author, Preston Rigotta’s book signing at 'Once Upon a Book', the bookshop owned by her cousin and best friend, Gabby Mancusi to help her draw in the crowd. When Preston's publicist and Gabby's high school nemesis, Daphne Daniels rocks up, sparks fly. Visiting the bookshop the next day to collect her phone, Tessa happens across Daphne's dead body...

The author, Catherine Bruns, has executed this story with such a fresh take that it was nothing short of hugely enjoyable. An engaging and affable cast of characters and a well-thought-out, solid mystery resulted in a novel chock full of twists, red herrings, and suspects that kept me totally engaged in the shenanigans. I was desperate to continue reading until the fulfilling conclusion.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading well-crafted cozies and I am already looking forward to the next instalment in this marvellous series. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I was approved for this book by Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for my honest review. This was my first cozy by Catherine Bruns and I wish I had found her sooner. This story takes us back to the Quant town of Harvest Park and to another murder that main character Tessa finds herself in the middle of. I was kind of surprised when they revealed who the killer was, but after thinking about it, it made sense. I was also glad that we got a little bit of back story, especially since I hadn't read the first book in this series. The only draw back to food related cozy mysteries, this one included, they make you hungry for whatever the food is in the book. In this case, pasta and cannoli were talked about a lot since Tessa is in the process of opening her restaurant, Anything Is Pastable! I love that name!!! There are also recipes included in the back of the book which I cannot wait to try.(hint hint cannoli) To me, that's one of the great perks about cozy mysteries. You always get recipes to try that are from the book or you'll get diy projects to try. Always an extra little incentive. Now there were a couple places that the book felt a little rushed, but it in no way took away from the story. If you love cozy mysteries as much as I do or if you've always wanted to try one, pick this up. You won't be disappointed trust me!!

This mystery was so much fun! I loved Tessa and felt for her as she builds her life without her husband. She's strong and inspiring! I loved her relationship with Gabby and the close connections of family. And the descriptions of food made me so hungry. A wonderful entry into the series.

This is the second book in the Italian Chef series. Tessa and her family are back for the reopening of Tessa's long awaited restaurant - Anything's Pastable. Tessa's cousin Gabby's bookstore is struggling but she is hoping to boost sales with a book signing by a bestselling author. Tessa caters the event and all seems to be going well until Daphne, an old high school nemesis, and the author's publicist, appears and stirs up bad memories and grudges.

Unfortunately, Tessa discovers the publicist dead on the floor of Gabby's bookstore the morning after the event with a stray cannoli by her side. Because of an argument between Gabby and Daphne the night before, Gabby becomes a prime suspect. True to form, Tessa and Gabby take it upon themselves to prove Gabby's innocence, and of course, get into all kinds of trouble doing so, as the possible suspects and their connections with Daphne multiply.

This book is not to be missed and I look forward to many more in the series.

Second in the Italian Chef Mysteries

This is the second book in this series and and I loved it. Tessa is opening her her restaurant the Pastable and Gabby is finally opening her bookstore with a famous author coming and doing a singing. So she ask Tessa if she will do the food for it. Of course Tessa says yes. So she decides to serve Cannoli and some other treats. When the author shows with his wife and daughter and his asstistant, Gabby realizes she was the mean girl in high school that she didn't get along with.

From there the whole night turned in to a disaster with Gabby throwing wine on the girl to the author storming out and defending his asstistant. It only gets worse when Tessa can't find her keys the next morning and remembers she left them in Gabby's store. So she goes to retrieve them and what she finds instead is the dead body of the asstistant with cannoli all around her.

What happens next keeps you in stitches with what these two try to pull off on there own with brother Gino the cop always there after the fact yelling at them. I was surprised at the killer and shocked at the reason.

It's a great read and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Although the poison in the food truck has been over done, in this instance its more creative that most. The town isn't full of quirky people but it does bring the characters together and has a long memory
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Tessa is under a lot of stress, including recovery from her husband's death and the upcoming opening of her new Italian restaurant. But, she helps her friend by providing cannoli for an author signing at her bookstore. Later a woman is found murdered in the bookstore and both Tessa and her friend are suspects. They begin to investigate and make the murderer quite angry! This was a well-crafted storyline with a little romance included. I really didn't nail the suspect til near the end, so that's a good sign. The characters were interesting and the story kept moving. An enjoyable book, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

It Cannoli Be Murder by Catherine Bruns is the second book in the Italian Chef Mysteries series and it was a delightful read. The characters are charming, there are plenty of red herrings and twists to keep readers guessing until the final reveal, and the food is abundant. Best not to read on an empty stomach, unless you are prepared to whip up some of the recipes included at the end. Buona lettura!

Events Take A Sinister Turn.....
The second in the Italian Chef cosy mystery series finds Tessa deep in preparations for the forthcoming opening of the new restaurant. However, events are soon to take a sinister turn. A fun read with a likeable protagonist, a colourful cast of supporting characters and a delightful backdrop.

Tess is working on opening a restaurant in Harvest Park. Her cousin Gabby is holding a book signing at her book store. Tess makes cannoli’s as a way of advertising for her up coming opening. The signing ends with drama and Gabby thinking the her store will close. Tess finds a body the next morning while looking for her cell phone.
Tess and Gabby works hard to clear their names before their businesses go under.
Great mystery and relatable characters.
#ItCannoliBeMurder#Netgalley

It Cannoli Be Murder, book two in An Italian Chef Mystery series by Catherine Bruns, takes place shortly after where Penne Dreadful, book one, left off. Tessa is getting ready for the grand opening of her new Italian restaurant, Anything's Pastable, and she's making lots and lots of sauce. That's a sure sign that she's stressed out! I wish I made sauce when I was stressed out, but I'd rather just eat it. And I'd rather eat the cannoli that Tessa makes for the book signing at her cousin Gina's bookstore! If only they'd known that those cannoli were going to play a part in murder...

As in the first book of the series, the characters make the story. Tessa is still grieving the loss of her husband, but she's determined to follow through on the dream they had before he died. Opening the restaurant is bittersweet for Tessa, and it is cathartic. It's a new beginning for her...the next step in her life. She isn't ready for another relationship, yet two men seem willing to wait until she is. Gina and Gino, Tessa's cousins, play a big part in Tessa's life. They're like the siblings she never had. I really enjoy the interaction among these three the most.

The mystery in It Cannoli Be Murder is not easy to solve! When the victim is such an unlikable character, you are going to have lots of suspects. The problem here though is that Gina seems to be the only suspect the police are after. Tessa and Gina have to find the real murderer, and it's fun trying to figure out who really killed the victim right along with them.

If you love cozy mystery books with yummy food, great characters, a cozy setting, and a puzzling mystery, you will love It Cannoli Be Murder!

An excellent addition to this lovely series. It's fun a read, engrossing and highly enjoyable.
I was happy to meet again the characters and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A lively addition to the summer reading stack, IT CANNOLI BE MURDER from Catherine Bruns is a delightful combination of cooking mystery and bookstore version, with a touch of romance. Second in the Italian Chef Mystery series, and a nice light read with good plot twists and neatly laid clues. Full review here: https://kingdombks.blogspot.com/2020/07/it-cannoli-be-murder-second-italian.html

This is my first time reading a book by this author and I must say it is an awesome storyline. I love the characters Tessa her cousins Gabby and Gino along with Lou (Gabbys boyfriend), Vince (Tessa’s landlord) and Justin (Tessa and her deceased husband Dylan friend). The characters were well developed and you can feel the emotions of what each character is feeling of love, hurt, pain, regrets, anger, revenge, laughter and a mother’s love for her child no matter what age they are.
Tessa is finally making her dreams come true of opening a Italian Restaurant, so before the restaurants grand opening Tessa makes Italian pastries for a famous author’s book signing at Gabbys bookstore.
The author Preston Rigotta is rude along with his wife and grown daughter Willow. Preston’s new publicist Daphne, who was a nemesis to Gabby and other’s in High School turns up dead after the book signing..
So now everyone is a suspect including Tessa because she was the one to find Daphne’s dead body.
This book had my attention from the beginning until the end as I tried to figure out who is the real murderer and what a surprising twist at the end.
I look forward to reading more cozy mystery books by this author especially going back to reading the first book in this series to find out what happened to Tessa's deceased husband Dylan and the next book which hopefully will reveal the love interest of Vince and Justin for Tessa.
I highly recommend this book to read especially if you enjoy reading cozy mysteries with some interesting characters. Plus there is a bonus of recipes that were mentioned in the storyline of the Italian desserts and food.
Cassandra H.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and this review is of my own honest opinions.
#Netgalley #ItCannoliBeMurder #CatherineBurns #CozyMysteries #PoisenPenPress

This book is cute and fun. The characters are delightful. The story is a light hearted culinary cozy. The town its set in is so charming. The mystery itself was quite clever with twists and turns. It was a real head scratcher. This book was wonderful.

It Cannoli Be Murder earns 5/5 Pinches of Spice...Entertaining Delight!

Catherine Bruns has stirred up a delightful second helping of her Italian Chef Mysteries. Set in upstate New York, Tess Esposito is a recent widow, chef by training and talent, a master of “the sauce,” and a pretty good amateur detective. Added to that resumé is new owner of her own restaurant...Anything’s Pastable. Hoping to get off to a good start with a bit of pre-opening advertisement, Tess agreed to cater a book-signing event at her cousin Gabby’s bookstore. Having best-selling author Preston Rigotta is a coup meant to greatly improve the bookstore’s bottom line, and his favorite dessert was something Tess could make in her sleep...cannoli! But, the cannoli ends up as a key factor in murder!

Catherine’s writing style has made me a loyal fan. She uses a first-person narrative from Tess’s perspective given me a delightful vicarious role with the “I” format. I thoroughly enjoyed her inner thoughts, theories, fears, and close connection to friends and family. With sensory-filled descriptive language it’s easy to picture the small town, shops, character appearances, and often sets up the time of the drama. Her dialogue illustrates well the emotions and varied personalities. The mystery follows the traditional cozy format I like: good set up, revisiting previous character background and connections, clever murder details, person of interest concerns, plenty of suspects with viable motives, a bit of personal peril, great conclusion, and...recipes!

There are other elements that have made this a favorite series. Bruns does well to create characters with the strength to overcome tragedies. In Tess’s case, it’s the murder of her husband and the aftermath of trying to move on. The dream of owning a restaurant was one her husband fostered and supported, but it’s able to see it come to fruition. Friendships and family are also a key element. Tess and her cousin Gabby have an enjoyable sister-like dynamic which motivates Tess’s involvement in the investigation, and cooperating, as best she can, with law enforcement is easy since her cousin Gino is the detective. Karma, too, always seems to have a role...

Buon appetito! Enjoy your meal! Easy-to-follow recipes included: Cannoli To Die For, Tess’s Ragu Bolognese Sauce, Cinnamon Chip Biscotti, and Pesto Sauce.

Cooking and cats are always a winning combination for me. Add in several handsome guys, a bookstore, and some secret sleuths, and you have the basis for a fun cozy mystery. By the way, did I mention some real jerks as well, just to add interest!

Tessa looks forward to opening her own Italian restaurant and is cooking madly in her happy space kitchen. Her cousin Gabby requests her help with putting on a book signing, and Tessa supplies the cannoli goodies. Things turn sour when the featured author turns out to be a womanizing pompous jerk. His arrogant wife,sulky daughter, rude marketing agent, and secretive housekeeper round out the picture of nastiness. Of course a murder ensues, with Tessa and Gabby helping the local police officers gather clues to find the killer.

The characters are likeable and funny. The setting of restaurant and bookstore provide a pleasing backdrop to the mysterious action, with plenty of red herrings and wrong turns for any cozy lover. The only thing I did not like was the excessive detail in the book. Personally, I do not need to know the type of mixer or chocolate brand, or the exact detail of a character's dress or hair.

Although this is the second in the series, it can be read as a standalone. This is a clean novel, with no strong language or graphic scenes.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.