Even though this series is written by a white male, I still enjoy these cozies for what they are: lighthearted and easy foodie fiction. The Halia Watkins mysteries aren't stellar by any means, but I love the descriptions of food and restaurant scenes. I love watching cooking challenge reality shows, and this fourth book places Halia and Wavonne squarely right in one. The characters aren't complicated, but I still didn't guess the murderer. If you need a quick cozy mystery, then this series definitely fills the bill. It will have you craving soul food in no time. Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.

A interesting read though I do wish some characters were depicted differently, I felt the book had several stereotypes in it.

Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits earns 5/5 Soul Food Treats...Delicious Fun!

I love all kinds of murder mysteries from Agatha Christie to M.C. Beaton, but their work has something missing...food! “Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits” had my mouthwatering and my heart pounding with a cooking show, snarky chefs, cut-throat competition, and murder! It’s the finals of the Elite Chef and Halia Watkins, owner and cook and Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has been asked to be a judge, replacing one, two, three, four choices who were no longer available. The last week of the competition will be highlighting “soul food” challenging a very diverse trio of finalists: a fifty-something food truck chef, a professionally-trained fusion fanatic, and one with more fluff than substance. It all makes for good TV, and add a murdered contestant, you’ve got GREAT television!

First, who would not be intrigued by the excellent artwork on the cover? I love creativity, but it doesn’t stop when you turn to the white pages. A.L. Herbert’s fourth book in her Mahalia Watkins Mystery had this newbie hooked. The well-plotted drama follows the traditional cozy formula that I enjoy: humor and wit, lots of suspects and motive to consider, some peril and a great conclusion. Although the murder investigation was slow to rev up, it did allow me time to catch up with the main characters and enjoy all the tasty talk and a fascinating look into black history. Halia, for short, is a delightful personality who just can’t keep away from a murder mystery, even when law enforcement demands it, and her family provides a nice contrast and lots of sassy banter. Am I selfish to want...recipes? Just saying. With “Honey Ham Biscuits” in the title along with the food talk and food competition, I thought I might be treated to a “soul food” speciality. However, I was totally entertained and can Google southern biscuits on my own.

DNF. I'm not a fan of how black characters are portrayed in this series, and I recently found out that the author is not black. I think this series would be much better if the author had sensitivity readers give him feedback.

Elite Chef is the newest cooking show, this one to highlight African American contestants. The final three includes Vera, a fiftyish food truck owner, Trey, a classically trained chef who never hesitates to remind everyone he studied in Paris and who is into fusion cooking, and Sherry who just might win on looks alone although the dishes she serves are good. One drawback is, she’s as dumb as they come, but it does make her a fan favorite of those who will tune in to see what she’ll say next.

Each week the guest judges change. Halia Watkins, owner and cook at Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has been tapped to replace a judge who had to cancel. Where Halia goes, her cousin Wavonne won’t be far behind, especially if wealthy, good-looking men, and television cameras are involved.

Since soul food is this week’s topic, the group takes a field trip through the African American Museum. The show’s host is Russell Mellinger who is opening his fifth upscale restaurant where the show’s filming takes place. As an extra challenge, the contestants are given just thirty dollars to shop for ingredients to make an updated version of an old standard.

When Sherry is short of cash, Vera offers to share a couple of ingredients. Halia is having challenges of her own as a frenemy, Twyla, is the other guest judge. Twyla is overly fond of Trey’s good looks and willing to show it with pats on the arm and more. Halia likes seeing how the shows are done but is over the people making them.

When a contestant turns up dead, the suspect list is longer than expected as secrets unfold. Halia’s been in the middle of murder cases before and doesn’t hesitate to use her inside information to help on this one too. As more secrets are revealed, she learns solving this case will be harder than week old biscuits.

This is book four in the series. Halia is someone you’d love to meet, especially if she’s cooking. She takes a lot of grief from her mother and Wavonne but that’s family. Just let an outsider try to say something! Wavonne is over the top—flashy clothes, a big mouth who speaks her mind, and totally loyal. This is a series I always enjoy. Sadly, Halia doesn’t share recipes but does drop enough hints when talking about the dishes that a good cook will be able to figure it out. Prepare to be hungry!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, TLC Booktours, and Kensington books for my copy of Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A. L. Herbert. It published July 28, 2020.
This was a great cozy mystery that appeal to anyone who loves to cook and eat! The recipes included were tempting and I definitely want to try them out! I found the references in this book to be relevant and fun. I like the trope of getting to be a judge for a competition for cozy mysteries, so I was all about this one!
I think if you're looking for a fun cozy mystery with recipe and sass, look no further!

Thank you, Netgalley, for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was super excited to receive a copy of this book! I loved the first three like a mother loves her child. My favorite characters has been Wavonne. I read the ebook of the first three and had this clear image of her in my head: a younger Madea, definitely with the Tyler Perry-style humor. I have to say that I regret switching to the audio for this 4th book. While the narrator did a great job, her voice and intonation kind of tarnished my image of Wavonne a little bit. I just couldn't picture her with the narrator's voice and intonation. However, I still enjoyed this book very much! Once again, A. L. Herbert gave me an extra incentive by adding recipes! I love cozy mysteries that have those included! The plot was fun as usual and Mahalia was as great as expected. I did miss the banter between Mahalia, Wavonne, and Mahalia's mom. That gave the other books another fun element. Great job, Mr. Herbert! I can't wait for book #5!

I really enjoyed this book - though this is book #4, I really enjoyed this book a lot as a stand alone. This cozy mystery was a joy to read for its characters that I enjoyed reading about. Hali and her down home cuisine definitely had my mouth watering while reading this. Fait warning to all on this delicious book that will have you get up and get inspired to cook or order some nice soul food for take out. I digress, this book had a fun murder mystery component and some twists enough to get you guessing. Overall this was a fun read that I read in an afternoon and really enjoyed a lot. For cozy mystery fans, this is a series I recommend and had a great time reading. This was very entertaining.

I know a visit to Maryland and more specifically Mahalia's Sweet Tea...means im in for three things: shenanigans, eating lots of delicious soul food, and hysterical laughter. Like deep belly laugh out loud, (sometimes) snorting kind of laughter. When I arrived both Halia and a very excited (is there any other kind) Wavonne couldn’t wait to tell me they were going to be judging a cooking competition. All I could think of was….Oh lord here we go! Go indeed...It was all fun and games until...there were accusations of sabotage. Then one of the contestants winds up dead, and again Halia finds herself (and me...sigh) in the middle of another investigation…

My thoughts:

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series! I really did laugh from beginning to end. I am a big fan of the Stephanie Plum series and Wavonne reminds me of an even (if possible) funnier Lula. I love the normal setting in Mahalia’s Sweet tea restaurant, but I thought it was cool that we got to do a little traveling and enjoyed the descriptions of the African American museum @ the Smithsonian. The murder did take a long time to happen, but Herbert made up for the wait with an interesting and intricate mystery! This series has made my favorites list! I can’t wait to spend more time with the gals!

For more book fun subscribe to my blog @: http://beachbumbookworm.com/

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author A.L. Herbert, and the publisher for this opportunity.

Another excellent addition to this series! I was happy to meet again the great characters, laugh at their antics and trying to guess the culprit.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
I loved it, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I found the mystery to be intriguing. The characters are very memorable and have great relationships.

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I absolutely love Halia and Wavonne's characters. They are funny characters. I enjoyed how this author added recipes to the story. I can not wait to read more books by this author in the future. This book is in stores now for $26.00 (USD).

I’m quite partial to reading cosy mysteries and this book beckoned to me because of its unusual title, as well as having read and thoroughly enjoyed the third instalment in the series, Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce. I had no difficulty following the story even though I have yet to read books one and two.

One of my favourite things about cosies is that the setting is always given lots of attention as are the day-to-day lives of the characters and this novel is no exception to that. In Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits, the story is set in the world of reality tv cookery competitions.

The actual murder takes a while to happen, but it was worth the wait and I didn’t know the identity of the perpetrator so the ending was a huge surprise. As with most cosies, I enjoyed reading about the characters and their zany lives as much as the mystery. If you love twisty cosy mysteries with a fun group of characters, a slow-burning pace and some mouth-watering food, I highly recommend this book.

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

Such a deliciously written novel that sparks suspense, intrigue, and mood. Praise to Herbert for this great mystery series that will have you all in the feels! Such a palette cleanser that will tantalize your sense of adventure.

Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits, the fourth book in the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series by A.L. Herbert. Everyone in Maryland knows Mahalia Watkins is known for homemade southern food. Her cooking skills are to be admired. Hence, why she is invited to serve as a guest judge on a cooking competition show to be aired on national TV. Throw in a longtime restaurant competitor, a crass mogul, shady production/film crew and cutthroat finalists. A whole slew of suspects when the frontrunner is found dead. Of course, Halia sorts through clues to identify the murderer.

I was on the fence about whether to continue reading this series. Certainly not because of the content. The storylines are anything but stale. However, I have a strong side-eye upon discovering the author is a Latino male writing a series featuring a black female. Suddenly the loud wig-wearing relative, soul food references and dialogue seemed stereotypical. The characters' names, Halia and Wavonne, were a little too cultural. The author not doing personal appearances and keeping his identity somewhat hidden seemed more misleading. Is this practice of tapping into a new market acceptable? But damn, are these stories good! So I chose to stick with the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series and was granted an advance readers copy.

Like most cozy mysteries, Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits is full of laughs, mouthwatering recipes and outlandish antics. Per usual, Wavonne still sees her way into conversation that is none of her business. Mahalia is still bossy, or as she prefers to be called, a strong leader and helluva amateur sleuth. My only con is how long it took for the murder to occur (at 53%). The opportunity was there but just didn't happen during the first half of the book. As a result, the murder solving was a bit rushed.

Just read it, bookhearts. All author issues aside, the mystery was revealed with twists and the main characters are still lovable. If you are new to the series, check out my previous reviews. If you are hesitant in continuing to read about Halia and 'nem, then let me nudge you towards picking this book up, brewing a pitcher of sweet tea and settling in for a good read.

LiteraryMarie

I have truly fallen in love with this series. Mahalia Watkins is back solving murder mysteries, this time, she is a judge in a cooking reality show when tragedy strikes. Cousin Wayvonne is still up to her fashion disasters and sometimes too forward comments, and Momma is still trying to get Mahalia a man, ( because no woman over 40 can be happy without one, lol) and Mahalia keeps on cooking good food. As part of the show, the cast takes a visit to a particular museum I would love to visit one day, so it was nice to get a glimpse to what's inside of it. As for me, It's not confirmed who did it til the end. The story like kept me guessing. It is also full of colorful moments with a lot of laughs that will keep you in stitches. Although because of dietary restrictions, I also enjoy seeing some of the recipies included in the storyline, as well as written out so people can try them. I don't think I'd ever want this series to end, I enjoy it that much.

This book has it all..... Fabulous characters, humor, scrumptious food, and a well plotted mystery. I really enjoyed this book. I spent a lot of time laughing out loud. Halia and Wavonne are delightful. I definitely can't wait to read more in this series.

I truly love the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series, and not just because it’s set a county over from mine in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The fourth installment of this charming culinary cozy series sees our 40-something restaurateur heroine offered a chance to judge an episode of the hit cooking competition show Elite Chef. After initial misgivings, she and her younger cousin Wavonne are taken on as a package deal, with Wavonne’s brash, outspoken personality balancing out Halia’s more sedate, responsible nature. Their good-natured bickering while Halia mentors a contestant is expected to make for juicy television and even better ratings.

After a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture inspires a challenge where the contestants must create elegant versions of regional culinary staples, Halia and Wavonne head back with the rest of the cast and crew to the Willow Oak Inn, the luxury resort owned by Elite Chef’s producers. Wavonne is excited for the free night’s stay at the swanky hotel, but Halia is more interested in viewing the competition taking place at the on-site restaurant. The three remaining contestants are the ditzy but beautiful Sherry, snooty but handsome Trey and sweet but shrewd Vera. Tensions rise during the cooking segment as Sherry is accused of cheating, but no one expects anyone to hate her so much as to resort to murder… until gunshots ring out and Sherry is found dead later that night, shot in her bed.

Halia does not want to get involved, especially after her old acquaintance Detective Hutchins is dispatched to the scene and makes various Miss Marple jokes at her expense. But when one of the surviving contestants asks for help after being made prime suspect, Halia’s inquisitive nature cannot resist the appeal. With Wavonne’s invaluable assistance, Halia begins to ask the questions that will lead her to uncovering a wickedly clever killer.

One of the reasons I love this series is the fact that these books are always such solid mysteries. A. L. Herbert crafts excellent fair play plots that cleverly stay one step ahead of the reader till the final reveal. I also deeply appreciate the focus on African-American lives and cultures, showcasing the diversity of Black people in a subgenre that suffers from a lack of minority representation. I was actually surprised to recently discover that Mr Herbert is both male and Latino, but am glad he approaches his subject with care and thoughtfulness, as shown in both his research and depictions.

Another major reason for my admiration of this series is how consistently delicious the recipes included are! This volume gave us four recipes, and as a Marylander it was perhaps inevitable that I decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Halia’s Corn and Crab Chowder

Chowder Ingredients
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into cubes
1 ½ tablespoons of Sweet Tea House Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups fresh corn off the cob
1 pound crabmeat
1 cup half and half
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Sweet Tea House Seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Blot on paper towels and chop into small pieces.

Add bacon drippings and butter to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, House Seasoning, salt, and chicken broth. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove 2 cups of the chowder and puree in a blender. (Allow chowder to cool if blender is not heat-safe.) Stir the pureed mixture back into the pot.

Add corn, crabmeat, and half and half. Stir over medium heat until corn and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve chowder in soup bowls sprinkled with chopped bacon, chives, and a sprinkle of House Seasoning.
END QUOTE

This soup truly hit the spot, even if I’m rather partial to tomato-based Maryland crab soups myself. The Sweet Tea House Seasoning, named for Halia’s restaurant, is terrific, easy to make, and quite versatile for uses beyond this dish -- I recommend it with eggs, or sprinkled on toast with a drizzle of olive oil. Speaking of olive oil, since supermarkets near me have been scarce on beef bacon recently, I just added a little olive oil to the pan when crisping up turkey bacon to simulate drippings for this recipe. I was pretty surprised by how quickly this soup comes together honestly, though not by how delicious it turned out to be, given Mr Herbert’s track record.

Next week, we head up the coast to make sandwiches and prep for one of the next major holidays on the horizon! Oh, and to solve a murder together, of course. Do join me!

It's good to be back at Mahalia's Sweet Tea in Prince George's County, Maryland. Just the thought of spending with time with the wonderful combination of soul food and the local culinary delights of Maryland - think lump crab for starters, be still my heart, I drool at the thought of Halia's seafood quiche. Well, here we are in the 4th mystery for Halia and her outlandish cousin Wavonne and a cooking contest tv show has come to town, focusing on local soul food. The producer's assistant shows up at Mahalia's Sweet Tea to hire her as a judge. Then it becomes clear that Mahalia wasn't their first choice and the filming is set for the next day. Halia says no thank you but the conversation is overheard by Wavonne and she is all for it, big time. The offer includes $3K for Halia, money for the charity of her choice and free lodging at a new swanky hotel. Before she knows it, both of them are on their way to make their tv debut. One big hitch turns out to be one of Halia's former employers who has very hard feelings after Halia left her restaurant to open Sweet Tea.....and lots of customers followed her.
The filming starts out fine but soon it becomes clear that there is no love lost between the contestants and one of them winds up dead. With Halia and Wavonne on the scene the killer will soon be unmasked. Along the way the reader is treated to not only a very good puzzle to unravel, lots of good food to dream about enjoying and a whole lot of laughs. The banter between Halia and Wavonne is great and, even with their very different personalities, they make quite a team.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A. L. Herbert is the fourth book in the A Mahalia Watkins Mystery Book series. I have read all in the series and love them all! I'm already ready for the next book!
This story has Mahalia being asked, at the last minute, to be a judge for a taping of a food competition. She really doesn't want to since running her restaurant is a full time job. But cousin Wavonne wants to be involved so she convinces Mahalia to agree never guessing they would be involved in another murder.
This is a well written story with just enough side story and plenty of suspects that will have you guessing until the end. Even though there is a murder, you have plenty of humor. You get plenty of yummy sounding recipes sprinkled through out the book.
The only problem with this book is I want to go to Mahalia's Sweet Tea for Sunday Dinner!
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.