This book has a great story line. One where one family sticks together and then another interesting family. I love the make up of our crime solving family, Helen, Alberta, Joyce and Jinx. They lead the pack to get the job done. They have more nerve than I do. I love the way they work together. I’m not sure that I didn’t gain weight just reading about all the good Italian food that was cooked in this book. Some of the recipes are even included for you. Hmm, wonder where Sloan and Freddy will fit in in our next visit to Tranquility. I can’t wait to find out. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. This book is the fourth in this series, and it was an absolute pleasure to read. The characters are fun and larger than life, and they solve crime in their own way. It was interesting to having more insight into the past of a few characters, it makes them more interesting. While this book can be enjoyed as a standalone, there is more to be enjoyed if one of has read the previous entries in the series. This book has a good mystery, solid characters, funny moments, and is well written. Must not be missed!

Murder at Veronica's Diner by J. D. Griffo is the 4th book in Ferrara Family Mystery series, and another great addition. Alberta inherited a lake house in Tranquility, New Jersey from her aunt, where she now lives. When a murder occurs while the Ferrara Family is having breakfast in the diner. Alberta, her granddaughter Jinx, sister Helen, and sister-in-law Joyce set out to solve the mystery. This book had so many twists and turns, I couldn't put it down. I found this book very interesting, and full of colorful characters. Not only is there a good mystery, the plot and characters are well developed. I strongly recommend this book, and am looking forward to reading their next adventure. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the fourth book in the 'Ferrara Family Detective Agency' series featuring a multi-generational Italian-American sleuthing duo Alberta Scaglione and her twenty-odd-year-old granddaughter, Jinx (such a fabulous name!), and it was really enjoyable! Also part of of the family are Helen and Joyce. Helen is Alberta's ex-nun sister, and Joyce is their ex-sister-in-law and a former Wall Street executive.

The characters were all well crafted by the author J D Griffo, with each one being very individual and having their own distinctive personalities and flaws. There were several good clues as to the identity of the perpetrator, but also some great red herrings to throw the reader off the scent. The plot was well written and I loved the author's style. With oodles of laugh-out-loud moments and superb interaction between the Ferrara family, I would definitely recommend Murder at Veronica's Diner to other cozy readers. This was a five-star read for me!

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

This book is the fourth in the Ferrara Family Mysteries, but can be read as a standalone.
I have read the 3rd in the series.

There are plenty of twists and turns as Jinx and company try to figure out the who, what, and whys of Teri’s death.

I like how Jinx and her family work together to try to resolve Teri’s death. There is a strong sense of family and heritage throughout the book.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

The second of our cozy mysteries featuring restaurants was much more appealing to me, and a much quicker read. Very much a closed room mystery, a la Christie, there doesn't seem to be a solution to what really happened until our group of home detectives decides to take on the case. It's an interesting look at thinking outside the box and looking for other solutions. I'll definitely be looking at more from this author, and going back to read the previous books in the series!

lberta, Helen, Joyce, and Jinx find themselves working to solve a shocking murder in this latest installment in a cozy series featuring a family of intrepid women. Breakfast out turns sour for them when their waitress, Teri Jo, is stabbed in the back. Wow. She's just asked them to deliver a package for her, diner owner Veronica knows next to nothing about her, and the whole thing is just......The murder investigation part of this is in some ways less interesting than the interaction between the women. Helen, a former nun, reveals why she left. Alberta dotes a bit on Jinx. Everyone speaks Italian (don't worry- the meaning of the phrases is provided). This will be fine as a standalone, especially if you are a cozy reader. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

Alberta Ferrarra Scaglione accompanies her sister Helen to Veronica’s Diner located in their hometown of Tranquility, New Jersey. Helen has become friends with one of the waitresses there, Teri Jo Linbruck. The frazzled waitress asks Helen to do a favor for her and deliver a box for her. It seems like a simple request, but before Teri Jo can explain any further, Teri Jo collapses to the floor of the diner with a knife in her back. Alberta, Helen, Alberta’s sister-in-law Joyce, and Alberta’s granddaughter Jinx decide to conduct their own investigation, whether their friend Vinny, the local police chief, likes it or not.

This book is the fourth Ferrara Family Mysteries, but can be read as a standalone. New readers won’t know all of the details about the characters, but the author does a good job of summarizing the most important about the main characters. As in the other books in the series, the best part of the book is the loving relationship between Alberta, her sister, sister-in-law, and granddaughter. Alberta and Helena are proud of their Italian-American heritage and Italian sayings are sprinkled throughout the book. Most are translated into English. All of the chapter headings are also in Italian giving the book an authentic Italian flair. Alberta is proud of her cooking, too, and there are a few recipes at the end of the book.

I love the way Alberta and her family work together to research potential suspects and gather clues. Alberta is observant and clever and missed her calling as a professional detective. However, I don’t like that they keep those facts from Vinny, sometimes slowing the overall investigation or putting lives in danger. I was able to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together right along with the Ferrara women. However, the plot got complicated with lots of side players so I was not able to guess the identity of the killer. There are a couple of slow spots in the middle of the book and Alberta’s scheme to confirm her theory about who the murderer starts out silly and gets very dramatic, but gets results. Overall, this is an entertaining mystery with a loving family at the heart of the story that I would rate 3.5 stars.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This fourth in the Ferrara Family Mystery series is like a comfortable pair of shoes. You know what to expect when slipping into it, and it does not disappoint. The four Ferrara sisters and Jinx, granddaughter to Alberta who is the matriarch, continue to become embroiled in investigating murders, this time when their waitress at the local diner is killed while they are there for breakfast.
As their investigation deepens, so does information regarding the sisters, this time including information about Helen and why she left the nunnery. There is also more information about Alberta and her growing relationship with Sloan as well as more insight into Father Sal.
The murder itself seemed a bit simplistic and I had figured it out the entire plot by the time all the characters were introduced. While it was entertaining to read the banter and camaraderie that exists between the women, it was very similar to the earlier books in the series. Any reader who wants to enjoy another opportunity to read and experience how the women relate to one another will enjoy this book. If you are looking for a complex mystery at the same time, this one will probably be a bit too easy for you to solve. It also requires somewhat of a stretch to accept how easily Vinnie, current chief of police who Alberta babysat when he was a child, accepts and at one point even asks for their assistance.
The ending was also predictable, especially if you are familiar with the series. Again, if you enjoyed the earlier books and want to experience similar activities, this may be a good book for you. If you are new to the series, I would recommend beginning with the first book to get a firm idea of everyone’s personality.
My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Great read by a new author for me. The plot is well written and enticing to the reader. The author writes in a way that makes the reader feel like part of The story.

MURDER AT VERONICA’S DINER, the fourth book in the Ferrara Family Mystery series by J.D. Griffo, starts off with action from the very beginning. While most cozy mysteries feature just one protagonist, this series has several. First and foremost is Italian grandmother, Alberta Scaglione. I love that the author features a woman of “a certain age” so prominently. Alongside Alberta is her ex-nun sister, Helen, their ex-sister-in-law, Joyce, and Alberta’s reporter granddaughter, Jinx. These women are full of life and quite hilarious! I love seeing how they not only support each other but work together to solve murders and call themselves the Ferrara Family Detective Agency. One downside is that while they like, and are friends with, the local law enforcement officer, they aren’t very complimentary of him. In fact they hide evidence from him which could help solve the murder. Not only does this hinder the official investigation but puts the women in harm’s way. Despite that, the author provides a highly entertaining story and I greatly enjoyed the humor throughout as the clues unfolded. With a fast-paced plot and a hair-raising reveal, the author will have me coming back for the next book!

I enjoyed the mystery (and finding out Helen's backstory). I like the family interaction between all 4 women. I enjoy their relationship with the sheriff. The setting is nice.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

Truly terrific mystery, especially when access to restaurants are so limited in my state. Characters are well done and add to the atmosphere and the mystery. I have not read the previous three books in the series but I have added them to my TBR list.

This is a great series where the main character shares my last name and story is based in area where I once lived. Characters are corky but yet keep the story going. Look forward to more in the series. I’ve recommended this series to many friends and family..

This is the first book I have read in the J.D. Griffo A Ferrara Family Mystery series. 'Murder at Veronica's Diner'was full of interesting characters, but frequently the dialogue was confusing. I feel as if the author went too far trying to describe volume or excitability in the dialogue that wasn't warranted by the situation. It just was off-putting to me, even if it was meant to describe an ethnic trait. The mystery was intriguing and the introspection of the various characters was appreciated. I now want to see what happens to the characters in the future so I will be looking forward to more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Instead of making this a murder mystery I think the author's voice is better to a story about the diners and characters. The murder is just not eventful. The characters are ok but even her boyfriend rarely appears and is cardboard
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

A fairy quick cozy read, with a mystery set in a dinner. It was a good mystery but it was just to predictable for me. But I feel like this would be a great read for hard core cozy fans.

This is a fun book, with colorful characters who always seem to make me laugh out loud.
Alberta is always ready to get involved in anything, and when a weird death and an even odder request occurs, nothing can keep the Scooby Doo gang from getting involved.
If you enjoy a series with older characters and some good old Italian sayings and humor, this us the book for you.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this funny series.

Book Review: Murder at Veronica’s Diner by J.D. Griffo (a Ferraro Family Mystery) published by Kensington Books, 2020 New York, NY

First, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I have not read any others in the series (this is book 4) so my perspective may be different than regular readers.

The background: During the breakfast rush, waitress Teri Jo seems stressed out. Not surprising on a busy morning, though Alberta, her sister Helen, and her granddaughter Jinx find it odd when Teri Jo asks them to deliver a package for her "just in case." Minutes later, Teri Jo rushes back to their table--not with a check in her hand but with a knife in her back (literally).

The Ferrara sisters and granddaughter Jinx set out to figure out what happened and why. The book reminded me of some of the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movies with recurring quirky characters who solve local crimes while working (sort of) in concert with the police. Of course, this would never happen in real life – but it makes for entertaining reading and watching.

What I liked: The characters and their depth. I think had I read the prior books in the series they would be even more charming than they are portrayed in this #4 book. One sister is a former nun, who in this book reveals why she left the church after 40 years. That was a great perspective, especially when she finally tells her sister what happened. The way the plot came together as the book proceeded into the later chapters was well done, culminating in an exciting scene on a plane.

What didn’t appeal to me as much as a reader: All the Italian language! (are all 4 books like this?) I think if you’re Italian and/or speak Italian, the inclusion of all the Italian language in the book would definitely be appealing to you. From my perspective as a reader it caused me to have to pause, to try to figure out what they were saying, and hope it was revealed in the next sentences. Usually it was, but it made for awkward reading. A little bit of this could go a long way, but for this reader, it was too much as written throughout the book.

It was an entertaining story with well-developed characters. The author did a good job of bringing all the disparate facts together.

family-dynamics, women-sleuths, small-business, small-town, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement

The Ferrara lady sleuths are very Sicilian Catholic older widow Alberta and her granddaughter Jinx (a reporter for the local paper), Alberta's ex-nun sister Helen, and former sister in law (and former Wall Street executive) Joyce. They're also known as “Senior Scooby Gang” by their friend, the local police chief in their small town in New Jersey. The first body is that of the best waitress at the local diner who dies in front of everyone with a butcher knife in her back and no apparent suspects. They first look for some answers to Veronica, who owns the diner only to first suspect, then know that she is lying about a number of things. Great sleuthing with Red Herrings, plot twists, and lots of humor!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!