This is the second book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. I really like the quaint setting of Elkview. The Bear Claw diner serves comfort food for the locals as well as offering the perfect roadside pit stop for tourist. I wouldn’t personally try elk jerky, but I love that they provide snack packs for groups embarking on their various adventures. As with the first book, Mousse for Murder, I feel like it gave a tiny insight into life in Alaska. This story focused heavily on the fishing industry which I know little about so those parts were interesting.

Unfortunately, the mystery was a tad off for me. The murder definitely caught my attention since it was so sudden, but the sleuthing and gathering of clues just didn’t seem to flow as smoothly at times. I picked up of the means of mercury poisoning really quickly too. I also didn’t like the addition of Charlie’s ex. He was easy to dislike, but his appearance didn’t seem too plausible. I was more interested in the silly, secondary mystery surrounding Charlie’s parents.

I do like the regular cast. Charlie is a great lead and her obsession with her cat was too cute. Love the various ways she spoils Benny with toys, technology and plenty of fresh salmon. Chris is a great sidekick / slow building love interest. I’m so intrigued by his past - especially after witnessing several of his tactical actions.

The book concludes with a few recipes that were mentioned throughout the story.

Title: Fishing For Trouble
Author: Elizabeth Logan

Ch: 36

Pg: 304

Series: Alaskan Diner Mystery book 2

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars


Publisher: Berkley Books



Fishing for Trouble by Elizabeth Logan is the second book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. I enjoyed this arm chair visit to Alaska that included a mystery. The second book in the series was faster paced than the first in the series. Because setting and characters have already been developed. And like all good cozies this one includes a sweet cat. And unlike most cozies this series has a law enforcement officer who doesn’t mind outside help, which makes me think the case is because it’s set in small town Alaska. And from reading this series I’ve learned small town Alaska is more like a village in lower 48 terms.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I love Alaska and was so excited to read a cozy mystery set there. In Fishing for Trouble we follow a diner owner named Charlie Cooke who is pulled into a mystery involving the local fish processing plant when one ot it's seasonal workers collapses in the Bear Claw diner. She aids her friend the State Trooper unravel what is really going on there with the help of her old pal and investigative reporter Chris. This was a fun read and I will be looking for the next installment of the series.

I made several attempts to read this book, however, I just couldn’t get into it. Hopefully this story appeals to other readers, especially those who like to read stories based in Alaska.

Just couldn't get into this one but overall the series seems good. If you like anything about Alaska then this is the book for you

I had a hard time getting into this cozy mystery which is the second in the Alaskan Diner series. I haven't read the first one so I'm not sure how the main character, Charlie, usually acts but she seemed to immediately insinuate herself into the situation without much thought. There was little excitement in the beginning to draw the reader in. A lot of the book was taken up with discussion of her cat and not because he helped or hindered the investigation. There were a lot of details about his remote interaction and feeding system. Too many details. The story is not entirely plausible when the police actively ask for citizens' help. I also found some awkward phrasing and improper word usage.

Synopsis:

Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.

Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.

Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Charlie and Chris spend a lot of time together, trying to figure out who killed a young man working in the summer at the fish processing plant. They get along well and things may get a little more serious between them. Between Charlie, Chris and Annie, a friend, they may be able to helper Trooper solve the case. Benny, Charlie’s cat, was very involved in the book. I think we got too much description on how much Charlie missed Benny, but that is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book, I felt like I was right there in Elkview, Alaska, watching all of the action taking place and listening in in conversations. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and I did not know who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I wonder what’s next for Charlie and her friends?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Fishing for Trouble is a wonderful follow up to Mousse and Murder, the first book in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series. If you've been around my blog for a while, you know about my obsession with Alaska! It's like the last great frontier right? That pioneer spirit of my ancestors calls to me and tries to trick me into believing that living in Alaska would be life-changing. Sure it would, ancestors. I'd probably get eaten by a grizzly or lose a toe to frostbite! (Yes, I'm dramatic. I even have the t-shirt...) But, seriously, I know that it is a beautiful state with a lot of brave and adventurous people. It's the perfect setting for this series!

Charlie's diner, given to her by her mom, is a popular place. The food is amazing, and tour groups, after having stayed at Charlie's BFF Annie's inn, often eat there on the way to their adventures. Unfortunately for Charlie, a group of college students working at a fish processing plant decide to eat there when one of them falls over dead. Thankfully, they hadn't even gotten their food, so Charlie knows it's not food poisoning. But through circumstances beyond her control, Charlie's caught up in another murder. Yes, murder! Though the young man didn't die of food poisoning, he was murdered.

The author does such a remarkable job of laying out clues throughout Fishing for Trouble. I think a good cozy mystery book is one in which you can pick up on all of the clues yet still be mostly clueless as to who the murderer is. This one fits that criteria very well.

As in Mousse and Murder, I absolutely love these characters. The recurring characters feel like they're my old friends. I could walk into the diner, order the special, and catch up on the latest gossip. The camaraderie among the characters is evident in Fishing for Trouble even more so than in the first book....which is as it should be. These characters are well-developed, and I love being able to gain more insight with each book. I'm already excited for book 3!

Fishing for Trouble is such an entertaining book. I'm sure you'll enjoy the mystery, the characters, the cats, and of course, the setting! Wishing you had a bear claw while you're reading is inevitable. You might want to pick some up before you start reading! I highly recommend both books in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series.

This is the second book in the Alaskan diner series. Charlie runs the Bear Claw diner. A group of workers from the fish processing plant come into the diner for some food. Before any of them are served, one of the workers slumps over in his chair and is pronounced dead when the ambulance arrives. Charlie teams up with her friend Annie and local reporter, Chris to look into the death with the police's permission. I really liked this book. Charlie is fun and likeable. She is still new to sleuthing so she doesn't always have the best plan of action. I thought Charlie and her sleuther team of Annie, Chris, and Trooper were great. The mystery was well done and kept me guessing. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book. I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery Series was just as fun as the first! This mystery has more twists than I usually expect from a cozy and it was fun to see Charlie unravel it. After finishing the book I'm craving one of the diner's famous bear claws! If you're interested in Alaska or love cooks who solve crimes this would be a perfect mystery for you! It felt fresh and I learned more about Alaska than I expected.

FISHING FOR TROUBLE by Elizabeth Logan
The Second Alaskan Diner Mystery

When a young diner collapses at the Bear Claw Diner, owner Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke is concerned. Part of a group of summer workers at the J and M Fish Processing Plant enjoying a break at the diner, Ethan's order hadn't even arrived before his collapse, so Bear Claw food wasn't to blame for his death. Still feeling partially to blame, Charlie takes his distraught female friend under her wing, but once Ethan's death is declared murder the young woman takes off. With her lawyer ex in town, her parents on vacation, and her relationship with a journalist in flux, Charlie is unsettled. Something fishy is going on and Charlie's going to get to the bottom of it.

Friendships, romantic entanglements, and the ramifications of love highlight the second Alaskan Diner Mystery. I appreciate how Charlie and her crew of employees and friends gather together to solve a complex puzzle. Charlie's ex is a great new character to hate. His behavior is so scuzzy I wanted to take a shower after each of his appearances! I adore Benny, but am not a fan Charlie's high tech relationship with him, although as Miko (one of my cats) is so engaged with my keyboard as I try to type, perhaps I should be more open minded.

FISHING FOR TROUBLE had me scratching my head wondering just what was going on and who was to blame. Interesting characters and the Alaskan setting kept me engaged, hungry, and glad I don't work at a fish processing facility.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Summer in Alaska means delicious long days of sunshine. Charlie is looking forward to a diner full of regulars and tourists. It also means seasonal workers have come from the lower 48 to rough it and earn big bucks working at the local fish processing plant. A group of these workers came into the Bear Claw diner for a bite but before they could order one of them keels over. An ambulance arrives too late to save him and a dead body in a diner is never a good thing. Knowing her food didn’t kill him, Charlie thinks there may be something fishy behind his death.

When Charlie catches up with her pal Annie she learns a mom has arrived from Wisconsin because her son, also an employee of the fish processing plant, has not been in touch with her in a long time and she fears something bad has happened to him. She hopes Annie and Charlie can help her find her son. Since Charlie was going to be doing some sleuthing anyway she will try to find the guy from Wisconsin too. Hopefully, Trooper will approve her getting involved along with Annie and that they can pull local reporter, Chris into the investigation too.

The difference about a cozy set in Alaska is that are a lot of territories to cover and not a lot of deputies so the state trooper responsible for Elkview has deputized Charlie, Annie, and Chris before. He knows they have some good instincts if he can just keep them from going too far. Yeah, right. These core characters are developing nicely but I feel we have just scratched their surface.

Charlie is fun and still learning the ins and outs of being an amateur sleuth. She is obsessed with her cat Benny. She has a camera to watch him remotely and has truly gone overboard buying him toys. There may need to be an intervention. An unexpected visitor comes to town that causes some stress in Charlie’s life but her strength eventually comes out. I really enjoy the relationships she has with Trooper, Annie, and Chris. Chris really impressed me this time. The relationships she has with her staff are still evolving but she trusts them enough to leave the diner in their hands a majority of the time.

The author provided a nice variety of suspects but my focus was never really drawn to one individual. The method delivery was murky too. Ms. Logan delivers some nice twists. The real culprit seemed to come totally out of nowhere in a very exciting way, but it wrapped up almost too quickly.

Fishing for Trouble was an entertaining story. I do love the Alaska setting. I am looking forward to visiting Elkview and hanging out with Charlie again soon. Murphy’s Slaw hits shelves and e-readers on May 25, 2021.

After enjoying Mousse and Murder so much, I was really looking forward to book two. I’m pleased to report that Fishing For Trouble didn’t disappoint at all. I got to spend time with Charlie and Chris and Trooper and Benny the cat (all my faves from the first book) and visit Alaska again through the pages of a book. Combine that with a well-plotted mystery and I’m a happy camper!

The book starts off with a bang, as an ambulance carries off a young man who has just keeled over in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – never great for business lol but, fortunately for Charlie, he hadn’t even been served yet. Still, she’s involved now so she might as well see it through, right? And it helps that she’s still technically deputized and that the understaffed Trooper could use her assistance anyway. The more she finds out about the local fish processing plant, the more the unusual vibes pile up, including at least one summer student worker who has mysteriously disappeared. I enjoyed learning about this key element of Alaskan industry (though sometimes the information dumps lagged the pace a bit), and the mystery kept me engaged. I also loved the continued dash of romance – not enough to overwhelm the story at all but a nice nod to those of us who think nearly every book is better with a little love story.

Bottom Line: Fishing For Trouble is just as enjoyable as its predecessor. I still loved Trooper but I also enjoyed getting to know Chris better too. And of course Charlie who adds lots of wit and insight with her narrative. Logan does a great job of setting the Alaskan scene & weaving a clever plot throughout the story – lots of intriguing twists with this one! This is definitely a series to add to your TBR list!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

If you're looking for a fun mystery, this one is pretty good! The action starts quick, and the main character is easy to root for! It didn't blow me away, but it was perfect for a cozy afternoon read!

FISHING FOR TROUBLE is the second installment in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Chef Charlie Cooke has recently returned to her hometown of Elkview, Alaska, to take over the family business, the Bear Claw Diner. When a young man working at a nearby fish processing plant keels over in her restaurant, Charlie is horrified — both for the victim and her diner’s reputation. Charlie is a kind soul, and wants to help the man’s grieving friend, so she ends up neck-deep in the investigation.

This was a solid mystery that blends in life in small-town Alaska, this time during the summer months with sunshine 20 hours a day. I liked the inclusion of the state’s fishing industry. I didn’t realize billions (wow!) of pounds of fish were processed through Alaskan fisheries, which draws young people looking for summer jobs. Charlie is a great character, and this time around she has to deal with a dreadful person from her past in addition to solving a murder. Recipes from the Bear Claw Diner are included.

Summer has arrived in Elkview, Alaska and with it comes seasonal workers at J& M Fishing, a local seafood plant. When one of those seasonal workers collapses and dies in her diner, Charlie Cooke knows she can't just leave this mystery alone. When the manner of death is revealed, Charlie also discovers another worker has disappeared. Is the missing worked involved, guilty, or another victim?

Charlie intends to find out how the death and disappearance relates to J & M Fishing, and why on earth her ex-boyfriend, Ryan is in town. Charlie also has other fish to fry. Even though her diner isn't responsible, the bad press could shutter her doors. Charlie, her side kick, reporter Chris Doucette, and her bestie Annie Jensen, team back up in another installment of Elizabeth Logan's Alaskan Diner Mystery series.

Fishing for Trouble is another wonderful book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Set in the Alaskan summertime, I enjoyed how the author delivers a book showing readers what the weather is like in Alaska during that time. It's not as warm as some states in the lower 48 but temps are mild. The clothing required for summers doesn't generally include shorts but you don't need to be bundled up in a polar suit either. The author does a great job weaving several storylines together, steeping the story in reality.

The path to discovering the real murderer is twisted and bumpy, leading Charlie in several directions that are dead-ends or just lead to more questions. The book is full of surprises and twists in the plot the reader will never see coming. The author does a great job with the mystery, the character development, and providing the reader vivid imagery allowing the story to played out like a movie as you read along. The book also has some pretty amazing characters, ones I enjoy learning more about in each book.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

Always fun to read about life in Alaska. Who wouldn’t want to hang out at the Bear Claw Diner? Great food and good people. Unfortunately, it isn’t always fun. Seems like the town of Elkview doubled in size with the students coming to work in the fishing industry in the summer. Join Chris, Annie, Trooper, Charlie, and my favorite, Benny, as they try to figure out the situations thrown at them. Loved the story line and the characters. I hope to hang out with them again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Fishing for Trouble, the sophomore entry in the Alaskan Diner Mystery Series by Elizabeth Logan, is a step above the series debut Mousse and Murder. Alaska details are better woven into the story giving it a better sense of place, and readers get to know the characters a bit better. Of course, there is a murder to solve, and the State Troop’s honorary deputies do their best to unravel the clues even as Charlie faces threats.

When one of the summer employees at the local fish processing plant becomes ill at Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner then dies, Charlie feels invested in solving his murder. When she learns that another worker, Noah, associated with Ethan, the deceased, has gone missing, all eyes turn to J and M Fish Processing for answers. To make matters worse, Charlie’s former fiancé from California is in town representing J and M, and Charlie does all she can to avoid him. Danger mounts for Charlie the closer she gets to finding answers.

I was lukewarm about the first book in the series, but Fishing for Trouble is better. I am able to buy into the Alaskan setting in this entry as it is much more than moose meatloaf this time around. The characters are still rather shallow, but there is some growth. I especially like Chris, local journalist and Charlie’s potential love interest. He morphs from bland sidekick to an interesting man with a military past and spy-like skills. I hope the author lets us learn more to learn about him. Protagonist Charlie is likable enough, but part of the story involves her assuming something about her parents with no real evidence, and this assumption influences far too many of her thoughts and actions. Pet peeve. Also, she does not tell Troop, the state trooper in charge of the investigation, about the perceived threats against her. Stupid.

The premise of the murder mystery is strong, but it is also pretty predictable. It moves along at a relatively good pace, but it is repetitive. There is a great deal of rehashing what they already know over and over again without adding much new each time. The local law department is, as expected, very small and short staffed. This provides a plausible opportunity for Charlie and her friends to get involved and investigate without interfering (as is often the case with amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries). The puzzle is easy to figure out, and the book could have been so much better if there had been a secondary plot to mull over. Charlie spends a lot of time looking at her cat Benny through her camera app, buying toys for him, and spending quality time with him. Don’t get me wrong, I adore pets in cozy mysteries, but this all felt like overblown filler that took away from the mystery.

I hope other cozy readers enjoy Fishing for Trouble much more than me. I still think there is a lot of potential for this series to be original and great reading; I am just not sure it will ever get there.

This is the second book in the Alaskan Diner series. Charlie Cook has taken over the family's diner in Elkview, Alaska. When a young man dies after collapsing in the diner, Charlie investigates to clear the diner.

I enjoyed revisiting with Charlie and the gang at the diner. I'm sure it would be catastrophic for a small business to be under the pall of death when it pertains to food. It was interesting to learn about the local fishery and the "fishy" business going on there.

Charlie is a good strong character that tries to use common sense when sleuthing. Chris is a great addition to her investigation. Throw in a ex who just happens to be representing the fishery and you knw things are going to get interesting.

One of my favorite characters is Charlie's cat, Benny. I love how she uses technology to stay in touch with him while she is away from home.

There were a number of twists and turns as we wind our way to the culprit. There is also an additional story of another fishery employee who has gone missing. All in all the plot is well done.

I really enjoy the food talk around the diner. Recipes are always a nice touch. I'm not sure that I would try elk jerky but its nice to have the option. The salmon patties sound yummy and that may be a new addition to my kitchen.

This is an enjoyable series that has a wonderful backdrop of the beauty of Alaska. i look forward to reading the next book.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, in return for an honest review. While the second book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Cooke is a professional chef and former law student who returned to her small town in Alaska and taken over the family diner. The story starts quickly, with the unexpected death of a student who’d worked at the local fish processing plan and keeled over at Charlie’s diner, the ‘Bear Claw’. On the good side, he’d not eaten yet so no food poisoning. On the downside, a full tour bus was present and no one was sure how he’d been poisoned so folks were a bit queasy. Charlie realizes that she needs to solve this before her business takes its own dive. When Charlie’s ex turns up without warning or explanation, she smells a bigger rat than old fish! Adding to the story, Charlie inherited Benny the cat from her mom and he’s a delightful addition.
This is a fun cozy with lots of interesting characters and a plausible storyline on why Charlie is involved in sleuthing. You’ll enjoy this Alaskan visit without braving weather or flying to take the trip.