"A Dish to Die for" by Lucy Burdette is a delightful culinary mystery set against the vibrant backdrop of Key West. In this four-star-worthy book, the author intricately weaves a tale of intrigue, murder, and a dash of nostalgia through the lens of food critic Hayley Snow.

The story kicks off with a seemingly tranquil day for Hayley, relishing a peaceful lunch with a friend. However, the serenity is shattered when she returns home to find her husband's dog, Ziggy, frantically digging at a shallow grave containing a man's body. The victim, GG Garcia, is a controversial figure known for over-development and other unsavory activities in Key West.

Burdette skillfully builds the suspense as Hayley becomes entangled in the investigation, especially after her friend Davis Jager is attacked following a conversation with her and Miss Gloria. The plot takes an intriguing turn when Hayley, along with her mother Janet and Miss Gloria, gets involved in catering GG's memorial service. The vintage Key West cookbook they use for the occasion becomes a source of not only delicious recipes but also clues to long-buried secrets.

What sets this book apart is Burdette's ability to blend mystery with the charm of Key West and the culinary world. The characters are well-developed, and the dynamics between them add depth to the narrative. The exploration of the old cookbook adds a layer of nostalgia, bringing the past to life in a way that impacts the present with deadly consequences.

The pacing is excellent, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind GG Garcia's demise. Burdette's descriptive writing skillfully captures the essence of Key West, making it almost a character in itself.

In "A Dish to Die for," Lucy Burdette serves up a tantalizing mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. With a perfect blend of suspense, culinary delights, and a touch of local flavor, this book is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts and foodies alike.

Title: "A Dish to Die For" by Lucy Burdette - A Delectable Culinary Mystery

Rating: ★★★★☆

Lucy Burdette serves up a delightful culinary mystery in "A Dish to Die For," earning it a solid four-star rating.

This engaging novel combines two of life's greatest pleasures: food and amateur sleuthing. The story revolves around the talented and resourceful Hayley Snow, a food critic who stumbles upon a murder mystery that she can't resist investigating. As the plot thickens, readers are treated to mouthwatering descriptions of the delectable dishes prepared in the heart of Key West, adding a savory layer to the narrative.

Burdette's writing is engaging, and her characters are both relatable and charming. The story is well-paced, with just the right amount of suspense to keep readers guessing. As Hayley delves into the world of haute cuisine, she discovers secrets and hidden motives that make for a compelling and entertaining read. "A Dish to Die For" is a delectable addition to the culinary mystery genre, and fans of cozy mysteries and good food will find it a satisfying and enjoyable feast for the senses.

I love Lucy Burdette and Hayley Snow! I never get tired of her stories in books or interviews, that's why I chose to interview her for Fresh Fiction's Cozy Corner. Like always, a 5 star mystery is a given with Lucy's Key West Mysteries. See her interview at Fresh Fiction on 8/28/23

The Key West Food Critic I series is one of my absolute favorite cozy mysteries, but i do have to say, this book was my least favorite of the series. I didn't like all the interaction with the police and wasn't enjoying the book until the mysterious box showed up, then the story got interesting.

The characters ate charming f as always especially Miss. Gloria. I wish the book had more of her. I am loking forward to the next I statement of the series.

Really fun and cute cozy mystery! Key West holds a special place in my heart since that is where I was married. Thank you to Crooked Lane, Lucy, and NetGalley for the copy!

There's nothing like a good cozy mystery. The characters are familiar. The settings are relatable. It's like coming home and snuggling up with a good book. You know what you gonna get. I enjoy the author. I like her books. This was a fun read. It left me satisfied at the end and wanting to read the next one.

#lucyburdette. #NETGALLEY #adishtodiefor

This review of A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette is courtesy of NetGalley. #ADishtoDiefor #NetGalley #CulinaryMystery #CozyMystery #LucyBurdette
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: Aug 9, 2022

A Dish to Die is the 12th of Lucy Burdette's Key West Food Critic Mystery series. I'd originally gotten an early reader's copy of A Dish to Die For last year but missed doing a review at that time. As I'd picked up the next book in the series, A Clue in the Crumbs, for review, I thought I'd fill in the gap by reviewing A Dish to Die For as well given I'd also reviewed book 11, A Scone of Contention in 2021 (https://www.netgalley.com/book/214126/review/29073).

A Scone of Contention got a 3/5 from me which meant it was generally satisfying with no regrets on my part for reading. Maybe it's the contrast with the last culinary cozy I read for review that wasn't so great that has me bumping the rating of A Dish to Die For to 5/5 but I really enjoyed it.

Hayley Snow continues to help with the solving of a murder along with the police without resorting to illegal behavior. Other regular characters make reappearances. Hayley's neighbor Miss Gloria keeps Hayley company during some of the investigation. An event Hayley's mother Janet caters provides foodies additional mouth watering descriptions of food.

The Key West Women's Club cookbook is also key part of the storyline. On a lark, I looked it up and found that it did exist as well as one of the historical names mentioned. That extra bit of real history helped bump up my rating as well as the reflection on the treatment of women in the past versus now.

This book was clearly not written for me and honestly, it sucked for the few pages that I attempted to read.

Another delightful entry in the series.
Engaging characters with an complex mystery.
The addition of the historical cookbook is a plus+.

I love visiting Hayley and Key West in this delightful series. The best part about this book and series is the characters. The characters are so delightful and Hayley is such a witty and fun sleuth. The story was interesting and it was hard at first to figure out who the murderer was but by the end I knew who did it . This book would make the perfect beach read.

I really like how recipe books and restaurant reviews are woven into the Key West Food Critic mysteries, as each chapter is started with an interesting food related quote. Hayley Snow was just going along, minding her own business taking care of her husband’s pup Ziggy when they stumble upon a dead body in the sand. Actually, Ziggy and Davis Jager, local bird watcher, literally uncover a man in a shallow grave on the beach. GG Garcia, land developer and a man with more enemies than scruples who had a father who wasn’t much better and a son who could do better. Ah but tracking down clues with the help of her active adult sidekick Miss Gloria, to assist the bird watcher is not all that occupies Hayley’s time. Nathan’s out of touch Dad, who is also a cop, is in town wanting to visit. Nathan and his Dad do not have the best of relationships, not like Hayley and her folks. On top of the impromptu visitor, Hayley volunteers to help with the memorial service repast being catered by her Mom. While helping with cleanup Hayley happens upon a box with papers possibly related to the earliest version of the Woman’s Club cookbook, and pages from a diary. A diary with illustrations and recipes and the secret thoughts penned on loosely bound pages which lead to uncovering a dark secret from the past. This story takes note that while times change but some people stay the same, trapped in a perpetual cycle of discourse. Ms. Layton does an excellent job of entertaining us with a mystery and enticing us with some amazing foods, that she graciously provides recipes for at the back of the book.

The challenge many cozies face is how to keep an amateur sleuth investigating murders in a small town without straining credibility to the breaking point. In this latest Key West Food Critic Mystery, Hayley Snow is desperately trying not to get involved when her pup uncovers a body on a nearby key. After all, she has enough going on with the unexpected visit from her father-in-law and deadlines to meet for Key Zest. A satisfying encounter and I enjoyed the look back at recipes from the past.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for access to an ARC on NetGalley.

A Dish to Die For is the 12th book in the A Key West Food Critic mystery series. But it was easy to jump into without reading the previous books.

The vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters is my favorite part of the writing. As a Florida Native, I still can’t get enough books set in Florida, and this one does a superb job.

The story is a little slow moving. But it will keep you guessing!

Hayley Snow has made a habit of finding dead bodies. Even her dog seems to follow in her footsteps. One routine walk later and she's once again found her way into a murder investigation. The previous book followed a crazy honeymoon trip to Scotland but now Hayley and Nathan are back in Key West for another mystery. The characters you've gotten to know and love are once again back in the story, backing Hayley up as she tackles another mystery. Hayley is a well-rounded character that you want to spend time with and that has spent the last several books growing as a character into the sleuth you currently know and love. A must-read!

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

Hayley is enjoying what should be a relaxing day at the beach with a friend when her husband's dog uncovers a dead body. It is a man who was shrouded in controversy in the Keys. She and neighbor Miss Gloria find themselves investigating the crime. To add to her stress, Hayley is meeting her father-in-law for the first time. The mystery was a bit obvious, but the setting and characters make up for it. I look forward to the next visit to Key West and Hayley.

Key West is such a popular tourist attraction that things never seem to slow down. Haley is a food critic for the Key Zest magazine and decided she was taking the afternoon off and enjoying herself for a change with her best friend. They are enjoying the beach and lunch and having a great time when she realizes Ziggy, her husband's dog has disappeared. Panicking she is calling his name and searching up and down the beach when she fins him digging a shallow grave in the sand and in the grave is a man's body. Haley begins to investigate and fins all sorts of suspects. Can she solve the murder and clear everyone?

I do love a cozy mystery that has the atmosphere of old Florida. This series is set in Key West. Our protagonist is a food critic for a local magazine. On her lunch break walk on the beach, her dog finds a dead body, a local over the top developer named GG.

Haley is drawn into the case when a witness to finding the body is attacked. She and her mother prepare food for GG's funeral but find themselves embroiled in finding out who "done it"

Princess Fuzzypants here: I have enjoyed every book in this series. Hayley lives on a houseboat with her cop husband, Nathan, and their furbabies in Key West. There is always a good combination of enticing food and drink, which she reviews for the local newspaper, and a great travelogue for a fascinating part of the world, and, oh yes, a top notch mystery..

One day while taking Nathan’s dog Ziggy for a walk, the dog digs up the corpse of a local mover and shaker. The problem is his moving and shaking has not always been in the best interest of the area and he has a rather large list of people who disliked him. Whether they disliked him enough to kill him is another question. Nathan is brought in to help out with the investigation and for once, Hayley is asked to help uncover the truth. Even Nathan”s long estranged father who has shown up in Key West unexpectedly supports her involvement.

The fact is Hayley is good at research and good at reading people and asking questions. What she learns is disturbing. It seems the deceased and his father before him have some despicable traits. To say they were predators would insult predators. She learns that his demise was very much related to a history of abuse. It is a rather sad and tawdry tale but in the end, justice is served.

It is an interesting story that skirts some heavy duty social issues. It is never preachy or ponderous and those issues add rather than detract from the story. Five purrs and two paws up.

Authors of long running series, might face the possibility of their characters becoming predictable. Not so with Burdette's cast in her well regarded Key West Food Critic series. Her amateur sleuth, Hailey has grown from a jilted ingenue adrift in Key West, to a successful food critic. She is now married, and still living on Houseboat Row in Key West. While Hailey is known for finding bodies, this time it is Ziggy, the dog, who 'digs up' the body. One hesitates to say some times a person deserves to die, but in this case it is true. The best thing that can be said is he was consistent. A womanizer, cheat and opportunistic land developer, there are many candidates for the perpetrator.

As always with Burdette's series, the setting plays a large part of the novels charm. Here she focuses on the Women's Club in Key West, as well as the art of culling donated books to the Friends of the Library. While researching an article on old recipes Hailey finds a cook book created by the women's club in the 1940's. The vintage cookbook serves as a focal point helping Hailey uncover answers. Along with the mystery, Hailey is also finding new insights to her Nathan. His father is in town, revealing himself to be every bit as prickly as Nathan used to be.
One could call this a summer beach read. I disagree. Hailey can be enjoyed year around. Key West is always there for the reader.
Very highly recommended.

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity.