I received a free epub copy from NetGalley.

This was an excellent book. Coming into a series so late can have its downsides, but this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the characters, the mystery was intriguing and the houseboat living was a nice twist. Hayley was a great main character with a lot to offer to the story and to solving the mystery. I liked how by this point her husband has accepted her help in solving mysteries and allows her to help within reason and with only a little bit of regret in case things went dicey.

The book flowed well and was an easy read. I liked how the food critic part was there but none of the story felt forced to include it in the narrative.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery. It is a good book for readers who love novels with lots of references to food. Since the main character is a food critic, there are plenty of restaurants mentioned and delicious food described. And, thankfully, Burdette has added some yummy recipes for the tantalizing foods, such as banana cream pie.

I liked the setting of Key West. We are immersed in the culture and atmosphere of the island community. The spiritual atmosphere was evidenced by a tarot card reading with a view to aiding in the solving of the mystery. I appreciated the descriptions of places Hayley went, like paddling a kayak around exposed mangrove roots.

Burdette has a good writing style, making this novel an easy and enjoyable one to read. It is part of a long series. While it reads well on its own, it seems more character development may have occurred in earlier novels. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the novel, including the food and the setting and will be looking for the next in the series.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I enjoy this series set in Key West but I felt that this one didn't keep my interest as much as earlier books. I still love the characters and are looking forward to seeing them in the nest one.

Pimento Cheese Recipe is A Dish to Die For

My fellow cozy mystery readers need to mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 9th. That’s when Lucy Burdette releases her latest edition of the Key West Food Critic Mysteries, A Dish to Die For, and it’s the best one yet.

Actually, a better idea is to preorder your copy NOW!

In A Dish to Die For, magazine food critic Hayley Snow heads to a neighboring town with a friend to enjoy lunch on a beach away from the negativity she senses in post-Covid-pandemic Key West. However, her husband Nathan’s dog, Ziggy, digs up the body of GG Garcia, a rabble-rousing Key West developer. GG was best known for over-development of the fragile Keys, womanizing, and not following city rules. In other words, the man had enemies.

I’ve enjoyed all of Burdette’s Key West mysteries, but this one was my favorite by far. Her characters, especially Hayley, develop and mature with each edition. Hayley’s relationship with her husband feels authentic and not overly lovey-dovey the way books often portray marriage. And while trying to solve the murder, Hayley has to face a complicated but timely issue (I won’t say what since I don’t want to give anything away). This is handled in a genuine but also caring manner.

What I also loved about this book was the clever way clues to solving the murder were found in something many home cooks have in their kitchens—those spiral-bound cookbooks produced by local non-profits. You know the ones I mean? They’re put together by church groups, a local children’s charity, or a family wanting to save cherished recipes.

These cookbooks are full of recipes not from professional chefs or food writers but instead from home cooks. The dishes inside are hits at the family dinner table, holiday gatherings, or a neighborhood cookout. The simplicity of the recipes makes them perfect for home cooks.

The spiral-bound cookbooks featured in A Dish to Die For are ones produced by the Woman’s Club of Key West, an actual organization in existence since 1915. The group meets in the Hellings House on busy Duval Street, which is available for private event rentals. The building is a setting in this book, and I suggest you visit the Woman’s Club website to see interior and exterior photos.

Burdette’s use of real Key West locations—and sometimes real people—is another thing I love about her work. I have a list of places to check out on my next Key West visit, all from the pages of her books.

I also love that she includes recipes for dishes talked about in the story. There are several I want to try from this book, but the first I made was one for a pimento cheese spread. I grew up eating it spread on celery and in sandwiches.

This recipe is part of a three-layer finger sandwich that also includes a cucumber watercress filling and a curried egg salad filling.

I made some changes from the original pimento cheese recipe: I used yellow instead of white cheddar. And instead of sautéing the scallions in butter, I added them straight to the mixture for a more robust flavor.

If you’ve only eaten pimento cheese found in the grocery store, you’re missing out! This recipe is the best I’ve had and is so easy to assemble.

The pimento cheese and A Dish to Die For were big hits in my household. My mom is reading the book and keeps reminding me not to give anything away before she finishes.

Pimento Cheese Spread

Adapted from a recipe in A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette, this is now the go-to recipe I use for one of my favorite sandwich, celery and cracker spreads.

6 cups shredded sharp cheddar (I use Tillamook.)
2 ounces room temperature cream cheese
2 ounces Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of mayonnaise, more if necessary
7 to 8 ounces of roasted red peppers, in oil, chopped
3 scallions, white parts and some of the green, chopped
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Place all the ingredients into a large bowl. Mix together until combined, adding more mayonnaise if necessary to make the mixture spreadable. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

A Dish to Die For: A Key West Food Mystery
By Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
August 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

The businesses that didn’t go out of business completely on island of Key West, Florida are struggling to recover after the pandemic, and Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow can’t help but feel trapped in the doldrums. So she and her husband are more than happy to escape for the day with their friend to the northern key island’s Boca Chica Beach. What she’s unable to escape from is her habit of encountering dead bodies, although this time it’s her husband’s miniature pinscher Ziggy Stardust who literally digs up a corpse. Businessman Gerald “GG” Garcia had a well-earned reputation for supporting environmentally-unfriendly, tourist-attracting measures along with advocating for anything guaranteed to irritate long-term residents. With her husband, Key West Police Detective Nathan Bransford, already at a high stress level due to the impending visit by his estranged father, Hayley has no intention of further aggravating her spouse by interfering in the investigation. So it’s rather surprising that the investigators actually encourage Hayley to do a little undercover work at a local dog park, where GG was notorious for allowing his dog to bully and antagonize other pets. Angry dog owners are on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to those with motives to eliminate GG, as he was disliked by competing bird watchers, notorious for preying on young women, and was planning on developing lands that would have displaced the poor through eminent domain.

It is through her fondness for cuisine that Hayley stumbles onto another possible connection to the victim, this time a 1949 Key West Woman’s Club cookbook donated to the Friends of the Library. The hand-written cookbook contains not just problematic recipes for (endangered) turtle soup and casseroles, but references to the Garcia family. Hayley and her caterer mother Janet are going to have an opportunity to showcase some of those recipes not just for the les-than-mournful guests of GG’s funeral, but for a visit by Nathan’s intimidating father. Contrary to their belief that he had retired from the Georgia Police Department, Chester “Skip” Bransford has come to Key West to help their police department train for their upcoming accreditation. Their relationship was already strained from the crime that broke up their family, so with his father overseeing his work Nathan isn’t exactly ready to welcome him back with open arms. Hayley’s need to take care of everyone has her catering to Skip’s rather unadventurous and rigid tastes as she prepares family meals and helps to feed their souls. An awkward birder who is attacked after seeking Hayley’s help further pushes her into police affairs, and despite Nathan’s protectiveness it looks as though she may be the best one to bring about justice.

This 12th in the series rewards loyal fans by bringing back favorite characters and delivering satisfying and deserved endings. Nathan and Hayley have built up a respectful and very adult marriage, one that depends on communication and actually keeping the other informed of possibly dangerous situations. Readers will enjoy the times she is able to review Stock Island’s unique restaurants and prepare the meals she cooks for her friends and family. The Homemade Pigs in a Blanket recipe will ignite nostalgia along with taste buds, as will those for layered finger sandwiches. There is a thoughtful tone throughout the novel as Hayley and her senior friend Miss Gloria find themselves in the midst of others’ complicated, troubled, and even abusive relationships. Through it all readers are able to revel in the enviable setting, abundance of adorable pets, and engaging characters.

Hayley Snow loves Key West, but she needs a short break away from all the concrete and busyness, particularly after all the negativity surrounding the pandemic. Covid has changed a lot of things in Key West with businesses going under and cruise ships not arriving constantly. As a food critic for Key Zest, Hayley sees up close and personal the changes, so a trip to Boca Chica Beach on Geiger Key with her husband’s dog, Ziggy Stardust, sounds like just the thing to clear her mind and help her relax. Unfortunately, Ziggy digs up a dead body and now Hayley is caught in a murder investigation of a well-known and not often liked developer. Hayley is drawn further into the investigation when her mother caters a reception and clues from a dark past are revealed.

A DISH TO DIE FOR is the 12th book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series but can easily be read as a standalone. However, family relationships are a key part of the storyline and readers unfamiliar to the series may not completely understand the emotional aspects between Nathan and his father or the tightrope Hayley is walking on. A DISH TO DIE FOR is also a tad darker in tone than the earlier books as the impacts of the pandemic have hit home, changing the nature of Key West and impacting Hayley’s job as a food critic. I appreciate that Lucy Burdette didn’t gloss over the changes and impact but rather gave us a glimpse of the hope arising after the dark storm of the pandemic is passing.

I love that we get to meet Nathan’s estranged father! I had anxiety right along with Hayley, especially considering what we knew from his mom and sister about the past. However, Lucy Burdette pulls it together beautifully, making me love the characters even more for their imperfections. A DISH TO DIE FOR also provides some additional character development for Nathan, as his back story continues to take shape and we see why he is the loyal but very reserved man he is today. Besides, who can’t help but love a man with a dog named Ziggy Stardust?

A DISH TO DIE FOR is another great trip to Key West with Hayley, Miss Gloria, Nathan, and all the rest of the characters we know and love. While things are changing in Key West, the spirit that makes the tiny island so unique is once again flourishing and I love that we take a slight detour to explore Geiger Key. Once again, Lucy Burdette captures the heart and soul of Key West and leaves the reader hungry for more visits. Bravo!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

Hayley's dog digs in the sand of a Key West beach and finds the body of a man. A man not well liked and something of a sexual predator, which makes it hard to find the killer. Then Hayley finds a very old cookbook from the area which has some secrets as well as old recipes.

I love Hayley and Nathan's relationship with each other and their friends and family, there is a lot of love, respect, and understanding between them. Another fun mystery from Ludy Burdette, she managed to keep me guessing to the end. Looking forward to reading the next installment in the Key West Food Critic series.

Hayley is looking forward to a good meal and a quite afternoon with friends. While enjoying said meal Hayley notices that Ziggy, her husbands dog, is nowhere to be found. She follows the sound of his barking and finds him digging in a hole that has a body in it. A local bird watcher identifies the body as GG Garcia, a developer known for his unhealthy lifestyle and rule breaking ways. When the man who identified him is attacked Hayley jumps into investigate. She knows GG has quite a few enemies the problem is pairing them down to one sho was willing to kill. Follow along as Hayley brings past secrets to the forefront, will this help her find a killer or make her a target.

Only Hayley and Ziggy Stardust could visit a relaxing beach, in the Keys, and find a mystery. This time, it's Ziggy, her husband's dog, who digs up the body of a rogue developer who may have done one too many shady deals!

I was into a new relaxed Hayley and then, "bam" we're off to solve a mystery that has twists and turns like you wouldn't believe! I love this series and am glad to see Hayley back in her food critic "orbit" . Miss Gloria is also on the case and Hayley's caterer Mom plays a part. As always, the descriptions of the food and Key West are delicious and lush. I wasn't able to guess "whodunit" and that made the book even better!

I'm ready for another adventure in the Keys!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

August is hot, and it has me wishing for the cool winds of fall replacing the cold blasts of air conditioning. However, August this year has redeemed itself with the arrival of new books from favorite authors, especially a favorite series set in one of my favorite places. That’s a lot of favorites, and Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic Mysteries so deserve that word for so many reasons. A Dish to Die For is #12 in the series that features Hayley Snow as the food critic for Key Zest online magazine. How we’re already at a dozen books, I don’t know. Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun. Having visited Key West multiple times, each book has been a walk down memory lane, as I recognize street and restaurant names, but I’m always learning more about this wonderfully quirky island, too. It’s a delightful surprise to see what unexpected place another murder has occurred in this paradise of relaxation and five-o’clock-somewhere.

Hayley Snow is taking an afternoon off to spend with her friend Eric at Boca Chica Beach, a “little stretch of seaweed, sand, and mangroves” beach on Geiger Key, about twelve miles up from Key West. Eric brings his dogs and Hayley brings her husband Nathan’s dog Ziggy to give the dogs a fun time of running loose on the beach. Ziggy manages to “unearth” a man’s body that had been covered with sand from the storm the previous night. When Hayley discovers Ziggy’s find, she doesn’t have to wait long for the body to be identified. A local bird watcher named Davis Jager happens along and recognizes the dead man as Gerald Garcia, or GG, a wealthy Key West landowner and developer. GG was an infamous figure in Key West, a man who followed in his father’s footsteps as a cheating husband and a land developer who cared nothing for the consequences of development on the land. So, plenty of people hated the man, but few would have had opportunity to off him on that beach, as his death occurred at night on a beach that was not officially a public one, while a big storm was brewing. It’s rather a locked-room mystery but on a deserted beach.

It's a given that Hayley will become involved in the investigation of G.G.’s death. Not only do Davis Jager and surprisingly Nathan pull her into it, but Hayley’s own job will pull her in, too. Having come across the original 1949 copy of the Key West Women’s Club Cookbook, Hayley is planning a Key Zine article on it and the historical connection of food and the island. Intimately involved in the 1949 cookbook project was G.G.’s grandmother and future mother. Hayley has also agreed to help her mother with the catering for G.G.’s memorial reception to be held at the Key West Women’s Club headquarters, a house that holds some very old secrets.

As if Haley doesn’t have enough to juggle, Nathan’s estranged father, Chip, is in town to oversee the accreditation review for the Key West Police Department. Even Hayley, with her charm and temptings of tasty food, will have a tough job of bringing Nathan and Chip together. But oddly enough the two men do agree on something, that Hayley’s involvement in the Garcia investigation is helpful. In fact, the reserved Skip even compliments Hayley’s skills.

Of course, fans of this series want reassurance that Miss Gloria, Hayley’s dearest friend and octogenarian neighbor on houseboat row in Key West, is in on the action. I’m delighted to disclose that Miss Gloria is front and center with Hayley in this investigation. Lucy Burdette has the same gift with characters as she does with setting. She brings them alive for readers to experience up close and personal. As a reader who has loved this series since its beginning, I think I can vouch for the many other fans who feel how much Hayley and Miss Gloria and Nathan and Janet and Sam and Lorenzo and Steve Torrence have all become like family. And, that’s just the start to a cast of characters who come in and out of the stories and Hayley’s life. I was pleased to see the addition of a female law enforcement character, Deputy Darcy Rogers of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. I hope to see more of her in future stories. It was satisfying to meet Nathan’s father this time, as we had already met his mother, Helen. I wonder if there’s some more story to come for this divorced couple who helped shape Nathan.

Lucy Burdette has created a series that never drags. It is always fresh, introducing new characters alongside the favorites and great stories that find different parts of fascinating Key West to explore. Yet, there is always that comforting familiarity with characters and places, too, that feels so like coming home. A Dish to Die For is everything I’ve come to expect in a story from this series, and it might just be my new favorite. I loved all the history of the Key West Women’s Club brought out through the vintage cookbook, and the twist of the resolution was perfect. The food was delectably described to make my mouth water, pointing to more restaurants to try. Oh, and the mention of the Key Lime Cake at Firefly’s was a bonus I didn’t expect. Thank you, Lucy. Readers, don’t forget the recipes in the back of the book. I’m looking at the Party Sandwiches to fix first. So how about that? A Dish to Die For is rewarding from start to after finish.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Crooked Lane Publishers and from NetGalley.

A Dish to Die for is the 12th (I can't believe there are twelve already!!!) deliciously murderous cozy featuring everyone's fave Key West food critic - Hayley Snow. When Nathan's dog Ziggy finds the body of a local developer buried in the sand one morning, Hayley digs deep into the secrets of some of Key West's oldest families to discover who murdered the notorious womanizer. Add her visiting father-in-law and spunky Miss Gloria to the mix, and Hayley's plate is more full than usual. Lots of fun from author Lucy Burdette! A+++

A Dish to Die for (Key West Food Critic 12) by Lucy Burdette


This is the 12th book in the acclaimed Key West Food Critic series.

This story starts with Hayley Snow Bransford taking a break with her best friend Eric and the dogs at Boca Chica Beach on Geiger Key. As they finish a relaxing lunch, Hayley hears Ziggy barking. The little dog dug poor Hayley up a body on the beach! So much for relaxing.

Poor Hayley, she’s dealing with nothing but drama in this book. Nathan and his estranged father, the Key Zest partners, not to mention helping her mom and solving a murder!

I really enjoyed this 12th edition. I stayed flipping pages into the early hours and regret nothing!
5*****

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Hayley taking her husband’s dog Ziggy to the beach and having lunch with a friend should have been a fun afternoon. But that darn Ziggy found an eerie treasure while digging to his heart’s content. Hayley couldn’t see him but she follows his yips and barks and finds him with a very dead body in a shallow grave. The man is identified by local birdwatcher, Davis Jager. It’s GG Garcia, a local developer who has been ruffling a lot of feathers because of his proposed development on the vulnerable Keyes. He is not fond of following the rules and he is a womanizer to boot.

Hayley becomes invested in the case when Davis Jager is attacked soon after talking to her. Since her mother has been asked to cater the memorial service for Garcia, Hayley and Miss Gloria decide it is the perfect place to catch a lot of the suspects in one place. Nathan wishes Hayley would leave the investigation to the police but he knows his bride and with his father in town his hands are pretty full.

Hayley and Nathan are settling into the new married life. They are so comfortable together and every word between them sounds true to life. Miss Gloria is right next door in her own houseboat and while Hayley is no longer living there they are still thick as thieves and make a great sleuthing team even if Miss Gloria’s suggestions can really be out there. Haley’s mom’s business is really taking off and she is always ready for a dinner party. In this story, Nathan’s dad is in town to lead some police training, and Nathan is exhausted trying to keep up with the man and maybe trying to impress him just a bit. All the characters Ms. Burdette has created are strong and gain depth in every new story. When she introduces a new character she gives just enough background and allows that character to evolve over the course of the story and beyond if they return in another book.

The mystery was complex but I was really drawn to the vintage cookbook, notes, and diary aspect of the story even before I realized their relevance. Soon I was totally engrossed by the story. The well-plotted storylines, the descriptions of the fragile Keys, and all the glorious food. Lucy Burdette is a wonderful storyteller and again her talent shines in A Dish to Die For.

I love catching up with these characters. I am always entertained by their daily lives and the drama that always seems to find them. I am excited to see where the author takes her character next.

First, the rating I have given is not because A Dish to Die For is a lousy book or there is anything significantly wrong with it. I enjoyed a lot of it and liked many of the characters. But… I have not read any of the other books in this series, and it was hard for me to get a good grip on the characters. I loved the location of Key West; I also liked the birdwatcher, and the dog, Ziggy. However, I wasn’t crazy about Hayley, and I disliked her husband, Nathan. If I could have given it three and a half stars, I would have.

Hayley and a friend take their dogs with them for lunch. As they relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, Ziggy, Nathan’s dog, begins to bark, and she goes hunting for him only to discover a body. The birdwatcher, Davis, recognizes the victim immediately. Once the police show up and she gives her statement, she returns home, only to find that she can’t get the victim off her mind. Before long, she is asking questions with the intent of finding a killer. Her neighbor, Miss Gloria, offers her help, and they begin to put the pieces together between them. Hayley also discovers some of Key West’s history from an old cookbook and writes an article for the magazine she works for. But all of her questions and discoveries only lead to more questions.

The victim is a true reprobate in every sense of the word. He definitely got what was coming to him. The suspects are mainly his family, friends, business associates, and Davis, the birdwatcher. I am surprised that Ziggy wasn’t on the suspect list; everyone else was. The evidence, which there is little of, doesn’t really lead to anyone in particular. I had no idea who the killer was until the end because there was no one left who could have done it. Unfortunately, I found the killer implausible and felt as though the killer was thrown when the author finished writing the story only to realize that she had no killer. I also took issue with the fact that the friend Hayley was with when she found the body is not involved in the book at all after the first few pages. That’s probably not the case, but it is how it felt.

The writing in A Dish to Die For is good, and I am sure for fans of this series, the characters are fun and the story interesting. I disliked Hayley’s husband; I felt he was controlling and unforgiving. The way he treats his father is not the way to win over readers. Even if his father was a terrible parent, as a grown-up, Nathan should be more open to having a relationship with his dad, who is obviously trying hard to become a better person. I like Davis the birdwatcher but felt he could have been described better. I love Miss Gloria and Hayley’s family. Ziggy is a blast. The ending of the book was the most challenging part of the story. I found the unveiling to be a letdown. There were some interesting parts in this book; I love the history of the cookbook as a theme for Hayley’s writing. I liked the close-knit feel of the town and the indication that it is more than a tourist attraction. The story just didn’t click with me very well.

Even though this is book 12 in the 'Key West Food Critic Mystery' series, and I have only read three other instalments I still jumped at the chance to read A Dish to Die For, finding it a fun, delightful and amusing cozy.

Hayley and police detective Nathan Bransford are enjoying their life together as a married couple, and Hayley is working hard at her job as a food critic. She is enjoying a well-earned afternoon off with her psychologist friend Eric. She has taken her husband's dog called Ziggy Stardust with her and Eric also has two dogs, named Barclay, a terrier, and Chester, a Havanese. They are at Boca Chica Beach on Geiger Key. Hayley and Eric are eating their sandwiches, while the dogs are jumping around in the sea. Then Hayley realises that Ziggy is missing. She finds him in an old hut made of driftwood, but he's not alone... a denim-clad man's corpse is there, too.

Lucy Burdette has created such wonderful characters for this series and this story, and Miss Gloria, Hayley's octogenarian friend and neighbour joins Hayley in the investigation, providing many comedic moments, and I adore her great relationship with Hayley. All of the characters have excellent parts to play and the dialogue is sharp and punchy. The mystery itself was good, although not the best part of the book. The author did a sterling job of describing the foodie delights. This entertaining story has given me the inspiration to read more in the series, especially the first book, An Appetite for Murder. Very highly recommended.

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

"A Dish to Die For" the 12th instalment in the "A Key West Food Critic" Mystery series by Lucy Burdette. This is one of my favourite foodie cozy mystery series..

I really enjoyed this story and hanging out with Haley, Miss Gloria, Nathan and his father! I must say I really do love octogenarian Miss Gloria and her spunk.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I liked trying to figure out who killed the womanizing GG Garcia. I found Nathan’s father to be cold at first but he seemed to warm up as the story unfolded and I hope he appears again in the series. The descriptions of the food was mouth watering, made me want banana cream pie!

I kept second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Dish to Die For takes readers to beautiful Key West where food critic and amateur sleuth Haley Snow is looking for a bit of peace and quiet in this bustling tropical town. After a well needed peaceful day ends Haley comes home to find her puppy missing only to find him digging at a shallow grave with a body in it. Afters a series of events that slowly draw Haley s attention to the case. With the help of her fun octogenarian friend Miss Gloria and Haley’s mom in listing their help, they are hoping to cook up some clues to solve this case.


I absolutely love the series. A Dish to Die For is A bit on the dark side for cozy mystery but that does not make it less entertaining. When the most notorious man in town is the one found dead there are bound to be a few dark secrets that come to light. The mystery did not get it for me but I do enjoy this cast of characters tremendously. Haley and her cop husband are living their best life on a houseboat with their adored pets. Living in a tropical community. Although stumbling upon dead bodies it’s not something I would want to be a part of my paradise but that’s what makes a good read. Author Lucy Burdette knows how to catch your attention, give you a setting that you absolutely enjoy and characters that you fall in love with very easily.


Like most food related cozy we get some wonderful recipes along with our story. There are some delectable bites mentioned within the tail and some recipes that are very tempting to try.

I liked this one so much better than the last one (the trip to Scotland for their honeymoon). This felt more like the older ones in the series, where Hayley remembers she actually has a job; the food sounded delicious. I also liked getting to know about the communities outside Key West. The mystery was well-paced but seemed to take a backseat to everything else Hayley is juggling. I found the research into the old cookbooks and cooking styles fascinating. Looking forward to the next!

Even when you live in paradise, you need a break. That’s why Hayley Snow is taking a few hours with her friend Eric and their dogs and heading to a beach on one of the nearby islands. However, the day takes a sad turn when Hayley’s dog finds a dead body half buried in the sand. The man was G.G. Garcia, a Key West developer who had a bad reputation. The local police think there is something suspicious about his death, and Hayley gets pulled into the investigation. Will she figure out what really happened?

I’ve fallen in love with Key West thanks to this series, and I was happy to be back. Sadly, the mystery was very weak. Even the characters got frustrated by their lack of progress throughout the book. Plus, the victim was a little too evil, with a few things that felt thrown in just to make other characters feel virtuous. The book gets a little dark and edgy for a cozy as well. Finally, there’s a subplot that comes across as half-baked, the characters involved definitely deserved better. On the other hand, I really did enjoy the location and the series regulars. Nathan, Hayley’s husband, gets some good development thanks to a visit from his estranged father. If you are new to the series, this isn’t the book for you, but fans will enjoy catching up with the characters.