I want pizza now. Good, deep dish, meat lovers pizza.

Anyway, this book was a great addition to this series! I love these characters and it was so fun to see them in a locked room murder mystery. This setting was so good, although reading about the storm cutting the power and a killer among them while an actual storm was happening outside and it's nighttime gave me chills. Thankfully I also have protective cats like Butterball and I was safe. The twists kept me guessing the whole time and the final reveal was hilarious and unexpected. I really do enjoy this series and I hope we get more Deep Dish Mysteries.

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley is the third book with pizza chef Delilah O'Leary and her eclectic crew in a locked house mystery. Due to a blizzard, when murder happens, Delilah, with the help of the police detective on scene, has to solve this one with a captive houseful of suspects.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. And even though it is the third book in the series and my first I found it very easy to jump right in. I thought there was a perfect amount of suspense and characters/suspects. I will definitely be reading the previous books in the series. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Public Anchovy #1 is book 3 in the Deep Dish series, and it got a little gothic. Geneva Bay’s high society is hosting a Prohibition-themed fundraiser to help the local library. Delilah O’Leary and her pizza making team have been asked to cater. Delilah believes this is the best way to keep her restaurant afloat during the winter season and agrees. She didn’t anticipate a “free-from” pizza that needed to be made at the last minute, nor was she prepared for murder. And while the majority of guests were able to brave the winter storm outside, Delilah and company, and some straggling guests, including Detective Calvin Capone and his mother, are left trapped inside. Potentially with a killer among them.

I would not say this was a “locked room” mystery, but it was certainly a “trapped in a creepy mansion” mystery worthy of Agatha Christie. If Agatha Christie wrote about pizza. I loved it. I loved the sarcasm between Delilah and her team while discussing the “free-from” pizza. I loved Butterball and his sneaky maneuvering that led him into the house. I even loved the mystery itself.

I was so glad that readers got to experience a little more of Capone’s past by meeting his mother. It explains so much about his personality. I also loved that we met Auntie Biz’s old neighbors/enemies. I did not like how Delilah’s team kept her from saying her opinions or failed to acknowledge Delilah’s hurt feelings, but those were isolated incidents and did not take away from the narrative.

The mystery and its plot were well thought out. The whole plot is not one typically seen in mysteries. There’s usually one particularly type and is seen so often that it becomes common. However, this one was unique as many people don’t know that it is harder to catch. I appreciated that the author tied some book titles into the mystery as well.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

I’ve been enjoying Delilah and her crew in the Deep Dish Mystery series, so I was happy to see a new installment in Public Anchovy #1 by author Mindy Quigley. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The series follows Delilah, a pizzeria owner, along with her family, both at home and in the restaurant. Public Anchovy #1 sees Delilah and her crew heading to a local mansion to cater a library fundraiser. Delilah sees the catering opportunity as a way to bring some cash in during the off-season as well as to make some connections within the upper class of Geneva Bay. But, of course, things aren’t going to go smoothly.

I enjoyed the trapped in a house with the murderer trope explored in Public Anchovy #1. I know some books use this trope, but I’ve never read one and was here for it.

A storm leaves half of the guests, one of whom happens to be Detective Capone, and Delilah and her staff stranded at the mansion. When a guest dies after falling down the stairs, everyone wants to believe it’s an accident, but Delilah can’t help but think it’s murder and start snooping.

The setup was a little slow. But once the murder happened, I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve the mystery along with Delilah. While there were definite hints (seen in hindsight), I didn’t solve the mystery. However, it was well-developed, and it drew me in completely. Of course, it also didn’t hurt that there was an underlying theme around libraries and books that this book lover just ate up.

I was also very happy with the character and relationship developments. Delilah continues to grow, and I find her very likable and relatable. I was thrilled to see some movement in her “relationship” with Detective Capone. But in this book, the reader also gets to know Capone and Delilah’s staff better.

Despite a slow start, I found Public Anchovy #1 to be a delightful read. It was a great continuation of the series, and I can’t wait for the next installment. I highly recommend this series to fans of culinary mysteries, and you might even enjoy some unique recipes at the end of the book.

PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 by Mindy Quigley
The Third Deep Dish Mystery

Tourist season is over and chef Delilah O’Leary needs to figure out how to get her restaurant through the cold winter months, earning enough to keep her and her employees afloat. On this cold blustery day the entire staff is headed to a prohibition themed fundraiser for the Geneva Bay Library, hoping to make a great impression in order to garner even more catering gigs. Guests have barely started munching on appetizers when a body tumbles down the stairs. With the sudden death the party may have ended, but the intense storm has trapped everyone in the secluded mansion. Tensions are running high and the killer is getting desperate. Will Delilah and her crew survive the night or will this be the end of their deep dish pizzas?

Tempestuous is a word that truly describes this book. Weather, characters, all tempestuous! I love so much about the third Deep Dish Mystery. What makes this series so special are the relationships between characters. These relationships can be messy and difficult, and thus real. I have almost as hard a time dealing with Biz as Delilah does. I feel Delilah's frustration with Capone. And I truly love the relationship the restaurant family has with each other! This book also explores relationships between the possible suspects as well as possible suspects and our restaurant family and Capone.

A closed circle mystery, PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 brings humor, spice, and suspense. There's drama and I loved learning more about our characters. Aside from the main story, there are even more laughs in the recipe section. I love that the characters themselves share their recipes. Even if you don't cook and never intend to attempt a recipe, you need to read them! Trust me.

A high end party, squabbling couples, rare books, a late autumn storm, and murder make for a fantastically chilling tale. PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1is a cunningly crafted mystery spotlighting relationships that will make you both gasp and smile.

Sweet Butterball a killer? Never!

Delilah and her crew are on their way to a private catering gig. They haven’t even arrived when things go off the rails.

Lots of cool references to classic black and white movies along with the classic books they were based on.

We get to learn more about the Capones and Jarka which is a treat.

We meet some new characters which bring more interest and diversity to Geneva Bay.

I didn’t want to put this book down! In hindsight several clues were there blinking in bright lights but that was only in hindsight.

I love the recipes as well as how Biz and Delilah cook together. Baking is my “love language” as well.

Speaking of Biz, I missed her wit. She was present at the beginning and end, so managed to have a bit of her.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.
Happy Reading!

Absolutely adored this one! Loved the stuck in a mansion vibes and creepiness this one gave off. And of course, I loved Butterball being there! He's such a character!
I really enjoy Mindy Quigley's writing and cannot wait for more in this series!!!!

Thank you Netgalley for approving me for the arc of this book! Delilah and butterball are back at it again but this time with a new mystery! Getting stuck in an old mansions with a new list of suspects always makes for a good time! I did enjoy the old timey aspect of this book with the vintage theme. I seemed to have missed where Delilah "made her interest" in Capone clear because they were bickering too much to even throw hints! I would like for their relationship to evolve more in the next books because it did jump a bi in time line and eventst. It didnt deter me from finishing though!

Public Anchovy #1: A Deep Dish Mystery
By Mindy Quigley
St. Martins
January 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

Delilah O’Leary had high expectations for the Speakeasy Soiree-themed fundraiser being thrown by the Friends of the Library. Business usually takes a steep decline during Wisconsin’s winter, and as the owner of Delilah & Son pizzeria she hoped that working at the charity event would give a boost to her profits and provide an entry into upscale party catering. So along with her bestie sous chef Sonya Doktor – the “Son” of their business’s title – Delilah is off to exclusive Bluff Point and the home of e-reader innovator Pam Philips. Delilah is immediately met with the unexpected demand for a “Free-From” Pizza – a pizza without cheese, tomatoes, or gluten – testing all of her creativity and skill in the kitchen. While that challenge is met successfully using squash and beets, not so easily overcome is the discovery of a body at the base of a staircase.

Edgar Clemmons was the very unhappy outgoing board chair of the Friends of the Library, and he was not shy about his distaste for technology and the woman who had been voted to replace him. Whatever hopes Delilah had of remaining uninvolved – for once neither she nor her aunt are serious suspects – are dashed when trees block the roads and the remaining guests and servers are trapped overnight on the estate. Among those extremely displeased to be sleeping in the same residence as the help are B.L. Huddleston and Kennedy Criss, the couple who bought Delilah’s Great-Aunt Biz’s house after it was foreclosed upon due to non-payment of property taxes. Auntie Biz is obsessed with the usurpers who “stole” her home, frustrating Delilah as she attempts to concentrate on sifting through suspects while still serving up delicious meals. A missing knife, guests getting drugged, and a situation that seems out of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” forces Delilah to find the culprit before the guest list dwindles down to nothing.

This 3rd in the series takes a fun look at the classic trapped-in-a-mansion mystery and includes delectable descriptions of pizza-making and cookery. The relationship between Delilah and her aunt is hilarious due to their stalwartness and refusal to show affection or apologize, both following the family tradition of expressing their feelings through food. Romantic relationships abound, with the most central one being Delilah’s very tentative one with Detective Calvin Capone, a direct descendant of Al Capone and a grandfather at the age of 42. Plot swerves, rare book collecting, and classism all combine into a classic murder mystery with an added dash of cozy mystery fun. Recipes, a cat who is technically the owner of Delilah’s home, and family drama ensure that mystery fans will find this to be an entertaining and extremely satisfying read.

This was a delightful locked room mystery. I enjoyed the tension and the characters, although I did guess the bad guy long before the mystery resolved. I would happily read another in the series.

This was an incredibly fun, locked room, cozy mystery. The characters are so much fun to get to know! While this is the third installment, it’s very possible to read without having read the first two. Definitely recommend!

The third installment of this series does not disappoint. Mindy’s writing makes the characters come alive and the recipes included are restaurant quality. As the team gets ready to cater the library fundraiser, they are met with murder, bad weather, and near death experiences that hit too close to home. This is a must if you enjoy cozy mysteries and/or food fiction.

Public Anchovy #1 is the third novel in the Deep Dish Mysteries series, but it is possible to read it as a standalone.

The main characters of the novel, Delilah and Sonya get involved in a double murder investigation when two guests at a charity function are found dead under suspicious circumstances. Both Delilah and Sonya are likeable characters each with their own cute sense of humor. There is a third regular character — Butterball the cat. And although cute, I didn’t see the point, nor the need for having a cat in the mix.

The narrative was a little slow for my tastes and a little too methodical. But I managed to speed through all of the “window dressing” without any problems, and without missing out of any of the finer points.

The finale wasn’t a surprise, but I did like the manner in which the story played out for the big reveal and the motive behind the murders. It was very “Perry Mason-like.”

Like most cozy mystery novels, there are several recipes at the end of the book that showcased some of the delectable offerings mentioned in the novel.

Overall, Public Anchovy #1 was a delightful read. Four stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

In Brief
The third in the Deep Dish Mystery series set in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, Public Anchovy #1 drops the characters and reader into a locked room mystery for an approximate twelve hour span. Delilah’s upscale deep dish pizzeria has been hired to cater a Prohibition-themed fundraising event for the local library. The place is the newly renovated, secluded mansion owned by the library’s new board chair, Pam Philips. However, the soon to be former board chair, Edgar Clemmons, is not happy about being ousted and intimates to Delilah that there’s more afoot and he knows more than he should. Unfortunately, before the event can get truly underway, and certainly before Delilah has time to pick apart Edgar’s strange words, a body falls from the stairs. Though most of the guests make it out before a massive storm hits and knocks out the power as well as some trees, Delilah’s crew and some of Geneva Bay’s upper crust, along with Detective Capone and his mother, are trapped in the mansion with a murderer who might not be done with their job. Delilah is determined to keep everyone alive and figure out who did it before rescue arrives. Despite the compressed time line and all the secrets the characters hold, the story never felt too fast nor too slow, striking a perfect balance between exposing secrets and moving the story along, keeping the window of time in mind. With twists and turns and things coming to light, there’s a tangled web that’s been spun, and half the fun is watching Delilah pick through it all while Capone puts himself in knots trying to do things the right way.

Extended Thoughts
Public Anchovy #1 is the third in the Deep Dish Mystery series, featuring Geneva Bay, Wisconsin’s elite upper crust as they set out to raise funds to renovate the local library while dodging a killer. While I’ve mostly been lukewarm towards this series, it feels like it’s starting to find its feet, and I found myself really enjoying this one. That, though, might be due to the unique circumstances the characters find themselves in in a relatively short amount of time. I had a great deal of fun spending time with them and exploring a massive mansion with so many nooks and crannies.

Delilah and Sonya’s upscale deep dish pizzeria has been hired to cater a fundraising event at an impressive mansion on Geneva Bay, owned by the very wealthy and book loving Pam Philips, who is also hosting the event as the library’s incoming board chair. With a prohibition theme, the guests and staff have been invited to dress appropriately and enjoy alcoholic drinks, served up by the pizzeria’s bartender, and the festivities, which includes the talents of a local jazz singer, none other than the mother of Detective Calvin Capone, Delilah’s crush. But, after getting a nutty last minute request for a free-from pizza that has Delilah running back to her house on the lake for supplies, things start to nose dive. It starts with a surprise meeting in the stairs with Edgar Clemmons, who isn’t happy about being ousted as board chair, and the seemingly crazy and nonsensical things he has to tell Delilah. But things get worse when Delilah discovers they’ve packed up her large cat Butterball instead of a mixer, some of the elite guests turn out to have a bit of a history with each other and some of Delilah’s staff, a storm approaches, and a dead body falls from the stairs. Though most of the guests are able to escape before the storm hits, not everyone is so lucky, and it turns out they might be stuck in a massive house overnight with a killer.

Public Anchovy #1 is a fun locked room style mystery, but I also really liked how it’s set over the course of an evening and a night. The fast pace and all the things that can happen in less than 24 hours kept me engaged. I loved how the story slowed down at times to let the scenes breathe and to lend an air of mystery and anticipation of what will happen next. But it was also a lot of fun because the wealthy part of the cast clearly didn’t like each other much, and I really enjoyed getting to know one of Delilah’s servers better, especially since Jarka has just been so unreadable the whole time. The story also commented on the division between the wealthy and the working class, which I was glad to see rubbed Delilah wrong so much, but it also highlighted the deep distrust between the two groups, which put Capone right in the middle, and it was fun to watch him get frustrated.

First of all, I loved the setting. The mansion is suitably opulent and deliciously remote, accessible only by a single road or by boat, which doesn’t do any of them any good during a storm at the start of the winter season. I loved how cut off everyone was, especially since no one thought to bring a phone charger, thus reducing the contact they can have with the outside world, not to mention a light source, the longer the night wears on. Things just seemed to get worse hour by hour, and I loved it. The house was perfect, what with its large size and copious rooms delivering so many secrets, shadows, and nooks and crannies. It was incredibly easy to imagine a dark mansion set away from civilization with a group of people trapped in it with a killer. Of course, I did keep thinking of the Clue mansion, but the feeling I always got from those stories and this one was similar enough that it worked for me.

With a constrained setting, the characters and the mystery really shone. I loved getting to know Delilah’s crew a lot better. Sonya was, of course, tons of fun, and I liked the key role she played in helping to solve the case since she was friends, of a sort, with Edgar, though I felt annoyed it took so long for them to sit down and go over a key part of a clue that had been handed over to Delilah that could have broken the case much quicker had Sonya just given the information right away or if they’d bothered to ask sooner. Anyways, the rest of the staff was fun. Melody, Daniel, and Rabbit were wonderful, but weren’t as active for most of the story. Instead, the starring role was given to Jarka, a Bulgarian server who was actually a physician in her home country. It’s so hard to read her, so I really loved getting a deep dive into who she is and her history in this book. But I adore her cool efficiency and unflappability, even when her past catches up to her.

Then there are the wealthy guests, and Capone and his mother. With two couples, one of which seemed weird from the outset and the other being at odds with Delilah because they, as Delilah’s Aunt Biz claims, bought Biz’s cottage out from under her when she struggled to pay the bills. Pam felt like a bit of fun fresh air compared to them, but sometimes I felt like she was a little too flighty, wrapped up in other details, though I liked her concern for her cat, especially since her cat and Butterball did not get along. Then there’s Capone and his mother. I really felt for him because he wanted so badly to take care of the crime scene and the case the right way, but Delilah kept running ahead of him trying to solve the case. His exasperation and frustration were surprisingly fun, and I appreciated the progress he and Delilah made in their dance around each other. His mother Lola was a lot of fun. I loved everything about her, and her relationship with her son. It was easy to see why Capone was the way he was in just about everything, but I really felt sympathetic towards her.

With a cast so full of secrets, the mystery felt a bit twistier than the previous two. I felt like I was racing to catch up, but I also felt like I figured out too much a little too early and then felt a little frustrated when it took the characters some time to catch up. The first half had me racing around with the characters, what with so many things happening and trying to figure out how everyone knew each other. But, as secrets started to come to light, it became easier to piece together how they knew each other and what, really, was likely going on. There are always little details at the beginning that are forgotten along the way only to have a great deal more significance, if only someone had remembered them. That was my biggest frustration with one of the biggest clues, and I just felt like it was staring down the characters. So it was a relief when they finally caught up to it, and I really enjoyed how it played out at the end.

Public Anchovy #1 is probably my favorite book in the series so far. I loved the tight time frame and that the cast list is established from the beginning. Despite the relatively small cast and list of suspects, there was never a boring bit because there were just so many secrets. I loved uncovering them and figuring out how it fit in with everything else. While I did suspect all of them at one point, even some of Delilah’s staff members, it was easier to figure out who did it the closer the story came to wrapping up. But I did love that her employees were not automatically relegated to the “not a suspect list” in my head as that’s usually what happens. I liked that I felt like I could suspect them, too.

This is a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery full of pizza and certainly not gluten-free (among other things) snacks. I loved the two cats, and Butterball is always fun to see. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and the progress made in the romance was fantastic and felt like a long time coming. The locked room mystery was my favorite part and, while I missed getting to explore more of Geneva Bay and getting to see more of Auntie Biz, I loved how atmospheric it actually felt, and the setting was perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley

Published: December 26, 2023
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 316
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

I love a cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the charm of this plot. There was a good use of humor, mixed with drama.

I love this little town and all the residents. There is such a midwestern warmth to this series. I requested this book because of the title and the kitty on the cover, and Butterball did not disappoint!

This was a fantastic palate cleanser for some of the heavier thrillers I had been reading. I love a series, but I appreciate that these books can all be stand-alone.

I love the innocent charm mixed with sass throughout. The characters were fantastic. This was a difficult book to put down, and I enjoyed every bite!

Excellent third book in the A Deep Dish Mystery series. It's a locked-room mystery, which is my favorite. Delilah and Sonya are catering a library fundraiser when one of the patrons is found dead. Due to a storm with downed trees and no power, they are cutoff from the rest of the town. Luckily, Detective Capone was a guest and takes charge of the investigation. Of course, Delilah can't stay out of things so she decides to help him. Will they figure out whodunit before the killer strikes again? Read this intriguing mystery and see. I was kept guessing until the end.
Highly recommend.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Release Date: December 26, 2024
📖📖📖📖

While Geneva Bay’s upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. Delilah’s hopes of perfecting a new “free-from” pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. To catch an increasingly-desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.

Public Anchovy #1 is the third book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series. I’ve read the first two books and really enjoy the series! I love Sonja and Aunt Biz! Delilah is a bit annoying and abrasive for a main heroine. I don’t love the forced romance between her and Capone. I wish they’d let that storyline drop, it feels forced and kind of icky. Overall I like this series and will happily read the next one!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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I love this series and plan to continue reading the other installments. Public Anchovy #1 didn’t disappoint I felt it was a solid whodunnit and with twist and turns that keep you guessing to the end.
I liked how Quidley incorporates classic books, like The Maltese Falcon into the mystery.

Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley is the latest in the Deep Dish Mysteries but easily stands alone (although if you read this one first, you'll get sucked in and want to read the whole series!)

In this "delicious" mystery, a winter storm traps the who's who in society (and their caterers) in a mansion during a recreation prohibition-era party... with a killer.

In addition to the central mystery, I love the side themes of found family, saving the library, and how our pets really are the center of our worlds.