Lesa's Book Critiques: Lavender Lies Bleeding by Leslie Budewitz
Showing posts with label Leslie Budewitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leslie Budewitz. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Wednesday, August 07, 2024
Monday, July 17, 2023
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Joan Leotta Reviews: Peppermint Barked: A Spice Shop Mystery by Leslie Budewitz
Paperback
: 236
pages, $17.95 on Amazon, Kindle, $9.9
ISBN-10:
1645060543
ISBN-13:
978-1645060543
Relief
from the heat of summer comes in the form of this Christmas mystery released in
July.
The best part of this early holiday gift is that we can vicariously enjoy a Dickens themed festival in the hallowed halls of Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Add to that the spice shop milieu of the series—mmm, if I didn’t know better I could have sworn that the book actually smells of cinnamon. Unfortunately the holiday spirit is slashed by a murder in the Market’s wine shop, in a pool of blood redder than the shop’s cabernet—a young girl, Beth Yardley, a relative newcomer to the area, but who protagonist Pepper Reece knows is the victim and Pepper is on the scene when the wine shop owner’s ex-wife discovers the body. While the ex-wife is screaming, Pepper calls 911, and so begins her involvement.
All of this murder and the relationship and other mayhem that follow (revealed secrets and more!) start on Black Friday, the busiest day of the year for in person shopping. Finding a dead body was not on Pepper’s to-do list. The Spice Shop has designated the day, “Black Pepper “ Friday and is offering specials on that spice—cute and fun. One of the aspects of this book is that Budewitz, while fulfilling expectations of the cozy genre does not rely on old standards. For instance, Pepper Reece’s boyfriend is not a cop. Ok, her first husband was, but they are still friends, not mortal enemies! The various family secrets come in a variety of flavors from harmless to not so much. The Market itself plays a role in helping Pepper solve the mystery and in hampering her. Budewitz lays down red herrings with the aplomb of a fisherman, quite apropos since the Fish market is one of the famous spots in the Pike Place Market. Family secrets of various folk come to light, motives abound. While Pepper navigates the twists and turns of the mystery, we are treated to a cookie loving detective, and later to the recipes for some of those treats.
This
novel is cozy all the way—great characters, fun complications in main character
lives, and food. I love the inclusion of recipes in a book—and can’t wait for
the next Pepper Reece mystery. In spite of the fact that this is the sixth in
the Spice Shop series, it was my first, but by page five, Pepper Reece seemed
like an old friend. Budewtiz skillfully weaves in “catch-up” material for her
very likeable main characters along with
the threads of the new story. (I even began to fret for Pepper’s meeting with
her fisherman boyfriend’s brother along with scratching my head along with
Pepper as to who committed the murder.),Her descriptions
of place and dialog are not only lovely, but they also advance the story at
every turn. I found the sayings at the beginning of each chapter to be fun and
on reflection , illuminating as well. It's easy to see why Budewitz wins so
many awards, Agatha (three fiction and one for non-fiction) and a slew of
others. Her work has also won or been nominated for Derringer, Anthony, and
Macavity awards. A past president of Sisters in Crime and a current board
member of Mystery Writers of America.
I plan to start reading the five I’ve missed to keep me busy while Leslie is at the computer with book number seven.
Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher but with no expectation of the kind of review I would give.
Joan Leotta ©2022
Joan
Leotta plays with words on page and stage. Her poetry, essays, cnf, short
stories, and articles are widely published. Mysteries are favorite things to
read.. short and long.. and to write.
Monday, January 10, 2022
Suite T- The Author's Blog: To Prologue – Or Not To Prologue? by Leslie Budewitz
Suite T- The Author's Blog: To Prologue – Or Not To Prologue?: Leslie Budewitz In a book club or a writers’ group, s...
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Saturday, June 08, 2019
Saturday, August 24, 2013
KRL This Week--- "Mysterious Galaxy, Leslie Budewitz, food mystery giveaways & more in KRL"
As posted earlier today.....
Up in Kings River Life Magazine this morning a 2 wonderful California mystery/fantasy bookstores- Mysterious Galaxy and Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach http://kingsriverlife.com/08/24/mysterious-galaxy-mystery-bookstore-profile/ Also up this morning another mystery short story--this one a P.I. story by Guy Belleranti http://kingsriverlife.com/08/24/the-desert-p-i-a-mystery-short-story/ We also have a review & giveaway of the first book in a new series by mystery writer Leslie Budewitz-"Death al Dente", and a fun food guest post from Leslie http://kingsriverlife.com/08/24/death-al-dente-by-leslie-budewitz/ For more food fun we have reviews & giveaways of some more fun food mysteries from Penguin-"If Bread Could Rise to the Occasion" By Paige Shelton, "Do or Diner": A Comfort Food Mystery By Christine Wenger, "One Dead Cookie": A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery By Virginia Lowell and "Rubbed Out": A Memphis BBQ Mystery By Riley Adams aka Elizabeth Spann Craig http://kingsriverlife.com/08/24/more-food-mysteries-from-penguin/ For our fantasy/mystery lovers we have a review & giveaway of "Wicked Bronze": A Garrett P.I. novel by Glen Cook http://kingsriverlife.com/08/24/wicked-bronze-ambition-a-garrett-p-i-novel-by-glen-cook/ And over on KRL Lite we have a review & giveaway of mystery/fantasy novel "Death Takes A Holiday" by Jennifer Harlow http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2013/08/death-takes-holiday-freaks-squad.html Happy reading, Lorie Ham
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