As the holiday season approaches, Key West food critic Hayley Snow is thrilled to land a plum assignment: an in-depth review of the hippest new restaurant on the island, run by hotshot New York City chef Edel Waugh. But when Hayley interviews Edel, the chef confides that someone has been sabotaging her pasta sauce and tampering with other ingredients. When the restaurant goes up in flames and the body of Edel's ex-husband turns up in the rubble, both Hayley and Edel wonder if the killer will strike again.
In Death with All the Trimmings, Lucy Burdette (Murder with Ganache) brings Haley back for her fifth culinary cozy along with a host of familiar characters, including Hayley's mother, her coworkers at the magazine Key Zest and her cheerful elderly roommate, Miss Gloria. Family tensions and office politics escalate along with the mystery plot, set against the festive but zany backdrop of Christmastime in Florida. Hayley's complicated relationship with the local police department is amusing, as is the town's lighted boat parade and Haley's run-ins with her neighbor's high-strung schnauzer.
Hayley may be a foodie, but she's no snob: Burdette treats readers to mouthwatering descriptions of both elegant restaurant meals and take-out Cuban sandwiches. Burdette also includes recipes for six dishes featured in the story, including Scarlett O'Hara Cupcakes and spaghetti Bolognese. Juicy, entertaining and twisty without being gruesome, this is a perfect seasonal treat for readers who love both a turkey dinner and a good mystery. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams