A Sally Solari Mystery: Book 6
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
Chef Sally Solari has – to her own bewilderment – built a reputation as a talented sleuth who keeps tripping over dead bodies. But getting mixed up in the curious case of a cookbook killer threatens to be the final chapter in not just her investigating career . . . but her life.
It’s the height of the tourist season in Santa Cruz, California, and Sally Solari has her hands full, both juggling crowds of hungry diners at her French-Polynesian restaurant Gauguin, as well as appeasing her father, who’s distressed at the number of homeless people camped out in front of Solari’s, the family’s Italian seafood restaurant out on the historic fisherman’s wharf.
Nevertheless, when Sally gets the opportunity to volunteer at a farm-to-table dinner taking place at the hip new restaurant and culinary bookshop Pages and Plums, she seizes the chance. Not only is it a fundraiser for an organization aiding the homeless and seniors, but up for auction at the event is a signed boxset of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Sally’s hero, the renowned chef Julia Child.
But then the Pages and Plums dining room manager turns up dead – the locked cabinet containing the precious books now empty – and the irrepressible Sally once again finds herself up to her neck in a criminal investigation. She may have a sense for murder, but can Sally outwit a devious killer with a taste for French cooking before the villain makes mincemeat of her, too?
A Sense for Murder is a fast-paced, super fun culinary cozy mystery that will have your brain working and your mouth watering. And if you haven’t met sleuthing chef Sally yet, it’s safe to jump right in.
A Sense for Murder is the first book I’ve read by author Leslie Karst, and I’ll be back for more, especially since this is the sixth book in the series. With likable characters, lots of Italian food, an amateur sleuth, and a great setting, what’s not to like?
The book had multiple stories being told and quite a few characters, all of whom had depth. Sally and Eric made a nice couple. They have a history together were good for each other while usually having the other’s best interests in mind.
Sally is an amateur sleuth, a former attorney, and a chef at an upscale restaurant she co-owns. She has a clever mind and a way of sorting through the details of whatever crime she’s trying to solve. She even gets Eric to help her and provide backup. She’s always one step ahead of the detective—someone she used to date—on the case. I liked Sally’s relationship with her family and their Sunday family dinner tradition.
There were twists and turns throughout, along with a few inconsistencies. There were several clues to sift through, timelines, jobs and careers, friendships, family, Sally’s dog, which added another layer, homelessness, and lots of food, both at the various restaurants in the story and at their homes.
The descriptions were vivid and brought the story to life. There was closure, of course, when Sally solved the crimes, but the whodunnit had me fooled. I look forward to seeing what she’s up to next. I enjoyed the recipes at the end and liked that some background information was given for each one. I definitely plan on giving a few of them a try.
With a murder, lots of suspects, good food, and clues to sift through, A Sense of Murder had me turning the pages of this cozy mystery to find out what would happen next.
Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari mystery series and Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as an attorney that Leslie rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking and once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock, and of course writing. She and her wife split their time between Santa Cruz, California, and Hilo, Hawai‘i.
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Sounds like a great book.