Appetite for Murder : A Culinary Mystery (Culinary Mysteries (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: charming, entertaining, and wonderfully written
Review: I enjoyed every morsel of this charming, entertaining, and literate book -- from the colorful, and very French, chef protagonist to the dead-on local characters to the witty remarks sprinkled throughout.This writer has the knack; I can't wait for more from her.

Rating:
Summary: A standout, scintillating and appetizing culinary mystery
Review: In a mystery sub-genre almost overrun with titles, Lamalle's first entry in the culinary mystery category is a real standout at every level: characterization, plotting, language, humor and the author's pitch-perfect ear and feel for the denizens of her upstate New York, small-town locale. Something is rotten in Van Buren County and it begins to noticeably fester when the battered corpse of an unknown female turns up in the mushroom patch of Charles Poisson, owner and gourmet master of "La Fermette," the gustatory jewel of Klover, NY ("a mere thiry miles from Albany.") Poisson, whose personality and diction have a hint of the late Hercule Poirot, is an inspired creation, as are his regular dining patrons, most of whom become suspects in the primary murder as quickly as they are introduced. Lamalle manages to keep the suspense spinning for all of her almost 300 pages, while simultaneously charming the reader with characters who might well fit into a game of "Clue"--if "Clue" were played in the village of Peyton Place. An extra bonus in this sparkling entertainment is the collection of Charlie's mouth-watering recipes, sprinkled as a garnish through its suspensful, funny and murderous pages. A first-class, genre-transcending entertainment that should appeal to both mystery fans and anyone fond of an amusing, literate novel.

Rating:
Summary: Highly amusing and well-written and crafted mystery
Review: This book was a wonderful surprise: a well-crafted, amusing and gracefully written culinary mystery. Out of the many many culinary mysteries on the shelf these days, this stands out as the best I've read yet. The recipes and food descriptions are integral to the story, and are integrated well with the text--not stuck onto the back as a last second "gimmick". The mystery was interesting and engaging, and the characters sympathetic and amusing. Can't wait for the next in this series to come out!

Rating:
Summary: Highly amusing and well-written and crafted mystery
Review: This book was a wonderful surprise: a well-crafted, amusing and gracefully written culinary mystery. Out of the many many culinary mysteries on the shelf these days, this stands out as the best I've read yet. The recipes and food descriptions are integral to the story, and are integrated well with the text--not stuck onto the back as a last second "gimmick". The mystery was interesting and engaging, and the characters sympathetic and amusing. Can't wait for the next in this series to come out!