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"So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being." ~ Franz Kafka (1883-1924), Czech novelist. |
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| Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery by Sally AndrewCozy Mystery. In rural South Africa, 50-something Tannie Maria (Tannie means "Auntie" in Afrikaans and is a term of respect), writes a food column for the local paper. But higher-ups order her to combine her recipes with decidedly non-food-centric dilemmas. After giving advice to an anonymous abused woman, Maria, who is a domestic abuse survivor herself, investigates after the death of a local woman...much to the chagrin of a handsome local police officer. If you love Alexander McCall Smith's charming No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books and are a bit of a foodie, you'll want to try this delicious debut novel (recipes included). |
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| Dark Reservations: A Mystery by John FortunatoPolice Procedural. What's a washed-up Bureau of Indian Affairs agent doing working a high-profile cold case? That's what Joe Evers, the aforementioned agent, wants to know. Nevertheless, with only three months to go before retirement, he finds himself partnered with likable young Navajo Tribal Officer Randall Bluehorse after the bullet-riddled car of a congressman who went missing 20 years earlier is discovered in the New Mexico woods. As they investigate what happened to the politician, his lovely secretary, and their driver, they upset quite a few people, including the missing congressman's wife, who is in the middle of a campaign for governor. Dark Reservations, FBI agent John Fortunato's compelling first novel, won the 2014 Tony Hillerman Prize. |
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| You Are Dead by Peter JamesPolice Procedural. A young woman disappears from the car park under her Brighton, England apartment building. Then workers discover the decades-old remains of what turns out to be another young woman. Trying to unravel the knot that ties these cases -- and the others that soon surface -- together is Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his Major Crime Team, who wonder if a serial killer is at work. Newcomers looking for an authentic, atmospheric tale can start with this 11th Roy Grace novel. Series regulars will appreciate a sub-plot dealing with Grace's long-missing first wife, Sandy; readers who want to follow the Sandy story line can begin with book 1, Dead Simple. |
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| Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante: A Maggie Hope Mystery by Susan Elia MacNealHistorical Mystery. It's almost Christmas 1941, and in order to discuss World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor host Winston Churchill and his entourage at the White House. Maggie Hope, who was raised in America but who's been helping Britain during the war is along as a secretary. Trained as a spy, Maggie is happy to be back in the U.S. (No rationing! No Blitz!), but is quickly drawn into a murder investigation when Mrs. Roosevelt's secretary is murdered. With plenty of period detail, this 5th outing for Maggie Hope is just as charming as its predecessors and features cameos by real life luminaries such as Walt Disney. For another excellent WWII mystery, try James Benn's Billy Boyle novels featuring an American serviceman detective. |
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| The Silent Boy by Andrew TaylorHistorical Crime Novel. As the French Revolution rages, a blood-covered ten-year-old boy races to his old caregiver's home in the night. Though he is unable to speak after the horrible events of the evening, he ends up with former acquaintances of his wealthy mother (who may or may not have ulterior motives) and is taken to England. There, Edward Saville, his mother's estranged, London-based husband, goes to retrieve the boy -- but he disappears, and it suddenly seems that more than a few people want to know where the youngster is. As the dogged Saville searches for answers in this delightfully twisty follow-up to the award-winning The Scent of Death, readers will feel like they are riding the muddy roads of England along with him. |
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| Dark Tort by Diane Mott DavidsonCozy Mystery. A catering contract with a local law firm proves easy and lucrative for caterer-sleuth Goldy Schulz, until she (literally) stumbles over the body of young paralegal Dusty Routt. Goldy gets to work hunting down the killer and soon has more suspects than she can stomach. Could Dusty's murder be connected to the suspicious death of a chef-turned-artist, whose still life portraits of food made him a wealthy man? Tantalizing clues and yummy recipes make this 13th entry in Diane Mott Davidson's scrumptious series a real treat. |
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| The Vintage Caper: A Novel by Peter MayleMystery. When the choicest bottles in a multi-million dollar wine collection are stolen from a Hollywood lawyer's cellar, wine connoisseur and ex-lawyer Sam Levitt is hired by the victim's insurance company to investigate and find the missing spirits. Traveling from California to France -- where he enjoys meals in Paris, Bordeaux, and Provence and receives assistance from a beautiful French colleague -- Sam works all the angles to get the vamoosed vino back. The Vintage Caper will quench the thirst of gourmands, oenophiles, and Francophiles since Peter Mayle, the bestselling author of A Year in Provence, clearly knows and loves food, wine, and France. À votre santé! |
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| The Body in the Piazza: A Faith Fairchild Mystery by Katherine Hall PageMystery. Caterer Faith Fairchild and her minister husband leave the kids at home and take an anniversary trip to Rome -- but the couple find death in the Eternal City when a new friend is killed. Faith and Tom then leave the city to visit a new cooking school in Tuscany owned by an old friend, but Faith discovers that a saboteur is trying to close the school. As she snoops, Faith finds a connection to the Rome killing...and a side dish of danger. Hungry readers be warned: with mouthwatering descriptions of restaurant meals in Rome and cooking school offerings in the country, this atmospheric, character-driven 21st entry will almost certainly leave you dreaming of pastries, pastas, prosecco, and more. |
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| School Days: A Spenser Novel by Robert B. ParkerHardboiled Fiction. According to the cops, two masked students at a Massachusetts private high school killed seven people -- but while one kid was caught at the scene, the other, Jared Clark, was arrested only after being implicated by the first kid. Hired by Jared's rich grandmother to prove his innocence, Spenser tries to sort things out when everyone else just wants to move on -- and he wonders why the 17-year-old seems so unconcerned about his possible wrongful imprisonment. Just like other Spenser novels, the rough, wise-cracking sleuth likes his food and manages to find time to describe delicious meals in his 33rd outing, which is "one of the most psychologically astute and well-choreographed entries" (Booklist) and a good place for newcomers to start. |
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| Too Many Cooks by Rex StoutClassic Mystery. Nero Wolfe fans know that the obese gourmand rarely leaves his New York City brownstone. But in Too Many Cooks, he packs his bags when his love of food wins out. Traveling to a West Virginia resort to speak (and eat) at a conference of the world's master chefs, Nero and his sidekick Archie Goodwin investigate when a murder occurs. Note: Originally published in 1938, this classic novel, the 5th in a series, addresses racism on the way to catching the killer and includes some prejudiced characters who make offensive comments about African Americans, Asians, and others. |
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Contact your CALS librarian for additional suggestions for great books, movies, music, and more! |
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