A Spoonful of Murder

Book Description: Winter is big business in small-town Snowflake, Vermont. Tourists arrive to hit the ski slopes--and what could be more satisfying after a chilly day of carving powder than a steaming bowl of soup?

When Lucky Jamieson inherits her parents' soup shop, By the Spoonful, she realizes it's time to take stock of her life. Should she sell her parents' house or move in herself? Does she really want to run a restaurant business? And what about her grandfather Jack, who seems to be showing signs of Alzheimer's?

But her life decisions are moved to the back burner after an icy blonde tourist is found frozen to death behind the soup shop. and Lucky is bowled over when her soup chef, Sage DuBois, is led out of the kitchen by the police. As suspicion and speculations snowball, Lucky decides that the only way to save her employee and her business is to find out herself who iced the tourist--and landed her chef in the soup...

My Review: Being a lifelong Vermonter I have been so excited about this new series since I first heard about it...you just don't see many cozies set in Vermont. My anticipation was well founded...this wonderful first entry to the Soup Lovers mystery series sucked me right in when the tranquility of a New England blizzard is shattered after a body is found next to the dumpster behind By the Spoonful and the restaurant's chef is arrested for the murder of the rumored town tart.

This is a book that deals with heavier matters than cozies usually do. Lucky has returned to Snowflake following the tragic deaths of her parents in a car crash. She arrives to discover her beloved grandfather, the only family she has left, is showing signs of Alzheimer's and PTSD. Because of her family troubles, and the fact that the soup shop may not survive being the scene of a crime, Lucky is prone to making some wild accusations that get her into some hot water. I was suspicious of one character early on and was proven correct, but what followed the revelation of the killer still really surprised me.

The secondary characters in Snowflake are really charming as well: Jack and Sage in the soup shop, gossipy sisters/clothing store owners Cecily and Marjorie, old timers/restaurant regulars Hank and Barry, and especially local doctor Elias, the older man Lucky has always had a crush on and now has a chance with. I'm really looking forward to seeing this relationship develop.

Looking for a way to beat the heat this summer? Settle in the air conditioning and lose yourself in a Vermont winter with this wonderful new series.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.