From the publisher: Lilah Drake’s Covered Dish business discreetly provides the residents of Pine Haven, Illinois, with delicious, fresh-cooked meals they can claim they cooked themselves. But when one of her clandestine concoctions is used to poison a local woman, Lilah finds herself in a pot-load of trouble…
After dreaming for years of owning her own catering company, Lilah has made a start into the food world through her Covered Dish business, covertly cooking for her neighbors who don’t have the time or skill to do so themselves, and allowing them to claim her culinary creations as their own. While her clientele is strong, their continued happiness depends on no one finding out who’s really behind the apron.
So when someone drops dead at a church Bingo night moments after eating chili that Lilah made for a client, the anonymous chef finds herself getting stirred into a cauldron of secrets, lies, and murder—and going toe to toe with a very determined and very attractive detective. To keep her clients coming back and her business under wraps, Lilah will have to chop down the list of suspects fast, because this spicy killer has acquired a taste for homicide…
This is one fun, fresh, and fabulous debut!!!
Lilah Drake's day job is at her parents' real estate office, but her real passion is her covered dish business, where she makes delicious meals for friends and neighbors that are unable to cook themselves, and allows them to pass the dishes off as their own. At $50 a pop she is stashing away a nice little nest egg, until Alice Dixon, a bossy church lady, drops dead after eating the chili that Lilah secretly provided for bingo night. The lady that hired Lilah to make the chili, Pet Grandy, wants to keep her little secret (and reputation) and Lilah agrees to keep her mouth shut about who really made the chili. This ends up putting Lilah in a very uncomfortable position as she's forced to lie to the detective that she finds herself having feelings for while at the same time trying to protect her flourishing business.
The characters in this book are top notch, from Lilah and her beloved chocolate lab Mick, her new love interest Detective Jay Parker, the eccentric Grandy sisters, and Lilah's various friends, family members, and clients. I was completely surprised by the killer and enjoyed sifting through the clues with Lilah as she arrived at her conclusions.
The end of the book is left very open-ended, and I anxiously await discovering what's next in both Lilah's professional and personal lives.
Giveaway: Leave a comment by noon eastern on Wednesday, October 14th for your chance to win a copy of The Big Chili. (US entries only, please.)
28 comments:
"Too many cooks poison the pot..." I love that! Thanks for the chance to win it :)
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
The Big Chili sounds like a fun foodie read! I have it on my TBR list. Thank you for the giveaway.
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
I would love to read this book—thanks for the chance to win a copy!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
Sounds like a great new cozy mystery.
xzjh04@ Gmail.com
Sounds like a good book!
Sounds like a great read.
Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com
I'm not a chili fan but love the idea behind this new series! It sounds terrific.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
What a clever idea for a side business. Until you have to lie!
libbydodd at comcast dot net
What a delightful cozy. Thanks for this giveaway. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
A unique and lovely cozy which interests me greatly. Many thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds "delicious"! Julia Buckley is a new author, to me. Thanks, Melissa. patucker54 (at aol dot com)
A foodie mystery with animals? It doesn't get much better than that. I love the sound of this one, I also love the cover.
momzillasteel@gmail.com
I love cozies that involve recipes in them. I'm not familiar with Julia Buckley's books so I am sure I will enjoy this new adventure. robeader53@yahoo.com
Sounds like a bunch of characters to get to know!! Love to read the book!!
lindawillison9@gmail.com
Another book to add to my TBR list. I'll be nice and cozy all fall and winter long with my TBR list of books. I'llhave to look up Julia Buckley to see what else she has written. rose_red2(at)cinci(dot)rr(dot)com
As always anuvver pawsum review. Have a gweat weekend.
Luv ya'
Dezi and Lexi
This one sounds like a lot of fun! It is always interesting when one of the main characters has to lie. I bet there are some interesting twists!
-Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net
This sounds like a totally worthwhile read and I'd love to win it just as much as everyone else would! :). Keeping my fingers crossed! mtrver at gmail dot com
Sounds like a great read. sclickner@juno.com
Right up my alley, a foodie mystery with animals! This is a new author to me, but would love to read he
I am looking forword to this new series. Thanks for the review
gibsonbk at hiwaay dot net
The Big Chili sounds like a great mystery.
Sounds like a fun read. Sign me up. jchizmar01@windstream.net
Another new series that I want to read. And just reading the title makes me want to go put on a pot of chili.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Sounds like a book I would enjoy! Thank you!
mittens0831 at aol dot com
I'm always looking for a new cozy author and series. This really sounds like a fun one!
laurathomas61@att.net
Sounds like a fun first of a series. I would love to read it.
kaye dot killgore at comcast dot net
Who doesn't love a good chili cook-off. My wife actually won a couple of years ago. I'm sure this book is on her list.
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