Well Read, Then Dead(Read Em and Eat Mystery)
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Read Em and Eat Mystery (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (August 5, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-0425270288

Synopsis

First in a new series!

Nestled in the barrier islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers Beach is home to Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget Mayfield—owners of the bookstore café, Read ‘Em and Eat. But when they’re not dishing about books or serving up scones, Sassy and Bridgy are keeping tabs on hard-boiled murder.

Read ‘Em and Eat is known for its delicious breakfast and lunch treats, along with quite a colorful clientele. If it’s not Rowena Gustavson loudly debating the merits of the current book club selection, it’s Miss Augusta Maddox lecturing tourists on rumors of sunken treasure among the islands. It’s no wonder Sassy’s favorite is Delia Batson, a regular at the Emily Dickinson table. Augusta’s cousin and best friend Delia is painfully shy—which makes the news of her murder all the more shocking.

No one is more distraught than Augusta, and Sassy wants to help any way she can. But Augusta doesn’t have time for sympathy. She wants Delia’s killer found—and she’s not taking no for an answer. Now Sassy is on the case, and she’d better act fast before there’s any more trouble in paradise.

Includes a buttermilk pie recipe!

Review

First in a new series that combines several of my favorite things – food and books!  Sassy & Bridgey are best friends that opened this restaurant/book store and have turned it into a hit in this small FL town thanks to some of the residents and the snowbirds.  They have several book clubs with a myriad of interesting attendees – and some nearly come to fisticuffs!  Then Miss Delia is found dead and her friend Augusta knows she was murdered…so it is Sassy & Bridge on the case.

I think this is the first cozy I have read in awhile where there isn’t a romance brewing between some of the main characters.  I think that will come in future books so I’m interested to see who becomes involved, but I have my guesses.  I liked that the restaurant employees are like one big family especially when the cook falls and breaks his leg, they rally around him to make sure he knows they want him back.

The killer is not an obvious one, although looking back I did not like this character and too see what the killer goes through near the end has you wondering about their sanity.

Well written and can’t wait to see what book two has in store for us.  Oh and don’t forget the PIE recipe at the back of the book!

We give this 4 paws up.

About the Author

Twice short-listed for Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran’s cozy mystery novel, Well Read, Then Dead is the first book in the Read ’Em and Eat Café and Bookstore series. You can find Terrie blogging amid the grand banter of New York writers known as the Women of Mystery. Terrie tells anyone willing to listen that hanging out with any or all of her seven grandchildren provides life’s grand and joyful moments.

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Giveaway

Print copy of Well Read, Then Dead
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Tour Participants

August 1 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Review, Giveaway
August 2 – deal sharing aunt – Review, Interview, Giveaway
August 3 – Books Are Life – Vita Libri – Review, Giveaway
August 4 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Interview
August 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – Review
August 6 – dru’s book musing – Guest Post, Giveaway
August 7 – Books-n-Kisses – Review, Interview
August 8 – Back Porchervations – Review, Giveaway
August 9 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Giveaway
August 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
August 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
August 12 – Mystery Playground – Interview, Giveaway
August 13 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
August 14 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway