Synopsis

Shopkeeper Belle Meyer doesn’t know she’s selling killer cookware at The Wild Goose – a small corner kitchen shop in northern Maryland’s Walnut Creek Square. Belle’s life is upturned like a bread loaf pan when Luke “Smack Your Lips” Knight, the town’s zany baker, is found dead in a house fire hours after Belle sells him the fatal 12-inch non-stick skillet. Not even a spider web frosted cake can sweeten The Wild Goose’s haunted reputation. Now Belle’s in the case deeper than lobster fried in peanut oil, to which she’s allergic. To catch the killer, Belle stirs up the investigation, much to the chagrin of seasoned Detective Edwin Hawkes. The hard-boiled detective warns her to stay away from the case, but Belle doesn’t listen. With the help of Pickles, the store’s 10-pound tabby cat, Belle sleuths after cooking demos, interrogates cookware customers and tries to thwart a store break in. She will stop at nothing until the suspect’s goose is cooked!

Review

I thought this was a good start to a new cozy series. It checks off all the boxes – small town, the sleuth is not a PI or police officer, lots of characters to choose from for the killer, and a love interest for the sleuth. And the main character has a shop that is tied to food and cooking, that is a win for me any day of the week!

Belle is quite an interesting character. She is running a cooking supply store that has been in her family for a few generations. She has a cat named Pickles (the story on how Pickles got her name is in the book so won’t ruin that surprise) that she brings to the store. I will say that is not always a wise decision as she has had to write off quite a few dishes and such thanks to Pickle’s antics. She has a boyfriend that writes the crime beat for the local paper. Plus mom is hoping he will pop the question sooner rather than later.

As it happens with most first books in a cozy series, the main character is a suspect in whatever murder has taken place and has to investigate who might be the true culprit. Belle is like most, a little awkward in her sleuthing skills (something she will probably get better with over time), but manages to ferret out the truth. I was VERY surprised at who the killer was once revealed. Was never on my radar other than I didn’t like this character. Lots of great misdirection.

We give it 4 paws up.

Read an Excerpt Here

About the Author

Mary Birdie is currently a copy editor for a company in Washington D.C. She worked for nearly three years at a kitchenware store where she learned all about cookware – from Silpats to sparkling water makers. Her favorite dessert to make (and eat) is the Eton Mess.

She lives in a Maryland suburb with her fish McGuffin. Kill It By Skillet is her first book in The Kitchen Shop Mystery Series.

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