Leave No Scone Unturned
It’s the beginning of the university’s fall semester and Dani can’t wait for the college students to return to Normalton, Illinois. After all, without them, there is no one to support her Lunch-to-Go service, which is a vital part of her Chef-to-Go business. But Normalton University’s orientation week is marred by a mysterious murder, along with a series of car-jackings and sightings of a shadowy creature in a pond on campus. With the whole town feeling unsettled, Dani finds herself dealing once again with the infuriatingly handsome Spencer Drake, the head of security at the university.
Although Dani vowed that her life would never again be boring and routine after she quit her stifling corporate job, she had no idea that she’d end up dealing with such strange happenings, not to mention murder. As the trouble in Normalton draws worryingly close to home, Dani realizes that if the killer isn’t caught soon, she may be the next one who is found scone cold dead.
Series: Chef to-go Mysteries – Book #2
Author: Denise Swanson
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Culinary/B&B
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Rating:
From Sourcebook comes Denise Swanson’s latest edition to the Chef to-go Mystery series, Leave No Scone Unturned.
Normalton, Illinois is as far from its names derivative as you can get. There is nothing normal about the town or its residents. And Dani isn’t the average chef or B&B owner. Her business is dependent on the influx of college students, and murder is not conducive to parents keeping their kids enrolled.
Dani is a lovable character. She loves and cares deeply about those around her, from the girls who board and work with her, her neighbors, to her friends. It is no wonder she gets involved with murder investigations. The main character in this series is truly a wonderful creation of the author and why she is a New York Times Best Seller.
Secondary characters are well rounded, with enough detail to make them interesting and affable. Dani’s love interest, Spencer is not blatantly macho but has enough masculinity to keep readers happy. The villain, although a murderer can be charming. Not all the suspects are disagreeable, but they have issues that amuse the reader and keep the story moving forward.
Although there isn’t a great deal of information about the town of Normalton, what there is, reminds many of us why small to medium towns have a huge draw for readers. College towns, in particular, keep readers inquisitive and lend an air of youthful enthusiasm to this series and others.
I did not find it hard to figure out the killer’s identity, or the motive, and for some, this will be a sticking point. There are some wonderful mouth-watering foods described in the book, but the recipes were not included as they often are in many culinary based cozies. Regrettably, I found the lack of recipes to be a disappointment.
Overall, Leave No Scone Unturned is a quick fun read with enjoyable characters. The plot stays on target and doesn’t roam too far from the main idea. The book is well written and will give readers a few hours of relaxing pleasure.
About the Author:
Denise Swanson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Scumble River, Chef-to-Go and Devereaux’s Dime Store mystery series, as well as many contemporary romances. She writes from her personal experiences as a school psychologist and small-town resident. Her plots are inspired by incidents that occur in her own life. Denise worked as a school psychologist for twenty-two years before quitting to write full-time. She lives in Illinois with her husband, classical music composer David Stybr.
Contact Denise: ScumbleRiver@aol.com
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