Trudie Fine’s romantic dinner with Detective Daniel Goldman is cut short by a gruesome murder. When her good friend May Dubois is discovered sitting by the body of her dead brother, holding a bloody knife, the case seems as cut and dried as sliced okra. From the start, however, Trudie believes in her friend and sets out to prove May’s innocence.
But if May isn’t the killer, who is?
Taking over as temporary manager at May’s New Orleans-themed restaurant to do some sleuthing plunges Trudie into a jambalaya of dangerous waters.
*Recipes Included
Review
Trudie Fine and her long time friend Zach run a catering business, but that takes second fiddle to her friend May's problems when May's brother is killed and she's holding the murder weapon. Trudie wants to help May and agrees to "manage" the New Orleans themed restaurant with all the personalities that work there, including the Chef who doesn't welcome her help. Trudie's romance with Daniel cools off a bit while she stays at May's, with the advances of May's lawyer adding a bit of tension. Her attempt to surprise him at his place backfires humorously. In the meantime, though she doesn't seem any closer to the killer, the men in her life are not pleased with her as they try to keep her safe.
The relationships and the descriptions are rich and engaging. There are several subplots that keep the story moving and some, like the romance between Trudie and Daniel, that likely could continue. It isn't obvious who the killer is until the end but the conclusion makes sense and the wrap up is warm and fuzzy. And, of course, the recipes...
This is the second in the Trudy Fine Mystery series, but it can be read as a stand alone - I will have to go back and read A FINE FIX! I hope Deitch has a third one in the works!
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