Cooking Up Murder - Miranda Bliss

Cooking Up Murder
A Cooking Class Mystery
Miranda Bliss
Berkley Prime Crime

Mystery

At 35, Annie Capshaw thought she’d be in a much different place in her life. Instead, she’s just finalized a divorce after her erstwhile husband found “true love” with the girl who works for the dry cleaner. Eve DeCateur, Annie’s best friend since preschool, thinks she’s found a way to cheer up Annie. She’s enrolled them both in a ten day cooking class. For Eve, it’s just another in a long line of opportunities to meet men. For Annie, it’s a potential disaster, since she can’t cook at all. When they arrive and meet the instructor, Jim MacDonald, they’re both glad to be there.

On the way home from the first class, Eve realizes she’s left her watch behind and the two return to retrieve it. Arriving at the site, they find one of their classmates having a terrible argument with a large man. Exiting the building, Annie nearly trips over the man, who now lies dying on the pavement. Before his death, he utters a few words and gives Annie a receipt. Not trusting the police to thoroughly investigate, and worried about their classmate’s odd behavior, Annie and Eve decide to get to the bottom of things.

The first in a promising new series, COOKING UP MURDER introduces two very different, but very likeable, main characters. Annie and Eve are very different in outlook and personality, but they are supportive of each other as only lifelong friends can be. The cooking class provides an interesting mix of people, and plenty of interesting characters. The cooking segments make me want to head for the kitchen, as do the included recipes. Here’s hoping to see more of these two amateur cooks and sleuths.

Rating: 7 ½
November 2006
ISBN# 0-425-21291-2 (paperback)