LecClier K. (SierraK) -
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoyed this mystery. It's set in Bar Harbor, Maine. Single mom Hayley Powell gets the chance to start writing a food and cocktail column for her paper, and when the food columnist for the rival paper is poisoned, Hayley finds herself in jail. Very likable characters.
However, the book could use a little better editing. On one page, it says the poison is cyanide, the next page, it's arsenic!
However, the book could use a little better editing. On one page, it says the poison is cyanide, the next page, it's arsenic!
Melody C. (Melody1959) -
Helpful Score: 1
Death of Kitchen Diva was OK just okay.Since I've visited Bar Harbor and Mt Desert Island thought this would be a nice way to visit some familiar sites. Not much about the town or history. Characters just not fleshed out enough to maintain my interest in a series. Seems like they covered all the stereotypes;conservative zealot Mom,gay brother, earth mother friend, misspent youth love interest and the love triangle for main character. Recipes kind of blah- like Sandra Lee's semi-homemade especially with the cocktails.As the other reviewer mentioned editing of book needs tightening.I didn't hate the book but I won't be visiting with Hayley and friends again.
Elizabeth (Bizzy1) reviewed Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails, Bk 1) on + 59 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
(Review Also on Amazon & Goodreads)
This was just an ok read for me. I noticed some errors that had me going back to reread paragraphs to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Parts were not descriptive enough to give you a picture of what was going on at that time. Then on the flip side you had the whole column she wrote, and the recipe shoved into the text. Those columns/recipes were really descriptive, and gave you a whole picture of how the decision was made for that recipe. I think the recipes, and columns should have been thrown into the back of the book as an extra they really didn't add to the story.
The story is a cute cozy mystery. Haley a glorified secretary at one of two local papers needs extra cash. Her boss asks her to write the column their "cooking and spirits" section. After her first recipe publishes she finds out that the food columnist at their rival paper is jealous of her new found success at writing, enough so to start a feud the whole town gets to watch. When Karen the rival ends up dead in bowl of clam chowder leaving Haley the main suspect she must now find out who the real killer is. There is also the making of a love triangle which is pretty much over done in every book now a day.
I'm hoping that this series gets better as the story develops so I will be continuing the series.
This was just an ok read for me. I noticed some errors that had me going back to reread paragraphs to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Parts were not descriptive enough to give you a picture of what was going on at that time. Then on the flip side you had the whole column she wrote, and the recipe shoved into the text. Those columns/recipes were really descriptive, and gave you a whole picture of how the decision was made for that recipe. I think the recipes, and columns should have been thrown into the back of the book as an extra they really didn't add to the story.
The story is a cute cozy mystery. Haley a glorified secretary at one of two local papers needs extra cash. Her boss asks her to write the column their "cooking and spirits" section. After her first recipe publishes she finds out that the food columnist at their rival paper is jealous of her new found success at writing, enough so to start a feud the whole town gets to watch. When Karen the rival ends up dead in bowl of clam chowder leaving Haley the main suspect she must now find out who the real killer is. There is also the making of a love triangle which is pretty much over done in every book now a day.
I'm hoping that this series gets better as the story develops so I will be continuing the series.
Cheryl C. (moondance120) reviewed Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails, Bk 1) on + 422 more book reviews
Enjoyable cozy set in Bar Harbor, Maine. A public battle between rival food columnists becomes personal when one is murdered. Of course, the other must clear her name. It helps that the police chief is her brother's boyfriend. A few editing issues (ie, the type of poison) but a quick easy afternoon read. 3 stars
Kate T. (Ithakate) reviewed Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
We've been going to Mt. Desert Island (where Bar Harbor is located) every summer for many years so reading this was fun. It was enjoyable enough that we read several more. It's good light summer reading. It was nice to hear about familiar places described in a recognizable way and I liked the characters, who maybe weren't all that believable, but that was ok.
Carolyn A. (carolynalt) reviewed Death of a Kitchen Diva (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
the book is okaaaay but not one of the best of the cozy genre
