andreagraves's review against another edition
4.0
This was another great book from Josi Kilpack! I love the main character and how sassy and nervy she is. I was definitely surprised at the ending as the whole thing unraveled! I didn't guess it, which I love (I usually ::always:: guess the twists of most books) and it was much more of a thriller than what I'm used to reading in this series, it was fun and perfect for this time of year! And, as usual, I always feel hungry when I'm reading any of these culinary mysteries! haha!
Great read! I will look forward to Banana Split in the Spring and LOVE the fact that it's set in Kauai! :) That's going to be really fun! :)
Great read! I will look forward to Banana Split in the Spring and LOVE the fact that it's set in Kauai! :) That's going to be really fun! :)
misdawnty's review against another edition
3.0
Huh...didn't see that coming. This is certainly not my favorite Sadie Hoffmiller book but it was refreshing to have a different sort of mystery and I'm pleased with the growth of Sadie over the series.
k_lee_reads_it's review against another edition
2.0
Stick a fork in me. I'm done reading this series.
I hate the main character, Sadie Hoffmiller. She is nosy. She meddles. She never learns to be careful and plan backup.
Kilpack has improved as a writer from her first book. I've read them all.
I've read many mysteries, culinary and otherwise. The Sadie Hoffmiller books are not that much different. Joanne Fluke and has a SLOOOOOW moving romance and a heroine who drives me nuts. (And recipes that make me hungry.) Diane Mott Davidson had a psychopathic killer running loose. So does everything Mary Higgins Clark ever wrote. I guess I'm just tired of reading essentially the same book over and over.
Give me some interesting historical facts - Anne Perry. Give me a quirky cast of Southern characters - Meg Laslow. Give me a theme - Louise Penny.
If you love cozy mysteries with an infuriatingly incautious character this is the series you should read next.
I hate the main character, Sadie Hoffmiller. She is nosy. She meddles. She never learns to be careful and plan backup.
Kilpack has improved as a writer from her first book. I've read them all.
I've read many mysteries, culinary and otherwise. The Sadie Hoffmiller books are not that much different. Joanne Fluke and has a SLOOOOOW moving romance and a heroine who drives me nuts. (And recipes that make me hungry.) Diane Mott Davidson had a psychopathic killer running loose. So does everything Mary Higgins Clark ever wrote. I guess I'm just tired of reading essentially the same book over and over.
Give me some interesting historical facts - Anne Perry. Give me a quirky cast of Southern characters - Meg Laslow. Give me a theme - Louise Penny.
If you love cozy mysteries with an infuriatingly incautious character this is the series you should read next.
wopfar's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this one much better than book 5. It felt like a Halloween episode of a tv series. The mystery was much more interesting and while Sadie is still way too nosy for me I did enjoy the big reveal at the end.
rachelking's review against another edition
3.0
This book is the most recent in a mystery series, but the first book I have read by Josi S. Kilpack. I do not read much in the mystery genre, but the cooking aspect of the book interested me enough to try this one. All of the page numbers to the recipes are listed nicely on the back of the first page, so I was able to check those out without having to search for them, and they do look like quite delicious recipes, perfect for this time of year.
The main character is an older woman, Sadie Hoffmiller, who has recently opened a P.I. business in her hometown in Colorado, but has taken a vacation to Boston with her love interest, Pete, to house-sit and watch over his three grandsons. Right away she strikes me as both ultra-conservative - Sadie and Pete sleep in separate bedrooms - and a perfectionist. Not only is her cooking described in detail, but also her cleaning and personal grooming habits. She also comes off as a "busy-body" as she very quickly gets involved in the life of the woman who lives across the street and bears the reputation of a witch, the eccentric Mrs. Wapple. It is as if she is so addicted to her job back home that she must continue its nosy approach wherever she travels.
The city of Boston is obviously chosen for its proximity to Salem, Massachusetts and the many references and allusions to ghosts and witches throughout the plot. When pranks begin to strike in the house that Sadie and Pete are staying at, the obvious choice is ghosts, but their sensibilities and penchant for detective work prevent them from embracing this as the solution.
When something dire happens to Mrs. Wapple halfway through the book, Sadie is right in the thick of it, her curiosity taking prominence over even her duties as babysitter with Pete. Not even a vacation will deter her from solving yet another case.
On the whole, the book is entertaining, though Sadie can be annoying at times. Like any mystery, I want to know who is the responsible party, but my favorite part of this book is definitely the recipes.
The main character is an older woman, Sadie Hoffmiller, who has recently opened a P.I. business in her hometown in Colorado, but has taken a vacation to Boston with her love interest, Pete, to house-sit and watch over his three grandsons. Right away she strikes me as both ultra-conservative - Sadie and Pete sleep in separate bedrooms - and a perfectionist. Not only is her cooking described in detail, but also her cleaning and personal grooming habits. She also comes off as a "busy-body" as she very quickly gets involved in the life of the woman who lives across the street and bears the reputation of a witch, the eccentric Mrs. Wapple. It is as if she is so addicted to her job back home that she must continue its nosy approach wherever she travels.
The city of Boston is obviously chosen for its proximity to Salem, Massachusetts and the many references and allusions to ghosts and witches throughout the plot. When pranks begin to strike in the house that Sadie and Pete are staying at, the obvious choice is ghosts, but their sensibilities and penchant for detective work prevent them from embracing this as the solution.
When something dire happens to Mrs. Wapple halfway through the book, Sadie is right in the thick of it, her curiosity taking prominence over even her duties as babysitter with Pete. Not even a vacation will deter her from solving yet another case.
On the whole, the book is entertaining, though Sadie can be annoying at times. Like any mystery, I want to know who is the responsible party, but my favorite part of this book is definitely the recipes.
emslovestoread's review against another edition
3.0
I've thoroughly enjoyed the Sadie Hoffmiller culinary mysteries. I love that they're full of recipes, which I have tried and found delicious, by the way. I love that Sadie is a middle-aged woman who is full of life and doesn't let her age slow her down. I love that she's not a weak character. I love that she takes charge and doesn't back down when she shouldn't.
I really enjoyed the story on this one. It was fun to get out of Colorado once again and hit up Boston. I wondered how Sadie would do in a big city, and she rocked it, of course! There was danger, creepiness, good intentions, and mayhem. Oh Sadie. Only you can get into so much trouble in such a short time!
Anyone who enjoys culinary fiction will get a kick out of the Sadie books. They're fun and easy to get through. The recipes are fantastic and easy too. Go ahead, give this book a shot!
I'm giving it a 'Pick Me' rating for just keeping a good thing going.
(ETA: reread in September, 2014)
I really enjoyed the story on this one. It was fun to get out of Colorado once again and hit up Boston. I wondered how Sadie would do in a big city, and she rocked it, of course! There was danger, creepiness, good intentions, and mayhem. Oh Sadie. Only you can get into so much trouble in such a short time!
Anyone who enjoys culinary fiction will get a kick out of the Sadie books. They're fun and easy to get through. The recipes are fantastic and easy too. Go ahead, give this book a shot!
I'm giving it a 'Pick Me' rating for just keeping a good thing going.
(ETA: reread in September, 2014)
nicolepeck's review against another edition
4.0
Probably the most well put together book of the series for me. I thought the entertainment value was great. Sadie was much less annoying and busy-body-ish in this one, more just a real person. There was a twist at the end, if you aren't expecting it, which I was, as I figured out "who done it" based on "who done it" in previous books. However, I still enjoyed the book and how the author brought it all together.
I enjoyed her development of the relationship between Pete and Sadie, as well as with Pete's daughter-in-law. I would love to see more of the "extra" characters brought back in the rest of the series. Sadie's own kids are pretty far in the background, although Shawn makes a minor appearance in this one.
Great read. The recipes sound really yummy, and I love the "notes" on the recipes. I might actually try the clam chowder recipe with the chicken variation she mentions, as I am NOT a seafood person (although what do I do in place of the clam juice???). The whoopie pies sound yummy, and especially the cinnamon twists!! I don't know if my family would turn their noses up at Yorkshire pudding, but it sounds easy and doable after reading the recipe at the end of the book!
I read the preview of the next book at the end and knew she would carry over the part of this book that was left hanging but was interested to see where it takes place. It'll be interesting to see if that loose end from this book gets resolved at all in the next book (which seemed unlikely from that one preview chapter) or if it goes through the 4 remaining books in the series.
I enjoyed her development of the relationship between Pete and Sadie, as well as with Pete's daughter-in-law. I would love to see more of the "extra" characters brought back in the rest of the series. Sadie's own kids are pretty far in the background, although Shawn makes a minor appearance in this one.
Great read. The recipes sound really yummy, and I love the "notes" on the recipes. I might actually try the clam chowder recipe with the chicken variation she mentions, as I am NOT a seafood person (although what do I do in place of the clam juice???). The whoopie pies sound yummy, and especially the cinnamon twists!! I don't know if my family would turn their noses up at Yorkshire pudding, but it sounds easy and doable after reading the recipe at the end of the book!
I read the preview of the next book at the end and knew she would carry over the part of this book that was left hanging but was interested to see where it takes place. It'll be interesting to see if that loose end from this book gets resolved at all in the next book (which seemed unlikely from that one preview chapter) or if it goes through the 4 remaining books in the series.
jenscott's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads.
When I won this book, I decided I was going to read the first 5 books in the series before this one. So I read the first one, but I had a hard time reading it. It just wasn't my style. So I skipped the other 4 books and read this one. I have to say, this one was much better than the first one. The writing wasn't as tedious, and the story was more interesting, but it still wasn't my favorite. I think one of the main problems I have with it is I don't really like the main character. I feel like she gets into other people's business and it gets a little annoying.
When I won this book, I decided I was going to read the first 5 books in the series before this one. So I read the first one, but I had a hard time reading it. It just wasn't my style. So I skipped the other 4 books and read this one. I have to say, this one was much better than the first one. The writing wasn't as tedious, and the story was more interesting, but it still wasn't my favorite. I think one of the main problems I have with it is I don't really like the main character. I feel like she gets into other people's business and it gets a little annoying.
wulfwyn's review against another edition
4.0
I love when a mystery book makes you go ,"what?!" This book had a few things I wish had been wrapped up better but overall, it made me go, "what?!" after I thought I had it figured out. At least partially figured out. *Rueful grin and a shrug* The author was excellent at keeping the mystery until she was ready for it to be discovered. It has been awhile since I had that reaction with a mystery. This book is part of a series and while I enjoyed as a stand alone, I do wish I had read the ones before it. Another aspect of it that I loved were the recipes. There are nine really yummy recipes included along with some character tips on ways she experimented with them. My rating on this is actually 4 3/4 stars.
* I received a copy of this book for review purposes. I received no compensation for my review. The opinions expressed are my honest feelings. A full review is posted on my blog.*
* I received a copy of this book for review purposes. I received no compensation for my review. The opinions expressed are my honest feelings. A full review is posted on my blog.*
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