MARINATING IN MURDER (DINNER CLUB MYSTERY, BOOK #3) BY LINDA WIKEN: BOOK REVIEW

Marinating in Murder

Dinner Club Mystery, Book #3

By Linda Wiken

ISBN13: 9780425278246

Author website: lindawiken(.)com

 

Brought to  you by OBS reviewer Kayt

Synopsis:

The third in a delicious series featuring a dinner club that tries out new recipes–while trying to catch a killer

The Culinary Capers Dinner Club is planning a fall picnic for their next meeting. What could be better than sharing delicious food with friends under a beautiful autumn sky? But when club member Alison Malkovich opens the back of her SUV to load in the picnic supplies, she finds a dead body. To make things worse, it’s the body of her ex-husband, and now she’s the prime suspect. Because Alison is a police officer, she is suspended and warned not to do any investigating of her own. That’s not about to stop J.J. and the Culinary Capers gang though. They know that Alison is innocent, and after all, they do have some experience solving crimes.

Review:

Marinating in Murder is the third book in author Linda Wiken’s Dinner Club Mystery series. I think this is my favorite. The characters are now fully developed and I feel like I know them much better. I did wish Ness was involved more, but that is just me. The Culinary Capers Dinner Club is still going strong and the friendships between the members is more enjoyable. Police officer Alison Malkovich is hosting the next dinner and she has decided a picnic would be just the ticket. Unfortunately an uninvited guest shows up in Alison’s SUV.  The body of her ex or not husband has been put in the storage area, making it hard for the crew to load up their picnic supplies. And of course putting a hold on everything. Protagonist J.J. has to help her friend even if Alison says not to do it.

Alison is suspended from the police force and is also the prime suspect. None of the club members really know the whole story about her ex-husband. She is so private. Then the bomb drops as it is learned that her ex or not husband was leading a double life. He was married to both Alison and another woman. More motive stacks up on Alison and it does not look good. It is up to the Dinner Club members and J.J. in particular to find the answers. As her job as event planner J.J. has to put all the pieces together to come up with the perfect event. She uses these same skills to hunt down the answers and find the real killer.

Alison’s ex/not ex’s life is hard to filter through, but the Dinner Club is not going to give up until they prove Alison’s innocence. J.J.’s favorite PI, Ty Devine is actually willing to help this time. He also seems to be warming up to her. And that is not the only man showing interest in her. The estranged husband’s brother-in-law is not only hunky, but seems to enjoy her company. Luckily Ty is watching out for her and keeps her from being the next body to pop up. Action, intrigue, fun and great relationships make this installment my favorite in the series.

I think you could easily read Marinating in Murder without reading the other books in this series, but read them anyway. They are good too. I thought I knew who the killer was early on, then changed my mind as things started to be revealed. I did figure out what was going on a bit before J.J., but it was fun following her through all the action in the reveal. Foodies will love this book and this series. Great recipes are included as well. I agree with J.J. that cookbooks need more photos too, lol. A fun romp of intrigue filled with foodie fun.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*