At Death’s Dough
Deep Dish Mysteries #5
By Mindy Quigley
ISBN 9781250326300
mindyquigley.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
The fifth book in the delectable Deep Dish Mystery series by Mindy Quigley, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.
It’s February in the swanky resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, and love is in the air—along with a whiff of danger. Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is gearing up to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day with her hunky police detective boyfriend, Calvin Capone, great-grandson of the legendary Chicago mob boss. But their romance is put on ice when a chilling discovery plunges Delilah and Capone into the heart of a century-old crime with ties to Capone’s notorious forefather.
As old secrets begin to surface, Delilah realizes that nearly everyone in town—from Calvin’s cagey cousin to her own eccentric customers—has something to hide. With the pressure
mounting and the past closing in, Delilah must help Capone untangle a web of deceit that could lead them to a priceless treasure… or a heart-stopping finale. Will Delilah and Capone solve the mystery before history repeats itself? Or will they spend their first Valentine’s Day together sleeping with the anchovies? (From Goodreads)
Review:
This has been one of my favorite series since first meeting Delilah O’Leary and Butterball. It is also the first cozy series I’ve read that is set in a delectable pizza restaurant. Not just any pizza, but Chicago deep dish pizza with some of the most flavorful combinations! Delilah and Son is named for Delilah and Sonya, aka Son, best friends since they attended culinary school. Sonya is the best sous chef and Delilah’s second in command. She is also the calm to Delilah’s stormy ‘tudes, and the only one brave enough to lovingly confront her when their staff begins to hide from the storms. And who can resist a large, loyal, orange cat with a ‘tude?
It is early February, one of the coldest months in a Wisconsin winter. Delilah and Sam had moved to Geneva Bau almost a year ago from Chicago. Delilah’s favorite great-aunt was having health challenges, and had to give up some of the things she loved – including driving and most recently, her beloved little home. Elizabeth “Biz” O’Leary was the epitome of stubborn, controlling, and cranky.
Delilah and Calvin Capone – yes, the great-grandson of That Capone – a homicide detective in Geneva Bay, have been dating for several weeks around their busy work schedules. Capone was in Chicago for a few days when Delilah took Biz ice fishing, her auntie’s favorite winter activity. Sonya came over, wearing a puffy snowsuit, hoping to join them. She hasn’t gone ice fishing before, and might pass out when they kill or clean the fish. She was determined to join them because her astrologer told her she’d meet the new love of her life by Valentine’s Day, using terms that she associated with fishing.
When the wind and cold abated somewhat, Delilah prepared additional fishing holes outside of their shelter. Their fishing came to a halt, however, when they discovered something in the ice below the surface. A body, wearing a scuba diver dry suit, was frozen under the surface. The police chief has a grudge against Capone and didn’t want his help when he returned from Chicago. When Capone identified the person, a relative he had avoided for years, he was removed from the case because of a conflict of interest. The person’s tanks were empty and there were no obvious signs of injuries, so the chief blew it off as an accident. Delilah and her friends were not convinced, and they pursued – and proved – homicide.
There are many compelling aspects of this fabulous cozy. Despite the serious subject, there are very funny lines and situations. Delilah and Sonya and their staff are as close as family, and when one has a problem, they all work together. It was stunning to see Daniel risk his life, and Rabbit, ready to risk his parole. Delilah is a risk-taker, but never wants anyone else to do so. This time she went above and beyond. She can be brash and still has a bit of a temper, but her heart is bigger than her mouth and she genuinely loves her family, friends, Capone, and Butterball.
The very well-defined characters continue to change and grow through their circumstances. In the past, I discounted Melody. A hard worker, Melody is kind and patient, but moony-eyed over Daniel, the bartender. She is also a great researcher and knows a lot of exciting history. I enjoy reading about true historical events in novels. While not a fan of mobsters, I appreciated hearing moments of their “heydays”. Of particular fascination was the biggest known train robbery in the country that occurred in the Midwest. She is definitely an intelligent young lady! Several suspects were brought to light. What Delilah and her friends suspected, they began to prove. Despite being a control freak, I think she would have been happy to let the police retrieve the final proof. The bad guy, however, catnapped Butterball, telling her to collect the coveted “prize” for them if she didn’t want Butterball killed. I was horrified! It was one of only two most stressful, pulse-pounding scenarios I have sweated through in cozies.
This series simply keeps getting better. I highly recommend At Death’s Dough, and the rest of the series, especially to those who appreciate humorous, yet highly suspenseful cozy mysteries with a pizzeria full of quirky people, including Auntie Biz, and one fine cozy cat!
