Fat Tuesday Fricassee
A Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery, Book #3
By J.J. Cook
ISBN13: 9780425263471
Author website: http://www.joyceandjimlavene.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
The national bestselling author of Fry Another Day serves up a third helping in the Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery series…
It’s Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama, and food truck chef Zoe Chase is driven to distraction attending high-society soirees, feeding the partying masses, and getting the skinny on a Fat Tuesday murder…
Two weeks of carnival celebrations has got Zoe running ragged. By day, she charms hungry tourists with authentic Southern cuisine. At night, she accompanies her father to one masquerade ball after another, hobnobbing with the high rollers of the secret cabal known as the Mistics of Time.
But the fun turns frightening when Zoe stumbles across “Death’s” dead body. Journalist Jordan Phillips attended the Mistics’ latest bash in a traditional Death costume, and received a fatal bullet wound for the privilege. With more than three hundred masked suspects determined to remain anonymous, and the police covering up the facts behind the murder of the investigative reporter, Zoe realizes the Mistics have some serious secrets to hide…
Review:
I have not read any other of the installments in J.J. Cook’s “Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery” series, but I do not think you need to in order to enjoy Fat Tuesday Fricassee. I enjoyed it. The characters are fun and entertaining. I have to say I may have to read the others just to learn more about Miguel, Zoe’s boyfriend. Sounds like a great story there. The main characters, including Miguel, Zoe Chase, Ollie and gang, are wonderful. It was also fun learning about Mobile’s Mardi Gras. I had no idea they even had one and then to learn the history behind it was really fun.
Zoe Chase and her gang are going to have the food truck involved in the big Mardi Gras rally. Boy will they be busy. Aside from all the extra work, she has had to be her father’s date for all the balls held by the secret groups there. The last one she has to go to, the Mistics of Time Mardi Gras ball, is a biggy. All the guests are decked out and have to wear their masks so no one knows who they are. Zoe finds Death in the garden and unfortunately, he is really dead. When the victim’s identity is revealed to be a young journalist and the police seem to be giving false information, Zoe feels she has to find out what really happened.
I loved that there were not too many characters to keep track of and the way the mystery wrapped around everyone, twisted this way and that was great. Lots of secrets, lots of traditions, tons of good food, and plenty of suspense. I really liked how the author(s) were able to pull things together and keep it all believable. Of course I enjoyed her cat Crème Brulee, but did not like a certain scene or the way we are left with it. I enjoy a cliffhanger, but never when an animal is involved. That is probably my only complaint. However, I am sure everything will be fine in the next installment.
Fat Tuesday Fricassee is a delightful and tasty cozy filled with entertaining main characters and enjoyable minor characters. The mystery is very well written and extremely well plotted. I was definitely kept guessing. This is the third installment in what I imagine is a fun series. You do not have to have read the others in order to enjoy this one. I will be reading the others so I can learn more about these great characters. I will definitely have to read the next one so I can find out how the cliffhanger plays out. This is a great cozy for any foodies. Wonderful menus and even recipes fill this read. I really enjoyed the bits of history included as well.
