Title: Sliced and Toasted with Murder
Series: Josie Rizzo Cozy Mystery, #2
By: J R Pearson
ISBN-10: 1537453971 / ISBN-13: 978-1537453972
Author’s Website: http://JosieRizzoCozyMysteries.weebly.com
Review brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Synopsis:
Small container of pickle spears……$2.99
Hot corned beef sandwich…………….$6.99
Large antipasto platter ………………$10.99
*Green olives included*
One cold dead body……(Prices may vary)
Josie and her best friend, Brad, are next in line at Greenville’s famous pastrami-sandwich-producing hotspot–Danny’s Deli. Their highly anticipated lunch break turns stale when employee Gordy Fitzgerald’s body is found in the freezer.
Word soon surfaces that Gordy had been stabbed shortly before being found–and the weapon is missing. Locals are devastated by the discovery, and the amount of speculation on the killer’s identity is far greater than the holes on a block of Swiss cheese.
Who killed the beloved sandwich wizard? Josie’s untamed curiosity is determined to answer just that. Along the way, she has a few tasks at hand: maintaining a blog, coming to terms with her feelings for Tony, and keeping up with the shenanigans of her corgi, Petey.
All this, and finding a killer. Shouldn’t be too hard. Living in a small town like Greenville, there’s no place anyone can hide. Not even a murderer…right?
Review:
The second book in the Josie Rizzo Cozy Mystery series, Sliced and Toasted With Murder, is just as enjoyable as the first book, Grilled and Seasoned With Murder. As I continue on in the journey of getting to know Josie and her motley crew of friends and family, I am delighted that all the qualities I liked in the first book of the series is still there; the humour, a progressing love story and really good descriptions of food! Oh, and a murder to be solved.
While Josie and Brad attempt to get a pastrami sandwich at Danny’s Deli, a long-time employee, the deli’s best sandwich maker and butcher, Gordy is discovered in the big walk-in freezer…. dead. Needless to say, no pastrami sandwich’s today. And thus a mystery is borne. As Josie is sitting at The Box Bistro (which serves gourmet hot dogs, Paninis, and sliders…and happens to be where Brad and Josie work) in walks Tony looking SO fine (or so Josie thinks). Tony pulls Josie aside and lets her know that yet again, it seems that the locals are saying that the killer could be Tony…. so he would like Josie`s help in finding out who the real killer is. And…. Tony also wants to check that their standing Friday night dinner is still on? This time alone is allowing them to rekindle the friendship they had lost years ago as well as time for their dogs (Petey and Jade) time to hang out.
We get to see a lot more of Josie`s siblings in this book. Are her brother`s ever protective of Josie:
“One whiff, Josie,” he warned. “IF I get one whiff that you’re in danger-and make note: Russel and I will be watching-I’m releasing The Mom on you. Understood?” Since when had Reese become the older sibling?
We also get to partake in the progression of the relationship between Tony and Josie. It will definitely be interesting to see where it goes in future books in the series ☺.
While reading the book, there were a number of laugh out loud moments. A trait I find endearing in a cozy mystery along with the mystery to solve and frequently a bit of romance.
In the end, the mystery is solved… and no… I will not give any details with respect to that as it is for the reader to read and enjoy as I have.
As I have said in my review of the first book in the series, The characters are depicted in such a manner that I must continue on in my discovery of the Josie Rizzo Cozy Mystery series by reading the next book in the series, Heated and Spiced with Murder.
