Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the … summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt.
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Synopsis:
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Charlie and Chris spend a lot of time together, trying to figure out who killed a young man working in the summer at the fish processing plant. They get along well and things may get a little more serious between them. Between Charlie, Chris and Annie, a friend, they may be able to helper Trooper solve the case. Benny, Charlie’s cat, was very involved in the book. I think we got too much description on how much Charlie missed Benny, but that is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book, I felt like I was right there in Elkview, Alaska, watching all of the action taking place and listening in in conversations. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and I did not know who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I wonder what’s next for Charlie and her friends?
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Fishing for Trouble is a wonderful follow up to Mousse and Murder, the first book in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know about my obsession with Alaska! It’s like the last great frontier right? That pioneer spirit of my ancestors calls to me and tries to trick me into believing that living in Alaska would be life-changing. Sure it would, ancestors. I’d probably get eaten by a grizzly or lose a toe to frostbite! (Yes, I’m dramatic. I even have the t-shirt…) But, seriously, I know that it is a beautiful state with a lot of brave and adventurous people. It’s the perfect setting for this series!
Charlie’s diner, given to her by her mom, is a popular place. The food is amazing, and tour groups, after having stayed at Charlie’s BFF Annie’s inn, often eat there on the way to their adventures. Unfortunately for Charlie, a group of college students working at a fish processing plant decide to eat there when one of them falls over dead. Thankfully, they hadn’t even gotten their food, so Charlie knows it’s not food poisoning. But through circumstances beyond her control, Charlie’s caught up in another murder. Yes, murder! Though the young man didn’t die of food poisoning, he was murdered.
The author does such a remarkable job of laying out clues throughout Fishing for Trouble. I think a good cozy mystery book is one in which you can pick up on all of the clues yet still be mostly clueless as to who the murderer is. This one fits that criteria very well.
As in Mousse and Murder, I absolutely love these characters. The recurring characters feel like they’re my old friends. I could walk into the diner, order the special, and catch up on the latest gossip. The camaraderie among the characters is evident in Fishing for Trouble even more so than in the first book….which is as it should be. These characters are well-developed, and I love being able to gain more insight with each book. I’m already excited for book 3!
Fishing for Trouble is such an entertaining book. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the mystery, the characters, the cats, and of course, the setting! Wishing you had a bear claw while you’re reading is inevitable. You might want to pick some up before you start reading! I highly recommend both books in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
This is the second book in the Alaska Diner Mysteries, and once again, the author delivers a fun whodunit.
FISHING FOR TROUBLE by Elizabeth Logan
The Second Alaskan Diner Mystery
When a young diner collapses at the Bear Claw Diner, owner Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke is concerned. Part of a group of summer workers at the J and M Fish Processing Plant enjoying a break at the diner, Ethan’s order hadn’t even arrived before his collapse, so Bear Claw food wasn’t to blame for his death. Still feeling partially to blame, Charlie takes his distraught female friend under her wing, but once Ethan’s death is declared murder the young woman takes off. With her lawyer ex in town, her parents on vacation, and her relationship with a journalist in flux, Charlie is unsettled. Something fishy is going on and Charlie’s going to get to the bottom of it.
Friendships, romantic entanglements, and the ramifications of love highlight the second Alaskan Diner Mystery. I appreciate how Charlie and her crew of employees and friends gather together to solve a complex puzzle. Charlie’s ex is a great new character to hate. His behavior is so scuzzy I wanted to take a shower after each of his appearances! I adore Benny, but am not a fan Charlie’s high tech relationship with him, although as Miko (one of my cats) is so engaged with my keyboard as I try to type, perhaps I should be more open minded.
FISHING FOR TROUBLE had me scratching my head wondering just what was going on and who was to blame. Interesting characters and the Alaskan setting kept me engaged, hungry, and glad I don’t work at a fish processing facility.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Summer in Alaska means delicious long days of sunshine. Charlie is looking forward to a diner full of regulars and tourists. It also means seasonal workers have come from the lower 48 to rough it and earn big bucks working at the local fish processing plant. A group of these workers came into the Bear Claw diner for a bite but before they could order one of them keels over. An ambulance arrives too late to save him and a dead body in a diner is never a good thing. Knowing her food didn’t kill him, Charlie thinks there may be something fishy behind his death.
When Charlie catches up with her pal Annie she learns a mom has arrived from Wisconsin because her son, also an employee of the fish processing plant, has not been in touch with her in a long time and she fears something bad has happened to him. She hopes Annie and Charlie can help her find her son. Since Charlie was going to be doing some sleuthing anyway she will try to find the guy from Wisconsin too. Hopefully, Trooper will approve her getting involved along with Annie and that they can pull local reporter, Chris into the investigation too.
The difference about a cozy set in Alaska is that are a lot of territories to cover and not a lot of deputies so the state trooper responsible for Elkview has deputized Charlie, Annie, and Chris before. He knows they have some good instincts if he can just keep them from going too far. Yeah, right. These core characters are developing nicely but I feel we have just scratched their surface.
Charlie is fun and still learning the ins and outs of being an amateur sleuth. She is obsessed with her cat Benny. She has a camera to watch him remotely and has truly gone overboard buying him toys. There may need to be an intervention. An unexpected visitor comes to town that causes some stress in Charlie’s life but her strength eventually comes out. I really enjoy the relationships she has with Trooper, Annie, and Chris. Chris really impressed me this time. The relationships she has with her staff are still evolving but she trusts them enough to leave the diner in their hands a majority of the time.
The author provided a nice variety of suspects but my focus was never really drawn to one individual. The method delivery was murky too. Ms. Logan delivers some nice twists. The real culprit seemed to come totally out of nowhere in a very exciting way, but it wrapped up almost too quickly.
Fishing for Trouble was an entertaining story. I do love the Alaska setting. I am looking forward to visiting Elkview and hanging out with Charlie again soon. Murphy’s Slaw hits shelves and e-readers on May 25, 2021.
After enjoying Mousse and Murder so much, I was really looking forward to book two. I’m pleased to report that Fishing For Trouble didn’t disappoint at all. I got to spend time with Charlie and Chris and Trooper and Benny the cat (all my faves from the first book) and visit Alaska again through the pages of a book. Combine that with a well-plotted mystery and I’m a happy camper!
The book starts off with a bang, as an ambulance carries off a young man who has just keeled over in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – never great for business lol but, fortunately for Charlie, he hadn’t even been served yet. Still, she’s involved now so she might as well see it through, right? And it helps that she’s still technically deputized and that the understaffed Trooper could use her assistance anyway. The more she finds out about the local fish processing plant, the more the unusual vibes pile up, including at least one summer student worker who has mysteriously disappeared. I enjoyed learning about this key element of Alaskan industry (though sometimes the information dumps lagged the pace a bit), and the mystery kept me engaged. I also loved the continued dash of romance – not enough to overwhelm the story at all but a nice nod to those of us who think nearly every book is better with a little love story.
Bottom Line: Fishing For Trouble is just as enjoyable as its predecessor. I still loved Trooper but I also enjoyed getting to know Chris better too. And of course Charlie who adds lots of wit and insight with her narrative. Logan does a great job of setting the Alaskan scene & weaving a clever plot throughout the story – lots of intriguing twists with this one! This is definitely a series to add to your TBR list!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Summer has arrived in Elkview, Alaska and with it comes seasonal workers at J& M Fishing, a local seafood plant. When one of those seasonal workers collapses and dies in her diner, Charlie Cooke knows she can’t just leave this mystery alone. When the manner of death is revealed, Charlie also discovers another worker has disappeared. Is the missing worked involved, guilty, or another victim?
Charlie intends to find out how the death and disappearance relates to J & M Fishing, and why on earth her ex-boyfriend, Ryan is in town. Charlie also has other fish to fry. Even though her diner isn’t responsible, the bad press could shutter her doors. Charlie, her side kick, reporter Chris Doucette, and her bestie Annie Jensen, team back up in another installment of Elizabeth Logan’s Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
Fishing for Trouble is another wonderful book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Set in the Alaskan summertime, I enjoyed how the author delivers a book showing readers what the weather is like in Alaska during that time. It’s not as warm as some states in the lower 48 but temps are mild. The clothing required for summers doesn’t generally include shorts but you don’t need to be bundled up in a polar suit either. The author does a great job weaving several storylines together, steeping the story in reality.
The path to discovering the real murderer is twisted and bumpy, leading Charlie in several directions that are dead-ends or just lead to more questions. The book is full of surprises and twists in the plot the reader will never see coming. The author does a great job with the mystery, the character development, and providing the reader vivid imagery allowing the story to played out like a movie as you read along. The book also has some pretty amazing characters, ones I enjoy learning more about in each book.
I was provided a copy of this book to read.
Always fun to read about life in Alaska. Who wouldn’t want to hang out at the Bear Claw Diner? Great food and good people. Unfortunately, it isn’t always fun. Seems like the town of Elkview doubled in size with the students coming to work in the fishing industry in the summer. Join Chris, Annie, Trooper, Charlie, and my favorite, Benny, as they try to figure out the situations thrown at them. Loved the story line and the characters. I hope to hang out with them again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
I read Mousse and Murder, book one in An Alaskan Diner Mystery and gave it a three star rating because Logan just listed facts about Alaska instead of weaving them into the story, and none of the characters were engaging.
But since it was the first in the series and the first that I had read by Elizabeth Logan, I wanted to give book two a read, just in case it had improved. Obviously by my two star rating it hasn’t.
I really would expect better from an author that has five other series out under the names of Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, and Jean Flowers.
So why am I being so harsh to Fishing for Trouble, besides the fact that I expect more from an author that has so many books out? Logan talks about Charlie’s cat, Benny, a lot. Now I love cats and hope to one day be a crazy cat lady, but at least a fourth of the book was talking about feeding, playing, snuggling, talking to, or missing Benny.
That time could have been spent working on character development, which is once again, lacking. The only character that gets interesting towards the end of the book is Chris, who suddenly turns into someone with spy or special training knowledge. Cool. Completely out of left field though. And not enough to make me want to read book three.
In the first book I thought it was a fun change to have the local sheriff actually include Charlie and the gang in his investigation, instead of constantly telling her not to get involved. I realize it’s a work of fiction, but at one point Charlie and Chris have one of the witnesses write down their information, get it notarized, and send them back home. Um. Without putting it past the sheriff, and saying something like, “Well, if they have to come back and testify at least our part is done.”
If you read this series, or other books by the author, I honestly hope you enjoy them more than I did. That’s the nice thing about reading, there are so many books out there, everyone can find something they enjoy… although this is not the case here for me.
Charlie has returned to her hometown of Elkview, Alaska and taken over the family diner. She has made some serious changes to the menu and has connected with a local tour guide to be the meal stop on their way to Fairbanks and Denali National Park. As the story opens, there is a mixed group of diners present – a tour group and some seasonal employees from the local fishery. Before their order arrives, one of the student employees collapses at his table. He is taken by ambulance to the nearest medical facility but later pronounced dead. Of course, the first thought in everyone’s mind is, what did he eat? And so the rumors start and Charlie has to protect her diner by investigating the young man’s death. It’s refreshing that she has no need to be a nosy nuisance to the local law. She has a great relationship with Trooper Cody Graham, but known to all as just Trooper. He has known her all of her life and he knows, too, that she can be a great help to him. He was happy to deputize Charlie and her friend, Chris in the first book and, as Charlie says “Who says there is an expiration date to the last time he did?” There is a lot to uncover when the cause of death is mercury poisoning – from long term exposure.
If death at her diner wasn’t enough to juggle along with keeping it running, along comes her creepy ex-fiance, Ryan. Coming all the way from San Francisco didn’t bode well for Charlie’s juggling skills. Turns out he has been hired by the fishery. Things really do get complicated for Charlie but with the help of her friends, the mystery will be solved.
I like everything about this series – the setting is one of my favorite states, the characters are well developed, their relationships with each other are strong and there is a sweet cat, as well. Benny (short for Eggs Benedict), is a great character in his own right. Add to that a well crafted puzzle to solve and it’s a winner of a series. I have already added the third in the series, Murphy’s Slaw, which will be published May 25, 2021.
My thanks to the publisher, Berkley Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
cats, alaska, murder-investigation, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, small-business, small-town
When Charlie Cooke left law school, a career as a chef, and a supercilious ex-boyfriend to go back home to Elkview, Alaska, she knew that she’d assume the running of the family diner but not the rest of it. The trooper in town is an old family friend, her parents are on errands out of state, and something really weird happens with a young customer who works at the fish plant. He suddenly dies of mercury poisoning and another summer help from the plant goes missing. Lots of misdirection and red herrings in this great story that is perfectly designed for cat lovers.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!