Southern hospitality meets deadly deception in the start of a charming new mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive novels. Quinn Bellandini loves her life in Savannah, Georgia, where she runs her grandfather’s B&B with her sister, Delilah. From baking fresh scones and serving up grits every morning to ensuring the guests see the best of their historic city, Quinn … their historic city, Quinn can’t imagine doing anything else—even if it means dealing with nuisances like the occasional malfunctioning commode. But when Quinn drops by the local restaurant owned by her friend Drew Green, and stumbles upon a murder, her whole world comes crashing down.
Drew’s brother was always a little surly, but Quinn can’t imagine that someone disliked the prickly chef enough to kill him. The police, on the other hand, don’t believe that Quinn was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before her guests can even digest the next morning’s gourmet breakfast, Quinn learns that she and Drew are suspects.
Drew thinks they should do some investigating of their own. Quinn is pretty sure she’s better suited to playing hostess than amateur sleuth. But with Delilah as her cynical sidekick, Quinn starts looking for the real killer—before she gets put away faster than you can say “sugar.”
Discover all of Caroline Fardig’s gripping Southern B&B mysteries:
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT | SOUTHERN HARM | SOUTHERN DOUBLE CROSS
And don’t miss Caroline Fardig’s thrilling Java Jive mysteries, which can be read together or separately:
DEATH BEFORE DECAF | MUG SHOT | A WHOLE LATTE MURDER | BREW OR DIE | MURDER OVER MOCHAS
“I was hooked from the first page. I loved it!”—Dorothy Cannell, award-winning author of the Ellie Haskell mysteries, on Death Before Decaf
“This series is delightful, well written, and wildly entertaining.”—Suspense Magazine
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I enjoy this author’s Java Jive series.
This one is similarly entertaining.
No one wants to be the person who stumbles across a murder victim. They certainly don’t want to be considered a suspect.
The in and outs of solving the murder are quite interesting.
A fun read.
I enjoyed reading this cozy. This is the first book in the series. Quinn and Her sister help run the family BB in downtown Historic Savannah, Georgia. When Quinn finds a dead body at a local restaurant she sets out to clear her name and solve the crime. When her friend Drew is arrested she is sure he is innocent. I really enjoy the Savannah setting. The sisters have a fun relationship and there is the beginning of a romantic relationship with the boy next door, Tucker. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. It was not easy to solve and there were enough suspects to keep it interesting. I liked that she worked with police. The characters are fun but other than the sisters and Tucker there is not a lot of character development. I hope the next book improves on this. It does take place during Halloween but it did not have a lot of Holiday background. Overall it is a fun quick easy to read cozy. Enjoy
I have been a fan of Ms. Fardig’s “Coffee House Series” for a long time. I was pleased to read this one and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
This is set in a family owned B&B in Savanah operated by the protagonist, Quinn Bellandini along with her older sister, Delilah, and grandfather “Sal”. Quinn is the level-headed one who has always done the right thing and who basically has a heart of gold.
She finds herself up to her neck in trouble when she goes to visit a friend who owns a restaurant along with his brother down the street. She has the unfortunate fate of stumbling across the body of a very obnoxious man who has a lot of enemies. The police of course always suspect the person who discovers the body and she’s run through the ringer. When they arrest someone who she is convinced couldn’t have killed this person and she makes it her mission to find the real killer, the list is long because this person was very unlikeable.
This book is full of loveable characters and there is a little romance involved as well. Ms. Fardig has several series but I’ve only read the coffee house series and now this one, I sure hope she follows up with another one in “A Southern B&B Mystery”, I loved it. I almost forgot to mention the wonderful recipes included in the back of the book, what a bonus!
Southern Discomfort
A Southern B&B Mystery, Book #1
Caroline Fardig
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Southern hospitality meets deadly deception in the start of a charming new mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive novels.
Quinn Bellandini loves her life in Savannah, Georgia, where she runs her grandfather’s B&B with her sister, Delilah. From baking fresh scones and serving up grits every morning to ensuring the guests see the best of their historic city, Quinn can’t imagine doing anything else—even if it means dealing with nuisances like the occasional malfunctioning commode. But when Quinn drops by the local restaurant owned by her friend Drew Green, and stumbles upon a murder, her whole world comes crashing down.
Drew’s brother was always a little surly, but Quinn can’t imagine that someone disliked the prickly chef enough to kill him. The police, on the other hand, don’t believe that Quinn was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before her guests can even digest the next morning’s gourmet breakfast, Quinn learns that she and Drew are suspects.
Drew thinks they should do some investigating of their own. Quinn is pretty sure she’s better suited to playing hostess than amateur sleuth. But with Delilah as her cynical sidekick, Quinn starts looking for the real killer—before she gets put away faster than you can say “sugar.” (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really liked the relationship between Quinn and Delilah. The sisters are very close and would do anything for each other. They are also very close to Papa Sal, their grandfather. They are a close knit family and do a good job of running their bed and breakfast. And I cannot forget to mention the ghost of Uncle Frank. When someone is murdered and Quinn’s best friend, Drew, is accused of the murder, Quinn and Delilah will do whatever it takes to find the culprit.
I really enjoyed the setting of this story. I thought the setting of a bed and breakfast in Savannah, Georgia, was very special. I felt like I was right there, watching the magic show happening and smelling the delicious foods that they were serving.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I felt that the author defined the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The mystery was was well written and was carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through and the mystery was not an easy one to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. With engaging characters, a fantastic setting, a great mystery and lots of laughs, this book is definitely on you do not to miss.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Random House Publishing Group-Alibi, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
It was a fun read, I bought the rest of the series,
Good plot
too light and a bit silly. After a few chapters, I was thinking of not finishing but decided to see how the author finished it.
It started out good but turned into a simple love story that lost my interest.
Quinn Bellandini and her older sister Delilah run a quaint B&B owned by their grandfather. When Quinn stops by after hours at a local restaurant owned by her friend Drew, she doesn’t expect to come across a murder. Drew’s brother, the surly chef at the restaurant is found stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife. Soon Quinn discovers that Drew is suspect number one and that she is believed to be either suspect number 2 or an accessory to the murder.
While trying to convince anyone that will listen that she just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, she finds that she must put on her amateur sleuthing cap along with Delilah to find the real killer.
This is a fun, well-crafted book that has all the elements of a perfect cozy mystery including loveable characters, lots of plot twists, a bit of romance, a mad-cap adventure, and a number of surprises. I can’t wait to read book two in this delightful series.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my unbiased review. I enjoyed the book and the author’s writing style that I have purchased another of her book series to read.
Sliced the book!
Repetitive, but an easy quick read.
Great book!!! I loved it!!
It was okay only
Southern Comforted
(Disclaimer: I was provided a NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest review.) Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig is a wonderful whodunit with a southern twist. First I admire the author’s ability at world and character building. The main characters personalities are huge infused with humanity, humor, sadness, hurt, love, intrigue, curiosity, and believability. Secondary characters also have a pleasant presence in the book and fill out the book very nicely. The world is a great depiction of Savannah. If you haven’t been there you will want to go there. Having been there years ago I felt as if I was back there on a warm summer’s eve strolling the streets. I could place myself there through the eyes of the characters and for that I would like to applaud the author and say thank you, thank you. This is a twist turner whodunit where at one point you really think that you know who the killer is and then the end becomes a huge surprise. Overall, the storyline is an absolute page-turner that you do not want to miss reading. MY RECOMMENDATION: Don’t miss it – Read Southern Discomfort by Caroling Farrdig. –Tex.
Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig is the debut novel in A Southern B&B Mystery. Quinn Bellandini with the assistance of her grandfather and sister run the Bellandini Bed and Breakfast in Savannah, Georgia. Quinn whips up delectable delights for the guests as well as helping with the cleaning chores. One night Quinn stops by Green, the restaurant co-owned by Drew and Jason Green, to speak with Drew. The back door is open, and Jason is on the floor with knife stabbed into his chest. After falling in the blood and contaminating the crime scene, Quinn manages to call 911. Detectives Flynn and King are assigned the case. Detective Flynn is accusatory and believes Quinn aided Drew in bumping off his brother. Drew is arrested, and the police quit investigating the crime. Quinn knows Drew is innocent and sets out to pursue the truth with the aid of her sister, Delilah. Who disliked the unpleasant Jason Green enough to slay him in his own restaurant? That is just what Quinn intends to find out in Southern Discomfort.
Southern Discomfort is a new series for Caroline Fardig who is the author of A Java Jive Mysteries. I was never able to get drawn into the story. I felt the author failed to properly set the stage for her readers with the setting or with the characters. We are given few details on the main characters or the B&B. We are given lovely descriptions of Savannah (I would love to visit). The main problem was Quinn. I kept hoping she would grow on me, but she did not (I did plot some good ways for the author to do her in). She had a chip on her shoulder (regarding Tucker and incident that occurred in high school), judgmental, naïve at times, loses her temper frequently and easily, and wishy washy (she is a contradiction). I found myself cringing at some of Quinn’s comments. Sal, Quinn’s grandfather had a good attitude and his magic act sounded entertaining (also unique for a B&B). Delilah seemed grounded and more realistic. I enjoyed her interactions with Uncle Fred, the resident ghost (Sal’s as well). I would have enjoyed Southern Discomfort more if Delilah had been the main character with Quinn as her sidekick. There was a hint of a ghost in the story, but it was in the background. I wanted more of Uncle Fred (the resident ghost). He provided some good insight into the mystery. Solving the crime is not one that can completely be solved because readers are not given all the details until right before the reveal. Those people who read a significant amount of mysteries will have no problem predicting what will occur (two little nuggets of information give it away). There was a lack of action in the book (there was Quinn asking questions and I wanted something more). I felt too much time was devoted to Quinn thinking and speculating about the mystery and Tucker. Let us not forget the cliché nasty detective (Detective Flynn). The reason for Quinn returning to the restaurant and discovering the body was slim and farfetched. I think there should have been less focus on Tucker and the romance between him and Quinn. As you can tell, I was not the right audience for Southern Discomfort (my mother, though, found it funny—as you can tell we have different reading tastes). To see if Southern Discomfort is the right fit for you, download a sample from your favorite retailer. Happy Reading!
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT by Caroline Fardig
The First Southern B&B Mystery
Quinn enjoys visiting her friend Drew at his restaurant, despite his surly chef brother, Jason, and the venomous looks and nasty comments Jason’s wife always gives her. But when she pays a late night visit to clear the air over a misunderstanding, she finds the kitchen a disaster and the chef dead on the floor. When she and Drew are named prime suspects, Drew convinces her to help him find the real killer. But when Drew’s arrested, Quinn is on her own and the more she investigates, the less forthcoming Drew becomes. Between running the B&B with her sister and grandpa, making music with her band, and dealing with the neighbor who made high school hell for her sister, Quinn is determined to stand by her friend, and she won’t stop asking questions until she uncovers the truth.
I found the start of SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT a bit slow, but once it hit its stride it was off and running. I appreciate how Quinn grew as the story progressed. While naive and a bit too wimpy, she was also a bit narrow minded and stubborn. Yet as the story progressed Quinn discovered Sassy Quinn and was able to dish out what she needed to dish out. She also slowly began to open her mind, not only to Tucker and the truths of the past, but to Uncle Frank as well. As for Uncle Frank…I think he’s my favorite character. What’s Savannah without its ghosts and Uncle Frank is the perfect addition to Bellandini’s B&B.
The first Southern B&B mystery is as sweet as the tea served with Quinn’s scones. It combines Southern hospitality with murder while underscoring manners, loyalty, family, and dogged determination.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
Southern Discomfort by bestselling cozy author Caroline Fardig is the very charming debut book in her new Southern B&B Mystery Series. Sisters Quinn and Delilah Bellandini, along with their Papa Sal, are the proprietors of Bellandini’s B&B in Savannah, Georgia. It doesn’t take long for Quinn to find herself embroiled in murder when her friend Drew’s brother, Jason, is found brutally murdered in the kitchen of their restaurant, Green, and Quinn is the first on the scene. Longtime secrets are revealed, as well as hidden relationships, as Quinn and Delilah work to uncover the killer – with a little help from Papa Sal’s late brother (and ghost!!!) Uncle Frank!!! A true southern gem of a cozy, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!
I was excited to check out this new series because the author’s Java Jive Mysteries series is one of my favorites. I was not disappointed.
Quinn Bellandini, along with her sister Delilah and grandpa operate a B&B in Savannah. When Quinn’s friend is arrested for murder and she thinks she is suspect #2 she decides she needs to take action. Unlike most cozies Quinn realizes this is dangerous and wishes she did not have to investigate but she feels this is the only way to save her friend. In the process she finds out a lot of unsettling facts about both friends and foes.
This is a very good start to a new series. We know enough about the characters to like them and want to know them better. Savannah is a great setting and I find Uncle Frank’s ghost to be a fun addition to the storyline.
Southern Discomfort is the first book in Caroline Fardig’s A Southern B&B Mystery series and is a fun and easy read. This is a clean book and is full of humor and Southern charm. Suspects abound and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the reveal. The mystery is well plotted and the characters are well developed and likeable. I’m looking forward to reading future books in this series.
Quinn Bellandini and her sister, Delilah, help run their grandfather, Papa Sal’s B&B in Savannah, Georgia. Quinn is a member of an all-girl band since high school with her friends, Rhetta Turner, Callie Drayton, Pepper Fox called Sister Wildfire and Delilah performs at the community theater. Feeling guilty for a lie she told her friend, Drew Green, earlier that day, Quinn drops by the local restaurant, Green, which is owned by Drew and his brother, Jason, to apologize and stumbles upon Jason’s body. Quinn and Drew are suspects and Drew thinks they should investigate to clear their names; Quinn, however, isn’t sure she’s cut out for interviewing potential suspects or investigating. She has an alibi, her high school nemesis, Tucker Heyward, who heard her singing and playing her guitar at the B&B that evening. Jason wasn’t a nice person and was mean and hurtful to people and in Quinn’s mind, there isn’t a shortage of viable suspects. Drew, whose chef’s knife is the murder weapon and who admitted to having a knockdown, drag-out fight with Jason in their backyard the evening of his death, is arrested. Quinn contacts her mother’s cousin, Deacon Palmer, to represent Drew in his legal battle. Quinn is a traditional Southern girl, who is polite, a talented cook for the B&B, and she always tries to honor her promises, but is out of her comfort zone questioning people and investigating, so when Delilah offers to help her, they join forces to identify the killer.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
3.60 stars
I very much enjoyed the setting in Savannah, GA especially the B&B that does not just hosts paying guests but also the ghost of Quinn’s and Delilah’s late uncle Frank.
The story is well flowing and with some good leads and unique suspects and kept my interest.
I couldn’t connect with Quinn and found her friendship with Drew not very convincing. That made the story a lot less fun for me than it could have been. Quinn’s polite way of telling people off was great though and made me laugh. I was glad to see Delilah joining the investigating force. Her personality was a lot more to my liking.
This was my first mystery by Caroline Fardig and I will give her other works a try.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Random House Publishing Group – Alibi and the author provided me with an advance copy.