Mahalia’s Sweet Tea boasts the most flavorful soul food in all of Prince George’s County, Maryland. But as events at the beauty industry’s leading trade show turn ugly, owner Halia Watkins needs to bite into an unsavory new item on the menu—murder! When the chicest hair convention of the year gets cooking in town, so does business at Mahalia’s Sweet Tea. Halia can barely handle the influx of … barely handle the influx of customers looking to satisfy their appetites after spending the day surrounded by outrageous runway styles. As buzz builds around beauty mogul and pop culture icon Monique Dupree, collard greens start moving out of the kitchen faster than models strutting down the catwalk . . .
But the glitz fades the moment Monique is found shot to death. Turns out, the glamorous entrepreneur’s vanity empire was stained by bitter rivalries, explosive affairs, and backstabbers scheming for fame and fortune. With more suspects than ingredients listed on a bottle of deep conditioner, Halia and her cousin Wavonne rush to discover who pulled the trigger—before the conniving culprit dishes another deadly surprise . . .
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Halia Watkins serves up delicious soul food at her restaurant in Maryland. She can barely keep up with the number of customers she has from the beauty convention in town. Despite the influx of customers, when beauty mogul Monique Dupree is found dead Halia get pulled into the drama. With numerous suspects can Halia figure out the killer before she’s in harm’s way?
This is the 3rd book in the series but my first. I was able to enjoy the mystery without any major issues however I think I would have understood the characters a little better had a read at least book one first. This book is full of humor and the characters have wonderful chemistry. The mystery is well plotted and has several twists and turns along the way. I recommend this book to cozy mystery and food lovers.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
I’m always excited to return to Prince George County, Maryland and Halia Watkins soul food restaurant, Mahalia’s Sweet Tea!
Author A.L. Herbert writes a story filled with comical scenes. My tummy was growling at the descriptions of all the delicious home cooked food and desserts sprinkled throughout the book. Ms. Herbert creates a captivating plot centered around a beauty mogul, Monique, and her popular hair products and secretive personal life. While humor abounds, murder is skillfully woven into the sensational plot, and readers will need to go over the details with a fine-toothed comb to solve this intricate mystery.
This African American Cozy Series is a favorite of mine because I enjoy the rollicking antics between cousins Halia and Wavonne, and I appreciate the excellent mystery the author always delivers. I’m eagerly looking for the next treat of a story from this author.
I reviewed a galley arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
This is a culinary cozy that even a reader who doesn’t cook can thoroughly enjoy. Halia, a restaurateur with a knack for solving mysteries, is pragmatic and organized. Her cousin Wavonne is the perfect comic contrast. Their affectionate sparring keeps the scenes lively. I was wrapped up in the story from page one, long before murder. The author did such great job of setting up the various relationships involving the eventual victim, there were many likely suspects. Their alibis and the encounters in which Halia uncovers them are some of the most original I’ve ever read, and some of the best chapters in the book. There’s always that predictable moment in an amateur sleuth series where people warn the sleuth not to get involved in another murder and note how often this happens. And there’s the customary a detective who sustains a conflicted acceptance-plus-resentment of her. Those are the only predictable aspects of the story, though, and when Halia is investigating, the story rolls. The setting in Prince George County Maryland is essential to the plot and brought to life in natural detail. The background on hair care and styling, so important to Wavonne and to the whole mystery, flows neatly into the storyline. Not a single element in the book is superfluous—everything ties into the cause and the solution to the crime. And for those who do cook, there are recipes—including collard greens with hot sauce.
It was ok
The author relies too heavily on stereotypes to describe black women. The story doesn’t need it. If the author just told a fun murder mystery filled with yummy recipes, the book would be just as good but far less offensive
A Humorous Whodunit
This story is an enjoyable murder mystery with the return of Mahalia Watkins, owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea restaurant, along with her flamboyant, unsophisticated, and hilarious cousin, Wavonne. What makes this story so engaging is that Wavonne wants to pitch her new hair treatment formula to the successful Monique Dupree, who is in town to promote her hair care products, made for African American women, at a popular hair convention. The story becomes even more riveting when we discover there are more goings-on with several eccentric characters, Nathan Tucker, Maurice Masson, Odessa Thornton, and Alex Rivas, than meets the eye. It is a great page-turner with extraordinary dialogue, and expressive surroundings, exposing some sudden twists and turns, secrets and lies, envy, scandal, betrayal, unrequited love, and deceit. Helping to move the story forward is the sudden drama and cattiness between Monique and Odessa, keeping you speculating to the very end, an ending that will shock you to the core.
Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce is book three in the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mysteries by A. L. Herbert. I have read all three and love this series. Herbert does a great job of getting new readers up to speed if you haven’t read the previous books.
Halia and her cousin, Wavonne are the main characters in this series and I love their relationship. Halia owns the soul food restaurant, Mahalia’s Sweet Tea. Wavonne is younger and a bit of a free spirit that keeps Halia on her toes.
When a beauty mogul comes back to town for a convention is murdered, Halia and Wavonne are on the hunt for the murderer. There are plenty of suspects and you are guessing until the end.
There is not only the mystery, but some laugh out loud moments. As always, you have some yummy sounding recipes. What I really enjoy is the family love that comes through.
I was provided an ARC by Netgalley for an honest review.