Angie Turner’s restaurant, The County Seat, is conveniently located near a first-class farmers market—so her menu is full of fresh ingredients. But a visiting culinary professor has just had a taste of something very unhealthy . . . Angie first meets Daniel Monet at a local mission, where she and her chef-in-training, Hope, are serving barbeque chicken poutine to the homeless. Monet is one of … Monet is one of Hope’s teachers—but Angie’s boyfriend knows him from his youthful days in England. But soon, the bon vivant is no longer vivant. When Monet is found dead, with Hope’s prints on the wine glass next to him, it will be Angie who has to sauce out the real killer . . .
Praise for Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mysteries
“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective: Guidebook to Murder has it all! A cozy lover’s dream come true.”
—Susan McBride, author of The Debutante Dropout Mysteries
“Lynn Cahoon has created an absorbing, good fun mystery in Mission to Murder.”
—Fresh Fiction
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One Potato, Two Potato, Dead is the 3rd book in the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series written by Lynn and Cahoon and published in 2019. I began reading Lynn’s books last year when I took on the Cat Latimer series. After finishing all the available ones, I turned to this series, as I enjoy her writing style. This series takes place in Idaho where two friends, Angie and Felicia, have opened a farm-to-fork restaurant in rural Idaho.
In this book, Angie is happily dating Ian while successfully launching her new eatery. One of her proteges, Hope, is flirting with her professor one night, then being arrested for his murder the next night. Angie jumps in to save the day, yet once it seems Ian has a connection to the visiting English professor, she is quite worried. Ian sneaks out of town, elevating her concerns. Angie turns to his uncle, the sheriff, who basically tells her to mind her own business… until he needs her help to solve the case. Throw in an FBI agent, a woman cheating on her husband, and a school of colleagues that dislike the late teacher, and we’ve got a mystery to solve.
The main mystery is ripe with possibilities. It is on the shorter side, and Angie doesn’t have access to all the clues, but she pushes her way in, to help Hope and to figure out what Ian is hiding. It almost causes a rift between them, but when he returns, she decides to confront him. They’ve only been dating a few months, and she’s new in town. He’s a good guy but apparently needs a swift kick in the rump to know how to communicate. Hope is one of my favorite characters, and Estebe, the main chef, features a lot too. I like the supporting cast, and the setting is quite lovely. All-in-all, I am an enjoying the series.
One thing I am trying to decide is how to categorize the style. Angie does play the role of amateur sleuth; however, the solution often comes a bit out of the blue. This works, but I’d love to see an extra twenty pages to add some complexity and detail around an additional suspect. It would increase the strength behind the mystery, at least for me. That said, what we have is well-written, easy-to-read, and enjoyable. Cahoon’s tone is breezy but direct. We have red herrings and both likable and dis-likable characters, so all the elements are there. I just like a tad more meat on the bones in my mysteries.
Angie is a wonderful leading character, and I will continue to read the series. I’m caught up on now on the author’s second series, and the next book in both come out in December and January, so I have a few months to wait. She does have at least one more series, but there are ~10 books, and until my TBR catches up to my available time, I can’t take it on. I definitely want to in 2020.
A lovely small-town cozy that’s recommended for readers who love food-centric mysteries. Guaranteed to make your pulse rate increase and your stomach growl!
Chef Angie Turner is busy with her successful farm-to-fork restaurant, County Seat In River Vista, Idaho. Her best friend, Felicia, runs the front, and sous chef, Estebe smoothly helps handle the kitchen. When her dishwasher/chef protégée, Hope Anderson is suspected of murdering a man who Ian (Angie’s boyfriend) knows from the past; red flags go up concerning the deceased and his reasons for moving to town. A fun and entertaining whodunit follows!
I really enjoy this cast of characters and the country setting of this novel. Author Lynn Cahoon is a pro at casting lures to keep readers from guessing the true villain. She had me fooled on this one! I was entertained relaxing with this cozy and recommend it plus the 2 previous stories to cozy mystery readers. A delicious recipe is included for your enjoyment.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Underground. Thank you.
One Potato, Two Potato, Dead is light, relaxing story with a smidgen of mystery tossed in. If you have not read the previous A Farm-to-Fork Mystery novels, you will not be lost. The author provides the necessary information for new readers. Angie Turner is not herself in this story. She is moody, short-tempered and negative (it is off-putting). Angie has her farm with Mabel (the hen), Precious (the goat) and Dom (St. Bernard). I am particularly fond of Dom (though I could do without the endless walks Angie and Dom take). She co-owns The county Seat with her best friend, Felicia. While Angie is a whiz in the kitchen, she leaves the front of the house to Felicia. There are a variety of characters that include Estebe Blackstone (chef at the restaurant), Hope (dishwasher, college student training to be a chef), Bar Travis (owner/bartender of the Red Eye), Ian McNeal (the boyfriend) and Sheriff Allen Brown (who loves Angie’s baked goods). Felicia is dating Taylor Simpson who runs the local homeless mission and Angie wants to check him out to see if he is suitable for her friend. I will say that Taylor is dedicated to the mission. Hope is infatuated with Professor Daniel Monet, a visiting professor and chef from Canada. When Daniel turns up dead the morning after Hope gives him a ride home, she is at the top of Sheriff Brown’s suspect list. It does not help that her fingerprints are on a wine glass near the body. There is little investigation into the murder. When Angie tries to give Sheriff Brown information, he tells her to keep her nose out of the investigation (which she cannot do). It is not apparent that the sheriff is investigating (it is not mentioned). There needed to be proactive investigating by Angie and Sheriff Brown. Angie feels Hope is young, innocent and naïve and wants to protect her. There is a lack of suspects, and, when the killer is finally introduced, it is obvious that this person is the guilty party. Most of the novel comprises Angie doing day-to-day activities like feeding her animals (twice a day), walking Dom, cooking, working on her cookbook, chatting with friends, eating, driving, working at the restaurant, getting ready for the day, and wondering why Ian took off without talking to her (he left for England the day after the murder). There were a couple of mentions that Angie’s neighbors are out of town. I kept expecting that to play into the story (like the killer using their house as a hideout), but it never did (then why was it mentioned more than once). The books pacing is mild (it lacked action). This is not my favorite book by Lynn Cahoon. It needed more substance.
Lynn Cahoon’s Farm-to-Fork Mystery series has been a winner from the first book. Its greatest strength is one that it shares with her awesome Tourist Trap books and that is an amazing community of characters. The staff at The County Seat are melding in to a loving family and that makes the book for me. I love that Ms. Cahoon gives us time in the restaurant with the gang and away from it with Angie. Those, what I call every-day scenes, are part of what makes the book feel real, so real that I am craving donuts!
In One Potato, Two Potato, Dead, one of the staff becomes a person of interest in the murder of man to whom she had a connection, so Angie feels compelled to investigate and everyone steps up to help the accused. The search for the killer leads to an even more complex investigation into the victim which draws deadly attention. I suspect one of these days she will admit that she is intrigue by real life puzzles and can’t stay out of police business but some of her efforts pay off for the sheriff so that revelation may be a long time coming.
I received an ARC of One Potato, Two Potato, Dead via NetGalley. I loved the book and will be sharing my pleasure with friends and followers. #NetGalley #OnePotatoTwoPotatoDead
Another really good installment in the “Farm-to-Fork” mystery series by Lynn Cahoon; I have enjoyed how each book has developed the characters and finally I feel like we have a cohesive group of characters that work together well and are fun to read about. Angie and Felicia are two great characters and I hope that in future books we get to see a bit more of Felicia’s life as well as Angie’s.
The mystery was pretty good in this one – it took me awhile to guess who the killer was [and I did, but it was really only a guess at the beginning] but the why took until the reveal, which, in my opinion, was rather anticlimactic. After all the hubbub and running around, I think the ending fell just a bit flat. If the ending and reveal had been just a touch better, I might have been able to give this five stars.
I am really enjoying this series and am looking forward to the next one in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The County Seat, a farm to fork restaurant has been busy since it opened. Angie and her best friend Felica and their competent staff are thrilled they are now open more days and they continue to have new ideas to add to the staff’s hours.
Felicia is dating the director of a Boise mission and she persuades the staff to serve a meal there. While there they meet one of Hope’s professors. She has been working as their chef-in-training/dishwasher and everyone agrees she has a bright future. It is obvious she a crush on the man. Angie’s boyfriend Ian, recognizes the man from his past in England and is confused because he is using a different name.
After the meal is served the professor requests a ride home and Hope jumps at the chance. When the man is found dead the next day, Hope confesses she did have a glass of wine with him but he was very much alive when she left. The whole County Seat family rally together to help Hope. Angie is on a mission to find the real killer so Hope can get back to doing what she loves – cooking.
What I love about this series is that the staff of The County Seat really gel, they are more like family than co-workers. This time Hope gets the benefit of that family. They get her a lawyer, they keep their eyes and ears open for any news/gossip that could help catch the killer, and when it is determined Hope may be in danger they come up with a plan to keep her safe. These well-developed characters are so genuine and easy to like
I did miss Mrs. Potter as she and her granddaughter are away visiting family. But Angie’s little zoo with her goat Precious and her Mabel are visited at least once a day. Angie’s Saint Bernard Dom and Precious have come to a mutual agreement. Dom will stay away from the barn and Precious will stay away from the house, but they will share Angie
Ms. Cahoon has cooked up quite a mystery. The victim had secrets and was kinda skeezy. Women seemed to fall all over him and he played that for all it was worth. These meant plenty of suspects but I did find one person in my sights early and as the story continued my thoughts were affirmed.
The subplots blended well with the mystery. I was cheering one of the characters on all the way as she came to a great realization.
I also enjoyed all the food discussed and the humor interspersed throughout the story.
One Potato, Two Potato, Dead is an entertaining story filled with interesting and likable characters. The entire series is a must-read for culinary cozy lovers.
The County Seat crew is back and there is alot going on. There is break-ups, hook-ups and of course a dead body. So just a normal few days for this crew. Angie has her hands full with the restaurant and the zoo so when she finds out that Ian has set up a Sunday dinner at his stand-in parents house she does what any of us would do…she freaks out! Maybe helping prove a friend didn’t murder the dead guy will keep her busy enough she won’t have to go. Pull up a chair and enjoy some down home cooking in Ms. Cahoon’s latest adventure
Synopsis:
Angie Turner’s restaurant, The County Seat, is conveniently located near a first-class farmers market—so her menu is full of fresh ingredients. But a visiting culinary professor has just had a taste of something very unhealthy . . .
Angie first meets Daniel Monet at a local mission, where she and her chef-in-training, Hope, are serving barbeque chicken poutine to the homeless. Monet is one of Hope’s teachers—but Angie’s boyfriend knows him from his youthful days in England, and he went by a different name back then. After Sheriff Brown shows up the next morning to report that the pseudo-French gourmet has been dead on top of a pool table, the victim of poisoned wine, it seems his real name might not have been the only secret he was hiding. The bon vivant is no longer vivant, and with Hope’s prints on the glass, it’ll be Angie who has to sauce out the real killer . . .
Praise for Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mysteries
“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective: Guidebook to Murder has it all! A cozy lover’s dream come true.”
—Susan McBride, author of The Debutante Dropout Mysteries
“Lynn Cahoon has created an absorbing, good fun mystery in Mission to Murder.” (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really like the fact that all of the employees at The County Seat care for each other so much, acting more like family than coworkers. It is no wonder that Angie decides to find the killer before Hope gets sent to prison. The secondary characters added a lot to the book and I liked the hint of a new relationship in the works. And of course, the animals were adorable.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was sitting in The County Seat, eating a delicious meal and listening to the town gossip. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read.
The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough clues to gather and suspects to consider and the mystery was not an easy one to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. You cannot go wrong reading anything from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Angie Turner, and her best friend Felicia, are making their farm-to-fork restaurant, The County Seat a success, in the small town of River Vista, near Boise. Felicia’s new boyfriend is running a Mission for the homeless and the employees of County Seat are volunteering to serve dinner that night. Hope, one of their employees takes culinary classes during the day and works with Angie the nights the restaurant is open. While serving the homeless, Hope’s professor, Daniel Monet, who she certainly has a crush on shows up to help as well. Unfortunately, for the professor, Ian seems to recognize Daniel Monet as some one from his past. The professor insists that Ian is mistaken. At the end of the night, the professor needs a ride home and Hope volunteers. By morning, the professor is dead and Hope’s fingerprints are on a wine glass making her the prime murder suspect!
Another engaging mystery from Ms. Cahoon. I have appreciated the farm-to-fork series and learning different about different recipes. The only thing I could add is more recipes please! As she describes the food served in the restaurant, I wish there was a County Seat near me! I admire Angie for not only her cooking skills, and also her sleuthing skills. Once again, she leaves no stone unturned. There were quite a few suspects, yet only one killer!
I received this book from Kensington Publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.
Another great book with awesome characters. I love how they all come together to keep Hope safe when disaster strikes. The quirky characters in this book are always giving a good laugh. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and see what’s next for Angie and her friends.
As with all of her books, a good cozy mystery
I loved this book. It was so fun to read about Idaho and the characters sound so likeable. Boise State is my alma mater and so it was interesting to have a character going to school there. The mystery was engaging and kept my attention. This book is easy to read and flows nicely. There is a bit of suspense and excitement as well. Thank You to Goodreads for the Giveaway.
Angie is happy to help out her partners boyfriend and cook at his local mission, giving back to the community is something her business strives to do. While preparing the food she is introduced to Daniel Monet, a visiting culinary professor and her dishwasher Hopes favorite teacher. When sitting down to eat her boyfriend Ian thinks he recognizes the professor but he knows him as Arnie not Daniel. The man acts like Ian is mistaken and Angie tells him to let it go. After everything is cleaned up and all are ready to head home Daniel asks if he can catch a ride with someone and Hope jumps forward saying she would be happy to give him a lift. The next morning the sheriff shows up at Angie’s door with the news that Daniel has been murdered and ask her for her take on the previous evening. It comes to light that Hope didn’t just drop the man off but went inside and had a drink with him. Angie is worried that the cops will think Hope murdered the man but she knows that the young woman is innocent. Angie decides that even though the sheriff has told her to stay out of it she must find the answers that will keep Hope from jail. Things become odd when Ian up and leaves the country without telling Angie where he is going and what he is doing. She is quite upset but knows that she can’t really deal with that situation until he returns. During one of her hikes she runs into a man who says he is a visiting professor, when he seems to pop up everywhere she goes Angie begins to wonder if he has a role to play in Daniels murder. Follow along as Angie juggles working her restaurant, looking for clues in Daniels murder, and keeping Hope safe from jail. This was the first book I’ve read in this series and will definitely be going back and reading the others. I enjoyed the characters, the plot line, and wonderful setting. I can’t wait to see what has happened in the previous book and look forward to what happens next in future books.
One Potato, Two Potato, Dead by Lynn Cahoon is a pleasant cozy mystery featuring Angie Turner, who is part owner and chef at a startup restaurant in a small town in Idaho. Open only Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, the County Seat (Angie and Felicia’s restaurant_ struggles to offer enough hours to its employees and so relies heavily on part-timers. Hope is one of those part-timers, going to college full time, hopefully to realize her goal of becoming a chef. One of the things the crew does is volunteers together and this night they are cooking at a homeless shelter that serves 250 an evening. Felicia’s boyfriend, Taylor, runs the shelter, so she set up the volunteer service. While they are eating, a professor of Hope’s, Daniel Monet shows up to help. Ian (Angie’s boyfriend) seems to recognize him, but not as Daniel. The evening goes well and Hope volunteers to drive Daniel home as he walked to the shelter. The next morning the local sheriff pays Angie a visit to relay the information that Daniel has been murdered and the police are talking to Hope. This sets off a flurry of odd coincidences for all the characters involved, eventually leading up to the arrest of the actual murderer.
Cahoon has a spectacular cast of characters for this mystery. It is the third book in the series so most of the character development that continues in this edition was begun earlier. It is an interesting plot with the murderer spotted fairly early on but with much explanation to come. It is a good mystery with just enough left turns to make it interesting. As in all cozies, there are animals. In this case, a St. Bernard puppy, a goat, and a chicken. There is also the requisite boyfriend, who in this case was raised in England but has settled in Idaho and runs the farmer’s market. I found this to be excellent light reading. The characters and plot were good. The setting is interesting, and the introduction of new characters went smoothly. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of One Potato, Two Potato, Dead in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #onepotatotwopotatodead #kensingtonbooks
Angie Turner and her friend, Felicia, are partners in the County Seat restaurant. The kitchen staff is family. The look out for each other. When Professor Daniel Monet is murdered, Hope, her employee, is a suspect because she had driven him home after they volunteered at the homeless mission. Angie is determined to help. Investigating on her own shouldn’t be a problem. Right? Except the Police don’t appreciate her assistance. Angie is a dynamo. She’s a creative chef, an animal lover and an involved friend. She tires me out. She wants to protect everyone. Dom, her St. Bernard, is a scene stealer. He’s very protective. I enjoy having animals in a story. They add humor and love. Ian McNeal is Angie’s boyfriend. He works hard for the good of the town. These two are a perfect match. They have so much in common. He cares for her and is happy to help with her animals. I fell for him then and there. Though his unexpected trip was a concern. The mystery is well written and suspenseful. The characters are easy to care about. I like a small town where the residents help solve the mystery. I found the dialogue believeable. It made me feel as if I was there in River Vista Idaho. I’m enjoying the Farm-To-Fork mystery series.
Another Cozy Cooking Murder in Idaho
This is the latest episode of the Farm to Fork Restaurant cozy mystery series. This series has some great cooking, rural living and murder: all told in a cozy manner. The plot is wonderfully done with great interpersonal relationships, college student drama, and pets needing attention. While this is the first of the series that I have read, this episode makes me want to read the others. The book stands alone well, but it makes the other stories sound neat. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
I love all her books can’t put down once start reading.
Fun read, love the premise
This is the 3rd book in the Farm-to-Fork mysteries, and the first book I’ve read by this author. There were a few references to characters and events from previous books that I was unfamiliar with but I was still able to read the book without feeling too lost. I thought the first few chapters were a little slow moving but it did pick up about half-way through. The bad guy was pretty obvious but not the reasoning behind everything. All in all, I found this book to be fairly interesting and entertaining.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias.