When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste… quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.
Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?
* Includes delicious recipes! *
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Sugar Calloway and Dixie Spicer, owners of Super and Spice Cookbooks, are spending a weekend with the Arbor family gathering material for a cookbook to preserve family favorite recipes, some of which have been turned into the frozen meals the family is famous for. However, the weekend gets off to a rocky start when Theo, the only grandchild, arrives with his fiancée, Collette. This is the first time Collette has met the family, and things don’t get well. Then Sugar finds Collette’s body the next morning on her walk. There is a possibility it was a hunting accident, but could it be murder?
I really have grown to love the characters in this series, so I was happy to be visiting them again here. Don’t worry, we do get to see all the regulars as the story unfolds. It was a bit overwhelming meeting the Arbor family all at once, but it wasn’t long before I had these suspects straight in my mind. Unfortunately, the plot could have been better. One aspect wasn’t fully developed, and the pacing was uneven. However, Sugar does uncover some interesting information, and I was engaged the entire time I was reading. In fact, I was sorry to reach the last page of this quick read. I enjoy the setting, Iowa, since it is one we don’t get to see very often, at least in the books I read. Naturally, we get three delicious sounding recipes at the end to enjoy once we are done with the book. If you are looking for a fast, fun read, this is the book to pick up.
*I received a free copy of this book which i voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
What a fun culinary themed cozy! We catch up with Sugar and Dixie as the start the process of making a family cookbook for the Asher family. All of them stay at the family B&B to celebrate the matriarch’s birthday making this a good time to catch them all. The weekend starts well but gets tense on the first night when a beloved grandson brings his new fiance to meet them. She makes a horrid first impression I must say and then the poor woman is found dead by Sugar the very next morning. Sugar can’t help but get involved in the investigation though it takes a few unexpected turns before coming to a surprising conclusion. Makes for a great mystery full of characters with depth including the fur babies that liven things up a bit. The food throughout leaves you hungry ready to try the tasty recipes included. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Quiche of Death by Mary Lee Ashford is the third in the Sugar and Spice Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone. I started the series with book two and was able to get current quickly.
This is an easy to read Cozy with great characters, humor, a hint of romance, and plenty of suspects that have you guessing to the end.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
A fun and enjoyable third book in the Sugar & Spice Mystery series. It stands well on its own…although you might want to read the other books in the series for maximum enjoyment.
The mystery was interesting and I love the characters.
I recommend this book and the whole series.
Thank you to the publisher, Lyrical Press, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sugar and Spice Publishing usually compiles fundraiser cookbooks but when the well to do Arbor family, who made their money with their quiche recipe, ask them to create a family cookbook they just can’t refuse. The family is all getting together for the weekend and has invited Sugar and Dixie to join them to meet the family, go over recipes and get some background stories to use alongside the recipes in the cookbook.
Instead, they see the family is pretty high maintenance and that was before the grandson arrives with his new fiancée. A fiancée who is killed her first night with the family. Accident or murder?? Amateur sleuths Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer can’t help themselves; they start doing their own investigation which could end up being a recipe for disaster.
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Again, we are introduced to a large cast of characters, the Arbor family. The author does a great job of giving the reader time to learn the family dynamics before we got too deep into the mystery while leaving much to be revealed over the course of the story.
The core characters continue to grow. Sugar is obsessed with getting in her steps every day and enjoying her new relationship with photographer Max. Dixie is still baking up a storm and a certain sheriff stops by often to do a little tasting.
The mystery is well done with Sugar taking the lead trying to get information out of the family. Everyone seems to have a secret but she is a smart woman and even when things get dicey she doesn’t give up. I was totally caught up in the story and pegged almost every family member to be the guilty party at one time or another. After more than a few twists and a fair share of humor, I was pleased with the way things wrapped up.
As someone who has taken part in making fundraising cookbooks in the past, this theme always brings back memories, some good, some frustrating. I would have loved working Sugar and Dixie to keep our committees on track and make key decisions. I have always wanted to make a family cookbook too, so I found the Arbor family ideas pretty appealing, sans all the drama and dead body.
Of course, the food descriptions had my mouth drooling. The Arbor family did have quite a few delectable recipes and some are included in the back of the book.
Quiche of Death is an entertaining addition to this series. I am looking forward to their next cookbook adventure.
Quiche of Death by Mary Lee Ashford is a fascinating mystery that revolves around a wealthy family, their past secrets, and keeping those secrets buried.
Will Sugar and Dixie figure out what is going on with the Arbor family before the mess follows them home?
Sugar and Spice
Sugar and Dixie are working on a cookbook for the Arbor family. They are visiting the farm over the weekend to gather the recipes and to get bits of history to include in the book. However, Sugar finds the body of Colette out on the archery range. Sugar needs to quit finding bodies, or people are going to start talking.
I love the dynamics of Sugar and Dixie; not only are they partners and friends, but you could say that they are also like family. Sugar has the business head, and Dixie supplies the fabulous food created by the recipes for the cookbook pictures. Dixie also feeds the neighborhood with her trial runs.
The Arbor Family
This family consists of the matriarch, two sons and a daughter, their spouses, and a grandson. They are all spending time at the family farm that John and his wife Gwen have restored. The farm is currently a lovely bed and breakfast. The setting is gorgeous, with lots of nature and quiet time—the perfect place to recharge.
However, the Arbor family are all very different and don’t truly mesh well as one unit. They bicker with each other and fight over petty things. You know as a family does. I enjoyed getting to know each of them, and yet I found my favorites to be the spouses, Gwen and Lucinda. The other members didn’t really stand out.
The Mystery
The mystery that Sugar can’t stop thinking about is the death of Colette and whether it was an accident or murder. Then there are the attacks on the other family members and the break-in at the inn. Sugar doesn’t do much investigating, but she is still there when the culprit is caught.
Four Stars
The dynamics of the characters and the mystery are entertaining. I also like learning about the process of putting a cookbook together. Therefore, my rating is four stars. I recommend this mystery and the series.
These are the included recipes:
• The Arbor Family’s Famous Quiche Lorraine
• Hilda’s No-Fail Banana Bread
• Greer Gooder’s Chicken Salad
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Quiche of Death by Mary Lee Ashford.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
awesome!!
An interesting setting and context – a family home with the matriarch closest to the grandson, for the primary purpose of creating a cookbook based on the family business. Sugar and Dixie have their work cut out for them as they sort recipes and try for the personal touch. When Collette is found dead, they suggest putting off the project, if only out of respect. The family disagrees and the project moves forward, Sugar taking possession of Collette’s dog.
The key mystery here is the why of Collette’s death. Noone other than Theo even knew her until they arrived and announced their engagement. The pace of the story is steady and the murderer nor the motive is truly obvious until the end. That’s a good thing. There are some humorous moments and some tense moments. This is the third in a series, but can be read easily as a stand-alone. And there are some yummy recipes! If you like culinary mysteries with the added bonus of creating a homey cookbook, you’ll enjoy Ashford’s contribution to the genre.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
Book 3 in the Sugar & Spice Mystery series sure was a tasty read to me!
Author Mary Lee Ashford sure gets series leads, Sugar and Spice, smack dab in middle of some sticky messes, and she has done so once again. But it sure is a lot of fun trying to help them figure it all out! Please note I said “trying”.
Ms. Ashford was so many steps ahead of me in QUICHE OF DEATH that I didn’t think I’d ever figure it out. And, I didn’t. This author is brilliant at leading you into one direction while she’s finding two or three more other wrong turns to send you down. Seriously, bring your GPS!
Having read the first two books in the Sugar & Spice Mysteries, I had no doubt I was going to enjoy, QUICHE OF DEATH. And enjoy I did! I was so lost in this story, that thank goodness I was reading it on my Kindle, because I didn’t even notice day turning to night around me.
So well written and wonderfully plotted, you’re going to love your time spent reading, QUICHE OF DEATH.
The delicious new addition to the “A Sugar & Spice Mystery” series by Mary Lee Ashford, Quiche Of Death, published by Lyrical Press is out now. Fan’s of this tasteful culinary series will rejoice as the heroines stir up trouble and find a killer whose half baked.
Sugar and Dixie have put everything on the line and taken on a project that has them spending a few days at a beautiful old mansion. They had no idea a killer would be hanging around at the same time. With this new volume in the highly acclaimed culinary series, Mary Lee Ashford has once again shown her boundless talent and creativity to keep this series going strong.
This book has all the elements needed to delight readers, and fill their heads with mouthwatering culinary dishes they can’t wait to try. It’s almost impossible to read this story and not want to raid the pantry to cook up something wonderful. The murder is a bit on the light side, but the investigation will keep readers guessing. There are numerous suspects, a bounty of evidence, and plenty of twists and turns. The problem I had with the book was the killer. I just did not find the person believable and felt the unveiling was rushed for no apparent reason.
Quiche Of Death is easy to read, keeps you interested, and allows you to think for yourself. The food, with the included recipes, is tantalizing. I love culinary cozies as I always want to cook the dishes; I dislike them for the same reason. These types of cozy mysteries add inches to my waist. I am happy to recommend this new addition, and hope readers enjoy it as much as the others in this series.
This is the third book in this cozy series and works well as a stand alone. Sugar Calloway and her best friend and business partner, Dixie spicer publish cook books for school fundraisers, various organizations and for families who want to showcase favorite family recipes. In this entry, Sugar and Dixie have taken on the project for the Abbott family. The family business grew from the family recipe for quiche and now spans an entire line of frozen foods. They leave town to meet the family at a very nice nearby B&B where the entire family will be staying for a week. Sounded harmless until dinner the first night. It was quite a show when the grandson, Theo introduces his finance and it goes haywire. The next morning Sugar, wanting to get started on reaching her daily 10,000 steps, goes for a walk and comes across Colette’s miniature poodle, Frenchie, with his trailing leash and poor Colette lying dead with an arrow in her chest. Tragic hunting mishap? or murder.
It took me awhile to sort out the three generations of the Abbott group and the beginning was a bit slow but no worries, it resolved itself and the second half was a faster pace with a great ending. It was a quick read and I would have liked to have spent more time with Sugar, Dixie and the rest of the regular characters.