Caterer River Holloway cooks like a dream and is known on Shell Island as a “finder” of things. Which is why a desperate mother begs River to track down her grown son, Chili Bolz, who’s vanished.Deputy Lance Hamlyn can’t find the missing man, so he teams up with River. The missing person case boils over into something frightening when Chili’s mother falls victim to a brutal assault. Worse, her … Worse, her dying words incriminate River’s friends in both kidnapping and, now, murder. River soon finds herself caught in an unsavory recipe for disaster.
Despite catering events and the return of her absentee boyfriend, River finds the number of suspects growing longer than her food shopping list. Along the way she befriends a black cat who becomes her crime-solving partner. River must locate Chili and discover who killed his mother before her own goose is quite literally cooked.
Maggie Toussaint serves up a fun and captivating read in Seas the Day, the first in her Seafood Capers series.
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SEAS THE DAY by Maggie Toussaint | A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you’ll probably like them all.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
River Holloway has her own catering business and is building up a nice list of clients but her friend and fish source Chili Bolz has gone missing. His mother contacts River and pleads with her to find her son. She had recently lost one son and can’t handle losing another.
River is surprised when Deputy Lance Hamlyn suggests they team up to find Chili. She is even more surprised when he continues to hit on her knowing she had a boyfriend.
When Chili’s mother is attacked and killed River is heartbroken and scared she is in over her head but she can’t give up and the list of suspects grows and she notices some strange happenings. Can she find Chili? his mother’s killer? or will she be the next victim?
Set on Shell Island we meet a group of eclectic characters. River Holloway is a great protagonist. She is a dedicated friend with a huge heart. She takes her commitments seriously and she is one heck of a chef. Her relationship with her boyfriend Pete has been a little rocky but moves in the right direction within these pages. Chili’s mother, Estelle Bolz was River’s mom’s best friend and she grew up close to Chili and his brother Kale. (These names just made me laugh.) Kale was lost at sea and presumed dead six months ago. Estelle’s brutal attack just broke my heart. She was a strong woman who always did what she thought was best for her family. We meet several other residents of Shell Island and all are very well crafted and many fell on River’s and my suspect list. River also adopts a black cat who is a very interesting character in his own right.
The story is full of twists and turns and very well-plotted. River finds herself smack dab in the middle of situations she never could have imagined. Ms. Touissaint was written a complex mystery with a myriad of moving parts. The drama peaks and flows as necessary for the story supported by strong subplots.
The author realistically captures life on a small island and people working to make ends meet while also introducing people who have the means to use River’s catering services. I felt the dialogue was true to life and enjoyed the imagery created by the author’s words.
My only sticking point was a couple of important things happened before this story started. River’s mother had recently passed away, and River and Pete’s romance seems to have a lot of history we are in the dark about. I hope we learn more in future stories so readers can feel more attached to these main characters.
Bonus – A crab cake recipe and more and the end of the book!
This series is off to a strong start with Seas The Day! River and Pete have caught my attention and I want to know more. I am excited about future books and the capers they will find themselves mixed up in.
Wonderful start to a new series.
River is one tough, smart, and dedicated woman. She believes in supporting friends and family no matter what and has a kind heart as we learn during a discussion with Pete about what she would do if she had a million dollars. It is obvious how much she values friendships when she starts looking for Chili, a pseudo big brother at the behest of his mother, Estelle. What River doesn’t realize is that she will be put into some precarious positions in her search.
There is an interesting mix of characters, some are from River’s past since this is a small island, and some are new to the island. While the “bad guy” character becomes obvious due to the character’s words and actions, the culprit could have been anyone and I had a few characters in mind to pin the deed upon. Not all characters are as they seem and there are a few surprises when it comes to her family friends – Estelle, Chili, and Kale. (I did chuckle at their names, how did they get named after foods?!)
River and Pete have an interesting relationship and I feel like there is so much we don’t know and at times I wondered if this might be a spinoff book where these characters were introduced somewhere else. Hopefully, future books will share more of their history so we can better understand them.
There are some recipes at the end of the book that sounds delicious and this comes from someone that doesn’t eat seafood! But I bet I could make some substitutions and have a delicious meal.
We give this 4 paws up.
No spoilers in this review, but all in all, a lovely Southern Cozy Mystery set on an island off the Georgia Coast. River Holloway is our sleuth who is a caterer who has a knack for finding things including trouble. Her quest at the moment is finding a missing fisherman. Twists and turns will keep you engaged with plenty of ‘red herrings’ (yes, pun intended!) thrown in to keep you guessing and turning the pages until the satisfying end. Fun, well-developed, likable and relatable characters, some humorous situations/moments (think of the names of the characters as you read this LOL), and an address bonus of a few recipes direct from the caterer herself! So, dive into this wonderful first in series and find yourself engrossed, engaged, and more than anything else entertained by this fast-moving, well written cozy. I received an ARC of this book and this is my unbiased, unsolicited review. Want something a bit different? This is the book for you!
I right into the book, “Seas the Day” from the beginning. It was a not only a cute cozy mystery, but had such amusing characters I truly enjoyed. The author, Maggie Toussaint the scene in a beautiful coastal town. I imagined myself through the streets and the farmers market in this small little town wanting to buy my own fresh fish for dinner.
River Holloway is growing her catering business by word-of-mouth because she up some delicious mouth-watering food. She misses her boyfriend who has taken a job in another state, and wonders if things will work out between them. But then, a mystery of someone missing, a murder and the annoying police detective, Lance is making River , agitated and worried.
“Seas the Day” is the first book of the authors Seafood Capers Mystery series. I look forward to what the author up next! Maggie is a wonderful writer and really makes you more of her stories. I might add, that you can try your hand at some signature recipes that have been listed in the back of the book. For a fun, enjoyable read, this book into your lap and enjoy!!
~This book was given to me in a giveaway by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.~
A new series that is off to a good start, Seas the Day stars River Holloway. She was a character in a previous short story called Trouble with Horses and according to the author, River was demanding her own series. Here it is and it’s a winner. River has a talent for finding things but can that talent be translated to finding a person? When she receives a call from her late mother’s friend, Estelle, asking for her help finding her missing son, Chili, she’s not about to say no. Besides, Chili’s brother, Kale, was lost at sea a mere six months prior and that adds to the pain Estelle is dealing with. Chili would never go missing, leaving without a trace. The police figure he’s an adult so three days gone isn’t grounds for panic. try telling that to a distraught mother. River is close to Chili, like a brother and sister would be and besides, he was going to deliver a fresh order for her catering business. No way would he leave her in the lurch. Time for River to test her skill for finding things – beyond a set of keys or a lost cat. Will she be able to find a person?
Set on a small island off the coast of Georgia, Shell Island harbors some secrets and some danger just below its charming surface. River is closely tied to the life and people of the island and is enjoying the new path she has chosen, running her catering business. She is trying to adjust to her boyfriend being on the opposite coast on business, too. Investigating a missing person soon becomes a very dangerous undertaking.
Seas the Day was a very satisfying mystery and I hope there will be many more books in the series. The puzzle was complex with enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep me guessing to the very end.
Seas the Day earns 5/5 Fish & Black Cats…Engaging Entertainment!
Maggie Toussaint has penned an engaging cozy using a first-person narrative from the perspective of the delightful River Holloway. “Hello?” Estelle Bolz makes a frantic plea to River Holloway to help her find her last surviving son, Chili. Since losing her youngest in an accident at sea six months ago, her raw emotions are understandable. Chili is a local charter fisherman who also supplies River with the freshest catch of the day for her catering gigs, and it’s unlike Chili to not be in daily contact with his mother or meet his business obligations. With his truck safe and his boat securely docked, the police do not seem to show adequate concern for Estelle desperate plea. River starts asking questions about Chili’s whereabouts, but only garners the attention of local deputy Deputy Lance Hamlyn. He recognizes her skill getting people to talk is much more successful than his and collaboration seems the best way to get answers that can be used in an official capacity. However, a brutal assault, cryptic deathbed message, and curious medical records turn this missing person investigation into a case of murder!
This first-in-a-series story is a compelling page turner full of shocking twists and surprises, personal peril, and justice being served well. The drama is well-rounded with side stories about the River’s catering business, budding or reconnecting relationships, and the island community. At first I felt there was something missing, like a prequel, with all the references to River’s love relationship, brother’s record, her mother’s death, connections to neighbors, and the truth behind the label “finder of things.” It did sort itself out leaving me satisfied and eager for more. Maggie’s writing style was entertaining with descriptions and realistic dialogue to illustrate tone and emotion and provide a clear visual of the setting and personalities. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more Seafood Caper Mysteries.
Yum! Enjoy these three recipes straight from Holloway Catering: River’s Delicious Sea Bass (I found substituting sea bass with Tilapia makes for a great alternative), River Cakes aka Crab Cakes, and with a nice cup of coffee, end the meal with Luscious Lemon Meringue Pie (I’m not a “from scratch” kinda cook, so a pre-made crust worked well).
i absolutely loved this story! Wonderful mystery filled with complex and interesting characters and a good storyline with lots of twists and turns. I could not put this book down! Wonderful Wonderful!
River Holloway grew up on Shell Island with Kale
and Chili Bolz. They were like brothers to River.
Kale died leaving Chili to take care of their mother,
Estelle. Chili was a seafood supplier for River’s
catering business. So imagine her surprise when
he did not show up with the fish, River need for
an event that evening. Then Estelle frantically
approaches River……Chili is missing. Estelle wants
River to find him as she is known for being a
finder of things.
Deputy Lance Hamlin is assigned to Chili’s missing
person case. He latches onto River. But is his
interest professional or personal??
Things heat up when Estelle is beaten up. She
subsequently dies!!
River swings into full investigation mode between
her catering events.
Lies, secrets, drama, danger, Bolz house is literally
torn apart…..there is much more going on than
meets the eye.
A fast paced, well plotted murder mystery and
missing person case.
Delicious description of the foods as River preps
her meals.
This is book # 1 in the Seafood Caper Mysteries
series. A series off to an good start.
I volunteered to read Seas the Day. Thanks to
Edelweiss, Henery Press plus the author for the
opportunity.
My opinion is voluntary and my own.
River Holloway’s friend asks for help finding her son. Thus begins this spellbinding mystery, which grabs you immediately and doesn’t let go. The writing is very skillful, with a nice twisty plot and believable, well-developed characters. Highly recommended! I’m eagerly awaiting the next book. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.