When a romantic rival opens a competing restaurant in small-town Wheaton, Alabama, Sarah Blair discovers murder is the specialty of the house . . . For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant. Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently. But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up … Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, an attention-stealing new establishment—run by none other than Sarah’s late ex-husband’s mistress, Jane—is having its grand opening across the street.
Jane’s new sous chef, Riley Miller, is the talk of Wheaton with her delicious vegan specialties. When Riley is found dead outside the restaurant with Sarah’s friend, Jacob, kneeling over her, the former line cook—whose infatuation with Riley was no secret—becomes the prime suspect. Now Sarah must turn up the heat on the real culprit, who has no reservations about committing cold-blooded murder . . .
Includes quick and easy recipes!
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Sarah Blair has moved back to Wheaton, Alabama.
Her twin sister, Chef Emily and Marcus are
running the Southwind’s Pub. They are waiting
inspection for their white tablecloth Southwind
restaurant to open.
Meanwhile, Sarah’s nemesis, Jane has opened a
restaurant right across the street from where
Southwind is to open. Jane is “the bimbo” that
stole Jane’s ex-husband. Jane has hired a cook
named Riley Miller that specializes in vegan
cuisine. The vegan menu has their restaurant packed.
The night before the grand opening of Jane’s
Place, the vegan chef is found murdered!!!
When Sarah’s friend gets accused, she has to
prove his innocence. Especially when Anne, the
sister of the accused and up-coming politician,
requests Sarah to investigate.
As Sarah moves forward the plot thickens at
every turn. A slew of well defined, well written
characters keep Sarah rethinking the culprit.
But Sarah is determined to weed through all she
has discovered to find out who murdered the
vegan chef.
Besides well created humans, Sarah’s fur babies:
Siamese cat Rah, Rah and her dog Fluffy add to
the flavor of the story.
I could not put the book down from the first word
until the complex puzzle was solved. I enjoyed the
different angles thrown into the mix as it kept me
guessing up until the culprit was caught.
Although this is book # 3 in the Sarah Blair
Mystery series, the author provides enough
backstory that the past and present are presented
effortlessly.
I volunteered to read Three Treats Too Many.
My opinion is voluntary and my own.
Delicious recipe are included at the story’s end.
A Definite Book To Read!!
“Three Treats Too Many” is the third book in the Sarah Blair series by Debra H. Goldstein, and is a fabulous addition to the series! Goldstein has scored a home run with main character Sarah, who is practical, straight-forward, and genuinely kind. I’ve enjoyed watching Sarah’s growth through the first two books, and was pleased to see it continue in this one. I also appreciate that Sarah herself knows and admits she still has some self-improvement to do, and spends some time thinking about it. I can’t wait to see what comes next for her. Minor characters (including snippy rival Jane, up-and-coming politician Anne, Rah-Rah the Siamese cat, and Fluffy the puppy) are also well-drawn, with distinctive personalities. I’m particularly excited to see what Anne will tackle in upcoming books!
In this installment, Sarah gets involved when a young woman is murdered near her home/business, and one of her friends is the main suspect.
Once again, Ms. Goldstein manages to avoid the typical cozy mystery romance tropes. Three books into the series, and our heroine is still single, and just embarking on a new romantic relationship that definitely takes a back seat to the rest of the story. That is refreshing! Yes, cozy fans, a mystery can be fabulous and filled with important relationships without focusing on romance (or a love triangle).
I honestly didn’t know who to suspect until very near the end, when some new clues come to light. Everything made sense at that point, but I honestly had never thought of the killer as a suspect.
Everything about this book was great…the characters, the pets, the mystery, the descriptions and world-building….give this series a try! You won’t be disappointed!
Five out of five perfect chunks of ultra-sharp cheddar!
A delightfully intriguing book! Sarah, her sister Emily, and Emily’s boyfriend Marcus are all attending the grand opening of Jane’s Place, owned and operated by Sarah’s nemesis, Jane. Jane has hired young chef, Riley, who is serving up tasty Vegan dishes. Sarah’s friend, Jacob, is also in attendance. Jacob and Riley had dated before she moved on to other guys and Jacob still seems to be wanting to be with Riley. At the end of the evening, Riley is found dead in the parking lot and Jacob seems to be the prime suspect. Sarah is positive her friend is not a murderer and does what she can to help investigate, despite her boss, Harlan’s, admonishments not to get involved. When a second person, the city building inspector, dies in what appears to be an accident, Sarah starts to wonder if the two deaths are connected. Charming characters, cute pets, and delicious food/restaurants are the highlight of this series. This series is delightful and I found this book to be intriguing as I tried to figure out the killer. I look forward to more books with Sarah and her two pets, RahRah and Fluffy!
I really enjoyed Three Treats Too Many. A big part of that is protagonist Sarah Blair, who can’t cook. At all. It’s so much fun to see a main character who can’t cook up a 5-star feast in 20 minutes with three ingredients she found in the pantry. This installment in the series featured the opening of Emily’s new restaurant and (of course) a murder….this time of the popular vegan chef of Emily’s major competitor’s restaurant.
I also enjoy Sarah’s methodical approach to solving the crime. She makes lists and thinks things through, which is refreshing. It was also nice to meet some new characters who live in Wheaton (Alabama), including the members of the motorcycle club and the veterinarian contingent. There’s still plenty of page time for old favorites like Emily, love-to-hate-her Jane, Jacob, and Harlan. There was some nice character development for Sarah as well.
The mystery itself was interesting because of the sheer number of suspects. Sarah (and the reader) have a low to narrow down! Subtle clues were provided, but plenty of red herrings were there as well to keep the reader guessing. Once everything was revealed, it all made sense while still being something of a surprise to me.
I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in this fun series!
I enjoyed this incredible cozy mystery with a great cast of characters you want to know and a smartly written story that kept me glued to the book from beginning to end with a page-turning mystery, twists and turns. I really like Sarah Blair and enjoy her dynamic with everyone in the small town of Wheaton, Alabama. This is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.
With her sister’s eatery stalled because of a tardy inspection, Sarah Blair visits a rival restaurant’s soft opening. The vegan dishes chef Riley Miller made are big hits with the Wheaton, AL, out-to-dinner crowd. Then Riley’s found dead in the parking lot and Sarah’s sister’s chef, Jacob Hightower, is accused of the crime.
Sarah’s boss agrees to be Jacob’s lawyer, and, on the down-low, Sarah agrees to figure out whodunnit for real.
Book 3 in Goldstein’s Sarah Blair series is a rollicking good read, with an unsinkable sleuth and remarkable characters.
A story about two rival restaurants, a likable amateur sleuth with both a dog and a cat, a motorcycle club, small town politics, two murders and lots of suspects. Combine these ingredients with a few recipes and you’ve got a fun-to-read cozy mystery.
The book kept me turning the pages as the clues and suspects (and bodies) accumulated. I found this to be skillfully written with no details overlooked. The plot was well thought out and the characters had varied personalities that helped to keep everything clarified. My only complaint was believing that such a large number of motorcycle club members lived in the small town. But this was offset by all the delicious sounding dishes and food references throughout the book. This is the third in the Sarah Blair Mystery series, but my first, and it can be read as a stand-alone because the reader gets all the background on past events and characters as needed.
Thanks to the Cozy Mystery Review Crew and author Debra H. Goldstein for a copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I just say this one starts with a bang. Sarah and her sister are waiting for the final inspection which would allow them to finally open their upscale restaurant in the big house. The inspector is dragging things out though which lets her rival Jane open her own fancy place across the street with a very talented sous chef. After several successful soft openings the big day has arrived with a buffet full of the new menu options for free. Tensions are high as pretty much everyone comes to try it. Then the new sous chef is found murdered out back leaving a whole slew of suspects. Sarah’s friend is the main suspect though she doesn’t believe he did it so she starts poking into things. This leads us on a merry adventure as she tries to figure things out. Add in the adorable pets and you get a cozy mystery you will not want to put down. A great read for fans of the genre. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Having read the first two books in the Sarah Blair Mysteries, I was excited to read Three Treats too Many by Debra H. Goldstein, and it’s another good cozy mystery fitting of the genre!
We are introduced to a lot more characters in this book, especially those of the local motorcycle group that Sarah had no idea existed and three veterinarians who are also Vets that have their practice right next door to Jane’s (Sarah’s arch nemesis) new restaurant. Jane is not a likeable character, but she gets a bit of comeuppance later on in the book when Sarah finds there’s something rotten in regards to Jane’s vegan dishes. We also get to interact more with Jacob and his sister, Anne, who shows a bit of her softer side.
One of the things that draws me to cozy mysteries is the characters; how well they are developed and if I want to come back book after book to see what is new with their lives, and Goldstein does an excellent job in regards to this. Even Sarah’s pets, RahRah and Fluffy have unique personalities and they add a warm and fuzzy layer to the books.
Riley isn’t as sweet as she seemed, which slowly gets discovered, that combined with all the red herrings and lots of suspects makes for a great whodunnit. The end does come pretty fast and there seems to be a lot of this type of killer lately in cozies, but it doesn’t take away from a great book.
The Sarah Blair Mysteries is a series I highly recommend, and although you don’t have to, you may want to start with book one, One Taste too Many, so you can enjoy how the characters grow and get even more of RahRah and Fluffy.
I didn’t understand why that was the title, but the book was just as it was represented. Easy reading, kept my interest.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Things are tense in Wheaton, Alabama with two new restaurants opening. What’s funny is that Sarah Blair, whose cooking skills are pretty minimal is co-owner of one of the new places with her twin sister, Chef Emily. They are just waiting for the town building inspector to do the final inspection so they can have their grand opening.
The other new restaurant, Jane’s Place, is owned by Sarah’s late husband’s mistress who has hired vegan chef Riley Miller. Jane is hoping serving vegan dishes will set her restaurant apart from the others. Sarah and most of the town have turned out from the grand opening and if the food served is any indication Jane Place will be a worthy competitor for Sarah’s Southwinds Restaurant.
The night seems to be a rousing success until Chef Riley is found dead in the parking lot with her former boyfriend Jacob kneeling by her body. Jane wants the man arrested immediately. While he may be the prime suspect Sarah cannot believe he could have killed the young chef. Sarah’s boss agrees to defend Jacob but much to his dismay Sarah starts digging around to find more worthy suspects too. She may soon regret her actions as the killer has no reservations about killing again.
The author has penned a diverse group of characters from chefs to motorcycle riding vets to building contractors to two lovable fur-babies. Sarah is an excellent protagonist because she always seems to land right in the middle of whatever is happening in the small town of Wheaton. Being a small town most of the characters are connected in multiple ways which makes the story very interesting. The characters are all cleverly written and unique so it is easy to keep everyone straight. I do love the Blair family dynamics. Maybelle has become a real hoot! RahRah and Fluffy always make me smile and their closeness reminds me of some of the pets I have had over the years.
Because of all interpersonal connections, the mystery is a treat to solve as many of the characters become suspects in their own right. A second death turns up the heat as does a smelly discovery. Thankfully Sarah has the gift of gab or the ending could have taken a dire turn. The author serves up some really nice twists to keep people guessing. I was thrilled that I solved the whodunit before all was revealed but the ending was exciting and very entertaining.
Three Treats Too Many is a delightful addition to this series. Fun characters and a great mystery, this book doesn’t disappoint. I have enjoyed all three books in this series and recommend reading them in order to enjoy the character growth and fun mysteries. Four Cuts Too Many is impatiently waiting on my Kindle. I will be reading and reviewing soon.
I loved all of these books. What first drew me to them was the covers. They are absolutely adorable! I received the third book so I went ahead and went back and started at the first and second. They are all delightfully written and from a very unique perspective.
The mysteries are done very well. I haven’t been able to figure out any of them until the very end. It’s done in such a way that all loose ends are tied up with the answers to the mystery. I like that. There’s no left over questions or things you’re wondering about until the next book.
Fantastic books, every single one of them. I cannot wait to be able to read the fourth book. Sarah is very easy to identify with and she makes no bones about her short comings. She’s not stuck up or super prissy. She’s very down to earth and easy to follow through out the entire story.
The one person I really cannot stand is Jane. I keep waiting for someone to murder her next in one of these books. I know, I know, that is shocking to hear someone say but honestly, all of the dealings with her in these books just make me grit my teeth. If I were in the book I would gladly bean her over the head with something. Ugh, she just gets my blood to boiling.
Anyway, fantastic books. I highly highly recommend. I love the critters in all of the books. So happy about the involvement of the military and vets in this one. And I love that Sarah is so into rescuing and helping out animals at a shelter. Love it, love it.
Three Treats Too Many is the third book in the Sarah Blair mystery series. In this installment, Sarah has partnered with her sister Emily and Emily’s significant other Marcus to open a new restaurant in Wheaton, Alabama. Things don’t get off to a good start when the final inspection delays her opening. Then her husband-stealing nemesis, Jane, opens a competing restaurant across the street. While they struggle with red tape in completing inspections, Jane and her new chef, Riley, are earning rave reviews for Riley’s vegan offerings.
When Riley turns up dead on the night of an event at Jane’s Place, the police are convinced that Sarah and Emily’s friend, Jacob, killed her in a fit of jealousy. Pulled into investigating by Jacob’s sister, a local politico, Sarah enlists the help of her lawyer boss and friend, Harlan, as well as others in her circle to find out the truth. Jacob’s troubles only deepen when the building inspector and fellow biker dies doing a motorcycle stunt and Jacob is suspected of tampering with his bike.
This well-written and entertaining mystery features a great cast of characters, which includes Sarah’s cat RahRah and new puppy Fluffy. Being an animal lover, I adore that Sarah’s devotion to her pets is a theme that is woven throughout the book, and actually plays a part, indirectly, in the mystery.
Wheaton is one of those charming, fictitious towns that you wish were real (murder notwithstanding!) because of how well the author has conceived of and describes the location and the residents. The mystery is well-plotted. I had not started to suspect who the killer might be until I was nearly at the end of the book. The motive for Riley’s murder turned out to be a big surprise. I look forward to reading about the further adventures of Sarah, RahRah, and the rest of the gang!
While waiting for a final inspection si their restaurant can open, Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, must watch a competing place across the street stay busy. The real rub is that the place is run by Sarah’s late ex-husband’s mistress, Jane. When Jane’s sous chef is killed on their grand opening night, Sarah’s friend, Javob, becomes the top suspect. Sarah is drawn into the investigation in order to prove her friend’s innocence.
Third in the series, this book was a great read although I enjoyed the first two books more. I felt the book got a slow start and there were a few errors throughout. I did enjoy the story once it started really moving and loved the ending. I am looking forward to the next book and do recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
Loved this book. You have veterans, animals, great food, relationships, and mystery. What more would you want? The characters and the story line are wonderful. The flow between the characters is great. I would love to go visit Sarah, Fluffy, RahRah and friends again soon. I won this book in a contest from Kim Davis at Cinnamon & Sugar, but my opinion is my own.
As Emily & Marcus continue pushing for Southwind Restaurant to be open, awaiting only a final inspection, competitor (and nemesis)Jane has successfully opened hers…right across the street. Not only does she have an amazing cook, Riley Miller, she is also serving up amazing vegan dishes that are quickly becoming the town’s favorite. So when Riley is found dead outside of Jane’s Place it becomes the talk of the town.
Jacob, who is known to be smitten with Riley, is the one who finds her and of course becomes the number one suspect. As anyone in Wheaton will tell you, there is no way he killed Riley. So then who did and why? I guess that means Sarah must put on her thinking cap and figure it out before her friend gets sent down river.
Another fun, witty and charming cozy mystery. I love the way, from beginning to end, the story plays out. Great writing, characters and backdrop. Not to mention the adorable sidekicks RahRah & Fluffy who are a cat and dog that actually get along?! All love for that and this series.
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
Sarah Blair is an intelligent woman with a penchant for being inquisitive bordering on nosy, but that helps her figure out puzzling things like sabotage at the restaurant her sister is trying to get opened, navigating town politics and of course solving murders. This book really shows that inquisitive side off as she must untangle a web of potential suspects to find the truth hidden at the core before an innocent man is sent to jail. Well plotted with nicely placed hints at who the real culprit could be, but with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. I absolutely am falling in love with this series and can’t wait to see what Sarah and her gang get drawn into in future books!
This newest Sarah Blair mystery is a fun and at times frightening read. Third in its series, I enjoy seeing the changes in the town of Wheaton, Alabama and the people. The characters are fully developed and engaging, and include a variety of ages, careers, and hobbies. While this is set in the south, just outside Birmingham, I don’t recall local colloquialisms or speech mannerisms being used. The mystery is fabulous, one I really had to think about throughout. We also get to see some of the dreams of the characters blossom after many difficult months.
Jacob is good friend of Sarah. He is a line chef for her twin sister Emily, and Emily’s boyfriend Marcus’s Southwind Pub, even knew them in San Francisco and was instrumental in bringing Marcus to town. Jacob had been dating Riley, a new chef who was hired by the nearby competition, Jane’s Place, which is celebrating its grand opening. Riley has specialty vegan dishes that will really give Southwind, the high-end restaurant that Emily and Marcus will open as soon as they pass the final inspection. Riley, however, now has eyes only for Louis, the building inspector whose final sign-off they await.
The night of Riley’s presentation at the grand opening, she gives a wonderful presentation of her dishes. Her feelings for Louis are obvious, especially when he leaves in a huff and she runs behind. Jacob left soon after. Only moments later, Jane is outside screaming, Jacob is kneeling over Riley, and Riley is dead. The police have no suspects other than Jacob, based on his past behaviors when Riley tossed him aside for different guys, and his martial arts training. The manner of her death was one used by law enforcement, those trained in martial arts, or in the military. Sarah is asked to help find the real killer, as she had helped with a couple recent murders, and people are confident in her ability to sort clues.
One of the things I enjoy about this series is how close RahRah, the cat she got from her late mother-in-law, and Sarah are, and his cat-sonality. His behaviors are so realistic! I also enjoy seeing how Fluffy, a recent canine addition, and RahRah get along. A protagonist in a cozy mystery whose cooking skills are about the same as mine is a relief, especially since she is surrounded by people who adept at culinary endeavors. Sarah’s behaviors are a bit impetuous when she is on the trail of a killer, often getting just a little too close to whodunit! I was stunned at whodunit, as the person was not somebody I considered at all! The end was satisfying, with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written cozy mysteries, cats, and loyal friends.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Sarah Blair has a big problem, bigger even then the major delay in opening her restaurant that she co-owns with her twin sister, Emily and Emily’s boyfriend, all due to a slow moving inspector. This bigger problem has two legs, flaming red hair and is her “late ex-husband’s bimbo” AKA Jane. Jane has just opened her restaurant, Jane’s Place right across the street from the hopefully soon to open Sarah’s business, Southwind. What could be worse? A whole lot, it soon turns out. Jane’s vegan sous chef is bumped off and Sarah’s friend Jacob lands in the hot sear as prime suspect as far as the police are concerned. Not if Sarah has anything to say about it and the investigation begins. Turns out Riley, the victim, had some secrets that added up to being a motive for murder but which one of the long list of possible suspects did the deed?
There are lots of characters in this mystery and there were a few times when something external distracted my reading and I had to reread a bit to get back on track but that was not enough to lessen my enjoyment of every page. The puzzle kept me guessing and yes, I guessed wrong – that’s fine with me. Spending time in the company of Sarah, Emily and Marcus is always a treat. RahRah, Sarah’s cat, a lovely alpha Siamese and her newly adopted dog, Fluffy, put their own mark on the case at hand.
If you are new to this series, by all means enjoy this one but make sure you have the previous two books in the series lined up to binge read. The first book, One Taste Too Many, sets the stage for the rivalry between Sarah and Jane and RahRah has a starring role.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Three Treats Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein is a splendid tale of deceit and sorrow.
Will Sarah find the murderer before her friend is under arrest?
Sarah Blair
Sarah is our sleuth, a legal secretary, friend to many, and she is the human of RahRah (a siamese cat) and Fluffy (a cute white puppy). She is pulled into action as Anne’s brother Jacob is the main suspect in the killing of his former girlfriend and chef, Riley. Although she doesn’t want to be involved, her curiosity is peaked. But Sarah is leary of Anne’s motives again.
Sarah is sweet. However, she is still dealing with some past issues, and sometimes those views cloud her judgment. I am glad that she is working on it and moving past some of them. This girl can’t cook much, but she doesn’t let that stop her from having luncheons for a house full. Oh, the way she shops with pictures is unique.
The Mystery
Riley, the vegan Chef of Jane’s Place, is found murdered in the restaurant’s dumpster area. It seems that everyone loves Riley, and there isn’t anyone that would want to hurt her. However, that isn’t what Sarah finds when investigating. Then the one person that could have done the deed other than Jacob is killed in a biking accident. Coincidence? Only Sarah and the murderer know whodunit.
Four Stars
This story is a good mystery. The secret and motive were well hidden and played out well. I enjoy the parts with RahRah and Fluffy, but I wish there were a few more of them. Oh, and Maybelle is fabulous. My rating for Three Treats Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein is four stars. I do recommend this to all cozy cat readers out there.
And there are some lovely recipes at the back of the book.
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 Three Treats Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
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