3 out of 5 stars
I may have started with the last book of this series, but it didn't handicap my understanding of any of the details. Val and her grandfather not only share a house, they share a natural nosiness that must drive their police chief friend bonkers. No matter what the poor man says to them, they just keep poking the bear.
This is a cozy mystery, so there is a great deal of focus on the food. Val is a caterer, so that's understandable here. There's also a lot of discussion on small community events and politics. I was somewhat surprised at how low key the romantic element was. Thankfully for once it wasn't the lawman who was the romantic partner. But you'd barely know that Val likes her guy from how little she thinks about him and how quickly she decides that he's moving away.
I had hoped for a little more Christmas content too. The murder occurs in the aftermath of a Christmas festival and there are casual mentions of gifts, but once again, extremely low key. I would expect Val, as a caterer, to be hopping busy during the holiday season, adding some pressure to her amateur sleuthing. I was a bit disappointed, as I read this kind of novel to get into the Christmas spirit.
So, I liked the book well enough—I enjoyed the first half more than the second. I found the solution to the mystery to be a little far fetched. Yes, I suppose it could happen, but it just isn't too likely.
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