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thatlemonadelife's review
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
shawn2024's review
4.0
I enjoyed Lila, her dog, family and friends. I loved the idea of Undercover Cooking and her side business. Realtor by day, cook by night. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
culturespy's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
git_r_read's review
5.0
Julia Buckley had me with the books I've read in her Writer's Apprentice Mystery series and cemented it with this beginning of this series. Since this is on my Nook and I read my Nook before going to sleep, I did not get much sleep once I started reading it. I became absorbed in the story and I really didn't mind too much when I had a hard time drifting off at night. More reading time.
It's a really good premise with excellent characters and setting.
The premise is a woman who assists her parents with their realtor business by day and by night she creates meals that her clients can claim are their own. I loved the clandestine meetings for the hand-offs. The meals Lilah created sounded delightful.
Lilah is someone I could see being friends with. Her brother is nifty and their parents are super. I like how the book talks about their relationship, it's integral to the story and the mystery.
Plenty of suspects but not so many as to be confusing. The recipes in the back are intriguing.
I already have the next two books in the series uploaded to the Nook.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
It's a really good premise with excellent characters and setting.
The premise is a woman who assists her parents with their realtor business by day and by night she creates meals that her clients can claim are their own. I loved the clandestine meetings for the hand-offs. The meals Lilah created sounded delightful.
Lilah is someone I could see being friends with. Her brother is nifty and their parents are super. I like how the book talks about their relationship, it's integral to the story and the mystery.
Plenty of suspects but not so many as to be confusing. The recipes in the back are intriguing.
I already have the next two books in the series uploaded to the Nook.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
alise410's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Very good! I loved the description of foods. I think the relationship was too dramatic towards the end especially because they didn't even spend that much time together.
feliciar33ds's review
4.0
A very satisfying cozy mystery, with clever twists and turns and enjoyable subplots. Great characters.
jessicadillon's review
5.0
Great little mystery! Not as cheesy as I was expecting and kept me interested the whole time. A good mix of cooking, romance, and murder. I plan on reading more from this author.
avigail's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I picked up The Big Chili because of a reading challenge and was looking for a book cover with food. A Cozy Mystery is a pallet cleanser; after reading some thought-provoking historical fiction, it does its job.
Lilah Drake, and her dog, Mick, are our sleuths, and the people of Pine Heaven have a lot of culinary secrets.
This delectable debut novel has everything I love in a cozy mystery. Superb writing, a cast of fantastic, quirky characters, and a charming small-town setting. This story also has a beautiful dog.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Julia Buckley.
Lilah Drake, and her dog, Mick, are our sleuths, and the people of Pine Heaven have a lot of culinary secrets.
This delectable debut novel has everything I love in a cozy mystery. Superb writing, a cast of fantastic, quirky characters, and a charming small-town setting. This story also has a beautiful dog.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Julia Buckley.
caitz's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75