And Murder for Dessert

by Kathleen Delaney

Book Overview

"An enjoyable addition to the cozy scene."--Kirkus Reviews

Ellen McKenzie and her fianc , Chief of Police Dan Dunham, are on their way to the very upscale Harvest Festival Dinner, hosted by Ellen's niece, Sabrina, and her husband, Mark Tortelli. They are seasoned winery professionals. What could go wrong?

New to Silver Springs Winery, the Tortellis have been worried for weeks that their jobs depend on the success of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590585399
• ISBN13: 9781590585399
• Release Date: November 2011
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Murder at a Winery

Ellen McKenzie never thought she'd get remarried. So why is she now engaged? She's really not sure how it happened. She loves Dan Dunham, Santa Louisa Chief of Police, but marriage? Her niece, Sabrina Tortelli, and her husband Mark are coming to stay with Ellen. Mark is the new winemaker at Silver Springs Winery, and Sabrina will be managing the tasting room and doing special events. Ellen, a realtor, has been wrangled by her sister Catherine to let them stay with her while Ellen finds them a rental. At the Harvest Festival Dinner at the winery, guest chef Otto Messinger and Frank Tortelli, Mark's dad, get into a verbal fight. Soon after Otto is discovered dead in one of the old fashioned wooden fermenting tanks. Sabrina and Mark are both suspects, but Sabrina appears to be their prime suspect. Ellen doesn't believe Sabrina did it. She sets out to find out who did, with the help of her Aunt Mary. To complicate life even more, an old high school classmate of Ellen's is back in town and trying to pick up their "romance" where it left off. Funny thing is, there was no romance! Can Ellen keep Sabrina out of jail and find the real killer without becoming the next victim? I really enjoyed this book. Ellen is such a wonderful character. The interaction between the various characters is well written. The story moves at a good pace. The winery is a good setting for this story as well. I highly recommend this book.

fine amateur sleuth

In California, realtor Ellen McKenzie and her fiancé Police Chief Dan Dunham attend the Harvest Festival Dinner at the Silver Springs Winery in nearby Santa Louisa. Though somewhat estranged from her snobby sister Ellen and Dan go to celebrate her niece Sabrina's husband Mark Tortelli becoming the new winemaker; although Ellen did not know her niece married as she was not invited or even informed until now. As Chef Otto explodes over minor inconveniences, his rival Chef Frank arrives to celebrate his son being named the winemaker. Frank and Otto are more than competitors as they hate each other with a passion that rivals their love of cooking. However, it is not Frank who the police, including Dan, believe killed Otto, found floating in the fermenting tank; it is Sabrina they suspect. Not one to sit idly by while her niece goes down, Ellen investigates; even though she is unprepared for a second homicide. Ellen's personal life adds depth to a fine amateur sleuth tale as she has doubts about marrying for the second time after years in a horrific marriage to a physician; Dan recognizes her hesitation and does his best to prove he is not her former rat of a husband. Although the killer is obvious, the investigation is still fun to follow due to Ellen's antics. She knows she should stay out of it but cannot because blood is thicker than water. Harriet Klausner

Good, fun reading

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (3/07) Ellen McKenzie has a lot on her mind. Her boyfriend, Chief of Police Dan Dunham, had just asked her to marry him. She loves him, but she is clearly afraid of being hurt again. Her niece, Sabrina, and Sabrina's husband Mark are staying with her - temporarily, but it has been a bit too long for Dan's liking. Sabrina and Mark got new jobs in the winery located nearby. What happened to their old jobs? It seems that their departure there was a bit abrupt. Sabrina and Mark are hosting an upscale dinner at the winery. Their jobs might well depend on its success. Their guest chef, Otto Messinger, is well known for his volcanic temper. To top things off, he feels that he has unsettled issues with Mark's father. Otto's assistant Larry is an old acquaintance of Ellen's - and he seems to be very keen on taking her to dinner - and more. This does not make Dan particularly happy. The dinner starts - and we meet yet more people who have argued or fought with Otto in the past. Then Otto turns out dead - in a wine fermenting tank. Sabrina seems to be the most likely suspect. Did she do it? Kathleen Delaney's "And Murder for Dessert" is an enjoyable, if a bit too predictable mystery. I was pretty sure I knew who's-done-it by page 80 or so - and I was not wrong. This slightly diminished my enjoyment of the story - I like my mysteries more mysterious. On the other hand I did enjoy the plot and the characters greatly. Ellen McKenzie sounds very real - a real woman struggling with a lot of middle-age issues. Aunt Mary is too cute for words. I sure hope I am like her when I reach her age - well, maybe without her "interesting" outfits. Even the villains are endearing in their own way - if slightly irritating the entire time. I'd recommend "And Murder for Dessert" as this is a nicely readable book, which should provide a couple of hours of good reading fun.