Review: Grilled for Murder by Maddie Day (@maddiedayauthor) #kLover

Series: Country Store Mystery, #2
Publisher: Kensington
Published: May 31, 2016
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 304 pages


I enjoyed the first book in this series, Flipped for Murder, enough to give it 4 stars. The idea of an old country store and restaurant, quaint with age and a homespun feel, just gives me this warm glow. I know it's the wrong part of the country and not completely accurate, but I can't help picturing a cross between Luke's Diner in Star's Hollow and Cracker Barrel whenever I picture the interior. It gives me that same small town, everyone's welcome, homey vibe.

Robbie's restaurant is well on it's way to becoming a local landmark. She is catering a private welcome home party for the daughter of a local couple. The daughter is returning home after the death of her husband, Robbie's love interest's twin brother. (Don't you just love small town dynamics?) But Erica, the daughter in question, not only shows up over a hour late to her party, but starts several arguments and is quite the drama queen. But Robbie is beyond shocked when she wakes up the next morning and goes out to find Erica dead on the floor of her store propped up next to the pickle barrel.

For this investigation, the state police are called in and some new characters are added to the mix of the ones from book one.  There is a bit of romantic drama for Robbie, as the new state police detective is the former love of Jim, Robbie's boyfriend. I had a pretty good idea of whodunit, and was ultimately rewarded with being 100% accurate. The side plots added a provocative twist to the story, and I had a hard time putting the book down. I confess, I would have consumed this in one go if life had allowed. This was another great read and I gave it 4 stars.

Netgalley and Kensington provided me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Robbie Jordan may have had reservations about the murder victim, but she still needs to turn up the heat on a killer if she wants to keep her new restaurant open for business…

In the charming small town of South Lick, Indiana, Robbie has transformed a rundown country store into the runaway hit Pans 'N Pancakes. But the most popular destination for miles around can also invite trouble. Erica Shermer may be the widow of handsome local lawyer Jim Shermer's brother, but she doesn't appear to be in mourning. At a homecoming party held in Robbie's store, Erica is alternately obnoxious and flirtatious--even batting her eyelashes at Jim. When Erica turns up dead in the store the next morning, apparently clobbered with cookware, the police suspect Robbie's friend Phil, who closed up after the party. To clear Phil and calm her customers, Robbie needs to step out from behind the counter and find the real killer in short order…