The Key Lime Crime | Book Review - Christy's Cozy Corners

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National bestselling author Lucy Burdette’s tenth Key West Food Critic mystery is piping hot with pie-enthusiasts and murder suspects.

The Key Lime Crime: A Key West Food Critic Mystery

by Lucy Burdette

I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

The Key Lime Crime: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (August 11, 2020)
Hardcover: 320 pages

When a fierce rivalry between key lime pie bakers leads to a pastry chef’s murder, food critic Hayley Snow is fit to be pied.

During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, the year-round population of Key West, Florida, faces a tsunami of tourists and snowbirds. It doesn’t help that outrageously wealthy key lime pie aficionado David Sloan has persuaded the city to host his pie-baking contest. Every pie purveyor on the island is out to win the coveted Key Lime Key to the City and Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow is on the scene to report it.

Meanwhile, Hayley’s home life is turning more tart than sweet. Hayley’s new hubby, police detective Nathan Bransford, announces that her intimidating mother-in-law is bearing down on the island for a surprise visit. Hayley offers to escort Nathan’s crusty mom on the iconic Conch Train Tour of the island’s holiday lights, but it becomes a recipe for disaster when they find a corpse among the glittering palm trees and fantastic flamingos. The victim–Au Citron Vert’s controversial new pastry chef–was a frontrunner in Sloan’s contest.

It’s bad enough that Hayley’s too-curious mother-in-law is cooking up trouble. Now, the murderer is out to take a slice out of Hayley. Can she handle the heat of a killer’s kitchen?

My review of The Key Lime Crime

I can’t believe I haven’t read the Key West Food Critic Mystery books yet! It must be another case of so many books so little time. Even though The Key Lime Crime is the tenth book in this series, I was able to pick it up and savor it with no prior knowledge. So, if you’re in the same boat, don’t worry! You’ll enjoy this cozy mystery too!

The Key Lime Crime may just get you in the mood for the holiday season; however, you probably won’t want to spend the week before New Year’s Day in Key West. If the number of people that flood Key West is like it is in this book (and I have the feeling it is), it’s just way too peopley there for me! If I lived in a houseboat there year-round like Hayley, I’d probably hide out with my pets and snacks during the crazy busy time!

Even though there were way too many tourists in Key West in this book, I loved the setting! Living in a houseboat in the Florida Keys would be marvelous….oh, I forgot about hurricanes. In my pretend world, there aren’t any hurricanes. The houseboats have white fairy lights strung up and down the docks and boats. I’d love to wake to the salty smell the ocean. Bliss.

I enjoyed the characters in The Key Lime Crime so much! Miss Gloria is my favorite. Actually in most cozy mysteries, the elderly are my favorites, and that’s because I was always Grandma’s girl. She spoiled me like crazy, and we had so much fun together. Miss Gloria reminds me of her. Grandma was still very independent until she was in her 90s. I love that Miss Gloria is so involved in the community and with Hayley. Hayley’s mother-in-law will grow on you throughout the book, and I’m hoping she shows up in more books.

The murder mystery is quite perplexing. Several local characters have means, motive, and opportunity. Then, you have all of those visitors to watch out for! Even though Hayley’s policeman husband instructs her (and his mom!) to not get involved, of course they do! Whodunit? How many pets can you fit into a houseboat? Which key lime pie is the most delicious? Find out in the delightful cozy mystery book, The Key Lime Crime.

About Lucy Burdette

Courtesy Carol Tedesco

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 16 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, DEATH ON THE MENU (Crooked Lane Books, August 2018.) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs at Jungle Red Writers and shares her love for food with the culinary writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen She lives in Madison CT and Key West FL. Read more at www.lucyburdette.com.

Author Links

Facebook: WWW.facebook.com/lucyburdette

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lucyburdette

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lucyburdette

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4781149.Lucy_Burdette

Purchase Links

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