It’s the deadliest thyme of the year…
There’s a delicious new holiday mystery from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns! It’s Christmas time in Harvest Park, so grab your cocoa and sleuthing snow boots for a Christmas cozy mystery sure to sleigh!
The Enemy You Gnocchi
by Catherine Bruns
I received this book free from the author but was not required to give a review. This post contain an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.
The Enemy You Gnocchi
by Catherine Bruns
Publisher : Poisoned Pen Press (October 26, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback : 336 pages
With snow dusting the ground and sauce sizzling on the stove, local chef Tessa Esposito is ready to serve up some holiday cheer. And with the annual Festival of Lights underway, it seems nothing can dim her spirits. Not even Mario Russo, the newest scrooge in town whose espresso bar has been quickly disrupting businesses and stealing customers from Harvest Park’s favorite coffeehouse.
But when Mario is discovered at the festival’s opening, face down in a Santa suit, Tessa realizes the bah humbug runs deeper than she could have imagined. And when one of her dearest friends is implicated in the crime, she must make a list of Mario’s enemies, check them twice, and discover the cold-blooded killer. Especially before they can sleigh again.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
“Beneath all the red sauce, Bruns offers standard cozy fare with a dash of detection on the side.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A temptingly delicious read.”
—K. A. DAVIS, Goodreads
My review
Catherine Bruns has another five star book (from me!) in the Italian Chef Mystery Series with the third book in the series, The Enemy You Gnocchi. I’ve also read and reviewed the prior two books: Penne Dreadful and It Cannoli Be Murder. Though you can read them on their own, they’re much more fun to read in order! That way you’ll get the full picture, and you won’t have to worry about spoilers!
I love Christmas time! Decorating is always hard work because I have SO much stuff, but it’s worth it. The tree lights make me happy. Looking at the ornaments and other Christmasy things that belonged to my grandma makes me happy too. She always went all out with decorations too, and as she got older, I often helped her put them up. Anyway… I love Christmas books too, and The Enemy You Gnocchi takes place during the Christmas season. Bruns’s detailed descriptions make you feel as if you’re in the book. You can smell the cookies and other yummy food. The cold starts seeping into your bones…that’s what cozy blankets are for. It really put me in the mood for the holidays.
The characters are well-developed, and you’ll feel like you know them personally. This is one reason I recommend reading the other two books first because the relationships grow and characters evolve with each book. I love Tessa and her best friend cousin Gabby. When they’re together, personal safety sometimes gets thrown out the window! This is much to Gabby’s brother/Tessa’s cousin Gino’s dismay. He’s always telling them to stay out of it, yet they never listen. If they did, solving the mystery wouldn’t be as much fun! Speaking of the mystery, this is well-plotted with just enough red herrings to keep you guessing.
Don’t miss the delicious recipes in the back! I enjoyed this book tremendously and can’t wait for the next!
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of this book. I was not required to give a review.
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