Review: Grilled for Murder by Maddie Day

Posted May 31, 2016 by Lola in Mystery, Review / 14 Comments

LolaReview

Grilled for MurderGrilled For Murder (Country Store Mysteries #2)
by Maddie Day

Blurb:
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…

Includes Recipes for You to Try!

My Review:
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

As I really enjoyed the first book I couldn’t wait to get started on the sequel. As soon as I got approved for a copy on netgalley I started reading this one and I can gladly say it’s as good as the first book. I really enjoyed being back in this small town and Robbie her country store. The story starts with her hosting a welcome back party and then the next day she finds the person for whom the party was dead in her store. Robbie can’t help get involved in this puzzle.

The mystery was well done, although I wasn’t too surprised when we found out who the murderer was it also hadn’t been too obvious and I had a few other suspects as well. There were a few well placed clues and I liked trying to figure out the mystery alongside Robbie. She was trying to stay away and not get herself in danger, but she still was interested in the mystery and tried to help a bit. I did think it was handled realistically how she got involved.

Besides the mystery there are a few other sub plot lines and events. We get to see how the store is doing and Christmas is coming up. Then there is some focus on the side characters and a bit of romance. Enough was going on to keep my attention and I really enjoyed this book. The country store and Robbie her cooking and baking is still one of my favourite parts of the book. And it has a nice mix between focus on the murder and other plot lines.

I also was pleasantly surprised by how the romance developed. I began to have my doubt at first as I wasn’t feeling it, but then things changed and I liked up seeing in which direction her relationships went. It really is a sub plot and not much focus, but it adds a nice touch.

To summarize: I enjoyed this book as much as the first one in the series. There is an interesting murder mystery and while I wasn’t too surprised by the murderer it wasn’t too obvious either and there were some other suspects as well. I liked being back in this small town and Robbie her country store and I liked seeing the storylines develop and see how the characters were doing. There is enough focus on the mystery, but also enough other subplots to keep my attention. All in all a great book and I am already looking forward to the next one!

4-star

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
B&N
Kobo

Tell me about fun jobs that book characters had that you read about?

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14 responses to “Review: Grilled for Murder by Maddie Day

  1. Bookstore jobs are always fun! Especially the one from Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. I just checked the Country Store series on goodreads and have added the first book in my TBR list. It looks good! 🙂
    Priscilla recently posted…Painkiller: ReviewMy Profile

    • I don’t think I have read a lot of books with bookstore jobs, but they are fun. I also like the more uncommon jobs I hardly ever hear about or food related jobs, they are fun to read about.
      I hope you’ll enjoy the first book in this series if you decide to give it a try!

  2. That cover is so bright and colorful! I really wanna go to that place lol. That’s great the character’s involvement was realistic and that you ended up liking the direction of the romance. I’m glad you enjoyed this one as much as the first, and how fun that it even includes recipes! Are you going to try any of them?
    Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Book Review: No One Dies in the Garden of Syn (The Garden of Syn Book 1) by Michael SeidelmanMy Profile

    • I like the bright colours on the cover! The characters involvement within the mystery can be tricky in cozies sometimes and can feel unrealistically sometimes, so I am glad when that part is handled well.

      Probably I won’t try any of the recipes as I just want the recipes printed on a piece of paper, having my ipad in the kitchen makes me afraid I damage it. And as I usually get my recipes from pinterest I probably forget to try the ones from the book, but I do like it when cozies include recipes.

    • Yes I am still in a cozy streak, although I am also slowly gravitating to some other genres as well. I just finished a few fantasy books in a row. Now I am reading a fantasy book and a cozy mystery, which seems to be the genres I am most in the mood for recently.
      I only have a few physical cozies, but my e-books library is coming along nicely. I have to thank netgalley for most of the cozies I read.
      Lola recently posted…Lola’s Ramblings: Ten Dutch ProductsMy Profile

    • Same here, I don’t mind it as much if the mystery is a bit predictable or I figure it out as long as it’s not too obvious and the rest is done well.

    • Yes it’s one of the things I like about cozies, learning more about interesting jobs or hobbies. It’s a good all around series so far.

  3. Yay, that book two was as good as the first one. I like it when I can solve the mystery, but it was a little challenging at least. Fun that she runs a store.

    I’m always a fan when the character runs a bakery though it does make me hungry at times, but farming, ranching, book shops and librarians, firefighters and police, scientists, bed & breakfast owners, hmmm, I guess it doesn’t matter and I like them all. LOL
    Sophia Rose recently posted…Dragon Dilemma by Mell Eight #AfternoonDelightMy Profile

    • Yes the mystery does need to be a bit challenging, but also not too vague and I like solving it alongside of the main character. And I really liked seeing how she ran her store.

      I also have a few cozies with characters who run a bakery or other food store. This book definitely made me hungry a few times as well. There are so many interesting jobs to read about, I like them all as well I think. It’s just fun to get a glimpse in someone else their life and job.

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