Friday, March 16, 2018

Friday Cozy Mystery Review: Tart of Darkness by Denise Swanson

Publishing Date: Apr. 1, 2018

From the Publisher:

Right when Dani thinks she’s hit a dead-end in her career, she unexpectedly inherits an enormous old house in a quaint college town. This gives her the perfect opportunity to pursue her true passion—cooking! So Dani opens Chef-to-Go, preparing delicious, ready-made meals for hungry students attending the nearby university, as well as providing personal chef services and catering events for the local community. To help support her new business, she opens her home to a few students, renting them rooms and becoming almost like a big sister figure in their lives.

But just as Dani is relishing her sweet new life, the friend of one of her boarders is murdered, and Dani becomes one of the primary suspects! She’ll have to scramble to clear her name and save her business before the killer reappears—perhaps to silence the new chef forever.


My Thoughts:

Oh, this one was just a lot of fun to read. The opening was a bit rough, but once Dani sets up her Chef-to-Go business and the college girls move in, we're off to the races.

The romantic elements are a bit stronger in this cozy mystery series than I like, and some of Dani's actions made me frown, but other than those few bumps, this was a really fun new series. I liked the details about Dani's chef business, and her interactions with the upper crust of the small town she lives in. The addition of the college girls who live with her and help her with the business makes the series feel a bit younger and edgier--a welcome new take on the cozy mystery genre. The mystery wasn't too tough to figure out, but still well-plotted for the avid mystery fan.

Recommended if you like cozy mysteries, but are looking for something a bit edgier and fun.

*NetGalley copy provided for review**



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