loribonesscaswell

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The annual Brandywine Creek Barbecue Festival takes a significant turn when Barbara Quinlan nee Bunker comes home to visit and introduces herself as “Barbie-Q” and tells everyone she is there to film the festival for her new television shoe Some Like It Hot. That doesn’t sit well with Becca Dapkins at all. Becca and Barbie have a past and it wasn’t good. In fact Becca’s relationship with many residents of Brandywine Creek isn’t good. When Becca’s body is found the suspects should be many but Piper’s friend, Maybelle Humphries, becomes the prime suspect. This puts Piper hot to start investigating with an assist of Reba Mae. Add this to all the other festival fun and things get really spicy!

Gail Oust second Spice Shop Mystery marks the return of the characters we liked from the first book. She also introduces us to some very interesting characters in town for the Barbecue Festival especially Miss Barbie-Q. Piper’s dog, Casey, led Piper to the discover Becca’s body, but I don’t think he liked the references to becoming a cadaver dog :)

The plot of the mystery is very creative and something I wasn’t expecting was the missing ingredient that brings the whole murder recipe together.

I wish the romance between Piper and local vet Doug had a little more heat. I think she needs to explore the options she may have with Police Chief MacBride.

I am already looking forward to the next Spice Shop Mystery!