loribonesscaswell

Nestled in the barrier islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers Beach is home to Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget Mayfield—owners of the bookstore café, Read ’Em and Eat. But when they’re not dishing about books or serving up scones, Sassy and Bridgy are keeping tabs on hard-boiled murder.

Includes a buttermilk pie recipe!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The Read ‘Em and Eat sounds like a perfect escape if you ask me. Delicious food served at tables named for famous authors with author and book trivia encased in the tabletop. Plus you are surrounded by shelves and shelves of books without all the hustle and bustle of a major chain store. And did I mention the beaches!! This store is on an island south of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. I would get there and never want to leave. It would be an idyllic place to write this blog, but I am getting ahead of myself. This is a location in book…not a real place, but if it was I would be there! The author has brought so much life to this place and these characters I was packing by bags to go visit but I will have to settle for a virtual trip.

Mary Sassafrass (“Sassy”) Cabot and Bridget (Bridgy) Mayfield are fantastic characters. They are partners and best friends and are trying to grow their business with good food and book clubs.

They have quite an eclectic group of regulars including Miss Augusta Maddox and Miss Delia Batson, they are elderly cousins and true Southern ladies and expect everyone to mind their Southern manners. You rarely see one without the other. Then there is Judge Harcroft, he always sits at the Dashiell Hammett table and let’s just say his “Dash” humor is an acquired taste and most times he is the only one tasting. Jocelyn Randall is the pastor’s wife and very maniplutive. I have no idea how the pastor put up with her, he definitely has my sympathy.

Miguel is the cook at the Read ‘Em and Read and comes up with the most wonderful tasty treats like the Swiss Family Robinson Cheeseburger and Robert Frost Apple and Blueberry Tartlets. When Miguel has an unfortunate kitchen accident Bridgy’s Aunt Ophelia shows up to help before they can even call her. “Facebook, my darlin’ girl. I saw your status about Miguel…” She would have arrived sooner but she had to wait for the grocery store to open to get the ingredients for her famous buttermilk pie! She is definitely a force to be reckoned with but Bridgy and Sassy know they need her so they will adjust.

Miguel is not the only one out of commission. Miss Delia missed her ride to the shop with Miss Augusta and Sassy knew something was wrong. Soon after Miss Augusta arrived Sassy got word that Miss Delia was found dead in her home and that she was murdered. Breaking the news to Miss Augusta was hard but when she asked Sassy to track down the person responsible Sassy had no choice but to say yes. She knows the sheriff’s office won’t be happy, especially a certain new lieutenant, that she is doing a bit of investigating herself but she can’t let Miss Augusta down.

I absolutely loved this story. Friendship was the basic theme throughout the story and not just the friendship between Sassy and Bridgy. Delia and Augusta had been friends forever and they had such a rich history. It is going to be hard for Miss Augusta going on without her cousin but she is part of the Read ‘Em and Read family so I know she will have people looking after her.

Well Read, Then Dead is an excellent start to the Read Em and Eat Mystery Series. Fabulous characters, awesome setting and a fantastic whodunit. I can’t wait to see what the author serves up next on Sassy and Bridgy’s menu!!