by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Curried Away. We also have a link to order it from Amazon, and from an indie bookstore where a portion goes to help support KRL.

Thanksgiving may be fast approaching, but the residents of Brandywine Creek, Georgia, are far more concerned with their Opera House’s local production of Steel Magnolias. Director Sandy Granger is proving to be a ruthless dictator over their time and efforts, and Piper Prescott’s best friend Reba Mae Johnson just found herself fired from the much-coveted role of Truvy Jones. The owner of Klassy Kut hair salon should have been perfect for the role of the sassy hair stylist, but Reba Mae’s inability to remember character names resulted in Sandy ruthlessly firing her in front of the entire cast. When Sandy is strangled to death in the Brandywine Creek Opera House, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Reba Mae finds herself in the hot seat and Chief Wyatt McBride’s primary suspect.

As a founding member of the Finders of Dead Bodies Club, Spice it Up! spice shop owner Piper isn’t about to stand on the sidelines and let her best friend wallow in jail. With her boyfriend Doug Winters busy catering to the demands of his teenaged daughter and her own children abandoning her to spend the holiday with either their friends or her ex-husband, Piper can use the investigation to distract her from her lonely woes. That means not just tracking down the many actors unhappy with Sandy’s directorial decrees, but harassing McBride into conducting a self-defense course for the worried women of Brandywine Creek.

Readers will enjoy learning about the origins of the many spices that go into many of their favorite recipes, some of which are included at the end of the novel. What is most entertaining is the unique Southern flair of the residents of the small Southern town, who are as opinionated as they are feisty. Piper takes a mature attitude towards the inadvertent abandonment by her children for Thanksgiving, focusing instead on nipping at McBride’s heels to guide his investigative efforts. Their genially combative exchanges are a highlight of the novel, with their dialogue being both clever and hilarious. New readers to this fourth in the Spice Shop Mystery series will find themselves delighting in the many quirky characters, each of whom succeed in delivering more than their share of distinctly Southern charm.

To enter to win a copy of Curried Away, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “curried,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 24, 2016. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

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Click on this link to purchase this book & a portion goes to help support KRL & an indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:

Curried Away

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.