August 26, 2007 Culinary Mysteries

The last few mornings I've woken up to a chill in the air and a soft, crisp scent which tells me that autumn is on its way. Even the wind feels subtly different as it caresses my arms during my morning walks. It's during this time that my reading tastes change, the big fluffy beach reads can't seem to hold my interest but it's too early for the deeper novels and intense thrillers that I look forward to when fall has truly taken hold and the warmth of a big armchair is my siren song. It's at the hint of autumn each year that I turn to cosy mysteries and pulling out my crockpot.

Over the last few years, crops of light mysteries have arrived on the bookshelves frequently featuring homey themes, like crafting, antiquing, book collecting or cooking, with each possessing its own charms. One of my closest friends, a dyed in the wool crafter loves the crafting mysteries, whether its needlework, knitting, candle-making or quilts. Unfortunately, having never quite completed my grade 8 sewing assignment and having at least two large bins of unfinished craft projects, reading about sharp witted sleuths who can catch a killer and still finish an afghan, fills me with guilt.

My forte is a good culinary crime, and I wasn't referring to my skills in the kitchen. Strangely, the combination of choking and cheesecake or stabbings and steak tartare, bound up with spunky characters and humourous dialogue make for a great read. The books always include recipes that are usually easy and delicious. The library is full of cozy mysteries, no matter what your taste. Here are a few of the newer titles to whet your appetite.

Cherry Cheesecake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)by Joanne Fluke The seventh Hannah Swensen mystery finds a movie crew in search of a quaint Minnesota location arriving in Hannah's hometown, and filming goes smoothly until the cruel and lecherous director, accidentally shoots himself on the set. But was his death really an accident? Between baking batches of Double Flake Cookies and Angel Kisses, Hannah figures out whodunit.

Culinary Mysteries by Nancy Fairbanks El Paso, Tex., food writer Carolyn Blue takes a gourmet cruise but things turn sour when another passenger, Mrs. Gross, goes missing. Was she accidentally left behind when the cruise ship docked? Or could something more sinister be afoot and what happened to the double chocolate raspberry mousse? The series is sprinkled with loads of fun and easy recipes.

Something's Cooking (An Angelina Amalfi Mystery) by Joanne Pence For Angelina Amalfi, a gourmet chef and food writer normally life's a picnic until one of her recipe contributors winds up dead and Angie suddenly finds herself being stalked by a killer, who saw the previous murder as a first course. Paavo Smith, the homicide cop assigned to the case, is definitely a hot dish, but when everyone around her is in danger, Angie realizes she'll have to whip up a survival scheme before her goose gets cooked.

Hell Hath No Curry: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery (Pennsylvania Dutch Mysteries with Recipes) by Tamar Myers In Myers's 15th crime caper starring Amish-Mennonite sleuth and innkeeper Magdalena Yoder, the corpse du jour is scoundrel Cornelius Weaver, and any one of his seven girlfriends ,all women scorned ,may be the killer. Familiar cast members provide the usual foils as Magdalena, copes with two murders, one by poisoned curry and her upcoming wedding.

Blood Orange Brewing ( A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs Theodosia Browning, owner of Charleston's Indigo Tea Shop, is catering a fund-raiser for the local Heritage Society. The food is great, and all of Charleston's bigwigs are enjoying themselves, until a retired businessman and sleazy politician, Duke Wilkes, is murdered. With a great eye for local colour the reader in taken on tours of stately homes and Civil War re-enactments, as well as providing some mouth-watering recipes and tea tips and a delicious puzzle.

Sweet Revenge (Goldy Culinary Mystery)by Diane Mott Davidson Davidson is really cooking in her 14th culinary suspense novel to feature Colorado crime-solving caterer Goldy Schulz As the Christmas season approaches, Goldy is thrilled to be catering a breakfast for the local library, but when the body of Drew Wellington, the disgraced former DA, turns up in the library, Goldy is forced to put her recipes on the back burner and find the murderer. In keeping with the literary theme, recipes included are Great Expectations Grapefruit, Chuzzlewit Cheese Pie, and Bleak House Bars.

Lori Kauzlarick, Public Services Assistant