Death Al Dente - Food Lovers' Village Mystery by Leslie Budewitz Paperback

About the Book

"Murphy's Mercantile, known as the Merc, has been a staple in Jewel Bay, Montana for over a hundred years. To celebrate their recent makeover as a gourmet food market, Erin Murphy has organized a town festival, Festa di Pasta, featuring the culinary goods of Jewel Bay's finest--including her mother Fresca's delicious Italian specialties. But Erin's sweet success is soured when the shop's former manager, Claudette, is found dead behind the Merc on the Festa's opening night. With rival chef James Angelo stirring up rumors that Fresca's sauce recipes were stolen from Claudette, Erin's mother is under close scrutiny. Now Erin will have to hunt down some new suspects, or both her family and her store might wind up in hot water..."--P. [4] of cover.

Book Synopsis

FIRST IN THE NEW CULINARY MYSTERY SERIES!--WINNER OF THE AGATHA AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

The town of Jewel Bay, Montana--known as a Food Lovers' Village--is obsessed with homegrown and homemade Montana fare. So when Erin Murphy takes over her family's century-old general store, she turns it into a boutique market filled with local delicacies. But Erin's freshly booming business might go rotten when a former employee turns up dead...

Murphy's Mercantile, known as the Merc, has been a staple in Jewel Bay for over a hundred years. To celebrate their recent makeover as a gourmet food market, Erin has organized a town festival, Festa di Pasta, featuring the culinary goods of Jewel Bay's finest--including her mother Fresca's delicious Italian specialties.

But Erin's sweet success is soured when the shop's former manager, Claudette, is found dead behind the Merc on the Festa's opening night. With rival chef James Angelo stirring up rumors that Fresca's sauce recipes were stolen from Claudette, Erin's mother is under close scrutiny. Now Erin will have to hunt down some new suspects, or both her family and her store might wind up in hot water...

INCLUDES FRESH, DELICIOUS RECIPES!

Review Quotes

"Small-town charm and big-time chills. Jewel Bay, Montana, is a food lover's paradise--and ground zero for murder! A dizzying culinary delight with a twisty-turny plot! I'm totally enamored of Leslie Budewitz's huckleberry chocolates, Shasta daisies, and Cowboy Roast coffee."--Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author

"An intriguing sleuth who loves gourmet food, family, and her hometown, plus recipes to die for distinguish a delectable mystery."--Carolyn Hart, national bestselling author of Dead, White, and Blue

"Clever, charming, and completely yummy. Leslie Budewitz cooks up a delectable mystery! A tempting concoction of food, fun, and fatalities that will have you racing through the suspenseful pages...then heading for the kitchen to try out the irresistible recipes. More please!"--Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity award-winning author

"The first book in a delicious new series. Leslie Budewitz has created a believable, down-to-earth heroine in Erin Murphy, who uses her sleuthing skills and the Spreadsheet of Suspicion to catch a killer. The supporting cast of characters, from Erin's mother, Fresca to her cat, Sandburg, are charming. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Jewel Bay."--Sofie Kelly, bestselling author of the Magical Cat Mysteries

"The first in a new series is strong enough to stand outside the confines of its genre...[Budewitz] has produced a book even a non-mystery reader will find engrossing and satisfying."--Fresh Fiction

"Always love finding a new author and a brand new series...Leslie Budewitz does not disappoint. This was a delicious read that I finished it in one sitting...I loved the main characters and can't wait to read the next book in the series...If you like your mystery filled with a fresh-thinking sleuth, then you should read this book."--MyShelf.com

"Yummy...With the eccentric people that make up the rest of the cast, this book is enjoyable."--RT Book Reviews

"Savor this new culinary mystery that offers a unique taste of Montana. Author Budewitz has created an engaging character, a charming town, and a whole new perspective on the state."--Mystery Scene

"A new cozy series with a culinary twist. Budewitz writes with command and with a purpose. Her writing is straightforward and her characters are full of surprises. Budewitz serves up mouth watering treats as well as murder in this first in a series book, that readers will find simply delicious!...From the gourmet recipes in the back to the twists and turns of a good whodunit."--Debbie's Book Bag

"A truly fantastic debut...The mystery is well crafted - full of twists, turns, and clever red herrings - and there's no shortage of viable suspects, each of whom has something to hide. Budewitz's prose is witty and intelligent, her narrative drive is strong, and her dialogue has great rhythm and rings 100% true."--TheSeasonForRomance.com

About the Author

Leslie Budewitz is passionate about food, great mysteries, and her native Montana. A writer and a lawyer, her first book, Books, Crooks and Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedure, won the 2011 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction and was nominated for the 2012 Anthony and Macavity awards. Leslie loves to cook, eat, hike, travel, garden, and paint--not necessarily in that order. She lives in northwest Montana with her husband, Don Beans, a doctor of natural medicine, and their Burmese cat, Ruff, an avid bird-watcher.