Jenn's Review: English Trifle

Summary: High Crimes at High Tea Things to Do in England Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo Take the Jack the Ripper tour creepy! Sample authentic English scones and crumpets Discover a dead body What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery when they discover a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor. Breanna's boyfriend, Liam, is heir to both the family title and the family estate of Southgate, where everyone seems to have a secret . . . or two. When the body in the sitting room disappears, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave. With their departure delayed, they might as well solve the murder. Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But as Sadie uncovers layer after layer of misdirection, secrets, and outright lies, she wonders if anyone is telling the truth or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be. Take a missing family history, toss in a secret romance, mix with a mysterious murder, and this is one vacation Sadie will never forget.

Review: This the second book of Josi S. Kilpack's the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series. I enjoyed this one even more than Lemon Tart, the first book in the series, because the story seemed to flow more freely.

Sadie does not blatantly barge into an investigation, this time, she just lands in the middle of one by discovering a body in the sitting room of an English manor. At first, no one believes the crazy Americans, so it gives Sadie cause to jump full-on into the investigation. She's also trying to protect her daughter Breanna and it was wonderful to explore more of her relationship with her daughter.

The plot seemed more linear in this one, and while some things are obvous a soon as the exposition is layed out, all is not as it seems. Kilpack has a few twists up her sleeve. The pull of the storyline is so compelling, that the end of chapter recipes almost seem bothersome at times ~almost.

This was an quick, but engaging read. If you love food-lit and a good mystery, you will enjoy Kilpack's culinary mystery series!

Final Take: 3.75/5