Jenn's Review: Key Lime Pie

Summary:  When Sadie Hoffmiller's new friend, Eric Burton, receives word that his missing daughter's body may have been found in Florida, he immediately packs his bags, but Sade is determined to stay home and prove to everyone that she is not a busybody.

But when she senses Eric is hiding something, Sadie is compelled to take action.  Be fore she knows it, she's in the heart of Miami, trying to piece together a trail littered with broken relationships, mysterious strangers, and forged documents that might just provide Eric the answers he's been desperately searching for - or reveal a truth he may not be ready to face. 

Sadie must also face a difficult question:  Where is her heart leading her?  Onward into Eric's adventurous arms?  Or back home to the stable and steady Pete Cunningham?  If only love was as easy as following a recipe.

Once again, Sadie finds herself in the company of some colorful characters and on the hunt for some good old-fashioned Southern cooking.  But despite the drama and intrigue, all Sadie really wants is to go home ...as soon as she does just one more thing.

Review:  Having just finished Devil's Food Cake, I was quite anxious to read Key Lime Pie (I love Key Lime Pie, or moreover, Key Lime Cheesecake!  Oops, the book, right...) It is an intense installment in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. 

Sadie adores Pete but can't ignore that their is a certain chemistry with Eric, the Clyde to her Bonnie.  So when Pete bows out gracefully, and Eric seems to be in trouble, Sadie flies to Miami to see if she can help.  She walks into a far larger mess than she imagined possible, Eric is in over his head, and drags Sadie in with him. 

Once again, I feel Josi S. Kilpack has left the cozy of culinary cozies far behind... and I like it.  While the mystery unravels a little slower than the last book, it's no less enticing.  The plot is a little more direct, with fewer surprises, but the journey is a good one.

Again, Sadie pushes the envelope with her investigation, going perhaps further than I would, but she stays true to her gutsy self.  She also has learned a bit of a lesson about interfering with a police investigation from her last adventure, but Eric puts her in a bad position and circumstances prevail... however, it's nice to see the character of Sadie growing and learning from her mistakes and from some introspection she was previously lacking. 

I must admit, I love the direction Kilpack is taking this series, while still managing to include her marvelous recipes.  I can't wait for the next addition to the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series! And I recommend that you check them out too...

Final Take: 4.0/5