Killer Gourmet

Plus-sized P.I. Savannah Reid and her pals at the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency know a thing or two about fine dining. But when murder shows up on the menu, it's time to go back to the kitchen. . . When the Moonlight Magnolia gang learns their friends Ryan Stone and John Gibson are planning to open a chic new restaurant, they eagerly offer their input on everything. But all Ryan and John can think about is how excited they are to have hired the temperamental but talented chef Baldwin Norwood. Too bad the only thing being sliced and diced in the kitchen is the chef himself. . . As Savannah turns her attention from munchies to murder, she quickly realizes the cantankerous chef left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Now, Savannah has her work cut out for her, and just when she thinks there couldn't be any more suspects, she uncovers a plot more precarious than a perfect souffl . . .

From the Champs-Élysées to the twinkling banks of la Seine, chic Parisian policewoman Capucine LeTellier plunges into a uniquely Parisian affair of gastronomic delights and bureaucratic intrigue to close a case that could make her career--or kill it. . . After dining on such delicacies as oyster sorbet and avocado soufflé, Jean-Louis Delage, président of automotive giant Renault, has been found dead in the freezer of Le Diapason, a three-star restaurant owned by Chef Jean-Basille Labrousse, a renowned restaurateur extraordinaire. Capucine is uniquely suited to the case, as her husband Alexandre is a food critic well-connected to the culinary world. In between sharing sumptuous meals and fine wine with Alexandre at Paris' finest eateries, Capucine struggles to win the respect of her new squad of detectives and crack both the case and the guarded secrets of the restaurant staff. Praise for Alexander Campion's The Grave Gourmet "Full of amusing characters. . . Readers will want a second helping." --Publishers Weekly "A delicious mystery. . . a fun book with a very different flavor." --Carolyn Haines, author of the Bones Mysteries "An astonishing debut that raises the bar on today's detective novel." --Aram Saroyan, author of Door to the River "Saucy, spicy, tasty. . .ooh-la-la!" --Kate Collins

In this cozy mystery sequel to Killer Honeymoon, a plus-size PI investigates when someone tanks the star of Hollywood’s latest superhero action film. PI Savannah Reid gets a taste of the high life when she attends a Hollywood premiere on the arm of husband Dirk Coulter. Savannah may be a newlywed but even she gets weak in the knees when she meets celebrity athlete-turned-movie-star Jason Tyrone. So imagine how she feels when the star’s rock-hard body is found rock-hard dead . . . Some guys have everything. With his stunning looks and dazzling charm, Jason Tyrone is America’s favorite new action hero. Make that was. Once so spectacular in action, the blockbuster idol is found dead in his hotel room after his latest premiere. Despite his chiseled physique, Jason is never getting up again . . . Though the autopsy reveals Jason may have gotten his killer body through doping, no one wants to believe the beloved athlete is a fraud, least of all Savannah. Soon she’s deeply immersed in the dark world of body enhancing drugs, and wondering if the world-class gym where Jason worked out is really just a front for a lucrative drug ring. Was Jason’s death the price he paid for threatening to expose other celebrities caught in the clutch of keeping a flawless image? Or was everyone’s favorite hero a victim of his own desire to always be at the top of his game? No stranger to society’s obsession with image, Savannah is determined to get to the truth. And for the voluptuous investigator, this time it’s personal. . . . Praise for Killer Physique “The mystery is intriguing, with its theme of body-image issues, but the real strength of this one is the perceptive portrayal of the newlyweds and the funny yet realistic visit from the in-laws.” —Booklist

"For Stella 'Granny' Reid, the 1980s in McGill, Georgia could be seriously predictable. Gossip would flow, her grandkids would stumble into the kind of harmless trouble only encountered when growing up, and a deadly mystery was all it took to make the tranquil Southern town unravel"--Book jacket flap.

When a notorious gang leader is found poisoned in small-town McGill, Georgia, Stella "Granny" Reid investigates a flood of suspects who reveal dark secrets about the victim and several respected locals.

With an eye for style and appreciation for seasonal ingredients, the proprietors of Chowgirls Killer Catering, one of the Midwest's leading catering companies, share their inspired ideas for delicious appetizers, small plates, and cocktails that are perfect for home entertaining. Amy Lynn Brown and Heidi Andermack were early adopters of the local, organic, sustainable, and seasonal approach to cooking; their ethos is clearly reflected in this cookbook, which offers fun, elegant, and yet easy-to-prepare recipes arranged by season that will be the hit of your next social gathering. For your party to welcome spring, impress your guests with Spring Pea Toasts with Gouda, Mint-Crusted Lamb Chops, and Wasabi Crab Cakes. For that backyard summer fest, try Flank Steak Skewers with Chimichurri, Sweet Corn Risotto with Grilled Shrimp, and Gazpacho Jars. On that chilly fall gathering, offer the Grilled Sirloin with Farro Tomato Salad, Bacon-Pecan Tartlets, and Roasted Fall Vegetables with Saffron Aioli. And for that festive winter blow-out, make the Italian Beef Sliders, Crab & Green Chile Gratin, and Artichoke Tapenade. Then to wash it all down, make sure there's plenty of Mint Julep Sweet Tea, White Sangria, and Strawberry Basil Daiquiris! Andermack and Brown's shared passion for cooking and entertaining shines throughout this beautiful and inspiring cookbook. Their "righteous bites" will impress your guests with dazzling, organic, locally sourced recipes that show you care. Party on! Michigan-born Heidi Andermack and Kentucky-born Amy Lynn Brown co-founded Chowgirls Killer Catering in 2004. They both live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their respective families.

The roots of the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency reach back to the 1980s in the little town of McGill, Georgia—where Stella Reid and her seven grandkids enjoy some spooky Halloween fun and stumble into murder . . . Even if she has to stick to a budget, Stella Reid always makes holidays like Halloween memorable for twelve-year-old Savannah and the rest of her grandchildren. After joining trick-or-treating and the annual parade down Main Street, Granny Reid and the kids head to Judge Patterson’s antebellum mansion, where a corn maze awaits. Most of the youngsters are too terrified to make it all the way to the middle. It’s lucky for them, because when Savannah and Granny get there, it proves to be even scarier than they expected—half buried in the mud at the center of the maze lies a human skull. The grisly discovery uncovers a mystery that stretches back decades—and seems to be related to the long-unsolved murder of Granny Reid’s own part-Cherokee mother. After all this time, the culprit may be long gone . . . or still hiding among them. It’ll be up to Granny to dig into this Southern town’s history and a mess of old family secrets . . .

"Between being a mom to her new foster son and arranging a lavish wedding for her sister, things are messy, unpredictable, and delightfully fulfilling for Savannah these days. She even gains an impressive friend: Dr. Carolyn Erling, a caring veterinarian with a deeper story than her down-to-earth nature suggests. When Savannah attends a birthday bash for Dr. Carolyn's husband, she's astonished to find that her no-frills acquaintance resides in a pristine hilltop mansion with Dr. Stephen Erling, a jet-setter brain surgeon boasting throngs of A-list patients around the globe. Before Savannah can get a headcount on the mingling celebrities, Dr. Stephen has one too many champagne toasts and drops dead. With a poisonous residue found inside Dr. Stephen's glass, the search is on for the killer who spiked his drink. Motivated to set things right for a devastated Dr. Carolyn, Savannah must infiltrate the elite world of foreign dignitaries and Oscar-winning stars to identify the guilty culprit--or prepare to kiss this happy chapter in her life goodbye." -- Amazon.

When good intentions pull her into a toxic murder case, P.I. Savannah Reid’s days as San Carmelita’s most full-figured detective might be running out . . . Savannah is shaken to the core when coroner Dr. Jennifer Liu appears on her doorstep late one night and admits to fudging an autopsy report to keep her friend Brianne’s suicide a secret—fulfilling a final promise made before the terminally ill woman administered a lethal drug cocktail. But after Dr. Liu finds the same unique mixture in a second body, she fears the deaths share a dark connection . . . Apprehensive about concealing a felony, Savannah and the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency launch a discreet investigation into Brianne’s rare condition and the deadly concoction linking the two bodies. As chilling evidence points to an undeniable case of double murder, Savannah only hopes that, like Dr. Liu, her desire to help a friend won’t put her reputation at risk—or, worse, land her on the next slab . . .

"Grandmotherly Dorthea Puente is becoming as renowned for her cooking as for being a notorious mass murder, serial killer and all around psycho"... THE SUN DORTHEA PUENTE has been accused of a lot of things... being a bad cook isn't one of them. You see, Dorothea ran a boarding house in Sacramento, Ca. and the care she provided was above and beyond other care providers, but one thing everyone involved in this case keyed in on was how awesome ALL of her tenants thought the cooking was... one tenant went as far as saying " Every Dinner at Dorothea's was like Thanksgiving Dinner " NONE OF THEM WERE MURDERED... THEY DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES... I COULDN'T DO THAT ANYHOW, I'M NOT THAT TYPE OF PERSON... I'M TOO CARING AND I WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT MY PEOPLE EATING... EVERYBODY CAN TELL YOU THAT, WHY WOULD I SPEND MONEY FATTENING THEN UP IF I WAS GOING TO KILL THEM." ... DOROTHEA PUENTE Convicted Killer/Gormet Cook