Murder is No Picnic - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Murder is No Picnic (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #3) by Amy Pershing

Rating: Liked It!
Source:   Publisher

Description:  July 4th is coming, and for professional foodie Samantha Barnes, it's all about the picnic. Okay, and the fireworks. And the parade. But mostly the picnic. What could be better than a DIY clambake followed by the best blueberry buckle in the world? Sam has finally found the perfect recipe in the kitchen of Clara Foster, famed cookbook author and retired restaurateur, and she's thrilled when Clara agrees to give her a lesson.

But when Clara dies in a house fire blamed on carelessness in the kitchen, Sam doesn't believe it. Unfortunately, Sam's doubts set in motion an investigation pointing to the new owner of Clara's legendary restaurant--and a cousin of Sam's Harbormaster boyfriend. So, in between researching the Cape's best lobster rolls and planning her clambake, Sam needs to find Clara's killer before the fireworks really start...

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been reading this series since the beginning and can never resist a cozy mystery with a dog - especially a big yellow dog!

My Impression:  I'm really enjoying this series!  Sam isn't my favorite main character but I'm beginning to connect with her a bit more and I really like the side characters and of course I adore her big yellow dog.  He's such a fun cozy sidekick.  Sam's career in Cape Cod is really starting to gain traction as she becomes known as the "Cape Cod Foodie" and I love that she's working with her friend Jenny and force of nature Krista.  

We meet the victim almost immediately in the book and she gets some page time before she meets her untimely end.  Clara is a complicated woman which leads to a number of possible suspects and motives.  I really liked that Sam spends some time with former high school classmate and current police detective Vivvie.  I also liked that Sam was pulled into the investigation somewhat officially.

Like the previous two books in this series this has a bit of a slower start but we are essentially following Sam around in her day to day life so we really get a sense of who she is and the world she lives in.  The mystery kept me guessing and for most of the book I had really no idea the who and the why.  

This series keeps getting stronger and this was my favorite book yet.  I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing where the series goes.  If you enjoy foodie cozies with interesting side characters and a big clumsy dog this is a must read!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely!  I'm looking forward to the next book.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would!  While I think pretty much any series is best read in order you could pick this one up without reading the previous books without too much trouble.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *