First line in the book: "I hired you a cake coach," said my boss, Mickey Jordan.
I always seem to start a book series right bang in the middle through no fault of my own because sometimes, that is the only book available in the bookshop at the time but being a seasoned reader, I can pick up a story anywhere anytime and besides, you do not need to read the first to enjoy the second and vice versa. Wells' Della Cooks Mystery is another cosy mystery I am hooked on at the moment. Death Takes The Cake is the second culinary adventure in the series.
It is about a forty-seven-year-old owner of a cooking school in Santa Monica, California, star of a new cable cooking show and amateur sleuth named Della Carmichael. She has two pets - Tuffy, a black standard poodle and a little gray and gold calico cat called Emma. The cat's story and how Della adopts her come later in Killer Mousse. She and Angelica Miles from the Booktown Mystery share a passion for baking. Needless to say, the book comes with delicious cake recipes at the end which should be checked out!
Taken from the book blurb:
To help boost ratings for her show, humble host Della reluctantly agrees to enter a televised cake competition sponsored by Reggi-Mixx, even though the company's owner, Regina Davis, is an old college nemesis. When Della hears that competitive pastrymaking is a blood sport, she doesn't take it literally until she finds someone drowned in a mixing bowl full of cake batter.
It turns out the victim has a list of enemies longer than the ingredients in Regina's inferior cake mix. But when her dear friend's husband becomes the prime suspect, Della is determined to serve a killer some just desserts...
Yes, Della's financial situation is in dire straits. Winning the $25 000 prize at the competition would solve a lot of her problems including paying off her debts and keeping her little cooking school open. However, when a murder occurs in her kitchen space on set, she cannot help but turn sleuth amidst her busy schedule and hectic life to get to the bottom of the mayhem.
Interestingly, the book gives an insight into the competitive world of television cooking shows just like the ones we watch on television. In fact, I don't think I have ever read a book which is centred around a television set and a culinary one at that. Being female myself, I like the fact that Well writes poignantly and perceptively about female friendships and that the smart and sexy protagonist has two very good and supportive friends who stick together through thick and thin. Even better, Wells has kept me guessing till the very end. Again!
Well written and fast paced with believable characters and a tight plot, this book is not to be missed. The intricate drama is enough to keep you up all night. I have been born again to cosy/culinary mysteries and gourmet detectives. I will recommend this to anyone who loves an above average cosy and this is it!
About the author: Melinda Wells was born in Georgia and grew up wanting to be a writer. She wasn't interested in cooking until she was living in New York City and engaged to marry a talent agent. Currently, Melinda Wells lives in Los Angeles with rescued pets and enjoys cooking for friends. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the Writers Guild of America, the American Crime Writers League, Sisters in Crime and the Authors Guild.
You can visit her website at http://www.dellacooks.com/
Rating: 4/5 (Page-turning)
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