Friday 22 July 2016

On the Chopping Block (A Callie's Kitchen Mystery, #1) by Jenny Kales


On the Chopping Block (A Callie's Kitchen Mystery, #1)

Building a small business has been murder, but Callie Costas didn’t expect to be confronted with an actual body. The 36-year-old Greek-American proprietor of “Callie's Kitchen,” a meals-from-scratch business in an idyllic small town, has been busy creating a post-divorce life for herself, her young daughter and her Yorkie, Koukla. After a lot of hard work (including staving off her father’s continual advice), she’s got the locals and tourists clamoring for her delicious Mediterranean dishes and Midwest comfort food classics. Recently, she’s started a budding romance with a fellow foodie, the wealthy owner and chef of Crystal Bay’s most popular bistro. 

However, success is as fleeting as one of Wisconsin’s glorious autumn days. As local businesses begin to shut down due to a slow economy, Callie is struggling not to become another statistic. A contest with a hefty cash prize seems like the perfect chance to fix her financial woes, until a shocking murder threatens not only her livelihood – but her life. 

When she’s targeted as a prime suspect by an attractive expat British detective, Callie’s situation becomes more delicate than her Greek egg-lemon soup. She’s got to find the killer and fast if she wants to protect her daughter, save her business and stay alive.  (Summary via Goodreads)


On the Chopping Block is Jenny Kales debut book and it is a doozie !!!  First in the Callie's Kitchen Mystery series and it will have you hooked and wanting more !!

Crystal Bay is such a quaint little town that you will wish you were a tourist enjoying the water, the restaurants, the shops and the people.

Callie who just happens to own Callie's Kitchen is dating Drew who happens to own another restaurant named, what else, Drew.  But when Callie goes to Drew's house for a dinner date, she finds him laying on the floor dead !!!  And no matter what she tells the police, specifically Detective Sands, she is their prime suspect !!  

In order to clear her name and attempt to win customers back, she does her own investigating.  Even though everyone from her overbearing father to her best friend Sam who is also her lawyer keeps telling her to stay out of it, her business and daughter need her NOT in jail.

This was a very enjoyable and mind catching book with a lot of worthy suspects.  But when it gets down to it, you cannot believe who is behind all of it ..... and why !!

Review by Missi S. 

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