Friday 29 October 2021

The Enemy You Gnocchi (Italian Chef Mysteries #3) by Catherine Bruns

It's the deadliest thyme of the year...

With snow dusting the ground and sauce sizzling on the stove, local chef Tessa Esposito is ready to serve up some holiday cheer. And with the annual Festival of Lights underway, it seems nothing can dim her spirits. Not even Mario Russo, the newest scrooge in town whose espresso bar has been quickly disrupting businesses and stealing customers from Harvest Park's favorite coffeehouse.

But when Mario is discovered at the festival's opening, face down in a Santa suit, Tessa realizes the bah humbug runs deeper than she could have imagined. And when one of her dearest friends is implicated in the crime, she must make a list of Mario's enemies, check them twice, and discover the cold-blooded killer. Especially before they can sleigh again.  (Summary via Goodreads)


The Enemy You Gnocchi by Catherine Bruns is the third book in her Italian Chef Mystery series and two things will happen when you start reading it..... first you will be hungry immediately and want to eat everything mentioned....you may even think you smell the good food that Tessa is cooking.  Secondly this book will get you into the Christmas spirit even with a murder involved.

The Italian Chef Mystery series centers around Tessa Esposito and her restaurant Anything Pastable in Harvest Park and her unlucky knack of getting involved in a murder and the investigation.  It all started in the first book, Penne Dreadful, after her husband's death and continues with each new book and a new murder.  Even though her cousin Gino is a police detective and her cousin Gabby is dating a police officer and she in continually told to stand down, she doesn't.

In The Enemy You Gnocchi there is a new coffeehouse in town, The Espresso Lane, and the owner Marco is not liked by many in town.  And his coffeehouse is taking away from Java Time, the coffeehouse that is been there forever and everyone loves owner Archie.

Tessa as per her usual has a lot on her plate with the restaurant, cooking and baking, as well as helping with the annual Festival of Lights but when Mario who is playing Santa at the event is found murdered after going on a break, she knows she has to do something.  And when her cousin takes Archie in for questioning relating to the murder, she know she has to step up and prove his innocence.

Tessa luckily doesn't have to do it alone as her cousin Gabby is right there for her.....unfortunately her brother Gino does not like her or Tessa getting involved.  However trying to find Marco's murderer proves to be tougher than they realized seeing as there weren't many people in town that liked the guy and they soon learn that his past may be chasing him as well......

Readers will not want to stop reading The Enemy You Gnocchi and the only time you will stop is to get a drink, something to eat and many use the ladies room, or the little guys room.  Not only will you love the town and the businesses, the people and the activities but the fact that it is close to Christmas and everyone is in the Christmas spirit, or most people are, you will get that warm, cuddly feeling.  And as you read and get deeper into the story, you will be frozen in your spot......and I will warn you that Chapter 11 will give you GOOSEBUMPS !!!!  And that is all I have to say.......so hurry up and go grab your copy and get lost with Tessa.....


Review by Missi M.





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