Pressing the Issue (A Cookbook Nook Mystery Volume 6)

Author:  Daryl Wood Gerber
Genre:  Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781946069528
Beyond the Page Publishing
242 Pages
$15.99; $3.99 Amazon
February 14, 2018

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As the annual Renaissance Fair comes to Crystal Cove, Jenna Hart's Cookbook Nook is packed with tasty treats and all things medieval, while her pal Bailey is ready to swoon over her upcoming nuptials at a local vineyard.  But when the two friends discover the body of the vineyard's owner bludgeoned by a winepress, all their merriment fades, along with their hopes for a vintage year.

While churlish varlet did the deed?  Was it the victim's errant brother, who stood to inherit the vineyards?  Or the owner's crestfallen ex-girlfriend?  Mayhap it was the newly arrived comely wench, or her jealous husband.   Fie on them all!  Verily, Jenna can't rest until justice is served, and she vows to track down the killer.  But can she sniff out the truth before the villainous culprit strikes again?

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When Jenna Hart prepares for the annual Renaissance Fair, she thinks she's going to be busy selling cookbooks and offering classes to tourists.  She's also helping her best friend Bailey prepare for her wedding at Nick Baldini's vineyard.

The sad part is that Nick has recently broken up with Jenna's friend Dolly, and Dolly doesn't seem to be taking it well, even going so far as to visit Jenna's aunt Vera for help in getting him back.  But when Jenna is asked to take part in a video for fairgoers, she sees Nick, who is portraying King Henry VIII, in conversation with an attractive blonde.  Curious, she wonders if this is the reason he broke up with Dolly.

But Jenna discovers that Melody Beaufort is married, and temporary tenants of another friend of hers.  Still, she sees that Nick is interested in Melody, and her curiosity gets the better of her, and she wants to know why Nick was pursuing Melody.

When Jenna and Bailey visit the vineyard later on to discuss wedding preparations, she overhears a heated conversation between Nick and his younger brother Alan, but Nick blows it off as typical, so Jenna doesn't think about it again.  With a little probing, Jenna gets Nick to admit he's in love, discovers it's not Dolly, but he won't tell her who it is; so after finalizing plans they leave.

Then Bailey receives a cryptic call from Nick and she, her fiancé Tito, Jenna and Jenna's boyfriend Rhett rush to the vineyard and find Nick dead in the kitchen.  After calling the police and being questioned, they go home.  But Jenna liked Nick and needs to know who wanted him dead.  Even though she trusts the police to do their job, Jenna's curious streak won't let her rest unless she at least tries to help, even if it causes her more trouble than she wants...

I was really looking forward to reading this book, the premise sounded so interesting- murder at a Ren fair.  But unfortunately, it fell flat for me somewhere in the middle.  First off, Katie the chef tells the class that the pasties they're making rhyme with tasty.  a pasty (paste-y) is something a stripper wears.  A pasty (pass-ty) is a meat pie, and does not rhyme with tasty.  A chef should know the difference.  It's a small detail, but details count.

Then, Bailey seemed unconcerned that a man died.  Yes, I get it was her wedding; but jeez, a man is lying dead on the floor and she's worried about that?  How shallow can you get?  She just seemed like a drama queen in this book, and I didn't much care for her this time around.  Yes, I get that she's getting married, but she accused people of murder without proof of any kind, and it seemed like she was willing to have anyone in jail as long as her wedding wasn't ruined.

As far as the murder goes, it was done well, but I never got the feeling that Cinnamon was doing her job.  We were never given an insight into what she thought, and since this isn't Jenna's first rodeo (as the saying goes) you'd think she'd be more interested in what she had to say, but she appeared to blow off any concerns she had.

Please be aware that the following spoiler pretty much tells the ending and why I would have liked to see Cinnamon's take on the murder in this particular book.

As a matter of fact, Cinnamon would have allowed the killer to go free. She asked Jenna to fill her in - and if Cinnamon had the killer on her radar, she'd already know who the murderer was without Jenna's help; but it seemed like she needed Jenna to tell her that this person was the killer and why she knew it. We were never given any idea that he was even a suspect - and he was ready to leave town! Why weren't we given any info that Cinnamon even had a suspect in mind? After all, wouldn't she have been close by if she knew the killer was ready to bolt? But she wasn't - Bailey had to go get her; so I felt Cinnamon had no idea at all.

All in all, the book was a good read but I would have liked to have felt more engaged with the characters; I would have especially liked to know that Cinnamon was on top of the investigation, but we were never given any information on what she was doing while Jenna was investigating - she wasn't sharing with anyone, which would have let us know where she was on it, and is which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Pressing-Issue-Cookbook-Nook-Mystery/dp/1946069523/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2302675468

More on Daryl Wood Gerber's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/daryl-wood-gerber/