Author: Devon Delaney
Genre: Mystery
Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496727862
Kensington Publishing
304 Pages
$8.99; $8.54 Amazon
August 24, 2021
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Sherry Oliveri is used to competing in cook-offs, but this time she's serving as a judge. The upside is that she gets to taste all the contestants' cookies. The downside is that one of the bakers will wind up dead...
It's the long Thanksgiving weekend, and between cooking for her family and working her dad's store for Black Friday, Sherry has a full plate. Next, she has to judge the big cookie contest -- and among the many entrants is her old high school ec teacher, Mr. Currier.
For old time's sake, Sherry invites him over for dinner, although sadly, the reunion will be short-lived. The next day, the prizes at the bake-off go missing -- and later turn up at the marina, along with her ex-teacher's body. Now Sherry has to find out who would do such a thing...
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Sherri Oliveri loves entering cooking contests. But this time out she's been asked to judge a cookie contest -- one with the backstory of how the baker created the cookie. Before the contest, a man comes into her store and she finds out that he was once her home ec teacher, the person who gave her inspiration to do what she loves. On a whim, she invites him to dinner at her home along with her sister, father, father's girlfriend Ruth, and her boyfriend Don. She also learns his life is much different now, as he's changed his last name and is also entering the contest.
The next day, everything seems to be going swimmingly; the contest winner is named along with the runner up, but when it comes time to disperse the prizes, they are nowhere to be found. Later, her old teacher's body is found at the marina, and it raises all sorts of questions as to who hated the man enough to kill him. When Sherry is asked by his ex-wife Rachel to find the killer, she decides to do it only because of what he taught her. Now, there's a killer on the loose, and Sherry wonders if someone is using her to play a deadly game...
This is the fifth book in the series and I have read every one of them. I have watched Sherry and her family as they go through changes in their lives, and it's nice to see the characters grow. Sherry's life is full, and I'm surprised she has the energy she does. It would wear most people out.
This time, she's trying to solve the murder of an old high school teacher, but things are more complicated than she expected. The past intertwines with the present, and not everyone is happy to see what she's discovered and wants it left alone. But Sherry, once she starts digging, doesn't stop until she's uncovered everything she needs to solve the crime. Unfortunately, people might not like it, but truth is truth. And finding that truth opens a lot of wounds, which nobody -- including Sherry -- ever expected.
When the killer is discovered and everything comes together, the motive for the murder is rather sad; even if there's no excuse for killing another human being, I found myself torn by the story. I really enjoyed the climax -- it was set in an interesting location -- and the tale was indeed intriguing; I love stories where the past meets the present, so this was a bonus for me. I think the author did well by this entry in the series and I eagerly await the next. Highly recommended.
More on Devon Delaney's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/devon-delaney/
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