Review: Butter Off Dead (Food Lovers' Village Mystery #3) by Leslie Budewitz

• Series: Food Lovers' Village (Book 3)
• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (July 7, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425259560
• ISBN-13: 978-0425259566

Book Description

 As the national bestselling Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries continue, the merchants of Jewel Bay, Montana, try to heat up chilly winter business with a new film festival. But their plans are sent reeling when a dangerous killer dims the lights on a local vendor...

In an attempt to woo tourists to Jewel Bay and cheer up the townies, Erin Murphy, manager of the specialty local foods market known as the Merc, is organizing the First Annual Food Lovers’ Film Festival, filled with classic foodie flicks and local twists on favorite movie treats. But when her partner in planning, painter Christine Vandeberg, is found dead only days before the curtain rises, Erin suspects someone is attempting to stop the films from rolling.

To make matters worse, Nick—Erin’s brother and Christine’s beau—has top billing on the suspect list. Convinced her brother is innocent and determined that the show must go on, Erin has to find who’s really to blame before Nick gets arrested or the festival gets shut down. But the closer she gets to the killer, the more likely it becomes that she’ll be the next person cut from the program...

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES!

Reviews: Praise for the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries

“An intriguing sleuth who loves gourmet food, family, and her hometown, plus recipes to die for distinguish a delectable mystery.”—Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Go Home

“Clever, charming, and completely yummy. Leslie Budewitz cooks up a delectable mystery!”—Hank Phillippi Ryan, award-winning author of The Wrong Girl

“Small-town charm and big-time chills. Jewel Bay, Montana, is a food lover’s paradise.”—Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author“Seamless and satisfying.”—Sheila Connolly, New York Times bestselling author“A delicious new series...Charming.”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times bestselling author

“Engrossing and satisfying.”—Fresh Fiction

About the Author

From Goodreads:  As the Food Lovers' Village Mysteries continue with BUTTER OFF DEAD (July 2015, Berkley Prime Crime/Penguin Random House), Erin Murphy and the merchants of Jewel Bay, Montana try to heat up chilly winter business with a new film festival. But their plans are sent reeling when a dangerous killer dims the lights on a local mover and shaker ...

Welcome to Jewel Bay, Montana, a lakeside community in NW Montana that calls itself a food lovers' village. The fun began with DEATH AL DENTE---pasta, murder, and the search for the perfect huckleberry chocolate---and winner of the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel! In the sequel, CRIME RIB (July 2014), murder at the annual Jewel Bay Steak Grill-off threatens to send the town up in smoke.

I'm also the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries, beginning with ASSAULT AND PEPPER (March 2015). Pepper Reece, owner of the Seattle Spice Shop, thinks she can handle any kind of salty customer--until a murderer ends up in the mix...

Read excerpts and more at www.LeslieBudewitz.com And for seasonal updates on the writing life and info on new releases, join my newsletter mailing list -- visit the website to subscribe.

I'm also the author of the 2011 Agatha Award winner for Best Nonfiction, BOOKS, CROOKS & COUNSELORS: HOW TO WRITE ACCURATELY ABOUT CRIMINAL LAW AND COURTROOM PROCEDURE (Quill Driver Books), a reference for writers and readers. For an excerpt and more, visit www.LeslieBudewitz.com



My Review

Butter Off Dead is the third installment in the Food Lovers' Village Mystery series by author Leslie Budewitz.  This series features Erin Murphy and the merchants of Jewel Bay, Montana. In Butter Off Dead the Jewel Bay merchants attempt to attract winter tourists with a film festival. So the beauty of Montana, gourmet food and a film festival...what more can you ask for! Well a murder of course.

I enjoy cozies published by Berkley because so you know that you are going to read a well-written novel with a great story. Butter Off Dead can be read as a stand alone. I had not read the earlier books in the series (yet!) and it did not affect my enjoyment one bit. 

Erin's partner in planning Jewel Bay's First Annual Food Lovers’ Film Festival, Christine, is found dead just before the opening of the festival. Does someone want to stop the festival? Could the killer be Nick who is Christine's boyfriend and Erin's brother? Could Erin be next? You'll have to read Butter Off Dead to find out!

Great cozy mystery! I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series! Keep them coming Leslie Budewitz!