Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley


 It’s time to head back to Geneva Bay, Wisconsin where Delilah O’Leary and her BFF and sous chef Sonya are getting ready to find the perfect entry for the Taste of Wisconsin culinary contest. During the experimentation, Delilah also shares cat-custody with her ex-fiancee Sam, who has moved on with another new business owner, Jordan Watts. It is at the custody exchange that Delilah gets pulled into a potential murder investigation when a customer at Jordan’s juice shop appears to have been poisoned. Later, another body turns up, but this one has a connection to Sonya. Delilah and Detective Calvin Capone must find out what is going on before another body can be found.


I still didn’t like Sam! In fact, I disliked him even more in this novel than in the first one. I cannot fathom how Delilah and Sam got together at all, but clearly it moves the story forward. I would like to see much less of Sam in the next novel. At this point I just don’t think he adds anything to the context or progression of any of the characters.

I did, however, like Delilah much better in this one. I could relate to her feelings of potential failure. I could even understand her decisions about Sonya, Aunt Biz, and everything else. Having seen what a custody exchange had done to a dog, I could see Butterball having a hard time. 

The mystery was actually two parts that blended (pun intended) very well. The criminal history of Chicago bleeding into Wisconsin gives plenty of suspects and motives. I suspected the murderer from the beginning, however I couldn’t figure out how. I think it might be a matter of needing my ears more and imagination less.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars. 

Comments