Ginger Snapped

September 15, 2017
Spice shop owner Piper Prescott finds the demise of her chief rival for the police chief's affections both a blessing and a curse.Since sharing a plate of nachos at North of the Border is the Brandywine Creek equivalent of a printed engagement announcement, locals have long assumed that handsome police chief Wyatt McBride and willowy realtor Shirley Randolph are an item. So when Shirley's naked corpse is discovered in a pond on McBride's property, a lovers' quarrel is the presumed motive, while means and opportunity speak for themselves so loudly that McBride is temporarily suspended, leaving Sgt. Beau Tucker in charge of the investigation. And tickled as Piper may be to have Shirley out of her way, she doesn't like having McBride in Tucker's cross hairs one bit. So as in Curried Away (2016), Piper once more has to pry suspicion from a close friend by finding the real criminal herself. And this time she has a leg up on her search. Dimwitted handyman Ned Feeney, who's reluctant to invade Shirley's closet to find an outfit for her to be buried in, gives the key to Piper, who can now snoop at will. But shouldn't her newfound access to Shirley's house be less exciting than her newfound access to McBride? Oust focuses on deduction rather than seduction, leaving Piper's romance--which actually does progress--to develop in the dark. The puzzle's OK but may disappoint fans who like their murders spicier.

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October 9, 2017
Oust deliciously upends a cozy trope—amateur sleuth vs. professional cop—in her fifth Spice Shop mystery (after 2016’s Curried Away). Fortyish, divorced Piper Prescott offers “anise to za’atar” and sage advice at Spice It Up!, her Brandywine, Ga., shop, but when murder’s the matter, detect she must—to the perpetual annoyance of police chief Wyatt McBride. Now he needs her: realtor Shirley Randolph’s naked body is found in the fishing hole behind his house. They were seen sharing chili fries; suddenly he’s a suspect. Even before the death is tagged homicide, he’s suspended without pay. Interim chief Sgt. Beau Tucker likes the top badge for the crime and only halfheartedly investigates. But Piper would bet her last ginger rhizome that gorgeous, widowed Wyatt is innocent. Between deliveries of goulash and pizza to his house, she courts danger stalking likely villains with sidekick Reba Mae Johnson. And she risks social opprobrium and her teenage daughter’s wrath by agreeing to chaperone the senior prom and asking Wyatt to escort her. Their prom date is hilarious and touching. Ginger lore and simple recipes provide lagniappe. Agent: Jessica Faust, BooksEnds.

December 15, 2017
From the windows of Spice It Up! on the square in sleepy Brandywine Creek, Georgia, proprietor Piper Prescott can track the doings in town. It looks like hunky Police Chief Wyatt McBride and gorgeous real-estate agent Shirley Randolph are definitely an item. Piper expects to see them at the wedding of her former mother-in-law and a retired judge. But she doesn't. No one does. Just as the vows are said, cell phones ring, as law-enforcement personnel, the coroner, and a reporter slip out. Shirley's nude body has been found on McBride's property, making him the prime suspect. Piper believes he's innocent, but the hapless deputies in charge don't see it that way. Piper and her pal Reba Mae consider the other options as the town turns out for Shirley's funeral, the senior class holds its prom, and Shirley's real-estate clients scramble to complete transactions. Secondary characters from the four earlier titles in the series are back, adding depth and some backstory. This will appeal to fans of Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles series. Includes recipes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

December 1, 2017

When police chief Wyatt McBride is suspected in a murder and suspended from his job, it's up to Spice It Up! owner Piper Prescott to clear his name. Fans of Leslie Budewitz's mysteries will relish the latest entry (after Curried Away) in this appealing cozy series with Southern charm, small-town scandal, a touch of romance, and a mature amateur sleuth.--LH

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2017

That's not a fish floating in Brandywine Creek's local fishing hole but the body of Realtor of the Year Shirley Randolph, and townsfolk think Police Chief Wyatt McBride may be responsible, given his romantic interest in Shirley. Piper Prescott, proprietor of Spice It Up!, immediately starts hunting for the killer. Next in Oust's popular "Spice Shop Mystery" series, following Curried Away.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.