Delilah has secured a high-profile catering job that should help her restaurant get through the leaner, non-tourist months in Geneva Bay and she is willing to do just about anything to make an impression—even create a new “free-from” pizza recipe on the fly to accommodate an allergy to gluten, dairy, and nightshade (you know, the main ingredients in a pizza, no big deal). But all her careful planning goes up in smoke when a body (literally) crashes the party and she, her staff, and the hunky police detective she has a crush on end up trapped in an isolated mansion with a handful of party guests—and a potential murderer.
It’s always fun to return to the cozy mystery world of Geneva Bay and see what is going on with the Delilah and Son gang. The found family that Quigley built in the first two books is still going strong, demonstrated by their complete confidence in one another as well as their willingness to immediately jump into the fray to defend each other despite not knowing whether there is any actual danger. We also get more of the tension between Delilah and Capone that continues to tease the shippers—talk about slow burn!
With her signature style, Quigley keeps the reader guessing until the very end, dropping all kinds of hints along the way that seem unrelated but are very obvious once the killer is revealed and all comes together at the end. Despite literally being trapped with a murderer, the story very much feels cozy and low stakes (though there is a surprise moment where I was worried for a member of our found family!) and my anxiety-inclined heart was very grateful to be able to joined in on a murder investigation without all the stress.
PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 by Mindy Quigley is the third book in the Deep Dish Mysteries series and is available now. Pick up a copy for yourself here and swing by and grab the first two books in the series, SIX FEET DEEP DISH and ASHES TO ASHES, CRUST TO CRUST, while you’re at it! Each can be read as a standalone, but I’ll always encourage people to read a series in order!
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review. If you purchase a copy using my Bookshop affiliate link above, not only will I receive a small commission (which will fuel my coffee and tea addiction and help to keep me up all night reading more books to recommend to you), but you will be supporting indie bookstores as well! If you prefer Amazon, visit my Amazon storefront and click on the list titled "2024 Book Recommendations."