Topped Chef

ISBN:978-0451239709

Publisher: Signet

Author: Lucy Burdette

Series: Key West Food Critic Mystery

Reviewed by: Traveling With T

Hayley Snow, food critic for Key Zest magazine, enjoys food. She enjoys writing about food, letting the public know of the food that can’t be missed- and she enjoys eating! What Hayley does not enjoy is writing a review that is critical- but as a food critic, it just has to be done.  When the owner of the restaurant that happened to be the recipient of a negative review (hey she gave them 3 times to get the act together!) and Hayley wind up as judges for a Key West Topped Chef contest- Hayley wonders how fun the Key West Topped Chef contest will be.

So Hayley’s not thrilled about that part of her life- neither is she too happy over her potential romance with Detective Bransford- it’s beginning to look like a case of DOA. Then when Hayley finds out about Sam Rizzoli, the restaurant owner that she just gave a bad review, is hanging from his boat-dead and dressed oddly- she realizes that she is in the middle of another mystery- yet again. Did someone have a grudge against Sam? He was a mover and shaker in town- with his own agenda. Or is someone picking the judges of the Key West Topped Chef off one by one? Could someone want to be so famous that they would stoop to any depth to make it happen?

Hayley knows this: She has to find out what’s going on- or else she may have written her last article for Key Zest magazine.

Blogger’s note: I really enjoy the Key West Food Critic series. Adore Hayley (how can you not ADORE Hayley?) She’s a great character- someone who looks like she could be your BFF. Plus, her tendency to have her tarot cards read when facing an issue- that’s just great. I would love to have my tarot cards read with Hayley! Good plot, some romantic entanglements, and a mystery that was fun- with enough red-herrings to not guess the villain.

Readers of Traveling With T- you are in for a treat! Roberta Iselib, the person behind the pen name of Lucy Burdette, agreed to a quick interview!

Interview with Lucy Burdette:

1. Is Hayley based on anyone in your life? Or just a figment of your imagination?

Hayley is right out of my imagination. Which really makes for a lot of fun because I don’t have a mental script to stick to. She is quite different from the last character I wrote about (Rebecca Butterman in the advice column mysteries), who had a career similar to mine as a psychologist.

2. If the Key West Food Critic Mysteries were made into a movie/TV show- do you have anyone in mind to play the cast?

Amy Adams as Hayley…and Meryl Streep as her mother. *Note: After I asked this question, Roberta confessed that she’s terrible at picking actors for this type of thing- but I (and I think other readers) could agree that these 2 actresses could definitely work!

3. Can you let the readers in on some tidbits of information for future books about Hayley and friends? And, do you as the writer have a specific end in mind? Or are you taking it on a book by book basis?

I have a contract for two more books in this series, and hope there will be more after that–because I LOVE writing them. Right now I’m closing in on finishing #4, MURDER WITH GANACHE, which will be out in February 2014. (Don’t you love the title?) There is a wedding coming up (I won’t say whose so I don’t spoil the story), and Hayley’s family is descending on Key West. All of them!

And the news just keep getting better! Cozy Mystery Reviews is sponsoring a BIG HUGE GIVEAWAY! Details HERE!

Thanks to Roberta Iselib for answering some questions about Key West Food Critic Mystery series!