Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Teaser Tuesday and Review: Devil's Food Cake by Josie Kilpack


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading

This week's teaser is taken from Devil's Food Cake by Josi S. Kilpack.

"Sadie squinted in the faint glow from the exterior lights, finally picking out the shape of a person leaning against her car. Sadie's heart abruptly began racing within her chest. Fear wasn't something that came easily for her, but finding herself alone in a parking lot with a stranger- and armed with only a devil's food cake- was a precarious circumstance."

Like the teaser? Here's my take on the book.

My thoughts One of my favorite genres to read is the cozy mystery. Pair that with culinary skills of a middle aged amateur sleuth, add in some quirky characters and perhaps a budding romance and you have a winner in my opinion. Devil's Food Cake is just that!

The main character Sadie Hofmiller, a widowed cooking aficionado who just seems to easily channel her inner busybody, sets out to solve a murder mystery in Garrison, Colorado; not exactly what she had in mind for the evening.

When Sadie arranged for Tom Mortenson, a former resident, to speak at the library fund raiser dinner regarding his best selling book, everyone expected a nice quiet dinner meeting. Between the prime rib and devil's food cake, no one could foresee that just fixing a microphone would set off a shot gun blast that immediately killed Tom's agent, Mark Ogresky. None of the attendees paid $150.00 a plate to be scared out of their wits!

Who could possibly have gone to such trouble rigging the shotgun like that? What was their motive and when did anyone even have the opportunity to set it up? This made Sadie wonder if Mark was the real target or was it a mistake and did someone have it in for Tom?

Tom had left Garrison years ago following the suicide of his son and murder of his son's girlfriend. Sadie had to first figure out if anyone from the past still held a grudge. Through a lot of digging and some madcap adventures, Sadie, her son Shawn and a new acquaintance by the name of Eric managed to get themselves in the thick of the action despite the police telling them to just go home. Of course, that didn't stop Sadie!

Just when I thought it was a wrap and I had it figured out, a big turnaround happened at warp speed. Whoa, didn't see that twist coming. Good one, Josi! I had to speed read to the end I was so surprised and couldn't wait to see what happened.

Sadie Hofmiller and her teenaged son, Shawn, were fun characters to read. It's as if he and his mother had been solving crimes together for a long time, their thoughts meshed well together in figuring out what clues to follow. I also really liked another character that was introduced in this book and that was Eric. He turned out to be much more than I thought he would initially. I hope to see him again in the next book.

For fans of culinary cozies, this is definitely one for your wish list. And the recipes? I was drooling just reading the devil's food cake recipe. Devil's Food Cake is the third in this culinary series by Josi Kilpack. For more info on the author and her books you can visit her website or her blog .

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author through
Pump Up Your Book promotions.

56 comments:

  1. Cute teaser..found myself smiling when I finished reading it. And the vivid picture it formed in my mind :)

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  2. Great teaser & great review! I'll add it on my reading list!

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  3. That teaser does sound good. I do like cozy, culinary mysteries and will have to put it on my list.

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  4. Seems like you enjoyed this one! It does sound like a fun mystery, and that cover is really making me crave chocolate!

    My teaser is here!

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  5. Nice teaser & review! Sounds like a fun read. Happy reading!

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  6. That totally made me laugh. Love it. When you get your review written, please remember to link it up to my Weekend Cooking feature (goes up on Saturday mornings) -- it's for all post remotely foodie, including cozy culinary mysteries.

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  7. This is SO on my wish list. Great review!

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  8. This looks and sounds like a "delicious" tale!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  9. Ha! Great teaser. :D Thanks for sharing and commenting on mine.

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  10. Love the teaser! And now I am craving cake!

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  11. This is a new to me author and book -- I just read the review (scrolling past the teaser, LOL) and you've got my interest. I love culinary cozies! I've entered Kris's cozy mystery challenge again this year, maybe this one will make my list.

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  12. What's the devil is devils' food cake? your teaser aroused my curiosity ;)

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  13. Oh I loved your take on the book. Makes me want to read it more than the teaser. Still a great teaser though.

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  14. That would be tricky, at least she had cake. Great teaser. I am adding this book to my TBR list.

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  15. Yeah, I guess that would be nerve-wracking.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  16. Before the cold weather leaves completely here in Northwest Florida, a cozy mystery is exactly what I need and you have made this one deliciously desired.

    My teaser is here

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  17. Yum! Though I prefer German Chocolate. :) Fun teaser.

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  18. LOL! armed with a devil's food cake---

    sounds like a fun read :)

    Kaye-the road goes ever ever on

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  19. Very fun teaser! I love cozy mysteries too. I've been reading The Cooking Class Murders series by Miranda Bliss. It's taking me a while because I have to get my hands on them first, lol..but I love them.

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  20. I'm not really a mystery reader but that sounds fun! Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  21. I have an award waiting for you on my blog :)

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  22. I don't read a lot of mysteries but this one sounds great...and tasty!

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  23. Excellent teaser! And how, exactly, does one disarm a villain with a Devil's Food Cake? You don't reveal.

    My teaser is here.

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  24. I've seen this the past week around the blogosphere. Great review and good teaser.

    http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2010/03/teaser_22.html

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  25. Cute teaser, I like the 'armed with only a devil's food cake' part :-) Thanks for visiting my TT.

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  26. I can only read cozies in limited numbers. Then I need a good serial killer..

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  27. This sounds like a perfect cozy!! Even the cover looks delicious.

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  28. I've really got to start taking note of some of these cozy reads of yours, my step-mother would eat these up!!

    Thanks for a great review and tease.

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  29. This looks like a fun book! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  30. Haha, I don't know you could throw a Devil's Food Cake at someones head. Cute teaser.

    My teaser is up a Find the Time to Read it's not nearly as delicious sounding, but still feel free to check it out :D

    -Jess.

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  31. If I was walking through a parking lot at night by myself and some creepy guy was leaning up against my car, you better believe I'm launching at him whatever is in my hand...be it cake or something else, LOL!

    Here is my teaser for today.

    ♥Isalys

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  32. I think you have your pulse on the cozy mystery genre and i love your honest reviews!! This one is going on your blame list for sure!

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  33. Libraries and food - just like mine, maybe I shall add this to my list

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  34. Great teaser and review! These books are definitely on my wishlist. I wish they were available as eBooks. I'm glad you enjoyed this latest one.

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  35. Wow. Such a tempting sounding cake!

    Thanks for visiting mine

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  36. Thanks for stopping by my blog. This sounds like a fun book - great teaser and review!

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  37. What is it with books and food? I hope that you enjoy your book. Here's My Teaser

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  38. What is it with books and food? I hope that you enjoy your book. Here's My Teaser

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  39. I love cozies, especially when they're based on food! That teaser was very good, so I'm wanting to read this right now. I'll be on the lookout for this book in the library!

    Here's my Teaser Tuesday!

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  40. Yes, I've seen this one doing the blogs and it look like the kind of books that like: cooking and detecting, what a match :)

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  41. Great teaser and oh my goodness, I love the cover (I'm a chocoholic LOL). I think this is going on my wishlist, thanks for the review too!

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  42. Is a stranger with a cake a bad thing? LOL. Great tease.

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  43. Thanks for visiting my blog. Here is a cozy for you - Fatally Flaky: A Novel by Diane Mott.

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  44. Let's see if the third attempt at commenting is the charm...

    Great teaser and review, sounds really good! Is this the first book in the series?

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  45. How funny. Sounds like a good read.

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  46. Enjoyed the "armed with a Devil's Food Cake". Great teaser!

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  47. Great teaser! This sounds like the type of mystery that's perfect for a rainy day

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  48. Cute teaser! A mysterious stranger with dessert could be a girl's worst enemy.

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  49. I love cozies and this sounds great!

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  50. Sounds delicious and mysterious. Great teaser!

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  51. Great teaser, and the cover on the book has left me craving chocolate.

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  52. I always get hungry when I visit your blog!!! Stop posting covers with yummy cake!!!

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  53. Interesting teaser! I am glad you enjoyed the book.

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