Sunday, January 8, 2012

Review & Giveaway: If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton



Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: January 3rd 2012 by Berkley

ISBN: 0425245853 (ISBN13: 9780425245859)
edition language: English
At Gram's Country Cooking School, Betts and Gram are helping students prepare the perfect dishes for the Southern Missouri Show-Down, the cook-off that draws the first of the summer visitors. Everything is going smoothly until they discover the body of local theater owner Everett Morningside in the school's supply closet, and Everett's widow points an accusatory finger at Gram. Now, Betts has to dig deep into Broken Rope's history to find the modern-day killer-before the last piece of chicken is served.
My thoughts: It's not going to be easy for Betts to clear her Gram's good name as Gram is not too forthcoming with info about her relationship to the victim. Having Cliff, the former love of her life, back in town as part of the police force is throwing her for a loop. She's still hung up on him. Along with this she has to keep the cooking school up and running.

 Paranormal elements in a cozy mystery don't really appeal to me but somehow, in this one, it worked. Some of the things I liked about this mystery were the characters and the history about the fictitious small town of Broken Rope, Missouri. Gram, Betts and the ghostly Jerome were likeable, well fleshed out and rang true to me even though one was a ghost. Go figure!

One thing I would have liked to have seen more of is viable motives at the beginning. The book is well under way before motives start to pop up even though the body is discovered right at the beginning. That's another thing I do like - action right off the bat!

This is the first in Gram's country cooking series and I think I would read the next one. The recipes included at the end sounded really tasty. All in all, a good start to a new series. 3***

Paige Shelton is also the author of the Farmer's Market series. Paige is a Goodreads author and can also be found at her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Due to the ever so generous Berkley, I am able to offer a giveaway of one copy of this book. Open to US only with the deadline to enter being Jan 18th at 5 PM (est). Bonus entries are as follows:
NOTE: Paige just e mailed me she will send a copy also. So, now the giveaway will be 2 copies! US only.
+1 for being a follower, old or new on GFC  . .OR

 +3 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.

+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Fried Chicken in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

31 comments:

  1. I love that the character of the ghost was well developed! : )

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  2. Sounds like a fun read!

    I'm a GFC follower (note I didn't say old, haha)
    meah56 at gmailDOTcom

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  3. Gram a killer?? Give me some fried chicken and let's get reading!
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  4. +1 GFC follower as Karen B.

    +3 Networked follower as Karen Purbaugh Barnett. (I think I signed up the right way!)
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  5. I really want to read this book. I love that a gram is one of the key characters and want to try out some of her fictional fried chicken.

    +1 I am a long time GFC follower of your.

    I don't have a blog so I have tried over and over again to get the "follow" button to work on Networked Blogs. I reported it to Support. There is a note on their sidebar that they will address the problem when there are 3 people reporting but now there are 6!

    See my report to them:
    http://help.networkedblogs.com/entries/20636686-i-want-to-follow-a-blog-when-i-press-the-green-follow-button-nothing-happens

    I tried find this blog on Google + but you were there.

    I tried Twitter but couldn't find you.

    I am a loyal follower, I even put an icon for your blog on the top bar of my AOl screen.

    Can you help me and those wanting to follow on Networked Blogs by reporting it to them or finding another way to follow you?

    I did sign up for your posts on a Google Reader-would that work?

    Carol Wong

    Carol Wong

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  6. Anything to do with Fried Chicken has got to be good, lol!

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

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  7. Blogged the contest here:
    http://wrensthoughts.blogspot.com/p/contests-and-giveaways-good-luck.html

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tweeted the contest here:
    https://twitter.com/#!/wfnren/status/156038452750712833

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

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  9. GFC follower, Wren's Thoughts.

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Networked follower, Wendy Newcomb.

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is one unique book. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  12. What a delightful book. Great characters. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. I generally don't like paranormal either, so I'm glad to see it worked. The title of the book makes me laugh.

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  14. great giveaway
    follow via gfc- old follower
    drakebdog@gmail.com

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  15. Sounds like a fun read. Thanks for the chance.

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

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  16. +1 GFC follower

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

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  17. +3 tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/darcy1956/status/156096811805835265

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

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  18. This cozy sounds fun. I think I'd like the character of Gram.

    margot dot peck at gmail dot com

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  19. thank you for another great giveaway!!! love being 'in' on a new series!!!!

    GFC follwer: cyn209

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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  20. Follower through both GFC and GoogleReader. Also posted a link to contest in blog sidebar.

    word_trix (at) yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sounds like a good book.

    GFC folower - SandyG265

    sgiden at verizon.net

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  22. This sounds like a very funny book, and a unique title! Thanks for the giveaway.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    -Networked Blogs follower
    -GFC follower

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  23. I want to know who makes up these titles for the cozies??? I love them!! sounds fun and hey, it's the beginning of a series!! There are so many great ones out there....I like that you are my go-to person for cozies!!

    I follow you....and then some! :D
    stacijoreads@gmail.com

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  24. I loved her Farmer's Market series and can't wait to read this one, too!

    readerofthepack AT gmail DOT com

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  25. Thank you for the chance to win this book. I am a networked follower and a gfc follower both as griperang and I have tweeted your giveaway - here is the link: https://twitter.com/#!/griperang/status/157283656413618178

    Thank you.

    Angela/Griperang
    griperang at embarqmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  26. What fun!
    +1 I follow
    +3 I'm connected with Networked Blogs "Sarita Rogers"
    Thanks!

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  27. I love the title. And it sounds like a good read, a little paranormal thrown into a mystery usually works for me.

    I'm a follower.

    carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

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  28. Looks like a fun cozy! Thanks for the info and opportunity to win!

    I am a GFC follower!

    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. thanks for the chance to read this fun novel :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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  30. i'm a follower, too :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I forgot to add my e-mail address! I am so sorry.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    I think I signed up for your blog with Networked blogs, I hope. When I click on it to check it get to a nomanlands in Networked Blogs!

    ReplyDelete

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