Thursday, November 8, 2012

Review & Giveaway: Arsenic and Old Cake by Jacklyn Brady



Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: November 6th 2012 by Berkley

ISBN: 0425251721 (ISBN13: 9780425251720)
edition language: English
From the publisher:

Blind man’s bluff With business going stale at Zydeco Cakes, Rita Lucero has plenty to worry about. But when the blind trumpet player Old Dog Leg Magee asks for a favor, she can’t say no. His brother Monroe disappeared forty years ago, and now someone has shown up claiming to be him. Old Dog Leg needs Rita to be his eyes—and see if it’s really his brother. The Twisted Palms Bed and Breakfast is full of unsavory characters, Monroe included. Posing as newlyweds, Rita and her friend Gabriel check in, only to discover that Monroe’s true identity isn’t the only mystery they’ll have to solve. When another guest at the Twisted Palms turns up dead, it seems the mysterious man might also be a murderer...

My thoughts: The first two books in this series were really good. I like the setting of New Orleans as Brady does a good job with sense of place. This third one I didn't get that place feeling, the story could have been set anywhere.

As for the mystery part, that was well done; I never guessed who did it but, and occasionally there is a But . . . . . the whole premise of how Rita got sucked into this in the first place felt off to me. Improbable? Unlikely? Highly. I hope the next one goes back to a mystery at the bakery or more of the bakery characters in the story line.

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

Through the generosity of Berkley, I have one copy for giveaway, open to US only and the deadline to enter is November 16th at 5 PM (est).

Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Valid only if posted at least 2 days before deadline. Leave me a link, please.

If no e-mail address is included in comment, I will assume you DO NOT want to be entered in the giveaway.

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

Good luck!


16 comments:

  1. It sounds like this wasn't exactly what you had been hoping for or expecting, and I can tell that you were a little disappointed. I'm sorry that this one wasn't what you had hoped it would be. Perhaps the next one will be a bit better.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Please enter me in the giveaway, thanks!
    +4 Networked blogs follower as mamabunny shelor
    +3 tweet https://twitter.com/mamabunny13/status/266569578061127680
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry that this one was short of your expectations but I'd like to give it a try anyways! :)
    +4 Networked blogs - Karen Purbaugh Barnett

    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love to win this one!
    Thanks for the giveaway. =)

    readinginks ( at ) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Still want to read it. Please enter me in this giveaway.
    + 4 Networked Blogs Follower -Carol Naomi Wong

    + 3 I tweeted: http://t.co/lmm9Ve7T

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have not read any of this series yet. This sounds very good.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. great giveaway
    follow via gfc samantha35
    drakebdog@GMAIL.COM

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would love to win and read Jacklyn's new book. New Orleans always makes a great setting for a mystery. Thanks!

    GFC follower.

    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like a fun cozy.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    -Networked Blogs follower
    -GFC follower
    -email subscriber
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I adore the covers on these cozies. They are always good. I need to settle myself in with one soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the cover! I'd love to read this one. Thanks for the chance.

    gfc follower & email subscriber

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. thanks for the chance to read this cozy mystery :)

    i'm a follower, too

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. The cover would put me off of cake … at least cake with red filling!

    ReplyDelete
  14. thank you for this giveaway!!!
    i've had this book on my WishList since its announcement!!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well, Geez...that sounds like you weren't overly enthused about this one. Bummer, but that's okay because your reviews have increased my cozy count by at least 100+!! LOL!!

    ReplyDelete

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