Review: A Side of Murder

Title: A Side of Murder

Series: Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #1

Author: Amy Pershing

Release Date: February 23, 2021

Find it here: Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads: A food writer must investigate the death of an old enemy in this witty and exciting new cozy mystery series set in beautiful Cape Cod, Massachusetts, known for seafood, sand, surf, and, now...murder.

Samantha Barnes was always a foodie. So when the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of America) came calling, she happily traded in Cape Cod for the Big Apple. Soon the young chef is a rising star in the city’s food scene—until a feud with another chef (her ex) boils over and goes viral. So when Sam inherits her Great-Aunt Ida’s house on the Cape and lands a job writing restaurant reviews, it seems like the perfect pairing. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, a lot.

The dilapidated house comes with an enormous puppy. Her new boss is, well, bossy. And the town’s new harbormaster is none other than her first love. Nonetheless, Sam’s looking forward to testing her inner food critic at the Bayview Grille—and indeed the seafood chowder is divine. But the body floating in the pond outside the eatery was not on the menu. Though the drowning is called an accident, Sam is certain it's murder. And as she begins to stir the pot, it becomes terrifyingly clear that she may be writing the recipe for her own untimely demise.

My Review: This was a really fun cozy mystery. I loved the setting of Cape cod and the descriptions of the area. I thought the mystery was well done and kept me guessing, there were also a couple of well done twists I didn't see coming. There were a couple of clichés in there but nothing that distracted me from the story. I enjoyed the main characters and all of the side characters and felt they were well done. I hope that house renovations are in the future because I love those storylines in cozy mysteries. There was one part involving the dog that I found to be nearly unbelievable but other than that I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All opinions are my own.*