I’m Hayley Snow and I have a confession. I’ve got a wicked case of bride mind. My friends warned me that getting married makes a girl crazy—but I thought they had to be exaggerating. Because if you’re organized, what’s the big deal? Dress? Check! Venue? All set. Fiancé? For sure. I thought any nerves would be a case of mind over matter.
So not true.
I finally found the perfect dress—my mother says it’s something Audrey Hepburn might have worn. And we’ve settled on the perfect place—the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, and the perfect reception at the Hemingway home with all those wonderful polydactyl cats and the most amazing food. And flowers, oh will there ever be flowers!
So with all that in place, why do I feel so anxious? For one thing, my parents didn’t have a lot of luck with marriage. They tried to stay together for my sake, but it didn’t stick. Who’s to say we’ll do any better? Though my guy is really something special, he’s not so good at talking things out. And I’m finding out that maybe I’m not either—I have a tendency to act before I’ve thought through the consequences.
Luckily, our friend and police officer and marriage officiate Steve Torrence is helping with all that. He is reminding us to focus on why we chose each other, and helping us understand that marriage is a process, not an end state. I have other help too: Miss Gloria, my roommate, has so much wisdom. And my friend Lorenzo has a real connection with the wider universe.
Keeping busy with work helps too. Today I took my friend Analise’s seafood-tasting tour and we visited lots of restaurants in Key West. We sampled the most delicious taste sensations—Chef Martha’s sponger key lime pie, smoked fish dip, Key West pink shrimp, divine lobster macaroni and cheese, and finally we got to relax tasting samples of home-brewed beer.
All I had to do was write this up, and then I could concentrate on Thanksgiving. Ulp. That makes me a little crazy too. For the first time ever, my mother and father and stepparents and my guy Nathan will be seated at the same table. Who wouldn’t be nervous as a polydactyl cat in a crowded room?
All of that explains why I wasn’t paying close attention when one of the women on the tour collapsed in a heap. I called 911 and tried to calm down her husband, who was a wreck, of course. But I can only think and hope and pray that this has nothing to do with murder. . .
You can read more about Hayley in A Deadly Feast, the ninth book in the “Key West Food Critic” cozy culinary mystery series, released May 7, 2019.
Key West food critic Hayley Snow scents-es something fishy when a customer falls stone-crab cold dead on a seafood tasting tour.
Thanksgiving is nearly here, and Key West food critic Hayley Snow has just one more assignment to put to bed for Key Zest magazine before she gets to celebrate with her family and her police officer fiancé, Nathan Bransford. Then, just days later, wedding bells will ring―if death doesn’t toll first.
The sweet potatoes and stuffing will have to wait when Hayley picks up a distraught phone call from her friend, Analise Smith. On the last stop of a seafood tasting tour run by Analise, one of the customers collapsed―dead. With the police on the verge of shutting down the tour―and ruining Analise’s business―Hayley can hardly refuse her friend’s entreaties to investigate.
As if wedding jitters and family strife weren’t enough for Hayley to worry about, there’s crusty pastry chef Martha Hubbard, whose key lime pie may have been the murder weapon―but did she poison her own pie or was she framed? As the hours to Turkey Day tick away, the pressure cooker is on for Hayley to serve up the culprit on a silver platter in A Deadly Feast, national bestselling author Lucy Burdette’s taste-tempting ninth Key West Food Critic mystery.
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About the author
Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 17 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, A Deadly Feast (Crooked Lane Books, May 2019.) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs at JungleRedWriters.com and shares her love for food with the culinary writers at MysteryLoversKitchen.com. She lives in Madison CT and Key West FL.
To learn more about Lucy, visit her website at lucyburdette.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, or on Bookbub.
All comments are welcomed.
Thanks to Lucy Burdette for donating a print copy of A Deadly Feast. Contest ends May 13, 2019 and is limited to U.S. residents. Please leave comment in box below. The winner will be notified by email (so check your spam folder). Good luck everyone!
Reading now & loving it! The tension builds as we approach the end of the book,
I love cats so having my wedding at the Hemingway House sounds like a dream come true. Great setting and lots of fun complications.
Love your books Lucy and am looking forward to reading this one!
I am hoping to read this one soon and finally (maybe?) see Hayley pull off a memorable wedding!
I love this series and can’t wait to read the new book.
I love this series and enjoy Key West through their eyes. Thank you for the opportunity!
Delightful book and great series. Thanks.
This series is so great, and I really enjoyed A Day in The Life of Hayley Snow. Hayley and Miss Gloria are such wonderful characters, and I can’t wait to read more about them as they prepare for Hayley’s approaching wedding!
I love reading about key West and Hayley. The wedding sounds exciting.
I love Lucy Burdette’s books and am glad you hosted her on your blog. I’m waiting to
read the rest of the story as to Haley’s wedding. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
I absolutely love this series and I can’t wait to read this newest installment. Thank you for the chance to win.
I have never been to Key West and I would really like to “A Deadly Feast”. Sounds like a great book.
I love this series–the setting is great, especially for foodies–with the addition of a wedding, a murder and cats, it’s nearly perfect.
Thanks so very much for all the lovely comments! It’s always a pleasure to be asked to visit Dru Ann Love’s wonderful blog! thank you
love this series and the setting!!! congrats on the new release!
This is a wonderful series and I can hardly wait to read this newest book! I love Miss Gloria and want to be like her when I am that age!
All of the recipes I have made have been wonderful Lucy! Thanks for inspiring me to try them-Haley always makes them sound effortless and delicious!!
I love this series and cannot wait to read this one! Love the cover. Thanks for a chance to win and for all the great writing in this series!
I love this series. Thanks for the giveaway.
I absolutely love 💕 love 💕 love 💕 this series, and I thoroughly enjoy all of the very awesome and beautiful Lucy Burnette’s books 📚! The cover is just so cute with the adorable kitty and yummy looking turkey 🦃! Can’t wait to read this new book 📖! Thank you so much sweet, beautiful Dru and sweet, beautiful Lucy for the chance to win!
I would love to win a copy. I have really enjoyed this series!
Sounds like Hayley is going to be busy for awhile.
I love this series and would be so excited to win a copy of this new book. Looks like it will be just as wonderful as the others! Thanks for the chance!
This sounds like a fun read. Would love to be able to take a seafood tasting tour as work like this character.
Love this book cover! Thanks so much for the chance to win this cozy!
Would love to win! I really enjoy this series and haven’t missed a single book.
**** WINNER ****
A Deadly Feast is GB
Congratulations!