Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley

Series Name: Deep Dish Mystery Book #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: April 25, 2023
Format: Print, Digital, Audio

Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust is the second book in Mindy Quigley’s delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

Newly single pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary is determined to keep her restaurant afloat in the picturesque resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. To boost her bottom line, she sets her sights on winning the hefty cash prize in the town’s annual “Taste of Wisconsin” culinary contest. In her corner, she’s got her strong-willed, “big-boned” cat Butterball, her wisecracking BFF, her cantankerous great-aunt, and a nearly-flawless recipe for Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza. But while Delilah and her team have been focused on pumping out perfect pizza pies, her ex-fiancé has cozied up to a new squeeze, juice bar owner Jordan Watts—Delilah’s contest rival.

When one of Jordan’s juice bar customers is poisoned by a tainted smoothie, Delilah lands deep in the sauce. Accusations fly, suspects abound, and a menacing stranger turns up with a beef over some missing dough. Between kale-juicing hipsters and grudge-bearing celebrity chefs, Delilah must act quickly before another one bites the crust.

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Dru’s Short Musing:
There is no sophomore slump from this author as the story grabbed me immediately.

Hoping to win a coveted prize, Delilah and her friends are gung-ho, until mischief and mayhem enter the competition. When the chef who caused Sonya to lose her job comes to town, and surprising so does his ex-wife, well you know what happens next. Someone has to die and meanwhile, someone is poisoning smoothies. Are they connected?

You’ll have to read this well-written drama that had me immersed in all aspects from the introduction of the secondary characters who play pivotal roles in the execution of this whodunit. With a solidly wicked multi-plot scenario, there are plenty of people who are suspects but it’s pizza-making Delilah who puts it all together with help from her friends. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more adventures with Delilah, Sonya, Melody, Capone and Butterball in this delightfully entertaining series.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.