It Cannoli Be Murder by Catherine Bruns is the second book in the “Italian Chef” cozy mystery series. Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, coming July 28, 2020.
It’s time to serve some just desserts. . .
Six months after her husband’s death, Tessa Esposito is hoping to drum up reservations for her restaurant’s grand opening. And since a signing with bestselling author, Preston Rigotta, is sure to draw a crowd, Tessa agrees to cater her cousin’s bookstore event—whipping up some of her famous Italian desserts. But the event soon takes a sour turn when Preston’s publicist, an old high school rival, arrives and begins to whisk up their old grudges.
That night, a fight breaks out in front of the crowd, and it becomes clear there’s bad blood in Harvest Park. And when the publicist is found dead on the bookstore floor the next morning, a stray cannolo at her side, Tessa knows who will be framed as the prime suspect.
To clear both her cousin’s and her own name, Tessa must investigate the murder. But Preston’s publicist has many secrets to hide, and in the end, the truth is bittersweet. . .
Dru’s Musing:
This book left me with a smile on my face and I did not want to see this story end. In this fast-paced and action-packed drama, the author served up a well-written and tightly woven multi-arc tale that catered to everything I love in a mystery. This book quickly became a page-turner as I could not put it down until all was said and done. The author did a great job in staging this with enough intrigue, suspense, tenderness and the camaraderie of friends and family. With visually descriptive narrative, the author painted the scenes with a comfortable tone and engaging dialogue. There were a few red herrings and surprises that enhanced the telling of this tale. The best part of this book was the food – I want to dine in Anything Pastable. Make your reservation for a delectably appealing delight that will feed your appetite. With so many opportunities awaiting Tessa, I look forward to the next book in this enjoyable series.
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FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.