Toasting Up Trouble by Linda Wiken is the first book in the NEW “Dinner Club” mystery series. Publisher: Penguin Random House, July 2016

A delicious new cozy mystery series featuring the Culinary Capers Dinner Club—who are fearless when it comes to cooking up new dishes and putting the lid on crime. . .

Event planner Jennifer “J.J.” Tanner has a full plate, but that’s the way she likes it. First, it’s her turn to choose the recipe for the next meeting of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club, a gathering of foodie friends who experiment with entrées for their creative and gastronomical pleasure. Second, she’s organizing an Italian princess party for the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a high-tech millionaire.

But one thing J.J. didn’t plan on is that the caterer for the event—hotshot chef Antonio Marcotti—would end up murdered the night of the party. Or that she’d end up being a prime suspect after having had a heated argument with the unscrupulous chef. Now it’s up to J.J.—with help from her fellow Club members and a handsome if mysterious private eye—to turn the tables on the real killer. . .

I like it. I love the comfortable tone and the writing style of this light and fresh new drama. The author verbiage put me in the middle of all the action following along with J.J. as tries to clear her friend’s name. We discover so many things about J.J. and the rest of the players as each clue is presented. The author did a wonderful job in the set-up, especially those chances meeting with Ty. It was the back and forth of clues between J.J. and Ty that brought this story to fruition with an ending that when the killer’s identity was revealed, it made sense when it was all said and done. This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to more exploits with J.J. and her friends in this delightfully engaging series.