Killer Gourmet by G.A. McKevett is the 20th book in the “Savannah Reid” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, March 2015

Plus-sized P.I. Savannah Reid and her pals at the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency know a thing or two about fine dining. But when murder shows up on the menu, it’s time to go back to the kitchen. . .

When the Moonlight Magnolia gang learns their friends Ryan Stone and John Gibson are planning to open a chic new restaurant, they eagerly offer their input on everything from what dishes to serve to how many calories they should contain. But all Ryan and John can think about is how excited they are to have hired the temperamental but talented chef Baldwin Norwood. Too bad the only thing being sliced and diced in the kitchen is the chef himself. . .

As Savannah turns her attention from munchies to murder, she quickly realizes the cantankerous chef left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, and any number of people could have whipped up a recipe for revenge. Could the jilted sous chef he stabbed in the back have done the same to him? Perhaps the loyal girlfriend he took for granted was finally fed up. Or maybe the business partner whose career he ruined had an appetite for blood. Savannah has her work cut out for her, and just when she thinks there couldn’t be any more suspects, she uncovers a plot more precarious than a perfect soufflé. . .

The series gets better and better like fine wine and not one step is missed in the 20th telling of the lives of Savannah, Dirk and their friends. With Savannah’s homespun notions on how things are, I was swept in all the action in an intriguing mystery that kept me on my game with a smattering of suspects and clues that resulted in some good old fashion detective work. The author does a great job in bringing Savannah and the gang to life in this character-driven drama with their dialogue and the ins-and-outs of the case they are presently working on. Boasting a great cast of characters, witty repartee and Southern charm, this is one of my favorite long-running series and I look forward to more exciting adventures in this well-written and delightfully charming series.