Sherry Oliveri is the sleuth in the “Cook-Off” mysteries. One of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions. So, let’s get to know Sherry.

What is your full name?
Sherry Grace Oliveri

How old are you?
36 years old

What is your profession?
Good question! Requires some thought. Prior to my divorce, I worked as an office manager in my husband’s law firm. Now, I hold a number of part-time jobs. I work in my father’s store, The Ruggery, where we sell hand-loomed rugs that are works of art. I am also the editor of The Augustin newsletter. I sold homemade pickles at the Farmer’s Market until recently, as well.

Do you have a significant other?
I recently met a man at a cook-off who checks a lot of boxes for what I’d love in a partner, but it’s early days, so time will tell.

What is their name and profession?
Don Johnstone works in finance.

Do you have any children?
No children.

Do you have any siblings?
I have a younger sister, Marla and a younger brother, Pep.

Are your parents nearby?
My mother has passed and my father lives nearby.

Who is your best friend?
My new best friend is Amber Sherman. My oldest best friend is my sister, Marla.

Do you have any pets?
I have a Jack Russell terrier named Chutney, named after my favorite condiment.

What town do you live in?
I live in Augustin, CT.

Would you say you live in a small town or a big city?
A medium-small coastal town.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live in a small New England colonial house which I own.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Hands down, my kitchen.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Since I am a cooking contester, my favorite meal whatever is my latest experiment. If I am preparing for a grilling cooking contest and I have perfected my Ranch Steak Bruschetta Salad, that is my favorite meal. My favorite dessert is a slice of coconut cake. On the other hand, I’m not much of a baker, requires too much precise measuring, so I appreciate anyone who is willing to bake anything for me.

Do you have any hobbies?
I have way too many hobbies. Gardening, tennis, canning my own produce, recipe contests are among the ones I spend the most time on.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I haven’t been on vacation in years. Too busy. I honeymooned in Martha’s Vineyard about eight years ago, and despite the marriage dissolving, I’d vacation there again any time I get a couple of free days.

What music do you listen to?
Seventies soft rock.

Do you have a favorite book?
You’d think it would be a cookbook, but I haven’t written the one that would be my favorite yet, so I’d have to say Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Call me crazy, but I have the most fun creating recipes for an upcoming recipe contest. I choose the cooking competitions I compete in when I find the theme of the contest tickles my fancy. Any grilling contest, I’m in. A contest sponsored by the Northeast Produce Association, yes, please. A cook-off where mushrooms must be the star ingredient – now that’s what I call a really fun time.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
*** Fake It ‘Till You Make It ***

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur sleuth who works with friends, librarians, family members, anyone in the know associated with cooking competitions.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I get up very early to pay a visit to my garden. I weed as needed, pick ripe veggies and give my Chutney his morning walk. After breakfast, if it’s my day on, I do errands or recipe create or work on the town newsletter until it’s time to head to The Ruggery. A few days a week I play tennis after work. If there’s a murder investigation happening, I spend some time in search of clues, piece the puzzle together as best I can or admittedly just stumble onto evidence that takes me a step closer to finding the killer.

Eat, Drink and Be Wary is the fourth book in the “Cook-Off” cozy mystery series, released August 25, 2020.

The New England Fall Food Fest has begun, and for competitive cook Sherry Oliveri, it’s a chance to take home a prize—and take down a killer . . .

Sherry’s hoping her Savory Shrimp Lettuce Cups will impress the judges, and she’s invited her brother, Pep, to serve as her sous-chef. The good news is that she takes first place in her category, the bad news is that it’s easier to win when your toughest competition is dead . . .

After contestant Fitz Frye is found with a fishhook in his neck, Pep’s strange behavior doesn’t help his case when the police consider him top suspect. While Pep sits through a shakedown, Sherry searches near and far for the real culprit—before another deadly course is served . . .

Includes Recipes from Sherry’s Kitchen!

Purchase Link
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About the author
Devon Delaney is a wife, mother of three, accomplished cooking contester, sometime empty nester, and lifelong resident of the Northeast. She has been handsomely rewarded for her recipe innovation over the last twenty-plus years, including a full kitchen of major appliances, top cash prizes, and four trips to Disney World. She has also won the Grand Prize in a national writing contest for her “foodie” poem, “Ode to Pork Passion.” She began writing cozy mysteries when she relocated to Connecticut and saw the opportunity for a career change from teaching.

All comments are welcomed.