What did I get myself into? As if the holiday season isn’t chock full enough with extra activities and unforeseen stressors, I had to go ahead and sign up for my very first recipe contest judging stint. I love competing in recipe contests, but to be on the other side, judging? I’ll be a fish out of water. No turning back now. What’s done is done.

My hometown of Augustin, Connecticut is hosting the Story For Glory Cookie Cook-off to kick off the holiday season with a bang. Many town residents, along with other amateur cooks from around the country, have brought their sweet treats with the intention of claiming the title of cookie king or queen. As I sit here at the judging table awaiting the cook’s cookies along with the story of the sweet treat’s origins, to be presented at the judging table, I scan the room. As much as I love competing in recipe contests, baking is not my strong suit. I concentrate on savory recipes and have done quite well, I might add. Today, I wouldn’t be a contender, baking is too precise for my free-wheeling cooking style.

Across the room I spot my neighbor, Eileen. She’s our neighborhood’s watchdog. She knows most every goings-on in town, and what she doesn’t she makes it her mission to learn. I can’t judge her cookie entry with any bias, and I hope she understands. As a matter of fact, I know many of the cooks. I’m going to have to keep my game face steady. Near Eileen stands my old home economics teacher from Augustin High School, Mr. Currier, who I haven’t seen in ages. I invited him over to dinner last night when I discovered the connection between us ran deeper than merely student-teacher. Not sure if that was such a wise decision. I’m looking forward to his entry. His story intrigues me.

My fellow judges are much more qualified to choose the winner than I. I’ll merely vote on presentation, taste and the recipe’s backstory. I’m counting on them to make short work of the tough decision of choosing the winners and I can get home to my sister, Marla, who is visiting from Oklahoma. She’s having marital issues, at the moment, and since I’ll never outgrow my role as oldest sister, I’m having pangs of guilt I haven’t imparted enough of my big sister wisdom on her since she’s been home.

The head judge is standing. The cook-off is about to begin. Across the room, Eileen is making less than subtle hand gestures in my direction. I steer my gaze in Mr. Currier’s direction. He just put down his cookie tray and sprinted over to the door where he picked up a backpack before racing back to his cookie platter. Odd. As I always say, competition can bring out the best, worst and strangest behavior in people.

Double Chocolate Cookie Murder, A Cook-Off Mystery #5
Genre: Cozy
Release Date: August 2021
Purchase Link

Sherry Oliveri is used to competing in cook-offs, but this time she’s serving as a judge. The upside is that she gets to taste all the contestants’ cookies. The downside is that one of the bakers will wind up dead. . .

It’s the long Thanksgiving weekend, and between cooking for her family and working her dad’s store for Black Friday, Sherry has a full plate. Next, she has to judge the big cookie contest–and among the many entrants is her old high school home ec teacher, Mr. Currier.

For old time’s sake, Sherry invites him over for dinner, although sadly, the reunion will be short-lived. The next day, the prizes at the cook-off go missing–and later turn up at the marina, along with her ex-teacher’s body. Now Sherry has to find out who would do such a thing. . .

Includes Recipes from Sherry’s Kitchen!

About the author
Devon Delaney is the author of the Cooking Competition cozy mystery series. She may not have witnessed a murder in the twenty plus years she’s competed in cook-offs and recipe contests, but she swears everyone would kill to win the hefty prizes the winning cooks are rewarded with.

Devon has lived in the northeast her entire life and celebrates the area as a backdrop in her series. She was a computer and robotics teacher for over ten years before relocating to Connecticut. Double Chocolate Cookie Murder is her fifth book in the series. Like her main character, Sherry, Devon has a beloved dog. Unlike Sherry, Devon has a husband, children and is a competitive tennis player. Devon needlepoints, hooks rugs, gardens and brines her own pickles. Please visit her website at devonpdelaney.com and follow her on Instagram.

All comments are welcomed.