Out Of The Frying Pan

by Robin Allen

Overview

Death for Dinner

Health inspector Poppy Markham suspects murder when a popular chef buys the (organic) farm.

Feast in the Field is the event of the season for Austin foodies. A fine-dining affair hosted by the Friends of the Farm, it's Poppy Markham's favorite opportunity to drink boutique wine and get the latest scuttlebutt from her pals in the restaurant business. But this year's hottest dish of gourmet gossip won't be whispered over a plate of cucumber crudités. Instead, it will be the announcement of the organization's new president-elect. The competition between the candidates has been hotter than horseradish, and when the winner—uptight restaurateur Dana White—is struck down in her own kitchen, it's up to Poppy to figure out who took her off the menu.

Praise:
"A must-read for cozy lovers."—Publishers Weekly

"Allen delivers a breezy and likeable menu."—Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781410461001
Publisher:	Gale Group
Publication date:	09/04/2013
Series:	Poppy Markham Culinary Cop , #3
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	379
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Robin Allen is the author of the Poppy Markham: Culinary Cop Mystery series. Her writing has also appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Country Woman Magazine and Writers' Journal. In addition to writing, Allen has worked as a food server, cocktail waitress, bartender, and barista. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and is a member of Austin's Heart of Texas Sisters in Crime (SinC) chapter. She can be found online at RobinAllenTX.blogspot.com.

Read an Excerpt

Please browse inside this title with the preview below.

Editorial Reviews

"A must-read for cozy lovers."—Publishers Weekly

"Allen delivers a breezy and likeable menu."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

The character-heavy mystery of a murdered chef. Poppy Markham's latest visit to Good Earth Preserves has nothing to do with her role as a Special Projects Inspector with the Austin/Travis County Health Department. The Feast in the Field is a yearly fine-dining dinner that promises pure pleasure. Poppy's glad to be accompanied by her date Drew Cooper, even though the presence of her ever-demanding stepmother puts a damper on the evening, which becomes significantly more dramatic when Dana White, head chef and newly elected president of Friends of the Farm, collapses before the dinner's over. In spite of Poppy's best efforts, Dana doesn't survive. Poppy's convinced that she can make the best progress by investigating the potential murder while all suspects are still at the farm. Her usual partner in crime-solving, Jamie Sherwood, shows up unexpectedly to offer Poppy a hand, though Poppy isn't sure she should accept help from the man who once again wants to anoint himself her only boyfriend. Given the grocery-sized list of potential suspects, Poppy wonders whether there's anyone who didn't have opportunity and motive to kill Dana and whether she should be seeking help from Jamie or from Drew--for this case and for the future. So many characters that a cast list might have helped. Though many of them pass through without leaving much of an impression, Poppy's boss, Olive, and the quirky Trevor, each of whom appears only briefly, are worth savoring; Allen (Stick a Fork In It, 2012, etc.) should take note.

Kirkus Reviews