DEEP FRIED DEATH is the twelfth book in the Country Store Mysteries by Maddie Day. With her usual deft at creating a great plot along  with memorable characters, this newest release has a side of humor! An Outhouse Race? Check. A dead body hidden in the porta-potty? Check. Okay, a dead body might not be all that humorous, but the set up leading to the murder is. Robbie Jordan, owner of Pans ‘N Pancakes, along with her employees, gets caught up in the Outhouse Race festivities. Ms. Day’s attention to detail helps the reader feel like they’re right there, experiencing the fun, and feel like you know the characters and can call them friends. Even if you’re new to this series, each book can be read as a standalone and will make you want to go back and catch up with the others.

The action starts early and kept me engaged throughout—whether Robbie was hustling at her restaurant or hunting down clues. Despite her bout of early pregnancy malaise, Robbie feels the need to investigate who killed her competitor and placed the body in her outhouse. I appreciated the author gave consideration to the pregnancy and as such, Robbie never placed herself in danger. Instead, she turned over all her found information to the police and, wisely, called them when she thought there was danger. The reveal still gives a sense of urgency that had me turning pages until the very end.

With Robbie owning a restaurant, there is a constant stream of yummy food mentioned. Be prepared to get hungry while reading or, better yet, try one of the recipes at the back of the book to have on hand. I couldn’t wait to try the recipe for apple dumplings and the dessert didn’t disappoint! It’s like mini-individual apple pie servings with a sweet gooey sauce as an accompaniment. The ratio of apple to pastry was perfect and when served with a scoop of ice cream, it’s downright comfort food in a dish.

 

 

Amazon Synopsis

Many residents of South Lick, Indiana, claim the Outhouse Race, in which competitors push old-timey outhouse replicas on wheels at the annual Abe Martin Festival on Memorial Day, is the best thing since indoor plumbing. Just because country store and restaurant owner Robbie Jordan has too much to do managing her new deep fryer as well as an old lover reappearing, she’s not going to miss out on the fun. Plus, it’s good for business.

But when a dead body and a cast-iron skillet tumble out of the Pans ’N Pancakes outhouse entry on the race route, it seems someone is trying to frame Robbie—in a most unconventional way. Now she’ll need to be privy to the townsfolks’ secrets as she races to flush out a killer . . .

 

 

 

 

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for providing a print arc copy of DEEP FRIED DEATH! Contest ends January 7, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

 

 

 

 

I was provided with an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.