DEATH OF AN ITALIAN CHEF

A food-loving Maine reporter solves a murder and changes her life.

Hayley Powell, a food columnist for the Bar Harbor newspaper with a string of solved murders to her credit, is dining with her husband, Bruce, and her brother, Randy, at Romeo’s, a new Italian restaurant, when she admits to Romeo that she prefers her own spaghetti carbonara recipe. This results in a cook-off and a budding friendship with the hot-tempered Romeo, who has a major argument in the middle of the cook-off with a contractor who claims Romeo owes him money. A few days later, Romeo, who has heart problems, is admitted to the hospital, where he winds up sharing a room with Randy, who has gallbladder problems. When Romeo dies, a heavily sedated Randy remembers someone killing the chef, and then the night nurse vanishes. Because both Bruce and Randy’s husband, who happens to be the police chief, are out of town, Hayley has to rely for help on new hire Sgt. Vanessa Herrold, a woman who obviously disbelieves Randy. The staff at Romeo’s begs her to keep the place going until an heir is found. So with help from her besties, Liddy and Mona, she takes on that job while investigating Romeo’s background for clues to his murder. Romeo (not his real name) owed money to the Brooklyn mob, a connection that makes Hayley’s task very dangerous.

An enjoyably twisty mystery laced with the heroine's equally entertaining foodcentric newspaper columns.