Murder on the Menu, Nosey Parker series, by Fiona Leitch

This book wasn't what I was expecting. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to read the full series, not to mention the author's other books, but was somehow expecting the focus to be on food and/or the preparation of food. True, main character Josie "Nosey Parker" is a caterer but she's also retired from the Met Police. This gives an added twist to the usually relatively clueless amateur sleuth genre. Author Fiona Leitch is new to me and I found her writing very descriptive and the dialogue flowed along smoothly and realistically. She tended to show us rather than tell us, always a welcome trait from writers. 

Josie  left the police to give her daughter a safer environment in the Cornish village she calls home. Her father was a well-known and respected police officer and seems to almost be a legend amongst the officers who have been around long enough to remember him and the visits Josie made to him as a youngster. That does give her both an edge and provides some interesting and frequently humorous background. Ah, memories. We'd just as soon some never be remembered, right?

I won't detail the plot as others will have done a far better job of that than I can, but will note that although she has retired from police work, Josie hasn't lost her instinctual investigative skills. Unlike during her days as a Met Police officer, however, she's on her home turf and knows the victim and potential suspects well. Another edge. DCI Withers, relatively new to the area, is the chief investigator and she immediately clashes with him. She also notes that he's very good looking and seems almost to go out of her way to be sarcastic. Perhaps as a way to deny her attraction to him?

In any case, what began as Josie's first catering gig and wound up with a dead woman and missing bride is a thoroughly entertaining, quick read. I loved it and will be looking for the follow-ups to this series soon. I thoroughly enjoyed the very British humor or, hmm, maybe I should spell that humour?

Thanks to #NetGalley and #OneMoreChapter for the ARC.