What a delight! I not only found a new-to-me author to follow but the joy of reading this fast-paced, fun cozy mystery. Delilah O'Leary is focused so much on opening her new gourmet pizzeria that the worst of her control freak side has ruined a relationship, then she discovers a dead body outside at the pizzeria's soft opening. It's her elderly Aunt Biz's caretaker, Jeremy. The murder weapon is found in her aunt's possession. Enter Geneva Bay's police detective Capone, great grandson of the legendary Al Capone. Fur is going to fly and it isn't all going to come from Butterball, Deliliah's plus-sized cat.
I found myself immediately sucked into the story. Not only is Delilah's personality one you can't ignore but her pizzeria staff is made up of equally unique characters. All have back stories and needs and depend on Delilah to one extent or the other. Oh, the pressure of being the boss. They have her back, fortunately, and the dialogue, quips, and zingers seem to flow naturally, making them someone we'd like to know. Despite having just seen Sam, her boyfriend exit, she finds herself drawn to Capone. His backstory trickles out as the book continues and you will find yourself liking him, too, I'm sure. Delilah sure did but, well, will that be enough? Maybe. Life is never perfect, alas.
Who killed Jeremy? As it turns out, there are many legitimate suspects. Since Delilah was storming out of the pizzeria determined to fire Carson when she found the body and he was nowhere to be found, he's an obvious suspect. Biz? After all, the gun was hers. Who steals Aunt Biz's medications? Why does she wind up in the hospital? Did Sam's jaunt cleanse his heart chakra and help him reconnect with himself? Why does Veronica call Jeremy a viper? What surprise is found in Biz's shed? And, oh, so much more. The twist at the end was a stunner. Put this one on your "TBR" list and enjoy the recipes at the end, too. They were made extra special by being given in the "voices" of various characters, adding to the fun. Let's just say, I rarely do more than scan recipes. These I read with a grin.
Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for inviting me to Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, for Delilah's grand opening. It was fun and I will definitely be back.
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