⇒ Download Free TOXIC TORTE Just Desserts Mysteries edition by Lori PollardJohnson Jeffrey LeCompte Literature Fiction eBooks

TOXIC TORTE Just Desserts Mysteries edition by Lori PollardJohnson Jeffrey LeCompte Literature Fiction eBooks

Download As PDF : TOXIC TORTE Just Desserts Mysteries edition by Lori PollardJohnson Jeffrey LeCompte Literature Fiction eBooks

TOXIC TORTE Just Desserts Mysteries edition by Lori PollardJohnson Jeffrey LeCompte Literature Fiction eBooks

When it comes to mystery, I never really care who did it, I just like to have a good time hanging out with the characters. I have a tough time relating to protagonists who are ex-Navy SEALS, martial arts experts, or cynical ex-cops. The nice thing about amateur sleuth mysteries like this one is that the character thinks and acts like an ordinary person and has pretty much the same skills the reader has to call on. No agonizing over which gun to carry, how to bypass a suspect's security system, or worries about missing an AA meeting or dojo session.

Jess Harriet is a single 20-something reporter at the bottom of the totem pole at a small Seattle newspaper. Jess does pretty much what we would do and therein lies the attraction. We can easily put ourselves in her position and relate to the same stress and challenges.

The dialogue is very well done and the engaging first-person narrative whisks you along without feeling rushed. Jess has a hapless, self-deprecatory tone--not unusual for this kind of story--and through her, the author manages to give us a sly wink to the genre clichés and conventions yet creates an awareness that make familiar territory seem unexplored.

Humor is subtle and effective. Witty asides, the counterpoint of internal monologue and clever similes work to flesh out the characterization. Secondary characters are memorable, especially the offbeat restaurant staff and coworkers Jess has to deal with. Despite the humor and whacky characters, it's not all played for laughs. There is an earnest plot and there are serious turns near the end.

Until TOXIC TORTE, culinary mysteries have been conspicuously absent from my reading menu. I enjoy humor, but usually order something hard-boiled or noir. At bookstores I do more than my share of eye rolling and groaning at the punny titles, and all too often, title is all many of these books have to offer. But when this novel slid onto my plate I took a bite and couldn't stop eating.

My one complaint is that Jess didn't so much as TASTE the muffin at Union Bay Cabin. It just sat there on her plate as she talked and asked her questions, and the whole time I wondered what a muffin at a 5-star restaurant tastes like, especially if she'd gone for the grilled option. And are they grilled in butter or olive oil? (Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan's novels gave me a penchant for grilled bagels.) That mystery alone has me looking forward to reading the sequel.


Tags : TOXIC TORTE (Just Desserts Mysteries) - Kindle edition by Lori Pollard-Johnson, Jeffrey LeCompte. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading TOXIC TORTE (Just Desserts Mysteries).,ebook,Lori Pollard-Johnson, Jeffrey LeCompte,TOXIC TORTE (Just Desserts Mysteries),Sassy Girl Ink,FICTION Humorous,FICTION Mystery & Detective General,FICTION Mystery & Detective Women Sleuths

TOXIC TORTE Just Desserts Mysteries edition by Lori PollardJohnson Jeffrey LeCompte Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

Jess Harriet works as a reporter on Seattle's Sun, a weekly newsrag. Jess has ambition to go far in the news business but has to beat out the new kid, receptionist, Cherrie. Rod, Jess' boss has asked her to look into a funeral of one restaurant critic, Perry Lowell. What she finds out is that Perry didn't expire from a heart attack, but was poisoned.

Can Jess figure out who did the deadly deed before Cherrie picks up the scent? In fact just who did murder Lowell, seeing as every revue he wrote was almost deadly in themselves.

Chefs galore swim in this well written novel. I found myself laughing out loud and feeling the locations as real. I, however, doubt that I will ever attend a "Chocoholic Ball" in Seattle.
Jess Harriet is crashing a memorial breakfast in order to write yet another obituary for her hack-reporter job at a Seattle weekly she's come to loath. Anyone who's ever been near the newspaper business knows that writing obits is way down there on the food chain. When Jess gets wind of the fact that the deceased was poisoned, she seizes the opportunity to write the story of her life and earn herself a position as investigative reporter at a legitimate daily. Of course, there's just one small difficulty To get the scoop and her man, Jess must first solve the murder.

While reading "Toxic Torte," keep your favorite snack handy as food aromas waft throughout the novel. Ah, the tenderness of a slow-cooked rib will work your salivary glands overtime. The mere names of the tortes--Torte Chocolate avec Sauce des Framboise, Winterberry Torte, Pistachio Pudding Torte--make me long to sink my teeth into a piece of my own favorite Sacher Torte. Mit Schlag, please. But, hold on. Could this chocolaty indulgence be my last?

Lori Pollard-Johnson serves up a delightful slice of nail-biting tension and sly wit in her new Jess Harriet mystery. The author concocts each noxious character--from murderous gourmand to poisonous peer--into a perfect layer cake.

"Toxic Torte" should come with a warning label Read, don't eat!
Crashing a memorial reception for a deceased restaurant reviewer might be reporter Jess Harriet's ticket to a career as a real journalist. If it doesn't kill her first.

Jess aspires to a job with a "real" newspaper. Until she can make that happen, she bides her time at the Seattle Sun, a low budget weekly best known for its sleazy personal ads. At the Sun, writing obits is practically a plum assignment, especially if the writer can crash a reception and cadge a free meal. When Jess attends the gathering for the late Perry Lowell, she feels lucky to have stumbled into a nest of talented chefs and foodies. At least she'll get a decent meal out of the deal. Things take a dangerous turn, however, when she learns that the radio reviewer didn't die of a heart attack, but was poisoned. Clearly, the dearly departed wasn't dear to everyone.

Hoping to solve the crime and parlay a big story into a real job, Jess starts investigating Perry's murder, uncovering a series of malicious reviews, rumors of extortion, a secret society of Seattle chefs, and a growing list of suspects. Her journey leads her to a variety of Seattle restaurants, where she makes discoveries both savory and not so. Can she find out who served Perry a toxic torte, and if she does, will she survive long enough to write about it?

Toxic Torte is a tasty treat, full of fun and quirky characters, including the appealingly sarcastic Jess Harriet. I look forward to seeing her in future adventures.
When it comes to mystery, I never really care who did it, I just like to have a good time hanging out with the characters. I have a tough time relating to protagonists who are ex-Navy SEALS, martial arts experts, or cynical ex-cops. The nice thing about amateur sleuth mysteries like this one is that the character thinks and acts like an ordinary person and has pretty much the same skills the reader has to call on. No agonizing over which gun to carry, how to bypass a suspect's security system, or worries about missing an AA meeting or dojo session.

Jess Harriet is a single 20-something reporter at the bottom of the totem pole at a small Seattle newspaper. Jess does pretty much what we would do and therein lies the attraction. We can easily put ourselves in her position and relate to the same stress and challenges.

The dialogue is very well done and the engaging first-person narrative whisks you along without feeling rushed. Jess has a hapless, self-deprecatory tone--not unusual for this kind of story--and through her, the author manages to give us a sly wink to the genre clichés and conventions yet creates an awareness that make familiar territory seem unexplored.

Humor is subtle and effective. Witty asides, the counterpoint of internal monologue and clever similes work to flesh out the characterization. Secondary characters are memorable, especially the offbeat restaurant staff and coworkers Jess has to deal with. Despite the humor and whacky characters, it's not all played for laughs. There is an earnest plot and there are serious turns near the end.

Until TOXIC TORTE, culinary mysteries have been conspicuously absent from my reading menu. I enjoy humor, but usually order something hard-boiled or noir. At bookstores I do more than my share of eye rolling and groaning at the punny titles, and all too often, title is all many of these books have to offer. But when this novel slid onto my plate I took a bite and couldn't stop eating.

My one complaint is that Jess didn't so much as TASTE the muffin at Union Bay Cabin. It just sat there on her plate as she talked and asked her questions, and the whole time I wondered what a muffin at a 5-star restaurant tastes like, especially if she'd gone for the grilled option. And are they grilled in butter or olive oil? (Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan's novels gave me a penchant for grilled bagels.) That mystery alone has me looking forward to reading the sequel.