Fatal Reservations
Read Fatal Reservations Online
Authors: Lucy Burdette
PRAISE FOR THE KEY WEST FOOD CRITIC MYSTERIES
Death with All the Trimmings
“Like a spiked glass of eggnog or s’mores over a cold night’s cozy fire,
Death with All the Trimmings
is a holiday treat that any book lover should be pleased to find stuffed in their stocking or neatly wrapped beneath the tree.”
—The Florida Book Review
“A contemporary comedy of manners sprinkled with gastronomical glitter, delectable danger, and goodwill . . . delightful.”
—
Florida Weekly
“Juicy, entertaining, and twisty . . . this is a perfect seasonal treat for readers who love both a turkey dinner and a good mystery.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Sheer fun. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the very end, as Lucy Burdette serves up a spectacular mystery.”
—Fresh Fiction
Murder with Ganache
“Gourmets who enjoy a little mayhem with their munchies will welcome Burdette’s fourth Key West mystery.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Sprightly and suspenseful . . . like a gourmet meal, it
will leave you wanting more.”
—Fort Myers Florida Weekly
“One crazy adventure ride. This page-turner kept me up half the night.”
—MyShelf.com
“[Lucy Burdette] once again crafts a complicated mystery that incorporates delectable descriptions of Key West cuisine.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
Topped Chef
“Burdette fills
Topped Chef
with a fine plot, a delightful heroine, a wealth of food—and all the charm and craziness of Key West. You’ll wish you could read it while sipping a mojito on the porch of a Conch cottage in mainland America’s southernmost community.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“In addition to a compelling murder mystery, readers are treated to a dose of spirited competition, a pinch of romantic intrigue, and a hearty portion of local flavor. It’s enough to satisfy both casual readers and cozy fans alike, though be forewarned: You’ll be left craving more.”
—Examiner.com
“The characters remain as fresh as the breeze off the ocean, as does the plot.”
—The Mystery Reader
“The descriptions of the coastal cuisine, snappish and
temperamental cheftestants, and drag queens all combine to make this a very well-written and tasty mystery, sure to please fans of food, reality shows, and mysteries.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
Death in Four Courses
“Anyone who’s ever overpaid for a pretentious restaurant meal will relish this witty cozy.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Breezy as a warm Florida Keys day,
Death in Four Courses
is a fast-paced mystery that easily combines food and writing with an intricate plot to create an engaging mystery.”
—The Mystery Reader
An Appetite for Murder
“What fun! Lucy Burdette writes evocatively about Key West and food—a winning combination. I can’t wait for the next entry in this charming series.”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson
“Food, fun, and felonies. What more could a reader ask for?”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Lorna Barrett
“For a true taste of paradise, don’t miss
An Appetite for Murder. . . .
The victim may not be coming back for seconds, but readers certainly will!”
—Julie Hyzy,
New York Times
bestselling author of the
White House Chef Mysteries and Manor House Mysteries
“You’ll eat it up.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Not only does Burdette capture the physical and pastoral essence of Key West—she celebrates the food.”
—The Florida Book Review
“Hayley herself is delightful. . . . Readers will be happy to make her acquaintance and follow her through future adventures.”
—Florida Weekly
Other Key West Food Critic Mysteries
by Lucy Burdette
Book 1:
An Appetite for Murder
Book 2:
Death in Four Courses
Book 3:
Topped Chef
Book 4:
Murder with Ganache
Book 5:
Death with All the Trimmings
OBSIDIAN
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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Copyright © Roberta Isleib, 2015
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
ISBN 978-0-698-19200-3
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
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Contents
For Barbara Thomason, Donna Johnson, and Sheila Dolan, for their gifts of my furs, Yoda and Tonka
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Like so many writers before me, I love my adopted hometown, Key West; it’s a pleasure to show you around. Most of the places and restaurants (and some of the people) mentioned really exist, though this story of course is fiction. And if Hayley is forced to give a bad review, I’ve made that restaurant up. Occasionally, I tweak geography or facts to suit my story.
I would like to express great appreciation to Matthew Carroll from the Make Do and Mend band for permission to quote a wonderful line from their song “No Words.” I saw this line tattooed on a young man’s arm while waiting for a plane in the Miami airport and knew it would become important in this book.
Thank you to reader Sue Peterson, who strongly suggested that Hayley needed a challenge in her love life. Thanks to Jane Newhagen for the cemetery tour and for helpful information about digging up graves. She also fixed some factual errors—thank you, Jane! Any remaining mistakes are mine.
I’m grateful to Jonathan Shapiro for legal advice on Lorenzo’s dilemma and to Dr. Doug Lyle and Michelle Clark for helpful information on body decomposition. Thank you to Barbara Ross for the clever name of the floating restaurant, For Goodness’ Sake, and to Hallie Ephron for help with back cover copy. Thanks to Ben
Harrison for describing the spear gun, and to the Key West Ambassador program for introducing me to layers of the city I never knew existed.
Thank you to Ron Augustine for sharing insights on tarot, though any mistakes Lorenzo makes are mine. Same goes for Steve Torrence, who helps out with police-procedure questions—boneheaded moves by characters in this book are not his responsibility.
Thank you to my writer friends, who are always willing to lend a shoulder or an ear. Angelo Pompano and Chris Falcone ask all the right questions and are so steady in their willingness to read drafts and make comments and suggestions. Thank you! The women at Jungle Red Writers and Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen have become true and dear friends. Thank you! My sister, Susan Cerulean, was there at the beginning and is with me each step of the way. Thanks to every reader (I love you guys!) and to the libraries and bookstores that help them find my books.
Thanks to Paige Wheeler and her folks at Creative Media Agency for helping me navigate this crazy publishing business. And thanks to the team of professionals at New American Library, who bring the books to life, especially Sandy Harding, whose editing is truly a gift.
As always, thanks to my John. His loving support and good humor make all this possible!
Lucy Burdette
Key West, Florida
February 22, 2015
“What’s inside it?” asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity.
“There’s cold chicken inside it,” replied the Rat briefly; “coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinsaladfrenchrollscressandwichespottedmeatgingerbeerlemonadesodawater—”
“O stop, stop,” cried the Mole in ecstasies: “This is too much!”