The Blurb
After Lizzie’s new boss, celebrity chef Armand, is stabbed in his own kitchen, Lizzie finds herself at the top of the suspect list.
Determined to clear her name she’s forced to enlist the services of her new neighbour, Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency (CCIA) special agent Jack Mathis, who’s been suspended from his duties for reasons unknown.
Can Lizzie save herself from getting arrested and manage to resist her special agent sidekick’s considerable charms and gorgeous smile? Will they solve the culinary murder mystery or will she end up in a prison cell?
Determined to clear her name she’s forced to enlist the services of her new neighbour, Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency (CCIA) special agent Jack Mathis, who’s been suspended from his duties for reasons unknown.
Can Lizzie save herself from getting arrested and manage to resist her special agent sidekick’s considerable charms and gorgeous smile? Will they solve the culinary murder mystery or will she end up in a prison cell?
Murder on the Menu by Zanna Mackenzie
Series: A Celebrity Mystery, #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Culinary Mystery
Publication Date: September 24, 2015
Publication Date: September 24, 2015
E-Book File Size: 1093 KB
Print Length: 266 pages
Print Length: 266 pages
The Review
I really like the main character and narrator, Lizzie Carter. She has a yellow VW Beetle that she has named Daisy — so every time Lizzie mentions her car, I imagine that she is "driving Miss Daisy."
I was entranced by Lizzie from the start. At the beginning of the book, she is working at a restaurant.
The only good things about working at this restaurant are that I get paid (though it's a pittance) and sometimes I get to bring home cake.I mean, who can't relate to Lizzie because you've never felt this way?
I'm a nice person. Honestly I am. I just hate my boss and frequently find myself wishing something really bad would happen to him.
And, of course, something bad does happen. And guess who is a suspect?
Luckily for Lizzie, her new neighbor, Jack Mathis, is particularly skilled at detective work, such as figuring out who really killed her boss. Jack's not quite as good, though, at convincing Lizzie of his profession.
Luckily for Lizzie, her new neighbor, Jack Mathis, is particularly skilled at detective work, such as figuring out who really killed her boss. Jack's not quite as good, though, at convincing Lizzie of his profession.
"I'm a special agent. Fighting crime in the world of celebrities," he says nonchalantly, casually leaning against my car, right next to me, as though he's perfectly at home here.
"Yes, right, of course you are," I reply, annoyed he's spinning me some line.... "And I'm Catwoman," I retort grumpily.
He takes off his sunglasses and raises an eyebrow in interest. "You are? Brilliant. I've always had a thing for those skin-tight leather suits you wear."
There's a secondary mystery revolving around the possible closing of a favorite shop in town. Lizzie is involved with trying to save the village store, and with it her friends' livelihood.
I had a hard time putting Murder on the Menu down, because author Zanna Mackenzie kept arousing my curiosity and interest with hints about something mysterious that happened in London.
Speaking of London, Murder on the Menu takes place in Cumbria County, England. Author Zanna Mackenzie is British so be aware that, of course, she uses the British spellings for such words as cosy, realise, finalise, neighbour, and favour. These are not misspellings.
After many twists and turns, the two mystery storylines come together in the end, in a very exciting climax. I love the ending of Murder on the Menu — so much so that I bought the second book in the series, Holiday Heist, because I have to find out what happens next!
I had a hard time putting Murder on the Menu down, because author Zanna Mackenzie kept arousing my curiosity and interest with hints about something mysterious that happened in London.
Speaking of London, Murder on the Menu takes place in Cumbria County, England. Author Zanna Mackenzie is British so be aware that, of course, she uses the British spellings for such words as cosy, realise, finalise, neighbour, and favour. These are not misspellings.
After many twists and turns, the two mystery storylines come together in the end, in a very exciting climax. I love the ending of Murder on the Menu — so much so that I bought the second book in the series, Holiday Heist, because I have to find out what happens next!
I recommend Murder on the Menu to all fans of cozy mysteries. It is a fun, quick read with likable and genuine characters, and a realistic setting. I think it will have special appeal to fans of Zanna Mackenzie's Amber Reed Mysteries.
I loved Murder on the Menu by Zanna Mackenzie, and grant it Five Kitties!
All opinions shared are 100% my own.
The Author
About Zanna Mackenzie
I’m a former therapist, a fan of the great outdoors – especially Scotland, the Lake District and Derbyshire’s Peak district – and also something of a dreamer!
Home is a village on the Derbyshire / Leicestershire border in the UK with my husband, our 4 Labrador dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
At every opportunity I can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel I’m working on and I love it when the characters in my work in progress novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Find Zanna on the web at
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