Book Reivew: Hickory Smoked Homicide (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) By: Riley Adams

Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant-family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great aunt, the restaurant on Beale Street dishes out the best that barbeque has to offer. But sometimes even the best food can bring out the worst in people...

Since she runs the hottest barbeque joint in town, Lulu Taylor knows pretty much everyone in Memphis who loves their ribs sweet and their corn bread spicy. But one person she'd rather not know is Tristan Pembroke, a snooty pageant coach with a mean streak longer than a line outside Aunt Pat's. When she finds Tristan's dead body stuffed in a closet at a party, the police are suspicious-especially since Lulu's developed a taste for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Caught in a situation stickier than molasses, Lulu must clear her name, or risk getting fried!

With every book I read, I like this series more and more. This one really had me guessing till the end. There were so many good character's who could have "done it", and every time I thought I had someone pegged... there popped up another clue to make me wanna second guess someone else! Great thrilling and suspenseful ending as well. This is the third book in the Memphis BBQ Mystery Series by Riley Adams and I am growing to love the friends and family that gather around ole Aunt Pat's, I hope Riley Adams continues to write this series because now I am definitely hooked! :)

Book Review: Finger Lickin' Dead by: Riley Adams

Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great aunt, the restaurant on Beale Street is famous for its ribs and spicy corn bread, but sometimes Southern comfort food can come with a side of murder...

When an anonymous food critic blasts several local restaurants-including Aunt Pat's with bad reviews, Lulu and her most loyal customers are burning mad, espeically when they discover Eppie Currian is the pen name of their friend Evelyn's cheating boyfriend. When "Eppie" gets his own fatal review, the list of suspects is long: two fuming ex-wives, an irate former restaurant owner, and even someone from Aunt Pat's own kitchen. Now, to catch the real killer, Lulu is going to have to put down her barbeque tongs before her loved ones get sentenced to a strict diet of prison food.

I was actually surprised at how much I liked this book. I have to admit, I was really apprehensive about reading it since I didn't really like the first book in the series. I felt this time around the gang at Aunt Pat's made me feel welcome and had more of a "family" feel to the mystery versus the cheesy and cliche feeling I got from the previous book. I liked the plot, I liked the characters, I even liked the side romance between Lulu's grandson Derrick and Peggy Sue's granddaughter Peaches. The only criticism I can offer is maybe a less predictable character as the murder? I am glad thought that I gave this series a second chance, it has made me feel much better about Riley Adam's books. I am also excited to read the next book in the series, and to see where the series will go with the new changes going on at Aunt Pat's.