Cozy mystery novel set in Key West and a recipe for a marvelous mojito. Hayley finds a cookbook from an old Key West club and there she begins to unravel a mystery from a different era when women had fewer options. Author Lucy Burdette finds a seamless way to intertwine that plot with the murder mystery. The reader can get enjoyment both from the novel and the fantastic cocktail.
This is book #12 in the Key West Food Critic Mystery Series. Hayley meets her father-in-law, another lively senior citizen, and paddles her way out to sea to solve a murder mystery. As a main character, Hayley is smart, independent, loyal, and someone who is easy to cheer for. This series never disappoints the reader.
A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette
Marvelous Mojitos with Simple Syrup
from a cozy mystery:
A Dish to Die For
by Lucy Burdette
Book Outline and Tone:
Lucy Burdette serves up another satisfying installment in her beloved Key West Food Critic Mystery series with “A Dish to Die For,” the twelfth book featuring food critic Hayley Snow. The story line includes murder, a womanizer, and a recipe for turtle soup. No turtles were actually harmed in the making of this novel or blog post. Author Lucy Burdette wisely does not include the antique recipe for turtle soup that was popular in the early 20th century. But recipes of other antiquated recipes such as Cucumber Watercress Sandwiches are included in the novel. After reading this mystery I decided to try the marvelous Mojito recipe and it is now my favorite cocktail!
Burdette’s writing maintains the cozy mystery charm that fans love, balancing humor with suspense while exploring the complex relationships between her well-developed characters. If murder and turtle soup is not enough to entice you, the reader also gets to meet Nathan’s father, Hayley’s father-in-law, for the first time. He seems to be as big of a mystery as the murder! The basic plot, Hayley Snow investigates the case of the murdered womanizer, seems like the story could be straight forward, but of course, it is not. Hayley unravels a second mystery involving a senior citizen whose life was affected by ruthless behavior of another man in her youth. Hayley spends her time investigating the murder, searching for the identity of the senior citizen, and exploring the old Key West cookbook that she found.
The Best Quote:
“Did you figure out why he wanted to meet you alone?” “Besides getting to know his only daughter-in-law?” I teased
Point of View:
First person from Hayley Snow’s perspective.
The Author: Lucy Burdette
Like so many cozy mystery authors, Lucy Burdette is a pen name for Roberta Isleib; she is a clinical psychologist and author of three book series. She has written 12 books in the Key West Food Critic series and book 13 is due to be released in 2023. She is also the author of a Golf Mystery Series and the Advice Column Mysteries. Many of her books have been on the short lists for awards and The Key Lime Crime won a bronze medal in the Florida Book Awards. She is active on many social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. She also has an active Pinterest account. On Goodreads, she does a great job answering questions. Be sure to reach out to her on some platform to let her know you enjoyed her book.
What is not to like?:
The murder mystery has an intriguing ending that I really enjoyed. However, I want more Hayley and Nathan. More personal growth from all of the regulars would be welcome reading too.
The verdict:
I continue to enjoy each book from this series and I know you will too. Make a marvelous mojito and a great read.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Marvelous Mojitos with Simple Syrup
Assemble the Ingredients
The secret to making this cocktail marvelous is to make the infused syrup!
To make the simple syrup:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil.
Simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
Move the pan from the heat and add several sprigs of mint. As per the recommendation from the author, I added 4 sprigs of mint to the syrup to infuse the flavor.
Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
To make the mojitos:
Slice the lemon and the limes
Strain the mint from the syrup. I balanced a strainer over a canning jar. I added a lid that has a spout to make it easy to pour and measure the syrup.
In each of five highball glasses, add one lemon slice, several lime slices.
Add 0.75 -1 ounce simple syrup.
Muddle this (bruise it) using a pestle or wooden spoon.
Add some fresh mint and muddle a bit more.
Add 1 to 2 ounces of rum, depending on how strong you want the drink to be.
Fill each glass with ice, then club soda.
Stir to combine the liquids.
Float a mint sprig on top. To make the drink nonalcoholic, simply omit the rum.
Mojitos with Simple Syrup from a cozy mystery: A Dish to Die For by Lucy Burdette
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 bunch mint leaves, washed and dried
- 1 lemon
- 6 key limes or 4 regular limes
- rum
- club soda
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil.
- Simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Move the pan from the heat and add several sprigs of mint (I used two and I would double it next time).
- Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- In each of five highball glasses, add one lemon slice, several lime slices
- Add 0.75 ounce simple syrup. Muddle this (bruise it) using a pestle or wooden spoon.
- Add fresh mint and muddle again.
- Add 1 to 2 ounces of rum, depending on how strong you want the drink to be.
- Fill each glass with ice, then club soda.
- Float a mint sprig on top.
- To make the drink nonalcoholic, simply omit the rum.
What would I do differently next time?
As recommended by the author, I used 4 sprigs of mint to make the simple syrup, so these turned out marvelous. No need to change anything!
Blueberry Lemonade Cocktail from Death of a Lobster Lover by Lee Hollis
Sparkling Pear Champagne Cocktail from Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
