Genre: Cozy
Mystery/Contemporary Fiction
Description:
“Ivy is determined to make her living as a nutritionist, but her
family has other plans. When that family is the mafia, and one of them has gone
missing, all other jobs are summarily pushed aside. Or else.
Ivy can’t trust anyone outside of the family, but Slate is not only
willing to help, he’s the last person to have seen her uncle alive. It only
makes sense to keep her eye and gun on Slate while they hunt for clues.
Watching him is easy because Slate is more than happy to keep her close, but is
he leading her away from her uncle or truly helping?
Ivy can’t cook her way out of this mess, but she has a recipe or two
for dealing with disaster—if she can just put the fires out before she gets
burned!”
Author:
“Maria E. Schneider: A few years ago, I decided I wanted to be a
writer. I gathered up my computer, memory cards (because you definitely want to
back this stuff up!), and dictionary. It’s a slow journey, one with pitfalls,
cliffs, boulders and every now and then a peaceful meadow with a clear brook.
Surprisingly, the peaceful meadows aren’t publishing credits, they are just
moments where I’m doing what I want to do, where the writing is clicking, where
my characters are fascinating and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
Feel free to check out her website, Bear Mountain Books, for her many
other books. Or stalk her on Facebook.
Appraisal:
I have read several of Ms. Schneider’s fantasy novels and enjoyed
them. I don’t believe I have read any of her cozy mysteries though. Fact is, I
haven’t read many mysteries at all. However, I am enjoying the genre.
Ivy is trying to establish herself as a nutritionist. However, she
moonlights for her Uncle Tom doing odd jobs when she isn’t working. She is
probably the most stable person in her family, but trouble seems to follow her.
When her uncle goes missing Ivy is left to figure out if there is a connection
between her uncle, a bleeding man trying to pick the lock on her uncle’s patio
door, gun shots shattering the same sliding patio door, and a murder down the
street all in the same evening.
Ivy isn’t sure she can trust anyone but close family, but she keeps
bleeding man at gun point as they escape uncle’s house after the gun shots are
fired. She’s suspects bleeding man was the last one to see Uncle Tom before he
disappeared and she wants answers. It’s a suspenseful captivating story that
involves crooked cops, a loan shark, and a computer genius. Ms. Schneider
doesn’t miss a beat weaving the tale as Ivy flounders while trying to connect
the dots. There are twists which involve an unscrupulous cousin, a mixed breed
terrier, a K-9 German Shepard, marijuana-laden chocolate cake batter, an
adorable bloodhound puppy, a cat, and a surprising ally.
One Good
Eclair is the first book of Ms. Schneider’s Nutrition Mafia Mystery series.
You’ll find intrigue, suspense, humor, and a little romance. I can’t wait to
see more escapades involving Ivy and her family.
FYI:
One Good
Eclair is the first book of Ms. Schneider’s Nutrition Mafia Mystery series.
As a bonus there are a couple of Ivy’s recipes at the end of the book.
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant proofing or formatting issues.
Rating: *****
Five Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 65-70,000 words
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