Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Death on the Menu
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Burdette, Lucy
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.lucyburdette.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
Lives in Key West, FL and Madison, CT. http://www.robertaisleib.com/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in NJ; married.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author and clinical psychologist.
AVOCATIONS:Food, eating, cooking.
MEMBER:Sisters in Crime (former president), Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America.
WRITINGS
Also contributor to Mystery Lovers Kitchen and Jungle Red Writers blogs.
SIDELIGHTS
Roberta Isleib works primarily in the field of clinical psychology. It is her expertise in this field that informs much of her fiction work. She has penned several mystery novels under the pen name “Lucy Burdette.” The majority of Isleib’s novels star a protagonist who is passionate about food and the culinary arts, yet finds her work always entangles with solving murders.
Final Fore and Death in Four Courses
Final Fore centers on Cassie Burdette, who makes her living playing golf—or she would if only so many mysteries didn’t stop her from making progress on the putting green. At the start of the novel, she has finally managed to land a spot in the year’s US Open, yet all sorts of obstacles stand in her way. The first is a family emergency that pulls her caddie away from the game. Others involve her family and even her own anxieties about the competition. Yet another, however, is a sudden and fatal accident that befalls one of the competitors. “FINAL FORE is the fifth and final book in what has been a pleasant and enjoyable cosy series, and Isleib might well be getting out at the right time before she outstays her welcome,” remarked Sharon Wheeler on reviewingtheEvidence.com.
The protagonist of Death in Four Courses, the first in the “Key West Food Critic Mystery” series, is a woman by the name of Hayley Snow, a woman whose main interests lie within the world of food. It is in this industry that she has finally found some measure of success. More specifically, she has just landed a position with one of the most popular food publications within the country, serving as their newest critic. Yet the first event she is assigned to cover soon leads way to foul play. Hayley chances upon the corpse of a senior colleague and soon discovers that she could be the next victim—unless she tracks down the killer first. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly recommended the book to “[a]nyone who’s ever overpaid for a pretentious restaurant meal.” On the Dru’s Book Musings blog, one writer said: “Hayley is a fun character and I love her joyous spirit as she goes about her day critiquing food and seeing justice served on a platter.”
Topped Chef and Murder with Ganache
Topped Chef also focuses on Hayley as her career leads her to another culinary event. This time she must travel to a competition known as “Topped Chef,” where she will serve as part of the judging committee. Yet the job turns out to be less exciting than she anticipated when she learns the restaurateur she recently panned will be her temporary coworker. The event becomes even more nerve-wracking when the same restaurateur is suddenly murdered. Once again Hayley finds her very life at stake as she sleuths who could be behind the gruesome killing. “Boasting a great cast of characters, a terrific location and entertaining dialogue, Lucy has created a wonderful and well-written whodunit and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Key West,” wrote a contributor to the Dru’s Book Musings blog.
Murder with Ganache takes Hayley to the former home of Ernest Hemingway, where she must meet and write on the swarm of cats still living on the premises. However, she’s also there for a more personal reason; one of her friends is due to be married within the same area. Yet it isn’t long before Hayley has another murder on her hands, and she is the only one capable of solving it. “If you can’t afford to go away for spring break, this book is the second-best thing,” remarked Ingrid King on the Conscious Cat blog.
Death With All the Trimmings and Killer Takeout
Hayley travels to meet with a renowned restaurateur in Death With All the Trimmings, and soon finds herself involved in another mystery. This time, her new interviewee personally requests that Hayley use her sleuthing skills, as something strange has been going on behind the scenes and she cannot yet figure out what. It isn’t long before someone attacks the restaurant and things reveal themselves to be much more sinister. “If you enjoy cozy mysteries with cats, this book makes a great read for the holiday season,” commented Conscious Cat blogger Ingrid King.
Killer Takeout involves the food truck scene, as Hayley is tasked with exploring a local festival and sampling the various delights up for sale. Yet when someone close to the festivity planning is killed, Hayley discovers that she is one of the main suspects. Knowing that she had nothing to do with the murder, Hayley takes it upon herself to track down who really did it in order to clear her name. “The story is fast paced, filled with immensely likeable and quirky characters, and a looming hurricane adds additional suspense,” wrote Ingrid King, a contributor to the Conscious Cat blog.
Death on the Menu
Death on the Menu follows Hayley on her latest assignment: a conference between various American and Cuban leaders. It turns out her mother will be involved in the event, as she is responsible for providing the food and refreshments. Yet things take a sudden and deadly turn for the worst when a member of Hayley’s mother’s staff ends up killed. This event only serves to amplify the already tense atmosphere between leaders, as the victim has been accused of pilfering a very important artifact. Hayley makes it her mission to find out the truth behind the murder, while also juggling all of her other duties at the same time.
“Burdette’s loving descriptions of food and the appended recipes are an added fillip for readers who enjoy some history and romance with their mysteries,” remarked one Kirkus Reviews contributor. In an issue of Booklist, Sue O’Brien called the book an “atmospheric cozy.” A reviewer in Internet Bookwatch said: “‘Death on the Menu‘ is another beautifully crafted novel by a master of the genre.” Mark Baker, a writer on the Carstairs Considers…. blog, commented: “Those, like me, who have been missing this series will be delighted to pick up Death on the Menu.” He added: “And if you haven’t started this series yet, you need to do so now.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2018, Sue O’Brien, review of Death on the Menu, p. 22.
Internet Bookwatch, August, 2018, review of Death on the Menu.
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2018, review of Death on the Menu.
Publishers Weekly, July 30, 2012, review of Death in Four Courses, p. 41.
ONLINE
Carstairs Considers…., http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/ (August 7, 2018), Mark Baker, review of Death on the Menu.
Conscious Cat, https://consciouscat.net/ (February 7, 2014), Ingrid King, review of Murder with Ganache; (December 5, 2014), Ingrid King, review of Death With All the Trimmings; (April 8, 2018), Ingrid King, review of Killer Takeout.
Dru’s Book Musings, https://drusbookmusing.com/ (January 4, 2012), review of An Appetite for Murder; (September 29, 2012), review of Death In Four Courses; (May 10, 2013), review of Topped Chef.
Fabulous Florida Writers, http://fabulousfloridawriters.blogspot.com/ (March 15, 2017), Jackie Minniti, “Roberta Isleib (aka Lucy Burdette) – Cozies that Cook.”
Lucy Burdette website, http://www.lucyburdette.com (October 16, 2018), author profile.
Mysterious Musings, http://juliabuckley.blogspot.com/ (November 19, 2007), Julia Buckley, “Roberta Isleib on Mystery Writing, Good Food, and Sound Advice,” author interview.
ReviewingtheEvidence.com, http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/ (March 1, 2006), Sharon Wheeler, review of Final Fore.
Roberta Isleib website, http://www.robertaisleib.com (October 16, 2018), author profile.
Story Circle Book Reviews, http://www.storycirclebookreviews.org/ (January 13, 2008), Susan Wittig Albert, “Meet Roberta Isleib,” author interview.
I'm a clinical psychologist and the author of the advice column mystery series (DEADLY ADVICE, PREACHING TO THE CORPSE, and ASKING FOR MURDER) featuring advice columnist/psychologist Dr. Rebecca Butterman.
I've also written the Agatha and Anthony-nominated Cassie Burdette golf lover's mystery series, including SIX STROKES UNDER, A BURIED LIE, PUTT TO DEATH, FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, and FINAL FORE. You don't have to love golf to love Cassie!
As Lucy Burdette, I'm the author of the Key West food critic mystery series, including AN APPETITE FOR MURDER, DEATH IN FOUR COURSES, TOPPED CHEF, and MURDER WITH GANACHE. DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS was out in December 2014, followed by FATAL RESERVATIONS in July 2015. And KILLER TAKEOUT coming in April 2016. Think zombies, and costumes, and a hurricane... Warning: Don't read hungry!
Lucy Burdette
Lucy Burdette is the author of the Key West food critic mystery series, launching in January 2012 with An Appetite for Murder (NAL.)
Lucy's alter-ego, clinical psychologist Roberta Isleib, has published eight mysteries including the golf lover's mystery series and the advice column mysteries. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime, and a past-president of Sisters in Crime.
New Books
August 2018
(kindle)
Death on the Menu
(Key West Food Critic Mystery, book 8)
May 2019
(hardback)
A Deadly Feast
(Key West Food Critic Mystery, book 9)
Series
Key West Food Critic Mystery
1. An Appetite for Murder (2012)
2. Death in Four Courses (2012)
3. Topped Chef (2013)
4. Murder With Ganache (2014)
5. Death With All the Trimmings (2014)
6. Fatal Reservations (2015)
7. Killer Takeout (2016)
8. Death on the Menu (2018)
9. A Deadly Feast (2019)
I'm a clinical psychologist and the author of the advice column mystery series (DEADLY ADVICE, PREACHING TO THE CORPSE, and ASKING FOR MURDER) featuring advice columnist/psychologist Dr. Rebecca Butterman.
I've also written the Agatha and Anthony-nominated Cassie Burdette golf lover's mystery series, including SIX STROKES UNDER, A BURIED LIE, PUTT TO DEATH, FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, and FINAL FORE. You don't have to love golf to love Cassie!
As Lucy Burdette, I'm the author of the Key West food critic mystery series, including AN APPETITE FOR MURDER, DEATH IN FOUR COURSES, TOPPED CHEF, and MURDER WITH GANACHE. DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS was out in December 2014, followed by FATAL RESERVATIONS in July 2015. And KILLER TAKEOUT coming in April 2016. Think zombies, and costumes, and a hurricane... Warning: Don't read hungry!
Lucy Burdette is the author of the national best-selling Key West food critic mysteries, a cozy, culinary mystery series starring food critic Hayley Snow. The 8th book in the series, DEATH ON THE MENU, is now out from Crooked Lane Books, with A DEADLY FEAST to follow in April 2019.
Lucy's alter-ego Roberta Isleib has written the golf lover's mystery series (SIX STROKES UNDER) and the advice column mysteries (DEADLY ADVICE.) Lucy (aka Roberta) is a clinical psychologist who loves using her background in her stories. She also loves to cook and to eat and to talk and write and read about food!
You can learn more about Lucy, Key West, and the food critic mysteries at her website, http://www.lucyburdette.com. She also blogs with the wonderful crime fiction writers at Jungle Red Writers, http://www.jungleredwriters.com, and shares recipes and stories with seven other cozy mystery writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen, http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com.
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Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Roberta Isleib (aka Lucy Burdette) - Cozies that Cook
Start with a twenty-something food critic with a penchant for finding herself in hot water. Mix with the vibrant sights and sounds of the Florida Keys. Stir in a cast of characters as colorful as festival on Mallory Square, and you have the makings of the Key West Food Critic Mysteries, a delicious series of novels by Lucy Burdette (pseudonym for Key West writer Roberta Isleib.)
A New Jersey native, Isleib earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and spent 13 years in private practice. When she met her husband, a golf enthusiast, she became interested in the psychology of the game. “In most sports, there’s a lot of movement and not much time for mental examination. Not so in golf,” she says. She decided to use her observations to create a series of articles about the psychology of golf.
Isleib describes her transformation from sports psychology to fiction writing as “accidental.” “I was always a serious devourer of fiction, particularly mysteries, but I never thought I could write it,” she says. “In school, I’d heard people say that I was a good writer, so I felt I could write articles. But fiction evolved.” A friend suggested that she try writing a mystery, so she used her golf articles as the basis for Six Strokes Under, the story of Cassie Burdette, a young woman trying to break into the LGPA Tour. Four more Cassie Burdette Golf Mysteries followed: A Buried Lie (2003), Putt to Death (2004), Fairway to Heaven (2005), and Final Fore (2006).
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Isleib’s next three books, Deadly Advice (2007), Preaching to the Corpse (2007) and Asking for Murder (2008) had a more psychological focus. These Advice Column Mysteries center on the exploits of Dr. Rebecca Butterman, a psychologist/advice columnist and amateur sleuth. Isleib did not find the crossover from psychology to mystery much of a stretch. “Writing mystery is a lot like psychology,” she explains. “You’re presented with a problem to solve, you sort through the clues, and at the end, you learn why the problem occurred.”
The Key West Food Critic Mysteries took Isleib in a new direction, so much so that she decided to write the books under a new name. “My editor suggested a pseudonym to differentiate the Food Critic Mysteries from the other two series,” she says. Isleib describes the books as “cozies, much lighter than the others,” and chose the name Lucy Burdette because it was her grandmother’s. The first book in the series, An Appetite for Murder (2012) introduced Hayley Snow, fledgling food critic for a Key West lifestyle magazine. When the magazine’s owner dies after eating a poisoned key lime pie, Hayley becomes a suspect and must find the real killer to prove her innocence. Isleib/Burdette admits that Hayley has “the same sense I had at 25 when I was trying to figure out what I was meant to do with my life.”
The sequel, Death in Four Courses, has Hayley implicated in the death of a superstar food critic. In the next book, Topped Chef, Hayley investigates the death of restaurant owner who was the recipient of her first negative review. Book four, Murder with Ganache, centers on Hayley’s attempt to clear her step-brother’s name when he becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation.The fifth book, Death With All the Trimmings, celebrates Christmas in Key West with Hayley searching for an arsonist and a killer who has her in his sites. “There are so many neat things happening in Key West at Christmas,” Isleib says, “I thought it would be a great time for the setting.”
Fatal Reservations, the sixth book in the series, features one of Hayley Snow's dear friends in trouble--Lorenzo the tarot card reader. In April 2016, Killer Takeout was published, the last book contracted by NAL/Obisidian. "This book takes place at the craziest festival of the year in Key West, FantasyFest,” Isleib says. “I also threw in a hurricane. But it was a bittersweet book, as I thought it was the end of the series. I'm delighted to report that Crooked Lane Books has bought two more books, so Hayley Snow and gang will continue their adventures!"
Isleib enjoys introducing mystery lovers to the people of Key West and making readers feel like a part of that community. As an added bonus, Isleib ends each book with recipes for dishes mentioned in the story. “I get a kick out of people who say I’ve made them hungry, she says. “That’s fun too.”
For more about Roberta Isleib/Lucy Burdette, visit the author’s website at www.robertaisleib.com.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Roberta Isleib on Mystery Writing, Good Food, and Sound Advice
Roberta, you are a clinical psychologist, and you have likened a detective’s work to a psychologist’s. Can you expand on this?
Of course! For about 13 years I had a private practice in clinical psychology. When a patient would come to see me, I’d start with this question: How can I help? Usually they would describe the problems and symptoms that led them to consider professional help. In the psychologist/detective analogy, this would be the so-called “crime.” As often happens with the crime in mystery fiction, the obvious facts often turn out to be much more complex than originally presented.
Next I would ask lots of questions about what exactly was happening in their life and relationships, and explore their history, going all the way back to nuclear family. This would be the “investigation,” as we looked for clues to their distress and tried to bring old feelings and conflicts to consciousness.
Then with the patient’s help, I would try on possible theories, looking for ways they might be bound up in old patterns and carrying dysfunctional history forward into the present: “the solutions.” Of course, no one goes to jail in psychotherapy—more likely, they’re cut loose of historical baggage and end up feeling a lot freer.
Very interesting! On another note, you were just elected president of Sisters in Crime. Congratulations! This sounds like a big job. What tasks will you perform for that organization?
It is a big job, but also exciting and a great honor! Over the last two years, we’ve been focused on celebrating our 20th anniversary with library and bookstore displays, the SISTERS ON THE CASE anthology, and many other projects. Now it’s time to look ahead. The publishing world is changing and our goal is to figure out how to continue to support women crime writers even as publishing gets more challenging. We will be thinking of ways to strengthen our chapters, help our published authors get the most out of their books, and educate our pre-published writers.
You do many public appearances. Did you have a great deal of experience in public speaking before you became a writer?
I had very little experience with public speaking before I became a writer. Ditto, promotion. My husband is astonished at how vigorously I’ve taken all this on—he calls me the marketing juggernaut. When I had my own therapy practice, I needed to market my services but I was horrible at it! At any rate, I’ve grown to love speaking about writing.
That gives hope to the rest of us. Your book Deadly Advice came out in March. What’s it about?
When Dr. Rebecca Butterman returns home to find her neighbor an apparent suicide, she's wracked with guilt. As a psychologist and advice columnist, she should have been able to help the young woman. But the girl's mother suspects foul play, and soon persuades Rebecca to investigate. Before long, the newly single Rebecca wishes she had someone to advise her as she navigates the world of speed-dating and web-blogging, where no one is who they claim to be. As she uncovers the family secrets that tormented her neighbor, she's forced to confront her own personal tragedies. In the conclusion, Rebecca's quick wits and psychological training help her to capture a killer whose public face masks a twisted mind.
Will your upcoming novel, Preaching to the Corpse, continue the series?
Yes, it picks up at the holidays a couple of months after Deadly Advice. Dr. Butterman gets a call in the middle of night from the minister at her church. He's being questioned by the police after going to a parishioner's home and finding her dead. The murdered woman was the leader of a search committee charged with finding a new assistant pastor after the previous assistant left in a rush. Rebecca learns that the committee was divided and has to wonder if someone tried to eliminate the competition.
I’m turning book three of the series into my editor this week, and I believe it will be out next September. Right now it’s called Line in the Sand, though titles are always subject to change!
Sounds good! I just started Preaching, and I'm really enjoying it.
Since you are well versed in both psychology and detective fiction, I have to ask you if you’ve read Crime and Punishment, and if so, what you think of Dostoevsky’s famous psychological portrait of a murderer?
I have to admit I haven’t read C and P :).
Oh, you have a five hundred page treat waiting for you! But I'm guessing you won't get to that in the near future.
It says on your blog that you are hanging a “Go Away” sign on your door because you will be so busy in coming weeks. Still, I’ll be sending you these questions like the most annoying of reporters. :) Is it overwhelming to have so many deadlines? Or are you a person who thrives on a tight schedule?
I guess I must thrive on it because I surely should do something to change it otherwise, right? It’s a very exciting time for me, writing this series, heading up SinC, working on the steering committee for the New England Crime Bake, promoting my books. I feel very fortunate to be doing something I love, and I feel it’s my responsibility to give back to the community that has been so supportive. I also want to give my work the best possible chance to succeed and so I work at it constantly—both the writing and the promoting. I will look forward to a slightly slower time after the holidays. But knowing me, I’ll fill that time up with more projects!
Your fictional protagonist, Rebecca, likes food (as do I) and your blog contains some recipes that look so good, I was actually fatter after I read them. Do you cook for your family? Do you enjoy cooking?
Let me first assure you that these books are no-calorie reading! I like to cook, but I really love to eat. And eat good, but not fancy, food. And I enjoy reading about food and cooking—I love the descriptions of cooking in Diane Mott Davidson’s series. Since my last protagonist was a junk food junkie and never cooked anything, Dr. Butterman is fun to write about. And she uses her cooking time as a way of processing problems. I do cook for my family, but not the way she does! I also love to bake when I have time. Especially cakes. I make a chocolate cake to die for. Or there’s the yellow sponge with whipped cream frosting and strawberries…
Oh, yum. You were at Bouchercon in Alaska. Was it your first time in that state? What did you think of the Alaskan scenery?
I had never been to Alaska and found it to be just amazing. As my friend Lori Avocato says, you can’t take a bad picture in Alaska. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to see the Kenai peninsula through the authors to the bush program. Gorgeous scenery and lovely people! I don’t envy them the long dark winter however…
I have never met you, but in your photos you look like a person with great energy. Is this something people have noted about you?
My sister told me just this morning that I’m an overachiever! I recognize that I’m very determined, and if I get involved in a group, I’m likely to end up running it.
Well, we all rely on leaders. What drew you to psychology?
I wandered through a number of possible fields after college—my degree in French literature seemed more like a process than a destination. My first job was in a bookstore in New Jersey. Then I went to the University of Tennessee to get a master’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation. After working at that for a couple of years, I realized that I enjoyed the psychological part of the job most of all. So back to school I went for a doctorate in clinical psychology. My father couldn’t believe I was giving up all those years of school to write mysteries! I tell him it’s all being put to good use…
Your last name sounds German; I could not find it in my German/American dictionary, but I did find that “leib” means “body,” and the German idiom “Mit Leib und Seele” means “With heart and soul.” Are you a person who does things with heart and soul? Are you in fact German?
Oh, oh you’ve stumbled into my husband’s favorite teasing story! I do have both German and Swiss ancestors. At first we thought the name must mean “is stomach.” All of my family enjoys eating and relaxing, while his family has to always be busy, usually engaging in as many sports as they can fit into the day. At a family celebration a couple years ago, he was talking about all the athletic equipment you’d need for a reunion with his family. My cousin noted that Isleibs need only bring a knife and fork. From there my husband determined that the true translation of Isleib is “large lunch followed by a restful nap.”
That's a great translation!
Do your friends ask for psychological advice? Sort of like Charlie Brown asked Lucy van Pelt? What do you think of Lucy’s advice to Charlie Brown? Was it psychologically sound?
Gosh I hope neither Dr. Butterman nor I are like Lucy! She was a crabby character with a sadistic streak, from what I remember. But I’ve always enjoyed reading advice columns—still do. My character’s advice is pretty much common sense—she says people usually have a sense of the best path even as they ask for help. She simply shines a light on the path.
In a related question, you have an “Ask Dr. Aster” feature on your website, but you warn people that “advice should not be considered a substitute for therapy!” Do many people take advantage of this feature?
Very few! With the proliferation of blogs, everyone’s an advice columnist. So Dr. Aster doesn’t get a lot of business!
Well, I just may send her a question, then. Thanks for chatting with me, Roberta!
Thank you very much for hosting me Julia. You do a wonderful job with your interviews and I’m honored to be included.
Author Interviews/Features
Meet Roberta Isleib
New Jersey born clinical psychologist and golfer Roberta Isleib says that she began writing golf mysteries to justify the time she spent on the links. Her first series, featuring a neurotic professional golfer and a sports psychologist, was nominated for both Agatha and Anthony awards. Her new series, starring a Connecticut psychologist and advice columnist, debuted in 2007 with Deadly Advice. Roberta is the president of Sisters in Crime and the past president of the New England chapter. She lives with her family in Connecticut.
Visit Roberta's website.
Interviewed by Susan Wittig Albert
Posted on 01/13/2008
Preaching to the Corpse is the second book in your series (following Deadly Advice). It features Dr. Rebecca Butterman, a psychologist and advice columnist. You're a clinical psychologist, Roberta—did the idea for this character come out of your own on-the-job experience, or from somewhere else?
Like most writers, I constantly borrow characters and dialogue from real life and tweak them for my books. Although my psychologist character is different from me in many ways, I do use my experience as a therapist in New Haven, CT in shaping her. I don't use the specifics of any of the patients I saw—that wouldn't be fair play. Deadly Advice opens with a scene based on something that happened to me in graduate school. I was newly separated from my husband and living in a tiny, anonymous apartment. I read in the paper one morning that my neighbor had shot herself and had been dead for three days before anyone found her. As you can imagine, this had a profound impact!
The idea for Preaching to the Corpse must have germinated when I was sitting in a church meeting. Either I was bored to death or annoyed to death; probably grumbling to myself that someone was going to die if they didn't stop yakking. I started daydreaming, as writers do: What if one of the members of a committee like this one was murdered? Wouldn't it be especially frightening to have the crime committed by someone you think you know, in a place where most people expect nothing but good thoughts and deeds?
We noticed that the first two books in your new series came out quickly: Deadly Advice in March, 2007, and Preaching to the Corpse in December, 2007. What's the writing history behind that one-two punch? When do you expect the third book to be published, Roberta?
My agent suggested that schedule, thinking it would jumpstart the new series, and the folks at Berkley Prime Crime agreed. It was a little fast for my muse, but an interesting experiment! Asking for Murder will be published in September.
Muses have their own timetables, don't they? But to meet those close-together deadlines, you must be a fairly disciplined writer. Do you keep regular hours, or fit in the writing when you can? What's your favorite writing space? Are you still a practicing psychologist? If so, how do you juggle your time?
As I begin a book, I look ahead to the due date and figure out how many pages I will need to write each week in order to hand it in on time. I build in time for trips and family and time for my writers' group to read and critique, and then time for me to rewrite. Then I determine a page goal for each week. I write until I've hit the goal, sometimes even getting a little ahead. For practical purposes, I do write most days. And mostly in the morning, saving the promotion and other "easier" work for when I'm less alert!
My favorite writing space is sitting in bed—my husband calls this my "command post." I try not to spend too much time there because it's bad for my back and bad for sleep!
I'm not practicing psychology right now—way too busy. I have kept my license up to date, just in case....
We love the idea of that command post, Roberta! But here's another question about working habits. Some writers know where they're going when they start a book, others discover the path as they go along. How would you describe your writing process? Has it changed over the years you've been writing?
The first draft is always the hardest for me. I'm finding that forcing myself to know the characters and story better before I start (the dreaded outline) helps! For the third book in the Rebecca Butterman series (Asking for Murder), I got together with two of my writing buddies to brainstorm our works in progress. As a result, I had a much more complete synopsis spelled out than I've had for any of the other books. And the book was easier to write. Don't get me wrong, I still spent plenty of hours in the middle moaning about where I was headed...but fewer.
The Butterman series is your second. The first featured a golfer with an attitude and some terrific titles. (Our favorites: Putt to Death and A Buried Lie.) In what ways are the two series different? In what ways are they similar?
Both are in the first person and feature spunky female amateur sleuths. My golfer character, Cassie Burdette, was younger and more reckless than Rebecca Butterman. I did insist that she get into therapy and that improved both her golf game and her taste in men. But she despised the process and made fun of it as she went.
Rebecca, on the other hand, is an insider in the psychology world. She's closing in on forty, divorced, with a sad backstory. She has a good sense of humor but she's not a smart a**. As with all of us, Rebecca has been shaped by her family and life history. But as a psychologist, she understands the importance of knowing herself thoroughly so she doesn't mix up her own issues with those of her patients. Hence, psychotherapy! But she's still vulnerable to feeling lonely and she yearns for a big lug to take care of her, though she's quite capable of managing her life. But these feelings drive her to get involved with situations she'd be better off leaving alone. (Like solving murders of course!)
I love that I can highlight my background in psychology and write about folks in that field who are competent and caring, rather than the idiotic and downright hurtful professionals you often see in movies and on TV. I'm very proud of the time I spent working as a clinical psychologist, and yet happy to be writing now.
We're happy that you're writing, too! But writing isn't the only thing authors have to do. For better or worse, they're expected to promote their own books. How do you approach this challenge? Do you enjoy this part of the business?
I really do enjoy the promotion and networking, though I have to be careful—it's a time sink! The biggest arrow in my quiver is my website. I've had a lot of fun designing the site and adding material over the last few years. Besides information about my books and me, I've included articles and links about writing and getting published and many links on psychology and advice. I also have a virtual press kit with downloadable author photos, book covers, and press releases, and I post sample chapters and reviews.
I participate in a number of mystery-related listserv groups that I use to spread the word when I have a new book out. I search out as many potential review sites as possible and offer them a copy of each book. And I've started the requisite blog. :) I also belong to a group blog of New England writers called Jungle Red Writers.
I've done quite a few bookstore and library talks and attended many mystery conventions. The hard part about all this is that you never quite know what works and so you need to guess about how to spend both time and money. Writing good books has to be a priority—everyone's heard the advertising slogan: "Nothing kills a bad product like good publicity."
In addition to writing books and introducting them to readers, you're currently president of Sisters in Crime, an organization that supports women mystery authors. It's a large organization with an active board and a full calendar of activities—must be a huge job for you! What do you find most satisfying about it? What do you hope to achieve during your presidency?
Sisters in Crime was founded in 1986 by a small group of writers including Sara Paretsky and Nancy Pickard, and has grown to an international organization with over 3400 members. SinC began by monitoring review space in newspapers and pointing out potential biases to reviewers. The group found that a book written by a man was seven times more likely to be reviewed than a book by a woman, important because libraries and fans make choices depending on reviews.
Over the past twenty years, SinC has continued to combat discrimination against women in the mystery field, educate publishers and the general public as to inequities in the treatment of female authors, raise the level of awareness of their contributions to the field, and promote the professional advancement of women who write mysteries.
The publishing world is changing and our current goal is to figure out how to continue to support women crime writers even as publishing gets more challenging. We will be thinking of ways to strengthen our chapters, help our published authors get the most out of their books, and educate our unpublished writers. It's an amazing organization! I truly knew no one in the publishing business or the mystery field when I started to write. The New England chapter has come to be an enormous source of support and energy for me and I'm honored to be part of the national leadership.
You're getting a good look at the mystery world from both sides, both as a writer and as president of Sisters in Crime. Are you seeing many changes in publishing opportunities for women mystery authors? What suggestions do you have for new writers just entering the field?
The competition in the publishing business is brutal. I know that a lot is changing with online publishing and self-publishing these days, but it's one thing to have a book made and quite another to get it reviewed, sold, and read.
That said, you can't afford to send anything out that's not your best. Find a critique group, hire an editor, take classes....you get the idea. The persistent writers who are willing to hone their skills and keep trying even in a discouraging market are likely to see their books succeed.
So what's next for you, Roberta?
I'm just finishing the copyedits on the third book in the Rebecca Butterman advice column series, Asking for Murder. Rebecca's good friend, a social worker who does sandplay therapy, is found beaten and left for dead. Rebecca searches for clues in her patients' sand trays to track a would-be killer. The book will be out next September (2008). And I'm thinking about what to write next...
We'll be eager to read Rebecca's third case—and whatever comes after that. Thanks for chatting with us, Roberta! It's been fun getting to know you a little better.
Thanks so very much for this opportunity. And for giving writers the chance to get their books known through Story Circle Book Reviews!
Lucy Burdette is the author of the Key West food critic mystery series, including AN APPETITE FOR MURDER, DEATH IN FOUR COURSES, and TOPPED CHEF (NAL.) MURDER WITH GANACHE DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS, FATAL RESERVATIONS, and coming in April 2016, KILLER TAKEOUT.
Lucy’s alter-ego, clinical psychologist Roberta Isleib, has published eight mysteries including the golf lover’s mystery series and the advice column mysteries. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and a past-president of Sisters in Crime.
Lucy posts recipes every other Thursday on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook or Pinterest or Instagram or on her group blog, Jungle Red Writers. Jungle Red is a daily blog shared with six other best-selling women crime fiction writers. It’s The View. With Bodies!
Questions for the author:
HOW DID YOU FIND AN AGENT?
I don't have a magic formula for this subject.
However, I did find an agent and she did sell my book, though none of this came easily or quickly. I studied Elizabeth Lyon's THE SELL YOUR NOVEL TOOLKIT and Jeff Herman's WRITER'S GUIDE TO BOOK EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, AND LITERARY AGENTS. I contacted agents who had interests like mine (mystery, sports, psychology), or who had some feature in their personal background that made me think we might connect. I hired an independent editor to give me fairly inexpensive but useful feedback on my manuscript, she directed me to several agents. I attended mystery conventions and talked with people there about the process. I attended the International Women's Writers Guild "Meet the Agents" forum in New York City. I groveled in front of everyone I even remotely knew connected with the publishing business. And I suffered through multiple rejections and shouldered forward.
My advice? First, write the best book you can. Take classes, join a critique group, and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. And second, be persistent and flexible.
HOW DOES YOUR PSYCHOLOGY BACKGROUND PLAY INTO YOUR MYSTERIES?
Believe it or not, the work of the detective in a mystery has quite a bit in common with long-term psychotherapy. You start with a problem, then follow the threads, looking for clues, and gradually fill in the big picture. So this career move turned out to be a natural progression!
Most shrinks are appalled by the way we are portrayed in the popular media, usually these characters are bumbling fools, lacking in scruples, or crazy themselves. But I have the chance to dream up psychologist characters who can help solve mysteries without stumbling too hard over their own personal issues, crossing ethical boundaries, or imploding with self-importance.
The lead characters in both my series are in psychotherapy, I've really enjoyed writing these scenes which showcase the therapy process.
No bio
Burdette, Lucy: DEATH ON THE MENU
Kirkus Reviews. (June 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Burdette, Lucy DEATH ON THE MENU Crooked Lane (Adult Fiction) $26.99 5, 2 ISBN: 978-1-68331-746-3
A Florida caterer's plans to build her reputation are complicated by murder.
Hayley Snow (Killer Takeout, 2016, etc.) is the food critic for Key Zest, a magazine that covers all things having to do with the exotic island--including the Cuban-American conference at the Harry S. Truman Little White House for which her mother has just landed a three-day catering job. The food is Cuban-themed and delicious, but disaster strikes when Gabriel, one of the kitchen helpers, is stabbed to death just after the surprise appearance of Barack Obama and Jimmy Buffett. Gabriel had been suspected of stealing Ernest Hemingway's gold Nobel Prize medal, which has never left Cuba since Papa brought it there. Already Mayor Diaz of Havana and Turner Markham, one of the Key West commissioners, have been at each other's throats over the United States' "wet foot, dry foot" policy concerning Cuban refugees. The loss of the medal throws more fuel on the fire. Hayley's overprotective boyfriend, Key West cop Nathan Bransford, wants her to butt out of the whole mess, but she's already agreed to help Gabriel's sister Maria, who has no confidence that the police will properly investigate the death of a Cuban immigrant. Stretched thin among her own job, hunting for clues in the death and theft, and helping her mother continue catering the conference, Hayley is totally stressed. But she's still determined to find Gabriel's killer.
Burdette's loving descriptions of food and the appended recipes are an added fillip for readers who enjoy some history and romance with their mysteries.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Burdette, Lucy: DEATH ON THE MENU." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723426/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4d451e63. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723426
Death in Four Courses: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Publishers Weekly. 259.31 (July 30, 2012): p41+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Death in Four Courses: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Lucy Burdette. NAL/Obsidian, $7.99 mass market (320p) ISBN 978-0-451-23783-5
Near the start of Burdette's yummy sequel to An Appetite for Murder, Key West, Fla., food critic Hayley Snow brings her mother, down from New Jersey for a visit, to a weekend food-writing conference she's covering for the style magazine Key Zest. At the opening ceremony, the keynote speaker, culinary wunderkind Jonah Barrows, denounces "the bizarre and the inedible" (e.g., "musk ox sprinkled with elderberries and served on twigs") and vows to follow a policy of "utter transparency" in restaurant reviewing. This sort of honesty doesn't go down so well with at least one of the conference participants, as shortly thereafter Hayley notices Jonah's body floating beneath the water lilies of an ornamental pool. Outspoken Mom provides tart commentary as Hayley once again turns sleuth. Anyone who's ever overpaid for a pretentious restaurant meal will relish this witty cozy. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Management. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Death in Four Courses: A Key West Food Critic Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 30 July 2012, p. 41+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A298410496/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0facb243. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A298410496
Death on the Menu
Sue O'Brien
Booklist. 114.21 (July 1, 2018): p22.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Death on the Menu.
By Lucy Burdette.
Aug. 2018. 304p. Crooked Lane, $26.99 (9781683317463); e-book (9781683317470).
Hayley Snow, food critic for Key Zest magazine, agrees to help her mother at her first big catering gig, a multi-day conference to be held at Harry Truman's Little White House in Key West and designed to help forge a relationship between Cuba and the Florida city. Unfortunately, the celebrity-packed first evening of the conference ends horribly with the murder of Gabriel, one of the kitchen workers, and the theft of Hemingway's Nobel Prize medal, on loan from the Cuban people. Convinced that the local police won't expend too much energy on finding Cuban American Gabriel's murderer, Gabriel's family asks Hayley to investigate. Meanwhile, Hayley needs to come to terms with her feelings about her boyfriend, police detective Nathan, as well as provide support for her octogenarian roommate, Miss Gloria, who is concerned about their new neighbors on Houseboat Row. Fascinating details about the Truman Little White House, Cuban American history and relations, Cuban food, and Hemingway's years in Key West are woven through this atmospheric cozy.--Sue O'Brien
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
O'Brien, Sue. "Death on the Menu." Booklist, 1 July 2018, p. 22. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A547745765/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6897188b. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A547745765
Death on the Menu
Internet Bookwatch. (Aug. 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Death on the Menu
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317463, $26.99, HC, 295pp, www.amazon.com
Hayley Snow, fiery food critic for Key Zest magazine, has just landed a ticket to one of the most prestigious events in Key West: a high-brow three-day conference at the Harry Truman Little White House. Even though she'll be working the event helping her mother's fledgling catering business, there's plenty of spicy gossip to go around. But just before her mother's decadent flan is put to the test, Key West's most prized possession, Hemingway's Nobel prize gold medal for The Old Man and the Sea, is discovered stolen from its case. Unsavory suspicions point to Gabriel, a family friend and one of the new busboys working the event, who mysteriously goes missing moments later. Anxious to clear his name, Gabriel's family enlists Hayley to help find him, but right as they begin their search, his body is found stabbed to death in the storeroom. Hayley has no shortage of suspects to interrogate and very little time before the killer adds another victim to the menu. "Death on the Menu" is another beautifully crafted novel by a master of the genre and the latest addition to author Lucy Burdette's 'Key West Food Critic' mystery series. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of Lucy Burdett fans that "Death on the Menu" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982539870, $29.95, MP3 CD).
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Death on the Menu." Internet Bookwatch, Aug. 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A553627855/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d4a88ae2. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A553627855
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Book Review: Death on the Menu by Lucy Burdette (Key West Food Critic Mysteries #8)
Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Wonderful characters; mostly good mystery
Cons: Mystery pacing uneven at times
The Bottom Line:
Catering, conf’rence
Great to visit with Hayley
Such a fun series
Political Conference Derailed by Theft and Murder
Among the cozy mystery series that have been canceled over the last couple of years, one I’ve been most upset about is the Key West Food Critic Mysteries. I love Hayley Snow and the gang, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to visit the island of Key West. In fact, it’s put the island on my must visit bucket list. So when Crooked Lane picked up the series, I couldn’t wait to visit again in Death on the Menu.
The island is buzzing about the upcoming conference between the leaders of Key West and the leaders of some towns in Cuba. Because of their proximity to each other, relations between the two islands is of upmost importance, and the recent changing of relations with Cuba and the US has allowed these meetings to take place. Hayley’s mom has landed the plumb job of catering the meals for the weekend event, and Hayley is helping out in addition to working on some Cuban themed assignments for Key Zest magazine.
However, not everyone is thrilled with the conference. Protestors are coming to the island, and security is tight. In fact, police detective Nathan Bransford, Hayley’s boyfriend, is encouraging Hayley and her mother to back out, even at this late date.
And Friday gets off to a rocky start. First, an artifact loaned to Key West goes missing. Then a busboy is found murdered. Hayley is moved by the victim’s family to step in and make sure justice is done. Are the two events related? Can Hayley figure out what is going on?
Despite what I said earlier, I hadn’t realized just how much I missed Haley and the rest of the gang until I started reading this book. It was so wonderful to be back in Key West, at least fictionally. This time, we get to visit the Harry Truman’s Little White House as well as Hemingway’s house, and I’ve now added them to my must visit list when I make it there in person. (I think I’ll have to be there a month to visit every place I want to visit.)
This book has a slightly different tone from the earlier books in the series because of the Cuban meeting and the politics involved. The author does a decent job of presenting both sides, although I do feel that a few points could have been better represented. Then again, that may just be my perceptions since my thoughts on the topic were the ones not presented as strongly as I would have liked. They are still there, however, which I appreciated. Either way, you aren’t in for lectures.
However, the drama that the conference generates and the drama of Hayley’s mom trying to get the meals together do detract from the mystery at times. The further we get into the book, the more the mystery takes center stage, as it should, and we wind up with a wonderful climax.
As much as I was raving about the setting earlier, it was just as fantastic to be visiting the characters again, something I will never be able to do in the real Key West. Hayley’s love life has been much more complicated than usual for a cozy series, and I enjoyed seeing how it developed here. All the regulars are back, although we don’t see much of the Key Zest gang, as you might suspect given the set up for this book. We do get plenty of Miss Gloria, Hayley’s older roommate, and I’m not complaining about that at all since she’s one of my favorite characters.
And there are the recipes. With the Cuban flavor of the book, we get recipes for Cuban roast pork, a Mojito cake, and a delicious sounding flan among others.
Those, like me, who have been missing this series will be delighted to pick up Death on the Menu. And if you haven’t started this series yet, you need to do so now.
Here are the rest of the Key West Food Critic Mysteries in order.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
February 07, 2014
Review: Murder with Ganache by Lucy Burdette
Categories: Books
Cats, Key West and mouth-watering food: I can’t think of a better way to escape the winter doldrums. Murder with Ganache, the fourth in Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic mystery series, is not technically a cat mystery, but there are enough cats in the book to keep cat lovers happy.
From the publisher:
Hayley Snow, the food critic for Key Zest magazine, has her plate heaped high with restaurant reviews, doughnut and sticky bun tastings, and an article on the Hemingway cats. But this week she’s also in charge of her best friend’s wedding. And then someone adds a side of murder…
Hayley lives on a houseboat with her very cool cat Evinrude, who, while not central to the plot, occasionally makes an appearance in the story. Haley is also on assignment for Key Zest magazine to write a story about the Hemingway cats, and the surprising conclusion of the book takes place at the Hemingway house, which gives the reader a chance to meet some of the famous felines.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, fun mystery, the tropical setting, and the completely calorie-free guilty pleasure of reading about some amazing food (recipes are included in the back of the book) and, of course, the cats. If you can’t afford to go away for spring break, this book is the second-best thing.
I received a copy of this book from the author. Receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
April 08, 2016
Review and Giveaway: Killer Takeout by Lucy Burdette
Categories: Books
Cats, a tropical setting, mouth-watering food (with some recipes included), and did I mention cats? Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic mystery series has all the ingredients for fun summer reading, especially this time of year, when I’m pretty sick of cold weather.
The latest installment, Killer Takeout, takes place during Key West’s weeklong Mardi Gras–style festival.
From the publisher:
Key Zest magazine has assigned protagonist Hayley to write a piece on the fest’s grab-and-go food, so she’s planning on hitting up the mobile eateries while checking out the party preparations. Hayley’s office mate, Danielle, recently elected Queen of Fantasy Fest, is also buzzing between festivities and fundraisers. But when her former royal rival gets taken out, Hayley needs to put down her party hat and her pen and figure out who served up a side of murder—before Danielle gets crowned a killer…
Like all of the books in this series, Killer Takeout offers plenty of local color. I’ve only been to Key West once, in the 1980’s, and every time I read one of these books, I want to hop on the next plane to Miami, rent a car, and make that beautiful drive down to the keys. The cats in the book, including Haley’s cats Evinrude and Sparky, are not central to the mystery, but they make frequent appearances.
The story is fast paced, filled with immensely likeable and quirky characters, and a looming hurricane adds additional suspense.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The setting, the cats, and the guilt-free pleasure of reading about amazing food make this one of my favorite mystery series.
December 05, 2014
Review: Death With All the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
Categories: Books
Cats, the tropical setting of Key West during the holiday season, and mouth-watering food make for a great escape from the cold and damp November weather and might even put you in the holiday spirit. Death With All the Trimmings, the fifth in Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic mystery series, is not technically a cat mystery, but there are enough cats in the book to keep cat lovers happy.
From the publisher:
It may be Christmastime, but thoughts of peace on earth, good will toward men, don’t seem to extend to the restaurant biz. Hayley has been assigned to interview Edel Waugh, chef/owner of Key West’s hottest new restaurant. But off the record, Edel reveals someone’s sabotaging her kitchen and asks Hayley to investigate.
Things heat up fast when the restaurant is set on fire—and a body is discovered in the charred wreckage. Is someone out to destroy the chef’s business—or actually kill her? Amid holiday festivities like the lighted boat parade and visiting relatives who stir up mixed emotions, Hayley needs to smoke out an arsonist and a killer who may turn up the heat on her next…
Hayley lives on a houseboat with two cats, who, while not central to the plot, occasionally make appearances in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, fun mystery. I’ve never experienced the holidays in a tropical setting, and loved the vivid descriptions of Key West decked out for the season. I also savored (pun intended!) the completely calorie-free guilty pleasure of reading about some amazing food (recipes are included in the back of the book) and, of course, the cats added to my reading pleasure.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with cats, this book makes a great read for the holiday season.
Topped Chef by Lucy Burdette
May 10, 2013
Topped Chef by Lucy Burdette is the third book in the “Key West Food Critic” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, May 2013
Hayley Snow loves her job as the food critic for Key Zest magazine, tasting the offerings from Key West’s most innovative restaurants. She’d rate her life four stars, until she’s forced into the spotlight…and another murder investigation.
Hoping for some good publicity, Hayley’s boss signs her up to help judge the Key West Topped Chef contest. Stakes are high as the winner could be the next cooking-show superstar. Hayley shows up for the filming nervous but excited, until she sees who’s on the judging panel with her: Sam Rizzoli, big shot businessman—and owner of the restaurant she just panned in her first negative review.
When Rizzoli turns up dead, the police assume his killer is one of his business rivals. But Hayley wonders whether someone is taking the contest a little too seriously. With the police following the wrong recipe, it’s up to Hayley to find the killer before she’s eliminated from the show…permanently.
I just love Hayley Snow as she tries to do the right thing and she can’t help it if she’s good at uncovering clues which the authorities miss. In her latest adventure, Hayley is a judge on a cooking reality show and it should be easy, but of course it’s not when one of the judges is killed and another targeted. It is so much fun following Hayley as she goes from being a judge, to an amateur sleuth (although I think she should get her PI license) and being good friends to Miss Gloria, and Connie. It is always a welcome joy when we hear from her mom who I think is a hoot. Lucy has done a good job in keeping me in suspense with plenty of suspects who could have been the killer. Boasting a great cast of characters, a terrific location and entertaining dialogue, Lucy has created a wonderful and well-written whodunit and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Key West.
A Day In The Life Of Hayley Snow As Told to Lucy Burdette
Jan 4, 2012
What I, Hayley Snow, thought I was headed for when I moved to Key West, and what I got, are two different stories. Sometimes that happens when you’re a little lost on life’s journey and start hoping maybe an amazing new guy can solve the problem.
Anyway, since that creep Chad Lutz threw me out and dumped all my stuff on the sidewalk in front of his condominium, my old college roommate Connie was kind enough to take me in. I camp out with my cat Evinrude in a tiny little bedroom on her houseboat that also serves as the storage closet for her business, Paradise Cleaning. (“We clean so you don’t have to” is their motto—isn’t that so cute?) Some mornings I help her clean a couple of apartments and others, I work on my food critic portfolio. Sounds like heaven, doesn’t it—eating whatever you like and then writing about it?
But it’s not as easy as it looks. Future diners want to know what they’re in for—and whether they should spend their hard-earned bucks at the restaurant in question. But what if my review turns away customers and ruins their business? Maybe you read about the chef who lost his Michelin star and then killed himself? This is serious stuff!
My shrink friend Eric tells me if I want to land the job, I need to quit worrying and start eating. And writing. So often I meet him or one of my other new friends for lunch or dinner, sometimes both. Today I’m thinking about lunch at B.O.’s fishwagon—think fried fish or scallops or the best burger you ever sank your teeth into. And maybe dinner at Seven Fish—you haven’t lived until you’ve tried their sautéed grouper rolls. And then maybe we’ll end up at the Green Parrot bar for a quick beer or just walk off some of that good food with a stroll down Duval Street.
I can tell you this much—boyfriend or not, this Key West life sure beats November in New Jersey! But if you’ll excuse me a minute, I hear someone out on the dock…oh my gosh, it’s two cops…and they’re banging on our door…
Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is a clinical psychologist with nine mysteries published (counting AN APPETITE FOR MURDER!) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards.
The first “Key West Food Critic” mystery, AN APPETITE FOR MURDER, will be published by NAL/Obsidian in January 2012. You can order the book here and follow Lucy Burdette on Twitter, or Facebook, or on her website at www.lucyburdette.com. She also blogs with Jungle Red Writers at www.jungleredwriters.com.
** Thanks to Lucy, I have one (1) copy of AN APPETITE FOR MURDER to give away. Contest open to residents of the US only. Contest ends January 9. Leave a valid-email address with your comment. Book will be shipped directly from the author. **
Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
Death In Four Courses by Lucy Burdette
Sep 29, 2012
Death In Four Courses by Lucy Burdette is the second book in the “Key West Food Critic” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, September 2012
As the new food critic for Key Zest magazine, Hayley Snow went from being a culinary groupie to one of Florida’s cutting-edge tastemakers. But as always, when life serves Haley a dream come true, it comes paired with a most exquisite murder.
The annual Key West literary conference is drawing the biggest names in food writing from all over the country, and Haley is there to catch a few fresh morsels of insider gossip. Superstar restaurant critic Jonah Barrows has already ruffled a few foodie feathers with his recent tell-all memoir, and as keynote speaker, he promises more of the same jaw-dropping honesty.
But when Hayley discovers Jonah’s body in a nearby dipping pool, the cocktail-hour buzz takes a sour turn, and Hayley finds herself at the center of attention—especially with the police. Now it’s up to her to catch the killer before she comes to her own bitter finish.
What a great time I had reading this delightful whodunit with a mystery that had me turning the pages quickly as the story moved forward in this well-written drama. Hayley is a fun character and I love her joyous spirit as she goes about her day critiquing food and seeing justice served on a platter. The appearance of her mother hunting down clues with her is a welcome bonus that I also enjoyed. I can’t wait for the next book in this wonderful series.
FINAL FORE
by Roberta Isleib
Berkley, March 2006
288 pages
$6.99
ISBN: 0425208966
Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada
Cassie Burdette is a golfer who seems to spend more time tracking down murderers and moaning to her shrink that she does actually playing golf. But in FINAL FORE it looks like she might actually get to play a round or four.
It's the US Women's Open, the most prestigious event on the circuit, and Cassie has even qualified, despite a fair amount of angst -- and a panic attack. So when it gets to the big event, being played at a picturesque college campus, she's a bag of nerves.
The arrival of her thoroughly dysfunctional extended family doesn't help. And there's her unresolved relationship with Joe. Oh, and she can't decide what to do about an invitation to play in a men's event, which is polarising the opinions of those around her.
It looks like it can't get any worse once Cassie's caddie Laura has to rush to the bedside of her sick father. But naturally, when Cassie's around, someone isn't going to get out of it all alive. A rival is poisoned, and someone is sending our heroine threatening emails.
Isleib, a clinical psychologist and keen golfer, writes fluently, has a nice line in dry humour and provides enough information about golf to think you have all the background without being force-fed too much. The problem for me, though, with the series has always been the over-reliance on the shrink angle. At times you just want Cassie to go out there and get on with it, instead of whining on the phone to Dr Baxter or to Joe (yes, he's a psychologist as well -- there's a lot of it about!)
The plot is a bit thin and the resolution a little too neat and quick (hey, even I spotted whodunit!) I also had difficulty believing Cassie would really be invited to appear in the men's event, given she's clearly not in the top flight as a player.
FINAL FORE is the fifth and final book in what has been a pleasant and enjoyable cosy series, and Isleib might well be getting out at the right time before she outstays her welcome.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, March 2006