Logan's ethnic eats series combines delicious cooking and culture with danger and murder. Laurel and her staff are turning the restaurant French for a week, with the help of their French friend Rocky. When Rocky is found poisoned, they must take the case to make sure their friend receives justice. This was a great mystery that had lots of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. The cast of characters are entertaining, and there's plenty of recipes and cultural tidbits as well.

I loved this book and the setting and mystery which so well written and had me thrown for a minute because of all the clues and the secrets the secrets where abound a plenty. Laurel has come full circle she still has some growing to do but I loved how she finally realized family doesn't have to be blood too be family and secrets have a way of coming out. What i really love about this author is she doesn't give me love triangles in my mysteries.

The town of Hubbard, Ohio is celebrating the anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty and everyone in town is going all out to pull in the tourists. Since Laurel Inwood has made various <i>Ethnic Eats</i> a mainstay at her aunt’s restaurant, Terminal at the Tracks, the menu for this event is featuring French cuisine. Laurel and her aunt, Sophie Charnowski, are relying on a friend and former French chef, Raquel “Rocky” Arnaud to help them keep the menu simple but authentic. Unfortunately, Rocky ends up dead and the police are calling it suicide. Laurel doesn’t believe it’s suicide but will she be able to uncover what happened to Rocky?

FRENCH FRIED is the second book in the <i>Ethnic Eats</i> mystery series and continues the engaging atmosphere I fell in love with in IRISH STEWED. Kylie Logan provides enough of the character development for readers new to the series to jump right in and enjoy FRENCH FRIED. However, the <i>Ethnic Eats</i> series is too good to miss a single book!

Laurel is still struggling to cope with her drastic change in lifestyle and I like that Kylie Logan doesn’t gloss over the choices Laurel has to make. Laurel is the main character in FRENCH FRIED but I have to admit that I have a special spot just for Declan Fury. There is an aura of mystery around Declan and his family that makes me want to know more and I hope Kylie Logan continues to give us the tantalizing hints about the Fury family in future books.

I love the creativity behind <i>Ethnic Eats</i>! Terminal at the Tracks was a gradually failing greasy spoon diner until Laurel found a way to engage the heart and soul of the community. While IRISH STEWED remains my favorite in the series due to the Irish culture (and Declan, let’s not forget Declan LOL), FRENCH FRIED is still quite enjoyable and has me solidly hooked on this series!

*Review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

Laurel Inwood has quite a bit on her mind. She's helping her adoptive aunt, Sophie, with her restaurant, Terminal at the Track. Her aunt is busy recuperating from surgery. However, this is not a permanent situation and Laurel needs to think about her future. First, she is going to help out with French cuisine week at the restaurant. With the help of Sophie's best friend Rocky, everything should go well.

When Rocky ends up dead, Laurel is determined to find out the reason. The police are convinced it was suicide, but Laurel and Sophie aren't buying it. With the help of Declan, another store owner, they set about doing their own investigation.

This is the second book in Kylie Logan's "An Ethnic Eats Mystery". I have the first book on my Kindle, but I haven't read it yet. It didn't matter. I was able to jump right into this book. I loved the main characters - Laurel, Sophie and Declan. They are well developed and very realistic.

It took me a little time to get into the story, but then it moved at a steady pace. It is filled with many twists and turns. I was totally surprised at who the killer turned out to be. I never saw that coming, which makes it all the more of an exciting read. I hope there will be more books in the series and I'll definitely be going back to read the first book.

French Fried by Kylie Logan is the second book in An Ethnic Eats Mystery series. Laurel Inwood has been in Hubbard, Ohio for the last six months running Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks. It was supposed to be for a short time while Sophie had her knee surgery and recovered. Recently, Sophie suffered another knee injury requiring Laurel to extend her stay. Hubbard is getting ready for their Statute of Liberty Festival to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the landmark. Terminal at the Tracks will be offering French cuisine (French country/bistro type) in honor of the celebration. Laurel is waiting for Rocky Arnaud, a local farmer, to arrive with a few items before heading over to the Book Nook. Aurore Brisson, author of Yesterday’s Passion, is in town for a book signing event. Rocky arrives looking quite unlike herself and slightly drunk. At the book event, Rocky accuses Aurore of stealing the novel from her deceased friend, Marie Daigneau. They are watching the parade the next day when Rocky suddenly takes off. She sends a text assuring her friends that she is fine and will meet them for the fireworks. That evening Rocky is a no show. Worried about her, Laurel along with Declan Fury (a handsome Irishman) go to Rocky’s farm to check up on her. They discover all the lights on in her home and the music blaring. Inside, Laurel and Declan find Rocky dead in a chair. The police rule Rocky’s death a suicide which enrages Laurel. She knows that Rocky would not kill herself and sets out to find her killer. Can Laurel prove that Rocky was murdered? What happens when Laurel is offered a dream position that will take her out of Hubbard?

French Fried is the second book in the series, but it can be read alone. I have not had the opportunity read Irish Stewed (first book in the series), and it did not hinder my understanding in any way. The author provided the background information on Laurel and a synopsis of what occurred in the first novel in An Ethnic Eats Mystery series. I did, though, have trouble with the main character, Laurel Inwood. Sophie is family and asked Laurel to help out. Laurel, though, cannot wait to escape Hubbard which is mentioned in just about every chapter. Declan Fury (a very handsome Irishman with a large family) wants to date Laurel, but she is unwilling to make a commitment (does not want to form attachments that will hinder her from leaving town). I was shocked by Laurel’s choice at the end of the book after all her ranting throughout the novel (I would say more, but it would be a spoiler). Laurel’s personality was unappealing. She has no patience, trouble controlling her temper, and unreasonable. One thing I have discovered after reading cozy mysteries for over fifteen years—you must like the main character in order to enjoy the novel. I give French Fried 3 out of 5 stars (it was satisfactory). There are three storylines (murder, Laurel’s job prospects, and did Aurore Brisson write Yesterday’s Passion) in French Fried that keep the story interesting. The murder mystery was appealing, but I could identify the killer early in the book. One detail gave away the murderer’s identity. There is some repetitive information in French Fried along with numerous food descriptions (does every food item need to be described in detail). The writing style made the book hard to get into (it was not conversational). French Fried failed to capture and hold my attention.

3.75 stars

Laurel Inwood has trust issues, having grown up in the world of foster care. She eventually found a loving home, so she would do most anything to help out her sort of Aunt Sophie. And that included leaving the world of Hollywood and her job as a personal chef to help Sophie temporarily run a restaurant in Nowhere Ohio.

But the restaurant was not the chic French bistro that Sophie had described -- it was more of a small town diner. So, Laurel isn't planning on hanging around, despite the best efforts of Declan Fury, the handsome Irishman across the street.

This second Ethnic Eats mystery does a nice job of rehashing the above background to set the stage for the plot to thicken. Sophie's dear friend Rocky is found dead, and what was first thought to be a suicide turns out to be murder. It's pretty clear the answer lies in Rocky's past, so Laurel and Declan set out to find the solution.

Meanwhile, Laurel is holding Declan at arm's length because she is planning on leaving town. Not having much experience with commitment, community, and family, she is caught in conflicting emotions.

This was an enjoyable read and Laurel seemed to work through some of her demons by the end, so it will be interesting to see what the next book reveals. I was provided an ARC via Net Galley in return for my honest review.

Synopsis:

Poison du Jour

The Statue of Liberty is 130 years old, and for the struggling residents of Hubbard, Ohio, any opportunity to bring in tourists is reason enough for a celebration. Laurel Inwood and her aunt, Sophie, are pitching in. Sophie's Terminal at the Tracks, a former greasy spoon turned charming ethnic eatery, will be offering French cuisine for the entire week.

For expert help with their quiche and escargot, the ladies turn to Raquel "Rocky" Arnaud, a former French chef and friend of Sophie. What looks like a match made in heaven turns rank as quickly as buttermilk on a summer's day. Rocky turns up dead and when her nightly red wine shows notes of oak, cinnamon, and poison, Laurel turns from souffle to sleuth.

INCLUDES A RECIPE (Goodreads)


Review:


The characters are well developed and well rounded. Laurel is a strong intelligent person and she is not easily fooled. She is skeptical about a lot of things and she has a hard time trusting people. And she is very wary of forming any lasting friendships because she is not planning on staying in Hubbard, Ohio. A few times I wanted to shake some sense into her. It got a little old, reading about her desire to leave. I really liked Declan and at times I thought he was too good for her. Hopefully in the next book these issues will be resolved.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there watching all of the action taking place around me and listening in on conversations. She is very talented in portraying small town life and all that goes along with it, the gossip and the friendships.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was carried on well throughout the book and there were enough suspects, twists and turns to keep this reader guessing. I was not one hundred percent sure of the killer until it was revealed at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and maybe some resolutions.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book two in the Ethnic Eats Mystery series. This one was so much better than the first one which I admit is rather rare. By this point Laurel has been in Hubbard, Ohio for about six months as she helps Sophie heal from her surgery. She is still determined that she is leaving but has become more settled as time moved on. Not to mention I think she is starting to really fall for a guy despite her protests to the contrary. Her new friend Rocky is found murdered and of course Laurel has to get involved in the investigation which leads to quite a few events to occur along the way. She is still a little whiny in this book but starting to settle down which makes me happy. Without giving any spoilers I think the next one may be even better considering the end of this one. I give this one 4/5 stars since I really enjoyed it.

French Fried: An Ethnic Eats Mystery
By Kylie Logan
Berkley
June 6, 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

When personal chef to Hollywood stars Laurel Inwood came to Hubbard, Ohio, she intended to stay just long enough for her Aunt Sophie to recover from knee surgery and be up to running her Terminal at the Tracks diner. Sophie further twisting her knee during a Mediterranean cruise dance extended Laurel’s visit to six months, which explains why she’s still in town trying to update their tastes with more cosmopolitan ethnic cuisine. Their latest venture is a tie-in with Hubbard’s Statue of Liberty Festival, which has Laurel planning a menu of French country bistro delights. It would seem to be the perfect event for Sophie’s best friend Raquel “Rocky” Arnaud, who was born in France and retains that ubiquitous sophisticated Parisian flair. So it’s completely out of character for Rocky to appear disheveled at a booksigning for bestselling historical fiction author Aurore Brisson, and disorientated at the festival’s parade. It’s alarming enough to have Laurel checking up on her at Rocky’s Pacifique farm, where poor Rocky has indeed drank her last glass of red wine.

Laurel is only partially happy to have not been alone in discovering Rocky, as Declan Fury’s presence is as disconcerting as it comforting. Bronntanas Irish gift store’s owner has not been shy about his amorous intentions towards Laurel, and while she does find the attorney undeniably attractive, a relationship is impossible considering her goal to leave town as soon as possible. A tasting interview with Senator Katherine Stone in New York may get Laurel one step closer, and she is determined to keep herself as unemotionally unattached as possible before she can escape. That doesn’t mean that Rocky doesn’t deserve proper justice though, and with police declaring her death a suicide that means that Laurel will have to investigate on her own. Declan is not about to let her do that, so the charming rogue attaches himself to her side as she delves into Rocky’s past with peace movements of the 60s, her fascination with a Statue of Liberty expert, the crazy neighbor stalking her, and the writer she accused of plagiarism.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this second in the series is just how much Laurel’s upbringing in the foster system continues to affect her today. Having been bounced between houses throughout her youth, and only briefly finding a cooking mentor with Sophie’s sister Nina, Laurel never formed attachments or expected anyone else to look out for her best interests. The guard she was forced to build against repeatedly being abandoned is why she is so terrified of Declan’s enormously caring and welcoming family. Declan’s attentions are assertive and far from subtle, but anything less would fail to penetrate her considerable emotional barricades. The joy in this very well-constructed mystery comes from seeing whether Laurel can overcome her fear of being loved, and finally find a family and a home. The amazing descriptions of French quiches, tartines, and pastries are a delightful bonus.

While I don't find this to be one of the strongest cozy series out there, I do find the mysteries in it thus far to be fairly enjoyable. Throughout this one, the main character is still struggling to accept her relationships with the new people in her life and her current circumstances, and I find her somewhat unlikable in her insistence on not making connections, but, without giving spoilers, I think she may start coming around in future books.