Honey-Baked Homicide is a good read--a setting that works well, interesting and engaging characters, and a mystery that I didn't solve until the end. I enjoyed the story, and didn't feel like it was odd that the main character was investigating the crime--she had a good reason to care, and wasn't really treading on the toes of the police. I did have a little trouble keeping characters straight, which suggests to me that reading the series in order might help. The book definitely stands alone, but there were some things I felt like I was missing.

My main critique of the book was that there is too much description of food and clothing. That is, of course, a purely subjective critique--a reader more interested in the details of what characters are eating and wearing will probably not notice, or be happy to know what's on the menu at the Down South Café. For me, it was a bit off-putting, though by no means enough to ruin my enjoyment of a quick and pleasant read. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the way Amy talks to her dog as though he can answer--just one of many humorous touches that kept the book moving for me.

My Recommendation:
A good choice for lovers of comfort food! There are several recipes included :)

A delightful and charming read. Honey Baked Homicide is a keeper.

Winter Garden Valley is filled with fun and quirky characters that appear daily to satisfy their hunger at the Southern Cafe.

Amy is surrounded with fun friends and patrons from the quirky
Hector that has a penchant for making the day better with a quote to the hilarious Dilly who comes by everyday for lunch or breakfast and must have a biscuit for her pet raccoon.

I enjoyed the setting and was delighted that the author included
recipes at the end.

The mystery plot is interesting and takes the reader on a twisty
turny ride.

I had an idea who did the deed but was a little surprised along with Amy and the others when the actual villain was uncovered.

I enjoyed my visit to the Southern Cafe and look forward to reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy.

This series is always fun to return to. In the latest Down South Cafe mystery, we are dealing with a buzzing of a mystery. I really enjoyed this one because it has always been a passion to be a bee keeper for me, and I found this theme to be really cool in the book.
Characters

Amy is back and this time she might get stung, by the bees! No really, honey and bees are in the mix of this mystery. I really enjoy this character and her calm manner in most cases. I also like how deep she hunted in this book for answers, I felt like she was really invested in the solving of this mystery.
Enjoyable Moments

I really liked when Amy was searching for our victim’s history and finding out more than she bargained for. It was interesting to see such perspectives on our departed character.
Synoptic

I can’t ask for a better mystery to read on the weekend, than one by Gayle. Gayle never leaves a reader hanging she leaves them wanting more from this series! I am eager for the next book by this author.

HONEY-BAKED HOMICIDE by Gayle Leeson
The Third Down South Cafe Mystery

Mr. Landon's honey is so tasty that Amy Flowers decided not only to use it at her Down Home Cafe, but sell jars of it on consignment. With the honey selling quicker than anticipated, Amy decides to ask for additional jars only to find the quiet beekeeper livid. His neighbor has been improperly spraying pesticides, killing many of his bees. Amy's concerns over Mr. Langdon's vow to handle matters increase when a stranger comes to town looking for him. But nothing could prepare her for finding his murdered body in front of her cafe. Enmeshed in his death, Amy finds herself threatened while simply trying to help. Just who was Mr. Landon? And more importantly, who wanted him dead?

HONEY-BAKED HOMICIDE is a great addition to the series. I enjoy seeing Amy's relationship with Ryan grow and the fun she has with her friends and family. The book also touches on some very important environmental and societal issues, particularly the effect of pesticides on bees. There is a lot of conflict in this book, which drives the mystery and makes it more difficult to solve.

HONEY-BAKED HOMICIDE induces lots of heart stopping moments as Amy deals with some new characters while discovering the past Mr. Landon tried to leave behind and the future of Winter Garden itself.

Recipes Included.

This is the third book in the series, and each one has been more exciting than the last. Each book is also easily read as a stand-alone novel if you prefer.

Amy Flowers is an independent, strong-willed woman with a fascinating array of family and friends surrounding her. I love that one of her customers, Homer, has a new hero every day whom he shares with Amy over his breakfast, along with a memorable quote from the day's hero. I have taken to writing down my favorite quotes to memorize them.

The murder victim in this story was a quiet, unassuming man who was hiding from his past and attempting to protect his family from harm--and was passionate about beekeeping and bees. When we meet his children and his nephew after his death, as well as a neighbor who seems suspicious, there is no shortage of suspects.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a cozy mystery fan.

“Like a good stew, the plot thickens.”

I can’t say enough how much I love this cozy mystery series. In fact, the Down South Cafe books are one of my go-to series in this genre. They are clean, entertaining, well-plotted and full of yummy food.

All the fave characters return to the Down South Cafe in Honey-Baked Homicide, plus a few new faces for flavor. Aunt Bess continues to be my favorite, with her feisty personality and her hilarious pinterest boarding. Her Lord Have Mercy and People I’ve Outlived boards are good examples of the humor potential here, and Leeson makes full use of it without it being overdone. Aunt Bess doesn’t take over the story – she just shows up when they need some spice. For that matter, Dilly (and her hearing-aid eavesdropping skills plus her raccoon) and Homer (and his hero of the day complete with always situation-appropriate quotes) add their own dose of humor and heart when needed as well. Never too much of these good characters, but just enough to keep us smiling – and waiting to see what they’ll do when they next pop in.

Amy is the perfect cozy mystery heroine because she’s completely relatable and doesn’t go asking for trouble (too much). Most of her investigating/snooping occurs while just chatting up guests at the cafe… or fielding suspects as they insert themselves into her life. It makes sense, it feels natural, and it keeps the peace in her romance with her detective boyfriend Ryan. Who, for his part, is protective without being hovering and really seems to value her input instead of begrudgingly tolerating her theories (as cozy mystery detective boyfriends seem to often do).

The case in Honey-Baked Homicide has lots of twists and turns and more suspects around every bend. I had my eye on a couple of strong possibilities as far as whodunit …. and I was completely wrong. Which is a testament to Ms. Leeson’s mystery-crafting skills because I grew up watching Murder She Wrote, y’all.

Bottom Line: If you haven’t yet started reading the Down South Cafe mysteries, you are missing out on some good reads. Each book can stand on its own, but I love the series so much I’d recommend you just go ahead and start at the beginning. The setting nicely supports the plot, and the supporting characters are both quirky and endearing. Amy’s relationship with her family is sweet and healthy, and there’s such a great mix of wit and suspense wrapped up in a cozy package. A great choice anytime you want an entertaining, clean, and well-written read with fun characters you’ll want as friends! (The recipes at the back are a nice bonus, too!)

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Another winner in this delicious and surprising mystery series.
Amy Flowers is doing well making the cafe her own. Many of the new recipes she tests are accepted by her loyal clientele. She wants to expand into offering local products as well, beginning with jars of honey from a beekeeper who is a bit of a recluse.
When that beekeeper is found murdered in the cafe parking lot things get interesting quickly.
Who wants him dead and why leave his body where it is quickly discovered?
The discovery that he has a family and local family connections are just the tip of many twists to come. Amy finds herself tangled up in the middle.

A great cast of characters including Homer and his daily heroes.
A mysterious man from the victim's past, is his appearance coincidence or a huge clue.
Amy finds herself drawing unwanted attention. There are several very tense moments.
The ending will catch you by surprise.

You never know who the killer might be in Winter Garden...or what might be on the menu at the Down South Cafe.

I really enjoy these books because it seems like I can never figure out the killer. I might come close now and again. I'm not sure if there are a lot of clues on this one, but there are many possibilities and it comes down to greed. I was quite surprised how the story unfolded at the end!

All the characters interact with each other quite well despite any quirky behavior. Aunt Bess always cracks me up and Homer always has some words of wisdom from his hero of the day. It is amazing how whoever the hero is, there is an appropriate quote to fit the situation.

I am enjoying the relationship between Amy and Ryan. They definitely have chemistry but are taking it slow and enjoying each other's company.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting and kept my attention and the murder mystery left me stumped. I was kept guessing until the very end of the book! I love when that happens. Just when you think you have everything figured out, your suspicion moves to someone else and everything changes. It makes for a really entertaining, engaging read.

I really like the characters in this book and am looking forward to reading future titles in this series.

Honey-Baked Homicide is the third book in Gayle Leeson's Down South Café Mystery Series. Amy Flowers' business is doing well and she's agreed to a consignment deal to sell honey for Stuart Landon, a local beekeeper. Her customers are excited to have local honey on the menu and available for purchase at the counter. When Stuart's dead body is found in his truck by Amy one morning, she knows she has to figure out what happened. Why was he killed and what is the purpose of parking him in front of the cafe?

Amy finds out that Stuart Landon is not only a keeper of bees but a keeper of secrets, as well. He isn't who the town thinks he is, which expands the murder investigation outside of Winter Garden. There are also numerous suspects in town, too. There are property disputes, issues with pesticides, and right in the middle of everything comes a surveyor looking for natural gas deposits. As secrets get revealed, Amy knows that someone very sinister is prowling around town but can she sniff them out before anyone else dies?

As in the previous books, the murder takes place in a small town with family roots and stories that span several generations. The death occurs near the beginning of the book, giving the author a lengthy time frame to develop more of the Winter Garden, VA world and set the stage for murder and mystery solving. We are reacquainted with the key characters and introduced to many new ones.

I must confess - I didn't like this book as much as I like books 1 and 2. The pacing of the book was different, a little bit slower, than the first two books. I didn't become immersed or completely engaged in Honey-Baked Homicide like I did with the first two books in the series. This doesn't mean I hated the book by any means. I actually enjoyed it - a lot - just not as much as The Calamity Cafe or Silence of the Jams.

I enjoyed the storyline and the plot of Honey-Baked Homicide does pull the reader along on a wild tale of murder and suspense. The descriptions of the world in Winter Garden were vivid and I felt like I was right there in the middle of the town and involved in the investigation. The dialogue between all of the characters was believable and well done. I enjoyed the interactions between Amy and Ryan and like the pace the author is using to build up a potential relationship.

The book is full of suspense with twists and turns around every corner. There are so many suspects, from within the town and from other cities, to choose from. The author does a great job disguising the murderer and the motive along with everything else related to the mystery. I recommend the Down South Cafe Mystery series and suggest you start with Book 1. You'll get to know the key players before meeting them again in Honey-Baked Homicide.

I truly hope we do get another few books in the series. Amy and her wonderful town have so much more to share with the readers.

HONEY-BAKED HOMICIDE, the third book in Gayle Leeson’s Down South Café Mystery series is an entertaining read that combines both a twisty-turvey murder plot along with a cornucopia of colorful characters. Amy Flowers, owner of the Down South Café in Winter Garden, Virginia is a caring but curious protagonist. I enjoyed her interaction with her patrons, her friends, and her family. When she decides she needs to get involved and start asking questions to find the murderer of reclusive beekeeper, Stu Landon, she starts uncovering secrets of not only the victim, but other people in town. Some would rather those secrets stay hidden and it’s not long before Amy is in danger.

When I started the book I thought I knew who the victim and the suspects would be but then the author threw in her twists and I was back to guessing while the story took me for an enjoyable ride. Along the way the reader is treated to delicious sounding meals at Amy’s café along with bits and pieces about the plight of the honeybee. We get to spend time with one of my favorite characters, Homer Pickens, who introduces us to a new hero every day. I love his obscure quotes from his heroes, often times people I’ve never heard about. Yet, they have interesting and insightful words of wisdom to impart through Homer which gives the reader pause to consider and take to heart.

While reading, you’ll be drooling over many mentions of amazing meals and thankfully the author provides several recipes at the back of the book. I tried her recipe for Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake... oh my goodness, absolutely delicious... this is definitely a keeper!

*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.


If you enjoy cozies and food then this is so the book (and series for that matter) for you!! Amy is doing well running the cafe and has even started selling honey from one of the local men that sells out quick. She orders some more and when the man is at the cafe the next morning she thinks he has her new order until she finds out he is dead instead. Of course she has to get involved in the investigation when everyone tells her all the gossip while she is working. The results were quite unexpected which I thoroughly enjoyed. This book has strong characters that are easy to love (especially Homer with his hero of the day quotes), lots of details to hook the reader, and the development of a nice smooth ride until we hit the finale upset because it is the last page. I do believe I am falling in love with this series and will be eagerly awaiting the next addition which of course will seem like forever. I really enjoyed each and every page so it gets 4/5 stars.