I loved this series when I picked up the first one and wanted to read this one as well, it did not disappoint!

I like this series because the group is so diverse and the food always sounds so delicious. Ms. Wiken includes a few recipes at the end of the story. This month they are planning a fall picnic for the monthly get together but when Allison opens her truck to pack the coolers she finds her not quite ex, ex-husband dead. As a police officer she is officially off the case but the rest of the dinner club steps forward to find the murderer. This is book 3 but you'll be fine with this book without reading the previous installments. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Marinating in Murder, the third book in the Dinner Club Mystery series by Linda Wiken, is a nice addition to culinary cozies! J.J. Tanner is part of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club and has made several new friends since she joined. With each book the reader learns more about J.J. and the members of the dinner club although this book can be read as a standalone. Ms. Wiken provides enough details so new readers won’t feel lost but doesn’t stray from the plot line which keeps the story moving at a good pace. One of the members, Alison, has always been very private. None of their group knows her that well but most assume that she’s reticent about herself because she’s a cop. But when the body of her estranged husband is found in the back of her SUV and she’s the number one suspect, the group pulls together to give her support and J.J. vows to clear Alison’s name. I so enjoyed seeing the group’s camaraderie and as the story progresses, friendships deepen. J.J. is quite tenacious and, at times, is willing to step on toes to find answers to prove Alison’s innocence. The more questions she asks the more suspects come to light and I was surprised by the reveal.

I also loved the mentions and descriptions of the cookbooks the group cooks from and I agree with J.J.: the more photos in cookbooks the better. You’ll get hungry by all the mentions of food and lucky for us readers and cooks, Ms. Wiken includes delicious recipes at the back of the book.

Marinating in Murder by Linda Wiken is the first book in this series that I have read.
I was not aware that Erika Chase and Linda Wiken are one in the same, it was a pleasant surprise!

The series features The Culinary Capers, a group of friends who meet regularly to share recipes, food and life in general.
When a planned fall picnic goes off kilter, the group bands together to help a fellow club member.

J.J. can't believe that her friend's husband has been living a double life. When J.J. and her friend Allison discover his body, shoved into the back of her SUV- it suddenly turns real. Who is the real victim in all of this, her friend, the other wife, or a trusted friend who felt betrayed?

I was so caught up in this story that time flew by. I was so taken with the witty characters and the easy friendship that this dinner club shared.
I will definitely be reading the first 2 books in this series.

I volunteered to read an ARC of this book offered by the publisher and NewGalley.

Marinating in Murder: A Dinner Club Mystery
By Linda Wiken
Berkley
March 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

The Culinary Capers Dinner Club of Burlington, Vermont is shaking up their usual routine as they host their annual lunch picnic. Instead of a dinner planned out according to one selected cookbook, their rotation has Alison Manovich organizing a just-as-delicious luncheon picnic. It’s unfortunate that when she opens her SUV to fill with coolers of their delicious, homemade treats, the vehicle is already stuffed full with a brutally beaten corpse. Alison is shocked to find the body of her estranged husband inside, while the rest of her friends are stunned with the news that Alison was still married. Event planner J.J. Turner was among those who had thought that her police detective friend had long since divorced James Bailey, but that doesn’t change J.J.’s belief in her Alison’s innocence.

With Alison on paid leave and mourning her past life, the rest of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club step in to once again investigate a murder. Having learned to plan out and organize party events as well as meal preparations, J.J. utilizes these same skills to help unravel the very complex puzzle that was James Bailey. Allison too learns that there is much she did not know about her late spouse, with the number of unwanted surprises matched only by the growing number of suspects.

One of the greatest achievements of this series is how the author crafts such diverse and immensely likable characters for the Culinary Capers Dinner Club. They bond over meals, but long after dessert they continue to share news and support one another through midlife crisises and tradgies. Their loyalty and affection for one another is what leads them to delve into police matters, not any inherent nosiness or obsession with murder. Linda Wiken, aka Erika Chase, skillfully develops these relatable characters whose lives somehow become so enmeshed with food and crime. J.J. is flawed but very intelligent, and even when she strays down dangerous paths her subconscious alerts her to clues and prevent her from becoming a victim. Her romantic life may be picking up, but J.J. will have to trust her instincts in order to make the best choice. Sprinkled throughout the novel are J.J’s meeting with her event-planning clients, many with whims that only add moments of humor and eye-rolling. This third in the series serves up more than its share of suspense, food porn, and thoroughly engaging characters.