This is the first in the new Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. After a stinging loss at her job, Lucy Berberian quits and moves home (though tells her family she is on sabbatical) to help in her family's ethnic restaurant. Lucy stays with her best friend Katie, runs into friends, and then unfortunately finds an old nemesis from high school. After Lucy tells off Heather Banks in a very public way, Lucy finds out she is the new health inspector, which does not bode well for the family business. Lucy trades that set of worries for another, though, when Heather is found dead behind the restaurant, shortly after eating hummus Lucy's mother made. Suspicion falls on Lucy who then feels the need to investigate, with the help of an all-too-willing Katie.

This was a really enjoyable mystery. The writer set the scenes well and the characters are likeable. There were a couple times when I felt the writer was trying too hard to get the reader to understand and appreciate the ethnic nuances, but it did not take away too much. I didn’t figure out who the murderer was until the end, so it was nice to keep guessing. The second book in the series will be called Stabbed in the Baklava released in September 2018, and I will be adding in my “to be read” list. I received an ARC of this to read from NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading Hummus and Homicide. It's only recently that I started reading food-related and restaurant-related mysteries regularly. I liked the main character, Lucy, and her best friend, Katie. The author did a good job of making the characters real and likeable. I think most of us can relate to how Lucy had to confront the mean girl from her high school days... unfortunately for Lucy, the mean girl ended up dying outside her family's restaurant right after eating there - and having her food served by Lucy, no less. I truly didn't see the solution to the mystery coming. It was a surprise that I honestly didn't expect. I will definitely read the next book in this series and can't wait to see what happens next in Lucy's world.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Tina Kashian's Hummus and Homicide is the first book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. Lucy has quit her job with a Philadelphia law firm and returns home for a month to gather herself. On her first day home she is already back to being a waitress at her family's restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. The new health inspector, Heather, writes up a list of "violations" perhaps to get back at Lucy but returns to eat at the restaurant's fully stocked hummus bar. When Heather dies soon after her hummus meal, Lucy and Kebab Kitchen are the main suspects. This was a wonderful start to a new series. The mystery was well thought out even while the author took time to introduce the characters and setting. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

This first book in the brand new Kebob Kitchen Mystery series is a delightful insider’s view into a first generation American growing up in the household of immigrant parents and their Mediterranean restaurant in Ocean Crest, New Jersey. Lucy Berberian “escaped” from her upbringing after earning a law degree. While she loves her family she also felt the need to get away from their traditional views, especially on marriage, after her failed relationship with Azad Zakarian while in college. But after losing her job in Philadelphia, she ends up back in her family’s restaurant, put back to work the minute she returns. She’s never been able to tell her parents “no”. It doesn’t take long for Lucy to have a run-in with the new health inspector, who just so happens to be her high school nemesis. When the health inspector dies shortly after eating at the Kebab Kitchen, Lucy’s father begs her to clear their name and save the family business, because “family helps family”.

HUMMUS AND HOMICIDE is a story about coming home and discovering yourself. It’s a story about finding happiness where you least expect it. And a story about accepting your family for who they are and not for who you’d like them to be. I enjoyed learning about the different culture that Lucy grew up in and I loved all the mentions of Armenian and Mediterranean foods! Lucy and her family have good character development and made me want to spend time with them to get to know them better. Lucy’s best friend, Katie, is a worthy side-kick and provides great support. The mystery was well plotted and had a good pace. There were several people who had good reason to want the health inspector dead and the author explores the potential of each suspect. With an exciting finale, each of the threads of the plot and subplots are woven together leaving the reader well satisfied.

The author, Tina Kashian, actually grew up in her family’s Armenian restaurant. She shares several of her family’s recipes at the back of the book, all which sound fabulous.

This is a great book; this is the first book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series and is written by Tina Kashian. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

A nice start to a new series. It has the usual cozy ingredients and a satisfying mystery and that's a good thing. It's comfortable. Murder arrives on the doorstep of the Kebab Kitchen in Ocean Crest, New Jersey, in the form of the health inspector, Heather Banks. She is found dead after giving the restaurant a horrible report, their first ever. It's made even worse when her last meal was from the Kebab Kitchen. There was no love loss between Heather and Lucy - Heather was Lucy's high school nightmare.
All Lucy wanted was to return home to her loving family so she could have time to figure out her next step on her career path. As a lawyer who has been passed over for promotion twice, she needs a change. Too bad this wasn't what she had in mind. Add to her situation, she finds out that her parents have other hopes for her future. Of course, they are her parents and she is home and unmarried. Things are on track to become very, very complicated for Lucy.
The police see her as a suspect, her family's business is in danger and several people want to buy the restaurant. As is typical in cozies, she and her best friend along with family and other friends (and a stray kitty) set out to get the police on the right track. Lucy will have to deal with her change of career path at a latter date. All the better for the reader - it means more entries in this satisfying new series.

Lucy Berberian is back home to Ocean Crest, New Jersey after she quits her job at a law firm in Philadelphia. She doesn’t let her family in on her current lack of job status, but offers to help the family run restaurant, Kebab Kitchen.

Unfortunately, she meets up with an old high school enemy, Heather Banks. Heather is the new health inspector and her inspection of the restaurant doesn’t go very well. She presents the Kebab Kitchen with a host of costly violations. Violations Lucy is sure is just Heather’s way to get under her skin. Heather stops at the restaurant for a meal and winds up dead moments later. It’s not long before the restaurant suffers as people assume Heather’s death is related to eating at the Kebab Kitchen.

Lucy is not going to let her parents’ restaurant suffer like this. She is more than a little determined to find out what really happened to Heather. The police think she and her family’s restaurant killed the inspector, but Lucy knows better and will prove it once and for all.

What a charming debut for the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. I immediately adored Lucy and her family. They are close-knit, despite the time Lucy spend in Philadelphia. The author does a great job of drawing the reader into the story. I felt as if I was in Ocean Crest walking along the boardwalk.

There’s a touch of romance mixed into the mystery, but the main focus of the story is on the mystery. It’s fast-paced with a huge suspect list. It was hard for me to narrow it down to one culprit. I love a story that keeps me guessing as this one did.

I’m looking forward to the next entry into this series. I can’t wait for my next visit to the Kebab Kitchen. I suddenly have a craving for hummus!

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In this new cozy mystery series, Lucy has left her career as a Philadelphia lawyer, and returned to the small New Jersey shore town where her parents run a restaurant called the Kebab Kitchen. After an obnoxious woman is murdered, suspicion falls on Lucy, who was the last person to see her alive at the Kebab Kitchen. With her loyal sidekick, childhood friend Katie, she asks questions of the many people who disliked the murder victim in order to clear her name. I liked reading about Lucy’s ethnic family (even the cat has an Armenian name—Gadoo, which means cat in Armenian), and the food, for which delicious-sounding recipes are provided. (As a New Jersey resident, I did wonder which real town this was modeled after, since the author’s bio says she grew up helping in her parents’ coastal Armenian restaurant—I would love to eat there.) I look forward to reading more books in this series.

The first book in the New Kebab Kitchen Mystery series introduces us to Lucy Berberian, who has returned home to the Jersey Shore and her family’s Mediterranean restaurant. After being passed over for promotion, Lucy quits her job as a patent attorney in Philadelphia and heads home to her old life Ocean Crest.

It’s like nothing has changed. Her mother is still trying to marry her off, her BFF still lives there, and one of the mean girls from high school, Former cheerleader Heather Banks, Is still in town. Only Heather is now the health inspector who tells her family restaurant in an inspection, and then turns up dead the next day. Maybe you can go home again, but don’t expect that the rules of the game are still the same.

As a prime suspect, and to save her family‘s Business, Lucy‘s parents expect her to solve the mystery by fingering the true murder. As usual, her mother’s expectations get Lucy into doing exactly what she’s been asked. Now she needs to find The murder and save the family business.

Homicide and Homicide took this Jersey girl right back to the shore of her own youth. Having many Armenian and Greek friends that I grew up with in the area, I felt like I was visiting home myself as well. This is a great start to a new series. I’m looking forward to where the future takes Lucy and Her friends and family as the series progresses.

A fresh new voice in cozy! Lucy is home in Ocean Crest after quitting her job at a Philly law firm when she didn't make partner after 8 long years of hard work. She finds herself doing more than helping out at her parents restaurant- she's snooping around with her friend Katie to find out who killed the rotten health inspector, who was a mean girl in high school and a mean girl as a grown up. There's two possible love interests (great set up for the future), a lively family (love Mom), recipes (yum) and a mystery that actually had me guessing. The twist was a surprise to me, which is a real positive. The writing is spritely and the characters well drawn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to more from Kashian- and I'm curious if Lucy will make use of that legal background (acknowledging, as she does, that being an expert on patent law does not qualify one for criminal issues.). Try this one!

This is the first in a brand new series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the Mediterranean feel to this book and I can't wait to try the recipes. I found Lucy to be a great slueth and liked that she wasn't wishy washy in the beginning like many characters in considerate that have huge life changes. I high!y recommend this book and look forward to more in the series.

This was a fun start to a new series. I loved how there was a strong focus on family. The setting was a little "standard cozy setting," but it felt like a nice place (minus the murder of course). The mystery was well written and kept me guessing until the end.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This is the first in a new series. The story was unique to me because it is set in an Armenian restaurant in New Jersey, the Kebab Kitchen. Lucy, our heroine, decides to leave her law firm after being passed up for another promotion. She returns to her hometown where her parents own the Kebab Kitchen. Initially, Lucy is unsure about what her future holds. When the local health inspector dies outside the restaurant after eating there, and Lucy being her server, all eyes are on Lucy as the prime suspect. Lucy, along with her best friend Kate, take it upon themselves to investigate. There are an assortment of interesting characters, including an old flame and a new love interest. I can’t wait to see where the series leads, this was a great cozy mystery!

Hummus and Homicide by Tina Kashian is the first book in the new cozy Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. This series introduces Lucy Berberian who has left her job as a lawyer to return to her hometown of Ocean Crest, New Jersey to regroup and find out where she wants her career to go.

When Lucy arrives home she immediately jumps in to helping at her parents restaurant, the Kebab Kitchen. While it was nice to come home and see her friends and family unfortunately one person Lucy could do without seeing walks back into her life. Heather Banks was a typical mean girl in high school and things certainly haven’t changed a bit.

After her initial run in with Heather Lucy hopes to be done with her but Heather walks back into the Kebab Kitchen and announces she’s taken over as health inspector. Of course with Heather behind the inspection the restaurant fails leaving Lucy and her parents wondering what to do but the next thing they know Heather winds up dead right outside the restaurant.

As typical of a cozy Lucy begins her own investigating by questioning everyone who knew Heather and compiling her list of suspects. She was one of those main characters that was completely realistic in not pretending she knew how to be a detective but asking the right person here and there to eventually lead her to solving the crime and clearing her name.

As likable as everyone was in this new series my one thing that I lowered my rating a bit to 3.5 stars was that I felt the characters missed that extra spark. Dare I say everyone seemed a bit too normal?? The author did a good job making this one a bit more diverse but I didn’t get that humorous quirkiness that stands out to me in cozies. Otherwise though I did like the story and characters with the mystery being a nice one to try to solve.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Hummus And Homicide
Kebab Kitchen Mystery, Book #1
Tina Kashian
5 Stars

Synopsis:

When Lucy Berberian quits her Philadelphia law firm and heads home to Ocean Crest, she knows what she's getting--the scent of funnel cake, the sight of the wooden roller coaster, and the tastes of her family's Mediterranean restaurant. But murder wasn't on the menu . . .

Things are slow in the off-season in this Jersey Shore town, but Lucy doesn't mind. She doesn't even mind waitressing at the Kebab Kitchen. Her parents have put in a new hummus bar, with every flavor from lemon to roasted red pepper. It's fun to see their calico cat again, and to catch up with her old BFF, who's married to a cop now.

She could do without Heather Banks, though. The Gucci-toting ex-cheerleader is still as nasty as she was back in high school . . . and unfortunately, she's just taken over as the local health inspector. Just minutes after eating at the Kebab Kitchen--where she's tallied up a whole list of bogus violations--she falls down dead in the street. Word on the grapevine is it's homicide, and Lucy's the number one suspect . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Lucy loves her family and she knows that family and tradition are important. It took her leaving and then coming back before she learned this lesson but she did figure it out. Lucy is smart, loyal and a hard worker and she agrees to help her family out in their restaurant. And when a body is found outside that restaurant and suspicion falls on her family, she is willing to snoop around and try to find the culprit. I liked how well Lucy and her best friend Katie got along, you can tell they would do anything for each other. And I enjoyed getting to meet and get to know Lucy’s family, it was great how close knit they are.

The writing style flowed smoothly and the book is a fast easy read. The writing style allowed my to see the action through the characters eyes and that made me more engaged in the story. The author is very talented is her descriptive writing and she did an excellent job with all of the different foods. I became hungry reading this book!!!

The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through. Thrown in some red herrings and it was not an easy one to solve. I did not figure it out until the reveal at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. It has great characters, delicious food, a great setting and family love and loyalty. What more could you want?

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington Books, through Netgalley.

Hummus and Homicide is the debut of the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series set in the small town of Ocean Crest, NJ and featuring patent attorney Lucy Berberian. Having been passed over twice in two years for a promotion to partner at her law firm, in favor of a man, Lucy quits her job and returns to her hometown.

Intending only to spend a little time in Ocean Crest until she can find a new job, Lucy quickly finds herself working back in her family restaurant, Kebab Kitchen, alongside her parents Angela and Raffi and sister, Emma. Lucy is shocked to discover that her parents are hoping to sell the restaurant and retire, and that the two people vying for the business are her ex boyfriend Azad Zakarian and Anthony Citteroni, the owner of the bike shop next door with reputed ties to the mob.

Things go downhill rapidly when high school nemesis and mean girl Heather Banks, now the town health inspector, makes a visit to Kebab Kitchen and dishes out a slew of health code violations. The Berberian's have never had one violation in their thirty plus years and Lucy is irate. When Heather turns up dead after dining on a meal of Angela's famed hummus, all fingers point to Lucy. Determined to clear her name and save her family reputation, Lucy sets out with the help of best friend Kate Watson to track down a killer.

A fine tuned plot that serves up a host of suspects, delightful characters, a touch of romance, mouthwatering food and an adorable stray cat. A twist at the conclusion will leave readers salivating for the next in the series.

I received an advanced copy of Hummus and Homicide from NetGalley via Kensington Books. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Pleasant cozy mystery with a surprise twist. Interesting characters.

Hummus and Homicide is a new first in series by Tina Kashian. This cozy mystery is a Kensington February 27th release and has so many of the traditional cozy ellements. A great best friend, a painful back story, a love interest and a tragic mystery that the main character must solve in order to help her family. Celebrating what is different and being proud of who you are and where you come from, standing up for yourself and your family and coming home again. Earning your place in the world. Finding your way home. Hummus and Homicide is going to find a welcome place in many cozy readers hearts and shelves.

I really enjoyed this! It’s not often that cozy mysteries revolve around immigrant families and it’s a welcome change to the norm. This has a good cast of characters and lots of potential for future books. Great debut!

A good start for a new cozy mystery series. The book is entertaining, the characters are likeable and the plot was really good and kept me guessing till the end.
I really enjoyed the food description and it was really mouthwatering as Balkanian/Middle East food is my favourite.
I really appreciated the description of the different ethnicity that were described without any stereotype.
It could have been a five star but I found humour a bit lacking.
Recommended
Many thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books