In this book Hayley meets her idol Penelope Janice a cookbook author when Penelope invites Hayley to spend the weekend at her estate in Seal Harbor. Hayley agrees and not long before drama unfolds. For Hayley that entails food poisoning and eavesdropping on a murder plot! Did Hayley hear a murder plot or was her food poisoning that severe that she dreamed it? When Penelope's husband winds up dead it's up to Hayley to figure out what is going on! Will Hayley figure it out of will her snooping get her that much closer to last call?

This book was great we get to see Hayley team up with Bruce from work and together they try to get to the bottom of what is going on with the rich and elite. After several attempts on Hayley's life and a little work from Bruce and an old ex-girlfriend they are able to piece together what is really going on and why! I can't wait for the next in this fun series!
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Death of a Cookbook Author is the 10th installment in the Haley Powell Food & Cocktail Mystery series. Cookbook author and television personality, Penelope Janice is one of Hayley's favorite people, and Hayley is flattered when she is asked to participate in a cook-off with several other a-list chefs. Things don't turn out as well as Hayley expects, however, when she gets food poisoning and overhears some of the contestants planning a murder. Then, when a body is found at the bottom of a cliff. Hayley investigates, and puts herself and her friends in danger as she aggressively puts her nose into the mess.

Hollis' characters are well-developed, and readers, especially those who have read the previous novels, will already be familiar with them. They seem like real people, and it's fun to learn about what is going on in their lives. It's like keeping up with friends. Hayley writes fun columns with both food and drink recipes that are tempting, and actually work out when prepared. This is a fun cozy mystery, and even though the story may keep readers on the edges of their seats, the book goes fast.

This is my first introduction to Lee Hollis' Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series', and it did not disappoint. I'm a huge fan of cozy mysteries, and this one had all the right pieces - quirky characters, a good mystery, and enough twists to keep me from figuring out the whodunnit before the end of the book!

Hayley Powell is a likable character, and this was an easy read. Interspersed between chapters were the columns that Hayley writes for the local newspaper, and while I loved the casseroles, I found the articles themselves a bit of a distraction. This didn't deter me from enjoying the book right to the end. Looking forward to reading more Hayley Powell mysteries in the coming days.

I really enjoy this series. They keep you interested, but they don't get so convoluted that you can't keep all the details straight. On the other hand, they aren't so obvious with the clues that you have it figured out 15 pages in.

This is a great book; this is the tenth book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series written by Lee Hollis. When Hayley's idol, cookbook author and TV personality Penelope Janice, invites her to participate in a Fourth of July celebrity cook-off at her seaside estate in Seal Harbor, Maine, Hayley couldn't be more flattered. She just hopes she can measure up. With a who's who of famous chefs whipping up their signature dishes, this holiday weekend has all the ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience. Instead, Hayley gets food poisoning her first night and thinks she overhears two people cooking up a murder plot. The next morning, a body is found at the bottom of a cliff. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you guessing until the end. 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.

This is the 10th book in the Haley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery. While I have not read the previous 9 books, the author gave enough information to get me updated. I am sure I have missed a lot of fun adventures with the other main characters, but this book worked without that knowledge. Haley's history with Lex does seem intriguing. The structure of this book, with Haley's newspaper articles mixedin, was such fun. Typically the recipes are in the back of cozy mysteries. The author mixes them in as part of the story. That was unique to me and such fun.

This particular story is about Haley spending the holiday weekend at the pose estate of cookbook author Penelope Janice, Haley's idol. She was invited to attend the holiday event and to complete in Ms. JAnice's cookoff. Of course there is a murder and of course, Haley is on the case. In this book in the series, Haley is joined by her co-worker, Bruce. Her Brother-in-law and police chief, Sergo, is on the case also. Haley's confusion due to Sergio's accent had me laugh out loud more than once. I truly loved the characters, the setting, and writing style, and the humor. I will be going back to catch up on the previous 9 books in the series.
I am giving this cozy a 4.5-star review rounded to 5.

This was a fun cozy novel and was a sure Sunday afternoon delight! I love reading books that involve books in some way or fashion. I loved the characters and the plot. I love pretty much all the Cozies Kensington Books publishes and they picked another fantastic one with this one! Highly recommended novel. I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next!

I love the Haley Powell books, and this was no exception. This is the tenth book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktail Mystery series, and I really enjoyed it. This series gets better and better in my opinion.

Haley is getting ready for the Fourth of July and is excited to meet her longtime cooking heroine Penelope Janice at a cookbook signing. When it's her turn at the front, she's shocked to find that Penelope recognizes her name and invites her to fill a vacancy at her Fourth of July cookoff with other well-known chefs.

When Haley gets to Penelope's huge house, she's shocked to overhear Penelope's husband and her assistant planning her murder. She calls the police, but Penelope laughs at her and Haley is ashamed. However, when he's found dead at the bottom of a cliff the next day, Haley doesn't know what to think. She decides to investigate because something isn't right.

This is a great book with a main character who can laugh at herself. It also has some great recipes! I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun summer read -- food, July 4th, and murder.... I read this right before the 4th, and will smile since my holiday HAS to go better than this one!

This is book #10 in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. I really enjoyed this book, and even though this is the first in the series I have read, I had no problem getting to know the characters and this really could be a standalone book.

Hayley Powell is a local Food and Cocktail columnist for the Island Times in her town in Maine. She is delighted to learn that her idol, celebrity chef and cookbook author Penelope Janice is a fan of her column. She is even more surprised to be invited to Penelope's mansion over the 4th of July weekend to participate in a celebrity chef cook-off!

During Hayley's stay, she discovers things are not what they seem on TV between Penelope and her husband. Hayley also suffers from food poisoning, overhears a conversation about murder, and runs into her old flame, who is the property's caretaker. This was a very fast paced book with a lot of twists that I did not expect. I couldn't put the story down.

As an added bonus, it includes 7 food and 7 cocktail recipes that I can't wait to try at home. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a good cook-off in fiction or real - life. Hayley gets a dream week when she's asked by her hero, cookbook and lifestyle author, Penelope Janice to compete in the cooking contest at her estate. Thrilled, Hayley cheerfully jumps right into the event but others don't appear to be as happy. A cranky and paranoid cook, and heavy tension between Penelope, her assistant Lena, and Penelope's husband Conrad create a grim mood. Can murder be far behind? Once again Ms. Hollis provides us with non-stop action, amazing recipes, and a cast of characters we love.

I like this series. This is book 10 in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails series. Hayley gets a chance to spend the 4th of July with her idol, cookbook author Penelope Janice, helping judge a cooking competition. Hayley gets food poisoning and isn't sure if she overheard a murder being plotted or not. When a body is discovered next morning police think it could be an accident and Hayley needs to investigate before the killer shuts her up permanently. Hayley is pretty much on her own this book without her friends to back her up. As always the Maine setting is soothing and inviting. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Having read several Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries, I have to say I was looking forward to the latest addition to the series. Hayley is invited to participate in a Fourth of July cook-off at the summer home of Penelope Janice, cookbook author and television personality. Hayley is excited and looks forward to a great time filled with wonderful food and chefs that she has only seen on television. During her stay at the mansion she overhears conversations involving murder, gets food poisoning, meets an old boyfriend, evacuates the mansion due to a fire and puts herself in danger, all while investigating the death of Penelope's husband. Was he murdered? Did Penelope do it?

This was a fun whodunit that had me looking at more than one suspect. At one point I was even thinking that her assistant was her secret daughter. The characters were not very likeable, but that did not stop me from wanting to find out who was the culprit and would there be another murder? I was disappointed that Liddy and Mona, Hayley's BFFs, were not in this book until the very end and really just a short appearance not as characters integral to the story. The humor that I have grown to enjoy was lacking in this book. Sergio, with his funny misuses of English words, was the comic relief in this story. The mystery was well plotted and had quite a few twists, but I did figure some of it out about 2/3 of the way through. The ending however, was a bit of a surprise. I am looking forward to the next book, hoping that the humor brought by Mona and Liddy returns. Those who enjoy cozy mysteries will also enjoy this book.

This is the latest installment of the Hayley Powell mystery series. Hayley is invited by her favorite cookbook author and celebrity Penelope Janice to be part of 4th of July Celebrity Cook-off at her Maine estate. Hayley is definitely star struck over Penelope. However, when she first arrives it is to overhear an argument between Penelope and her husband Conrad. Then she gets food poisoning and thinks she overhears Conrad and what she believes to be Penelope’s assistant plotting Penelope’s murder. She calls Sergio the chief of police in Bar Harbor to come and talk to Penelope. Conrad is then found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Was it murder of a tragic accident because he had been drinking. Hayley goes into investigative mode and certainly gets a few folks mad at her along the way but that does not deter her from getting down to the truth. This is a fast read and keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. Loved it. Can’t wait for the next installment.

Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis is the tenth book in the Haley Powell Mystery series. Haley is invited by cookbook author and tv star Penelope Janice to participate in a 4th of July potluck. She feels in over her head when she ends up with food poisoning and overhears a murder being planned. Things take a confusing turn when one of the murder planners is found dead. Then Haley finds herself being targeted. I have read previous books in the series, but it is not necessary to enjoy this one. The characters and setting of this book are fun. Haley is a perfectly imperfect cozy mystery heroine.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Hayley thinks she has died and gone to heaven when one of her idols invites her to a special holiday weekend at her estate. She is not so sure after she arrives and death is on the menu- twice in one day. And that is before the killer decides Hayley herself is one ingredient that needs removing.
Lots of foodie celebrity characters are sprinkled throughout along with the normal quota of folks who live in this summer paradise. Hayley is not deft when she investigates. In fact, if she was a utensil, she would be a butcher knife. Except in the kitchen, she lacks a delicate touch so she irritates the killer. Even after she has been put in peril, she continues to stumble on. It is only when she enlists the help of her brother’s cop husband, is she able to unmask the villain with minimal risk to herself.
Inserted throughout the book are “columns” she writes for the local newspaper and recipes for both food and drink. Some of the casseroles sound downright delicious. It is an interesting tweak. I did enjoy the quick read.
I give it four purrs and one paw up.

Death of a Cookbook Author is the tenth installment in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series set in Bar Harbor Maine and featuring food and cocktail columnist for the local newspaper, The Island Times. Hayley is looking forward to attending a book signing to meet her idol, Penelope Janice, a cooking and lifestyle expert who has her own show on the Flavor Network. Penelope is also a successful cookbook author and Hayley owns each and every one of her cookbooks.

Hayley is taken aback when at the book signing Penelope who is a part time Bar Harbor resident recognizes her and asks her to come out to her house for the long weekend and take part in a celebrity potluck competition. A well known pastry chef who was scheduled to take part in the show being taped for TV had to drop out and Penelope thinks that Hayley would fill the vacant spot perfectly.

Upon arrival at Penelope's "cottage" on Seal Harbor, Hayley is quick to discover that while the setting is idyllic the people are anything but. There is tension between Penelope and her husband, Conrad; Penelope's live in cook seems to have a huge beef with Hayley, and there is a bit of animosity between the other chefs. On her first night Hayley comes down with food posioning and in an effort to locate a bathroom in the massive house stumbles upon a clandestine conversation between a man and a woman, and the topic is murder.

When the pipe smoking Conrad is discovered at the bottom of the cliffs the next day, Hayley is convinced it was murder and turns to her brother Randy's husband, Bar Harbor Chief of Police Sergio Alvares for help. Hayley's nosiness soon lands her directly in the killer's sights and she races against time before she's the one washing up on shore.

A fast paced plot with the return of several series regulars. A hint of romance and an unexpected outcome will have readers quickly turning the pages.

I received an advanced copy of Death of a Cookbook Author from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

This was my first time reading a cozy mystery by this author but it certainly won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and breezed right through it. Hayley Powell, a food and cocktail columnist, goes to a book signing of her favorite cookbook author/tv celebrity, Penelope Janice, and gets an invite to join the author and her television crew for a celebrity cook-off at her estate in Maine. While suffering through a bout of food poisoning, Hayley overhears two people plotting a murder and when a body is discovered the next day Hayley takes it upon herself to find out who among them is the murderer. I thought this book was very well written and entertaining.

Realistic story of how a cookbook author/reality television star might live on and off the camera. Including the recipes is a bonus.
Unfortunately I was able to figure out the outcome of the plot before reading it.

This was just on to me because I didn't connect to the characters not their relationships. The plot seemed a bit convoluted