This action-packed and fast-paced drama had me devouring every little detail in this appetizing tale. Mother-in-law, pies and murder don’t mix but that’s what you get with Hayley in her latest adventure. The author knows how to tell a story with a comfortable tone and a solid mystery that kept me engaged throughout. In her pursuit of solving this murder, Hayley gets a surprise partner and I enjoyed how they played off each other. I really enjoyed the essence of Key West through the eyes of Hayley and her friends as the scamper off after clues. I also liked how the author showed us the adjustments Hayley has to make with a new husband and meeting her mother-in-law. This character-driven whodunit is a delight and I can’t wait for the next book in this endearing series.

The key lime crime is an intriguing story , it take place in Jey West and will keep you eating throughout the whole story. The characters are quirky and interesting. Lots of twists that will keep you guessing then second guessing yourself.

This was a fun cozy. I don't think I have read others in this series, but I would like to. Hayley is a food critic and writes for a local foodie magazine in the Florida Keys. She has been asked to cover the an event to find the best Key Lime Pie in their community. On top of this, it is the week between Christmas and New Years and the little island is full to overflowing with tourists and her new mother-in-law decides to come for a visit. Talk about stress. To add to all this, one of the competitors at the Key Lime event is murdered.

This story makes me want to visit Key West. Also the characters are fun. Imagine living on a small houseboat with you new husband, your 80-year-old roommate, 2 cats, and a dog. Lots of suspects, and mystery within a mystery. What's not to love.

Key West Food Critic Mystery Series #10

Back in one of my favorite places! Key West and Houseboat Row! With my favorite food critic, Haley Snow. Haley and new hubby, Nathan, are still living with Miss Gloria and the pet menagerie while the renovations plod slowly on the newlyweds very own houseboat, so it's crowded, to say the least.

With the busy time between Christmas and New Year, the town is packed with unruly tourists, enjoying all of the local food and drink. The police are stretched to their limits and Haley is participating in the Best Key Lime Pie contest, covering the event and tasting all of the entries for the local magazine.

Add into the chaos a surprise last-minute visit from her new mother in law, her parents slammed with their own catering business and deadlines due now!

Haley is hoping to entertain Nathan's Mom and still get everything done on time. But her nerves are stretched.

Local, self-appointed Key Lime Pie expert, David Sloan persuaded the city to host the event and it looks like the competition is deadly. Especially since the newest pastry chef in town is told in front of everyone that her pie is not a pie and can not be entered.

And you know there is going to be a body. And that isn't even the most surprising thing. Her mother in law turns out to be nothing like Haley imagined. She has a new partner in crime-solving.

This is one of my favorite series. In this cozy, you'll be biting your nails and drooling in the same paragraphs! The recipes are delish and her writing is so effortless. The characters are quirky and fun.

Well Done!

NetGalley/ July 7th, 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

The key Line Crime had me at the Title and the cover. This is the tenth book in this series but I each book gets better and better. The mystery is satisfying and the characters are well developed. I really enjoyed this cozy culinary mystery.

KEY LIME CRIME, the tenth book in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette, is a delicious cozy read that captures the sweet flavors of the small island situated at the tip of Florida. Hayley Snow, newly married to Detective Nathan Bransford, is a food critic for Key Zest Magazine. She’s tasked with covering the key lime pie extravaganza arranged by super star chef and author, David Sloan, which also includes lots of taste testing of delectable key lime pies. Given what our entire world has experienced with social distancing and the “stay at home” orders, KEY LIME CRIME truly is an armchair tourist destination. I love how Ms. Burdette saturates the story with the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the location, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story without detracting from the plot. Her descriptive voice brings the setting to life.

With Nathan’s mother, Helen, swooping into town to meet Hayley for the first time, Hayley finds herself stressed as she tries to juggle her workload, meet deadlines, and figure out how to thaw her frosty mother-in-law. To make matters worse, Hayley and Helen stumble upon a murdered pastry chef not long after meeting. I greatly enjoyed the introduction of Helen Bransford into the story since Nathan has mostly been on the periphery in the series with Hayley taking central stage. Ms. Burdette’s use of Nathan’s mother to bring his backstory into the theme of the mystery is quite impressive and allows the reader to feel more connected to Hayley’s new husband. It also helps the reader get a glimpse into Nathan’s personality and what makes him tick especially when Hayley gets involved in trying to solve murders. The crime itself was well plotted and the pace kept me turning pages. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the final, edge-of-your-seat reveal. Ms. Burdette is a terrific storyteller and I always look forward to escaping in the pages for a visit Key West!

This is Lucy Burdette's 10th Key West Food Critic Mystery. She continues to produce a fresh mystery and great writing.
For a bit of background, it is the week after Christmas leading up to New Year's. Of course, it is a peak time for Hayley Snow's new husband Nathan. Nathan is a police detective with the Key West Police Department. Suddenly, his mother ( who had not attended their wedding ) announces she is visiting. Hayley is forced to spend the whole week with her new prickly mother in law, Helen. Hayley must also spend the week trying all of the different Key Lime Pies in the town trying to find the best one for her job. Miss Gloria is a great source of sweetness and comedy.
The writing is engaging. Lucy Burdette writes about Key West with her first hand knowledge. I feel like I am on Key West. It is definitely a place for my bucket list.
The plot was engaging. I will admit that while I was not completely surprised by the reveal of the bad guy; I had kind of ignored this person. When an author surprises me like that it is a sign of a good book! I highly recommend this book. If I could give half stars, I would give it 4 and a half stars.
Thank You to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Book for the free galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 10th book in the Key West Food Critic mystery series. Over the years, the characters have grown and gotten more interesting. It's a pleasure to read a tightly constructed mystery with characters you know well. I recommend this book as well as the entire series.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit in this series.
Excellent characters and an intriguing mystery.
And why is her mother visiting now?
What does it all mean? How do all the separate bits fit together?
Expertly, in Ms. Burdette's hands.

Wonderful as always! I loved seeing glimpses into Key West life. I enjoyed how the author includes quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

This is the newest book in the Hayley Snow Bransford series. We get to meet Hayley's new mother in law who is tall and willowy.

The story takes place between Christmas and New Years!

Why do I love cozy mystery books? Because they are a glorious game of clue every time you open your book and nearly everyone is a suspect. I’m happy to report The Key Lime Crime doesn’t disappoint... A fun pager turner with a never ending list of possible suspects.

Although this is the first book I’ve read in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series it didn’t take me long to figure out our protagonist Hayley Snow is no stranger to getting herself mixed up in troubling situations. This time while covering David Sloan’s key lime extravaganza and pie contest for Key Zest Magazine she finds the real question isn’t who makes the best key lime pie, but who murdered Claudette Parker. Will Haley, the incredible Miss. Gloria, and Haley’s new mother-in-law (who made an unexpected visit) solve the mystery or will the murder take a slice out of them?

Oh man you guys, I don’t even think I have anything negative to say about this book. The characters are endearing, (or completely unlikely but in a fun way), real, and relatable. The narrative is well paced and fun. AND there are recipes from dishes served in the book at the end, what could be better (Other than the character making the dish and serving it to me that is). The story is everything you want out of a cozy. I honestly cannot wait to start reading my way through this series from the beginning. If you haven’t read a cozy this is a great place to start.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Burdette, and Crooked Lane Books for the free ARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Any book that involves Key Lime pies has got to be good, right? This one was very enjoyable and I loved traveling around Key West with Hayley and her new mother-in-law. The mystery was well-done and had the twists and turns that kept me reading.

I'm looking forward to reading more of this series and the relationships continue to grow.

I love the deft way in which Lucy Burdette handles very serious subjects with a touch of humor. This to me is what makes a great cozy, and 'The Key Lime Crime' fits that bill perfectly. Hayley's intimidating mother-in-law comes to the Keys for a surprise visit between Christmas and New Year's and it takes all Hayley has to keep it together as together they stumble upon a murder victim. Nate is on the case which leaves him little time to spend entertaining his mother. I was completely surprised by who was responsible for the murder, and why it made any difference to Nate's mom. Learning more of Nate's backstory was enlightening. There is a lovely sense of family in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series, and I can't wait for more to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own,

Another installment in the Key West Food Critic.
Back to the fun of sunny Key West 🌞. Haley's new mother inlaw comes for a surprise visit. Haley's very nervous about meeting her. Because Nate is working on murder case they have to spend time bonding.
Turns out they bond over crime solving.
Lovely cozy mystery.

Entertaining and well written cozy mystery. Good plot and character development. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased book.

What an entertaining book I really enjoyed the story and finished it in one day. Perfect for a day of light reading.

Hayley and Nathan are newly married when his mother springs a surprise visit on them. Since things are cramped at the houseboat, Hayley's mother offers to let Nathan's mother stay with her. Hayley and Miss Gloria take Nathan's mother on a tour to look at Christmas decorations. Miss Gloria wants to go back and look at one of the displays again and when the three return they find a dead body. Hayley starts investigating with the help from Nathan's mother. I enjoyed this book. I liked the arrival of Nathan's mother and how pleasing her new mother in law was so important to Hayley. As always the setting of Key West is spectacular. The mystery was well done and I enjoyed how the current mystery tied in to an old one. I can't wait to read more in the series.

A fun cozy mystery set in Key West around a Key Lime Pie contest. A pie in the face starts this contest out and moves on to murder. Was someone so jealous? Follow Hayley and her new mother-in-law on their adventures through the streets over New Years.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. It was with great pleasure that I read The Key Lime Crime. Hayley and Gloria are fun characters, and it was interesting to be introduced to Hayley's mother-in-law. I like the fact that the characters are not perfect, it adds to the charm of the book. The story is well built and more complex than it first appears. Lucy Burdette builds a solid story line, and her latest book does not disappoint. A highly enjoyable entry in the series.

I love this series and this installment has lots of action. Key West is one of my favorite places to be so this series has the perfect setting. Hayley meets her mother-in-law and they do a little sleuthing together. I enjoyed visiting with these characters again and hope to see them in many more installments.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.