Another fun installment in the Cook-Off Mystery series! I love the theme of this cozy! If you enjoy watching cooking competitions and culinary tv shows then you will want to give this one a try. I suggest you start at the beginning of the series to get the full effect! The author also generously includes recipes at the end of each book. This was a well planned mystery with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end! I look forward to reading more in this series.

Sherry loves spending her free time competing in cooking contests. She is an all star on the circuit, When her fiercest competitor is murdered her brother, Pep becomes the prime suspect. she is determined to prove his innocence. She not only doesn't like the fact that here family member is being unjustly accused she is feeling guilty for talking him into acting as her sous chef in this computation.

The fact that Pep is sneaking around and acting guilty is causing Sherry grief and making her job much harder, A freelance journalist is also causing her grief by throwing out numerous misleading clues. Can she be involved in this murder.

A side plot is the investigation into a shady seafood company and the people who rent space to the business. As Sherry unravels the clues she learns way more that she would wish to about her fellow competitive chefs.

This was a quick read. The story lines inter wove in a cohesive manner. I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to all cozy mystery fans. Start thinking beach reads.

I really wanted to put down the book several times and it took me about 5 days to finish. The mystery storyline was OK and I liked how the author was developing some background for a couple of secondary characters. However, Sherry just doesn't connect with me and her family and Amber add nothing to help with that connection. I find them flat and uninteresting. I also found some of the characters' actions/veral interactions off putting/strange (Pep for one).

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book sherry is a great character and thought the plot dragged at times for me I enjoyed the story.

This was a fun book with a fun mystery. I enjoyed spending time with the characters, and I was satisfied with the ending.

What an adorable cozy. The characters are sweet and the mystery is light hearted and fun to read. Its a fast paced story with drama and lots of twists in the story. I really like this series.

The book had a pile of characters which were a bit hard to keep track of at times. The mystery was strong and kept me guessing, which is always a good thing. The entire situation with her brother was slightly annoying. I did not get all of the secrecy.

Sherry Oliveri has entered a cook-off in her hometown and has chosen shrimp lettuce wraps as her entry but there is another cook (a past competitor) who has also chosen lettuce wraps. When he doesn't show up for the cook-off and is later found murdered, Sherry is concerned because her brother, Pep, seems to be the prime suspect. Sherry needs to find out what Pep's secrets are before the police lock him up.

A fun little culinary mystery. Some of the characters still need some fleshing out, but entertaining nonetheless.

Sherry Oliveri is entering her Savory Shrimp Lettuce Cups into competition at the New England Fall Food Fest with the help of her brother Pep.
She takes first place in her category, but another contestant is found murdered.
The police consider Pep their top suspect and his strange behavior doesn’t help his case. Sherry is determined to identify the real killer.

This is a cute cozy mystery but I found the characters and storyline very standard. The main character felt like other cozy mystery main characters and I didn't feel any emotional connection to the character. I think that is the reason I didn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to. Also I had not read the other books in the series and so maybe that was the reason I did not enjoy and get emotionally involved in the characters as I would have liked.

I might read more from this series but I feel there are better cozy mystery series that are out there.

Princess Fuzzypants here: With the number of murders at cook-offs lately in cozies, it is a wonder anyone wants to compete. We know competition is fierce. Sherry is facing off against one of the few chefs who has beaten her. Her excitement for a rematch is dashed when the chef is murdered on the night of the opening reception.

Several people were seen having disputes with the gentleman including Sherry’s brother and sous chef, Pep. He becomes a suspect and while Sherry is convinced he is no murderer, she does realize he is hiding something. When everyone finds out what it is, not only is he eliminated as a suspect but he makes a lot of people happy.

The killer definitely is not happy with Sherry’s involvement in the investigation. The killer is trying to frame Pep and is willing to threaten Sherry. There are a lot of complexities to the story including a dishonourable reporter and various characters who are involved in a food processing business that just happens to be a major sponsor.
It’s a real dog’s breakfast so the detective in charge is grateful for Sherry’s insights especially since he is dealing with some serious personal issues. It is refreshing to see the heroine and the detective working in tandem rather than at cross purposes.

They do find the perp and there were enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Four purrs and two paws up.

Sherry Oliveri channels her competitive streak into entering cooking contests, and usually winning. But this time she's up against Fritz Frye, who has no problem telling anyone and everyone that he beat her once in a contest. While Sherry finds him obnoxious, it seems so does everyone else. While at a dinner for the contestants in the latest contest, she sees that he's having arguments with many of the guests, including one with her younger brother Pep. Pep's in town to help Sherry as her sous-chef in a two-hour cooking time, and it's obvious that something else is going on in his life. He's constantly looking at his phone and texting someone, and won't tell her about it. He disappears without telling her where he's going, and Sherry's worried that he won't be able to bring his A-game to the contest.

But when he does, and she wins, she's pleased. After the contest is over, however, she finds out that Fritz has been murdered, and Pep is at the top of the list for killing him. While he refuses to tell anyone where he was at the time of the killing, leaving him without an alibi, Sherry knows she needs to discover who wanted Fritz dead more than anyone else. But with a nosy reporter, a Russian maid who won't say anything, and Pep's disappearances, she's up against more than usual. Also, Detective Ray Bease is this time welcoming any help Sherry can give him which surprises her until she discovers that he has problems of his own. Now Sherry's on the trail of a killer who might just be following her every move...

This is the latest book in the series, and I have read them all. This might also be my favorite one. I love the addition of Pep to the story line, and perhaps Sherry might also be heading on a new chapter of her own life. While there was, of course, time given to tell us about the cook-off and every recipe Sherry made, it didn't seem to take anything away from the mystery itself this time.

I found that with Pep a suspect, it was all very mysterious, especially when he wouldn't come forth with the reason for his hiding things. It really made me wonder what he was doing with his time and where he was going. Secrets abound in this tale, and it's up to Sherry to filter out who's telling the truth and who's not. But it seems more than one person isn't who they are supposed to be, and secrets are coming out not just from the woodwork, but from the walls, too. It made for a very interesting story, and one that kept you reading throughout.

When the murderer is discovered, we find out almost at the same time as Sherry, and that's a good thing. It makes for a good mystery, and leaves us wanting more. The reasons for the murder seem rather out of desperation, but who knows what is in the mind of a murderer? I am glad to say that I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series, and hopefully, seeing more of Pep. Recommended.

A foodie cozy that starts out with a food contest. It was a fairy quick read. That I think I would have enjoyed more if I had read the mysteries in order. But it was still a quick read.

Even though this is my first book in Devon Delaney's series about a chef who enters cookery competitions, I still jumped at the opportunity to read this one, Eat, Drink and Be Wary as I enjoy a well written cosy, and this looked like it fitted the bill perfectly.

Sherry Oliveri is hoping to win a prize at the New England Fall Food Fest with her Savoury Shrimp Lettuce Cups. Award winner Sherry is looking forward to the event, and has invited her brother, Pep to act as her sous chef. But her enthusiasm soon wanes when sparks fly between Pep and another contestant. Sherry wins her category, then she learns that an adversary, Fitz Frye, has been found dead with a fishing hook in his neck.

Eat, Drink and Be Wary was a compelling, and fun, cosy read. I was sold from the very beginning, with its solid characters, great writing and a marvellous mystery that provided a good sprinkling of clues to satisfy even the most diligent armchair detective. Busy protagonist Sherry works for her family's business, 'The Ruggery' when she is not entering culinary competitions and I found her to be spirited, peppy, curious and amusing. I liked the contributions from the caring, though preoccupied Detective Ray Bease.

Although Eat, Drink and Be Wary is part of a series, it worked as a standalone novel as Devon Delaney provided enough information on the characters. With an entertaining plot the mystery itself was well done and there were red herrings and twists to keep me guessing the culprit's identity. Overall, a marvellous cosy and a very worthwhile read. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Sherry in book #5 (if there will be one) and like me, you might want to start the series from the beginning.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is the 4th installment in the Cook Off mystery series. Sherry Oliveri is getting ready for the New England Fall Fest cook-off in her hometown. She is the favorite to win this competition. Her brother Pep is helping her as her sous chef but is not invested and very distracted. She wins her category at the cook-off in spite of her Brother's indifference to helping her. During an interview after the event, she learns that Fritz a former competitor was murdered the night before . Sherry questions her Brother first who she suspects may have had something to do with the murder. As she investigates she finds more reason why her former nemesis may have been murdered.

This is a fun read with red herrings to keep every reader guessing. I love the descriptions of the food and cook offs in this series.

Sherry Oliveri ( I love the way her name rolls off your tongue) and her visiting brother, Pip team up to take on the Hand-On portion of the New England Fall Festival Contest sponsored by Maine Course and their Shrimply Amazing Division. While this might seem like a run of the mill contest for Sherry, there is definitely something fishy going on. Sherry's top challenger is found dead and all the out-of-towners seem to know each other. This story reels you in from the start and tempts you with mouthwatering seafood recipes (found at the back of the story). The salmon and the herrings are both a lovely shade of red. A pushy pod casting reporter is looking to make a name for herself with any means necessary and has Sherry running all over town trolling for clues and working hard to keep her brother from the top of the suspect list. Where has he been going and what has he been doing that is such a secret? Sherry will not stop until she has helped the Sheriff to catch the killer. As with the other Cook Off Mysteries, this one has the right recipe to keep you entertained and well fed with easy to follow story plot that doesn't require a great deal of backstory to understand.

Sherry is a home chef and well-known cook-off champion. She’s thrilled to enter a cook-off in her New England home town with her brother, Pep, as her sous chef. But, in Eat, Drink, and Be Wary, the 4th installment in the A Cook-Off Mystery series, she finds her family in the middle of another murder mystery. And, she needs to find the killer before her brother, who is acting extremely mysterious, is arrested. Of course, trouble finds her along the way. As a cozy mystery fan, I enjoyed the concept of this book; food, New England, and murder mystery, what’s not to like? However, as a first-time reader of this series, I had trouble really getting to know the characters and connect with them and at times I thought there were too many characters to follow. The reveal was also a bit confusing. I think fans of this series will be happy with this new installment and probably won’t have the issues I did with character development. It was a quick, fun read. Round up to 3.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, the author Devon Delaney, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sherry Olivieri has entered another cook off and it's on her home turf. Her baby brother, Pep, is in town and she gets him to act as her sous-chef. Her entry is a savory shrimp dish and things look promising for a win until she discovers that one of the contestants not only has entered a dish very much like hers but he beat her in a previous contest. Too bad he can't stop crowing about it to anyone and everyone. While Sherry is moving on, her brother isn't best pleased with the boasting and he gets into a heated argument with him after the cocktail get together the night before the contest begins. The next day Sherry wins in her category but the joy fades when she discovers that Fitz Frye, her competition, has been found dead and it's declared a homicide. In no time the police focus their attention on Pep and Sherry shifts into detecting mode to clear her brother and catch the killer. With plenty of suspects and the go ahead from the detective on the case, Ray Bease, she takes on the challenge.
The mystery was complex enough to keep me guessing with just the right amount of red herrings and twists to get me to guess wrong. The setting is perfect and the cast of regulars - her family and friends -were well developed. As for the recipes, well they had my stomach growling.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The latest cooking competition that our heroine Sherry Oliveri has entered comes with a unique but helpful twist! She’s allowed a sous chef, and who more fun to spend time with than her younger brother Pep, who has only recently blown back into town after years of a rather peripatetic lifestyle. Pep is pretty cagey about where he’s been and what he’s been up to since getting his degree in geology, but Sherry is determined to just hang out and enjoy his company while hopefully winning some serious cash prizes to split between the two of them.

Sherry gets some not necessarily welcome insight into Pep’s life, however, the night before the big competition. While enjoying a cocktail party for contestants at the Augustin Inn, owned and run by another local brother-sister duo, Pep gets into several heated conversations with people attached to the competition’s sponsors. Pep assures Sherry that it’s all due to a series of misunderstandings, though he won’t clarify exactly what those misunderstandings are. Sherry decides to let it go in favor of focusing on the competition the next day, which goes smoothly despite -- or perhaps helped by -- the fact that her biggest rival for the prize, Fritz Frye, seems to have bailed at the last minute. She’s in for a huge shock when she later discovers that Fritz was found dead the night before at the Augustin Inn, and that his death was definitely due to murder.

Since Fritz was one of the people Pep had argued with the night before, he immediately comes under suspicion, and his odd behavior and refusal to explain himself certainly do nothing to help his case. Sherry is determined to clear his name even before Detective Ray Bease, with whom she’s developed a fairly collegial relationship, confides in her that he’s under a lot of pressure to close the case, on top of dealing with his aging mom. To complicate matters further, a snoopy investigative reporter will prove both help and hindrance as Sherry races to uncover the identity of a killer who is only too eager to strike again.

Pep is a great addition to the Cook-Off Mystery series universe, especially once we discover the reason for all his caginess. I really like how he interacts with Sherry, and the nuances of his relationship with their dad. This fourth installment of the series also had some interesting new things to say about competitive cooking and sponsorships, and I loved salivating over the recipes Sherry and her fellow contestants came up with to vie for the grand prize. While I was definitely tempted to try out one of the shrimp wrap recipes included in this book, my potato-loving Marylander heart could not resist trying this instead:

QUOTE
Crab Stuffed Red Potato Bites

24 small red potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds)
¼ cup butter, cubed
2 tablespoons milk
⅓ cup sour cream, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
½ teaspoon celery salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup crab meat
caviar for garnish, optional

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 17 minutes or until fork tender. Drain.

When cool enough to handle, halve each potato. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. In a large bowl, mash the potato pulp with butter, milk, ⅓ cup sour cream, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, until creamy. Add bacon, celery salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika to potato mixture. Spoon mixture into potato shells.

In a small bowl, combine remaining sour cream and Parmesan cheese with the crab. Top potatoes with crab blend.

Place potato halves on baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes.

Garnish with a sprinkle of caviar, if desired.
END QUOTE

Devon Delaney’s recipes are always so decadently awesome, and never too difficult to try at home! I got about two and a half pounds of the smallest red potatoes I could find (which weren’t as small as intended, given that the recipe asks for 24 and I could only manage 14) and wasn’t sure how thin to make the shells, but think it all came out pretty well. It certainly came out deliciously! These bites are like a cross between devilled eggs and baked potato skins, which are two of my favorite foods. I was actually worried that there wouldn’t be enough crab flavor, given that only half a cup of crab meat is used as essentially a topping, but it all came out tasting perfectly balanced. I used fake caviar as a garnish and loved that extra pop of saltiness -- I can only imagine how wonderful real (and expensive) caviar would have tasted instead! This recipe might not have won the cooking contest in the book, but it definitely won a place in my heart and my repertoire.

Next week, we travel cross country to sleuth around the set of a cooking show while I reluctantly join the rest of the nation in baking real bread -- good thing it turns out deliciously! Do join me!

This is the 4th book in the Cook Off Mystery series, but this is the first book in the series that I’ve read, and had no trouble keeping up. There wasn’t anything that was confusing, and you don’t need to read the first 3 books before diving into this one, though afterwards you might be like me, and want to start the series from the beginning.
It’s time for the New England Fall Food Fest and Sherry Oliveri is ready! She’s got her younger brother Pep as her sous chef and they’re ready to rock out her Savory Shrimp Lettuce Cups for the judging. A little surprised to discover that there’s been a last minute contestant in her division, she’s even more surprised to discover it’s the same man who beat her in another competition, Fritz Frye, and he’s making a similar dish to her. With no time to ponder the addition, she’s got her heart and mind on winning.
Image everyone’s surprise when, after the competition, Fritz Frye is discovered dead with a fishing hook in his neck. Of course, with the way her brother’s been acting, people are starting to think he’s the murderer. Sherry’s got to put her detective cap back on and figure out who the real killer is before her brother’s arrested for this crime.
I love the relationship Sherry has with her family and friends, she’s true to them all and cares about them, no matter what. I did enjoy the relationship between Detective Bease and Sherry and I hope that eventually something will happen between them.
The writing in this story is good, the characters are well rounded, and there’s lots of red herrings placed throughout. I did solve the case before the end, but there were times the red herrings had me second guessing myself. I will definitely continue with this series, and as I stated above, I’m going to have to start from the beginning. I also loved the addition of the recipes at the end of the book.
**I received an ARC of this story from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.