I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this a really interesting mystery and the characters are quite engaging. it kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend.

This is one of my favorite series. Debra always knocks it out of the park. I really love the recipes included also.

Four Cuts Too Many is the fourth installment in the Sarah Blair Mystery series by Debra H. Goldstein. This is a fun, light series for cozy lovers of all ages. In this case, Sarah, who is part owner in her sister’s restaurant, meets with Grace Winston, an employee who is an adjunct professor teaching a knife skills class at the community college, to discuss a problem Grace is having. Unfortunately, a professor is found dead with one of Grace’s knives and plenty of other evidence. Sarah must scramble to prove Grace innocent, and puts herself and others in danger.

Those who have read the previous books in this series know that Goldstein has done an excellent job of developing her characters and making them seem real. Granted, these aren’t serious characters, but their personalities align with people in most reader’s lives that they know personally.

Since these books are culinary mysteries, in the cozy genre, there is no graphic language, sex, or violence. They are fast reads, and there is enough suspense to keep readers on the edge. There is enough happening that readers won’t be sure if Grace is really guilty, and there isn’t enough information (by design) for most won’t be able to figure out who the culprit really is. Readers won’t actually find out until the dénouement which comes at the very end of the novel.

This is a fun series, and this is a well-written novel that will definitely keep the interest of cozy lovers. There are also recipes, which is a necessary element of a good cozy.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Sarah Blair works in a law firm, volunteers with the local animal shelter, and co-owns a restaurant with her twin sister. The restaurant is the oddest job possible for her since she can’t cook beyond her one specialty—Jell-O in a Can.

Grace is a sous chef at the restaurant and asks to meet with Sarah at the college. Who knew there was such a thing as a knife skills class? In restaurant and hospitality studies, there is. The whole department is in an uproar over tenure—who gets it, who doesn’t, what happens next—plus plans for a new building or a satellite facility. Sarah’s worst enemy, Jane, is involved in that last idea.

During Grace’s beginning knife skills class, the new director makes a scene. It all turns into a bloody mess as Grace stomps out to cool off and meet Sarah. When they return to the classroom, it’s to find campus police on site, the police called, and the director dead. Grace is the obvious suspect but given his personality, there have to be other choices.

Sarah’s been around murders before and is sure Grace is innocent, despite the overwhelming, if circumstantial, evidence. With the help of her attorney boss, Harlan, Sarah sets out to keep Grace out of jail.

Of course, Jane can’t miss an opportunity to cause as much chaos as possible so her restaurant is a big success. Maybe if she spent as much time running the kitchen as she spends running her mouth, her parking lot would have more than a few cars in it during the dinner hour.

This is the fourth book in the series, all reviewed here. Sarah is figuring out her life, one stumbling step at a time. That’s her work life as well as her love life. On the plus side, she has RahRah, a Siamese cat, and Fluffy, a LWD (little white dog), a rescue, to keep her company. It’s clear, in that house, RahRah is the boss, Sarah and Fluffy obey. It’s a Cat Rule. There are plenty of hints that book five will bring change to Sarah’s life. Readers will be anxious to follow along and see what’s next for her—besides dead bodies, of course. At the back of the book, find recipes for egg salad, tiramisu, and stained glass Jell-O.

This is book 4 in the Sarah Blair Mystery series and it can be read as a stand alone. I have not read the previous books and might have liked it more if I were familiar wit the characters. Sarah works as a receptionist in a law firm adn helps out at her twin sister's restaurant. She is now even busier when her friend Grace is charged with killing a professor at the local culinary school. Pet lovers, foodie readers and cozy lovers will all enjoy this book. I learned a lot about the food industry from the story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a cute series with interesting characters and pets. No, the pets do not solve mysteries, they’re pets.
I’m not a cook, but it’s fun to read about the restaurants and chefs in addition to Sarah working in a law office and solving mysteries.
I had some problems keeping the characters straight in this one. Lots of new from the college.

If you like family relations, including a mother who insists her daughters call her by her given name, friends who are as close as family and mysteries to solve, give this series a try.

I had read the first book in the series and enjoyed it and now am returning to the series. this was a great new entry to the series.

This was a cozy mystery by a new author to me. The characters were interesting and some quirky with some plot twist and turns. You can see the close relationship between Sarah and her twin sister Emily.
Sarah is a law firm receptionist and sometimes amateur sleuth. So when her friend Grace is looking suspect in the murder of one of the college professors where Grace’s culinary knife is used as the murder weapon. Sarah sets out to prove her friend Grace innocence.
I was trying to figure out who committed the murder since there were several persons that could have been a suspect. It was surprisingly to find out who it was.
Cassandra H.
I voluntarily received a ARC from Netgalley and this review is of my honest opinion and thoughts.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

his very well-written mystery drew me in from the beginning and proceeds at a steady pace. I enjoyed spending time with new characters. It can be read as a standalone as the author offers enough backstory on people and situations. I appreciated learning more about what Sarah and Harlan are doing to help improve the quality of life for shelter companion animals.

Sarah is waiting at the nearby community college to see Grace, a sous chef at Southwind and Southwind Pub, owned by her sister Emily and Emily’s boyfriend Marcus, both accomplished chefs. Grace wanted to see Sarah away from the restaurant, so they are meeting before Sarah goes to work and after Grace finishes teaching her class on knife skills.

It was highly unusual to see Grace upset and disheveled. . . with blood on her apron? Grace told her that the interim chairman of the culinary department, Dr. Martin, came in to observe her class. By the time he was done, he had verbally abused one of her students, threw knives in the air, and a student was almost injured. Sarah’s hand stopped one knife from hitting the student. She sustained a gash, while Dr. Martin had a small nick.

Dr. Martin shouted at the student and Grace, then stepped out. Shaken, Grace dismissed the class, and a student helped bandage her hand. Martin returned, spewed among other things that Grace shouldn’t be teaching due to her personal choices, she’s a terrible teacher, and other vicious words. Grace finally snapped and screamed at him, finishing up with, if he kept acting like that, to not be surprised if one day he gets punched or worse. Being an adjunct instructor, she knows she is at the bottom of the college totem pole, and her words may have ended her brief time there.

Grace asked Sarah to go to her classroom with her and talk while she cleaned up. The student Dr. Martin hollered at blocked the classroom from entry, as campus police and paramedics were on their way. Looking inside, Grace saw the items used in class scattered across the floor and Dr. Martin was bent over a workstation with a small knife sticking out of his neck. He wouldn’t be yelling at anyone again.

Those in nearby offices had heard their argument. There was no love lost for the interim chairman. Most sympathized with Grace, yet they had to tell the police what they saw and heard. Sarah called her boss, Harlan, an excellent attorney, and told him that Grace needed his help. She was right. Grace was the only person of interest, even though she wasn’t in the building when he died. Harlan delayed Grace’s arrest, and Sarah did what she does best – tried to find who killed the hateful man.

I like Sarah and enjoy watching her grow into her own person since her divorce and ex-husband’s subsequent murder. Her refusal to get serious about another guy after ending a ten-year marriage is commendable. She works for Harlan, volunteers at the animal shelter, and helps with their fundraisers. She has also helped solve earlier murders, one being her ex-husband’s. I like Grace, also, who has worked hard and is honest and caring with people in her life.

Many things are going on that Sarah is involved with, including her nemesis Jane trying to put Southwind out of business. Sarah is trying to help Emily with that, consider shelter fundraisers, and the murder. The more questions Sarah asks about department politics and Martin’s family members, the more people she suspects. There are only mere hours left before the sheriff arrests Grace. I could not guess who the bad guy was! The end was very satisfactory, including the situation with Jane, and I am looking forward to the next mystery! I highly recommend this mystery and series!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Without opposable thumbs, I would probably be better in a kitchen than Sarah Blair but she does get involved in a bunch of culinary murders- and not from her cooking. Grace, who helps Sarah”s twin Emily in her two establishments, asks Sarah to meet her after class at the culinary school where she teaches knife skills. When Grace shows up late, covered in blood with a serious wound on her hand, the two return to her classroom, The head of the department and the person who caused Grace’s injury and was last seen having a huge row with her is dead on her floor, and the weapon is one of the knifes that Grace was using.

As de rigueur with many cozies the hapless chief of police immediately assumes Grace is guilty. One cannot help but understand his suspicions. The evidence does point in her direction but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes at the college. The three women in the victim’s life all want Sarah to help find the killer, even though two of them are possible suspects themselves. But it is by following the clues that Sarah is able to discover the culprit, not before she puts herself in very real danger. It is done well because while Sarah does not rush in foolhardily, she does manage to get into more than a few scrapes- including a monumental one with her nemesis, Jane.

It’s an entertaining series that has come a long way from when she inherited from her former Mother-in-Law much to the chagrin of Jane and Sarah’s ex. If the backstory intrigues you, pick up the earlier books and see how far it is. Four purrs and two paws up.

I really enjoyed this next segment in the Sarah Blair mysteries. Sarah finds herself helping her friend Grace when and instructor she was arguing with was found dead not long after the argument. Along the way they find some connections to the victim that they did not expect and have to decipher just what is relevant and what is not. They also have to wonder what Jane is up to as she is trying to cut into Grace's restaurant business and cut a deal with the city that might not be as it seems. A real page turner and I look forward to more in this series.

I received a book to read, the review is mine.

Sarah Blair is waiting outside Carleton Junior Community College for Grace Winston, who’s both her friend and the sous chef at the restaurant she co-owns. Grace is teaching an introductory class on knife skills for the college’s culinary school, which shouldn’t be too taxing given both Grace’s skill and her desire to give back to her alma mater. So Sarah is completely taken aback when Grace comes down late, wild-eyed and bloodied after her latest class.

Turns out that the extremely abrasive Dr Douglas “Malevolent Monster” Martin, the culinary and hospitality departments’ interim chairman, had inserted himself into Grace’s class with near-disastrous results. In order to stop him from cutting a student, Grace had flung herself into harm’s way instead, resulting in a still seeping hand wound that Sarah is quick to help re-bandage. To add insult to injury, after Grace dismissed her class, Dr Martin returned to her classroom not only to deride her teaching skills but also to chastise her for her personal life. Grace endured the tirade for as long as she could before stomping out to meet Sarah, hence her tardiness and lack of composure.

Once poor Grace has a chance to calm down, the two women take the stairs back up to collect the rest of her things from class. But a gathering of people in the hallway outside impedes their progress, before word gets out that someone had finally had enough of the Malevolent Monster and used one of Grace’s knives to finish him off.

Grace immediately becomes prime suspect. Sarah quickly contacts her own boss, lawyer Harlan Endicott, before launching her own efforts to clear Grace’s name by finding the real murderer. After all, Grace could never be a killer… could she?

This fourth installment of the Sarah Blair mystery series was as interesting for its murder mystery as it was for the ongoing developments in Sarah’s personal life. Her devotion not only to RahRah, her Siamese cat, and Fluffy, her foundling dog, but also to the animals of Wheaton, Alabama is heart-warming, as are her continued efforts for the local no-kill shelter. Her love life takes an interesting turn in this book as well, as does her free-spirited mother Maybelle’s. The only thing I could really ask more of from this story was an explanation as to Kait’s cryptic utterances after the senior outing. Perhaps they’ll form the basis for a brand new mystery in the next novel?

There were three delicious recipes included, and since I’m very partial to picnic food, I decided to try out the first of them:

QUOTE
Emily's Egg Salad

6 large hard-boiled eggs
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon finely grated Vidalia onion

Peel the eggs and place them in the food processor. Pulse a few times, stopping when the eggs are finely chopped. In a medium bowl, mix the other ingredients. Once they're mixed well, add the chopped eggs and mix until just combined. Can be garnished with a touch of paprika. Makes 3-4 servings.
END QUOTE

This was definitely a sophisticated-tasting, if easy to make, take on the traditional sandwich staple! I usually make a very simple version myself with eggs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and tarragon whenever I’m in the mood for a quick sandwich, so was absolutely delighted to discover the complexity of flavors brought about by the combination of kitchen staples used in this recipe. My picky kids even ate a small sandwich of this each!

For convenience’s sake, I did use pre-boiled eggs, which are such a time-saver. I also admit to being a little worried that I was over-pulsing the eggs, so probably stopped a little sooner than I should have. This was easy to fix, however: I just cut up any leftover large pieces while mixing the chopped eggs with the wet ingredients. Overall, this was a quick and delicious take on one of my favorite picnic foods.

Next week, we head northeast to whip up a healthy vegetable appetizer while investigating the death of an aging star. Do join me!

First let me say what a huge fan of culinary books and shows I am. So, when I found out that this novel merged both my love of culinary fun and cozy mysteries, I couldn’t help myself. And I am please to say this novel completely delivered on my expectations.

Sarah is such a believable character, I could completely relate to her and her thought processes as the story progressed. There were lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and I didn’t peg the murderer.

If you are looking for an entertaining, light cozy, this is the book for you! Hands down, would recommend Four Cuts Too Many to anyone!

This is the first book in the series that I have read. I would like to read the other three as well.
We are going to find college politics and cooking in equal parts in this book.
They don't mix well though and there is a big argument in the hall that many overhear.
When a murder occurs at the college Sarah Blair jumps in to help clear her friends Grace's name.
Grace teaches knife classes and Sarah helps her twin sister run a restaurant, caring for her pets and working at a law firm.
Tasty recipes included.
The book kept me reading, I read it quickly, the plot kept my attention and I zipped through it with it's fascinating characters that kept me guessing .

Published May 25,2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

When it comes down to it, not many people were fond of Dr. Martin, the victim. Sarah wants to believe Grace is innocent and works to sort out other possibilities with Rahrah, Fluffy, and her twin sister, Emily. The most obvious motive is with the least likable character, Jane, who is trying to save her business by establishing a partnership with the college and Dr. Martin is the only one admitting he's not in favor. As Sarah finds out more, though, Jane is not the only one and the suspect list grows.

There are positive relationships, conflicts, twists and turns, and a surprise reveal of the killer. I really liked the relationship of Wanda with Kait and the way Kait's mild dementia was handled. The jello activity was very creative.

The pace was steady and kept my interest. This is the fourth in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone. As always, I recommend you start at the beginning, though. If you like the others in the series, you are sure to enjoy this one.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein takes a new level to knife skills.

Will Sarah clear Grace's name before Chief Gerard arrests her?

Sarah Blair, our Sleuth
Some things in Sarah's life haven't changed, and some things are changing. She is moving on. It felt like Sarah is honestly getting her self-confidence back. We see her making some life decisions, and she is listening to her own feelings more. I like the revised Sarah.

One of the things that haven't changed is Sarah's ability to find a killer. People talk to her and tell her more than they should. Even Harlan sees it. He doesn't like when she puts herself in danger, but he changes his tactics a bit in this installment. I feel like she and Harlan have a connection beyond boss and employee. However, neither of them is willing to go there.

The Mystery
Well, a crime of passion or opportunity has rendered a man dead. Either way, he wasn't a well-liked man. But who lost their temper and took him out. Sarah and Grace show up shortly after the body is found. Grace is, of course, the one blamed as she had a public yelling match with the victim before his body was found. We know how Chief Gerard doesn't really investigate the crimes; he goes with the easiest suspect. So, Sarah finds out what happened. I was a little surprised as I had dismissed the culprit a while back—the things academics will do for their colleges.

Five Stars
I enjoy Sarah and the way she thinks. I also think her family is funny. Honestly, I am glad that she is getting over Jane. My rating for Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein is five stars. I recommend it to all you cozy fans out there.

Emily's Egg Salad, Sal and Laurie's Tiramisu, and Stained-Glass Jell-O are three recipes at the back. They all sound good for summer serving.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

This is the 4th installment in the Sarah Blair mystery series. Sarah is a receptionist for a lawyer Harlan and is partial investor in her twin sister Emily’s restaurant Southwind. Sarah is asked by Grace (Emily’s sous chef) to meet her at the local college where she is an adjunct teacher. Grace is teaching a class on knife skills in the culinary college and is to meet Sarah after her class. Sarah and Grace go back to her classroom only to find a group outside and no one can go in because inside is the dead body of Dr. Doug Martin (who Grace had a terrible argument with previously). Grace had an incident with him in her classroom and they both were cut by a knife and so Grace has his blood on her apron and she becomes the lead suspect. Sarah calls Harlan immediately and he keeps Grace from jail but for how long. Sarah begins investigating again and there are no shortage of suspects as Dr. Martin was not well liked. One of the students in Grace’s class was his step daughter and Dr. Martin was making enemies on campus with his decisions for the college. Grace’s nemesis Jane enters into the equation as well with trying to get her restaurant affiliated with the culinary program at the college but Dr. Martin was against it. This is a good mystery and Sarah is really coming into her own by standing up to Jane and trying to figure out what she ultimately wants to do. Looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein is book four in the A Sarah Blair Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone.
This easy to read Cozy has you guessing to the end. There are plenty of suspects and plot twists. The characters are likeable and relatable.. There is humor and a hint of romance. The strong protaganist, Sarah, can't help herself, she is always asking questions and digging for answers.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Southwind’s sous chef Grace Winston is teaching a class on knives as part of the culinary program at the local college. The first class is going well until the program’s director interrupts the class leading to Grace getting hurt. The director and Grace have an argument heard by many witnesses until she walks out to meet Sarah and cool down. When Grace and Sarah return to the classroom to clean up and ready the room for the next instructor they are barred from the room. Inside the program director is dead and one of Grace’s knives is the murder weapon. Sarah immediately calls her boss to come to represent Grace and she sharpens her senses to learn what all the gawkers in the hallway are saying. She is going to need all the information she can get to clear her friend’s name and cut through every clue to catch the real killer.

So much happens within the pages of this book it is virtually impossible to put down. In addition to Sarah working her day job at Harlan’s legal office, walking dogs at the local animal shelter, and helping to organize their fundraisers, she helps out at the restaurants she owns with her twin sister, fends off whatever plans her nemesis and business rival, Jane Clark has to steal business from Southwinds, has dinner with at least once a week with her mother and her gentleman friend, tries to have a personal life that may include a date or two and still have time to spend with her rescue dog, Fluffy and Siamese cat RahRah. Add to that a murder investigation and maybe some college classes. I wish I had half her energy.

The character interactions and development are what draws me into these stories. Everything feels true to life and the dialogues are realistic. I was especially taken with Harlen this time and his selflessness, he has a huge heart. I love the way the pets are presented in the story. They have real personalities and are important in the scenes.

The murder mystery is seamlessly blended with a variety of subplots. I was surprised by the number of suspects that were brought to light. Many were not even on my radar and I did not have anyone pinned down before Sarah revealed all. Her quest to prove her theory was dangerous and exciting to read. Some things really surprised me as the story was brought to a close.

Four Cuts Too Many is a Great Escape and wonderful addition to this character-driven series. The author crafted a clever whodunit that kept me guessing until the very end. I am very curious about where she plans to take her characters next. She never disappoints so I am excited for Five _______ Too Many.

Sarah may not know her way around a recipe but she is quite involved in the restaurant community.
Her twin sister is a chef and Sarah has great friends among the food industry and culinary school.
This book combines the competitive nature of masters of their trade, the academic environment with its political and financial demands and a group of active senior residents of a retirement and care facility. Quite the diverse group but this author brings them all together and it all works.
A murder, an innocent person arrested, and a world of subplots keeps this story moving at a good pace.
Can Sarah bring a killer to justice before dessert is served?