While the mystery plot of Six Feet Deep Dish was well done, the other plot elements do not hold up. It makes no sense that the main character had no actual ownership or power over the restaurant she was building just because her fiance was paying all the bills. I can't buy that this character has any common sense. And she didn't even seem to like her fiance, just his money. It's in such contrast to the mystery when everything else in the story could be torn apart like tissue paper, there's just no substance.

An ok cozy I didn’t get into very much. The characters are rather dull and not much humor.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

Delilah O’Leary is opening a pizzeria in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. She’s a hands on over-achiever. First the sign that’s delivered at the last minute is wrong, then a murder at her soft opening. Will her dream ever come true. Fortunately Dalilah has a few good friends and some perseverance and she’s determined to solve the murder and get her restaurant off to a better start. This is the first in a series and I think it’s off to a great start.

It could be the stress of opening up her dream restaurant, but chef Delilah O’Leary is having a hard time keeping her fiery temper in check as opening night draws near. When her laidback fiance and primary investor Sam Van Meter is nonchalant about a mistake that renders their restaurant signage unusable, Delilah flips out on him, causing the usually conflict-averse Sam to both reconsider their engagement and take off for parts unknown.

So it’s a discombobulated Delilah who’s hosting a soft launch for friends and family later that very same evening. Most things go well, but when her only waiter Carson Callahan takes off to schmooze with their pretty wine consultant instead of doing his job, Delilah decides that she’s had it with him, too. She leaves the party and goes looking for him on the Geneva Bay, Wisconsin shores on which the restaurant is situated in order to give him a piece of her mind. But it’s not Carson she finds out by the dark waters. Instead, she comes across her aged Aunt Biz, holding a gun over the newly dead corpse of Biz’s live-in caretaker Jeremy.

Aunt Biz has no idea what just happened. She’s been getting on in years, and her memory has been getting worse in recent months. Fortunately, Delilah isn’t the only person incapable of believing that her aunt would hurt a fly. The police detective on the case, Calvin Capone, is pretty sure that one of their small town’s most respected and formidable teachers would never resort to murder to get her point across, a viewpoint shared by most of the people who know the now retired Aunt Biz.

Who, then, had it in for the seemingly mild-mannered Jeremy? Delilah doesn’t feel right about opening her restaurant with the pall of his murder hanging over them, so decides to do a little snooping to help hasten things along. But when it becomes apparent that Sam has disappeared in the immediate wake of the murder – and that Delilah is growing increasingly attracted to Detective Capone – she’ll have to work extra hard to keep her own volatile emotions under control in order to figure out who killed Jeremy and tried to frame Aunt Biz for his murder.

While Delilah is not my favorite cozy heroine – honestly, the condescending way she treated Sam made me doubt that she’d ever liked him at all – I did enjoy the writing and overall message of this culinary mystery. The supporting cast is both diverse and entertaining, though as a restaurant veteran myself, I did wonder how small her restaurant was that she could manage with essentially just one server. The food descriptions were outstanding however, and make me hungry even now just thinking about them.

Fortunately, the recipes for six of those delicious food and drink items are included here. I decided to try out this one, that I edited for use with any pizza dough you have at home (though do snag a copy of the novel to see the full recipe!):

QUOTE
Auntie Biz's Pissaladiere

Pizza dough
¼ c. olive oil
12 anchovy fillets
3 pounds onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. thyme leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. fine sea salt
¼ c. Nicoise olives, pitted

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Finely chop two of the anchovy fillets. Add onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and the chopped anchovies, then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in the salt, and continue cooking for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be pale golden and very soft; lower the heat if they start to turn dark brown at the edges or stick to the skillet. Remove the bay leaf, remove the filling from the heat, and let it cool completely.

Heat the oven to 400°. Spread the cooked onions evenly over the [rolled out] dough, and top with the remaining anchovies and pitted Nicoise olives. Bake until the edges and underside are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
END QUOTE

I don’t know why I didn’t realize that slicing up three pounds of onion was going to be as painful as it was: even with my tried and true tear-avoidance processes, three pounds was rather overwhelming. It was well worth it, though, in making this deliciously savory onion, anchovy and olive tart. The only thing I would change is that I’d probably cut up more of the anchovy fillets to be cooked down with the filling, as the ones placed on the tart felt a little too overpowering in their concentrated saltiness, versus having that rich flavor diffused throughout the sweetness of the onion. Overall, this was a unique, not-too-difficult dish to put together, that can be served as an appetizer or a light main course. And frankly it’s just a beautiful dish, if I do say so myself.

Next week, we stick around the Great Lakes to bake up a sweet treat while investigating a festival gone deadly. Do join me!

Delilah O'Leary's new Chicago restaurant has a crime theme, playfully mocking the building's past connection to gangsters...and, as of the night of her soft open, it also has a fresh crime scene just outside. The food sounds fantastic. The plot is complex and interesting. At first, I felt like I'd come into the middle of the series instead of the first book because some of the relationships already have a lot of conflict, but the more I read the more that choice made sense. I found myself disagreeing with Delilah more than once, but I enjoyed reading the book and I'm curious to see where things go in future titles.
Make sure to read the recipes at the end -- they're written by the characters and a lot of fun!

Great start to a new series. A varied cast of characters, spanning all ages. A cat or two. Potential romance. Clever mystery with good clues, yet still not revealing all until the end. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This was a fun read! The main character is cute and likable and the other characters are just right - not too many and not superfluous. They round out the story nicely. The mystery part kept me guessing, the story is linear and it all moves at a lively pace. I would read Mindy Quigley again!

Plot: I really enjoyed the plot! The mystery was of course the main part of the book (this is a cozy mystery after all), but I also enjoyed reading the subplots going on (like her relationship with Sam, her friendships, among other things.). I thought the mystery was really well written, and while I did guess the culprit/motive, it did not lessen my enjoyment of the story overall. (I was actually pretty proud of myself for guessing right!)

Characters: The characters were what made this story for me! I thought Delilah was a great lead, and I loved her relationships with the other characters. From her aunt Biz, to her friends, to her fiancé, and to detective Capone, they were all well written characters, and I look forward to more books to get to know them all better! Plus, I can't forget Butterball, her cat, who was just as much a character in this book!

The Cover: I like it!

Overall: This a book that I loved reading, and I highly recommend to any cozy mystery fans out there! I look forward to reading more books about Delilah. And can I get her pizzas in real life, please? The spicy one she made (I can't remember the name of it) sounded so good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

This is a fun start to a new cozy series. I loved the setting and the cast of characters. It really has a community feel already, even in the first book. I’m excited to see where the next installment goes. The mystery itself was quite good - I didn’t know exactly where the book was going.

Six Feet Deep Dish
by Mindy Quigley
4 stars
Where has this author been my whole life?
I rarely get so caught up in a new book series like I did with this book. Typically, a new series gets off to a slow start that builds with the series and the characters. This one came out with a bang and never slowed down! Another bonus was the fact, I was surprised by the killer which rarely ever happens.
This is a great cozy mystery filled with fun, lovable characters, and I cannot wait to read more from this author/series.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

Although I thought this had a rather slow start, once into the story, I had a hard time putting the book down.

A plus for this cozy was that the protagonist Delilah wasn't putting herself into as many dangerous situations as many of these women do. While she didn't strictly obey the police admonishment to "stay out of it!" at least she did realize that her actions could impact any future prosecution and was carful about her actions.

Delilah "Dee" is opening a restaurant thanks to her generous boyfriend Sam who has footed all the bills. A longtime friend and chef is working with her. But when a disagreement between Dee and Sam happens the day of her soft opening, the finances of her venture are in jeopardy. When a murder happens just outside her restaurant she is worried that the bad publicity (and lack of funds) might be the death blow to her dream.

The suspects are many, but nothing can concretely point to which one. A disgruntled employee, Sam, even grandmother are at times considered as the murderer. It seems that everyone had a motive and no one was sad to see the victim dead.

It's not a spoiler to tell you that the culprit is discovered in the end and all is right with the world.

A fun book. This series would make what I call a good "beach read" because it is pure enjoyment that doesn't require a lot of thought.

Six Feet Deep Dish is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Mindy Quigley. Food cozies are relaxing and fun for me to read--this one checked all the cozy boxes and had me craving pizza!
Delilah has been a chef in some of the finest restaurants in Chicago. Now, she and her fiance have moved to the resort town of Geneva Bay, WI, to open Delilah's dream upscale pizza restaurant and to help care for her elderly Aunt Biz. Unfortunately, Delilah's fiance leaves her at their soft opening, a murder is committed, and Aunt Biz is found literally holding the gun. Delilah must help find the real murderer to save her aunt and her restaurant. And she will, with a bit of help from her friends!
This was a well-written and clever start to a new series! Delilah and company are witty and entertaining, with some laughs throughout the book. The action takes off immediately, and I found the pacing to be good throughout and the plot compelling. There's a large enough pool of suspects to keep you guessing, a few red herrings and a twist or two. I just loved the setting! A pizza place in what used to be a mob-fronted restaurant is intriguing. As the series continues, I imagine the author will have even more fun with this setting. And I will be along for the ride, as this is a series I plan to follow! Pizza recipes included! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this ARC. I enjoyed it!

This is the first in this authors new cozy series. Hand tossed pizza dough, tangy red sauce, gooey mozzarella, and Murder. What’s not to love about all of that? I will first and foremost say that I was hungry the entire time I read this book. Every chance I had to sit down and read I dug into this a little more and didn’t want it to finish. Just like when eating a pizza 😋

Delilah and her surrounding character friends and family are wonderful and just make the story deeper and makes me want to come back and hear more about the goings on in Geneva Bay. Murder happens and a new love interest, oops I mean detective comes along. Detective Capone (yes that Capone) struts into this story seamlessly and I am here for it.

Of course the number one the absolute best part in my opinion is the orange tabby that steals everyone’s hearts (and food) Butterball. I mean how could you not love a cuddly cat who loves to snack on marinated mozzarella balls???

I can not wait for the next in this series to come along so I can sit down with another slice and read to my Nelly is content. (#2 coming April 2023)


💫Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a great start to a new series and there is so much to like about it. Delilah is a strong and smart main character, who is slowly learning that she doesn’t have to take on everything alone. She’s surrounded by a great group of fun, supportive secondary characters, including her restaurant staff and her Aunt Biz. Red herrings abound, which kept me guessing throughout the story and there is a hint of a chance at romance with Detective Calvin Capone, the grandson of legendary gangster, Al. But my favorite thing about this book is Delilah’s chubby cat, appropriately named Butterball. As a cat lady, you know I love a funny feline sidekick.

Some of my favorite cozy series take place around food and this one is no exception. It made me hungry not only for pizza, but for the next book!

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

<i>Six Feet Deep Dish</i> is a strong start for a fun cozy mystery series featuring Delilah O'Leary, a pizza chef opening a brand new restaurant in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. The gear up to the grand opening is marred by a suspicious death--that of her elderly aunt's caregiver. Suspicion swirls around her aunt--the killing is done by her gun, and she's been weirdly addled of late--to other workers at the restaurant. The mystery has a very modern feel done in a cozy way. Current technology has a role, as do modern modes of crime, but everything is explained in easy-going form to make this approachable to mystery readers of all ages.

I wasn't too sure what to make of the first few chapters. Delilah is very much a type-A personality and when stressed, she is not at her nicest, but I soon came to know and appreciate her, and I loved the ensemble cast from her techie hipster fiancé to the hefty resident feline. Plus, it's a very smart mystery with a savvy cast and delightful twists and turns. Having read a few mysteries recently where the leads are more clumsy than clever, it was a joy to live vicariously through an amateur sleuth who was realistically competent. Oh yes, and there's a slight romantic subplot with great chemistry that is bound to bake into something more in future books.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook ARC edition of this book in exchange for my review.

I love cozy mysteries, and food related are some of my favorites - I cook for my family every single day, and can usually connect with the chefs, cooks and bakers faster and more completely. Add a cute cat, and this should have been the best start to a new series for me.

But then Delilah just had to keep making comments about her appearance, what she ate, that she shouldn't have eaten it, what others looked like, guessing at what they ate and avoided and so on. I understand a character not feeling great about their appearance, but in 2022 with body positivity all over the place, this character annoyed me more than most. I just cannot connect with a character with that attitude and was rather offended.

This probably would have been a 4 star review for me, but thinking about those comments and how they made me feel - it dropped down to a 2 star book for me, and I'm not sure I would read more in the series.

**Possible trigger for fat shaming**

2 stars b/c it was a cute story, but I can't encourage fat shaming.

A Good First book in a cozy mystery series. Not stunning, but good enough to following.
Delilah O’Leary can’t wait to open her new gourmet deep-dish pizzeria in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. A dead body changes everything.
With a great vacation location, many interesting characters and a cat (of cause), I will definitely follow this one.

Delilah’s big day just might turn into an unmitigated disaster. Dumped by her wealthy boyfriend, she has to open her new pizzeria in Wisconsin. And discovers Her elderly aunt is holding a weapon over a body. Carbs to the rescue!
I liked the location. I liked all the mob history and references. Most of all I loved the description of all the delectable pizza in the book!
It’s the launch of a new series and although the murder mystery part was a bit shallow, I think it’s off to a good start.

Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley is the first book in a cozy mystery series called Deep Dish Mysteries. The book is a wonderful novel about Delilah O’Leary and her new restaurant she is opening in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. Problems abound when Delilah’s aunt is discovered with a murdered healthcare assistant and the murder weapon. That doesn’t even touch the fact that Delilah and Sam broke up and Sam is the money man, who is now missing with his money. Her aunt ends up living with her, while her aunt’s house is searched.

Now, there are missing medications, a suitcase full of money, a missing fiance, a hot detective and lots and lots of food. Yummy incredible food with recipes at the end of the book. Delilah and her restaurant crew cook up all sorts of trouble trying to figure out what happened. All this happens in a small town where everyone has some relationship or knowledge of everyone else.

Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley is a fun read with lots of interesting characters and twists and turns. I enjoyed the novel and will be looking for the next book.

This was a great first book in this cozy mystery series! It was a fun, fast read, I loved all of the employees who work at the restaurant, and Auntie Biz and Butterball were my favorites other than Delilah herself.

Delilah O'Leary and her fiance Sam are in the process of opening their new pizza place. During their soft opening, the body of her aunt's caregiver is found, along with her aunt standing over his body. With the restaurant shut down for the investigation, Delilah and her crew have to work to figure out who the killer is, and where her wayward fiance has run off to.

The banter between Delilah and her friends had me laughing out loud, and the way she interacts with Capone, the detective investigating the murder is making me think they are going to have an interesting hopefully at some point romantic relationship going forward.

The mystery was great, there were red herrings everywhere, and every time we got a new clue I was sure I knew who the killer was... Until a new piece of evidence came out and I had to rethink everything.

I can't wait to see whats next for this series, and Im definitely going to be trying the deep dish pizza recipe in the back.