A Poisonous Palate is a gripping, yet delightfully charming, cozy mystery novel. Haley receives a random email requesting her help in a decades-old missing person case. With her friend's wedding soon approaching and several article deadlines due, Haley doesn't exactly have time for a cold case; however, she's never been one to say 'no' to a mystery. Haley agrees to help Catherine and they soon start investigating the area where Catherine and her missing friend used to live. As it so happens, it was a commune, and the group was very suspect. Soon after visiting the camp, they discover one of the previous residents murdered and then Catherine goes missing. Just what has Haley gotten herself into!?

A Poisonous Palate is a bit edgier than most of the cozies that I read; however, I thoroughly enjoyed the dark(ish) themes of the commune and Catherine's past. I also really appreciated the way that the author wove in Hemingway and his past. Hemingway is such a huge part of Key West's history and the author was able to creatively and smoothly weave his history (which is fascinating) in with the main plot. AND then there were the restaurants and the meals. I wanted to devour every one of the dishes that was described. For me, a great cozy is not complete without the food descriptions. I will absolutely be continuing with this series!

I love visiting with Hayley Snow in Key West. I love the descriptions of the food and the sights. I especially liked, this time, the Hemingway connection to the events in the story. The storyline was interesting and kept me reading the book in one day. I did not guess who the villain was, which is a plus in my mind. I'm already looking forward to the next book.

A tropical mystery with family, food and friends. Follow Haley as she explores Hemingway's motivations and life in Key West. She meets new people that provide intrigue and twists and turns. Who to believe, who to trust and who is the killer or killers?

I love visiting with Hayley Snow in Key West, I love the descriptions of the food and the sights. I especially liked, this time, the Hemingway connection to the events in the story. The storyline was interesting and kept me reading the book in one day. I did not guess who the villain was., which is a plus in my mind., I'm already looking forward to the next book.

Review of eBook

When Hayley Snow receives a perplexing email from Catherine Davitt, she’s drawn into a forty-year-old mystery concerning a missing young woman. In 1978, Catherine and her friend, Veronica, had been living in an encampment that was essentially a commune. And Veronica had simply vanished.

A yellowed newspaper clipping revealed that the police had been notified and investigated, but Veronica remained missing. It was assumed that she simply left Big Pine Key.

But Catherine isn’t certain . . . and she wants to solve the mystery of her friend’s disappearance.

Hayley wonders why Catherine wants to find the answer to Veronica’s disappearance after so many years have passed. But she agrees to meet with Catherine.

What did happen to Veronica? And will Hayley be able to find the answers Catherine seeks?

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Fourteenth in the author’s Key West Food Critic Mystery series, all the expected characters are in place and readers of the series are sure to welcome them as old and dear friends, especially the delightful Miss Gloria. However, for readers new to the series, there is sufficient backstory for the narrative to work as a standalone.

The strong sense of place anchors the telling of the tale; the subplot of Catherine writing a book about Ernest Hemingway and his four wives provides illuminating insight into Hemingway’s connection with Key West. Long-held secrets play an integral part in the solving of Veronica’s disappearance; a murder and another disappearance push Hayley to find the answers.

As might be expected, food plays an integral part in the telling of this unputdownable tale; thankfully, recipes are included in the book. Readers are sure to find this resolution to the mystery to be quite satisfying.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#APoisonousPalate #NetGalley

Food critic Hayley Snow is contacted by writer Catherine Davitt who is coming to the Keys to not
only reasearch a book on Hemingway but also the unsolved case of the diappearance of her
friend in the 1970s. While Haley is not an investigator, she has helped solve other murders.
Haley and Catherine discover the body of one of the people they were interested in questioning. As
they continue to talk to those who were present, Catherine goes missing. Did she kill the mudered man
or is someone else invovled? As Hayley looks into the lives of those present at the time, complicated
relationships come to light.
Fourteenth in the series - always a delight to catch up with Hayley and friends.
#APoisonousPalate #CrookedLaneBooks #NetGalley

Another great installment in this series set in Key West. The islands - particularly Key West - are truly a main character and you feel as though you are there. I love that each of these could be a stand alone but that if read as a series you see continual plot and character development. Loved the tie-in with Hemingway which added to the mystique of Key West and the plot.

This book is part of the Key West Food Critic mystery series. The food critic Haley Snow intuits the way to a cozy culinary adventure. Readers of this series will not be disappointed! It is a charming read that draws the reader into the island environment and its eclectic cast of characters.

This review of A Poisonous Palate by Lucy Burdette is courtesy of NetGalley. #APoisonousPalate #NetGalley #CulinaryMystery #CozyMystery #LucyBurdette

Rating: 4/5
Upcoming publication date: Aug 6 2024

I've picked up a few of Lucy Burdette's Key West Food Critic Mysteries now.

A new to the series character, Catherine Davitt, visits Hayley Snow to get help finding out about the disappearance of her friend years ago. Catherine's background allows us to learn a bit more about Hemingway and his relationship with Key West. Along the way we get the usual food descriptions at various restaurants with Miss Gloria being the main sidekick. Familiar characters such as Hayley's mom and step father appear along with the requisite catering job and food, as well as Nathan, Lorenzo etc. More restaurants and places around Key West also made their appearances. I did feel that I'm reading a travel brochure for Key West when reading A Poisonous Palate.

I didn't figure out "whodunnit" but would say it's a solid read for those who enjoy casual mysteries along with food.

Side note: Given the current atmosphere of book bans, I loved the dedication at the beginning of the book to librarians. "For the heroic librarians of the world who place books in the hands of readers and stand up for everyone's right to read whatever they choose."

Hayley receives an email from a writer named Catherine who is looking into the disappearance of her friend Veronica when they were in Key West in the 1970's. A group of people hung out then, and some of them still live in the area, so Hayley, consummate busybody that she is, decides to interrogate them. Surprisingly, they actually answer her questions. Then when one of the old group is found dead, Hayley reflects on the plethora of suspects, especially when Catherine stands her up at their arranged meeting. The police, including her police-officer husband, ask her to back off, but she is determined to solve the case. Recipes are included. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Hayley and her friends and family all become involved when a stranger asks Hayley to help her find out what happened to her friend in 1978. Always curious, Hayley agrees and finds that nothing makes sense. A great addition to this series.

Hayley Snow, Floridian professional food critic and amateur investigator is looking forward to her friend's wedding but in the run up has been contacted by a fellow writer with an interesting tale to tell. Catherine Davitt joined a camp in the Big Pine Key mangroves in the late 1970s and has returned to research her latest book about Hemingway’s four wives. She also wants Hayley to help her discover what happened to her friend Veronica, who vanished from the camp in 1978.

With her octogenarian sidekick Miss Gloria, Hayley throws herself into interviewing Catherine's ex camp mates and searching newspaper records for information much to her husband and local detective Nathan's concern. Old mysteries however, are sometimes best left alone, and when one of Veronica’s old acquaintances is killed and another disappears Hayley realises her investigation isn't the only thing in jeopardy!

Book 14 in Lucy Burdette's Key West Food Critic Mystery Series is the first I've read but I was never once confused or felt this wasn't the place to start. Instead I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, didn't work out whodunnit, and will totally be adding this series to my cosy library. Hayley is a great main protagonist but Miss Gloria steals every scene she's in with a wonderful disregard for sensibilities only an octogenarian can get away with! As expected with a food critic sleuth there are a few restaurant visits included as are some recipes at the end.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this and happily recommend it.

A Poisonous Palate is the 14th book in the Key West Food Critic mystery series by Lucy Burdette. I love this series and always look forward to my next trip to Key West.

When Haley Snow receives an email from a woman named Catherine asking her to help her figure out a mystery from 40 years ago, Haley can't help but say yes. Soon after, Catherine and Haley find a man connected to the past, murdered and days later, Catherine disappears. .Can Haley solve the mystery before more people end up dead or missing? With the help from her friend, Miss Gloria and support from her detective husband, anything is possible.

Catherine Davitt comes into the life of Hayley Snow, a food critic, and turns it upside down when asking her to look into the disappearance of a friend, which happened decades ago.

This is the 14th entry in the Key West Food Crititc series, and it was the first that I've read. In my opinion, this book can be read as a standalone, because the mystery itself begins and is solved in this entry. However, I did feel I lost something when it comes to the personal life of Hayley Snow (I believe she is the protagonist of the entire series). The author does explain enough of her past for you to not be confused with what is going on in her life, but since I did not accompany the character's development I did not care very much about Hayley's personal life. I feel like that is 100% on the fact I did not read the previous books. Besides, the author does allude to some interesting events in Hayley's past.

Besides that, this is a very cozy read, the mystery was good and kept me hooked and not knowing until the end. There were some minor logic flaws that removed me a little bit from the story sometimes, but they were indeed very minor and did not hinder my interest in the mystery.

Of course the recipes at the end were a very nice and welcome addition to the book!

Warning: do not read while hungry, there is a lot of food in this book!!!

Thank you very much to Lucy Burdette, NetGalley, and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Hayley Snow has restaurant reviews to write and a friends wedding to get ready for when she is contacted by a stranger who is coming to Key west to research Ernest Hemingway and search for a friend who has been missing for decades. An action packed chase through the Keys and old secrets with murders, missing persons and toxic relationships ensues.
I have not read all the key west Food Critic mysteries but have thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have read. The mystery is always a whodunit until the end. I love the humorous writing style and that I really get a feel for being in the keys. The characters are quirky and tons of fun. Plus, there are fantastic recipes at the end. I highly recommend A Poisonous Palate and this series to cozy mystery lovers.

Wonderfully written Lucy!! I always welcome a trip back to Key West when I read this series, tying in familiar places and people this lovely island community offers. I found this book to be a quick and exciting read. The tidbits of Hemingway history rolled into the storyline of a cold case really offered this book a deeper meaning for me.
As usual I adore the description of various dishes Hayley tackles and the recipes at the back of the book. I cannot wait for the next in the series ~ Bravo!!

I love this series and never miss a book. This latest addition was one of my favorites! I love when a mystery hinges on something that happened in the past. The plot moved along briskly, and I enjoyed catching up with Hayley and her family and friends. I also found the parts about Hemingway to be fascinating--I didn't know he had so many wives. Recommended! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

Hayley Snow finds herself engulfed in a mysterious disappearance from decades ago. One of the people involved in the case returns years later to try to discover what happened to her friend. Hayley's not sure how she can solve a mystery almost 40 years old, but when someone else is murdered, she decides to try her hand at solving the case. Don't worry, she doesn't lose her food focus, so there are plenty of appetizing meals. An another entertaining entry into this delightful series.

I read the first several books in Burdette's Key West series and it was fun to jump ahead and catch up with Haley Snow and her friends on Boathouse Row. A Poisonous Palate is filled with all the Key West flavors and colorful characters I remember enjoying so much in the past. A fine palate cleanser after reading a number of heavier literary fiction novels.

A POISONOUS PALATE is the fourteenth book in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette. This delicious addition to a long-running and entertaining series kept me on my toes as I followed along with protagonist Hayley Snow, as she delved into a 40-year-old cold case. The mysterious disappearance of a young woman in the 1970s proves too tantalizing to pass up when Hayley is contacted by the missing woman’s friend, Catherine. Catherine, it seems, is in town to research Hemingway and his four wives and his toxic love and needs Hayley’s help in finding out what happened so long ago. The author does an admirable job weaving in facts about Hemingway and his relationships without bogging down the plotline. It also adds to the setting of Key West and its history, while Ms. Burdette’s vivid descriptions bring the area to life on the pages. I also love the core characters surrounding Hayley: her detective husband, who finally accepts that Hayley will investigate crimes; her octogenarian sidekick, Miss Gloria (she’s a hoot!); and her mom and stepdad.

It doesn’t take long for Catherine to disappear shortly after one of her long-ago friends is murdered. Hayley is left to piece together the puzzle on how the cold case and the current murder fit together. She can’t help but wonder if Catherine is a murderer or if something happened to her. As a food critic for a local magazine, Hayley knows how to talk to people and delves into hunting down clues… while eating at lots of restaurants. There are clues to follow for the sharp armchair detective, but I was foolish to fall for the misdirection. As the mystery came together, in a heart pounding way, the pieces fell into place in a highly satisfying manner. Ms. Burdette delivers a complex mystery with well-written characters that will keep readers enthralled.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.