Francesca Eve, caterer extraordinaire, has come to Claremont House to work for the cream of society. A full breakfast spread? Simple. A glorious picnic lunch? Easy as pie. But a dead body for dinner was definitely not on the menu…

No sooner has Francesca Eve turned up for a jam-packed weekend of gourmet catering at a posh country house than she realises how challenging this event is set to be. Not only are the hosts wealthy – and demanding – beyond her wildest dreams, but each of the guests is more difficult than the last. But she never expected the host to turn up dead…

Suspicion falls on everyone in the house – could there be a murderer in their midst? Is the incredibly glamorous, and now extremely rich, widow really as upset as she’s making out? What secret is the housekeeper hiding? Whose money troubles are now forgotten? As the only person without a motive, Fran’s intimate knowledge of the house party puts her in the prime position to help the police.

As rumours swirl and guests’ pasts come to light, someone else is found dead. But when the police arrest their chief suspect, Fran becomes convinced they have the wrong person – the evidence is almost too neat to be true. So she decides to strike out alone, in the country house where the killer is still staying… Someone has killed twice to keep their secret safe. Will Fran be able to unmask them, or will this weekend turn out to be her deadliest job ever?

A page-turning cozy mystery packed with twists. If you love Faith Martin, M.C. Beaton and The Thursday Murder Club you’ll absolutely adore this unputdownable whodunnit.

Caterer Francesca Eve and her sometimes partner, computer game designer Adam Smith, are catering an upscale weekend for Keith and Mimi Chapman at which a huge business deal will be made. Things go well until Sunday morning when Keith is found dead in his study, the apparent victim of a break-in gone wrong. But when it becomes clear that no outsiders had entered the house all the inhabitants, including Fran and Adam, become suspects.  As Fran and Adam delve into the pasts of the residents and guests, things take a turn for even worse when there is a second murder.

I wondered after the first book how scenarios for a caterer solving murders could keep going without the caterer losing their business, rather like I often wondered why anyone invited Jessica Fletcher to visit since there was always a murder whenever she showed up.   I am happy to see that this mystery was set up quite naturally, enough time has passed since their first case, a year, that they are not stumbling from murder to murder monthly and while Fran and Adam uncover the murderer they do so without the usual over-the-top antics present in so many cozy mysteries. And they work with a police woman who appreciates their help. This is a quick read and a delightful mystery series.  I look forward to the next book in the series. ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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