Public Anchovy #1

Vicky B, Reviewer

PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 (Book 3 in Deep Dish Mysteries) by Mindy Quigly Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 320 pages 4**** Blurb: Public Anchovy #1 is the third book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria. While Geneva Bay’s upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. The temperature outside is plummeting, but Delilah’s love life might finally be heating up, as hunky police detective Calvin Capone seems poised to (finally) make a move. But Delilah’s hopes of perfecting a new “free-from” pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. To catch an increasingly-desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too. Thoughts: Agatha Christie did the original people stranded with a killer and no way to get out story (“And Then There Were None”), and the plot has been done multiple times in books and movies since then. This book is one of those stories – but with a twist—a cat with “swipe at you from hiding places” tendencies. Butterball the cat is a vital part of this story. In this third book, Delilah and her crew are catering a high-end event. One of the attendees ends up dead and thus begins the problems. While most of the guests make it out of the mansion, several are trapped there by a bad storm that brings down trees and isolates them from outside help. Fortunately, police detective Calvin Capone is there—something Delilah is happy about. Maybe this time, she can break through the stoic cop’s stiff outside. Oh, and there are some amazing recipes—including a gluten free pizza one that I am looking forward to trying. Recommendation: Yes! But I suggest you read the previous two books in the series first so you have a better grasp of the personalities and their relationships. Disclaimer: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Renee N, Reviewer

Delilah and her crew are all ready to cater a party to benefit the library at a gorgeous mansion on Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. Things start to go wrong when a last-minute menu request from a guest throws Delilah behind schedule, and her cat, Butterball, stows away in the mixer box. But somehow, the meal seems to come together, that is until there is a dead body and Butterball might be responsible. When a storm traps Delilah and her staff, some of the guests,and Detective Calvin Capone for the night, things go from bad to worse. Calvin is just trying to keep everyone alive while Delilah wants to know whodunnit. This was a fun cozy with some delicious recipes at the end. Some great characters, a plot that kept me guessing, and a potential killer cat all combined to make this an enjoyable read. I’m already looking forward to the next book.Oh, and perhaps Calvin and Delilah will finally admit to the attraction between them.

Amary C, Reviewer

Deep dish culinary cozy series I was thrilled to see this one up on Netgalley. I've enjoyed the first two and was sure this one would also hit the mark...and I was right. This thoroughly enjoyable cozy brings intrigue with a hint of romance to new levels. Trapped in a house with friends and strangers during a storm...and a body sets a high mark to hit and Ms. Quigley hits every one and more. I highly recommend to any reader looking for an enjoyable read. I received an ARC gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

Chelsea F, Reviewer

"Public Anchovy #1 (Deep Dish Mystery #3)" by Mindy Quigley is your classic everyone-stuck-overnight-with-a-murder-mystery-in-the-house type of cozy mystery. The gang is all set to cater a big fancy fundraiser and of course things aren't going perfectly. Before they can even get past the appetizers, someone is found dead. Then the weather stops a handful of the guests from leaving. Good thing Detective Capone just happened to be at the party. The mystery goes all over the place and I really had no good guesses for who did it. I did have a decent idea for why though and that gave me my only, sort of suspect. I have to say that the cat antics are pretty funny. They were a great bit of comic relief and at the right moments. Gotta love a funny animal or two.

Lisa C, Reviewer

#PublicAnchovy1 #NetGalley is the third book in this series. I was thrilled to be selected to read an advanced copy of this book. Set in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, Delilah is excited to be catering a charity event, even if a guest has a very limited dietary menu. Creating a "free from" pizza is a challenge, but with her best friend and sous chef Sonya by her side, she knows she's got this. Things take a wrong turn when a dead body is discovered and they are all trapped in the mansion, while a storm rages outside. Delilah knows she shouldn't poke her nose into the investigation, but she can't resist, and with hunky police detective Calvin Capone by her side, she knows she's in for a wild adventure. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book. I'm happy to recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers.

"Shades of Agatha Christie in a modern whodunit." —Kirkus Reviews

"Quigley balances wonderful character development and plenty of low-key humor with the search for a killer. It’s hard to imagine a cozy fan who wouldn’t find this book to be a total delight." —First Clue

"In the hilariously delicious third installment of the Deep Dish Mystery series, a riveting, fun whodunit transpires." —Woman's World

Praise for the Deep Dish Mysteries:

"Witty, character-driven, and well-plotted....The satire is a joy, Delilah's narration is sheer pleasure, and her restaurant crew provides plenty of balance. This is turning out to be one of the best new cozy series going."
—First Clue on Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust

"Fun and engaging, [with] plenty of thrills...and toppings." —Parade on Six Feet Deep Dish

"Every now and again a cozy comes along in which the author not only checks off all of the boxes but does such an excellent job in the process that the book totally stands out from the crowd. This is the case with Six Feet Deep Dish....Droll and witty, sophisticated and credible, this is a series to watch out for." —First Clue (starred review) on Six Feet Deep Dish

"Funny, exciting, suspenseful... Delilah is a breath of fresh air." —Open Book Society (five stars) on Six Feet Deep Dish

"Your mouth will water from the first page of this delightful new cozy. You’ll also love the characters, and the perfectly plotted murder had me guessing the whole way through. Delilah is my new favorite amateur detective." —Paige Shelton, New York Times bestselling author on Six Feet Deep Dish

"Delilah O'Leary is as appealing as the pizzas she serves at her new restaurant. Fiercely loyal to her friends and employees, the strong willed, hugely competent Delilah is a cozy heroine for our times. I loved everything about her and her refreshing can-do attitude to cooking pizza, running her restaurant, and solving murders, along with the occasional healthy dose of insecurity! Six Feet Deep Dish is a wonderful start to a promising series, and I can't wait to visit Geneva Bay and enjoy more of whatever's being served at Delilah & Son." —Vicki Delany, National bestselling author

"Quigley pens a deliciously twisty mystery layered with salty suspects and packed with local flavor. Six Feet Deep Dish is sure to leave cozy readers drooling for more." —Julie Anne Lindsay, bestselling author