Beef Stolen-Off (A Clueless Cook Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Liz Lipperman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 3, 2012 | Series: A Clueless Cook Mystery (Book 2)

As the food columnist for The Ranchero Globe, Jordan McAllister catches the eye of cattle baron Lucas Santana, who invites her to the Cattleman's Ball, hoping a positive review from the ball might boost the county's sagging beef sales.

To ensure Jordan enjoys herself, Santana sets her up with  a prime cowboy companion for the event--Rusty Morales. Jordan's delighted to go with him and two-step the night away. But instead, she winds up in the emergency room where her date is DOA.

When Rusty's mother begs her for help, Jordan knows she needs to grab the bull by the horns and get to the bottom of this mystery before she corrals herself into trouble...

INCLUDES RECIPES!

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A sparkling new cozy star!”—Cleo Coyle, national bestselling author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries

“Jordan McAllister heads up an appealing cast of characters in the fun, new Clueless Cook series from Liz Lipperman.”—Misa Ramirez, author of the Lola Mysteries

About the Author

Liz Lipperman is one of nine children and grew up eating casseroles. She spent many years working as a registered nurse saving lives, before she gave in to her life-long passion of finding ways to kill people and writing about them. Born and raised in Ohio, she lived in many places, including Saudi Arabia and Taiwan before finally settling down in a small suburb north of Dallas. When she’s not writing, she enjoys all sports, especially the NFL, traveling, and spending time with her four grandchildren.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (July 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042525142X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425251423
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #584,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Liz Lipperman started writing many years ago, even before she retired from the medical field. Wasting many years thinking she was a romance writer but always having to deal with the pesky villains who kept popping up in all her stories, she finally gave up and decided since she read mysteries and obviously wrote them, why fight it? Two years ago, she signed her first contract with Berkley to write a cozy series called The Clueless Cook Mysteries. Book One, titled LIVER LET DIE, comes out on October 4th and is about a wannabe sports reporter stuck in a small Texas town writing personal ads who gets the chance to write the weekly culinary column.The problem is, her expertise in the kitchen is limited to frying bologna and microwaving TV dinners. When a dead body is found under her apartment stairwell with her name and number in the victim's pocket, she becomes the prime suspect, as well as the main course on the murder menu.

She lives north of Dallas with her HS sweetheart hubby. When she's not writing she spends her time doting on her four wonderful grandchildren. The first book of her Clueless Cook Mystery Series, LIVER LET DIE, debuted in October, 2011. BEEF STOLEN-OFF released in July 2012, and MURDER FOR THE HALIBUT is coming January 2013. And she writes Romantic Suspense and Mainstream Mysteries under the pseudonym Lizbeth Lipperman. Her first RS, MORTAL DECEPTION, is available now and the first mainstream mystery, HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE will release in May 2013 from Midnight Ink.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the series, love this book July 5, 2012

By Versel Rush

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I had my calendar marked with the release date for the latest Jordan mystery by Liz Lipperman. I then spent all night of the 3rd (my job does not allow me to read mysteries during work hours--bummer) and most of July 4th reading. I believe it was even better than the first installment, "Liver Let Die".

I don't do synopsis--you can get that from the blurb above. And, unlike many series, you don't actually have to read the first one to enjoy this second book (but I do highly recommend you do).

It is obvious that Liz Lipperman lives in Texas. Her scene descriptions, dialogue cadence, and legal references ring true. Though Ranchero may be a fictional town, the setting is not. Anyone who has ever been to North Texas recognizes the towns and the people. I like that in a Texas book.

Her characters are amazing. Too many mystery authors forget the importance of the supporting cast, as it were. But in order to keep a series fresh, those secondary characters are important. Rosie, Ray, Victor and the rest of the apartment crew, as well as the newspaper employees, assorted family members (some by reference only), and the obligatory love interest make Jordan's life real and make the reader care. The additional "this book only" characters are equally well developed and true to their Texas equivalents.

And, of course, you have to consider the actual mystery when reading any cozy. Like most cozies, the solution to the whodunit is not particularly difficult. But it is the getting to the solution that marks a good mystery. And Lipperman takes the reader on a lively path before revealing all.

In addition to the Cattleman's Ball, the reader is treated to big Texas ranches, larger than life cattlemen, and good old Texas bbq.... By adding a new friend who is afraid her grandfather's house is haunted, Lipperman develops new relationships--between the friend, Jordan, the apartment dwellers, and Jordan's brother. And, for Texans, the location of the house on Lake Texoma perfects the setting.

I would recommend this book (and the previous) as perfect summer reads--wonderful characters, great dialogue, and intricate plotting without a lot of gore, obscenities, or gratuitous sex (though there is plenty of that implied). Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Food can be fun August 12, 2012

By Carolyn Goodart

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Jordan McAllister is no "foodie," yet she finds herself writing a food column for a little Texas town newspaper. If she had her "druthers," she'd be writing for the sports page. But she gives it a go with the help of her friendly neighbors at a rundown apartment house. One sweet neighbor supplies the recipes for her column (the author has included the recipes) and the others furnish all the love and protection this young woman could ever need. Not only are her friends loyal, they are also lots of fun! "Beef Stolen-Off" takes up where "Liver Let Die" ended. At the behest of her editor, Jordan finds herself whisked off to a Cattlemen's Ball. Unfortunately, her handsome ranch hand escort promptly dies before they even get to the meat. I love the way the author spins the plot adding more and more complications as the story progresses. I couldn't see where she was going with the plight of one of Jordan's co-workers frightened of a ghost. Or, even more puzzling was the mysterious disappearance of cattle. And what was the connection to the escort who turned out to have been poisoned? As Jordan pursued her duties as a newspaper food critic, she starts to discover that people aren't what they seem. Some are downright dangerous. Jordan is one of those lovable characters you can't help but root for. I enjoyed reading about her even though she is actually a junk food girl. She is brave and has a good heart. And she has a good head on her shoulders.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Now I want to eat some beef! August 30, 2012

By A. Schmidt

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I wasn't sure that I would enjoy this series, because I really cannot relate to a character from Texas who is into sports and doesn't cook, but I'm loving this series! I am amused by the renamed casseroles and attempts at finding recipes for the column.

I was a little put off on the obvious set-up for the next book - that was a little clumsy, and just felt out-of-place, both times the cruise was mentioned.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great little series August 9, 2012

By nanaK

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was a very cute cozy mystery kept me interested all the way until the end thought a few scenes were to ex rated for my taste but a great little series of books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun foodie mystery August 4, 2012

By Dale

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Liz Lipperman has done it again, with her follow-up Clueless Cook mystery, "Beef Stolen-Off". This fun little romp details the exploits of female newspaperperson (and big sports buff) Jordan McAllister, who can't cook, and yet is roped into doing a culinary column for her newspaper, complete with recipes. For someone who revels in junk food, real recipes can be a burden. But she has help from a colorful cast of friends, who give her support and love and help in time of need.

As usual, Jordan runs into trouble, this time when her fellow dinner guest expires during a dining extravaganza. Soon she is tracking down clues while hunting for a killer, as well as some shady cattle rustlers.

If you like your fun mystery intertwined with danger and wisecracking troublemakers, this is for you. Jordan cannot get through a day without a crisis or four, but her ingenuity and luck in getting out of trouble results in an entertaining read. Full of down-home, good ole Texas fun.

And if reading about all this food gets you hungry, why there's even some of the recipes in the story included in the back, so you can make your own. If you like this one, track down her first book, "Liver Let Die," where we first meet Jordan.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars USDA PRIME MYSTERY! July 24, 2012

By Lori Caswell TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Jordan McAllister is the food columnist for the Ranchero Globe even though she is a pretty clueless cook.

She may not know much about cuts of beef but Lucas Santana, cattle baron, thinks her column may help boost beef sales so he invites her to the Cattlemen's Ball. He even sets her up with a date for the evening. Unfortunately she doesn't get to know him very well. Shortly after the dinner starts he starts to sweat and have trouble breathing. She winds up at the emergency room where she finds her date was dead on arrival.

It is not long before she realizes his death was no accident. She decides it is up to her to take the bull by the horns and lasso up the killer.

This release date of this book couldn't have been planned better. The tv show Dallas is back on the air and in the very second episode the Ewings are at the Cattlemen's Ball. I didn't see Jordan hanging around but it sure wasn't hard to imagine that a murder could occur there. The author tells me there was no coordination between the show and this book release, just a happy coincidence.

This installment really has the Big Texas feel. Hunky cowboys, huge ranches, and of course Texas BBQ. The new characters in this book were so well defined it was hard to believe we just met them. The Empire Apartments gang was back in full glory and we even got to spend some time with Jordan's brother, Danny. Jordan's love life was kind of hit or miss in this installment. Hard when the guy you want to get to know so much better has a job that can need him in an instant and keep him away for weeks. Jordan also finally makes a friend at the paper.

The mystery is USDA Prime as well. Plenty of diversions to keep the reader on their toes.... We learn a bit about cattle raising too, some of it hair raising as well.

Marbled through the entire mystery are touches of humor I have come to expect from Liz Lipperman. She has the gift are creating sassy dialogue, unique observations and circumstances that can make you laugh out loud. In this edition, the brother/sister pranks and commentary were so entertaining.

This series is absolutely wonderful. I can't wait until Murder for the Halibut comes out December 31, 2012. For now be sure to get your hands on Beef Stolen-Off today!! Read more ›