Customer Reviews

Chile Death: A China Bayles Mystery

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The latest entry in the China Bayles' mysteries is terrific. The imaginary world of Pecan Springs and its cast of characters just keeps getting better. China's most recent adventures leave the reader wanting more. I enjoy reading the quotes about various herb lore. I am looking forward to the next book.

Chile Death, as well as the other books in the China Bayles series, will speak to working women who wish they could abandon their current career path and follow their bliss and also to those who have already made major career changes. China Bayles, a successful attorney, quits her job after working for 15 years in a large lawfirm in Houston Texas. She moves to a small town in central Texas and and opens a herb shop. She uses her aptitude for investigation and her skills and training as a lawyer to run a successful business and solve mysteries as well. I liked Rosemary Remembered, but I loved Chile Death. The books in the series get better and better. A variety of issues and relationships are explored. I like the way minor characters in one book are developed into major characters in a later book. China Bayles is a character that I can identify with, but she is a complex character and has her own lessons to learn. I grew up in Texas, and I feel right at home with these fictional characters and the settings. Pecan Springs is a town in which I would like to live. Reading about food in Chile Death has inspired to use a variety of chili peppers in my own cooking. The creation of this series of books is a glorious achievement for Albert.

This is wonderful, less for the puzzle of the mystery, (it's NOT that hard to figure out who did it, although you still have to figure how and why) than for the unfolding story of China, Mike, Ruby, and all.

I can forgive Albert a small attack of deus ex machina as she helps Ruby make China an offer she can't refuse. And I appreciate the fact that she hasn't chosen to suddenly heal Mike, although she doesn't seem to have done all her homework about how his disability affects his relationship with China in ways other than sex. (Note to the author: It's impossible to just casually push a big man in a wheelchair accross gravel, especially if you are pushing one outdoors for almost the first time!)

There are passages here that I forced my husband to listen to as I read them aloud. Albert has a fine ear for smartaleck repartee.

And for goodness sakes, DO try the recipies...

An exceedingly clever Texas cozy mystery, featuring China Bayles, former lawyer turned herb shop owner, in what is about the middle of a series of books by Ms. Albert. The characterization and interaction of characters is exceptionally inspired and the reader really feels she knows these folks before the book is finished - they live and breathe - well, all except the corpse, who doesn't survive the chili tasting contest and who no one is particularly sorry to see go. While the writing is well above competency, the plot does meander quite a bit. The chili / chile trivia throughout the book was interesting enough that the spousal unit took heed, and the recipe for cake with cayenne pepper was also a huge success! I particularly appreciate that not only do I have more China Bayles books to look forward to, but also a very fun website to visit these new old friends. Not only did I learn a lot about herbs and what you can do with them, I'm also learning about chili/chile and thoroughly enjoying the work of an exceedingly talented and smart writer.

If you like books with recipes, and have exhausted this series, let me suggest and recommend WORLD OF PIES (also set in Texas) and the Dianne Mott Davidson books. And the wilder women out there, might want to try the two Sweet Potato Queen books.

The sensuous description of chili drove me, in desperation, to a big bowl of red. If you don't know what that is, you'll find out in this book.

The recipe for Peanutty Pepper Cake and the mail-order sources in the afterword are worth the purchase price. And the plot's good, too.

And she continues to solve mysteries -- but not by herself. This series, one of my favorites, seems unfortunately to be losing a little of its identity. As the character loses her independence, she's surrendering some of the feistiness that made the series what it is. In this entry, she starts taking direction from her future husband and, as she does so, she's losing me as a devoted fan. The book is also about 50 pages too long; during the long middle section, I kept finding myself setting it down and doing other things, restless for the book to get on with it. I wouldn't say I was really disappointed, because she's a great mystery writer. Rather, the book isn't faithful to what the series started out to be. I can't fault the author for wanting to take the character in a new direction -- it's up to us whether to follow or not. But, darn it, I really enjoyed the first books in the series. I hope the fun comes back in future books in the series.

China Bayles, owner of Thymes and Seasons, knows that the annual Chedar Choppers Chili Cookoff in Pecan Springs, Texas is going to be bittersweet for her this year. Her significant other Mike McQuade will be making his first public appearance at the event since being paralyzed by a bullet. Though some mobility has returned to his upper body, Mike refuses to discuss marriage plans with China because he does not want to burden her with a half of a man, who may never be able to make love with her ever again.

Mike seems a bit revitalized and more like his old self as he judges the chili contest. However euphoria turns to tragedy when a judge dies while tasting one of the entries, which contained peanuts as one of its ingredients. Everyone knew the deceased was allergic to peanuts, but no body believes foul play occurred except Mike, who earlier learned the victim was the recipient of threats. Mike and China investigate what really happened. As he seems to be more like his old self, China is delighted even though she is coming to the attention of a desperate killer who wants to remain anonymous.

The latest China Bayles novel is absolutely terrific and probably is the best work to date in this wonderful series. CHILI DEATH has mainstream, mystery and romantic suspense appeal that will please fans of all genres. Susan Wittig Albert tastefully and sensitively delves into personal issues like impotence, paralysis, and depression and their impact on a relationship. While doing this with class, the author demonstrates that she still has the who-done-it touch that has earned her a reputation for her complex mysteries, turning this detective novel into a solid winner for a wide corps of readers.

Harriet Klausner

China Bayles feels she is in limbo when her plans for a tea room adjoining her herb shop and her marriage to Mike McQuaid are put on hold. The reason for this is Mike's ongoing rehabilitation as the result of a shooting which occurred during one of his recent investigations. Added to this, China's mother has come to help out and their relationship has always been tenuous at best. China is temporarily distracted from her problems when the whole town begins preparing for its annual chili cook-off. McQuaid is also pulled from his depresssion when the cook-off sponsors persuade him to return to his annual role as a judge in the contest. All seems to be going well when one of the other judges dies after tasting several of the chili recipes which have been submitted. China and McQuaid begin to help the police by tracking down who could have tampered with the chili and who had a motive for killing the judge. The judge was considered quite a ladies' man and was in the middle of a nasty divorce, so suspects abound. Albert takes the reader on a round of plausible red herrings before the killer is finally revealed. This book develops the characters of China, McQuaid, and China's friend Ruby to a new level and really shows Albert's skill as a writer. The many interesting facts about chili peppers sprinkled throughout the book also add to the readers' enjoyment.

I Love this series. They are easy to read with good characters and an interesting but never too violent mystery.

I enjoyed this installment in the China Bayles series more than the last one. In this book a chili cookoff judge is murdered (at least China and Mike think he was muredered). China was back to her usual confident, independent self in this story, and thank goodness no further mention of McQuaid's indiscretions. Ruby is her usual kooky self, and I think she is the character that makes this series worth reading. China uncovers a dastardly plot on her own this time because McQuaid is recovering from a serious gunshot wound that he received in the last book. She does get advice and help though from McQuaid and from Ruby who comes just in the nick of time at the end. A really good mystery, and it restored my faith in the series.