Customer Reviews

Death Is Semisweet: A Heaven Lee Mystery

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I have reviewed all the books so far in this series. Although Death Is Semisweet is not as good as her two best books. A Stiff Risotto and Red Beans and Vice. It is much better than the other books in the series.

It's Christmas Time and Heaven Lee - 4 times divorced, once widowed, disbarred lawyer, ex-stripper and current restaurant owner is minding her own business, sitting in a restaurant with her friend Stephanie, discussing chocolate.

Suddenly a giant blimp which has been advertising Foster Chocolates fiftieth anniversary is shot down, its pilot killed.

Is someone trying to ruin Foster's anniversary or their entire business. Does Stephanie know anything about it? Does the fact that she's a member of the Foster Family and her side of the family was cheated out of the business by her uncles, the current owners have anything to do with it.

Nobody knows, but Heaven is determined to find out and with the help of her friends, once more leads an investigation into this sweet mystery.

What I liked about this book:

Heaven has really grown on me. I disliked her a lot in the first couple of books, but I think her character has mellowed out a little and isn't as irritating.

The mystery was interesting without too many characters, which has sometimes been a problem with her books. So many characters you can't keep them straight and finally just give up.

Many humorous parts. Heaven can be a scream.

Great Chocolate Recipes!

Things I don't like about the book.

I still find no chemistry between Heaven and her twenty years younger boyfriend Hank. But he's such a nice guy I feel bad dumping on him in every review.

My least favorite character is unfortunately in the book. Heaven's daughter, Iris. Heaven and Hank are practically shooting sparks off each other compared with the relationship these two have. Whenever they're together they seem as if they're two strangers instead of mother and daughter.

Heaven says how smart her daughter is. To prove how smart she is, Iris, who grew up with her mother's many bad marriages has taken for a boyfriend, A member of her father's rock band. (Iris's father is a famous rock star). This man who is already a grandfather, is also old enough to be Iris's father and is ex-drug addict and alcoholic. Considering Heaven finds him smoking a joint in her bathroom, I'm not too sure about the ex part.
I know this is just the kind of guy an intelligent girl would want to hook up with.

The mystery was interesting until the end. That solution was ridiculous and disappointing. I think I could have written a better ending.

Not enough use of her supporting characters. Where was Mona. Where was Chris. Please, Please bring back Bo Morales. That is the guy Heaven should get together with. He may also be young enough to be her son, but sparks really flew between them in the two books he was in.

This series is in the middle for me. Not as good as Mary Daheim or Joan Hess, but not as bad as many others, who will remain nameless.

The plaza, a shopping center in Kansas City, is festive dining the holiday season and Foster's Chocolates blimp just adds to the glittery atmosphere. Chef Heaven Lee and her friend Stephanie are eating at a restaurant in the plaza when they hear gun shots. Somebody shot at the blimp and killed the man operating it.

Foster's Chocolates is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary in business when a man trying to destroy them is murdered on the property. Heaven, always interested in solving a murder case, does a little snooping. She discovers that the Foster family is divided against itself and everyone had a motive to kill the man. Things turn really weird when Foster's Chocolates and Stephanie's Chocolates shop are vandalized, but Heaven is incensed when somebody trashes her restaurant too. She's very determined to find out who the perp is and bring that individual down.

This culinary mystery should come with a calorie warning: Do not read when hungry. The recipes, mostly chocolate, are easy to follow and taste delicious (don't say a word). The who-done-it is excellent because there's seems as many legit suspects as the number of carbo grams in any of the recipes. Lou Jane Temple has written another tasty amateur sleuth novel.

Harriet Klausner

I've read all the Heaven Lee series thus far - and I think this one is just as good as, if not better than, the others. And the recipes are fantastic! I know that's not a reason to buy a novel but it's kind of a fun extra bonus! This mystery is a quick read and I enjoyed it. I do agree with another reviewer who said they don't feel the chemistry between Heaven and Hank. He seems like a great guy, but I keep waiting for Heaven to meet someone who really lights a fire in her!

This is a particularly fine entry in the Heaven Lee lexicon, but the ending is reminiscent of the b-movie madman-seeks-revenge mind set. Given the state of mind and condition Heaven is left in on the last page one has to wonder if there is going to be an eighth novel in this series.

But don't dispare, read the novel anyway and enjoy it. The book is a casually good read --- just don't take it too seriously. Then be prepared to move on to something else when you finish it.