Customer Reviews

Death Takes the Cake (Della Cooks Mystery)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Miss Wells second book in the Della Cooks mystery series is another winner. Because Della is portrayed as a "real" person and some accidents do occur in the kitchen (like pulling the mixer out of the basin before turning off the power - something I would probably do), even a non-cook like myself is encouraged to try some of the recipes noted in the book.

This story revolves around Della agreeing to take part in a cooking contest even though she knows the contest is sponsored by an old
college acquaintance who had promised retribution for exposing a past
offense.

Old friends from the first book, Liddy and Bill, Shannon and Big John,
Eileen and NDM together with Mickey and Iva Jordan make a reappearance in
this book and round out the story.

I for one hate having to wait another year for the next installment -
The proof is in the pudding. Keep up the good work and write faster please, Melinda.

If you love a good mystery - then you will love Death Takes The Cake by Melinda Wells. The characters in the book come alive as if they were actually real. The plot carries you through the book with anticipation and guessing who killed Reggie. Bravo! to Ms. Wells for the excellent writing. Too bad the highest rating score is only 5. It should be a 10. This is a must read for mystery lovers- and not only mystery lovers, but for anyone who loves to read. Awaiting the next Della book.

This author is a new read for me. The plot moved along and the characters were believable. It's a cozy so I was not expecting anything earth shattering in the writing department, but it was a good book none the less. I will buy more of her books in the future. I didn't try her recipes that are included in the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Melinda Wells' first book, "Killer Mousse" and was anxious to see if the quality held up with the second book of the series. It did, and then some. Ms. Wells has created a cast of characters who are all well-developed, interesting and genuine. Even Tuffy, the standard poodle and Emma, the dilute calico cat have distinct personalities. The mysteries are intricate, well-plotted and will keep you guessing to the end. I like the concept of a series of mysteries set around a cable cooking show. There are any number of culinary mysteries, but, to my knowledge, this is unique. If you enjoy well-written, interesting and sympathetic characters, this is a series to be savored.

The titles is this great cozy series are:
(1)Killer Mousse (Della Cooks Mystery) (2)Death Takes the Cake (Della Cooks Mystery)
(3) The Proof is in the Pudding (Della Cooks Mystery) and coming in July (4)Pie A La Murder (Della Cooks Mystery). I always like to start at the beginnng,
thus, the list.

As it should, the publisher's blurb sets the scene:

"To help boost ratings for her cable cooking show,
humble host, DELLA CARMICHAEL reluctantly agrees to enter a
televised cake competition, sponsored by Reggi-Mixx even though
the company's owner, REGINA DAVIS, is an old college nemesis.
When Della hears that competitive pastrymaking is a blood sport,
she doesn't take it literally -- until she finds someone
drowned in a mixing bowl full of cake batter. When her dear
friend's husband becomes the prime suspect, Della is determined
to serve a killer some just desserts."

Wells' character sketches are one of her many strengths.
Here we meet pastry chef, KEVIN KYLE: "Striding toward him, I
saw that my visitor had pale blond hair cut shortin the back
and on the sides but swept up in the front to dip forward like an
incoming wave. Emerald green eyes were complemented by what looked
like a real emerald stud in his right ear. He wore slacks the
color of caramel, and a whipped cream white silk shirt topped
with a nut-brown cashmere sweater. Seeing him made me begin to
crave a scoop of my homemade maple pecan ice cream."

Wells cleverly continues the food theme in describing
other characters and buildings: (1)A man has a head of butter-
scotch curls, or hair the color of paprika while a woman's head
is surrounded with a cloud of cotton-candy pink hair. (2)A man
has maple syrup eyes, a woman, eyes the color of good cognac.
(3)One building is the shade of dijon mustard, another is pea soup
green.

Main characters are back, husbands and wives: Bill
and Liddy (2)Mickey and Iva (3)John and Shannon, and, of
course, lovers in bloom, Nick and Della. Added to the list,
a possible romance between Addison(Mickey's son) and Eileen
(John and Shannon's daughter). As in all good cozy's, our
furry friends are here too. Tuffy and Emma, a dog and a cat.

Wells entertains us, yes, but, also makes us more
socially aware of the mentally ill and treatment of the
elderly. Witness this exchange between Della and Nick: "
"Later, while Nicholas was driving me home, I told him
aboutthe bad place where retired cop Eddie Cochran lived.
'Could you use your press connections to get media in
Florida to investigate?' 'I can,'he said , 'butinvestigations
like that take months, and in the meantime the conditions are
the same for the inmates, excuse me, residents.'
'Sergeant Donahue told me inmates are better off.'"

And, God bless her, Wells helps those of us, like
me, who are from the "I-can-use-all-the-help-I-can-get" group
of cooks. She provides terrific recipes, and helpful hints
within the text. Did you know that Crisco is used in making
pastry for meat pies but butter is used for fruit tarts? I
didn't either. And, the colder the water, the flakier the
crust.

One minor complaint. Most the recipes are using
cake mixes. Again, clever, since the story revolves around
cake mix queen Regina Davis. But, the winning recipe is NOT
included. Perhaps she will mention it in the next book.

I enjoyed the first in the Della Cooks mystery series and have had the second book on my shelf for a while. I've just read it on holiday and wish I had picked it up sooner. Everything about this book 'clicks' with me. I love the characters, the relationships, the setting. I always enjoy books where pets are included. But the best part is the mystery. I often read mysteries and guess early on who is the baddie. Not so with this book. I shall now order book three in the series and hope another will be released soon.

This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine, after only two books (looking forward to the third).

Once again Della is in the middle of cooking and murder (with a side of romance with a reporter).

The mystery is about average. You'll figure it out after a while, but you won't care. Unlike so many other women-centric mysteries, Della doesn't let anyone walk over her and, even though sex plays a role, she doesn't let it control her life.

Della's life is just complicated to be believable and just unreal enough to be interesting. I really appreciate how she is growing in her television show and branching out in her business. Della interacts well with the secondary characters (both the continuing ones and the ones brought in just for this book) and all of them are fleshed out to varying degrees.

I do recommend the series but, though only two books, it does need to be read in order.

I have been waiting for the second book in Melinda Wells culinary mystery series for a long time. I was not disappointed!!
Della is three months into a new cooking show on TV.
She presents great recipes live on TV and for the audience.
But she has her hands full when her boss has a a "great" idea to have a Cake baking contest live on their show.
Of course, Della's nemesis from college, Regina, is sponsoring the contest using her box cake mix, which, by the way, is just awful.
When Regina is murdered, Della needs all the help she can get to solve this crime.
Della is one feisty gal. She has a quick mind, delicious recipes and friends I would love to have.
I am making her Dreamsicle cake for a treat where I work this week.
Look up the great recipes in the back of Ms. Wells's books.
Try them. I am. Her next book which I can't wait for is called,
"The Proof is in the Pudding" .
P.S. My co-workers loved the Dreamcicle cake!

Another triumph for Melinda Wells. Her Della Cooks mystery series just gets better and better--as do the yummy recipes. In DEATH TAKES THE CAKE, Della proves once again, that she's a woman not to be trifled with. What a refreshing change to have a forty-something heroine who is smart, feisty, sexy and yet still be vulnerable in the romance department. The plot was filled with unexpected twists and turns and I didn't guess who the culprit was until the very end. Bravo!

If you have a cavity that needs filling, I'd recommend waiting for that repair before beginning this book. Not that it's all that sweet in and of itself, but the descriptions of the cakes and the recipes so thoughtfully included at the end, will certainly make that tooth ache for real! Ms. Wells has a descriptive ability that makes your mouth water by just reading her recipes!

TV chef Della Carmichael, a widow for the past three years or so, having once been a teacher, started her own small cooking school in Santa Monica. It's such a success she is shortly engaged as a TV chef for a local cable company.

You might not think that a TV chef would be likely to run into murder. Or at least, not too easily. And you'd be wrong! Della manages to do this rather easily; not once but twice! The third time it's almost her turn, but fortunately, she escapes the murderer.

As in the first book, the characterizations are superb. Nearly every person in the story is someone you'd really like to meet. It's hardly surprising that Della would have friends from long ago, but one of them isn't very friendly, after all. Fortunately, the woman (Reggie Davis) now has money and arranges a baking contest with a big dollar prize, but only if Della participates. Unfortunately, the woman ends up dead--in Della's make-believe kitchen at the contest site.

Thanks to her former husband's police partner John O'Hara and the help of her sometime-beau, NDM, Della and her 'foster daughter' Eileen (really the child of John and Shannon O'Hara--it's all explained in the book) are saved in the nick of time when the murderer comes after them.

The tender scene in chapter 36 between Della and Eileen will ring lots of bells with women. It certainly rang mine! But to be sure, my daughter was a bit younger than twelve when we played out our little version.

I have to admit that while I appreciated the recipes that are included, I was unhappy not to find instructions for the Spaghetti Carbonara. (However, I did find the one for Linguine with Sautéed Mushrooms, Garlic and Lemon at her web-site: [..]) I love carbonara, and would welcome the recipe. Please, Della? Next time, maybe?

Oh, wait. The next one is about desserts. Again. Pudding? Fudge? Oh, aarrgghh! I swear, you can gain weight just by reading these books! They are worth it, though.