Finger Lickin' Dead (A Memphis BBQ Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Riley Adams (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 7, 2011 | Series: A Memphis BBQ Mystery (Book 2)

When an anonymous food critic blasts several local restaurants- including Aunt Pat's-Lulu Taylor and her customers are biting mad, especially when they learn that Eppie Currian is the pen name of their friend Evelyn's cheating boyfriend. When "Eppie" gets his own fatal review, the list of suspects is longer than the list of specials at the best BBQ place in Memphis.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; First Edition edition (June 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425241912
• ISBN-13: 978-0425241912
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #308,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. She blogs at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer's Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Her most recent releases are Quilt or Innocence (June 2012) and A Body in the Backyard (October 2012.) Her next book, Knot What it Seams, releases February 5, 2013.

Elizabeth is active in the online writing community. She shares writing-related links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig and posts on craft and the publishing industry on her blog, Mystery Writing is Murder. She and Mike Fleming of Hiveword also manage the Writer's Knowledge Base-a free search engine to help writers find resources.

As the mother of two in North Carolina, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles volunteering, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.


Elizabeth Spann Craig (Riley Adams)
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com
http://mysteryloverskitchen.com
Twitter: @elizabethscraig

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A frolicking, fun murder! June 7, 2011

By Hart Johnson

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Lulu, sixty-something owner of Aunt Pat's Restaurant on Beale Street in Memphis is surrounded by family and a quirky, fun set of regulars.

Evelyn, one of the Graces (code for docents of Graceland), has a new beau, or rather an old beau... she is seeing an ex-husband who seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way. When it is learned that Adam is not only smarmy, greedy, and philandering, but the anonymous pen behind some scathing restaurant critiques, there are some people out for blood... literally...

But who literally literally got blood and who just figuratively got blood? There is a long list of suspects... people who lost jobs, people who lost business, people who were being blackmailed, people cheated upon... oh, no... there is no shortage of who might have wanted Adam dead... But who killed him? Lulu takes on the case to help her friend Evelyn, who looks a little guilty at first... but it seems nearly everyone on the list is someone she knows...

This was a really fun read--twisty and funny and I felt like I was there. I strongly recommend it to Cozy lovers.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A PERFECTLY SAUCED MYSTERY June 7, 2011

By Lori Caswell TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

An anonymous food critic is blasting the local Memphis restaurants with horrible reviews, some restaurants have even gone out of business because of the scathing remarks. Aunt Pat's BBQ has not even avoided the wrath of this critic who hides behind the name Eppie Curian (one with fine taste).

When the true identity of the critic is revealed to be Evelyn's cheating boyfriend, and daily visitor to Aunt Pat's, the restaurant owners and patrons are hotter than any BBQ grill. They want revenge and someone delivers him his own fatal review. The list of suspects is vast, including an fuming restaurant owner, two ex-wives and even someone from Aunt Pat's BBQ Restaurant.

Lulu finds herself on a mission to make sure the fire is put under the right culprit and contain her loved ones grilling to the kitchen.

I LOVED IT!!!!!

Aunt Pat's is a family run restaurant located in heart of Memphis on Beale Street. It is known for it's fine Southern cooking and each visit there is a delight. I love not only the food, (Recipes are in the back of the book.) But the characters and the mystery too.

I really enjoyed Derrick coming out of his shell a bit and the way the whole group cared so much to snoop in on his date.

There are parts of this book when I found myself laughing out loud. The characters are true friends to help each other, spunky enough to keep everyone on their toes and their compassion resonates clearly to all.

This book has the perfect amount of seasoning and sauce to tempt everyone's taste buds. A mystery to be savored with a glass of sweet tea and a little peach cobbler.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime, A Division of Penguin Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spicy & Hot Murder Mystery June 7, 2011

By Mason Canyon

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Aunt Pat's Barbecue Restaurant in the heart of Memphis (Tenn.) feels a bit of a hit when an anonymous food critic gives it a bad review. Famous for its ribs and spicy cornbread, Aunt Pat's takes the bad press much better than another restaurant that closes its doors after a bad review.

Lulu Taylor, owner of Aunt Pat's, is more worried about one of her close friends and loyal customers, Evelyn. It seems Evelyn is blinded by the love of her former husband who has cheating ways and always looking for money.

When it's learned that Evelyn's ex (Adam) is the anonymous food critic, things heat up hotter than the Fourth of July. Before long Adam is found dead and the list of suspects begins to grow. Was it his ex-soon-to-be again wife, was it his soon-to-be ex-wife, one of the restaurant owners he blasted in a review, or just a loyal restaurant customer upset over his take on the delicious food?

When a second person turns up dead, the situation gets as sticky as the sauce on Aunt Pat's lip-smackin BBQ ribs. As Lulu tries to sort through the list of suspects, she gets a little too close to the killer. Meanwhile, the gang pulls together to help out one of their own with a most unusual wedding at Graceland.

Author Riley Adams has created a group of characters that will have you laughing, crying and shaking your head. If you live in the South, her take on Southern charm will remind you why you love it so. This is a story about family, friendship, loyalty, and Southern charm, not to mention murder, mystery, mayhem and intrigue.

FINGER LICKIN' DEAD is the second installment in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series, but is a stand alone book. An added bonus is several of the delicious recipes are included in the back of the book.

Once you pick up FINGER LICKIN' DEAD, you won't be able to put it down until you find out whodunit and how the wedding turned out.