Customer Reviews

Steamed (Center Point Premier Mystery (Large Print))

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

 

 

Twenty-five-year-old Boston food connoisseur, Chloe Carter, would love to spend all of her time dining out at the top gourmet hot spots, and watching daytime TV. But, alas, due to a wacky clause in her Uncle Alan's Will, Chloe is forced to complete a Master's Degree program in the field of her choice, before she can even think about touching her inheritance. Which is how she finds herself in the throes of life as a Freshman in Social Worker school, and participating in an internship program at the Boston Organization Against Sexual and Other Harassment in the Workplace, where she is the only other employee aside from Naomi Campbell (whom she has appropriately nicknamed Braids). As if attending classes three days a week weren't problem enough, the amount of coursework she's stuck with on the weekends is seriously hindering her already unsuccessful love life. After various failed relationships, however, Chloe believes that it's time to throw in the towel. That is, until her older sister convinces her to sign up with an online dating site where Chloe (aka GourmetGirl) meets and accepts a date with someone titled DinnerDude (aka Eric Rafferty), who sounds too good to be true. Sadly, when she meets up with the fellow food lover, she learns that he's just that - too good to be true - and can't wait to escape the portly bore who is not only pompous, but a cheapskate to boot. But escaping this deadly date isn't as easy as she originally thought, when Eric turns up dead in the men's bathroom - stabbed to death. Luckily, while attending the bore's funeral - where his parents seem to have an extremely wrong impression about her - Chloe meets up with a sensitive, sexy chef named Josh Driscoll, who knows the exact way to win her heart - through her stomach. But when she learns that Josh is the prime suspect in Eric's death, her thoughts turn sour. Chloe can't believe that someone as talented as Josh could possibly stab someone to death - even though the murder weapon was one of his knives - and is determined to clear her lover-boy's name before he's locked away in a jail cell - along with his fabulously delicious recipe for Baby Bok Choy Slaw. So, enlisting the help of some of her social work classmates, as well as her drop-dead gorgeous best friend, Adrianna, Chloe turns in her chef's hat for a trench coat, and steps into the shoes of Sherlock Holmes, investigating everyone around her. But, as she gets closer to the killer, Chloe begins to realize that the restaurant industry is more cutthroat than she originally believed, and if she's not careful, the next main course on the killer's menu will be her.

As an avid viewer of the Food Network, and a wannabe detective myself, I couldn't help digging in to Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant's STEAMED the moment I saw it sitting on the shelf at Barnes & Noble. Chloe Carter is a girl whom many will find themselves relating to. A mix between Rachael Ray and "Sex and the City's" Carrie Bradshaw, Chloe's love of food, and relationship problems make her an appetizing character, who is impossible to resist. From page one her discussions regarding guys and food draw you in, and, even at almost 300 pages long, I found myself devouring this first installment in just a few hours. Chloe's slacker ways when it comes to school, and ambition to clear the could-be guy of her dreams of murder is humorous; while her pursuit of the perfect meal leaves even the reader feeling famished. It's obvious that STEAMED falls more into the category of criminal chick lit than mystery. However, for those looking for a light amateur sleuth novel, this is the perfect piece of fiction to wet your appetite. The supporting characters are irresistible - from the make-up artist/model look-alike, Adrianna; to the hot yet unattainable guy downstairs, Noah; and even reaching the depths of Chloe's bizarre classmates, and even more wacky family - and truly add depth to the novel. Chloe is a one-in-a-million character, whose adventures in the culinary, and detective world are spicy, and make for a killer combination. As light and fluffy as a tasty meringue!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

A page-turner from the start, "Steamed" was one of my most enjoyable summer reads. Chloe Carter is such a real protagonist, and the characters she encounters (some with more character than others!) are well-defined and interesting. I loved the twists and turns of the plot and I enjoyed the interpersonal connections between and among the characters. I can't wait to try the recipes in the back of the book...I drooled just reading them! How soon can I purchase Book 2 in this series?

I was a fan of the mother's dog mysteries back in the day, so when I saw she had teamed with her daughter for a culinary-tinged mystery, I was game. The thought of a mother and daughter writing the sexy scenes together made me a bit uncomfortable, but that's probably just me...if they can write it together, more power to them.

The tasty morsels in this book:
the plot: kept my interest and wasn't overly tedious or convoluted
the hunky boyfriend: loved him
the food: always a welcome element

The not-so-scrumptious:
The portrayal of touchy-feely do-gooders was cliched and needlessly mean, I thought. I figure this was just the authors' way of trying to show us the heroine's snarky, independent streak, but it felt cold and unnecessary to me. "Braids," for instance, wasn't funny, and wasn't necessary to the plot at all.

Also, sharing your most personal info and the details of a murder in group therapy class? That felt totally unrealistic. Why not have the character hash out all of those "who could have done it" conversations with her sister or another known-to-her character?

Overall, I'm giving it 4.5 stars. If you like plucky young libidinized characters and food, give it a try!

Unlike the other reviewers, I don't think this is a great book. It was OK, but the only reason I read it to the end is because I kept expecting better, and it was a lazy Sunday afternoon. I love Susan Conant's books, and will buy any new ones without even reading the jacket. But I won't buy any of the mother-daughter team books without reading the precis and sampling portions. Another reviewer spoke of the main character, Chloe, as having force of character. I don't think so - I think she is impulsive, manipulative, and self-centered. She picks what she thinks is the easiest graduate course (and it's only two years) so that she can get her inheritance, and enters the program intending to do the minimum necessary to get by and cash in. Her coments about the social work program are, indeed, very negative, and her reaction to her internship placement is one of no commitment, no participation, and little caring for the goals of the program (yes, it wasn't a well thought out program and not one I'd want to spend time with, but still... ) She sacks up with a guy who says he doesn't want commitments, doesn't really believe him, and has a fit when he (her downstairs neighbor) sacks up with someone else. She tries to prove that Josh, the primary police suspect in the murder, is not guilty not because she really doesn't believe he could be guilty, but because she doesn't want him to be guilty because he is a hottie and she wants to get into bed with him. She doesn't have the strength of character to tell the parents of the murder victim that she wasn't in a relationship with him, only a blind date, until after a third encounter where the dad makes moves on her.

This may all be a reflection of the Conant daughter shaping the character, but I find I don't particularly like the character, and certainly would not want to spend an evening with her - unlike Susan Conant's detectives in her dog and cat mysteries.

Maybe it's a generation gap - I am well over 60 - but this was definitely not my cuppa. I'm glad I got the book from the library rather than spending money on it. Apologies to Susan Conant, but that's how I reacted to this book.

I love cozies and I love food, so I thought I might be able to add the Gourmet Girl series to my "follow" list. Honestly, I found that I disliked so much about this book that nothing could salvage it for me. I just couldn't get into it, though I did finish the book. There were a handful of scenes or quips that I found funny, but, overall, I just found it sad and I found Chloe unlikeable.

Chloe was shallow, vain, selfish, and thoughtless. I didn't mind that a good portion of the book focuses on who Chloe was sleeping with and who she wanted to sleep with - welcome to Generation Y. What I didn't like was that she was in graduate school, in the social work field, and rather than wanting to be a catalyst for the betterment of society or wanting to help people in general, Chloe was only doing it because she had to go to graduate school to inherit a large sum of money from her dead uncle. Her internship at a place that she can't remember the name of is dedicated to helping women being harassed in the workplace, but it's all a joke to her. That's just so sad to me, even in a fictional story. I think a lot of this stuff was meant to be funny, but I just didn't feel it.

She spends all this time deceiving the grieving parents of her murdered date so she might find some clues to help get exonerate her want-to-be-beau who wasn't even a serious murder suspect given the lack of police presence in the book. Other than three or four scenes, the detective in charge is just a voice on the phone that Chloe disregards.

The mystery wasn't bad, but most of the suspects and clues are found while she's lying to the dead date's parents, buying deep discount paint when she spent $100 on cosmetics to try to hook up with the Chef Beau, or scarffing down free food with her rude date, at the dead date's post-memorial service gathering, or at the Beau's restaurant.

The authors' writing capabilities are obviously top of the line and they are quite knowledgeable about both the food and the psychology aspects of the story. But, in the end, I just couldn't get behind this story. I don't expect I'll purchase any of the other books.

Chloe Carter is a food connoisseur. She's now a grad student due to a wacky clause in her uncle's will. Before she can touch her inheritance, she has to get a master's degree of her choice.

When she gets burned by her neighbor and boyfriend, she signs up with an online dating service. She's known as GourmetGirl on the Internet. Reluctantly she accepts a date with DinnerDude. The food is good, but Eric's a bore. When he doesn't come back to the table, Chloe finds him stabbed to death in the men's room.

When she attends Eric's funeral, his parents show up with the opinion that she was his fiancée. Not wanting to upset them at the funeral, she plays along. What she doesn't know is this isn't the only interaction she'll have with them!

Her next date is with a yummy chef, but unfortunately Josh's the prime suspect. She doesn't think he did it, so she sets out to find the real killer. She has ulterior motives, because she wants Josh out of jail so she can continue to date him.

Can she find the killer without becoming the next course?

I really enjoyed this book. Chloe was such a fun character. The authors did such a great job that I often forgot two different people wrote this. Her interaction with her dates and sister were great. Plus her classes and her internship really added to the story. Don't read this when you're hungry. The food descriptions are yummy!

Her many forays into the dating and restaurant scenes were entertaining. I found myself chuckling and laughing out loud when reading this book. This is a great light chick lit mystery. I highly recommend it.

I can't help but agree with the two previous reviewers, this mother-daughter team has written a wonderfully fun, interesting and original book which had me laughing out loud one minute and salivating for a gourmet meal the next! Chloe Carter is a complex and quirky character who struggles to bridge the gap between her poor taste in men with her love of superior food before she falls for the hottie chef Josh Driscoll. With a group of equally strange and loveable friends and neighbors, the authors of this gourmet mystery have created the beginning of a great new series. I can't wait for the next book...or the movies that follow!

To receive her inheritance, Chloe Cantor must receive a graduate degree and chooses sociology as her major. Her passions are excellent food and Mr. Right and even though she knows her downstairs neighbor Noah doesn't want a steady relationship. She is hurt when she sees a beautiful blonde leaving his apartment early one morning. She registers with an internet dating service as Gourmet Girl and meets DinnerDude.

He tells her he is thinking of investing in a new restaurant in town, Essence and invites her to be his date that evening. She agrees to meet him there as they exchange real names. His is Eric and he throws his weight around at the place as he knows all the staff but when he disappears after getting a phone call, Chloe find him dead in the men's room. At the funeral reception she meets Josh the head chef of The Magellan restaurant. It is lust at first sight but before they exchange addresses and phone numbers he tells her he is a suspect in Eric's death because the knife was his and he has no real alibi. As Chloe spends more time with Josh, she is convinced he is no murderer and may be her "Mr. Right" so she sets out to clear his name ignoring the warnings of the detective and Josh's desire to keep her safe.

Famous writer of mysteries involving cats and dogs Susan Conant teams up with her daughter to write a refreshingly charming chick-lit mystery. The heroine has a strength of character that allows her to do what she thinks is right and the support cast, made of her friends, care deeply for her, just as readers will because she leaves herself open to get hurt. There's no doubt about it this is the start of a great new series.

Harriet Klausner

Chloe Carter is not exactly having the best week of her life. For starters, she's about to attend graduate school, studying social work. Not because she wants to but because that's the only way she can get her inheritance from her uncle. He didn't specify social work; it just seemed like a good idea at the time. Now that school is about to begin, Chloe's not so sure. Secondly, her downstairs neighbor/sometimes boyfriend is outside kissing some tiny blonde chick. Sure, he said he wasn't looking for a relationship, but that doesn't give him the right to parade around with the blonde. Well, maybe it does, but that's not the point! And she can't even use her backup date to make him jealous, since he has a girlfriend now! Not to mention the disaster her apartment has become since her last half-accomplished attempt to redecorate.

Chloe is desperate for something good in her life. It's time for drastic measures. It's time to try the Internet dating service her sister keeps pushing. It worked for her, she's married and has kids and is happy, so maybe it'll work for Chloe. That's the decision she comes to at 3am. A decision she regrets the minute she wakes up. What was she thinking? Normal people don't date through the Internet! Her membership must be cancelled and her profile deleted immediately! Though she could check the messages first, since the people did take the time to write them and all. Wonder of all wonders, there is a normal-seeming guy who seems to like food as much as she does. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. Chloe and "DinnerDude" agree to meet at a new high-end restaurant that he's thinking about investing in. If this works out, just think about all of the great free dinners!

First instincts are usually right -- this was a bad idea. Chloe's week is rapidly spiraling from bad to worse. Her blind date is rude, overbearing, and completely self-absorbed. And the food -- well, it started off great, and now it's starting to mirror her week. After waiting for what seems like forever for her blind date to return from the phone call he answered during dinner, Chloe decides to hunt him down. She finds him in the bathroom. On the floor. Dead. Talk about the worst blind date ever!

From the date, to grieving parents who seem to think that Chloe was about to be their daughter-in-law, to the cute chef at the dinner after the funeral (who happens to be the main suspect), Chloe's life has certainly altered drastically. She's just not sure which direction it's headed in!

Chloe is neurotically, obsessively hilarious! And the situations she gets herself stuck in are absurd, but possible. They really could happen -- you just hope they would never happen to you. The characters are all well-drawn. They're all a little bit odd, which makes them that much more lovable and easy to relate to. The story takes awhile to get moving, but when it finally does, it's a whirlwind. Plus, it has recipes! Good story, fun characters, lots of food, AND recipes? Count me in! My only real question is why no one seems to notice that Chloe has missed her calling. She should be a detective, not a social worker.

*Disclaimer for those concerned that this is a book for adults: The main character is in her 20's. Sex is discussed and alluded to, but never described. The murder doesn't come off as gruesome or graphic. There is a limited amount of swearing.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

This book is tasty in more ways than one--the recipes are fantastic, and I can't wait for the next installment of Chloe's adventures! It's equal parts chick-lit, "cozy," and a behind-the-scenes view of the restaurant business--with a dash of "cookbook" thrown in for good measure. A great debut!