Customer Reviews

Turn Up the Heat (A Gourmet Girl Mystery)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the third of a series of very fun books. They are perfect for summer beach reads, for winter ski chalet reads, for anytime you want to read something that will a) keep your attention; b) be fun; c) is well-written and d) surprises you with the ending. These are not the sort of mysteries where you will easily guess "whodunit."

Another reviewer commented on the convoluted and dissatisfying ending to this installment in the heretofore enjoyable
Gourmet Girl Series and I completely agree.


As a cohesive mystery Turn Up The Heat fails from beginning to end.

Before Chloe discovers Leandra's body in her buddy's fish truck, she visits Simmers (her boy friend's restaurant) and finds the bar had not been properly cleaned the previous night and unused cocaine in lines in the women's restroom. Don't you think she might have mentioned the drugs and the disarray to the police? Or at lease to her boy friend Chef Josh who as head chef should know about it? These two items just disappear and are never addressed and there is also a red herring at the Memorial service when someone accidentally reads Chloe's study notes on Disfunctional Pathology that she is using to study for her finals in Social Work.

AS a long time cozy reader I assumed that one of the suspects thinks she is thinking of them as a suspect due to her diagnosis notes. But, no the reason that the killer struck is just dumb and the ending in general left a whole lot to be desired.

The other thing that bothered me about this book, was the attitude that "everybody steals" therefore it is OK. If this book is aimed at teenagers it is sure sending the wrong message. I worked for many years as a sales representative and can tell you that stealing happens--a lot, and often makes the difference between profitability and going under.
All 3 of my grown kids work in the restaurant business and acknowledge that much of the book is accurate, but that people who are caught stealing are fired and no one who wants to keep his job as head chef as Josh did would steal foodstuffs or turn a blind eye to employee theft--at least till they stole something that belonged to him instead of the restaurant--and keep his job.

Even worse was her best friend's filling her closet shelves with sheets, towels and other items she has stolen and worst of all is that when Chloe mentions this is wrong--it is her who is put down. Just an offensive message all the way around.

For the record, it is NOT OK TO STEAL!!!!

I was so disappointed with this book as the series has heretofore been lots of fun. I think I will take a long break before I dig the next book out of my massive tbrpile.

I have to be honest, I haven't done reading this book yet but I am almost done. What I can say is that this book really helped me falling asleep, 5 pages before bed and you sleep all night like a baby.

I have really enjoyed this series, however, this book was a let down. The ending was absolutely ludicrous. *Spoiler* Things just did not add up...it was almost like the authors said 'hey, lets have so and so be the killer even though this individual was barely a part of the story'...and the reasoning behind it was just goofy beyond belief!!! I shall read the others because I like this series, hopefully, they will be better.

Since I've read and enjoyed Susan Conant's books about dogs, I thought I'd give her daughter's books a try. The first 2 were ok, but this one is not. The ending was very weak, almost as if they came to the end and forgot they needed a murderer. It felt as if they just picked one out of the list of characters and invented a motive.

Worse, however, was the casual acceptance of theft. It turns out Chloe's boyfriend and all his friends are stealing everything they can get their hands on from the restaurant: food, liquor, equipment, etc. They alibi this by the "everybody's doing it" excuse. One of the staff returns the things she stole only because they were the personal property of the chef not the owner. Apparently, it would be ok if it belonged to the owner. In addition, Chloe's best friend has a closet full of high quality sheets and towels she's been stealing from hotels whenever she vacations. She makes Chloe feel like a fool because she isn't stealing all the time, too. Chloe shrugs it off with the usual "I guess everybody is doing it" excuse. All in all, a thoroughly unlikable group of characters. Since one of the authors has a husband who is a chef, she better hope his boss never reads this book. Otherwise, he may take a closer look at what's going on in the kitchen. It's a wonder any restaurant stays in business if "everybody really is doing it". The only way I'll read another of these books would be if it starts with Chloe getting a whole new group of friends, because all her old ones are in jail for theft.

I liked the characters and storyline of this book. When a waitress is found dead in the back of a delivery truck it seems everyone who works at the restaurant are suspects. We see some of what happens with the cooks and wait staff getting everything ready for the day. Also there are some great recipes at the end of the book. What I didn't care for is the fact that everyone thinks its ok to steal from the restaurant.

This review was written for Connie's Book Reviews and More on Facebook.

I usually love Susan Conant (especially her dog series)but her collaborations with her daughter are a little juvenile. This one is pretty bad in terms of the writing. The characters are good, generally, and the story is ok. I've read much worse. If you're not expecting much and want a fluffy read, go for it.

Turn Up the Heat is the 3rd adventure in the savory Gourmet Girl culinary mystery series by noted mother-daughter scribes, Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant.

Turn Up the Heat shines a light on the restaurant industry & what goes on behind the scenes in our neighborhood kitchens by showcasing the lush, elegant, Simmer.

Jessica & Susan do a steller job sketching restaurant life & this is the best installment yet.

Turn Up the Heat is on fire w/ juicy tidbits on what makes or breaks a restaurant. Yummy goodness.

The whimsical cast enriches the series & are in no way padding for Chloe.

Appaulse to the talented duo for illustrating just how essential the characters are to making the Gourmet Girl series meld.

Chloe is an engaging, fiery, irresistible & fun character. She is definitely one of my favorites.

Now as much as I adore Chloe, I also love reading about the other quirky players.

Adrianna is a sheer delight. I'd love to spend the day just hanging out w/ her. I love the warm bond Chloe & Adrianna share ~ Lucy & Ethel comes to mind, as does Grace & Karen. I look forward to an even bigger role as the series progresses because she is just too much fun.

Owen. Owen. Yes, he is definitely one capricious spirit. I must say, he keeps me on my toes.

Psst! Love the name "Daily Catch", guys.

I enjoy the vibrant atmosphere the Gourmet Girl series has going on. I always feel like I'm on vacation visiting friends in trendy Beantown.

Turn Up the Heat is expertly plotted & brimming w/ red herrings. Love it! I just love a good 'ole fashioned whodunit where everyone is a suspect & you haven't got a clue. Kudos, ladies for this absorbing tale.

Turn Up the Heat is wickedly ambrosial, you will not be disappointed.

Chloe Carter is studying for grad school finals in pursuit of her Masters degree in Social Work, and her boyfriend, Josh, is the executive chef at Simmer and working long days helping to make a go of the new restaurant.

One morning she gives Owen a ride to the restaurant to pick up his truck. They go inside to visit Josh. Chloe makes the startling discovery of Leandra, a waitress at Simmer, dead in the refrigeration of Owen's fish truck. It is discovered she was strangled by the strings of a Simmer apron. Owen is engaged to Adrianna, Chloe's pregnant best friend. She knows there is no way Owen killed her, but the police think differently, especially as they find he has lied about finances, his job, and his whereabouts. As Chloe also discovers these facts, she begins to question her loyalty to Owen. And is very concerned about Adrianna if she finds out.

Chloe interviews everyone at the restaurant and can't believe any of them are a killer. But as she gets closer to the truth, she puts herself in mortal danger. Can help find her in time?

I love this series. Chloe is such a fun character. I like the restaurant setting and feel I get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of restaurant life. Josh is great. Knowing the author's husband is a chef, I really feel she has an insider's knowledge of life as a chef. She has done a great job of letting those of us who never get into those kitchens find out what really goes on back there, within reason.

Adrianna and Owen are great supporting characters in this series. I feel I get to know them a little better with each succeeding book. I love the Boston setting as well.

As always, the plot was well constructed and I was unsure until the end who the real killer was. I highly recommend this book and series.

Chloe Carter is preparing for her grad school exams and writing papers for her classes as she pursues a Masters degree in Social Work. She chose this subject in order to earn her inheritance from her late uncle who added caveats to his will. Chloe believes to her shock that she will be a good social worker because she likes helping people. She only wishes that her boyfriend Josh, the executive chef at his Bostonian restaurant Simmer was not working 12-14 hour shifts as she would like to spend more time with him.

One day Chloe visits Josh at Simmers only to find the corpse of waitress Leandra in the back of Owen's fish truck. Apparently she was strangled by the strings of her apron. Owen is engaged to Chloe's pregnant best friend Adrianna; she also knows him well enough to believe he is not a killer. However, the police label Owen as a person of interest because he lied about his accounts, the restaurants where he had them, and that he bought the camping truck when he told everyone it belonged to the company. Chloe theorizes who the killer is and almost becomes the next person on ice.

This is an excellent creative mystery due in part to the eccentric support cast that enhances the story line with an insider's look at the kitchen of an upscale restaurant. The protagonist is a bright energetic person who treats her lover the way she wants him to treat her. Josh shows his feelings to Chloe every chance he gets, which endears him to the audience. At times poignant, while at other times humorous, TURN UP THE HEAT is a terrific whodunit repast.

Harriet Klausner