Review of:  Shredding the Evidence (A Cookbook Nook Mystery)

Daryl Wood Gerber

Good, but not the best in the series

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2020

I read one of the earlier novels in this series - Stirring the Plot - and absolutely loved it! I admit to not having continued with the series before picking up the latest, Shredding the Evidence, as it looked so cute I couldn't resist! However, there were so many characters with so many similarities (lots of moms with babies, mother-daughter pairs, generations of families, townsfolk, etc.) and so many back-stories that I just couldn't keep up with who was who. The mystery takes place during the "Food Bowl" - a local event featuring the best chefs and finest cuisine. The descriptions of the food were absolutely delectable - be prepared to have your mouth water!! The mystery was very well-plotted with many potential suspects, and I loved seeing how the protagonist (Jenna) figured it all out. The author writes beautifully and her descriptions are amazing. However, it could have used more editing as there was just "too much" unnecessary verbiage in this particular novel. I also didn't like the constant references to women's weight and comparisons, which was a big theme here. This is a great series and I highly recommend the earlier novels most of all, but this one is still worth the read.