Turn up the Heat (Gourmet Girl Series #3) by Susan Conant, Jessica Conant-Park

Turn Up the Heat is on FIRE!!!by TheBookResort

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October 12, 2009: 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.

I Also Recommend: Steamed (Gourmet Girl Series #1), Simmer Down (Gourmet Girl Series #2), Fed Up (Gourmet Girl Series #4), Plum Pudding Murder (Hannah Swensen Series #12), Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Series #1).

Food and Murderby Dawn--MysLovCorner

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May 14, 2009: 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.