The Calamity Café (Down South Café Mystery #1) by Gayle Leeson

First in a new series! You know I can't resit reading a new series and do so love my foodie cozies! Coming June 7th is The Calamity Café (Down South Café Mystery #1) by Gayle Leeson and I just know you are going find is as delicious as I did.

From the back of the book:

First in a new cozy mystery series featuring Southern cooking that is to die for.

Aspiring chef and small-town Virginia native Amy Flowers is ready to open her own café offering old-fashioned Southern food. But her dream may go up in smoke when someone kills the competition...

Tired of waiting tables at Lou’s Joint, Amy Flowers doesn’t just quit—she offers to buy the place from her bully of a boss, so she can finally open the café of her dreams. Amy can't wait to serve the kind of Southern, down-home treats and dishes that her grandmother always loved to the kooky cast of regulars at the restaurant. She knows her comfort food will be the talk of the sweet, small town of Winter Garden, Virginia.

At first Lou Lou refuses to sell, but when she seems ready to make a deal, she tells Amy to come see her.  Showing up at the eatery ready to negotiate, Amy is shocked to find her former employer murdered. As the prime suspect, Amy will have to clear her name by serving up the real killer—and with Lou Lou’s stack of enemies, that’s a tall order.

My thoughts:

From the first line I knew this was going to be something special. This was my idea of a beautiful cozy. It has everything, and I mean everything, I look forward to reading in this genre without being cliche. Characters are my main draw in a story and these characters were so well done. I really got to feel attached to them and the setting! 

The mystery was well done, especially for a part one, as we know with introductions the mystery can get left behind, not here. This was actually a fast paced, well plotted, page turning mystery. There was even time for the romance I have come to love as an underlying theme.

Bonus, delicious recipes can be found in the back! Grab this as soon as you can, this is a series you will want to live in.

Take some time to browse the other great mysteries available from Berkley Prime Crime. While you are there, you can sign up for the newsletter so you never miss a new release. I must warn you though, after browsing my wish list is longer than I could probably read. You can also connect with them on Twitter where you can happen across a fun giveaway as well. 

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.