Book ~ "The Secret of Bones" (2020) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ Assembly Day at St. Catherine's dawns bright and cloudless as professional woman gather from all around Ohio to talk to the schoolgirls about their careers in medicine, at NASA, and as yoga instructors. Administrative assistant Jazz Ramsey is involved herself, giving the girls a taste of her lifelong passion: cadaver dog training. Her adorable new puppy Wally hasn't been certified yet so she borrows the fully-trained Gus from a friend and hides a few bones in the unused fourth floor of the school for him to find.

The girls are impressed when Gus easily finds the first bone but for the second Gus seems to have lost the scent and heads confidently to a part of the floor where Jazz is sure no bones are hidden - at least not any that she's put there. But Gus is a professional, and sure enough, behind a door that shouldn't have been opened in decades, is a human skeleton.

Jazz recognizes the skeleton as Bernadette Quinn, an ex-teacher at the school who'd never returned after one Christmas break, though letters and postcards from her had seemed to indicate there was no cause for worry. But now it seems Bernadette never left the school at all and her hiding place makes it clear: this was murder.

Bernadette's strident personality means there are a plethora of suspects inside the school and out of it, and as Jazz gets closer to the truth she can't help but wonder if someone might be dogging her footsteps.

Jazz works as the admin assistant at a small Catholic all-girls school in Cleveland.  On the side, she trains cadaver dogs.  She is showing some of the students how cadaver dogs find dead bodies and instead of finding the bone that Jazz has hidden, Gus, the cadaver dog, finds a skeleton in a room that supposedly hasn't been used in years.  It turns out that it's Bernadette, a teacher who had resigned three years ago just before Christmas.  Bernadette was an oddball who was teased and tormented by students, didn't socialize with the other teachers and was in the process of being let go from her teaching position when she "resigned".

This the second book (and latest) in the Jazz Ramsey Series by this author (I read the first one a couple months ago).  It works as a stand alone as there is enough information provided.  I liked the writing style and thought the story was interesting ... there's a surprise twist at the end.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Jazz.  Except in the beginning and Jazz walking her puppy, Wally, dogs don't have a big part in this book.

Book ~ "Revenge of the Chili Queens" (2015) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ Everyone in San Antonio remembers the Alamo but how many remember the Chili Queens? Back in the early twentieth century, these spicy señoras sold their lip-smacking chili in plazas all around the city. Now, as part of the Chili Showdown, Maxie and her half-sister, Sylvia, are dressing up as the Chili Queens to raise money for charity. 

But someone wasn’t feeling too charitable toward a local troubadour, who is murdered at the fundraiser. When their friend, Nick Falcone, head of security for the Showdown, actually becomes the prime suspect, it’s up to Maxie and Sylvia to turn the heat up on a killer, who’s planning a chili reception for them.

Jack, Maxie's father, sold spices in a travelling chili cook-off circuit and disappeared a couple months ago.  Maxie and her half-sister, Sylvia, who she doesn't get along with (Jack is their father), keep running the family business.  Now the the Chili Showdown has moved on to San Antonio and they are involved in some charity events.

There is a mysterious guitar player wondering around the first event ... he is found strangled with his own guitar strings.  And then we find that he wasn't who everyone thought he was.  Nick, head of security, had a violent past with the mystery man.  Maxie has been attracted to Nick over the series and suspects that he may be the killer.  There is a cast of colourful characters (beauty contestants, drag queens, rival "Chili Queens", etc.) and anyone of them had a reason to murder also.

Though this is the third and final in the Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series by this author, it works as a stand alone as there is enough background provided (I'd read the first two).  It is written in first person perspective in Maxie's voice.  I liked Maxie well enough, though I found that she jumped to conclusions as to "whodunnit" without a lot of evidence and doesn't seem to have any filters ... she speaks without thinking (she doesn't seem very mature).  Sylvia wasn't as bitter or nasty or unlikable as in the first two books.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. 

I thought the first two in the series were okay but thought this one was a letdown.  The attraction between Maxie and Nick finally starts to get going.  We finally find out what happened to Jack and it was really lame and unbelievable.

Book ~ "Death by Devil's Breath" (2014) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ In Las Vegas, the stakes are high - and so is the Scoville scale. Maxie Pierce and the Chili Showdown are in town for a very heated contest devoted to judging the legendary and notorious-for-being-self-combustible Devil’s Breath chili. The guest judges are casino performers with a taste for chili and an eye for publicity. 

Maxie is already going mad organizing the event, dealing with her snide half sister, Sylvia, and trying to figure out her hothead of security, Nick. But when a local hack comedian drops dead in the middle of the Showdown, it isn’t the spicy dish - it’s poison. And Maxie is going to have to shuffle through a full deck of suspects to pick out the culprit.

Maxie's father sold spices in a travelling chili cook-off circuit and disappeared eight weeks ago.  Maxie and her half-sister, Sylvia, who she doesn't get along with (they have the same father), keep running the family business.  Now the the Chili Showdown is in Las Vegas.

Minor Las Vegas entertainers (a blind singer, a comedian and a magician) along with a wedding officiant are judges in the Devil's Breath chili contest ... the entertainers want the publicity because whoever sells the most tickets to their upcoming shows will be in attendance a couple days later for a large group wedding.  When the comedian is murdered during the contest, it could have been anyone who did it since no one liked him.  Despite being told to stay out of it by Nick, the Showdown's head of security, she still keeps at it.

Though this is the second in the Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series by this author, it works as a stand alone as there is enough background provided (I'd read the first one).  It is written in first person perspective in Maxie's voice.  I liked Maxie well enough, though I found that she jumped to conclusions as to "whodunnit" without a lot of evidence and doesn't seem to have any filters ... she speaks without thinking (she doesn't seem very mature).  Sylvia was too bitter and nasty and not likable at all.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  I thought story and writing were okay and I liked it enough to read the next one in the series.

Book ~ "Chili Con Carnage" (2013) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ Romance is supposed to be the spice of life. But Maxie Pierce is so done with bad relationships - well, almost. She just has to get rid of the latest loser, Roberto. Besides, she has more important things to worry about. Her daddy, Texas Jack Pierce, king of the chili cook-off circuit, has been missing for nearly six weeks now. In his place, she must team up with her irritating half sister, Sylvia, to promote the family business at the Taos Chili Showdown, to be judged by celebrity chef Carter Donnelly.

But when Maxie discovers Roberto’s body in the chef’s trailer - only hours after publicly breaking up with him while wearing a giant red chili pepper costume - she suddenly finds she’s the one in the spotlight as the police pepper her with questions. Now this Chili Chick needs to kick up the search to catch the real killer and get back to finding her father.

Maxie recently broke up with her boyfriend in Chicago after he cleaned out her bank account and put her thousands of dollars in debt.  Her father, who sold spices in a travelling chili cook-off circuit, disappeared six weeks ago so she catches up with the Taos Chili Showdown in New Mexico to try to find out what happened to her father.  She has to work with her half-sister, Sylvia, who she doesn't get along with (they have the same father), to keep running the family business.

Celebrity chef Carter Donnelly is at the Showdown to promote it and himself.  It's a surprise when Roberto, one of the show's roadies, is found dead in Carter's RV.  Maxie had had one date with Roberto but wasn't interested in him and had had a fight with him that morning.  Plus it turns out Sylvia had a history with him and is arrested for his murder.  As much as she doesn't like Sylvia, Maxie doesn't think she killed Roberto and she sets out to find out who did.

This is the first in the Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series by this author.  It is written in first person perspective in Maxie's voice.  I liked Maxie well enough but thought Sylvia was too bitter and nasty.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  I thought story and writing were okay and I liked it enough to read the next one in the series.

Book ~ "Italian Iced" (2018) Kylie Logan

When Laurel Inwood features Italian cuisine on the Terminal at the Tracks menu, she knows she'll need to stock the shelves, the fridge, and the freezer with plenty of wonderful delicacies. She just never expected one of them to be her former employer, Hollywood superstar Meghan Cohan.

And one day, when Laurel is at the restaurant early to get ready for the regular rush of customers, that's exactly what she finds - Meghan dead in the Terminal freezer.

What's a Hollywood A-lister doing in Hubbard, Ohio?

For Laurel, that's the real question, because the first question she'd ask in any other murder investigation - who would want the victim dead? - seems pretty much a no-brainer in this case.

Who would want Meghan dead?

Just about anybody who had ever met her.

When Laurel was fired as the personal chef to megastar, Meghan Cohan, last year, she had nowhere else to go so headed to a small town in Ohio to help Sophie, her aunt, run her restaurant while she had knee surgery.  She had originally intended to find another job and get outta there ASAP but has realized she is happy with her quieter new life ... she has a house, a boyfriend and she enjoys working with Sophie.

So it's quite a shock to discover to discover her house and the kitchen at the restaurant ransacked and Meghan is dead in the restaurant's freezer.  Everyone who was in Meghan's life is in the area ... her ex-husband, her teenage son, her son's caregiver, her assistant, etc.  Meghan wasn't the nicest person so all could have murdered her.  With the help of her boyfriend, Declan and town police chief, Meghan sets out to find out who hated Meghan enough to kill her.

Though this is the third in the Ethnic Eats series (I've read all three) by this author, it works as a stand alone.  It is written in first person perspective in Laurel's voice.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  I thought story and writing were okay but the "whodunnit" and the "why" were a bit convoluted and I wasn't really buying it.

Book ~ "French Fried" (2017) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ The Statue of Liberty is 130 years old, and for the struggling residents of Hubbard, Ohio, any opportunity to bring in tourists is reason enough for a celebration. Laurel Inwood and her aunt, Sophie, are pitching in. Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks, a former greasy spoon turned charming ethnic eatery, will be offering French cuisine for the entire week. 

For expert help with their quiche and escargot, the ladies turn to Raquel “Rocky” Arnaud, a former French chef and friend of Sophie. What looks like a match made in heaven turns rank as quickly as buttermilk on a summer’s day. Rocky turns up dead and when her nightly red wine shows notes of oak, cinnamon, and poison, Laurel turns from soufflé to sleuth.

When Laurel was fired as the personal chef to a megastar, she had nowhere else to go so headed to a small town in Ohio to help Sophie, her aunt, run her restaurant while she had knee surgery.  Six months later, Laurel is still in Hubbard, waiting for her opportunity to leave.  Secretly she has applied for a job as the personal chef for a senator and she's hopeful and confident she'll get it and then she's outta there.

In the meantime, the restaurant has implemented ethnic themed cuisines and this week's is French.  Sophie's friend, Rocky, is originally from France and has been helping with the menu and music.  This week too is the celebration of the Statue of Liberty turning 130 years old and there are festivities and Rocky is especially excited.  Unfortunately, Laurel and Declan, Rocky's lawyer and the manager of the Irish store down the street, find Rocky dead the night after the parade of an apparent suicide.  Laurel, Declan and Sophie know that Rocky wouldn't have killed herself and they are determined to find out what really happened.

This the third book I read by this author and I thought it was okay.  It is written in first person perspective in Laurel's voice.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  It is the second in the Ethnic Eats series (it works as a stand alone) and I look forward to reading the next one.

Book ~ "Irish Stewed" (2016) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ After flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe - it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials. 

But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer - “the Lance of Justice” - an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store - who may or may not be a suspect - Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?

Laurel has recently been fired as the personal chef to a megastar.  With nowhere else to go, she heads to a small town in Ohio to help Sophie, her aunt, run her cozy bistro while she has knee surgery.  When Laurel arrives in Hubbard, she discovers that Sophie's cozy bistro is actually a run-down diner.  She's determined to leave the next day (she has no idea where she's going).  But then Laurel and Sophie find Jack Lancer, a local investigative reporter, murdered at one of the tables in the diner late that night.  Laurel decides to stay just until Sophie is out of rehab.

While she's managing the restaurant, Laurel decides to make some changes to attract business.  Some are not popular, while others are, like the Irish menu specials.  She meets Declan, the manager of the Irish store down the street.  He lets here know he is attracted to her and though she is attracted to him, she doesn't want to pursue it since she is only staying there temporarily.

This the second book I read by this author and I thought it was okay.  It is written in first person perspective in Laurel's voice.  It's a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  It is the first in the Ethnic Eats series and I liked it enough to read the others.

Book ~ "The Scent of Murder" (2019) Kylie Logan

From Goodreads ~ The way Jazz Ramsey figures it, life is pretty good. She’s thirty-five years old and owns her own home in one of Cleveland’s most diverse, artsy and interesting neighborhoods. She has a job she likes as an administrative assistant at an all-girls school, and a volunteer interest she’s passionate about - Jazz is a cadaver dog handler.

Jazz is working with Luther, a cadaver dog in training. Luther is still learning cadaver work so Jazz is putting him through his paces at an abandoned building that will soon be turned into pricey condos. When Luther signals a find, Jazz is stunned to see the body of a young woman who is dressed in black and wearing the kind of make-up and jewelry that Jazz used to see on the Goth kids back in high school.

She’s even more shocked when she realizes that beneath the tattoos and the piercings and all that pale make up is a familiar face.

The lead detective on the case is an old lover and the murdered woman is an old student. Jazz finds herself sucked into the case, obsessed with learning the truth. 

Jazz works as the admin assistant at a small Catholic all-girls school in Cleveland.  On the side, she trains cadaver dogs.  One night she is working with Luther, a friend's dog, in an abandoned building.  Rather than finding the tooth she had hidden on the third floor, Luther instead finds a dead woman ... Jazz knows the woman (Florie) as she was a student at the school a couple years ago.  Because of the family atmosphere at the school, Jazz is motivated to find out what was going on in the woman's life before she was killed.  As she digs deeper, Jazz discovers that Florie had changed a lot since she was a student.

This the first book I read by this author and I thought it was okay.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Jazz.  It is the first in the Jazz Ramsey series and I'll keep an eye out for the next one.  I'm assuming it will clear up some of the loose ends ... like was her fireman father's death in a fire really a workplace accident and was the death of the fireman really a suicide or are the two deaths connected?