A Deep Fried Mystery
Out of the Dying Pan is book 2 of Linda Reilly’s A Deep Fried Mystery Series. Talia Marby is back again to solve her second murder. She’s not a police detective for her hometown of Wrensdale, but the owner of Fry Me a Sliver, a fish and chips fast food restaurant in Wrensdale Arcade, a cozy shopping plaza nestled in the heart of the Berkshires. She just happens to stumble on dead bodies and her inquisitive mind seeks out answers that may end up getting her killed for her efforts.
In book 2, Talia takes over proprietorship of Lambert’s Fish and Chips. She changes the shop’s name and makes an effort to get involved in community affairs by offering her services at the annual Christmas fundraiser. There she meets Ria, a girl she knew in grade school who has continued a grudge against her. During their childhood Ria stole Talia’s best friend’s rabbit. Talia figured out who the culprit was and returned the animal to its rightful owner. Ria never forgave her.
At the fundraiser, Talia encounters her old nemesis who treats her as icy as New England weather. When Talia enquires about a scarf Ria is selling, her foe agrees to let her purchase it, but at a huge price. By day’s end, during cleanup, Talia sees the scarf she knitted for her grandmother years ago sticking out of a gym locker. When she investigates she uncovers Ria’s body, strangled by the neckwear.
Detective Patti Prescott of the Wrensdale Police suspects Talia of the murder due to the bad blood between the two women. However, since Talia solved the town’s last murder, people confide in the young sleuth, as she lives her life as the owner of the popular Fry Me a Sliver fast food joint.
Author Linda Reilly creates quirky characters in a beautiful small town setting as readers turn pages to uncover a mystery with many twists and turns. Out of the Dying Pan deserves the same five pops as book one, for A Deep Fried Mystery Series pushes readers to want more. This reviewer is looking forward to reading book 3 of the series, A Frying Shame.
About the Author
Linda Reilly graduated from college with a degree in Criminal Justice with plans of a career in law enforcement. However, life never goes as planned, and young Linda found her niche in real estate closings and title examinations, where the dusty tomes in the Registry of Deeds enticed her into solving mysteries of a different sort. Eventually, she turned to writing. A dyed-in-the-wool New Englander, Linda lives in New Hampshire with her husband. When she’s not pounding away at her keyboard, she can usually be found prowling the shelves of a local bookstore or library.
“Out of the Dying Pan” is a pretty creative name for this story