Review – A Taste of Murder

Jasmine (Jazzy) Delaney arrives in Waynesboro, Kentucky expecting to play music at the wedding for which she and her trio were hired. Instead, she finds everything she’s not expecting. Her surprises start when she checks into a hotel with the other members of her trio, and she finds a dead body in the bathtub covered with barbeque sauce. Obviously a murder connected with the local Barbeque Festival already in full swing. Not only is the victim covered in sauce, but he was a judge for the Little Miss Princess Pageant, as well.

Jazzy receives another surprise when the victim’s slot as a judge for the pageant is given to her. Suddenly, she’s surrounded by children and their competitive parents who want the crown so badly they’ll do anything to win. Maybe even kill the judge. And the biggest surprise of all, at least the fun one, is Derrick, the bride’s brother, and the feelings Jazzy develops for him.

A Taste of Murder is a fast moving romantic suspense read. Smith keeps the mystery going, giving just enough clues to make it interesting but not enough to make it easy to solve the murder. The romance between Jazzy and Derrick is natural and makes the reader want to keep turning the pages.

I only had one problem with A Taste of Murder. I came away from the book craving a big ole plate of southern barbeque. Ahh, the price you pay for reviewing books.