Monday, March 1, 2010

'The Proof Is in the Pudding', Melinda Wells, 2010, Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Group

Della Carmichael is the star of a new cable cooking show, 'In The Kitchen with Della' and also runs a cooking school. Phil Logan is the head of publicity for the Better Living Channel and has come up with 'another great idea' for Della. On Wednesday night, there will be a Celebrity Cook-Off Charity Gala with 20 celebrities and 3 judges and Della will be a judge because one had to withdraw. Phil also informs Della that her partner in her mail-order fudge business, Eileen O'Hara, has been having an affair with one of the judges, Keith Ingram. Now it seems that Ingram has moved on to Tina Long, daughter of the owner of the hotel where the cook-off will take place. He warns Della that Keith has quite a reputation with young and inexperienced women and Phil is concerned about Eileen. Never having had children of her own, Eileen is like a daughter to Della and Phil considers Della family.

On the night of the cook-off, before any judges can taste the celebs' favorite recipes, a murder occurs and Della's friend and father of Eileen, John O'Hara, a policeman, is the primary suspect.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Melinda Wells mystery with its plot full of twists and turns with appealing and believable characters, even the pets, Emma and Tuffy.

Wells spins a firm story that leaves you wanting to read more of her very well written mysteries.

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