Murder Served Neat by Michelle Hillen Klump (Tuesday Intros & Teaser Tuesday)

 

Title: Murder Served Neat

Author: Michelle Hillen Klump

Publication: 21 February 2023

Format: Kindle eARC from NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books

Amazon Description

Reporter-turned-mixologist Samantha Warren has already thwarted one murder. Now, her world is shaken—definitely not stirred—once again as another killing throws her world into chaos.

Samantha is mixing up traditional cocktails at the German Texan Lodge’s Fourth of July festival—a gig she was roped into by her mother. But amidst the bratwurst and brass bands, trouble is brewing. Lodge loyalties are divided over a proposal to build a private, country-club-style tennis center on the lodge grounds. Her mom’s best friend Patty Davis is vehemently opposed to the plan. Society matron Angela Clawson is all for it. At the festival, they’re seen in a heated argument—and hours later, Angela is found dead, killed by one of the ceremonial shovels intended for the groundbreaking.

Samantha’s mother begs her to help clear her best friend’s name, but can she handle another murder case or will the whole investigation go bottoms up?

Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff

One of my first reads of the year was Michelle Hillen Klump's A Dash of Death. I wasn't overly impressed by it, but I stuck with it because this was already on my NetGalley shelf. I almost didn't and just hit the "will not be leaving feedback" button since I have had very bad luck with the "second book curse" lately.

 

Murder Served Neat has broken the curse!

 

I cared more about the characters -- possibly because we had already "met" before. Even the victim was a "what the heck! who? how?" right off the bat. I still don't care who killed the guy in the first one 😆 As a whole, the story just flowed much more smoothly. Sure, it was a little bit all over the place at times, but here it made sense and even added to the story rather than distracting from. Now, we just need to address the not-so-little matter of a certain little triangle that hopefully won't drag on and on for books to come.

 

And, yes, I'll definitely be reading the books to come.

 

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"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. 

"Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.