The Fragrance of Death Earns 5/5 Artichoke Aioli…Deliciously Engaging Gem!

Sally Solari lives in the low-key beach community of Santa Cruz, California, surrounded by the rich farmland, but, she’s lost her sense of smell which is professionally tragic, especially since she’s competing in her first Artichoke Cook-off and needs all her senses in working order. One of the competitors is her father who is very eager for a win, but Neil Lerici, the winner two years running, will be hard to beat…unless, of course, he’s murdered ironically with an artichoke stuffed in his mouth. It seems someone didn’t like Neil or they didn’t like artichokes. Either way, it’s quite a message.

Buon appetito! Leslie Karst has whipped up a deliciously entertaining cozy mystery with a culinary competition, curious connections, and criminal conspiracies. The crime is revealed early, which I personally enjoy, making the investigation the main focus, and although officials often refuse amateur involvement, Solari’s personal connection to the victim’s family is an asset Sally’s friend, Detective Martin Vargas, hopes to exploit…well, use, but allowing it may be more than he expects or can ignore. The journey follows fascinating avenues to explore including squabbles among the victim’s family over money, property development, and several closeted secrets, but I kept a close eye on all the chefs knowing egos can be dangerous. There were horses, fishing, food talk, and frogs? along with interrogations, eavesdropping, stalking, and saying too much to the wrong people. Engaging fun!

Karst’s characters are well-developed and entertaining to follow. Sally was a lawyer before becoming a professional chef and restaurant owner offering an additional layer to her personality as well as credibility. Her success is noted, even recognized by the police, but the “angel of death” moniker, albeit in jest, should be “angel of answers.” The relationship between Sally and her father has an endearing father/daughter dynamic as well as a level of equality and competition in their professional careers. Her romantic designs have been conflicted giving readers a choice for whom they root: Team ex Eric or Team Detective Martin. Although decisions are made at the end, I don’t feel they are set in stone. Fun favorite and recipes, too! Enjoy “Rogue” Negroni Cocktail, Artichoke Soup with Potatoes and Cream (Solari’s entry), Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (Javier style), Steak Diane (Martin’s “date” dinner), and Sally’s Decadent Blondies.

New to the author, I was delighted to find another culinary cozy mystery with an entertaining plot, crisp characterisation and plenty of witty dialogue. Oh, and a heroine who doesn't take no for an answer. What's not to like? I look forward to reading more in the series.

Thanks to a sinus infection, Sally Solari has lost her sense of smell. While that would be bad enough under normal circumstances since it interferes with cooking at her restaurant, she is really struggling to prepare her dish for the Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off. However, that quickly becomes the least of the issues when the body of a fellow contestant, Neil Lerici, is found near the end of the day. Sally had been friends with Neil’s sister, Grace, in high school. As the two rekindle their friendship, she can’t help but poke around. But is her old friend guilty of murder?

It's been a few years since we last visited Sally, but I am pleased to say she is back in top form. It was great to catch up with her and her family and friends and see the next steps in some of her relationships. The suspects were strong, which lead to a mystery that was hard to figure out. It kept me engaged the entire time, and once Sally reached the solution, everything fell into place. Each book has focused on a different of the five senses, and I thought the sense of smell was done wonderfully here. Naturally, there are some recipes to enjoy after you’ve finished the book. Fans will be pleased to visit Sally again and will join me in waiting for the next in the series.

I was thrilled to find out that the author found another publisher and was going to continue Sally's stories! I think any Sally fan might agree we've been a little starved for one of our fave cozy chef characters, so this book definitely didn't disappoint. But poor Sally had the most horrible dilemma any chef could imagine: loss of taste and smell. It didn't help if a dish got goofed up or something even worse happened because of said loss.

To keep her mind off her own issues, Sally was investigating again when the guy next to her at the Artichoke Contest was killed. There was a fairly long list of wannabe killers and even the police had trouble zoning in on which one offed the guy. But our Sally girl wouldn't be deterred even with attempts on her life going on.

Meanwhile, Sally had some relationship changes going on, and I gotta say I'm not unhappy with what ended up happening and wasn't completely surprised. The showdown was pretty exciting and I thought it was really cool how Sally caught her perp. Sally, I hope your adventures are able to continue, it's been awesome catching back up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

In this fifth Sally Solari culinary mystery, Sally's life is turned upside down. A sinus infection has caused her to lose her sense of taste and smell. This is a disaster for a chef! The timing is really bad since Sally is competing for the first time at the annual Santa Cruz artichoke competition. Sally briefly reunites with artichoke farmer Neil Lerici whose sister Grace had been her friend in high school. Does Sally have any chance of beating her dad Mario who is determined to win this year if she can't taste what she is making? Neil wins the People's Choice Award but is found murdered before he can claim his prize.

When her police detective friend Vargas asks Sally to keep an eye on the Lerici family, she goes further and nosily worms her way to meet up with Grace, her parents and brother Ryan. Vargas gets annoyed at Sally's deliberate sleuthing efforts and warns her to stop. But Sally continues to snoop and her continued inability to smell almost costs her life.

This was a welcome return of a feisty, determined sleuth. Yummy recipes are included at the end of the book. I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Severn House. My opinions are my own.

I was glad to catch up with Sally Solari and read about her family and her mouthwatering recipes.
This is another engrossing and entertaining solid mystery that kept me hooked and guessing.
It's well plotted, the characters are likeable, and I had fun.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What do you do if you’re a restaurateur who has lost your sense of smell? In the case of Sally Solari, the amateur sleuth in Leslie Karst’s The Fragrance of Death, she sticks her nose in everyone’s business.

It was only a cold, followed by a sinus infection, but Sally, co-owner of Gauguin, lost her sense of smell and taste. Anytime is the wrong time for someone in her business to lose that, but Sally is about to compete in Santa Cruz’ Artichoke Cook-Off. Hopefully, her food will turn out okay.

Oh, Sally’s food turns out fine, but the competition is over for the owner of a neighboring booth. Sally knew Neil Lerici since she was in high school and a friend of his sister, Grace. But, first one of the baskets of Neil’s fried artichokes burned. Then, he was found dead behind the booths in the trash area. Of course, Sally went to the wake for Neil. And, maybe the conversations she overheard will help Detective Martin Vargas in his investigation. In fact, he even asks Sally to keep an ear out.

But, Sally is a little too zealous, and she risks alienating everyone, even Vargas. She follows people, lies to others, and suspects everyone, even her own father, of being involved with the Lerici family. And, the more she digs up about arguments about the family property, the more invested she becomes in the case.

The Fragrance of Death is the fifth Sally Solari mystery. I certainly felt sorry for someone in the food business who can’t smell or taste food. But, Sally herself was a little too fanatical when it came to investigating the case. She hadn’t been around anyone in the Lerici family for years, but her friendship years earlier with Grace encouraged her to snoop. But, she took unnecessary risks that encouraged a killer to track her. Sally’s meddling and blabbing in the wrong places put her in danger. It was just a case of TSTL, Too Stupid to Live.

Fans of the series will be eager to pick up the next book, and follow Sally’s continuing investigative adventures. She’s just not my kind of amateur sleuth.

THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH is the long anticipated fifth book in the Sally Solari Mysteries by Leslie Karst. With compelling characters, an alluring setting, drool-worthy dishes, and a thorny murder to solve, the book is a sensory treat for readers! I’ve enjoyed the theme of each sense throughout the series and in this newest release, the sense of smell is effectively used. The protagonist, restaurant owner Sally Solari, has lost her sense of smell, which affects her ability to taste. It’s quite the disaster for a chef! I liked how the author also uses her loss of smell to enhance the dangers she might experience. Set in coastal Santa Cruz, California, Ms. Karst brings the setting alive with vivid descriptions and a reminder that there’s more to California than freeways and concrete jungles. Instead, the reader is shown the farms, particularly the artichoke farms, and the rugged natural beauty that the state offers. A longtime fan of artichokes, I was pleased to see the vegetable spotlighted at the annual Artichoke Cook-Off, which served as the backdrop for the mystery.

When Sally’s acquaintance and fellow competitor is found murdered at the festival, she can’t help but get involved. Especially when her friend—and potentially more—Detective Vargas asks that she keep her ears open for any gossip about the deceased. Sally is a bit pushy with her investigating and finds out more than she bargained for. As she delves deeper into the secrets long hidden, plenty of suspects become apparent. I made several guesses as Sally pieced together the clues, but the author managed to throw in twists and turns to fool me. And, as the story came to a close, all the threads of the main plot and subplots were woven together into a highly entertaining story!

With Sally being a chef, you can practically smell, taste, and see the multitude of dishes served on the pages. There are several recipes included at the back of the book and, of course, one featuring artichokes.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sally has entered a local cook off and discovers she has no sense of taste or smell. Not a good thing for a chef. She also discovers a local farmer dead at the end of the competition. She knows the family and gets involved in the investigation at the request of her detective/boyfriend. Sally finds herself getting a little too involved when her life is threatened. Well written, great characters and a good plot. This new addition to the series does not disappoint!
I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for a review.

The Fragrance of Death is a fun cozy mystery featuring Sally Solari. This is the fifth in the series, but the first I have read, and I didn't feel that I had to go back to read the others to enjoy this one!

Sally is taking part of a artichoke cook-off. Her booth is beside Neil Lerici, who is an artichoke farmer. Neil's sister was one of Sally's school friends, and she is excited to reconnect with both of them. But when Neil turns up dead, with a baby artichoke stuffed in his mouth, Sally turns to investigating the Lerici family to find out who killed Neil and why.

Sally also has two love interests - her ex, Eric, the DA, and Detective Vargas, both of whom aren't really excited about Sally poking her nose into a murder investigation. She gets into trouble, of course, which is made even worse by the fact that she has lost her sense of taste and smell from a bad cold she's getting over. There's nothing worse than a chef who can't taste her food and make sure the flavors are right (or a person investigating a crime who can't smell that someone has turned on the gas on her stove full blast).

It is fun to read stories set in different parts of the country and/or the world from where you live. This series is based in Santa Cruz, California, with many of the restaurants mentioned located on the wharf or on the waterfront. I also learned a bit about artichokes from this book, and love the recipes included at the end of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this entertaining read!

3.25 stars

Sally Solari is a retired attorney who has returned to her hometown to run her late aunt's restaurant. Her father runs a more traditional restaurant down the street which is sometimes a complication.

Sally is not having a good week. She has lost her sense of taste and smell after a bad sinus infection, not a good thing for a chef. She is participating in a local cooking contest when one of her competitors is found murdered in the alley. Since Sally knows the family and was once friends with the victim's sister, she is drawn into the investigation.

Sally is a likable character, but even for a cozy she is over the top in her interference and snooping. Her actions torpedo a budding relationship with one of the detectives. Meanwhile, her old boyfriend is around and the two of them can't seem to decide if they want to keep trying to be together. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There's never a good time to lose your senses of smell and taste but if you're a chef- Yikes! Sally had a whopper of a sinus infection but she's determined to compete in the artichoke cooking competition. Unfortunately, Neil, one of the other entrants and the owner of an artichoke farm, is murdered and that sends Sally off on a quest for answers. Of course, she's got to more or less avoid letting her romantic interest- Detective Vargas-know what she's doing. It's pretty classic cozy territory with an intrepid amateur detective and a victim with several enemies. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Oh- and recipes!

Ah lovely, a cosy crime read that involves food and a love triangle. I haven’t read a y of this series before, but it read well as a standalone. I will be looking out for the other books in the series. A nice easy read for a summer afternoon.

The Fragrance of Death by Leslie Karst had a great setting. The mystery was just okay for me, but the book was a quick and enjoyable read. The recipes were a nice touch at the end.

#TheFragranceofDeath #NetGalley @severnhouse

The worst possible thing to happen to a chef is to lose your sense of smell and taste. Sally Solari loses both after a sinus infection, but she decides to continue with her entry into the Artichoke Cook-off. Before the day is over, someone will be bashed over the head and found dead. Sally as usual decides to investigate, especially because the victim was someone she knew from high school. Entertaining mystery with the added suspense of Sally losing some of her senses.

This was a great addition to Sally Solari Mystery Series. I was hungry for most of the book with mouth watering food descriptions. Her first cook off event ends in someone she knows being murdered. She throws herself into the investigation, Upsetting people all around and someone trying to kill her. It was a fun adventure that I really enjoyed.
#TheFragranceofDeath #NetGalley

3.7/4 Stars
The latest Sally Solari mystery! Sally is taking place in an artichoke cooking competition for the first time. However, one of her fellow competitors ends up dead. He ran a nearby artichoke farm, and his sister turns out to be one of Sally's old friends. Sally starts to investigate while juggling her relationship with Detective Vargas and her will-they-won't-they relationship with her friend Eric. She must find out who the culprit is before she is next.

Overall, I enjoyed this mystery! This was the first of these mysteries I've read, so I feel like I missed some of the nuances with the character's relationships that had been developed in previous books. Besides that, I enjoyed the story a lot.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sally Solari is participating in a cook offand things are heating up. When her childhood BFF’s brother in in the spot next to her, Sally finds out that Grace is back in town and she hopes to reconnect with her old friend. However, Sally didn’t plan on reconnecting because the woman’s brother was murdered at the cook off.

With her mind asking questions, and her detective beau asking her to keep her ears and eyes open when dealing with the family, Sally puts on her sleuthing cap. Could her former BFF or older brother have had a hand in Neil’s death? Who would want the young man dead? With her own father acting strange when it comes to the grieving family, Sally isn’t sure what to think. But she does think she will find out who killed Neil and why, even if it hurts her friend’s family or her father…or even herself.

I’ve loved this series since it came out. Always a solid mystery and a good read. If you haven’t read this series yet, each one reads fine as a standalone, but the best part is, there are four previous books in the series to binge on. A great addition to your Summer reading list.

Culinary Capers…
The fifth in the Sally Solari series of mysteries finds Sally with a seriously disturbing problem. She has lost her sense of smell, a disaster to her trade. Sally may be determined to stay away from trouble but when an old friend is despatched she has no alternative but to don her sleuthing hat once again, despite the possibility of alienating those she knows. The trouble is, Sally’s own life may well be in danger. With a well drawn cast and the usual entertaining plot this is a worthy addition to the series to date. Contains a selection of delicious recipes too!

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Severn House, in return for an honest review. While the latest book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. It’s a delight to return to this series and I recommend it highly. The author cleverly focuses on a specific sense as she writes each cozy mystery. In this one, Sally loses her sense of smell after a bad cold. Since she owns a restaurant, this is doubly bad! And, at the local artichoke festival, Sally’s bad luck in finding bodies happens again and she’s drawn into solving the mystery. This is a lovely series, with wonderful recipes and well-written characters. Ms. Karst draws on the multiple aspects of her background as a retired lawyer, culinary school graduate and active bicyclist to create an interesting and well-rounded protagonist. Enjoy!