Table of Contents
Praise for Delicious and Suspicious
Sassy.
Publishers Weekly
An entertaining read... Just like the pork barbeque and spicy corn muffins that fill the bellies of the fictitious patrons of Aunt Pats, the Southern flavor is what makes this novel unique. The characters live and breathe on the page, not as stereotypes of Southerners but as colorful personalities that complement the Memphis setting.
Romance Novel News
This entertaining regional amateur sleuth gives the audience a taste of living in [Memphis], especially owning a restaurant in a tourist-attraction city... With a strong, fully seasoned support cast who enhance the whodunit, Delicious and Suspicious is truly scrumptious.
Genre Go Round Reviews
A saucy Southern mystery!
Krista Davis, national bestselling author of
The Diva Haunts the House
Dont let that folksy facade fool you. Lulu Taylor is one intrepid amateur sleuth.
Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of
Skeleton Letters
Lulu Taylor serves up the best barbeque in Memphis. Never been to her restaurant, Aunt Pats? Well then, pick up a copy of Riley Adamss enjoyable Delicious and Suspicious, slide into a booth, and follow Lulu as she tracks down a killer with the help of her wacky friends and family. Youll feel transported to Beale Street. Oh, and did I mention the mouthwatering recipes at the end?
Julie Hyzy, author of Grace Interrupted
Riley Adamss first book, Delicious and Suspicious, adds a dash of Southern humor to a saut of murder and mayhem that is as good as cold banana pudding on a hot summer day. Lulu Taylor is a hoot! I look forward to reading the next book in the Memphis BBQ series!
Joyce Lavene, coauthor of Harrowing Hats
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Riley Adams
DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS
FINGER LICKIN DEAD
HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE
In memory of
Elizabeth Riley Adams,
Elizabeth Adams Stringfellow,
and Mary Ligon Spann
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my editor, Emily Beth Rapoport, for her editing expertise and support. To my agent, Ellen Pepus, for her help and advice. To Hugh Syme for the cover illustration, Annette Fiore Defex for the cover design, and Laura K. Corless for the interior text design. Thanks to authors Jim and Joyce Lavene, who are great friends and mentors. To my fellow mystery-loving cooks at Mystery Lovers Kitchen (www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) for their generous support and friendship. To my familyespecially my husband, Coleman, and children, Riley and Elizabeth Ruth... who make life and writing fun.
Chapter 1
Lulu Taylor just happened to be trying on a vibrantly colored floral-print dress in Dee Dees Darling Dress Shoppe when she heard the shop bell and then a familiar voice.
Lulu would be able to pick out Tristan Pembrokes voice even if she were in a crowd of hundreds at the state fair. It was lined with snobbery and condescension, which Tristan seemed to think sounded well-bred. Well, Lulu had known Tristans mama, and wouldnt she be horrified to see her little girl today?
Lulu wasnt actually too thrilled with Dee Dee, either, but she had the only dress shop that stocked the Sassy Seniors line of dresses. Although Lulu had a closet full of floral dresses, her motto was that you could never have too many flowers. Thats the very reason magnolia blossoms swam in glass bowls at her barbeque restaurant whenever they were in bloom.
She liked Dee Dee even less when she heard her say in a cigarette-hoarsened stage whisper, We can go ahead and talk now. Its just ol Lulu in the dressing room, and she couldnt hear a drunk elephant if he crashed into the room.
Obviously, Dee Dee hadnt learned the difference between being ignored and not being heard. They were totally two entirely different things. Lulu felt in danger of losing her religion but prudently bit her tonguesince there was clearly going to be some sort of transmittal of interesting information. With those two it wouldnt be a pearl of wisdom, or the secret of life.... But it was likely going to be interesting. She strained to hearand her ears were not defective.
Okay, heres the scoop, said Dee Dee. Tamara Lynn is going to wear the teal-colored plunge-neckline gown with the drop waist. And... so is Pansy.
Mmm-hmm, said Tristan, making sounds like she was taking notes. Well now, thats going to be real interesting. Pansys mama will blow a gasket when she finds out.
And you wanted to hear about Clarices talent. Shes singing.
Well of course shes singing, snapped Tristan. The girl can barely even tie her own shoelaces at age sixteen! Singing is her only talent.
But I know what shes singing and what shes doing while shes singing, said Dee Dee in a smug voice.
Lulu couldnt resist peering out the side of the dressing-room curtain to see Tristans face. And didnt she look put out! A red stain splotched across her high cheekbones on her pretty face, and she was running a bony hand through her straight, black hair. Never mind being all secretive, Dee Dee! Spill it! Lulu noticed that Dee Dee was reading out of a big notebook on the sales counter. Dee Dee always looked like a caricature of herself, with hair dyed an unlikely shade of blond, huge glasses that took over most of her face, and eyebrows drawn on in a very dramatic fashion.
I guess her tacky mama finally messed with her brain because shes doing a baton routine to Dixie! While singing!
There was a stunned silence, and Dee Dee started cackling. Your eyes will pop out of your head if you dont watch it, Tristan!
Whatever possessed her? said Tristan in a musing voice.
I think, said Dee Dee with satisfaction, that you can take the woman out of the country, but you cant take the country out of the woman. She suddenly squawked loudly. Lulu? You okay in there, darlin?
Lulu played up her deaf role. What, hon?
There was a tip, tap, tip of Dee Dees heels on the hardwood floor of the dress shop. I said, are you okay? Need me to find you another size? I noticed that youve been shrinking a littleyoure not quite as tall as you were. Need a smaller size?
Lulu gritted her teeth in irritation and rattled the hangers together a little to show she was working hard at trying on dresses. Im doing fine, Dee Dee. Just trying to decide between a couple of dresses. As if, thought Lulu, there was a huge difference between the dresses she was trying on.
The heels tapped back away. Okay. Let me know if you need any help.
Tristans and Dee Dees voices murmured together for a minute, and Lulu couldnt make out a single word. Then she heard the cash-register drawer open and heard Dee Dee say, Thanks for your business, in a caustic voice, although Im thinking that soon well need to renegotiate fees. Ill talk to you about it later. The door chimed as Tristan left.
Lulu walked out to the register with one of the dresses.
I thought you might like that blue-and-white floral, said Dee Dee, wagging her finger. Looks like Lulu, I thought when I saw it. Thats why I put it aside for you.
It reminds me of my Aunt Pats china pattern, said Lulu. Cheers me up just looking at it.
