Review: Penne Dreadful (Italian Chef Mysteries #1) by Catherine Bruns

Penne Dreadful (Italian Chef Mysteries #1) by Catherine Bruns

Blurb from Goodreads:

Tomato sauce isn't the only thing that runs red...

Local chef Tessa Esposito is struggling to get back on her feet following her husband's fatal accident. And when the police knock on Tessa's door, things just get worse. They've discovered Dylan's death wasn't an accident after all, and they need Tessa to start filling in the blanks. Who would want her beloved husband dead, and why?

With the investigation running cold, Tessa decides it's time to save her sanity by reconnecting with her first love-cooking. And maybe the best way back into the kitchen is to infiltrate Dylan's favorite local pizza parlor, which also happens to be the last place he was seen before he died. But the anchovies aren't the only thing that stink inside the small family business, and with suspects around every corner, Tessa finds that her husband's many secrets might land her in hot water.

My Review:
 

This was a pretty standard cozy mystery but not too bad for first in a series - I liked Tessa immediately and I am interested to see where her character goes as the series develops.  This first book focuses on her husband's death . . . there were definitely a few surprises but there is a lot of places this series can go!  I typically like cozy mysteries involving cooking and this one will hopefully prove to be no exception.

Penne Dreadful comes out later this month on July 30, 2019 and you can purchase HERE.  I will definitely continue reading this cozy mystery series!

Defeated, I allowed myself tears one final time. As they rolled down my cheeks and onto his headstone, the wind began to pick up speed and a glorious array of yellow, red, and orange leaves whirled around me. Dylan knew how much I enjoyed the leaves in autumn, and how I could stare at them falling from their branches for hours on end. We'd done that one autumn when we'd visited the Poconos in October. Dylan and I had spent an entire day sitting on the porch of our rented cabin, holding hands and sipping hot apple cider while watching the leaves. A lump formed in my throat at the memory.