Death on the Menu

Francesca (Fran) Eve's old school chum, Olivia, has hired her to cater the funeral dinner for Clarence Lightman. Mr. Lightman, an author who created games based on his books, died a wealthy man. His will makes one last effort to reconcile his fractured family by sending his “nearest and dearest” on a treasure hunt. His children do not take this news well, and they're really unhappy when they learn that Olivia – the “hired help” – has the right to try to unravel the clues and claim an inheritance for herself.

This book is nearly impossible to put down! The treasure hunt premise is unique and a lot of fun. The characters end up in some pretty outlandish situations trying to chase down the clues that lead to the fortune. And in addition to trying to sort out the clues, Fran and Adam are trying to track down a murderer.

There's some stiff competition among the teams (Marcus and Cate, two of Lightman's children; Saul, the third of Lightman's children; and Fran, Olivia, and Adam). At least one of the teams is playing dirty, and we know it isn't our fearless protagonists. The fact that someone is willing to stoop to murder really ramps up the tension in the story.

And the characters! Fran is a delight. She's close to my age, which makes me appreciate her that much more. She and Adam seem like they'd be as different as chalk and cheese, but their personalities actually work well together. I like that Fran isn't someone who has to be in charge all the time. She realizes that Adam has the skill set they need to work out the clues here, and she doesn't hesitate to let him take the lead on that. She knows her strengths and is fine with letting others shine when it's what works best. And even the minor characters, like Margaret, the family solicitor, are fleshed out nicely.

There were plenty of twists and turns in the story, and Davies kept me guessing until the end. I love a book where I can't solve the mystery until the reveal smacks me in the head!

If you like a modern story with a unique premise and a cozy mystery that will have you second-guessing what you think at every turn, I highly recommend Death on the Menu!