Not wanting to return to New Jersey tail between her legs, Hayley finds herself living on college friend Connie’s houseboat trying to get the job that Kristen Faulkner, the bed companion of Hayley’s recent ex, will stop at nothing to prevent.

Kristen is found dead after eating her favorite food, key lime pie, and Hayley is the number one suspect, even though she can’t convince the police there is no way she would ever kill some one and more than that, there is certainly no chance she would ever dye her key lime pie the insipid green of the murder weapon.   

In between eating at local restaurants and writing reviews for her tryouts, Hayley begins to investigate Kristen’s death and in the process putting Connie’s houseboat, cleaning business, and ultimately their friendship in grave danger. 

The characters in this mystery are true-to life characters and not too perky, too cute, or too perfect.  Hayley has many good points, but, as she points out, is not perfect, making her a very real, very likable character.  As Hayley investigates Kristen’s death she learns things about herself that she is not happy about, but that will allow her to reassess and begin a new phase in her life with some things she could not have foreseen and friends new and old cheering her on. 

The mystery is well-plotted with enough clues and red herrings to keep readers guessing until the end.  The only thing better than eating great food and writing about it on someone else’s dime is doing it in balmy Key West and Hayley’s going to do it with style.                                        

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry