Review by Tracy Condie
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Spirited and savory Katie Aubrey, owner of The Char-Board, is back and serving up amazing charcuterie boards at a mystery author event. This is the fourth book in the Charcuterie Shop Mystery series by the husband-and-wife team known as J.C. Eaton. It is a stand-alone, and can be enjoyed without reading the preceding books. In addition to being a fun story, the book includes a recipe. Thanks to this series, I have learned that charcuterie is for more than just pairing with wine and am going to try my hand at making a dessert board.
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Katie and friends get involved to help solve this caper, much to the chagrin of local law enforcement. Edith, a former food critic, is a ghost, and only Katie can see or hear her, which makes for some great scenes. I am surprised that Katie’s friends and coworkers haven’t staged an intervention based on the number of times Katie has to cover up for speaking out loud to Edith when other people are around. Not even Ian, Katie’s boyfriend, knows about Katie’s ability to talk to ghosts. He pitches in to help sleuth, as do Edith and Rosalind, another ghost, when they aren’t busy looking over couture from those who have passed to the great beyond. Grace Kelley’s wardrobe is released at one point, and while Edith may be dead, she still wants to look smashing.
One might think it would be easy for Katie to solve this mystery. She has access to not one but two ghosts, so why can’t her ghost friends just ask the victim who did him in? They report that the other realm is a labyrinth that even the Minotaur killer Theseus would have a tough time navigating. As an armchair sleuth, I found myself writing down clues and suspects and then erasing as red herrings were added. The side plot with the potentially “haunted” house Maddie, Katie’s realtor friend, is trying to sell adds a little something as well.
I must admit my main reason for turning page after page was for the comedy aspect that intertwines nicely with the cozy mystery. Katie’s snark keeps me in stitches, and I cannot wait to see how she becomes embroiled in the next mystery.
To enter to win an ebook copy of A Plattering of Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "plattering,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 9, 2025 US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!
You can click here to purchase this book.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.
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