A Side of Murder (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #1) by Amy Pershing

A Side of Murder (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #1) Reviews

• 
  Krista Davis

  A delicious mystery lovingly set in Cape Cod featuring a cast of charming characters. Amy Pershing writes with a fresh fun voice that will delight cozy fans. Chef turned restaurant critic Samantha Barnes proves a clever sleuth whose helpful cooking tips will be a big hit with culinary readers.
• 
  LORI CASWELL

  Dollycas’s Thoughts
  
  Amy Pershing gets the credit for my first book hangover of 2021.
  I started reading and just couldn’t stop.
  
  Samantha Barnes was a rising star in the New York food scene but one little pesky argument, okay, one big argument that was caught on video and uploaded on YouTube with her ex, also a notable chef has left her without a job.
  
  Then her Aunt Ida passes away and leaves her a home on the Cape. The home also comes with a very large puppy dog named Dioge (D-O-G). A friend has taken over the editor position at the local paper, once held by Sam’s father. She gives Sam a job reviewing local restaurants. Sam also gets back in contact with some old friends. She almost doesn’t have time to miss her life in New York, but she does. She steps outside of a restaurant she is reviewing, one where she used to work, to contemplate her life when she notices a body floating in the water. An accidental drowning? Sam sure doesn’t think so. She may land herself in hot water but it can’t hurt to ask a few questions, can it?
  
  I loved everything about this story starting with protagonist Samantha Barnes. She shows immediately she is not a woman to be messed with. She is tall, (very tall), smart, brave, and caring and she is not only fun but funny with a fantastic sense of humor. The author surrounds her with a stellar supporting cast including her first love, Jason, who now happens to be the harbormaster, her aunt’s friend and neighbor who quickly becomes a true friend of Sam’s, her friends she has known forever, and one huge, lovable dog. Her parents have retired to Florida but they are just a phone call away. These characters have so much depth for the first book in the series. I felt like I personally knew every one of them. All are very realistic, their dialogues ring true, including Sam’s inner dialogues which I really enjoyed.
  
  I also fell in love with Aunt Ida’s home with a spectacular view. I loved that when the house got too big for Ida to handle she added an ell to the main home. A little mother’s cottage or aunt’s cottage in Ida’s case. Space for everything she needed and perfect for one person and their dog. Perfect for Sam now too because she can use space in the main house for when she wants to entertain like for her traditional Sunday meal with friends. I wish I had a place like Aunt Ida’s, it would be perfect for me too.
  
  The mystery was so well-plotted and written. Filled with an abundance of twists and turns there was always something happening. The author really shows her writing chops. For example, I have never been in a sailboat but her dramatic detailed account of Sam’s heart-pounding adventure transported me out of my chair and onto that lake, moving my feet, stretching my body, and tilting side to side as I participated from my easy chair. The entire book was like that. I really felt like I was there for each and every scene.
  
  The food prepared, eaten, and delightfully described tempted my taste buds the entire story. The author’s tips included added a nice touch.
  
  Amy Pershing has written a spectacular cozy mystery. I was totally captivated and entertained from the first page to the last. So much so I want to shout about it from the rooftops! Daily life, suspense, comedy, and a touch of romance come together to make A Side of Murder a must-read for all cozy lovers!!
• 
  Mark Baker

  Samantha Barnes, Sam to her friends, grew up in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, but left to go to culinary school and become a famous chef. Thanks to an inheritance and a new job writing about food in the area for a local paper, she is back. Her first assignment is to review a new restaurant in town, but the good food is quickly forgotten when she finds a dead body floating in the water next to the restaurant. The police think it was an accident. After all, the victim was a known drunk, so she could have easily fallen in and drown. Sam thinks something more sinister is happening. Can she prove it?
  
  There is a good mystery here, and I enjoyed seeing how Sam figured everything out. Unfortunately, there is just as much set up, introducing us to the people in Sam’s life and filling us in on her past. The result was a pace that was uneven. I did still enjoy it since I liked Sam and the supporting characters. We saw hints of the depths to the characters that I’m sure we’ll see more of in future books in the series. I was bothered by a cliché that several of the characters fell into, however, especially since it doesn’t fit one of the characters at all. The book ends with recipes for a suggested four-course casual dinner with friends. Overall, I enjoyed this virtual vacation debut.
  
  NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
  
  Read my full review at
  Carstairs Considers.
• 
  Lucy Burdette

  Very enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series. The highlights include an exquisite Cape Cod setting, a shamed but resilient chef, murderous secrets, and a long-buried but still steaming romance… Amy Pershing’s debut mystery will leave you longing for a seaside vacation, complete with fried clams and the next book in her charming series.
• 
  Lisa Currier

  After living on Cape Cod for 10 years, I always enjoy reading a book set there. A Side of Murder is a fun start to a new cozy mystery series by Amy Pershing.
  Returning to her aunt’s home and to her family roots has Samantha feeling a bit out of sorts.
  Add in the condition of her aunts home, a new puppy, and an old flame, and you have the makings of a fun story.
  I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
• 
  Edith Maxwell

  Amy Pershing delights and thrills with this debut cozy mystery set on iconic Cape Cod. Sam Barnes is a reluctant sleuth at first - in a reluctant return to the Cape - but she musters verve, bravery, and sailing prowess to outwit more than one villain. If love comes with her victory, so much the better. The plot is deliciously twisty, the food mouth-watering, and the supporting cast charming and loyal. This book is a must-read.
• 
  Sue Em

  Delightful new cozy that takes the "cozy tropes" of woman returning to hometown after some diasterous event in the big city and makes them seem fresh and relevant.
• 
  K.A. Davis

  A SIDE OF MURDER is the first book in the brand new Cape Cod Foodie Mystery series by Amy Pershing. Starting an inaugural book of a new series sometimes leaves me with trepidation since I don’t know the characters and often there’s too much backstory which can slow down the plot. However, Ms. Pershing hit this one out of the ballpark and I was captivated from the very first page! The author exhibits a great sense of timing with her zingy one-liners and the humor starts from the opening scene. Protagonist, trained chef Samantha Barnes, who loves to laugh, made me laugh right alongside which quelled any trepidation I might have had before starting the book.
  
  Fleeing New York after an altercation with her ex went viral on YouTube, Samantha returns to her childhood home of Cape Cod. Moving into the falling down house she’s inherited from her Aunt Ida… along with a huge, untrained puppy named Dioge (D-O-G), she tries to decide what to do with her life. Her good friend (who’s editor of the Cape Cod Clarion) ropes Samantha into writing a restaurant review column. I love that Samantha’s parents were the editor-in-chief and senior journalist for the paper before they retired to Florida. This allows the reader to get a glimpse into her family even if they appear offstage. The setup also showcases the town and contributes to the appealing setting of Cape Code. Since Samantha grew up in the area, she still has close friends. They are equally well-developed, including Dioge, with their own quirks adding to the humorous interaction.
  
  Samantha discovers the body of a former waitress (and all around mean person) at the restaurant she’s reviewing. She doesn’t believe law enforcement’s theory that it was an accidental drowning. Appearing on scene and giving support to her observations is the handsome harbormaster (and teen crush), Jason. Except he doesn’t want her to get involved so she channels her mother’s journalistic skills and ignores him. As evidence and clues pile up, the suspect list gets longer and longer. Ms. Pershing does an admirable job providing plenty of red herrings that kept me off track and guessing as the story progressed. With the final suspenseful reveal, all the clues popped into place and left me with a satisfied grin on my face!
  
  Being a Cape Cod Foodie Mystery series, you can count on there being loads of food mentioned. What I enjoyed even more was the author’s tips interjected on dishes the protagonist fixed and ate during the book. The tips are helpful and are provided in a breezy manner that made me feel like I was sitting in the kitchen watching a friend cook. Ms. Pershing also includes several recipes at the back of the book.
  
  I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
• 
  Patrizia

  Dopo aver letto le prime due pagine di questo libro ho pensato "mi piace come scrive!" e non ho più cambiato idea. Nel finale ci sono così tanti colpi di scena che è una sorpresa dopo l'altra, senza però risultare non credibile. Sì, decisamente questa serie pare vincente, almeno con questo primo libro.
• 
  Tari

  It was interesting to watch Sam's inner battle with herself from the minute she got back to Cape Cod having inherited her aunt's little cottage and apparently her aunt's not-so-little puppy, Diogi (pronounced D O G, clever huh? I thought it was a fun name!). Sam was in a constant tug of war with her feelings over her old crush Jason and the whole "am I staying" conflict she was having. I could tell she mostly wanted to settle back there and be with her old friend Jenny and her bossy friend who was now her boss, Krista. They were both good friends in their own ways with Jenny being the ahem, less vocal of the two, lol.
  
  I just loved Sam's next-door neighbor Helene. She was a great one to sleuth with (and a cheerleader for wanting Sam to stay), and even Jenny's somewhat stuffy husband Roland (or Rolly when you go drinkin' with him) turned out to be just the legal ally Sam needed. He and Jenny seemed to discover each other as far as their marriage was concerned which was a good thing and something else that Sam had been worried about. I have a feeling that Sam's gonna definitely end up back with Jason since they did have a nice talk toward the end after the showdown.
  
  Since there ended up being a couple of mysteries going on and I don't want to spoil anything, let's just say that each of those respective showdowns was exciting and ended well as long as you weren't the perp!
  
  I was happy to be asked to review the next book in this series, so since I'd bought this one a while ago, I thought it'd be a smart idea to read it and be caught up on the characters. I'm eager to read the next after seeing a little preview of it in the author's newsletter!
• 
  Kristina

  A Side of Murder by Amy Pershing is the debut of A Cape Code Foodie Mystery series. Samantha “Sam” Barnes is a chef who is returning home to Fair Harbor, Massachusetts. Sam’s professional and personal life in New York City derailed after a passerby posted a video on You-tube of an argument between Sam and her fiery tempered husband. When she learns she has inherited her Great-Aunt Ida’s home, Sam decides to head back to Cape Code temporarily. She gets a job at the Cape Cod Clarion writing restaurant reviews and food features. Her first assignment takes Sam and her friends to the Bayview Grille. After dinner, Sam takes a walk outside where she finds Estelle Kobolt dead in the water. The death is ruled accidental, but Sam’s instinct tells her it is murder. Sam decides to do a little digging on her own to see who wished Estelle dead. A Side of Murder is easy to read with mixed pacing. The author took the time to establish the setting of Fair Harbor in Cape Code. There are beautiful descriptions of the beach plus detailed word images of the food, Great-Aunt Ida’s house, and Diogi. We get to meet Sam’s childhood friends, Miles and Jenny along with the editor-in-chief of the Cape Cod Clarion, Krista Baker and Sam’s neighbor, Helene Greenberg. The mystery was straightforward with a couple of suspects, misdirection, and subtle clues. I would have liked more time devoted to the mystery and for it to be more complex. The whodunit is focused on more in the latter half of the book. My favorite phrase from A Side of Murder is, “Danger Will Robinson” when Krista charms Sam into taking the job at the paper. There is romance for Sam in the form of an old crush. They are attracted to each other and there is chemistry between them. A Side of Murder is a breezy cozy mystery with fine food, a cute canine, an insistent editor-in-chief, fun friends, a gone guzzler, a hunky harbormaster, and a beautiful beach.
• 
  Mary

  This is the first in the Cape Cod Foodie Mystery series. Samantha Barnes is in New York feeling sorry for herself as her marriage ended (which is not a bad thing) and her Chef career is a bust because of a you tube video which has gone viral with her ex-husband. Sam receives a phone call from her best friend Jenny’s husband Roland who is lawyer in Cape Cod and he tells her that she has inherited her Aunt Ida’s house. Sam thinks this is a great time to take a break from New York and lay low in Cape Cod for a few weeks and sell her Aunt’s house while she tries to get a new job back in the city. Her friends Jenny and Miles pick her up at the airport and drive her to her new home where she meets her Aunt’s neighbor Helene (who is the town Librarian) and learns she also inherited a puppy named Diogi. The editor of the local paper and her friend Krista calls and asks her to fill in at the paper and write lifestyle and food stories. Sam takes along Helene, Miles and Jenny and they have a great dinner at the new Bayview Grill which is the former Logan Inn that Sam worked at one summer when she was a teenager. Sam decides to take a walk and is remembering a time from ten years ago when she had a huge crush on the bartender Jason and Estelle one of the other waitresses interrupts her first kiss with Jason. Just as she is thinking about this she sees a body floating in the water and it is none other than Estelle. Sam goes in the water and confirms she is dead and then freaks out. She gets out of the water runs back into the restaurant and the Harbormaster is called. Sam is shocked to learn that the Harbormaster is none other than her teenage crush Jason who is all business with her. This was a good solid mystery with great characters that is a quick read. I read this is less than one day and I cannot wait for the next installment
  
  
• 
  Nancy

  After the first chapter, I knew that I should have put this book down, but against my better judgment, I continued. From restaurant guide, to a dead body, to a travelogue of the Cape, back to the dead body, to unrequited love, maybe touching on the body again, to a sailing lesson, to a restaurant critique, maybe the body again, then a hodge-podge of who the killer might be, to possibly other killers, to crushing on the Harbormaster, then finally tying up to the book but realizing that there was more to tell, which wasn’t as focused as it might have been because the last 20% may well have ended at any time, yet continued on and on with proverbial rabbits being pulled out of the hat.
  
  This first in a series book could have been further fine-tuned without so many tangents and unnecessary fluff. If you are going to tell a mystery, tell a mystery. If you are going to write about travel, with restaurant reviews and the sailing tips, write that book, but meshing the two genres together, at the depth they were, didn’t work for me.
• 
  Sarah

  Fantastic start to a new series! I'm looking forward to reading the next book!
• 
  Bridget Vollmer

  3 1/2 rounded up
• 
  Jeanette

  Really enjoyed this debut novel! Never been to Cape Cod and I think the author does a great job with her description of it. Will definitely read Book Two of this series.
• 
  Barb

  A decade ago, Sam left Cape Cod for New York City, working toward her dream of owning a restaurant in the big city – until she unwittingly stars in a viral video that she fears has ruined her chances. When she inherits a house on the Cape, she figures Aunt Ida's house, as run-down as it is – will be a good place to regroup while she licks her wounds. She lands a temporary job writing restaurant reviews and things seem to be looking up. But when she finds a body while on her first assignment, she isn't convinced that it was an accidental death and decides to look into things herself.
  
  This is the first book in a new series by a debut author, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I needn't have worried! The book did not suffer from so many of the problems common in many of the first-in-series books I've read, which was a refreshing change of pace. The characters in the story are well-drawn and (most of them) seem like people I would want to spend time with. It will be fun watching relationships and circumstances change and develop as the series progresses. I grew up in a small community, so I know what it's like to have everyone know what's going on to/with everyone else, and how rumors can spring up in no time at all. I would love to live on the water, but would have to learn a whole lot more about tides and currents if I did :) The mystery was good, with quite a few potential suspects. I was sure I knew who the guilty party was, though – and I couldn't have been more wrong! I look forward to reading the next book in this series
  
  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
• 
  Kim

  I have heard so many great things about A Side of Murder by Amy Pershing, so I finally decided to check it out, and I was not disappointed! The first book in A Cap Code Foodie Mystery was fantastic. I was blown away by the detail that Pershing went into in regards to the Cape Cod area and the food. You can feel the love Pershing has for the area, and I felt like I was right there with her enjoying all the community has to offer.
  
  For that alone I would recommend A Side of Murder, but add in very well developed characters and A Side of Murder is a perfect cozy mystery. Sam’s group of friends all have such unique personalities. Her next door neighbor, Helene, is a librarian with a rich past, and might be my favorite. I’m excited to find out more about the previous lives she has lived. And Diogi, her rambunctious puppy, is so cute.
  
  Pershing gave the reader plenty of red herrings and twists, and the final showdown was like something out of a thriller. Add in the great support of all Sam’s friends and it was a wonderful conclusion to A Side of Murder. I am looking forward to book two, An Eggnog to Die For, which comes out at the beginning of November 2021.
• 
  Lena

  The main character, Samantha Barnes, suffers a fall from grace. After losing everything she built for herself in New York City, she returns to her childhood home of Cape Cod, Mass. with her proverbial tail between her legs. Waiting for her there are her old friends, an old house, and an old flame, along with a new neighbor, a new job, and a new dog. While Sam tries to put her feet back under her, she makes an unsettling discovery - the body of an old nemesis.
  
  There were several points in the story where I felt like I had things figured out, there are several times where Sam and Jason, old flame and harbormaster, think they've solved the crime, but we were all wrong. There are so many twists and turns, this book keeps you guessing up to the very end. The trajectory of the story is a bit different from the standard cozy, a bit more action-packed. Of course the setting, Cape Cod, was wonderful and the characters were all authentic and appealing.
  
  I'm very much looking forward to reading the next in this series!
  
  Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
• 
  Nora-adrienne

  Having an adopted kid who is a C.I.A. Graduate I really enjoyed this story. I'm a self trained "chef" who worked hard to gain my wicked knife skills. It kept the clients in line while I was actually in their kitchens. LOL
  
  I love the location of the story. When we vacation on the Cape we also stay in the elbow, a town called Orleans.
  
  The story just jumped out at me and pulled me right into it. The action, the characters and the number of possible miscreants brought me to the edge of my seat. I can't wait to see what this crew ends up in the middle of in their next adventure.
• 
  Deborah Almada

  This was an awesome debut. I really enjoyed this book a great deal. The setting on Cape Cod is great, the Foodie aspect is really enjoyable, love the friends and puppy. All the characters had some depth to them. The mystery combines past and present and it was kind of nice not to have the heroine be the suspect as is often the case in new series. There are quite a few good twists and turns, the mysteries not easily solved but satisfactorily so. Can see great outlines for more adventures for this group, looking forward to more!!!
• 
  AngryGreyCat

  A Side of Murder is the first in a new cozy series set in New England. A somewhat disgraced chef returns home to a small town to her inherited property and dog. Her first night out at her new restaurant review job, she finds a body floating in the water behind the restaurant. From then on she is immersed in the mystery, involving developers, restaurants, blackmail and murder. A well done cozy mystery. I will read another in this series.
• 
  Dawn Frazier

  Loved it! Looking forward to the next one
• 
  Anne-Marie

  First I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Books for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy
  
  A great addition to the mystery genre....I loved every page of the book. I didn't want it to end.
  Set in Cape Cod it would be hard for you to guess that it has a culinary flare with recipes at the end.
  The first book in the series and I can't wait to read the second one....which I see the author has planned the next one.
  The characters are lovable and the storyline flowed right to the end.
  I'm not one to give away a story so I will leave that to other reviewers. You can read the synopsis on the book to see if it is something you would like but trust me when I say this that it is extremely well written and it has a few surprises that will shock you.
  A Side of Murder was excellent and I highly recommend!
• 
  Kwoomac

  A fun Cape Cod mystery. I really enjoyed the author’s take on the Cape. Lots of references to mud season. I’d never heard that regarding the Cape. Vermont, sure. I liked protagonist Sam Barnes. She’s a chef so there are lots of wonderful references to food. She has a great big goofy dog. She bumps into a crush from her high school years. And then there’s a murder.
  
  This is the first in a series. I’m not sure how many murders she can stumble upon on Cape Cod. We’ll see.
• 
  Angustia⋆Cósmica

  Talk about living vicariously through a story, huh. Reading this made me feel like I was part of the background myself, it felt like being in a well deserved holiday.
  
  Sans the murder, of course.
  
  As someone who was introduced to older cozy mysteries, reading one set in such a modern setting nowadays was such a shock. But a good one at that!
  
  Sam is such a lovely protagonist (Tall girls represent.) and the romance part of the book wasn't so interesting to boost. I found that rooting for everyone here was an easy and enjoyable job.
  I truly didn't see the plot twist coming either, so kudos to the author for bamboozling me at every step of the way.
  
  Off to a good cozy start!
• 
  François Thurston

  GREAT BOOK AND THE DOG - SOOOO CUTE!
  
  I really enjoyed my time with this book. Do I wish it was more 'cozy'...yeah...kind of. But the mystery was a whole lot of entertainment!
  
  Love the dog (wont say his name, you have to read about it to appreciate it). Love the characters. Definitely a 4 Star book despite not enough 'coziness'!
  
  4 Stars
  xoxo.
• 
  Lori Holuta

  New York chef Samantha Barnes is an unintentional YouTube star, thanks to an argument that got way out of hand (giving a whole new meaning to 'flipping the finger'). She needs to get out of town for while, and as luck would have it, she's just inherited her Aunt Ida's run-down house on Cape Cod and the biggest puppy in town, punfully named Diogi. She's also been handed the tasty job of writing restaurant reviews for the Cape Cod Clarion. What, as they say, could possibly go wrong? But when Sam discovers the body of a locally-infamous retired waitress floating just outside the Bayview Grill, the plot thickens faster than cornstarch in gravy.
  
  Author Amy Pershing combines foodie fun with small town life in a boiling pot of intrigue. A Side of Murder is peppered with eccentric locals, quirky-fun friends—and teenage Sam's romantic crush, now all grown up.
  
  I will admit that after a year of living in Covid-induced isolation, I enjoyed living vicariously through Sam and her friends. I envied her intimate dinner parties, warm hugs and other instances of meaningful (and sometimes malevolent!) human contact.
  
  The plot certainly has a lots of twists and turns, and there's plenty of action, both on land and sea. The author hasn't scrimped on descriptive prose either—If I could walk into this little Cap Cod community for real, everything would seem familiar. The story is told from a Sam-centric point of view, unfolding through her eyes and mind. We are eavesdroppers on her hopes, fears, memories, emotions, and thought-processes.
  
  This first venture into what will become the Cape Cod Foodie Mystery Series will appeal to anyone who's in touch with their inner Nancy Drew—and Julia Child. I enjoyed the little cooking tips sprinkled throughout the story, and I know I'll be trying the recipe for Beach Shack Onion Rings, one of three recipes enjoyed by characters in the story and included for the readers. I'll serve them with a good bottle of chardonnay, of course.
  
  Thank you to author Amy Pershing, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.