Drop Dead Delicious: A Maggie and Odessa Mystery

Jill Brock
BookSurge Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781439220344
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (1/09) 


Jill Brock’s “Drop Dead Delicious” is the kind of a book that’s really difficult to put down. Just like a piece of tempting dessert it entices you to come back for just another bite, and then another nibble, and before you know it, the whole thing is gone.  Luckily for the reader, it’s not as high in carbohydrates as the cover would suggest, and since laughter actually burns calories, we could probably count it as a good workout. I caught myself laughing out loud a good many times and I truly found the heroine, Odessa, as well as her very important side-kick, Maggie, sparkly, irresistible and incredibly real.

More than just a mystery, the plot in the book has a series of well-developed and well-executed subplots, ranging from a love story to regaining self-respect after it was trampled in the mud by people whom one used to care about or at least had healthy respect for.

The main storyline revolves around Odessa’s former boss, who supposedly embezzled funds from their former employer, the aftermath of which got Odessa fired from a job she enjoyed a lot. After he reappears on the scene and visits Odessa, who is now working as a dessert chef in her family’s restaurant, Burke gets himself deeper in trouble, this time with the FBI. Odessa faces a tough decision – should she believe him, and subsequently try to help; or should she just mind her own business and try to preserve some semblance of normalcy in her family?

Filled with a cast of incredible characters, great capers, fascinating locales and tall, but amusing tales, this amusing wild chase leads the reader to a series of stunning conclusions. Odessa’s insights into relationships between men and women are often seasoned with a healthy does of self-deprecating humor, and they ring very, very familiar. She could easily become my favorite female detective, albeit she does not take this role on too willingly. As for Maggie, she’s well on the way to becoming a great P.I., notwithstanding the fact that her heart might be a bit too tender for some of her endeavors.

“Drop Dead Delicious” by Jill Brock was a rocking good read, which should appeal greatly to readers who appreciate strong female characters and a hefty dose of humor.

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