Diner Impossible
By Terri L. Austin
Rose Strickland Mysteries, Book 3
Publisher: Henery
Press
Release Date: November
12, 2013
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Length: 286 Pages
ISBN: 978-1938383762
ASIN: B00GJYBY10
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About
the book:
After shunning her
overbearing parents' wealthy lifestyle, waitress and part-time college student,
Rose Strickland, is drawn back into their world when she tries to prove the impossible:
the innocence of the town's crooked police chief. He's suspected in the
gruesome death of Delia Cummings, his secretary and mistress, and all the
evidence points to him.
While she tracks down clues with the aid of her
anime-loving bestie, Rose's pal, Axton, and his Klingon gang are feuding with
their Starfleet rivals. Things get hairier than a pile of well-fed Tribbles, so
Rose gets involved. In between interrogating Trekkies and quizzing socialites
at high tea, she discovers the secrets Delia Cummings took to her grave.
Suspects abound, but when Chief Mathers threatens to bring down Rose's
criminally mischievous and maybe boyfriend, Sullivan, she makes it her mission
to find the real killer before Sullivan finds himself in prison.
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Having proved herself as an amateur detective in Diners, Dives & Dead Ends and Last Diner Standing, waitress and part time college student Rose Strickland once again finds her skills on demand in Diner Impossible, the third installment in Terri Austin’s Rose Strickland Mystery series. Although she's rejected her parent’s affluent lifestyle, and chosen to make it on her own, Rose gets dragged back into their high society world when crooked Police Chief Martin Mathers becomes the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of his secretary and mistress, Delia Cummings. While Rose could say no to officer Andre Thomas’ (aka Officer Hard Ass) request for help, she can’t say no to Barbara Strickland, her mother, who’s determined to prove her friend’s husbands innocence.
Meanwhile back at the diner, fellow waitress and
best friend Roxy Block is angry and hurt over being dumped by her last boyfriend
and Ma has decided to join Rose’s pal Ax and the rest of the Klingon Alliance
of Warriors (Star Trek fans) on their annual laser tag battle with the SPURTS,
a rival gang of Star Trek fans. When the
rivalry between the two Star Trek fan groups gets ugly, and a prized “Star Trek
Uniform” goes missing. Ax, Ma and the rest of Ax's friends beg Rose and Roxy to
locate the missing item and help negotiate peace between the two groups.
Ms.
Austin does a wonderful job with all of the characters as
this series continues. It was a hoot
watching Rose deal with her bossy, waspish mother and sister, and all of the
high society functions she was forced to attend in order to get clues about
Delia’s life, while at the same time trying to remain true to the person she’s
become. I particularly enjoyed the scene
in Rose’s sister’s closet, when Rose realizes she needs to get some new and sexier
underwear to add a little more sizzle to her almost relationship with Sullivan,
her criminal would be boyfriend. I also
enjoyed watching Rose be there for Roxy and help her realize that she’s too
awesome to wait for some loser ex to get a clue. Helping Roxy want to move on was really well
done.
As Rose’s investigation gets deeper and deeper into
Huntinford’s high society, and she realizes there are plenty of would be
criminals who belong to the country club, she finds herself crossing paths with
Chief Mathers, who’s quick to point out that if he goes down for Delia’s murder,
he’s more than willing to take every other corrupt person he knows down too,
including Sullivan. Now with more
incentive than ever, Rose and her friends are pushed to the limit to find out which
of the people that wanted Delia dead had the best opportunity and the best
motive.
Will Rose discover who killed Delia before anyone
else is killed in the crossfire? Will
Rose and Sullivan finally decide to make their almost relationship something
more? You’ll have to read Diner
Impossible to find out, I think it’s a great addition to the
series and can’t wait to see what Ms.
Austin has in store for us next. I
just hope we don’t have to wait too long to find out (Yes, I’m greedy that
way).
My Rating: 5
out of 5 Crowns
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.
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