There are a few things that are sacred in the South: football, family dinner on Sunday, friends, and comfort food. No one knows this better than Lulu Taylor, owner and operator of a barbeque restaurant on Beale Street. An anonymous food critic, writing under the name “Eppie Curian”, has written scathing reviews of several local restaurants, including Aunt Pat’s, resulting in at least one of these restaurants to close. On top of that, one of Lulu’s friends is being taken in by her ex-husband, a smooth operator out to swindle as much money as he can.

When said ex-husband ends up murdered, there’s a long line of suspects. That line only gets longer when the truth about his identity comes out: he’s the anonymous food critic, Eppie Curian. Lulu and her friends investigate and discover that “Eppie” is into far more than just critiquing food. Blackmail seems to be the name of his game. Add in displaced and depressed friends and a catering job for the Bridezilla from hell and Lulu and her friends begin to realize that they may be in over their heads.

Riley Adams has created a perfect Southern-fried mystery in Finger Lickin’ Dead. The reader doesn’t have to be Southern to identify with these characters. They are charming, funny, outspoken, and quite endearing. The descriptions of the food will make anyone’s mouth water—don’t forget to check the back of the book for the recipes!