# 3 (A Five-Ingredient Mystery) Mass Market Paperback – December 1, 2015

Val Deniston lost her job in New York as a cookbook publicist, and also her fiancé when she caught him cheating. Now she's created a new life for herself in Bayport, living with her grandfather in his old Victorian and running the café at the local tennis and racket club. She also has a new boyfriend in Gunnar Swenson, and everything seems to be going her way.She's also helping her grandfather create recipes as The Codger Cook -- writing for the local newspaper, but if truth were told, it's her recipes and he's "borrowed" them so everyone thinks he can cook and he'll get local recognition. After Val has helped solve a couple of local murders, her grandfather also wants to become a PI and is taking online courses to do so. But now he's planning on a recipe of his own - a chocolate fondue - that he wants no help with and intends to enter in the local cook-off for the town's tricentennial celebration.Val has also convinced him as a way to make money would be to take in temporary boarders during the festival. Her grandfather, unfortunately, has also rented out Val's room and insists she stay with her cousin Monique. As if that weren't bad enough, Val's mother calls and says she's coming for a visit, and Val's ex, Tony, shows up unexpected and unannounced, causing problems between her and Gunnar.But Val's determined to make it work. With cooking breakfasts for the four people in a wedding party that are staying with them, driving to her cousin's, working at the festival and the café, trying to avoid Tony and see her mother and Gunnar, you'd think that would be enough. But it isn't: on the first night at the Victorian, one of the wedding party is murdered. Now Val's drawn into another investigation -- and since the bride-to-be is obviously being threatened, she needs to decide who's trying to kill the people in the wedding party, and why...This is the third book in the series, and it's starting to grow on me. While I enjoy the writing style and I do like Val, since she has what I call grit in sticking to her obligations, she allows people to walk all over her, and that gets to me. I still haven't been able to warm up to her grandfather. Yes, he has moments of care for her and it shows, but I still think he's taking advantage of her in more ways than one. It's almost as if he expects her to do what he wants, but I see him give nothing in return. It's difficult to care for someone who's so selfish as a person. One moment of kindness does not make up for hours of grief.I also haven't been able to warm up to Gunnar. He supposedly is her boyfriend, but he never makes any time for her. He makes excuses why he can't spend time with her; what kind of relationship is that? I'd rather see her with someone who appreciates her; but if she allows her grandfather to walk all over her, then I guess she'll let Gunnar walk all over her, too. Even her mother nags her, and she listens to it. Val also mentions as how Bethany is just a kid at twenty-five; Val is thirty-two. She's seven years older but apparently thinks that's much older than Bethany. Hmmm...Anyway, the mystery is done nicely, and while the clues are there, it was a little difficult to figure out who the murderer was and why; but when I did, I enjoyed watching Val put all the pieces together as she always does; even though in this book she was never in danger, it was still a lot of fun to see everyone's reactions as she went through the clues one by one until the killer was figured out.When the ending comes and everything is said and done, it was for the most part an easy read that can be done in one evening, and worth the venture into Val's world. Recommended.

The town of Bayport, Maryland is holding a festival to celebrate their tri-centennial. Val Deniston is participating with a booth featuring food from her café, while her grandfather is hoping to win one of the contests with his chocolate fondue. And Val has talked Grandfather into renting out some rooms in the house they share to visitors in town for the weekend. These particular guests are there to start work on planning a wedding to take place in the area the next spring. When one of them turns up dead in the backyard, Val begins to question if the killer got their intended victim, or if someone else was the target. Can she figure out what happened?This book has a solid mystery with great clues sprinkled throughout. Even so, I only began to piece it together about the time that Val started figuring it out. Val’s former life in New York City pops up in a big way in this book, and, while I enjoyed the way this cozy trope played out in this book, I did feel it slowed things down a little. The more I read this series, the more I’ve come to love the characters, especially Val’s grandfather, who is a lot of fun. The suspects are distinct and kept me guessing. At the back of the book are six recipes, including a couple of chocolate fondue recipes, all of which have five or fewer ingredients. This is another fun entry in a tasty series.

Having read the first two books in this series, I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of this latest mystery. Huzzah, it exceeded even my high expectations! I love Val, the sleuth in this series, and really enjoy the interaction between her and her grandfather. Having set her story in a small tourist town, Maya Corrigan perfectly captures the dynamic of the natives vs visitors during a major festival. Adding in a "bridezilla" angle, Maya has produced a fast-paced, interesting cozy mystery with a slew of suspects, a complex romantic relationship for our protagonist, and a dynamic family situation. Last, but not least, the recipe for chocolate fondue is extremely enticing! Put this on top of your TBR list, go buy the freshest strawberries you can find, dig out the fondue pot, and enjoy! (Oh, and if you haven't read the first two books in this series, you'll want to get them as well. Not necessary to understand this book, but great reads as well.)

I have upped my previous 2 reviews from 4 star to 5 - the writing, the dialogue, the plots continue to improve.This tale takes place over the course of a fall festival on the Eastern Shore, and Val's grandad's house becomes a temporary B&B. We meet Val's mom, and Val's ex-fiancé, and the nasty chef she worked with.The book has plenty of clues, some red herrings, and does a great job expanding on small events mentioned in the first two books. I am now hooked.Final Fondue would make a great 2 hour tv. Yesteryear!!

Great book!! 😁 awesome author!!! This series of mystery books is a must read! There are 6 books in the series.

I’ve read the first 3 books in the series back to back and will begin the 4th today or tomorrow. I’m really enjoying these books. Ms. Corrigan has penned very well thought out mysteries, and each book has several characters and stories and details are kept straight; everything is addressed and resolved. I like that. Great series.

This is a pretty good book and I am continuing to by the series.

Clever mystery with some nice twists. Characters are fun and engaging. All food with recipes look good to try and not too complicated. Love a good mystery with recipes.