Killer Mousse
by Melinda Wells
ISBN: 9780425219812

Meet Della Carmichael, owner of a cooking school in Santa Monica, California, and star of a brand-new cable cooking show. Shes about to add another credit to her resume: murder suspect. This first title in a new series includes recipes.

Welcome to the preview of my book, KILLER MOUSSE. I hope you enjoy reading it each day. Feel free to email me, melinda.wells@hotmail.com, or visit my website: http://www.dellacooks.com/. I look forward to any comments or questions you may have about KILLER MOUSSE -- Melinda

i really enjoyed reading this book

Hello, Albert. Thank you so much for saying that you are enjoying the book. I appreciate that immensely! (This is my first time on the book forum, so I hope I am responding correctly.) I look forward to any further comments you have.
Warmly,
Melinda

I am loving it so far! And I'm getting hungry!

The recipie for cranberry chicken sounds just like one my mom makes, but she uses apricot preserves instead. However, the onion soup and Russian dressing are still the same. I find it fascinating how one recipie can take on so many different forms in so many places around the country.

Can't wait to read tomorrow's installment.

Yum, Marta. Your family version, using apricot preserves, sounds so good I'm going to make that this weekend! My sister-in-law, who gave me the cranberry chicken recipe, said that she's been making her version for years and that people started asking for it when she invited them to dinner. Thank you for sharing the apricot preserves idea. Just yesterday I made a corn casserole recipe given to me by a friend. At the last minute I suddenly decided to add about a third of a cup of golden raisins to the mixture, and it turned out to be delicious. The idea came to me just because I wanted to use up the last of the golden raisons in the box.
Melinda

I am really enjoying this book and will surely purchase the book. My favorite things are reading, cooking, cooking shows, and eating with friends and family. This book has it all with mystery thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for a good read.

Merry

Hi, Merry. Thank you for commenting. It's ironic that my liking to cook has led to the writing of a series of mysteries with a food background. Life is full of surprises! On my web site (http://www.dellacooks.com) you'll find out just why I learned to cook: the short answer is LOVE.
Happy reading and Happy cooking,
Melinda

I ENJOY MYSTERIES MORE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER READING. USUALLY THRILLERS, LIKE JAMES PATTERSON OR STEPHEN WHITE, BUT RECENTLY GOT INTO THE LIGHTER "FOODIE" MYSTERIES. I ENJOYED THE ENTRANCE AND LOOK FORWARD TO TOMORROWS READING.

Hi, Linda. I'm so glad you like the book so far and hope you continue to enjoy it. Like you, I'm a fan of thrillers, but I also like cooking, and the more character-driven mysteries, too. One is like riding a roller coaster, and the other more like a ferris wheel. I appreciate (very much!) your taking the time to post a message.
Warmly,
Melinda

Love your descriptions of the different mystery types - roller coaster and ferris wheel -

I am like Linda - have been reading more of the roller coaster type but have been lately on the ferris wheel (or merry go round )- and find that there is room for both depending on my mood at the time -
have yet to start your book but will do so shortly - Doris -

Hi, Doris. I'm glad we have the opportunity to read all kinds of books. In addition to the excitement appeal of thrillers and the of puzzles in the "softer" type of mystery, I find that when I learn something in a book it's a bonus. I love that "peek behind the curtain" that I get when an author lets us into a professional world we'll never inhabit in real life. Whether it's learning spy craft or a new recipe or how to repair something, that's another excitement for me.
Melinda

I really enjoy these type of mysteries. It reminds me of Murder She Wrote, Perry Mason, Columbo, etc. The recipes are an added plus. Thanks for giving us a sneak peek at your book.

You mentioned some of my favoties when you cited MURDER, SHE WROTE and COLUMBO. I also liked THE ROCKFORD FILES, MAGNUM and NERO WOLFE. (This series was broadcast on cable a while back and didn't last long enough.) Currently, my favorites are 3 cable mystery/thrillers/puzzles: BURN NOTICE, THE CLOSER,IN PLAIN SIGHT, and MONK.
I'm so grateful for books: we can take then with us anywhere, and read our favorites at any hour of the day our night. With books, we can do our own "programming."
Happy reading.
Melinda

I am reading the food preparations, particularly the eggplant vegetable pie, and getting quite hungry. I picked 3 eggplants from my garden last night and they are sitting on my counter... I like Della's character. I think this will be a great book to read.

Hi, Cathy. I'm getting hungry, too, because I'm crazy about any dish involving eggplant, so I envy your vegetable garden. A few years ago, I was able to grow corn, carrots and zuccini, but I was a total failure at growing tomatoes. I hope you enjoy KILLER MOUSSE. (There are more recipes on the web site: http://www.dellacooks.com )
Melinda

Hi Melinda,

I am enjoying the excerpts so far. I love this type of mystery that is light and fun with good recipes. I don't enjoy a lot of gore. I will definately finish this read. I forwarded the excerpts on to my sister as she also enjoys these types of mysteries and has already reserved your book at the library as well as I have. Thanks Suzanne for bringing us new authors!!!

Connie

I'll add my thanks to Suzanne to yours, Connie! I can't imagine how she manages this forum, but I'm delighted to have been included in the reading list. With so many books to choose from, this is an honor.
It's another thrill for me to have my book available in libraries. Growing up, libraries were very important in my life. The only schooling available to me was very, very low on the academic scale, but thanks to the school library (full of donated classics) and our town library, I got the good education I could not have had otherwise. The voracious reading I did opened my eyes to a world full of possibilities.
I hope you enjoy the rest of KILLER MOUSSE. Book # 2 in the series (DEATH TAKES THE CAKE) is finished and will be published next February. At the moment, I'm writing the book for February 2010.
Melinda

I like the book so far. I wish I could cook, but I lack the patience and I am very butterfingers. :) Like you, I like mysteries more character driven. I really like mysteries that show you a skill you may never have learned otherwise like cooking! Is this book part of a series?

Hello, Rachiel. Believe me, you couldn't be more of a "butterfingers" than I am! I can't sew anything except to replace buttons. I can't draw. I can't carve flowers out of vegetables! The cooking I do is very simple. Like "Della," if I can make a dish successfully, anyone can. In answer to your question, yes, KILLER MOUSSE is the first in a new series of mystery novels. Book # 2, titled DEATH TAKES THE CAKE (about a cake-baking competition), is finished and will be published this coming February (2009). At the moment, I'm writing the 3rd book in this series, which will be published in February of 2010.
I hope you decide to try some of the recipes because if you do you'll discover how easy it can be to cook. If it wasn't easy, I couldn't do it.
Good luck!
Melinda

Hi,

I am enjoying reading this book with the online book club. I really enjoy mysteries, and I love trying new receipes, so this book is really up my alley. I can't wait to find the book in my library so that I can find out what happens next.

Hi, Ethel. I hope you can get KILLER MOUSSE in your library. A lot of things happen in the story! And, at the back of the book, are ten recipes. (There are more recipes on my web site: http://www.dellacooks.com)
Thank you for trying KILLER MOUSSE, and for taking the time to write.
Best,
Melinda

I just finished reading the final excerpt. I love it. The dishes sound tasty and I'm hoping recipes are included in the book. Good work.