Review: Dial M For Meat Loaf

Sophie Greenway is the new restaurant review editor at the Times Register. She shares the job with her son Rudy. Her husband Bram Baldric is a radio personality. Bram interviews Bernice Washburn, author of the forthcoming All That Glitters, a study of café society in America. She is also the food editor at the Times Register. She would not agree to do the interview unless Sophie agreed to come too. Bernice was terrified of radio interviews.

During the interview, Bernice announced that the Times Register was holding a statewide competition and asking everyone to send in their favorite meat loaf recipe.

Cora Runbeck, recently widowed when Kirby's truck blew up in the garage when he started it, new she had the best meat loaf recipe. She'd recently had catarac surgery and hadn't used her recipes for ages. When she went looking for her recipe box, she found Kirby had moved it. After much searching, she found it. But inside were a couple surprises Kirby had hidden there.

John Washburn, former mayor, had a stroke and was near death. In the hospital he finally regains consciousness and writes a cryptic note to his family. Unfortunately he is confessing to a murder and his doctor happens to be standing there and sees the note. So, the police are called. The family keeps saying he didn't know what he was writing. They wouldn't let him write any more notes.

Bernice is John's son. Sophie gives her a ride to the hospital one day and ends up spending the night due to a terrible storm. Through some information she finds, she starts questioning John's identity. As she begins looking into it, things are definitely not what they seem. What should she do with this information.

Sophie and Bram own the Maxfield Plaza and live in an apartment there. Her parents sold it to them for $1 when they decided to retire.

I like this series because Sophie always gets herself into some situations. Bram doesn't play a major role in the investigations, but is always an integral part in the story. Their relationship always adds to the story line. Then there's her gay son Rudy and his grown daughter Margie. Both play important roles in most of the stories.

This story was well crafted. She had enough people involved to keep you wondering which one did it. I wasn't disappointed with the ending, nor could I figure it out too early.

The Minneapolis setting is interesting too. I like the fact they live in the hotel. It really adds character to the story.

I highly recommend this book and series. If you like food, you will like this fun series.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dawn Dowdle

Book Review: Dial M For Meat Loaf