Something's Cooking: An Angie Amalfi Mystery (Angie ... (ISBN 0061080969)

Best of the Lot:
It's all down hill from here. Angie Amalfi tumbles through life and always comes out ahead...it gets annoying after a bit. Every man wants to date her, every woman wants to be here. Petite, rich, and ready to face the world??? No, ok so she's still looking for her niche, but honestly this is the only book in the series where she didn't annoy me so badly that I had to put it down. Life is TOO easy for her. Every thing ALWAYS works out. Come on! She gets herself into stupidly dangerous situations, and Paavo always comes in the nick of time. Then does she learn from the mistake? Nope, there she is the next chapter or book doing the same thing. It gets old fast. I gave this one three stars because I didn't actually mind the read. Quick and light. It's what made me at least try the second (also not a bad read) and third books in the series. I gave them both a chance (along with one other randomly picked from the set) All fell flat in comparison and even this one wasn't a keeper. I wish I would have gone to the library for it instead.

Disappointment:
The series starts out with an interesting mystery and characters that switch around the usual typecasts- this time the heroine is the rich one (though not self-made- she's more an heiress) and the hunky love interest is the cop with a dark past. (....) Having a somewhat ditzy woman to lighten up a loner guy could work... (...)For this book though, Angie is still tolerable. If you're looking for anything culinary from the series, look somewhere else- its something Angie only dabbles in.

Curiously anticipating next in series:
I have read Diane Mott Davidson's Culinary Mysteries and was left "wanting more " after I finished her 11th book . Pence was also reccomended and this book was quite entertaining ...but did not tie together well in my opinion . I still couldn't put it down and eagerly await next in series.

Cinnamon & Spice Omelet With Capers & Cheese.:
Loved the "Don't call the bomb squad; call a plumber" introductory chapter. Was definitely drawn into the "Wish List" of a gourmet kitchen. A cherry red stove? Wow. If Jill Churchill's mystery series collection provides cherished, refreshing entertainment (which it does - see my Listmania & reviews), Joanne Pence's "cook" books are exquisite mainstream novels under the cover of cozy clothing. Pence gleefully grabs reader attention in chapter one with Angie's disaster loadstone magnetized on all angles. The "... don't bother to send a bomb expert. Send a plumber" was a perfect opening for a promising series. I read those chapter ending lines to my husband as he was clutching his Ford diesel pickup to pull out from Murdock's parking lot onto a busy highway. Oops. My timing for interjections is atrocious. He handled the dual duty of focus okay, but I was ashamed of myself when I realized I should have waited for a less precarious time.. But, I was so struck by the fun in that chapter's ending lines, I had to share it "right now." That's a compliment to Pence's writing skill, and a warning to me that I STILL have to work on timing awareness (especially pausing prior to blurt). When enthusiasm gets hold of me, you'd think I was 5 instead of 57. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever learn. In chapter two Pence opens with a narrative setting which could cajole Joseph Conrad to leap out of the grave and compete. In a fun contrast to the eternal perk of Angie's catastrophe-prone personality, the love of her life is introduced through a leisurely, macho Sunday afternoon as Pence's sensual syntax sets the scene: "The San Francisco Hall of justice, a massive, grey, granite structure, cold and intimidating, stood quiet without the chaos that routine police business brought during the week." The uncannily realistic setting descriptions following the above statement indicate that Pence has been on the inside of a police precinct, to have seen so clearly the rare but real quiet moods of "letting the hair down" during the lulls between chaos of heavy crime scenes. Outsiders wouldn't be allowed to experience this vulnerable silence in the crime fighters' den. I've been there to know, previously married to a Deputy Sheriff of Multnomah County Oregon, and employed as a crime prevention officer with both that Sheriff's office and the City of Portland. Pence's portrayal of Inspector Pavo Smith is more realistic than any other human side of a police presence which I'm able to recall at the moment, with the possible exception of Serpico. Then you have Angie's "mouthy-ness" as Pavo terms it, which is hilarious. It's amazing how Pence can slip such giggle-inducing humor (even guys would have to chuckle) within true drama without having it slip headlong into comedy. Angie. Is. Funny. Period. She has dialogue wit without wan. The slip into this novel was so seamless I didn't have time or inclination to analyze (past the first couple chapters) what was drawing me in. I was just there, though I did periodically surface to notice the awesome talent of a true novelist at work behind the scenes. The entertaining weaving between the spontaneity of Angie and the sensual precision, pausing thoughtfulness, and holding-back hesitance of Paavo continued throughout the novel, with realistic emotional dances and endearing relationship machinations tossed helter-skelter into plenty of action, mayhem, and candor. Angie possesses a repeating character "flaw" which is spicy and fun, as well as scarey for those who come to care about her. She pauses, rests, and plays a bit within any protective prison she's been contained within. She rambles around the cage, dutifully and sensibly. Then a spark from the ozone (or from somewhere over the rainbow?) surfaces and she leaps into crazy, chaotic situations most of us would maybe consider cautiously in a conquering hero day dream, but wouldn't have (wouldn't WANT) the chutzpah to ever, ever act upon. Yet, that makes Angie a perfect fictional heroine, instead of an every day person dancing with drudgeries outside the pages of a book. Being an every-day person is my job (when I'm escaping into fiction instead of writing it). That's why I was able to relish Angie's surging leaps, even as I cringed and skidded on the breaks of the ottoman upon which my feet were resting, with an afghan covering them cozily. I'm still not certain if Pence's Amalfi series is a cozy culinary, a crime novel, a romance, or a mainstream offering. Honestly, I don't care about its precise category; I care that I have 10 more novels in that series to read. Yum! I love the colorful gingham checks on the gorgeously graphic-ed covers of the early books in the series, yet I also appreciate how the cover art progresses into artistic styles attempting to capture the exact essence of Angie, as she wrestles with Paavo and her exuberant Italian family, who could be called caricatures if they weren't so lively and real. Wonderful job, Pence, of following the dictates of your soul, and evolving a fantastic series of novels. I'm more than ready for TOO MANY COOKS, but I'm committed to pause a short while, and make a couple dents in my waiting collection of unread and unreviewed books. Too many books? Oh yeah! Also have to keep something cooking in regular intervals for my husband who's supporting my writing career. Please, Joanne, keep up the good work!! Too Many Cooks coming soon. And how's RED HOT MURDER doing in that red stove of Angie's?? Linda G. Shelnutt

Fun, fast-paced Cozy:
Although very predictable (I had it figured out by page 50), this mystery is fun to read and hard to put down. Joanne Pence finds just enough balance between a hard-boiled criminal investigation and sizzling romance to turn this book into a nice, fast-paced cozy that would otherwise be a complete disappointment to cozy mystery fans. However, Angie Amalfi's character needs a little work. Although she wears her emotions on her sleeve and seemingly has a heart of gold, she still comes across as slightly spoiled and oblivious to anything that goes on in the "real world". I'm looking forward to reading the next mystery in the series to see how things develop.