I read A Frying Shame, the last one of a cozy trio by Linda Reilly. I read the reviews of this book before finishing it and I don't agree with some of them. Talia' s calico cat, Bojangles still doesn't get much space in the book even though it is cute on the cover and her new boyfriend, Ryan, doesn't either. But despites disappointments, I still loved this cozy.

Talia's employee, Martha, the curmudgeon from the previous book developes more in character and there is a knock out scene in the diner that belongs in the movies. I cried and laughed and would have jumped up and down, but I can no longer do that without serious injury!

Talia has been warned not to investigate but she and everyone at the diner are so worried about her other employee, Lucas, who is the hospital unconscious.

I loved the way that she accidently obtained information on the case by helping two elderly women, the first one, by helping the sister of the unloveable victim pack up the apartment so that the landlord could rent it out quickly and another older woman who had spilled her groceries through no fault of her own.

The author ties all the ends and puts a bow on it. A great way to end a series. ( )

When a cooking contest comes to Wrensdale, Talia enters in the sweet category with her deep fried apple pies. I though the contest might make up more of the mystery, but it mostly served as the vehicle for the crime. The story moved on with a lot of side stories about the high school past of many of the players. Talia didn't spend as much time at Fry Me, and I missed a lot of the interaction with her mom and boyfriend Ryan this time. I found it humorous that Talia is worried that she's becoming known as the nosy woman in town--I think that ship has sailed! I was kept guessing and went back and forth about what I thought happened to Norma Ferguson. I didn't like the detective's loose lips, I wasn't sure where that would go, but I feel her job would be too important to reveal certain things to Talia. ( )