3.5 stars - the writing is good and not cheesy. ( )

After reading the second book in this series, I'm enjoying this series more and more. I like a lot of things about this series. I like the characters and I like the romantic tension between the two main characters - it's always a perfect balance. I like the dialogue. I like the plots. With some mysteries - including ones I also like - there's often a certain formula: nosy shop owner/chef/artist/etc. gets involved in muder and there are certain typical red herrings along the way and sometimes even a foreseeable ending. So far, with these stories, I find the plots are intellectually stimulating while at the same time remain fast paced and have a spy/action movie feel to them. I hope the author keeps writing this series. ( )