(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When her six-year stint as a personal chef to a Hollywood It girl ends in flames, Laurel Inwood is at loose ends.  Rescue comes in the form of her aging "aunt," a restaurant owner who needs help while recovering from knee surgery.  Eager to manage the elegant venue she's heard much about but never seen, Laurel moves to Hubbard, Ohio, only to find that Aunt Sophie has greatly exaggerated her restaurant's virtues.  Instead of a sparkling, sophisticated eatery, Terminal at the Tracks is an old railroad station turned dingy greasy spoon.  And it's in desperate need of help.

To revive the Terminal's image, Laurel decides to add a little spice to the menu by introducing innovative ethnic dishes.  Just when things are starting to look up for the diner, however, a customer is found slumped in one of its booths, a receipt spike sticking out of his back.  Jack Lancer, aka "The Lance of Justice," was not a well-liked man, but who hated him enough to kill him?  With the help of the handsome manager of the Irish store next door to the Terminal, Laurel aims to find out.  Even if it means her own back becomes a killer's next target.

I've enjoyed a couple of Kylie Logan's books and Irish Stewed, the first installment in her Ethnic Eats cozy mystery series, sounded like a fun one to try.  Like most books in this genre, this one offers a quick, entertaining story that makes for light, easy reading.  I'm not fond of Laurel, who's rather cold and cocky.  Don't get me wrong—I don't mind a strong, unsentimental heroine, but I would have liked to see both some vulnerability and some character growth from Laurel.  Perhaps that will come in later books.  In general, though, I liked Irish Stewed.  I'll for sure keep reading this series as I'm eager to see where it goes.

(Readalikes: reminds me of culinary mysteries by Ellie Alexander and Lena Gregory)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and violence

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find