Book Review: Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst (Orchid Isle Mysteries #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun setting and a solid mystery

Cons: Characters are good, but could be a little stronger

The Bottom Line:

Trying to make friends

But murder complicates things

I love this setting

Is There a Poisoner in the Neighborhood?

I always enjoy finding series that are a bit off the beaten path. That’s the case for Leslie Karst’s Orchid Isle series since I don’t read any other books set in Hawai’i. And I was happy to be back for Murder, Local Style, the third book in the series. 

The series follows Valerie Corbin, a retired caterer who has moved to the Big Island with her wife, Kristen. While they are settling into their new house in Hilo, they are still trying to build a new circle of friends. Valerie decides to follow her interest in orchids and join the orchid society. Since so many of the members are in her neighborhood, it will be a big boost to her social life. 

Valerie’s first meeting is right before a fundraiser for the society, and she gets roped into helping prepare the food. But, no good deed goes unpunished, and the morning after the event, it appears that a bout of food poisoning has hit many of the attendees. Then the society’s president dies from an especially bad case of the food poisoning, and the police get involved. Could it be murder?

Valerie being new to town gives us a nice entry point since we are meeting people as she is. Of course, most of these new people become suspects. It’s what happens in a mystery. People we’ve met in previous books take a bit of a back seat, and I still wish I felt like we were getting to know Valerie and Kristen a little better. But those are minor points. 

The mystery was solid. We had plenty of good suspects and surprises that kept me guessing until we reached the logical climax. 

And yes, I loved the setting. Even though we weren’t visiting touristy places, it still made me want to hop and plane and head back to visit the island. 

As with any good culinary cozy, there are recipes at the end inspired by local dishes. All told, there are five recipes to enjoy. 

If you are looking for a tropical getaway, you’ll be glad you picked up Murder, Local Style. This mystery tinged with local flavor will keep you entertained. 

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.