Mousse and Murder

Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan has Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke running the Bear Claw Diner in Elkview, Alaska after her mother’s retirement. Charlie wants to add a chocolate bear claw to the menu, but it has head chef, Oliver Whitestone up in arms. They have a terrible row in front of customers and then Oliver storms off. Trooper Cory Graham arrives later in the day to question Charlie because Oliver was found dead near his home. Charlie is asked by her mother, Evelyn to work with Trooper Graham to uncover Oliver’s killer. Mousse and Murder is the debut novel in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series. I thought it was unique to set a cozy mystery in Alaska. I enjoyed the descriptions of Elkview which is a small Alaskan tourist town. I thought the author captured the Alaskan weather and lifestyle including the wildlife ingredients they utilize (like moose meat). Charlie is a warm and likeable main character. She works hard, is a good friend and daughter, and a cat lover. Charlie knows trivia and fun facts about Alaska. It was enjoyable learning more about our fiftieth state. Charlie grew up in the town and is known by the locals. Her best friend, Annie Jensen owns Jensen’s Elkview Inn. I like how Charlie uses technology to interact with her cat, Eggs Benedict aka Benny during the workday. She can talk to Benny, see how the cat is doing, how much he has eaten, and even play with Benny using a laser. It is cute that she confides in Benny. There is a diverse cast of secondary characters from Trooper Graham, Chris Doucette, Annie, diner staff, and diner regulars. Oliver’s murder had a small handful of suspects, good clues and a red herring or two. I would have liked to have gotten to know Oliver before he was murdered. While I was able to identify the killer early in the story, I did not know why. I joined Charlie and her friends as they set out to learn the who and, most importantly, the why. They did uncover some interesting information including something unexpected. I did have a couple of unanswered questions at the end of the book and I wish they had been addressed. Mousse and Murder is a carefree cozy mystery with moose meatloaf, a cavorting cat, suspicious siblings, a cold climate, and pleasing pastries.