On the Lamb

Easter is coming to the Jersey shore and Lucy Berberian and her family are preparing delicious foods at their Mediterranean restaurant. In On the Lamb by Tina Kashian, Lucy and her friends are readying for their traditional bonfire on the shore. (On the Lamb will be published by Kensington Publishing Corp. on February 25.)

With the Bikers on the Beach in town there are plenty of people at the bonfire. Local landlord and totally obnoxious person Gilbert Lubinski publicly humiliates Lucy's friend Melanie Haven. Melanie, who operates a boardwalk candy shop, has fallen behind on her rent and Gilbert has demanded she pay or vacate her shop. 

Shocked by his behavior, Melanie wanders away from the bonfire. A short time later, Gilbert is found dead on the beach having choked on a piece of saltwater taffy. The likely suspect is Melanie, the candy store owner. Lucy believes Melanie is innocent, and while she investigates, she discovers there were many other people who despised Gilbert Lubinski. 

Trying to stay on the good side of her friend police officer Bill Watson and the grumpy Detective Calvin Clemmons, Lucy tiptoes cautiously through her investigation. She learns Gilbert had an so-to-be-ex-wife with an axe to grind and several other suspects. 

On the home front, the restaurant is starting to get busy as the summer season approaches and despite her mother's best efforts, Lucy isn't the chef her mother or her boyfriend Azad are. While she searches for the killer, Lucy tries to improve her culinary skills and establish where her relationship with Azad is going. 

Another delightful mystery in the culinary exploits of the large Mediterranean family. I can identify with that.