Just in Time

The Etonville Little Theatre joins forces with the Creston Players to perform Bye, Bye Birdie and Dodie plans to coordinate her menus to the musical. In Just in Time by Suzanne Trauth, Dodie's Windjammer Restaurant is presenting themed meals including a pre-show picnic that could put Etonville, New Jersey on the map.

Rehearsals seem to be running smoothly except for a new romance between lead actress Lola Tripper and lead actor Dale Undershot Lola's former love Walter Zeitman is the ELT director and he seems disturbed by the new romance. Dodie wants to help, but she has her hands full at the restaurant.

Her boss Henry was coerced into hiring a newly minted sous chief named Wilson. Wilson has excellent credentials, but he has the unfortunate fault - he is clumsy and drops and spills things - especially when Henry is around. Wilson has an outsized personality and everyone loves him despite his clumsiness.

Before the show opens, the rehearsal accompanist Ruby is found dead in her car. She had been a grumpy, chain-smoking pest, but according to the cast,
a musical savant. At first her death is thought to be cased by accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, but a second look shows someone deliberately cut the pipe to expose Ruby to the fumes. But why would someone kill a seventy-year-old piano accompanist?

Despite being cautioned by her Police Chief to stay out of it, Dodie is knee deep in trying to solve Ruby's death. Before she knows it, she is in serious danger.

The interplay with Dodie and Wilson is hysterical and promises more funny antics in future books

Time Out

The Etonville, New Jersey Little Theatre is staging Arsenic and Old Lace, but when the director dies, it's not part of the play. In Suzanne Trauth's Time Out, Dodie O'Dell has more at stake then the food served before the production.

Director Antonio Digenza has been driving everyone crazy, including Dodie's friend Lola, reigning diva and acting artistic director for the Little Theatre. To make matters worse, Digenza has cast his untalented young wife in the play. Rumor has it Tiffany is having an affair with another cast member.

For Dodie's part of the production, she has planned an array of food from her restaurant, the Windjammer, to celebrate the play's Brooklyn roots at the food festival promoting the opening. There are hot dogs, knishes, egg creams, Italian ices and more. 

 At the Food Festival, Dodie notices Antonio and Tiffany, but she

is concerned about Antonio's demeanor. He appears drunk and is flushed with his breath coming in short bursts. With a plate of knishes in hand, he wanders off seemingly hungry and finishing off the food. Before long Antonio is seen gasping for breath and falling forward to the ground - dead.

Before long residents fear the worst and think it's the food from the Windjammer Restaurant that has killed Antonio Digenza. When it was determined he had been poisoned, there are plenty of suspects including the director's wife, his irritating assistant, the handsome co-star and even Lola. Dodie knows she needs to solve the mystery so her restaurant can survive.

This was a fun book and Dodie is an excellent character. There is potential for more in this series, I believe.

For more books by Suzanne Trauth, click here.