Terri L. Austin's Rose Strickland Mystery books are getting better and better! Each one has earned Five Kitties. [I may have to add another Kitty to my Book Rating Scale. What's better than WOW! Amazing! (that I can publish in my blog)?]

There's a lot of action and interactions going on in Diner Impossible. I love the inclusion of the Star Trek story line. (I've been a Star Trek fan since the beginning.) Things are heating up between Rose and Sullivan. Requests from two most unlikely people draw Rose, ever so reluctantly, back into the wealthy lifestyle world.

Rose's policeman nemesis, Officer Andre Thomas, "or as I liked to call him, Officer Hard Ass," asks Rose to uncover the truth about Delia Cummings' murder, because the police chief is his former mentor.

"Do you think he did it?" I asked.
He hesitated fro a moment. "I don't believe so. But I want to know what really happened. While your methods are unorthodox, you defy rules and laws, you surround yourself with oddballs, and you seem to know a lot of criminals—"
"Hey," I said, rapping my knuckles on the table. "Is this going somewhere?"
"You have a knack for uncovering the truth. I'm not a stupid man, Miss Strickland. I know Martin isn't a clean cop, but if he's innocent of murdering Delia, I don't want to see him railroaded. So I'm asking you to look into this...."

Barbara Strickland, Rose's mother, actually asks Rose (in her own special way) to help her friend:
[A long passage, but one that perfectly illustrates the Strickland mother — daughter dynamics.]

"Rosalyn, as you know, your father and I frown on your involvement with criminals." She paused and watched me, waiting. Maybe for an acknowledgement of some kind?
I stared back, refusing to give her one.
"These tedious situations you get yourself into are as disgusting as they are embarrassing. Most of your outrageous behavior has been kept out of the news, but word gets out. People know." ....
She drummed her manicured fingernails — polished in a shade of frosty sand — on the desk. "Don't you have anything to say?' She sounded slightly exasperated.
"Nope. You're doing fine on your own."
A sigh slipped from between her lips. "The fact of the matter is, that while we find this behavior of yours abhorrent, your father and I are willing to overlook it. Just this once."
The light bulb clicked on. Now I got it. She needed something from me. That was the only reason she'd been nice. No brain tumors involved. And Barbara Strickland had never asked me for a favor. This must be killing her.
The power was almost heady.
"My friend's husband is being maliciously defamed."
"What friend?" I asked. "And what's being said about him?"
She reached up and twisted the pearl stud in her earlobe. "People are saying he killed his secretary. It's nonsense, of course, but the gossip is hurting Annabelle."
Hold up, now. This sounded familiar. A zing of excitement shot through my body. "Annabelle Mathers? Wife of police chief, Martin Mathers?"
"Yes. She's being ostracized. She's already been kicked off the Library Board, now there's a question of whether she'll be able to participate in the Junior League Walkathon."
I gasped. "Oh no, not the walkathon."
Barbara narrowed her eyes. "This isn't funny. The Mathers' reputations are at stake, so please save the sarcasm. As I've said, this obsession you have with crime has been an embarrassment. The least you could do to make amends is help out poor Annabelle."

Unfortunately for Rose, in Barbara's mind this request means that she and Rose are now investigative partners.

"What's our next step?" she asked.
"Our?"
Her lips tightened. "Yes, Rosalyn. We're in this together."

Even more unfortunately for Rose, as she and Barbara conduct their investigations, Rose keeps hearing from her mother's society friends

"...I didn't know Barbara had two daughters. I know Jacqueline, of course, but I don't remember hearing about you. Ever."

To find out how Rose brokers peace between the Klingons and Starfleet, how she solves Delia's murder, and if she is able to work together with Barbara without going crazy, READ THE BOOK!


One more quote, and a special treat:

...Sullivan left the room and returned five minutes later with food. He put the silver tray filled with cookies and a steaming mug on his desk.
"Henry says he used blackstrap molasses. I don't know what the hell that means." He handed me the mug and offered me the plate of cookies.
When I bit into the soft, gingery bit of yum, I slouched back in the chair with a groan. "These are amazing."
Sullivan watched me with an amused gleam in his eyes. "I'll be sure to let him know."

I interviewed Rose Strickland as part of my Virtual Book Tour post for Heartache Motel, and requested Henry's recipe for these cookies (if they weren't family secrets). Here is her response, reprinted from that post:

Well as you know, the closest I get to cooking is a heating up a cup of ramen noodles, but I’ve persuaded Henry to part with his famous gingerbread cookies.

2 c. flour (1 c. all purpose, 1 c. pastry flour)
2 t. baking soda
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves
½ t. ground nutmeg
¼ softened butter
¼ c. blackstrap molasses
1 c. sugar
1 large egg
1 egg white, beaten
Crystal sugar for coating

Combine flour, baking soda and spices. In a separate bowl, cream butter, molasses and sugar. Beat in the egg and add the dry ingredients.

Cover and chill for at least four hours. Overnight is better.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two cookie sheets. (Henry uses slipmats, because he’s clever like that). Scoop out small bits of dough (about the size of a golf ball) and roll into a ball. Dip each ball into the egg white and place them two inches apart. Sprinkle with the crystal sugar and bake for ten to twelve minutes.

If they turn out as well as Henry’s cookies—you’ll be in heaven.

Diner Impossible by Terri L. Austin, is a great read and highly recommended to all cozy mystery fans!




Note: I received a complimentary review copy of Diner Impossible from the publisher, with no expectation of a positive review. ( )

Terri L. Austin's Rose Strickland Mystery books are getting better and better! Each one has earned Five Kitties. [I may have to add another Kitty to my Book Rating Scale. What's better than WOW! Amazing! (that I can publish in my blog)?]

There's a lot of action and interactions going on in Diner Impossible. I love the inclusion of the Star Trek story line. (I've been a Star Trek fan since the beginning.) Things are heating up between Rose and Sullivan. Requests from two most unlikely people draw Rose, ever so reluctantly, back into the wealthy lifestyle world.

Rose's policeman nemesis, Officer Andre Thomas, "or as I liked to call him, Officer Hard Ass," asks Rose to uncover the truth about Delia Cummings' murder, because the police chief is his former mentor.
"Do you think he did it?" I asked.
He hesitated fro a moment. "I don't believe so. But I want to know what really happened. While your methods are unorthodox, you defy rules and laws, you surround yourself with oddballs, and you seem to know a lot of criminals—"
"Hey," I said, rapping my knuckles on the table. "Is this going somewhere?"
"You have a knack for uncovering the truth. I'm not a stupid man, Miss Strickland. I know Martin isn't a clean cop, but if he's innocent of murdering Delia, I don't want to see him railroaded. So I'm asking you to look into this...."

Barbara Strickland, Rose's mother, actually asks Rose (in her own special way) to help her friend:
[A long passage, but one that perfectly illustrates the Strickland mother — daughter dynamics.]
"Rosalyn, as you know, your father and I frown on your involvement with criminals." She paused and watched me, waiting. Maybe for an acknowledgement of some kind?
I stared back, refusing to give her one.
"These tedious situations you get yourself into are as disgusting as they are embarrassing. Most of your outrageous behavior has been kept out of the news, but word gets out. People know."
....
She drummed her manicured fingernails — polished in a shade of frosty sand — on the desk. "Don't you have anything to say?' She sounded slightly exasperated.
"Nope. You're doing fine on your own."
A sigh slipped from between her lips. "The fact of the matter is, that while we find this behavior of yours abhorrent, your father and I are willing to overlook it. Just this once."
The light bulb clicked on. Now I got it. She needed something from me. That was the only reason she'd been nice. No brain tumors involved. And Barbara Strickland had never asked me for a favor. This must be killing her.
The power was almost heady.
"My friend's husband is being maliciously defamed."
"What friend?" I asked. "And what's being said about him?"
She reached up and twisted the pearl stud in her earlobe. "People are saying he killed his secretary. It's nonsense, of course, but the gossip is hurting Annabelle."
Hold up, now. This sounded familiar. A zing of excitement shot through my body. "Annabelle Mathers? Wife of police chief, Martin Mathers?"
"Yes. She's being ostracized. She's already been kicked off the Library Board, now there's a question of whether she'll be able to participate in the Junior League Walkathon."
I gasped. "Oh no, not the walkathon."
Barbara narrowed her eyes. "This isn't funny. The Mathers' reputations are at stake, so please save the sarcasm. As I've said, this obsession you have with crime has been an embarrassment. The least you could do to make amends is help out poor Annabelle."

Unfortunately for Rose, in Barbara's mind this request means that she and Rose are now investigative partners.
"What's our next step?" she asked.
"Our?"
Her lips tightened. "Yes, Rosalyn. We're in this together."

Even more unfortunately for Rose, as she and Barbara conduct their investigations, Rose keeps hearing from her mother's society friends
"...I didn't know Barbara had two daughters. I know Jacqueline, of course, but I don't remember hearing about you. Ever."

To find out how Rose brokers peace between the Klingons and Starfleet, how she solves Delia's murder, and if she is able to work together with Barbara without going crazy, READ THE BOOK!

One more quote, and a special treat:

...Sullivan left the room and returned five minutes later with food. He put the silver tray filled with cookies and a steaming mug on his desk.
"Henry says he used blackstrap molasses. I don't know what the hell that means." He handed me the mug and offered me the plate of cookies.
When I bit into the soft, gingery bit of yum, I slouched back in the chair with a groan. "These are amazing."
Sullivan watched me with an amused gleam in his eyes. "I'll be sure to let him know."

I interviewed Rose Strickland as part of my Virtual Book Tour post for Heartache Motel, and requested Henry's recipe for these cookies (if they weren't family secrets). Here is her response, reprinted from that post:

Well as you know, the closest I get to cooking is a heating up a cup of ramen noodles, but I’ve persuaded Henry to part with his famous gingerbread cookies.

2 c. flour
....
Sprinkle with the crystal sugar and bake for ten to twelve minutes.

If they turn out as well as Henry’s cookies—you’ll be in heaven.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Diner Impossible by Terri L. Austin, is a great read and highly recommended to all cozy mystery fans!

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of Diner Impossible from the publisher, with no expectation of a positive review.

{Originally published on my blog at www.JaneReads2.blogspot.com} ( )

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Rated it 5 out of 5 Stars.

Having proved herself as an amateur detective in Diners, Dives & Dead Ends and Last Diner Standing, waitress and part time college student Rose Strickland once again finds her skills on demand in Diner Impossible, the third installment in Terri Austin’s Rose Strickland Mystery series. Although she's rejected her parent’s affluent lifestyle, and chosen to make it on her own, Rose gets dragged back into their high society world when crooked Police Chief Martin Mathers becomes the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of his secretary and mistress, Delia Cummings. While Rose could say no to officer Andre Thomas’ (aka Officer Hard Ass) request for help, she can’t say no to Barbara Strickland, her mother, who’s determined to prove her friend’s husbands innocence.

Meanwhile back at the diner, fellow waitress and best friend Roxy Block is angry and hurt over being dumped by her last boyfriend and Ma has decided to join Rose’s pal Ax and the rest of the Klingon Alliance of Warriors (Star Trek fans) on their annual laser tag battle with the SPURTS, a rival gang of Star Trek fans. When the rivalry between the two Star Trek fan groups gets ugly, and a prized “Star Trek Uniform” goes missing. Ax, Ma and the rest of Ax's friends beg Rose and Roxy to locate the missing item and help negotiate peace between the two groups.

Ms. Austin does a wonderful job with all of the characters as this series continues. It was a hoot watching Rose deal with her bossy, waspish mother and sister, and all of the high society functions she was forced to attend in order to get clues about Delia’s life, while at the same time trying to remain true to the person she’s become. I particularly enjoyed the scene in Rose’s sister’s closet, when Rose realizes she needs to get some new and sexier underwear to add a little more sizzle to her almost relationship with Sullivan, her criminal would be boyfriend. I also enjoyed watching Rose be there for Roxy and help her realize that she’s too awesome to wait for some loser ex to get a clue. Helping Roxy want to move on was really well done.

As Rose’s investigation gets deeper and deeper into Huntinford’s high society, and she realizes there are plenty of would be criminals who belong to the country club, she finds herself crossing paths with Chief Mathers, who’s quick to point out that if he goes down for Delia’s murder, he’s more than willing to take every other corrupt person he knows down too, including Sullivan. Now with more incentive than ever, Rose and her friends are pushed to the limit to find out which of the people that wanted Delia dead had the best opportunity and the best motive.

Will Rose discover who killed Delia before anyone else is killed in the crossfire? Will Rose and Sullivan finally decide to make their almost relationship something more? You’ll have to read Diner Impossible to find out, I think it’s a great addition to the series and can’t wait to see what Ms. Austin has in store for us next. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long to find out (Yes, I’m greedy that way). ( )

In Diner Impossible, the third installment in the Rose Strickland Mystery series, author Terri L. Austin transports the reader back to Huntingford, Missouri, for another zany adventure featuring the sassy diner waitress / part-time college student / amateur sleuth Rose Strickland. This time there are two interweaving cases for Rose and her quirky gang of friends to solve: the murder of Delia Cummings, the crooked police chief's secretary / mistress; and best friend Axton's request to look into the theft of a signed Star Trek uniform.

Diner Impossible is an entertaining cozy mystery told in the first person narrative by Rose, who takes the reader along for the ride on her latest investigative adventure. In this latest installment in the series, Rose is back in the wealthy society world that she grew up in dealing with family issues and a high profile local murder case; while also dabbling in the world of Trekkies, where her bestie Axton's group of Klingons are battling with their Starfleet rivals. This fast-paced cozy mystery has a lot of intriguing twists and turns that easily engages the reader and keeps them guessing what will happen next, while also providing a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that will keep you in stitches. Author Terri L. Austin continues to provide the reader with a series that has a great balance of humor, intrigue, and a touch of romance that is just plain fun to read.

The quirky cast of characters from the first two books in the series: Ma, Roxy, Axton, and Sullivan are all back in this book along with Rose's mom Barbara, who gives her wayward daughter more family grief. These fun characters will keep the reader entertained with their quirkiness, witty dialogue, and engaging interactions that makes this story fun to follow.

Diner Impossible is an entertaining cozy mystery that is full of drama, suspense, comedy and romance, you can't help but get hooked on Rose's zany amateur sleuth adventures!

Author Terri L. Austin won't keep her fans waiting long with the next installment of Rose's madcap adventures as Diners Keepers, Losers Weepers, a Rose Strickland novella, will be included in the mystery anthology The Heartache Motel that will be published in December 2013.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

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