Dodie O'dell is the manager of a small town restaurant but she also helps out at the community theater tying both activities together with themed menus for the current production. Things go a bit wrong when the guest director suddenly dies of what appears to be food poisoning after eating one of the new dishes at the spring Food Fair.

Since business is now impacted Dodie has to "help" find the cause to save the restaurant.

Loved the twists and turns related to the theater and the victim. ( )

Time Out by Suzanne Trauth is the second book in A Dodie O’Dell Mystery series. Dodie O’Dell is the manager of the Windjammer in Etonville, New Jersey. She has arranged a two-day food festival with 1940 Brooklyn themed food items in conjunction with the ELT (Etonville Little Theatre) production of Arsenic and Old Lace. Antonio Digenza, the guest director, joins the festival and is soon enjoying a knish (and “elderberry wine”). Dodie hears choking and sees Antonio collapse (his face ends up in his plate of food). Antonio is dead and people are blaming his death on the Windjammer’s food. The Windjammer’s business takes an instant decline and Henry, Dodie’s boss, is less than thrilled with Dodie. Dodie knows there was nothing wrong with the food since no one else fell ill (dozens of people attended the festival). Dodie needs to restore the reputation of the Windjammer. She starts investigating Antonio to find out who wanted him dead. In the short time Antonio was in town, he managed to alienate the entire cast of Arsenic and Old Lace. Someone is not happy with Dodie investigation. She receives a threatening note telling her to back off. This just spurs Dodie on to find the truth.

Time Out is easy to read and nicely written. I thought there were a few too many quirky characters. One per town should be the quota. I quickly tired of Honey (Henry’s niece who is majoring in packaging in college) and her use of the word “like” (she talked like an 80s valley girl). I am amazed that Dodie has a job with how little time she spends working. When she starts an investigation, she seems to spend the majority of her time questioning people (and running around town). Dodie is prone to jumping to conclusions about her investigation and Bill Thompson (the guy she is interested in). I did get tired of the frequent mentions about Bill’s physique (makes me want to tell the writer that we get it. He is well built and Dodie is attracted to him.) I give Time Out 3 out of 5 stars (it is okay). I did not find the mystery puzzling. It is easy to figure out (very early in the book) how Antonio was killed and by whom. The secondary mystery (I only talked about the main one) was equally simple (burglaries in the next town that Bill Thompson is helping to solve). Some information is mentioned more than once especially information about the crime (filler). I am not sure how many more murders can occur at the Etonville Little Theatre. There have already been two. It can only go on so long without being farfetched. Time Out may be the second book in the series, but it can be a stand-alone. The background information on Dodie and the first book (Show Time) are included in Time Out. ( )

In Time Out, the second book in the Dodie O'Dell Mystery series, author Suzanne Trauth weaves an intriguing cozy mystery tale that easily draws the reader into following Windjammer restaurant manager Dodie O'Dell's latest amateur sleuth adventure. Dodie and best friend Lola Tripper, artistic director of the Etonville Little Theatre, try to uncover who murdered Antonio Digenza, visiting theater director, who died after eating a knish prepared by Windjammer restaurant. With rumors of food poisoning swirling around the town, Dodie is determined to find the killer and save the restaurant's reputation.

Rich in detail and vivid descriptions, the story takes place in the quaint small northern New Jersey town of Etonville, nestled in the shadow of New York City. This entertaining and fast-paced whodunit tale will keep you engaged as you turn the pages following along with Dodie's latest investigative adventure. You can't help but get caught up in the drama and calamity that ensues as Dodie and Lola try to solve the murder, while dealing with a zany mixture of restaurant, community theatre, and romance drama.

Time Out has a quirky cast of characters, and a wonderful balance of comedy, drama, secrets, intriguing twists and turns, clues, conspiracy theories, and a growing list of suspects that will keep you guessing and wanting more.

Time Out is an entertaining cozy murder mystery that will engage you to join in the crazy adventures and trials and tribulations that occur, while providing you with an intriguing mystery to solve.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

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