Overall, I enjoyed it. In the beginning, it was overly descriptive (for my tastes). I didn't see who the villain was until it was revealed. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and/or books with recipes, I would recommend giving this one a try. I so plan on trying a few of the recipes (especially the cinnamon-ginger cookies). ( )

What I liked most: the recipes! I can't wait to try them, just for fun. I'm usually not a fan of the mystery genre, but these eBooks were on sale once upon a time and now I actually have time to read things I once purchased. It's a fluffy read--I read this one just today--but the main character drove me a little bonkers. I wonder if the next five books I have in this series will also make me loathe the main character. That said, I did like that I didn't really see the killer's identity coming. I did not like the author's editorial comment, in describing Sadie early in the book, that being antiwar means being unpatriotic. That bothered me to the point where I almost stopped reading...but I was already hooked into finding out whodunit. ( )

Why do mystery authors ever imagine you could make a murder mystery interesting when you are writing about a lemon tart?? If you don't mind a character that is arrogant, superficial, immature, passive-aggressive and judgmental then you will probably love this book. I found her to be unbearable and far too realistic. Of course I can't, and won't, be too judgmental as this is a cozy mystery and I knew that going in... and I am not a fan...another book to fulfill a challenge. I have read cozies that had good characters and this wasn't one of them. Nice picture of a lemon tart on the cover though. ( )

Review by Laura Lynn @ RomancingThePage.com

After multiple people told me they enjoyed “Lemon Tart” by Josi S Kilpack, I broke down and spent part of my book budget to obtain the 346 page mystery. I have to say I am impressed. As I have never read anything by this author before, I was a little wary when I picked it up. I wasn’t sure whether to expect a book about food or a sour tease. In fact, it is a mystery revolving around a lemon pastry.

Sadie Hoffmiller, is an unexpected heroine. At 56 she is a widow and mother of two. She is also the neighborhood watch dog. She can see everything from her kitchen window, where she spends most of her time cooking.

The character of Sadie is well written, if a bit stereotypical of a female mystery heroine. While you gain empathy for her journey, you do wonder how she gets into the predicaments she is in. The last I checked, most people don’t get involved in police investigations…unless you are Angela Lansbury in Murder She Wrote.

As light mysteries go, I enjoyed the plot. I have to give Ms. Kilpack credit for keeping me guessing. As soon as I was sure who did it there would be a plot twist and I would be unsure again. She never let anything sit long enough for the reader to get bored.

The supporting cast of characters was a little odd. I felt at ease with some of them, tortured by others and repulsed by yet others. I am not sure if I made a connection with any of them, but then again, I’m not sure if I was supposed to. This book is all about Sadie. You see everything through her eyes and her experiences.

Overall, this was a fun book. It was a quick, one day read which did not require a lot of thought, just fancy. If you are looking for a spellbinding, gory mystery with mind numbing plot and details, this book is not for you. If you want a fun summer read with clean subject matter, a respectable heroine and cute ending, this is your book. ( )

With my love of food-lit and mystery novels Lemon Tart seemed like an ideal read... and it is truly the best of both worlds. It was a quick, light read full of surprises and delicious recipes.

This is the first book I've read in a long time where the voice of the story is not that of the law enforcement or the criminologists who are doing the lead investigating, but that of a friend and neighbor looking in from the outside. At first, that took a little adjusting to, but once I switched mind frames, it was very refreshing. Sadie is the town busybody that knows everyone... and that everyone knows. So when a neighbor is murdered and a toddler goes missing, what can she do but investigate? Sadie knows her neighbor better than anyone else in her cul-de-sac, but how much do any of us really know our neighbors?

Sadie takes food and cooking seriously; thank you's, apologies, and bribes, all come with a yummy homemade treat (for which Ms. Kilpack graciously supplies the recipes at the ends of chapters). She also has a knack for nosing into trouble. Sure, many of Sadie's problems and fears would be alleviated if she told the police all that she knows, but with her thirst to save the murdered women's reputation, the discoveries she's making about her friends and family, and a neophyte detective who suspects her of murder, Sadie has a hard time not withholding evidence...

READ MORE: http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2010/04/jenns-review-lemon-tart.html ( )