Strangle a Loaf of Italian Bread

STRANGLE A LOAF OF ITALIAN BREAD
Denise Dietz
Five Star
Gale, Cengage Learning
May 2009
Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-59414-760-9
$ 25.95
269 pages
Cozy Mystery

Many normal people with ordinary jobs dream of their one chance for greatness. Sara Lee, not her real
name, had her own dream. With a voice that sounded more like Barbara Streisand than Barbara
Streisand, Sara expected to win the part of Dolly in the local production of “Hello, Dolly” at the l
community theater. However, someone did not want her to audition. While taking a smoking break as
a waitress, she was rehearsing in the back alley behind the restaurant, she was strangled from behind by
someone grabbing her Daffy Duck necktie which was part of her uniform.

Who would want her dead? “… nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.” Was that true?

Ellie Bernstein loves sleuthing with her fiancée, Peter Miller who works as a detective in Colorado
Springs. Peter is concerned about Ellie endangering herself by sticking her nose into possibly
dangerous situations. Daily, she works as a leader with Weight Winners making many friends and
acquaintances through her connections.

One of her friends, Rachel Lester, is frustrated with learning about her husband’s cheating with many
different women. She needs to make some decisions for herself. She tells everyone that she is visiting
her ill sister in Texas, but in she is seeking shelter in a friend’s cabin.

Ellie agree to dog-sit for Rachel. She hopes that Scout will get along with her Persian cat, Jackie
Robinson.

Strangle a Loaf of Italian Bread is a short cozy mystery. This is a light fun story with numerous
twists and turns. The characters are realistic and act in a believable manner. The mystery is
fast-paced with constant real life challenges intermixed with the investigations in an almost
real time manner.
Denise Deitz has written other culinary mysteries Throw Darts at Cheesecake, Beat Up a Cookie, and Chain a Lamb Chop to the Bed which also feature Ellie and Peter. With the main character Ingrid Beaumont, she has written Footprints in the Butter and also the stand-alone, Fifty Cents for your Soul. As Mary Ellen Dennis, she has written The Landlord’s Blackeyed Daughter, Stars of Fire, Heaven’s Thunder, and The Greatest Love on Earth. She wrote Finding Bess with her husband, author Gordon Aalborg. She resides at Vancouver Island.
Strangle a Loaf of Italian Bread is a logical but not predictable mystery that is delightful to read.