Enjoyable mystery made all the more interesting by the fact that it took place in Berkeley, California - a city I know well. Recognizable landmarks lent an authenticity to the story. Well-drawn characters, solid plot, and good writing all contributed to the story. I'm looking forward to reading more of Dunlap's books.
Berkeley, California, has been transformed from hippie to yuppie, but it's still home to homicide detective Jill Smith. And even in the Bay Area, some elements of the human condition remain eternal...like murder. Now the owner of a local gourmet eatery has completed his karma: poisoned at his own fabulous Paradise Restaurant. A sixties holdover who had made food his life, Mitchell Biekma also made it a catalyst for deadly rivalries and rage. A street crazy, a disgruntled dishwasher, and a neighborhood activist all would gladly have seen him in hell. Paradise serves the food of the gods, but it leaves Jill with the bitter taste of broken dreams and face-to-face with her mortality.
A nice quick cozy mystery.