🌴Virtual Book Tour & Book Review & #Giveaway: Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst

Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst! Today we are featuring a review of the third book in this tropical cozy murder mystery series. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews, and more! This mouthwatering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette, and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.

🌟There is also a Giveaway for one signed copy of Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery) by Leslie Karst. Two Orchid Isle coasters, and a set of all 11 bookmarks (with recipes!) of all of Leslie’s books. US Only ENTER HERE! ⬅️

Murder, Local Style (An Orchid Isle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Hawaii
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1448316588
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448316588
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448316571
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FVLW3ZL8

About the Book:

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i.

A dinner to die for!

It’s been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen are finally settling into life on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Val’s even joined the neighborhood orchid society to make some new friends. So when she’s asked to step in to cater their latest social event, as the newbie of the group she can’t exactly say no.

But what should have been a straightforward gig is soon a dining disaster when the food from the event poisons and kills the society president. As Val herself becomes a suspect in the murder investigation, she’s determined to uncover the truth. Who would want to kill the mild-mannered president of the orchid society?

Turns out the list is longer than a celebrity chef’s tasting menu. Apparently some of the residents did not “love thy neighbor.” Can she reveal the killer’s identity before they strike again?

My Review:

This is such an enjoyable series! This latest entry includes a solid mystery, with lots of red herrings. I enjoy Val as a sleuth, even when she gets a bit carried away with an investigation (although, let’s be real – that’s a great quality in a sleuth!). I also love the setting – this is true armchair travel. I love the descriptions of tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i, and I felt like I was right there with Val. The food and drink described is also mouth-watering. I had a suspicion of the true culprit, but wasn’t sure how it would be proved. I hope there are more entries coming soon as visiting with Val and her family and friends feels like visiting with my friends!

About the Author:

Leslie Karst is the Lefty and Macavity Award-nominated author of the Orchid Isle mysteries Waters of Destruction and Molten Death, of the Sally Solari mystery series, and of the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY award silver medal-winning memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG.

After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School, then returned to school to study the culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie splits her time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California, spending her days writing, cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock.

Purchase Links: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Bookshop

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

March 30 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
March 31 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – RECIPE
April 1 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 3 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 3 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Because I said so – REVIEW
April 5 – Elizabeth McKenna – Blog – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
April 8 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 9 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 11 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
April 11 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
April 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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