Sherry Frazzelle is taking part in a cooking competition and things she has a good chance to win the $10,000 prize until the Head judge/chef keels over dead and her dish was the last one he tasted. Sherry is feeling very insecure and feels she needs to clear her name of suspicion before the police take the easy way out and blame her.

Not particularly a fresh idea for the plot and the characters were a bit 2 dimensional. Will try another in the series and see if it improves. ( )

Sherry Frazzelle is keen on entering cooking competitions. The one she's in now is for an organic food company, OrgaNicks, named after the owner, Nick Andime. Also entering is her younger sister, Marla. Cooking competitions can be cutthroat and stressful. Unfortunately, this is one of those times, with the person next to her - Kenny Dewitt - being abrasive and snide. However, she's not going to let him ruin it.

After the dishes are completed and the entrants have been seated, the three chefs have taken their places and are tasting the food. But when they're getting ready to announce the winner of the ten thousand dollar prize, one of the chefs keels over and later dies - poisoned. Sherry eventually finds out that the last dish he tasted was hers, and now she's under suspicion of being the guilty party.

While both the police and her father tell her to stay out of it, Sherry knows her reputation is on the line, and she needs to find a killer. But, of course, that's only if the killer doesn't find her first...

I wanted to read this book because like Sherry, I love to cook and bake. It's the first in a new series, and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. Sherry asks questions, but she's not truly invasive nor get-in-your-face with questions. I really dislike protagonists who follow people around and demand answers from them. Sherry tries to make it seem as if she's having a normal conversation; but, of course, the killer doesn't see it that way.

She's also trying to find a new life without her husband of five years, Charlie. But this relationship is different: Charlie didn't cheat, he didn't abuse her; he just decided he didn't want to be married. However, he's a likable character, darn it. Just like Sherry thinks about him, it's difficult to dislike a man who appears to be so nice. He's there when she needs him, and leaves a little bit of himself behind, almost as if he doesn't really want to let go of her.

The mystery itself was done really well. The clues abound, and red herrings are everywhere, with almost anyone who could be the guilty party. But while we're sifting through them, it's an interesting tale with a backbone to it, and keeps you reading throughout until you get to the end. When we do discover the killer and the reason for the murder, it's unfortunate and sad at the same time while not giving sympathy to the murderer.

Although I feel that Sherry is a little OCD about things - she needs to be in control, is neurotic, easily irritated with people, anxious, slightly paranoiac, and a little bit pessimistic (expecting the worst all the time); there are people like this, and she just happens to be one of them. She also hates it when her name is mispronounced and gets irritated when others call her 'Ma'am' instead of Miss/Ms. (Personally, I hate 'Ms'). While her quirks are meant, in my opinion, to make her endearing, too many of them make one not to spend a lot of time with her. Perhaps it's because she had to step in for her mother at an early age and never really was allowed a full childhood; but we don't know. (Maybe she needs to see a therapist?) In future books I would like to know more about this and see Sherry change a little bit as she becomes more accustomed to living alone.

Her father Erno is a font of wisdom, even if it is couched in adages; I do like Amber and hope to see more of her in future books. Although This was a fun mystery, full of surprises and I'm glad I took the time to read it. There are also some nice recipes in the back (although not the one for the pork tenderloin, unfortunately). All in all, I enjoyed the book; it's a nice cozy that can be gotten through quickly and I hope to read more by this author. ( )

Expiration Date by Devon Delaney is the premier novel in A Cook-Off Mystery series. Sherry Frazzelle (rhyme with la belly) is one of the finalists in the OrgaNicks Cook-Off in Augustin, Connecticut. The grand prize is $10,000 and title of OrgaNicks Supreme Home Chef. The judging is completed, and Chef Tony Birns is announcing the winner when he collapses. After it is determined he was poisoned, Sherry rises to the top of the suspect list since her dish was the last one sampled by the victim. Sherry with help from fellow competitor, Amber Sherman sets out to clear her name and her pork tenderloin. The killer, though, is less than thrilled with Sherry’s sleuthing and attempts to warn her off the case. Sherry is missing the last pieces of the puzzle that will help her identify the guilty party. She just needs to assemble the clues like the ingredients in a recipe and stir until she cooks up the killer. Sherry will need to be careful or she will get burned.

Expiration Date is a light, humorous cozy mystery. I felt that Expiration Date could have done with some rewriting to give it a better flow along with a more solid mystery. The pacing slowed down considerably when food was being cooked and described. When Sherry was cooking, the book was reminiscent of a cookbook instead of a work of fiction. We are told each ingredient along with every step in the cooking process. The dialogue could have used some tweaking. It was awkward. Sherry is not a likeable main character. She is a neat freak, likes to be in control, gets anxious quickly, has panic attacks, scares easily and she expects situations to turn out badly (she comes across as neurotic instead of realistic). Sherry does not like her name to be pronounced incorrectly and corrects people throughout the book. She also cannot stand being called ma’am (this happens throughout the book as well). A contradiction to her neat fetish is one of the guest rooms is filled with her estranged husband’s clothing (looks like the inside of a men’s clothing boutique). Sherry is waiting for him to pick them up. Personally, I would have given the man an ultimatum (I believe he is looking for an excuse to stop by). My favorite part of Expiration Date was barely touched on. Sherry’s father owns Oliveri’s Ruggery, a hooked rug shop (rug hooking is a wonderful art form). I dearly wish the author had centered the book around the shop instead of food competitions (that would have been unique). The mystery was simple and solving it is a cinch (might as well be a giant neon arrow pointing to the killer). The author gives away the who and why early in the story. The case details are repeated (more repetition) and there is a lack of action (more cooking than crime solving). I did find the method of murder to be unique and clever. I was left with one question at the end of the book—who won the cooking competition? I am hoping the author ups her game in the next A Cook-Off Mystery. ( )