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Madeline Bean feels like the eye of the storm. All around her, her employees are bustling about the kitchen of her catering company, The Mad Bean. She may be the only one not in a frenzy of work, but inside, she was a frenzy of worry. This wrap party for Food Freak, a highly successful cooking show, was the last party she had booked and she didn’t know how she was going to be able to drum up more business or more money. When her long time friend Greta, Food Freak’s producer comes in saying she’s got good news and bad news, Madeline didn’t think things were ever going to go her way.
Bad news first, the wrap party was cancelled. Food Freak had been offered one last show for the season due to its popularity so while tonight’s party was a paid for no, there would be one in the future. That was the good news. It turned out that Greta had more good news. The head writer for Food Freak was not available and Greta wanted Madeline to fill in for him. So now Madeline had two paid for parties and a temporary job. Looks like the storms were lifting.
While Madeline’s situation is looking up, she realizes once she gets to the studios of Food Freak that things aren’t quite what they seem. Missing head writers, jealous junior writers, cryptic post-its, and a secret room all thrust Madeline into a mystery made for television. But will she be able to figure out who done what before her goose is cooked?
MUMBO GUMBO is the continuing saga of L.A. caterer/sleuth Madeline Bean. Jerrilyn Farmer brings her own Hollywood experience as a game show writer to the table in this culinary mystery. While parts of the book bogged down, the witty dialogue and quirky characters kept the book cooking and rounded off a fun read. The only thing missing was a recipe for Mumbo Gumbo.
Reviewed by Tina Burns
for The Road to Romance
August 24, 2004
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