I’m a day late and a dollar short, but since we’re all still digesting our double and triple helpings of pie, Thanksgiving is the gift that keeps on giving…at least until the Pepto kicks in. So put down those Black Friday ads (seriously, Cyber Monday is the way to go) and indulge yourself in a good book. Since Minka’s a big snorting fan of turkey, she says you should read this one!

The gist: It’s another tranquil Thanksgiving weekend in Cabot Cove. Love is in the air as Jessica Fletcher prepares for the big feast with her international houseguest George Southerfield. Of course, he’s staying at Seth Hazlet’s house because Jessica is a lady and we don’t want her reputation to be sullied!  Turns out, there’s a bit of a jealous rivalry going on, thus proving that this ol’ gal’s still got it. You go, Miss Thang! While taking a romantic post-turkey stroll, what do they find? Come on, take a stab at it. Yep, that’s right—a dead body! Even worse—the killer used Seth’s prized antique carving knife. Now that’s just plain rude. It’s up to Jessica and her boy toys to figure out who killed the socially awkward homeless man—and why he (or she?) wanted his goose to be cooked. Aren’t food puns such fun?

What worked: You can’t beat the comfy, cozy town of Cabot Cove, Jessica’s lovely little Northeastern nook in the world! If this book doesn’t get you into the turkey-eating spirit, nothing will. It felt like I was right there with Jessica and all the movers and shakers of Cabot Cove at the Thanksgiving feast. As luck would have it, one of her dinner guests gets skewered at the end of the night. You’d think they’d catch on to her track record and stay home, but how could they refuse the hostess with the mostest?

What didn’t work: I love all these Murder She Wrote books but some are slower than others. This one is, by far, the slowest! Halfway into the book, I kept asking myself when the dead body would pop up. I re-read the dust cover just to make sure I did, in fact, pick up a murder mystery. I mean, it’s called “Fatal Feast,” so let’s get to it already!!! If I wasn’t so charmed by my favorite bike-riding sleuth, I’d be much more annoyed. But how can I stay mad at JB Fletcher? It’s impossible, I tell you!

Overall: Not the best book in the series, but still mildly amusing for us hard core MSW fans!