Carbs & Cadavers (Supper Club Mysteries) (Volume 1)

The book started a little slowly and the characters seemed a little old fashioned. A newcomer to town joins a group of overweight people in an effort to meet people and lose weight. Along the way they uncover a mystery and set out to solve it. The story picks up speed and the characters begin to develop as they become friends while solving the mystery. The story describes nicely small town life. It is not great literature or a strongly suspenseful book but it is a nice enjoyable little mystery worth the read
I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.

Mixing mystery and recipes is always a great idea in my mind. The story captured my interest from the start. The characters were very well developed and relatable. I felt like I was reading about friends. The storyline progressed at a nice pace. I look forward to heading back to Quincy's Gap for more mystery, friendship and recipes. I want to know how the Flab Five continue on.
I was given a free copy in return for an honest review.

The story was good, narrator was ok. I like some of the other narrators better for other books. But the biggest drawback, is the sticks and skips in this recording. There were at least 10 (probably more if I went back to find all) that some of the words were skipped because of this problem. This is why only 2 stars. If I pay this much more than an print book I would expect the quality to be perfect.

Totally enjoyed this book from a new series about a dieting supper club! Everyone can relate to the main character in Carbs and Cadavers. After a failed marriage, this shy 30- something professor moves back to his small, Virginia hometown to help care for his father. James Henry's mother has died and the Dad is still grieving. To make friends James joins a small, newly formed supper group of five who want to lose weight and need support to help them do this. They get themselves involved in trying to clear a young woman accused of murder. The characters are quirky and I sat riveted to my reading, anxious to see what happens next. Can't wait for more books from her supper club series!

I truly enjoyed this book, which features a group of dieters as small town mystery solvers. While I hope I never get the opportunity to solve a murder in real life, I could completely empathize with the supper and the way that they coped with the stress of solving the mystery while simultaneously attempting to lose weight... after all, I'm overweight, myself, and know how hard it is to not eat away my stress!

I will definitely buy more books in this series.

Being able to relate with the weight loss struggle, this book was truthful in talking about the temptation one faces with that struggle. The characters of the book were somewhat familiar to me. I think all small towns have similar people doing these jobs. We all know someone like them. I read mostly thriller/mystery and I enjoyed the mystery. I would recommend this book to any of my friends. Thank you for allowing me to participate.

This is a delightful story of a group of unlikely heroes. They meet through a dieting group and blend into an amazing group of realistic and engaging characters. This is a series I fully intend to continue.

Being able to relate with the weight loss struggle, this book was truthful in talking about the temptation one faces with that struggle. The characters of the book were somewhat familiar to me. I think all small towns have similar people doing these jobs. We all know someone like them. I read mostly thriller/mystery and I enjoyed the mystery. I would recommend this book to any of my friends. Thank you for allowing me to participate.

This is a well written, amusing cozy mystery. Ms. Adams has researched thoroughly, and then made her characters and plotline very believable...and the recipes are a plus. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...but it was on my TBR list

This is a delightful story of a group of unlikely heroes. They meet through a dieting group and blend into an amazing group of realistic and engaging characters. This is a series I fully intend to continue.

I enjoyed the cast of characters. They are interesting and diverse and, I'm sure, we will be meeting them in future books. It took a long time to get into the story, but since I found it a good read I look forward to another story by this author.

James Henry’s ex-wife is marrying a rich lawyer. His mother has just died. He decides to quit his dream job as an English professor and move back home to take care of his father. He finds a job as the public librarian in his hometown of Quincy’s Gap, Virginia. When one of the library’s customers, Lindy the high school’s art teacher, wants to announce a new supper club for dieters, James decides to attend. Lindy, James, Lucy, Bennett and Gillian meet weekly for Sunday supper and begin a low carb diet together. Lindy and James just want moral support in their battle of the bulge. Lucy is a clerk in the Sheriff’s office who wants to be a Deputy. However, her excess weight prevents her from passing the physical. Bennett is a mailman, who wants to regain his former wrestler’s muscular form. Gillian is a vegetarian new age type who wants to fit into a tank top. They name their group the Flab Five. Oh, and former football star Brinkley Myers is murdered by bleeding out in the town’s bakery. Who stole the lone bottle of Coumadin, a blood thinner, in town? The police arrest Whitney, a part-time waitress in the local diner. The Flab Five decide to investigate.

James is an interesting character. However, most of the other folks in Carbs & Cadavers are not fully formed but seem more like stereotypical placeholders. This may have been the author’s intention with the goal of moving to different character’s point of view in each book in the series. There are a few recipes in the book: Phony Mashed Potatoes made with cauliflower and Guiltless Crustless Pumpkin Pie along with a “Good” Carb Snack List.

I enjoyed reading a cozy from a male point of view. The setting of Quincy’s Gap with its small town parades, haunted hayrides and helpful neighbors was great. However, some of the scenes didn’t seem real. A staunch vegetarian who goes on a low carb diet and begins eating meat while complaining extensively? A mail truck that can’t carry the weight of four overweight people without squealing tires and groaning axles? The attraction between James and Lucy seems one-sided and forced. Worst of all the murderer’s motive is absurd. A lot of the supposed humor is at the expense of thick people like splitting pants, gross underwear exposures and cheesy puff handprints indicating diet cheating. Creating a series about dieting would appear to be attractive to readers with their own weight issues so why is the author making fun of fat people? I know the author can write better. Her Books by the Bay Mysteries are one of my favorites. But I think an opportunity was missed here. Hopefully, a thicker writer will try to write a more empathetic mystery series about dieters.

Thanks to the publisher, Beyond the Page Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Absolutely looooved Carbs and Cadavers!! I can so relate to the carbs part. Love ‘em and resisting them is darn hard. The mystery was fun and really kept me guess. Fantastic characters! What a terrific combo of the two things I like most…food and mystery. Thank you Ellery Adama aka J.B. Stanley for another great read.

I really loved this book! The characters were very believable, and the mystery was one that wasn't obvious WHO the guilty party was! I would recommend this book to anyone that likes mystery writers!

In this first book of the series we are introduced to Professor Henry who isn't quite satisfied with his life. Like some people he tends to eat his worries away and looks for happiness in the foods that he eats. He decides that it is time to make some changes in his life and joins a group of dieters who form a supper club to help one another watch their weight. They deem themselves the Fab Five and look forward to helping one another out in their food struggles. When local Brinkley Meyers dies while visiting the local bakery the group wants to help the young lady accused of killing the man. You see Meyers was a local high school football hero that was adored by some and hated by many. Follow along as the gang works their way through facts, clues, and gossip. Will they be able to come up with the answer to who killed Meyers or have they worked themselves into a corner. This a truly a great read filled with realistic characters, a lovely setting, and a fun whodunit mystery. I loved the humor in the characters and appreciated the way the author handled the subject of weight loss.

I honestly always enjoy reading the first book in a new to me mystery series. I had a pretty good indication that I would like this book quite a bit since I did enjoy this author’s other series.
James is such a likeable character and I cannot wait to see what is next for the supper club. This book really drew you into the characters and story. It was very warm and inviting as you read.
Definitely looking forward to the next book.
I voluntarily reviewed a reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

The Flab five as they called themselves were on a journey but they were not aware of how exciting and adventurous that ride would be. Imagine starting their new weight loss club and diet plan and found themselves smack center in a murder mystery, but just as it was difficult to stay on track with their weight loss program, so it was in tracking the killer. The storyline is a fun and intriguing one with able minded characters giving this book a little quirkiness, it was an enjoyable and interesting read.

Ellery Adams knows how to pitch her readers right into the midst of Quincy's Gap population 2000. I suppose there are many small towns like this across America but I've never known a town quite like this one.

I enjoyed each character that was introduced and found myself rooting for their success. James Henry grew up in Quincy's Gap and once he'd escaped he never figured he'd wind up back there. After his mom died, James felt he had no choice but to return to his childhood home and take care of his father. This arrangement made neither of them happy.

James didn't have friends as he was growing up but upon his return he had the good fortune to meet a group of four who started something called a supper club. This was to be a support group for a few people who wanted to lose weight. Lucy, Lindy, Gillian and Ben welcomed James into the group and the Flab Five was born.

I liked the humor of Carbs and Cadavers and the mystery kept me guessing right up to the end. The book was a quick, easy read. I finished it in an afternoon and wished there was more. This is a good beginning to a series that I can read without being subjected to sex, violence or objectionable language. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I did look at the books to come and I'm pleased to see that the third book, Chili Con Corpses, and fourth book, Stiffs and Swines, are regular length novels. I liked this book enough to put the rest of the series on my to read list.

I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is a well written, amusing cozy mystery. Ms. Adams has researched thoroughly, and then made her characters and plotline very believable...and the recipes are a plus. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...but it was on my TBR list

This book was originally published under the pen name J.B. Stanley in 2008. This is a brand-new, fully revised edition published under the author's real name, Ellery Adams.

In this first book of the series we are introduced to James Henry, The Professor, who isn't satisfied with his life. He is recently divorces and has moved back to his small hometown to take care of his aging father after the death of his mother. He tends to eat his worries away and looks for happiness in the foods that he eats, especially cheese puffs. He is working in the local library and does seem to enjoy that part of his life. When a high school teacher comes in and asks to put up a flier for a "Supper Club" for those who want to lose weight, he decides to join not only to lose some weight, but to meet some people. They call themselves "The Flab Five".

The mystery in this story is who killed local, washed up, football star, Brinkley Meyers. A young woman, who has a strong dislike for Brinkley, is arrested for the crime, but the group is sure she is innocent and set out to prove it. Using their brains, their great questioning techniques and likability, the club works their way through facts, clues, and gossip. Will they be able to come up with the answer to who killed Meyers? There are some side stories going on as well that add interest and flesh out the characters and the town. I enjoyed this story with realistic characters, a friendly setting. This was a fun cozy with a surprising ending that made me smile. Being a full figured gal myself, I appreciated the way the author handled the subject of weight loss, making it a normal part of the story. I am looking forward to reading more in this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.