Chile Death: A China Bayles Mystery

But China and her lover, ex-cop Mike McQuaid, believe it--especially after the dead chili judge, Jerry Jeff Cody, turns out to have a swampful of dirty secrets. So Albert begins a clever dance, keeping Bayles and the bedridden McQuaid (shot while working for the Texas Rangers) in just enough danger to maintain an atmosphere of suspense while also slipping in enough chile lore to outfit a chain of Taco Bells. The format may be familiar, but Albert is one of the best in the business at making it look newly hatched. Other Bayles books include Love Lies Bleeding, Thyme of Death, and Rueful Death. --Dick Adler

Product Description
She planted the seeds of mystery stardom with her first book, Thyme of Death. She continued growing with such highly-praised follow-ups as Witches' Bane and Love Lies Bleeding. Now Susan Wittig Albert's career blooms with a flourish--with the brand-new offering Chile Death.

An annual chili cookoff, a womanizing judge, and a crisis in China's personal life add up to a novel that will delight fans of this fast-rising author, a nominee for both the Anthony and Agatha Awards--and attract a whole new audience to this "appealing series that just keeps getting better." (Booklist)

I can forgive Albert a small attack of deus ex machina as she helps Ruby make China an offer she can't refuse. And I appreciate the fact that she hasn't chosen to suddenly heal Mike, although she doesn't seem to have done all her homework about how his disability affects his relationship with China in ways other than sex. (Note to the author: It's impossible to just casually push a big man in a wheelchair accross gravel, especially if you are pushing one outdoors for almost the first time!)

There are passages here that I forced my husband to listen to as I read them aloud. Albert has a fine ear for smartaleck repartee.

And for goodness sakes, DO try the recipies...


Glorious !   March 30, 2000
Pauline Cramer (Seattle, WA United States)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Chile Death, as well as the other books in the China Bayles series, will speak to working women who wish they could abandon their current career path and follow their bliss and also to those who have already made major career changes. China Bayles, a successful attorney, quits her job after working for 15 years in a large lawfirm in Houston Texas. She moves to a small town in central Texas and and opens a herb shop. She uses her aptitude for investigation and her skills and training as a lawyer to run a successful business and solve mysteries as well. I liked Rosemary Remembered, but I loved Chile Death. The books in the series get better and better. A variety of issues and relationships are explored. I like the way minor characters in one book are developed into major characters in a later book. China Bayles is a character that I can identify with, but she is a complex character and has her own lessons to learn. I grew up in Texas, and I feel right at home with these fictional characters and the settings. Pecan Springs is a town in which I would like to live. Reading about food in Chile Death has inspired to use a variety of chili peppers in my own cooking. The creation of this series of books is a glorious achievement for Albert.


Enticing   February 8, 1999
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

The sensuous description of chili drove me, in desperation, to a big bowl of red. If you don't know what that is, you'll find out in this book.

The recipe for Peanutty Pepper Cake and the mail-order sources in the afterword are worth the purchase price. And the plot's good, too.


Attention Chile Heads and Pepper Bellies   March 19, 2001
Mamalinde (Dallas)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

An exceedingly clever Texas cozy mystery, featuring China Bayles, former lawyer turned herb shop owner, in what is about the middle of a series of books by Ms. Albert. The characterization and interaction of characters is exceptionally inspired and the reader really feels she knows these folks before the book is finished - they live and breathe - well, all except the corpse, who doesn't survive the chili tasting contest and who no one is particularly sorry to see go. While the writing is well above competency, the plot does meander quite a bit. The chili / chile trivia throughout the book was interesting enough that the spousal unit took heed, and the recipe for cake with cayenne pepper was also a huge success! I particularly appreciate that not only do I have more China Bayles books to look forward to, but also a very fun website to visit these new old friends. Not only did I learn a lot about herbs and what you can do with them, I'm also learning about chili/chile and thoroughly enjoying the work of an exceedingly talented and smart writer.

If you like books with recipes, and have exhausted this series, let me suggest and recommend WORLD OF PIES (also set in Texas) and the Dianne Mott Davidson books. And the wilder women out there, might want to try the two Sweet Potato Queen books.