Hot Wings and Homicide – Murder, Mac ’n’ Cheese Poppers and a Side of Romance

Last Updated on August 6, 2026

An irreverent food truck, a murdered critic, and a town full of secrets – Hot Wings and Homicide serves up exactly the kind of flavorful chaos cozy I crave.

Sliding into book two without having read A Murder Most Fowl, the first book in Carmela Dutra’s Food Truck Mystery series, I still found the already-tight friendships, simmering family tensions, and slow-burn romance easy to follow, and increasingly addictive as the story unfolded.

Admittedly, the opening didn’t instantly hook me (I thought Beth came off as a bit immature and childish), but the more time I spent with Beth, Seth, and Rylie, the more invested I became in both their lives and their latest brush with murder.

By the final chapters, this had shifted from a maybe to a must-read series for me.
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So what is Hot Wings and Homicide all about, and should you give it a go?

Kluckin’ Good Food Truck

Bethany “Beth” Castillo and her twin brother Seth are riding high on the success of their inherited fried chicken truck, Kluckin’ Good, which became a local sensation after a reality show stint that involved more corpses than culinary critiques.

Their small California town of Clementine buzzes with anticipation for a food festival that promises big crowds, bigger egos, and the return of notorious restaurant critic Brad, whose cutting reviews can make or break a business.

Beth is trying to juggle festival prep, truck branding (which includes Rylie in an outrageous chicken suit), and her complicated feelings about both her best friend dating her brother and her own stalled love life.

When Brad, who also happens to be Beth’s ex, shows up in Clementine, wielding his online influence like a weapon, he quickly leaves emotional wreckage behind, including at Sugar and Spice Bakery, owned by Beth’s friends Chris and Helena.

After Helena bans Brad from the café, he retaliates with a scathing review that lists her as a festival vendor, tanking her reputation just as the crowds roll in.

The festival’s festive veneer shatters when Brad is found dead, and what initially appears to be a medical emergency is soon reclassified as homicide.

Beth, armed with her “Kluckin’ Clues” list and true crime podcast rules, begins quietly investigating, entwining Beth’s business and friends in a case that grows more personal by the hour.

Would I Recommend It?

No book is perfect, and there’s definitely a lot to like with this one, including the food festival setting, the plot, the characters, and the way the clues all started to click together in a very satisfying way.

The pacing feels nicely balanced for a cozy: there’s enough momentum that you never get bored, but also plenty of space for banter, emotional beats, and foodie details to breathe.

Beth makes for a really engaging lead, and while she is capable and relatable, she also falls into every trope known to cozy mystery fans the world over.

You know the usual…poor decision-making that sees her ending up in sketchy situations, talking to the police without a lawyer (even though her brother is a lawyer!!), cannot resist poking around, even as it increases the suspicion on her and those she loves, keeping secrets, and of course, romantic tunnel vision!

I’m not sure how incredible a person has to be that you can be a suspect in the middle of a murder investigation and still find time to swoon over a jawline! Let me tell ya, this girl has zero sense of self-preservation.

But….and it’s a big but…if Beth didn’t do all of these things, there wouldn’t be a book. Do I wish she werex a little bit sharper? Yes. Did it take away from the enjoyment of the book? Not really.

The mystery Hot Wings and Homicide is fair and trackable. I liked that I could follow along with the clues and red herrings without feeling either spoon-fed or completely in the dark.

The missing tumbler, the festival gossip, and the victim’s weaponized reviews all weave into a puzzle that rewards paying attention.

On top of that, the slow-burning romance adds just the right extra layer, even if Beth comes across as a little bit flighty, but it gives the book a warm emotional throughline.

By the end, I was very much invested in who did it, and I had genuinely grown to like all of the characters so much so that I would read book three. Can’t say fairer than that!

Carmela Dutra

Carmela Dutra writes with a light, conversational touch that leans into humor without ever losing sight of the emotional core of her characters.

Through Beth’s wry internal monologue and the vivid small-town ensemble, from cat-café owners to lovestruck lawyers, Dutra builds a world that feels instantly welcoming, even if you’re joining at book two.

Her blend of foodie detail, heartfelt relationships, and twisty-but-fair plotting makes the Food Truck Mysteries series an easy recommendation for anyone who likes their crime stories comforting, contemporary, and just a little bit crispy around the edges.