#BookTour: A Murder Most Fowl, by Carmela Dutra @dollycas #AMurderMostFowl #CarmelaDutra #cozy #mystery #CrookedLaneBooks #excerpt #giveaway #GreatEscapesVirtualBookTours

A Murder Most Fowl: A Food Truck Mystery
by Carmela Dutra

About A Murder Most Fowl

A Murder Most Fowl: A Food Truck Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 9, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Hardcover ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892423175
Paperback ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892423182
Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892423199

A food truck run by twins serves up a clucking good murder in this cozy debut mystery, perfect for fans of Lucy Burdette and Joanne Fluke.

When their late aunt Dolly passes away, twins Beth and Seth Lloyd inherit a chicken themed food truck. Despite the challenges, the siblings rise to the occasion, even going as far as signing up their truck Kluckin’ Good to compete on a top cooking show and ruffle a few feathers for some good publicity. But the competition goes from heated to lethal when a contestant is found dead.

With the elimination competition becoming far too literal, Beth and Seth will need all the help they can get to get out of the frying pan without landing in the fire. With their loyal assistant–and Beth’s best friend–Rylie by their side, they’ll have to follow the bread crumbs to untangle a very twisted case before either one of them is put on the chopping block.

This humorous series debut with a mouthwatering mystery will charm readers and keep them guessing right until the not-so-bitter end.

excerpt

Excerpt from “A MURDER MOST FOWL” Opening pages in Which Our FMC Gets Arrested in a Chicken Suit.

“All right, Big Bird. On your feet. Let’s go.” The officer who arrested me is standing in front of my cage. “Someone’s here

for you.” His keys rattle against the bars as he unlocks my improvised coop.

I step over the cell’s threshold when I remember my head. “Wait a sec.” Scrambling back inside, I retrieve the top of my costume.

As we walk in silence down the hallway, the officer steals glances at me. I assume it’s not every day he has the chance to

arrest a giant chicken. But that’s not all I notice. This officer is tall and has strong, broad shoulders and soft strawberry-blond

locks—the kind you want to run your fingers through. Or, in my case, a chicken wing. Officer Pretty Boy is easy to look at, and I sneak just as many glances his way. Only mine are not so subtle because, well, I’m Beth, and nothing I do is subtle.

A deep clearing of a throat draws me out of my thoughts, and I see Officer Pretty Boy staring at me. Oh god, I’m not walking. At

some point, I’ve stopped to lean against a wall and gawk at him.

Get it together, Beth. This man just arrested you. He’s your nemesis.

“Ms. Lloyd, if you’ll follow me.”

“How do you know my name?” I spring off the wall as gracefully as possible. In retrospect, I should have moved a little slower,

because I lose my balance and fall forward into my escort, wings flapping.

Officer Pretty Boy grabs me as I fall into him. His muscular arms lift my chicken body into a standing position. “It’s my job to

know who I’m bringing to the station. Plus, I met your brother. He’s waiting just through there.” He points toward a set of double

doors.

“Of course. I knew that,” I say, trying to maintain some dignity. But it’s becoming harder the longer I’m here. “Lead the way,

Officer Pretty Boy.”

Oh god. Did I just say that out loud?

“Officer Pretty Boy?” another voice says. Another officer laughs at the man hauling me out of here. “Has a nice ring to it. Perhaps we found a nickname for you after all.” The guy gives Officer Pretty Boy a hard slap on the back before he walks away, chuckling to himself.

I peek up at Officer Pretty Boy and his arched brow, but he says nothing. Instead, he walks toward the double doors, expecting

me to follow. If the chicken suit had a tail, I’d tuck it between my legs.

“There’s my chicken of a twin!” says Seth with his arms wide open as I push through the double doors. Seeing my brother, I

burst into a sprint. “Wow, slow down, Beth. You’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off.”

“Really? You’re making chicken jokes right now?” I stamp my foot at him.

“Don’t stomp your drumstick at me, young lady.”

“Can we just get out of here while I still have a shred of dignity

left?”

“Ms. Lloyd!” Officer Pretty Boy calls out after me.

“Yeah, I think that ship has sailed.” My twin points over my shoulder.

About Carmela Dutra

Hailing from the Bay Area of California, Carmela Dutra cherishes her family, rainy days, and making others laugh.

After years of working on her award-winning indie children’s picture books, she transitioned into crafting cozy mysteries filled with emotion, humor and heart.

When she’s not penning her latest tale, Carmela enjoys sketching, sipping copious amounts of coffee, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She shares her life with her best friend and husband, raising two dinosaur-obsessed sons. A lover of alternative rock, Carmela often writes to its rhythm and finds comfort in rewatching The Big Bang Theory and M*A*S*H.

Author Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarmelaDutra/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorcarmela/

Threads https://www.threads.com/@authorcarmela?xmt=AQF0ZEH7iWCFepVBgn7dGBtXhsCtpZEdklC1i4OwBhRqMnM

Twitter/X https://x.com/authorcarmela

Purchase Links
Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop.org Penguin Random House

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 26 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

August 26 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

August 27 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 27 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW