Key West is buzzing, between the festivities surrounding the weeklong Fantasy Fest and a tropical storm looming nearby in the Caribbean. Hayley Snow, food critic for the local paper, is excited about an upcoming article featuring the various mobile eateries for the revelries, as she will get to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes- sampling the local food of Key West. Unfortunately, Hayley finds herself smack in the middle of a murder investigation when a woman is killed and Hayley's friend and coworker is the prime suspect.

KILLER TAKEOUT is the seventh book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series but readers can jump right in and appreciate Lucy Burdette's marvelous world. There is a bit of an ongoing thread involving Hayley's love life and updates on the lives of her friends and family but Lucy Burdette ensures that all the necessary background information is provided in order to fully enjoy KILLER TAKEOUT.

Lucy Burdette absorbs the reader into the Key West lifestyle as we see the contrast between the locals and the out-of-town visitors quite well in KILLER TAKEOUT. Fantasy Fest sounds a bit too wild for my tastes but I love how the locals handle the various celebrations. However, it was the tenseness surrounding the potential storm that captivated me as Lucy Burdette perfectly captures the thoughts and feelings when you are facing a potential hurricane.

As usual, the quirky characters are the highlight of the Key West Food Critic Mystery series. I love the time we spend with Hayley's family, although Miss Gloria remains my favorite character. Hayley is a phenomenal main character and the wonderful descriptions of food she samples make me want to indulge and try and few of the scrumptious sounding recipes provided at the conclusion of KILLER TAKEOUT. If you love cozy mysteries and mouthwatering recipes, then look no further than KILLER TAKEOUT!