I have to admit it.  I'm not a huge fan of mysteries with older protagonists.  They're usually slower paced, with less snappy dialogue and very little romance.  Rubbed out ticks all three of these boxes.  That's why it's a three star read for me.  

But I do love BBQ and living in Australia now, I find I miss Southern BBQ a lot.  So I picked up this series when it first came out and thought I'd give it a try.  They were never favourites, but the first three books were livelier than this one;  the characters were a bit more quirky.  This one really just felt like it was going through the paces.

The plot was predictable.  The author did a good job of trying to lead the reader on a merry chase, but ultimately I wasn't surprised at all by the ending.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I'd steer anyone clear of reading this book.  I think quite a few out there who like their cozies extra-cozy will enjoy this series.  If you look for older protagonists, this book and this series will fit that bill perfectly.  But I'm thinking next time I start getting homesick for BBQ, I'll just slow cook me some pulled-pork and make some  cornbread.

It's hard for me to say why I keep reading this series as it doesn't meet most of my normal criteria for cozies. In spite of this, this series offers fun, fast reads with interesting characters. The plot to this one had enough red herrings that I didn't see the ending coming.