Dying to Decorate by author Cyndy Salzmann is the first in the Friday Afternoon Club Series. The narrator of the story is a woman named Liz, a stay-at-home mom who writes a newspaper column (think Martha Stewart meets Flylady). The friends in the Friday Afternoon Club, or FAC, get together weekly to get a little R&R from their all-too busy lives. They support each other with fierce devotion, and when one of the members goes AWOL from the club for a few weeks, they go on a rescue mission. The group learns that their friend Lucy, recovering from the deaths in the past year of both her husband and her mother, has slid into a depression. She has also recently inherited an old Civil War style home from an elderly aunt, and the FAC thinks it will be the perfect diversion to nudge Lucy away from her slump. The group determines to have a decorating party/get-away weekend to help restore the lovely old house. Startling discoveries and a secret diary found hidden in the house from Civil War times raise serious questions about the history of Lucys past relatives. With help from the diary and Lucys Aunt Bette, the group learns about true strength of character and sacrificial heroism that begins at home.While the novel isnt a mystery in the classic sense, it has great sense of suspense as the story unfolds. Add to that a wonderfully refreshing humor intertwined in a very satisfying story. If that isnt enough, the book includes many wonderful recipes that tie into each chapter. To a book-loving foodie, its the ultimate in reading. With recipes like Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pot Roast, Im So Sorry Snickerdoodles, and Lizs Triple Chocolate Pecan Brownies, its a struggle to decide whether to finish reading or to hit the kitchen to whip up some of the goodies laced throughout the book. Its a fantastic read all around, and I cant wait for the next installment in the series. Her next book, Crime and Clutter (A Friday Afternoon Club Mystery) is scheduled to be released in

I've said before, I love reading books about food. Reading a novel that has the recipes it mentions is even better. As soon as I'm done with the book, I want to start making the food. What's even better is when the recipes are super easy for non cooks like me.Dying to Decorate has all this and more. I really want to be able to find friends like the ladies in the Friday Afternoon Club when I reach that age. The friends meet every Friday (hence the name) for a time of fellowship, fun and food. Each woman has a very different personality that meshes well and doesn't clash with other. One of the members inherits a Civil War era house from her great aunt and the FAC goes to help her renovate it. During their stay, they discover the history of the house and how it will eventually change their own outlook on life. I enjoyed the book tremendously. My favorite scene was when John and Liz go out to dinner and stop by a coffeehouse. They order their coffee and John thinks he is splurging by ordering a grande. His reaction to the actual size of his cup as compared to Liz's venti is hilarious. I've been in Starbucks lots of times to hear people get confused and complain about the sizes. Sooooo relatable.I'd recommend this book for fans of The Potluck Club or The Yada Yada Prayer Group. I really related to this book even though I'm the same age of the characters' kids! This book has it all: food, mystery, fun and even a history lesson! I am definitely looking forward to the next FAC adventure. I'm thinking about making that coconut cream pie or the baked potato soup...although I think I might pass on the pioneer mush :)

This story is so unique. It starts out hilarious, sucking you in with the witty internal dialogue from Liz--the main point of view character--when she refers to 'the hag' in her that's dying to be unleashed. Then the story transitions to the women's Friday night club group and their concern for their dear friend Lucy who is in a total funk and depressed (and for good reason.) They rally to cheer her up and part of that is through helping her renovate a home she recently inherited. With that home came intrigue found in the pages of a young girl's diary during the era of slavery and the Civil War. This story held my interest and I must say I hated it when the story ended. I want the author to write a historical now about the content in that awesome diary. That was some great stuff! In addition, though the story ended sooner than I'd hoped, it ended on a positive and uplifting note, making me a guaranteed fan of the author for years to come. She really knows how to draw the reader into the lives of the characters. Oh, and if I were a culinary woman, the recipes are to die for. I think I'll lend them to my husband as he's the chef in the family, and more than one concoction within its pages has piqued his interest. I highly recommend this novel. I hope to see a sequel in the future. There is so much potential for more drama with this incredible cast.

What can beat a mystery story that not only keeps you laughing out loud but is interspersed with to-die-for recipes? Dying to Decorate, Cyndy Salzmanns first novel, and the first book of the new Friday Afternoon Club Mystery Series, combines both. Salzmann has a unique voice--and an attitude any mom can relate to. Her observations on life, parenting, and friendship will keep you smiling, nodding with agreement, and turning those pages. And the recipe that begins each chapter will tempt you to race to the kitchen to whip that delectable dish up for dinner. And there's the dilemma--read the next chapter to find out what happens or try out that luscious recipe? Either way, this book is going in the kitchen on my cookbook shelf where it'll be close at hand! Bravo, Cyndy! Can't wait for the next one in the series--but first I HAVE to try Drucillina's Death by Chocolate...!

What a treat! This is a peek into the lives of a group of women who get together every Friday afternoon for fellowship, fun, food and plenty of laughter. When one of the group inherits a run-down house, we get to peek back in time when they find a hidden room complete with shackles and bloodstains. And best of all, there are yummy recipes throughout the book - I've tried out two of them already!