Baked to Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery by Dean James

                  It is sad.  Baked to Death is the last book of the Simon Kirby-Jones series.  I no long have my vampire detective.  Of course I can always choose to read the books again.  I have already read them twice.  Who is to say I cannot a third time?  Until then, let me tell you about Simon’s final mystery.

                Once again Simon is caught in a love triangle.  His former lover, Tristan Lovelace, is in town and staying with Simon in the cottage.  Tristan wants Simon back and will do whatever it takes, including hurting Giles.  Simon is not happy with this.  His feelings for Giles have grown and he does not like Tristan’s antics.   

                Thankfully, Simon finds a distraction from the events at home.  However, the reason for the distraction is not exactly the best.  A medieval faire has come to town and it is practically in Giles’ backyard.  Giles is not happy with this.  His family had a deal with the land’s new owner that the space would stay as a meadow.  The faire goes against this agreement.  In an effort to figure out what is really going on, Simon decides to check out the faire.  He meets some of the people involved and ends up getting invited to dinner.  The dinner does not go as Simon expected.  Someone is killed.  To be exact, the victim is poisoned.  That would pretty much bring any dinner meal to an end.

                Right away Simon involves himself in the case.  As usual there is not a shortage of suspects.  The victim is Luke de Montfort, a successful restaurateur.  He does not have the best reputation.  Luke refuses to help people who are struggling in business and sometimes goes out of his way to cause them harm.  He also wants to be king of the medieval faire.  These things create a lot of enemies.

Unfortunately, Simon’s investigative activities are not supported by Detective Inspector Robin Chase this time.  Every time they encounter each other, Robin is very short with Simon.  He is not happy with Simon’s investigation and does not like when Simon appears with a new clue.  Simon does not understand the change of behavior, but he does not stop what he is doing.  There is a killer out there and Simon wants to figure out who it is.

                I am going to miss Simon.  He is a great character who gets involved in quirky but interesting mysteries.  I do not know why the author, Dean James, stopped writing these books.  It would have been nice to continue with Simon’s story.  Maybe Mr. James will decide to write another Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery some day.  If it is like the other four, I certainly hope he does.