Fun with light humor and a dash of murder is the perfect recipe for this book.

In this series, Supper Club Mysteries, a group of small town residents, with a little bit of a weight problem, decide to form a supper club to learn to eat right and get healthy. Little did they know, they would become the town sleuths as well.

In this installment of the series, a new weight loss clinic is opening in town. They offer ready to eat meals, support, and an exercise program. The program seems to be working but is the person running the program too good to be true. With a few unexplainable events and a couple dead bodies in the wake, the Supper Club Sleuths are on the case.

Ellery Adams’ Supper Club Mystery series are fun, and the second novel, Fit to Die, is no exception. James Henry and the Supper Club members are bullied into joining a new and expensive weight loss clinic, Witness to Fitness, by a very pushy woman. A new ice cream parlor opens up next to the weight loss clinic and burns down with someone inside, which turns out to be a murder; it eliminates problems with the Fab Five being tempted by the decadent ice cream treats served at the Polar Pagoda. The Flab Five get themselves involved in investigating the murder, discover some cases of fraud at their fitness clinic, and put themselves and others in danger.

Fit to Die is a fast read, but it is well-organized and Adams tells the story well. The chapters are named after dishes mentioned therein, which adds a bit of charm. The Flab Five are slowly losing weight, but like the rest of us, are tempted to cheat, and cheat they do, especially when they get close to the wonderful bakery in the town. This mystery will get readers stuck on the rest of the books in the series.

I read this series when it was released as written by J.B. Stanley and I enjoyed reading it as much the second time around. These books are well-written and has a great 'cast' of characters with enjoyable mysteries. I love how the characters continue to grow through out this series.

This brand-new, fully revised edition of Fit to Die is the second in the Supper Club Mysteries. Once again James, Lucy and crew are meeting once a week to encourage each other to lose weight. Unfortunately, over the last month, the flab five have not been doing well with the weight loss program, in fact, most of them have gained weight. When a new diet and exercise business opens in town, they reluctantly join Witness to Fitness. Next door to the health club is a new frozen custard business owned by a newcomer. Arson, murder and fraud all get the Supper Club doing their own investigations in this story.

I really like James and am happy to see he has made some real friends, has a possible relationship blooming and that his father and him are getting along so much better. The library he is running is also flourishing and the Spring Fling they put on brings in some long wanted funds to purchase computers to get them into the electronic age. Lucy is trying hard to prove that she can be a detective and it seems the chief might be taking her skills seriously. As I read the story, I enjoyed the happenings in Quincy's Gap and wanted to find out who was responsible for the latest string of crime. I had some of it figured out, but not all of it. This series is an easy read that has characters that many people can relate to. They are beginning to lose weight in this story which and develop healthier habits, which is a positive thing for all of them. I am beginning to feel like that the Supper Club group are becoming friends that I can talk and commiserate with. A fun series that I plan to continue.

I have read all of Ellery Adam's, but this series is not one of my favorites. This is the second book in the Supper Club mysteries, and it was originally published in 2007. It's about the Flab Five, a group that gets together for supper and support and who solved a murder in the first book.

In this book, the group signed to lose some weight at Witness to Fitness, a fitness club. When the neighboring ice cream shop burns and a body is found, they step in to investigate.

The plot was just OK for me. Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ellery Adams never fails to disappoint! A great follow up to a wonderful series! I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

This is book 2 in the Supper Club Mystery Series. It was originally published by J.B. Stanley who is a pen name used by Ellery Adams. This continues the adventures of the Flab 5 as they work on their weight loss and find another mystery to solve. James is busy with his job at the library , taking care of his dad, dating Lucy and enjoying life in Quincy's Gap, Virginia. With a new ice cream shop opening in town his will power is tested along with the rest of the diet supper club. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the 2nd book in this series by Ellery Adams. I have not read the first.

I really like the idea of a supper club to support a group of friends who are trying to lose weight. Known as the Flab Five these women are into being nosy. The town is struck by arsonist and a murderer. Will the inquisitive Flab Five figure out whodunnit and why?

This book is full of fun and humor. It was a fast read which included a hint of romance.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy after the publishing date from Beyond the Page Publishing via Netgalley and am not required to give a positive review.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
The Flab Five are back but like many dieters, they are struggling to keep motivated and disciplined. James is finding it hard to resist his cheese puffs and is finding it just as hard to make any traction in his relationship with the love of his life. Of course, he is not trying to hard with either challenge.
Into town, like a whirlwind, comes a highly motivated, energetic and totally obnoxious woman who is going to change the lives of every person with excess poundage. Truthfully, if Momma or I met her, we would run for the hills. She is a truly unfeeling and rude character but she promises things that sound too good to be true. They do work but at what cost.
Then it becomes apparent that what sounded too good to be true really was too good to be true. Just as her con is about to be revealed, she is murdered. We found it hard not to cheer the murderer. But in the quest for justice, there were innocent victims so the killer has to pay for his sins. But it is hard not to have some feelings of empathy. Even the Supper Club feels the same way.
It is a good mystery and an entertaining read. The relationships of the characters have moved along and the reader would enjoy chowing down with them.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

Re-working of an older series by Ellery Adams writing as J.B. Stanley.

Carbs and Cadavers, book one of six.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

It was okay. I had picked this book up several years ago, not realizing it was by Ms. Adams. It bothered me then, and it still bothers me now, that all of the characters except the victim are fat and pretty much filled with self-loathing. I get that the premise is a supper club to lose weight, but I just didn't care for the way the supper club members were pretty much portrayed as pitiful and shameful. I'd rather see a group supporting one another and helping improve self-esteem instead of all the body shaming. The mystery itself was fine, but the rest of the book just made me sad.

Fit to Die, book two of six.
My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I didn't like it.

I picked up the second book, hoping that maybe the group had some success at losing some weight and it would be more positive. Sadly, it wasn't. This book wasn't any better than the first. A Supper Club group devoted to losing weight while fat shaming one another just made me sad. It feels a bit dated due to that. I'd rather have seen some body positivity or at least some acceptance.

I gave two books in the series a chance, but that's all the time I am willing to invest in this series, though I will be more than happy to read Ms. Adams' newer series.

I'm a lifetime Weight Watchers member, and I can totally relate to the struggles of these characters when it comes to weight and fitness. But that was about it. I'm almost exactly halfway through the book, and I'm realizing I don't care about any of these characters. I just want to tell James to grow a pair and quit whining. I don't care who killed Pete. Ronnie and the other characters are all over-the-top and cliched. This just isn't my cup of tea.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The flab five have fallen off their previous diet plan and have gained instead of reducing, now they are on another diet plan but this time positives signs are emerging, and to top it off another murder mystery has occurred wetting their appetites even further. With tantalizing treats on their paths diverting them at times from their course but still being able to stay focus, they followed the trail that started from an ice cream parlor to a retirement home and had a delicious time of putting all the puzzle pieces together. The romance between James and Lucy hit some iceberg before take off but they happily sailed through safely, now they are on a journey of seeing where it goes from there and losing weight happily together. A deliciously intriguing and captivating book with an excellent storyline and fine characters that boosted it well.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Fit to Die is the second book in the Supper Club Mystery series by Ellery Adams. This book continues on six months after the first book in the series, Carbs & Cadavers. One of the things I love is the succinct introduction of each of the main characters. If I had not just finished reading the first book, I would have been sufficiently apprised of the characters and not have had to worry about “missing” something from the first book.

The book begins (literally) with librarian James Henry (one of the Flab Five dinner club members) breaking his diet yet again by indulging in free goodies at a neighbouring town’s big box store. I certainly understand breaking a diet, but I do wish the members of the Flab Five were not so hard on themselves when their dieting plans go off the rails. While trying to score some chocolate during this shopping trip, James runs into another member of the dinner club, Lindy. While waiting in line, a woman begins plugging her new business, “Witness to Fitness”, that was having its grand opening in Quincy’s Gap the next week. Needless to say, Lindy was very interested and subsequently brought it up to the Flab Five. Also having a grand opening in Quincy’s Gap was a new ice cream shop, Chilly Willy’s Polar Pagoda. Well now, I can certainly see where some friction might occur, with such diverse businesses starting up at the same time in the same block.

As with all good cozy murder mysteries, there is a murder… and then there was a second one. A fire occurred in Chilly Willy’s Polar Pagoda and a body was discovered. There was a myriad of suspects – as to be expected. Given that the Flab Five are friends with Willy and love his Polar Pagoda (really just the ice cream – but you get the picture), they jump right in and try to find out what really happened. Lucy’s innate police instincts certainly kicked in high gear. While hot on the trail of the truth, a second murder occurred.

Through all of this, the supper club is attending classes at the Witness to Fitness weight-loss center and even losing weight. They are also complaining bitterly about the food they must eat and the exercise. But positive results are occurring. Glad to see that everyone persevered regardless of their opinion of the program.

I am happy to report that I was stumped on both murders until the very end… just the way I like it!

There were many other story-lines which definitely added to the fulsomeness of the read. James crotchety father is starting to come out of his depression and take an active part in his life since the death of his wife. I can’t wait to see how the relationship between father and son grows. Speaking of growing relationships – we got a hint of something in book one between James and Lucy and while it was slow progress (and a few hiccups along the way) – we were presented with some movement on that front ☺. We also got to see more progress on the Lucy becoming a police officer front. I love a strong woman going after what she wants, especially when the odds are stacked against her. Hopefully in the next book or two of the series Lucy will attempt to get on the force in more than an administrative capacity.

The writing is certainly descriptive when talking about food. After these words, who wouldn’t want a cheese puff:

“All his life, James Henry had had a love affair with cheese puffs. The crunchy, salty, cheesy ambrosia comprised of baked air and addictive, electric-orange dust made James weak in the knees.”

I loved the scene when certain towns folks were having issues with the Polar Pagoda t-shirts, which read:

HAVE YOU GOT A CHILLY WILLY?

This certainly put a smile on my face, especially when the teens were defying the adults and purchasing more of these shirts and parading around while the irate mothers were protesting.

Fit to Die is a cozy mystery with an entertaining storyline, interesting cast of characters and many side stories which kept this mystery interesting. I will most assuredly pick up the third book in the series, “Chili Con Corpses”. Thank you Ellery Adams for penning such a delightful cozy mystery series.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book. It was like a Nancy Drew for grown-ups. I liked the way it was easy to read but yet it had its own twists and turns. There were some aspects covered in this book that we as a society need to be very aware of, and not just exercise, nutrition and a well-balanced diet. There are ups and downs in our lives just as there are good and bad people. Sometimes we need to hear those things. I’m not saying this is a heavy lesson-teaching novel. It’s just a very fun-to-read story with a lot of real day to day life woven in.
Very well-defined characters, some likable and some not…perfect for a mystery. Of course there is a little bit about a librarian in here and loving librarians in a book is something I always tend to do. On the other hand I thought each character had his or her own personality which led to the depth of the book. The characters were so fun it made me want to be a member of the Supper Club.
This is Book 2 in a series called “Supper Club Mysteries”. Looks like there are fortunately more of them to read.

I'm loving this series so much I couldn't stop with the first book. This book was just as amazing and the Flab Five even got to add a couple of new friends to the mix. I loved how once they got their weight loss programs back under control, they all gained the confidence they'd been needing. Things were getting better between James and his dad, Jackson. Lucy was working very hard to help out the sheriff's department and hopefully get to take the deputy exam soon.

It was late spring and the whole town of Quincy's Gap was abuzz with excitement when new citizen Willy opened up his Polar Pagoda. There was also a new fitness program in town and he and the owner definitely didn't see eye to eye. Also some of the townspeople weren't very happy with Willy's shop for selling what they said was a suggestive t-shirt saying on a shirt. Did one of these people decided to burn the place down, leaving a body there? Another body eventually turned up as well so the friends had their jobs cut out for them. As in the first book, they all worked together so well as both a weight loss and a mystery solving team.

I thought the Spring Fling sounded like a lot of fun! I really admire the 20-something Fitzgerald twins, Francis and Scott, who work for James, for their innovative ideas for fund raising. This was for some new computers and printers. The Fling was a huge success! I was so happy that Jackson Henry was beginning to act more like a real father to James now. He still didn't want to talk about his art but apparently he was becoming successful and was willing to have some improvements done on their home.

I liked these first two books so much I bought the third and am thinking of starting it soon!

This second book of the Supper Club series was even better than the first! The Flab Five have slipped a bit on their diet plan, so they decide to join Witness to Fitness, a new program brought to town by the enthusiastic Ronnie Levitt. The five friends are initially pleased with their progress, but then they begin to realize that Ronnie is not all that she seems. In the meantime, a new ice cream shop also opens in town, but its success is short-lived when the place catches on fire and a body is found inside.

This is not a traditional whodunit. The characters don't spend much time at all on crime-solving until the last quarter of the book. Instead, the main plot centers on several other threads: James's developing feelings for Lucy, James's father slowly beginning to come out of his reclusive lifestyle, and the Fitzgerald twins' plan to help fund new computers for the library. Like many of Charlaine Harris's Aurora Teagarden books, the primary appeal of this book is not the mystery itself, but the characters and setting. As I mainly read books for their characters, this does not bother me in the last. I actually think spending so much time just getting to know the characters and watching them go about their daily business made me like them all so much more than I did in Carbs and Cadavers. I'm hoping I'll be able to read book three, Chili Con Corpses soon!

This is the second of the Supper Club Mysteries by Ellery Adams. While this was my first foray into the series, I have read Adams' Books by the Bay Mysteries, Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries, and Book Retreat Mysteries. She is on my list of authors whose books I must buy. It's no surprise that I requested to review this book!

The books starts out with James in a warehouse store, trying to not eat his way through the samples - and failing miserably. He meets up with Lindy, another member of his supper club, or the Flab Five as they call themselves. When they get to the checkout line, they meet up with Ronnie Levitt. She is the most detestable character I have come across in awhile. My note from that first meeting, wherein she asks another shopper: "Wouldn't you prefer Jennifer Lopez's curves to those of Jabba the Hut?" was simply: "I hope she ends up dead. I'd like to kill her myself."

For some reason, the members of the Flab Five agree to join Witness to Fitness, Ronnie's new weight loss center. They are required to eat her food, attend counseling and weigh-in sessions, and exercise classes. And if you cheat, you will not be allowed to return and there were no refunds. Seriously - all I could think was when is someone going to kill that woman?! And then someone burns down the new ice cream place instead. Where is the justice?!

I liked this book. As someone who struggles with their weight, I appreciate the groups issues with dieting, exercise and the constant temptations that are everywhere. Guess I'll have to track down that first book now.

This is the first book of the series that I have read. I loved it! The characters are relatable and the storyline flowed. This is a believable story for all of us who have struggled to lose weight . I laughed out aloud a few times. and did not figure out "who did it" in the first couple chapters. The Flab Five sound like people you want to be friends with. I will be going back to Quincy's Gap.

Pleasant cozy mystery. Flab five are determined to lose weight. Good for them. They end up not only losing weight, but also solving a mystery or two. Lots of food conversations. Some sound yummy, some are awful.