From Reader to Friend: My Journey With Carmela Dutra

Read time: 6 minutes

Sometimes the very best things in this bookish life start with a simple message that says, “I just finished your book and I’m completely obsessed.”

That’s exactly how my friendship with Carmela Dutra began.

After devouring a NetGalley ARC of her debut cozy mystery, A Murder Most Fowl, I slid into her Instagram DMs like an over-excited golden retriever. I raved (probably in far too many exclamation points) about how much I adored Beth and Seth and Rylie, how the chicken-themed food truck had me simultaneously hungry and howling with laughter, and how this book had rocketed straight onto my all-time favorite cozies shelf alongside Vicki Delany and Carol J. Perry.

I honestly wasn’t expecting anything more than a quick “thank you” in return. Instead, Carmela replied with the kind of genuine warmth and friendliness that instantly makes you feel comfortable. Conversations flowed. A quiet, easy friendship formed, built on books, humor, and shared love for all things cozy.

From Toronto to the Bay Area

Fast forward to the holidays, when I told Carmela I was flying from Toronto to the Bay Area to visit my brother, Carmela didn’t just say, “That’s nice!” She said, “I’m doing a book signing on Small Business Saturday at the Recycled Book Store, Campbell CA. You have to come!”

So I did.

And let me tell you: meeting Carmela in person felt like coming home to a friend I’d known forever.

It was the first time we were going to meet in real life, but walking into that signing felt strangely like walking into a long-overdue catch-up with an old friend.

Carmela is exactly the kind of person you hope your favorite authors are—warm, friendly, and truly present in every conversation. Very much like her messages had promised, maybe even more so. We talked books and food trucks and chickens like we’d been doing it for years. I finally got to meet her best friend (the real-life inspiration for Rylie!), and oh my gosh, she is exactly as fabulous, funny, and fiercely loyal as the character on the page. It was one of those surreal, full-circle bookworm moments that you tuck into your heart and keep forever.

Carmela didn’t just sign my copy of A Murder Most Fowl.

She went above and beyond in the most generous way possible:

• A signed ARC of book 2, Hot Wings and Homicide (I’m not okay, I’m already counting the days until I can devour it)
• And, in the sweetest gesture of all, two autographed picture books for my 7-month-old niece, who now officially has the coolest starter library on the block.
  • Oh, and wait! She sketched these children’s books herself. My niece is already a fan of the vibrant but soothing colours in the book.

I walked away from that book signing floating on a cloud of cozy-mystery joy, clutching my treasures and grinning like an idiot.

So this post is my great big thank-you, Carmela, not just for the books (though wow, thank you), but for your kindness, your enthusiasm, and for making a reader feel so genuinely seen and welcomed. You turned a fangirl DM into a real friendship, and I’m so grateful for every laugh and bookish squeal we’ve shared so far. Here’s to many more.

And for everyone else: if you haven’t met Beth, Seth, Rylie, and the glorious chicken-themed food truck Kluckin’ Good yet, you are missing out on one of the most delightful cozy mysteries of the year.

Why A Murder Most Fowl Stole My Heart

Here’s just a taste of why I gave A Murder Most Fowl five glowing stars:

“One of the most comforting and amazing cozy mysteries I’ve read this year… This book reminded me why I adore cozy mysteries. Murder Most Fowl has everything I crave: the charm of small-town life, a cast of colorful characters, and an intriguing whodunit that managed to keep me guessing until the end… Carmela Dutra has just earned a permanent place on my cozy mystery reading list.”

What truly stood out to me, though, was the heart. The sibling relationship between twins Beth and Seth feels so real: that perfect mix of affection, banter, and exasperation that only siblings can pull off. Beth’s easy, effortless friendship with Rylie adds another warm layer, turning this from just a puzzle-filled mystery into a story about people you don’t want to leave behind when you turn the final page.

And for audiobook lovers: Tina Wolstencroft’s narration is phenomenal. She gives Beth such a precise, charming voice that it honestly feels like Beth has stepped right off the page and into your living room. The whole experience is like spending time with friends who make you laugh, stress a little, and then smile at the end.

And if you haven’t read A Murder Most Fowl yet, trust me, you’re missing out.

Run, don’t walk, to grab A Murder Most Fowl. Your cozy shelf needs it. Your heart needs it. And trust me, you’re going to be begging Carmela for book two (and three, four, five…) just like the rest of us.

Book Links:

If you want to buy a book I’ve read and support an indie book store? Consider purchasing from bookshop.org

Bookshop.org link
Goodreads
My full review link

Pre-order for Hot Wings and Homicide here (Trust me! You don’t want to wait any longer than one second after it is released to get your hands on it) Goodreads link

About Carmela Dutra

Carmela Dutra is a Bay Area writer who pours her love of food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries straight onto the page. Her debut adult novel, A Murder Most Fowl, has already drawn praise from reviewers for its blend of sharp humor, heartfelt relationships, and a cleverly tangled mystery. Before turning to cozies, she wrote and illustrated award-winning children’s picture books, driven by a passion for storytelling and children’s literacy.

Away from the page, Carmela is a lover of humor, quirky characters, and all things geeky. She spends her days sketching, drinking more coffee than she probably should, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and their two dinosaur-obsessed sons, finding inspiration in rainy afternoons, bustling farmers’ markets, and those small, unexpected moments that make life feel like a story worth telling.

Follow her on her links below:

Author page
Instagram
Facebook
X (Formerly Twitter)
Subscribe to her newsletter via the link here

A Note of Gratitude and Friendship

This post is, in part, a recommendation and a bit of bookish cheerleading, but more than that, it’s a thank-you. Thank you to Carmela for writing a book that reminded me how much joy a truly great cozy mystery can bring. Thank you for the kindness, the signed books, and the thoughtfulness toward my niece. And thank you for making our first in-person meeting feel like we were simply picking up a conversation that started long ago.

Here’s to many more food truck mysteries, more book signings, more nerdy chats, and a growing friendship built on stories, laughter, and a shared love of cozy crime and comforting reads.

See you at the next signing (I’m already have my plane tickets fund started),

Your very grateful reader-turned-friend,
Devi (Views She Writes)!