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In Murder Before the Bell, Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio fight to save their friend accused of murdering the school principal. The story begins when Rick arrives at Central High School and sees the administration building engulfed in flames. Later, the police discover the charred body of the principal and as the police start to gather evidence to frame the acting principal, Rick and the Hefty Trio start their own inquiry.
They discover that their friend and the principal are both involved in illegal activities with a South Vietnamese Colonel who runs a language school on the campus every Sunday. The community loves the Colonel and is unaware that he owns a house of prostitution in the neighborhood and employs a local Mexican gang for security. A rival gang wants part of the action and the excitement begins.
Review by Sara Marie Hogg on Aug. 04, 2011: Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio are able to solve another horrendous school campus crime. Whatever they are eating at any given time is surely BRAINFOOD. This series of campus mysteries is delightful, especially appreciated if you have ever worked in a school system. I am making sure that I read all of the Podowski series, and trying at least half of the recipes included. Thanks--Sara Marie Hogg, author of Blade Chatter and Catho Darlington.
Food and wine pairings mentioned in Murder Before The Bell include the following: