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A Mystery with Recipes #12
A Catered Tea Party
Quiet Longely, New York, is abuzz with excitement over the opening of a revamped art complex—and catering sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons are helping put on an elaborate tea party for the opening night gala fundraiser. But when the billionaire behind the project drops dead, the Simmons sisters find themselves steeped in a whistling kettle of murder . . .
Everyone in Longely is talking about Blue House, an art complex that will bring the town a theater, an art gallery, and even a restaurant and coffee bar. But they’re less than enthusiastic about Ludvoc “Zeb” Zalinsky, the self-made billionaire who’s funding the complex—and rubbing everyone the wrong way. Bernie and Libby reluctantly agree to cater the Alice in Wonderland themed tea party he’s planned, but it quickly becomes clear that Zeb is madder than the hatter he’ll be dressed as . . .
The night of the benefit arrives and Westchester’s finest show up in droves, having paid $500 apiece to attend Zeb’s meticulously-orchestrated tea party. But just when it seems the production is going according to plan, Zeb lifts an electric tea kettle, clutches his chest, and falls to the floor in fittingly dramatic fashion. The kettle shorted out and his pacemaker malfunctioned—but it doesn’t take long for police to decide that this seemingly random accident was actually cold-blooded murder . . .
As Bernie and Libby set out to find the culprit, they realize Zeb might have had more enemies than money. With so many possible culprits to sort through, only one thing is Zeb was poured a steaming cup of revenge—and a second serving may be on the menu…
Includes Original Recipes for You to Try!
DELICIOUS PRAISE FOR ISIS CRAWFORD AND HER MOUTH-WATERING MYSTERIES!
A CATERED MOTHER’S DAY
“Cozy fans will find plenty to like.” —Publishers Weekly
A CATERED FOURTH OF JULY
“Framed with scenes of food preparation and sales, and supported by the richly portrayed relationship between the sisters and their widowed father, this satisfying cozy will appeal to fans of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries.” —Booklist
A CATERED ST. PATRICK’S DAY
“Cozy fans will appreciate the zany characters, witty dialogue and puzzling plot.” —Publishers Weekly
A CATERED CHRISTMAS
“Comical minor arguments, bitchy asides, cookie dependencies, and useful recipes keep this moving.” —Library Journal
A CATERED MURDER
“Fans who love culinary mysteries are going to gain pounds after reading this delicious who-done-it.” —I Love a Mystery
Everyone in Longely is talking about Blue House, an art complex that will bring the town a theater, an art gallery, and even a restaurant and coffee bar. But they’re less than enthusiastic about Ludvoc “Zeb” Zalinsky, the self-made billionaire who’s funding the complex—and rubbing everyone the wrong way. Bernie and Libby reluctantly agree to cater the Alice in Wonderland themed tea party he’s planned, but it quickly becomes clear that Zeb is madder than the hatter he’ll be dressed as . . .
The night of the benefit arrives and Westchester’s finest show up in droves, having paid $500 apiece to attend Zeb’s meticulously-orchestrated tea party. But just when it seems the production is going according to plan, Zeb lifts an electric tea kettle, clutches his chest, and falls to the floor in fittingly dramatic fashion. The kettle shorted out and his pacemaker malfunctioned—but it doesn’t take long for police to decide that this seemingly random accident was actually cold-blooded murder . . .
As Bernie and Libby set out to find the culprit, they realize Zeb might have had more enemies than money. With so many possible culprits to sort through, only one thing is Zeb was poured a steaming cup of revenge—and a second serving may be on the menu…
Includes Original Recipes for You to Try!
DELICIOUS PRAISE FOR ISIS CRAWFORD AND HER MOUTH-WATERING MYSTERIES!
A CATERED MOTHER’S DAY
“Cozy fans will find plenty to like.” —Publishers Weekly
A CATERED FOURTH OF JULY
“Framed with scenes of food preparation and sales, and supported by the richly portrayed relationship between the sisters and their widowed father, this satisfying cozy will appeal to fans of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries.” —Booklist
A CATERED ST. PATRICK’S DAY
“Cozy fans will appreciate the zany characters, witty dialogue and puzzling plot.” —Publishers Weekly
A CATERED CHRISTMAS
“Comical minor arguments, bitchy asides, cookie dependencies, and useful recipes keep this moving.” —Library Journal
A CATERED MURDER
“Fans who love culinary mysteries are going to gain pounds after reading this delicious who-done-it.” —I Love a Mystery
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2016
93 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
Isis Crawford
28 books268 followersIsis Crawford was born in Egypt to parents who were in the diplomatic corps. When she was five, her family returned to the States, where her mother opened a restaurant in Upper Westchester County and her father became a university professor. Since then Isis has combined her parents’ love of food and travel by running a catering service as well as penning numerous travel-related articles about places ranging from Omsk to Paraguay. Married, with twin boys, she presently resides in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, where she is working on the next Bernie and Libby culinary mystery.
A pseudonym used by Barbara Block
A pseudonym used by Barbara Block
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
May 21, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook (A murder and lots of family drama in this book. I’ve read this series out of order but this is one of the newer books. I think I like the earlier books better.)
November 15, 2016
Bernie and Libby own A Little Taste of Heaven cafe and bakery and have been hired by Ludvoc Zalinsky to cater his themed tea party, Alice in Wonderland at his new venue The Blue Heron. He's created his version of the story, featuring a Chinese tea pot he paid an exorbitant amount for, but during the play he is electrocuted. When the director is accused of the crime, Bernie and Libby agree to help him find the real killer. As they start investigating it becomes apparent that Zalinsky wasn't the billionaire he claimed to be, and that more than one person had a reason to want him dead...
The murder occurs early in the book, which is always good because we get a head start in trying to identify the murderer. With a plethora of suspects in the running Libby and Bernie have their work cut out for them. It seems everyone who worked for Zalinsky hated him, and no one was sorry to see him departing this life. It also seems that every suspect had a reason to point them toward another suspect, which sends them in a different direction looking for answers.
Although he mystery was done well, being quite interesting; and it never hurts the plot to have many suspects at hand, we were never given enough time to actually 'get to know' any of them, so were never really given any true clues as to who the murderer could be. There were plenty of twists and turns, and it came as a surprise even though the reasons why Zalinsky was killed are age-old.
This was a difficult review to write, mainly because I have always loved Ms. Crawford's Catered mysteries. However, I found this latest book in the series disappointing, and I never really felt that "involved" in this book, for more than one reason, some of which I will list below:
How whipped is their father that he can't see Michelle for what she is? Even the act of allowing the cat outside though he told her it was an indoor cat should have alerted him somewhat. She opens a cafe with a name and recipes that are almost identical to his daughters' and he doesn't see it? I get that he thought they might merely be jealous, but any loving father would have at least tried to figure out if they were being rational. Not this one - he took Michelle's side without question. He's supposed to be an ex-cop, but he was a pretty stupid one if he can't figure it out.
As this is the 12th book in the series, these women have been with their boyfriends since forever, so it seems odd that neither of them are engaged or married (or even living together). Maybe they're just comfortable living in an apartment above their shop with their dad, but this doesn't explain why Brandon and Marvin have never felt the need to move on and/or want some sort of commitment. I know some people might think this is fine, but really, both sisters are perfectly happy with this arrangement and the guys are okay with this? For myself, I believe this is the reason the sisters seemed so "whiny" in this book, stressing about Sean and Michelle. They're content with the status quo - living with dad above their shop - but maybe they need to move out of their comfort zone and actually have relationships. I'll bet they'd relax, and they certainly wouldn't be so accessible to Michelle, would they?
Also, I've said many times over - and this was the biggie for me - that I detest books that hold you hostage. I consider this a dirty trick. This is especially true since it's usually a year before you get the next one. Even though we pretty much know what will happen - eventually - it's unfair to the reader to make them wait. Unfortunately, these are the things that count and make a book enjoyable to read. While I have always enjoyed these books, I think that this particular one was the weakest in the series. Hopefully, the next will find Libby and Bernie back to their old selves.
http://joannesbooks.blogspot.com/2016...
The murder occurs early in the book, which is always good because we get a head start in trying to identify the murderer. With a plethora of suspects in the running Libby and Bernie have their work cut out for them. It seems everyone who worked for Zalinsky hated him, and no one was sorry to see him departing this life. It also seems that every suspect had a reason to point them toward another suspect, which sends them in a different direction looking for answers.
Although he mystery was done well, being quite interesting; and it never hurts the plot to have many suspects at hand, we were never given enough time to actually 'get to know' any of them, so were never really given any true clues as to who the murderer could be. There were plenty of twists and turns, and it came as a surprise even though the reasons why Zalinsky was killed are age-old.
This was a difficult review to write, mainly because I have always loved Ms. Crawford's Catered mysteries. However, I found this latest book in the series disappointing, and I never really felt that "involved" in this book, for more than one reason, some of which I will list below:
How whipped is their father that he can't see Michelle for what she is? Even the act of allowing the cat outside though he told her it was an indoor cat should have alerted him somewhat. She opens a cafe with a name and recipes that are almost identical to his daughters' and he doesn't see it? I get that he thought they might merely be jealous, but any loving father would have at least tried to figure out if they were being rational. Not this one - he took Michelle's side without question. He's supposed to be an ex-cop, but he was a pretty stupid one if he can't figure it out.
As this is the 12th book in the series, these women have been with their boyfriends since forever, so it seems odd that neither of them are engaged or married (or even living together). Maybe they're just comfortable living in an apartment above their shop with their dad, but this doesn't explain why Brandon and Marvin have never felt the need to move on and/or want some sort of commitment. I know some people might think this is fine, but really, both sisters are perfectly happy with this arrangement and the guys are okay with this? For myself, I believe this is the reason the sisters seemed so "whiny" in this book, stressing about Sean and Michelle. They're content with the status quo - living with dad above their shop - but maybe they need to move out of their comfort zone and actually have relationships. I'll bet they'd relax, and they certainly wouldn't be so accessible to Michelle, would they?
Also, I've said many times over - and this was the biggie for me - that I detest books that hold you hostage. I consider this a dirty trick. This is especially true since it's usually a year before you get the next one. Even though we pretty much know what will happen - eventually - it's unfair to the reader to make them wait. Unfortunately, these are the things that count and make a book enjoyable to read. While I have always enjoyed these books, I think that this particular one was the weakest in the series. Hopefully, the next will find Libby and Bernie back to their old selves.
http://joannesbooks.blogspot.com/2016...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2021
Book 12 is about Libby and Bernie doing a catering for a man Mr. Zalinsky. was making at amateur theater Alice in Worderland at Blue House Theater which he will present the Yixing Stones are teapot of 2 million dollars. He was being a pure pain with all of the actors in it. Casper the director, Erin was Alice, Jason was March Hare, Hsioa was Doemouse Stan and And George were Tweedledee and Tweedledum and Igor and Ivan were fake secerity guards. Mr. Z owed all of them money. But he died.
February 17, 2017
This was too silly to even try to review -- I can't tell you why I even finished it. The 2 sisters are supposed to be adults, but act like they're 12 or less. None of the other characters deserve mention. I was slightly interested to see if the father ever saw through Michelle, but I guess he's stupid as well. The story (using the term loosely) was infantile and extremely unlikely, Perhaps I needed to read the first 10 or 12 or however many there have been -- FAT CHANCE.
July 13, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The City Mouse (Bernie) and the Country Mouse (Libby) solve yet another murder in the sleepy town of Longley, NY. Normally this is a joy for me to read but there were so many aspects that disappointed me with this novel that its better in a list form:
1) When did I miss “A Catered Hospital Murder” because after usually having multiple mentions of father Sean and his WHEELCHAIR there was not one mention of the contraption in this book as well as a passage of him “flying down the stairs”.
2) Libby is 10 times more whiny in this novel than all of the others put together. In previous novels, she’s shut up when she shoved a piece of chocolate in her mouth. Hasn’t she learned to keep some with her at all times yet?
3) Are they ever in the store anymore? The only time these ladies were in A Taste of Heaven at night. While I know they have confidence in their employees (who are great characters who are missing from the story) how ‘bout some day to day management for them?
4) I miss the Marvin and Sean drives in the hearse while they also hunted for clues. Now that Sean is so whipped over Michelle he’s a joke of a character. And speaking of the boyfriends… why feature Brandon anymore since he is obviously just someone to feed the gang pretzels and beer? And could Libby finally spend the night with Marvin so she can get some? I bet then she wouldn’t be so darn whiny anymore.
5) What the %&&*$ was up with all of these super important plot things happening in front of the reader but not told to the reader until the absolute end? Why bother having a passage where So and So and What’s Her Face are talking and its filled with vague sentences like “And then he told her the truth but there’s no mention of the truth!
What I loved: Nothing. This was the worst book in the series and I’m really upset that I hated it so much because I have loved these characters for so long.
What I didn’t love: Grammar is a big deal and although “Politer” may have passed the spell check, its probably better to use “more polite.” (Scene where Bernie and Libby confront Madga at The Blue Heron). While I’m also a sucker for anything with a recipe, the 3 added at the end of my digital copy weren’t some of the terrific recipes mentioned in the book. While I understand that the book is about a tea party, blah blah blah, I think I would have rather had the recipe for the peach pie or assorted cookies mentioned in the actual novel.
What I learned: A series can jump the shark…
Overall Grade: C
www.FluffSmutandMurder.com
September 2, 2016
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
A Catered Tea Party is the 12th book in the A Mystery with Recipes series by Isis Crawford. Bernie and Libby are back. This time they are trying to help their friend Casper when he becomes the prime suspect in the murder of supposed billionaire Ludvoc Zalinsky. Zalinsky was a horrible man, and everyone disliked him, but someone is trying to frame Casper for electrocuting him with a tea kettle and making off with a 2 million dollar teapot. The girl have got some serious sleuthing to do and of course some serious cooking to do also!
I want to preface my review by saying this is the first book in this series I have read. Their might be some backstory and character dynamics that I am unaware of, but boy those sisters were some major whiners. Especially Libby. She also seemed stupid. Is that her normal character? It was annoying. The other sister, Bernie' was more likable, but a little rude. I think the author was going for spunky, but it definitely crossed the line. Their father was dating a woman they didn't like, and they acted like spoiled, little children about it. The man is old enough to make his own mistakes. Back off!
The plot was a little weird. I didn't actually understand a lot of why things were happening. Some of it was so completely unbelievable that it was about impossible to suspend my disbelief. I didn't figure out the end though. And the end was pretty exciting. So, the mystery portion of the plot was interesting, and not overly simple. But I don't think I will be reading the rest of this series. I have heard that the earlier books are a lot better, but if this is where it ends up...no. I'll pass.
A Catered Tea Party is the 12th book in the A Mystery with Recipes series by Isis Crawford. Bernie and Libby are back. This time they are trying to help their friend Casper when he becomes the prime suspect in the murder of supposed billionaire Ludvoc Zalinsky. Zalinsky was a horrible man, and everyone disliked him, but someone is trying to frame Casper for electrocuting him with a tea kettle and making off with a 2 million dollar teapot. The girl have got some serious sleuthing to do and of course some serious cooking to do also!
I want to preface my review by saying this is the first book in this series I have read. Their might be some backstory and character dynamics that I am unaware of, but boy those sisters were some major whiners. Especially Libby. She also seemed stupid. Is that her normal character? It was annoying. The other sister, Bernie' was more likable, but a little rude. I think the author was going for spunky, but it definitely crossed the line. Their father was dating a woman they didn't like, and they acted like spoiled, little children about it. The man is old enough to make his own mistakes. Back off!
The plot was a little weird. I didn't actually understand a lot of why things were happening. Some of it was so completely unbelievable that it was about impossible to suspend my disbelief. I didn't figure out the end though. And the end was pretty exciting. So, the mystery portion of the plot was interesting, and not overly simple. But I don't think I will be reading the rest of this series. I have heard that the earlier books are a lot better, but if this is where it ends up...no. I'll pass.
June 13, 2019
The mystery was interesting, and I was surprised by the ending. Also, I liked the cooking parts of the story, and the food sounded delicious. I liked the MCs, Libby and Bernie, and they were, overall, likable characters. I even liked their dad, Sean. I didn't like Michelle, though. She was horrible.
April 22, 2022
This is a very enjoyable series. I like sleuthing with Bernie and Libby. The other characters are good too and I agree with the sisters that Michelle has to go. The mystery was good and kept me guessing. Recipes at the end are always appreciated.
August 11, 2016
**I was provided with a copy of this book by Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest, fair review.**
While I love cozy mysteries and prior books in this series, A Catered Tea Party just wasn't my cup of tea.
Why?
I didn't care for the main characters' behavior. Libby spent the entire book whining. And Bernie just came off as rude and loud. Bleck. I'd like the old Libby and Bernie back....sure they have their differences, but in prior books, it worked. In this one....it just had the wrong vibe. More whiny and spoiled rather than two sisters playing off each other.
The plot was slow, and I just never really got "into'' the story. The plot seemed contrived. I didn't find it believable that a man would spend $2 million dollars on a teapot then use it as a prop during a play. Who spends $2 million on a teapot? And wouldn't you keep the silly thing under lock and key after spending that much money? I do realize that in cozy mysteries you have to suspend disbelief at times and just let the plot be fun....but for me, I just couldn't seem to do it this time.
But, it was not entirely a disappointment. When it comes to the sisters' behavior in this book, I think the author was just trying to get across the point that the girls don't like their father's girlfriend. And who wouldn't behave a bit "off'' after watching a billionaire electrocute himself to death with a booby-trapped teapot?
The ending was exciting and I didn't figure out everything before the end. So, the mystery portion of the plot was interesting, and not overly simple.
For me this was just ok. Given my enjoyment of other books in this series, it was a bit of a disappointment. I will be first in line to read the next book though! For readers who haven't read prior books in this series, I highly recommend this mystery series as a whole! Yummy recipes, murderous mystery. and humor. The books are just fun to read! This latest one was just a bit meh for me. It happens sometimes.
A Catered Tea Party is the 12th book in the A Mystery with Recipes series. Isis Crawford is a pen-name used by Barbara Block, author of the Robin Light Mystery Series. Check our her website at: www.isiscrawford.com
May 23, 2017
I had high hopes for this book but I had to force myself to finish. I've read favorable reviews of this series so I assume it was good at one time but I don't think I will read any of the previous books since I found this one truly bad in many regards. I found the characters unlikeable, petty, and a bit stupid. The dialogue was annoying more often than not. There was no consistent flow of plot. But one of the most annoying aspects of the book was all the behind the scenes information that wasn't shared at the time the protagonists learned it.
In addition, there were distracting typos and name errors.
My apologies to Isis Crawford/Barbara Block, but I assume this wasn't her best effort.
In addition, there were distracting typos and name errors.
My apologies to Isis Crawford/Barbara Block, but I assume this wasn't her best effort.
August 14, 2016
I spent some time with Isis Crawford's August 30th release of A Catered Tea Party. Little did I know what I was in for! This book is the first in the series that I have read and I was amused and surprised by how the story unfolded. I loved the dynamic of the sisters and their culinary skills as much as their sleuthing abilities. Fans of this series are in for a treat with mystery, adventure and a really great brownie or two. Teapot collectors will appreciate this story for sure! Great fun in the mystery and in the types of teas mentioned in the book.
January 20, 2018
As much as I enjoyed the "Catered" series, I wish that the editor would have taken a little more care in story continuity. Up until now, Inez (or Ines as she was called for one entire book) was Sean's main squeeze, but she seems to have disappeared all together. Not only that, but there's another gal just before Michelle that came out of nowhere. Plus Hilda the pig is now Petunia. Just when did Marvin get a new pig or someone fell down majorly in the name recall. I may up the rating once I finish the story.
August 1, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This was my first time reading from this series. I thought the book was very well done and quite entertaining. I enjoyed all the quirky characters and I liked that there were plenty of suspects to choose from. A fun read!
March 2, 2018
Audio/Book and Mystery with Recipes Libby and Bernie are catering a tea party during a play. The play is "Alice in Wonderland," rewritten by the eccentric Russian Ludvoc “Zeb” Zalinsky. Zalinsky has irritated and angered so many people and just makes them irritated. He threatens them with lawsuits and many regret ever getting into a contract with him. Casper, the director, is the one who got Libby and Bernie to sign a contract with him. On the night of the opening, Zeb is murdered and Casper is considered a suspect. So much drama from Casper and Bernie and Libby help him by trying to figure out who did commit the murder. Also, throughout this is the stress of Michelle, the woman their dad is dating trying to get their stuff and open her own place, exactly like Libby and Bernie's. I do enjoy the audio version of the story, as it seems to move along faster and I have paired it with the book so that I can read where I cannot listen and listen where I cannot read.
March 12, 2017
Another story about sisters Bernie and Libby and their business "A Little Taste of Heaven." Known for solving mysteries with assistance from their father, Sean, a former policeman, and boyfriends Brandon and Marvin, the girls were more on their own in this book. One reason why is because Sean is seeing a younger woman (Michelle) who not only is romantically interested in their father, but she is opening a competitive bakery and is trying to wangle information and recipes from the sister's shop. Libby is furious and detests Michelle. Bernie does too, but hides it better. She believes in the more flies with honey theory, and tries to convince Libby as well.
Meanwhile the shop has been hired to cater a local theater production of Alice in Wonderland by a wealthy man who wants to feature a two million dollar tea pot in the production, but ends up dead before opening night is finished. Libby and Bernie take over solving the murder when the police dismiss it as an accident at first and then grab the first person they can make fit the crime when they decide it is murder. Lucky for him Bernie is his friend and he talks her into helping.
The long and involved sleuthing that finally gets results is a bit confusing at time. People are lying left and right. Many of the suspects are Russian and cousins to boot. Bernie and Libby are crankier than usual (it must be the heat.) Nothing is what it seems, including the murder victim. So many twists and turns! And so much wonderful discussion about foods. Teamwork, good back-up, and willingness to ask questions result in a book suitable for all mystery lovers. Just make sure you have snacks ready as you read!
Meanwhile the shop has been hired to cater a local theater production of Alice in Wonderland by a wealthy man who wants to feature a two million dollar tea pot in the production, but ends up dead before opening night is finished. Libby and Bernie take over solving the murder when the police dismiss it as an accident at first and then grab the first person they can make fit the crime when they decide it is murder. Lucky for him Bernie is his friend and he talks her into helping.
The long and involved sleuthing that finally gets results is a bit confusing at time. People are lying left and right. Many of the suspects are Russian and cousins to boot. Bernie and Libby are crankier than usual (it must be the heat.) Nothing is what it seems, including the murder victim. So many twists and turns! And so much wonderful discussion about foods. Teamwork, good back-up, and willingness to ask questions result in a book suitable for all mystery lovers. Just make sure you have snacks ready as you read!
August 30, 2016
A Catered Tea Party is the 12th book in Isis Crawford’s Mystery with Recipes series. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and maybe that’s the reason I had so much trouble reading it. The story seemed to drag and I had trouble understanding the characters and their relationships. There are lots of quirky characters and plenty of suspects to choose from.
Ludvoc Zalinsky is opening The Blue Heron, a venue for art exhibits, plays, and concerts, in Longely, New York. The opening event is an Alice in Wonderland themed show and tea party where he intends to feature a teapot he purchased for Two Million Dollars. During the production, Ludvoc is found dead on the kitchen floor and Casper Comberbatch, the director, is the number one suspect. Bernie and Libby Simmons, sisters who own a catering business, believe Casper is innocent and set out to clear his name.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
Ludvoc Zalinsky is opening The Blue Heron, a venue for art exhibits, plays, and concerts, in Longely, New York. The opening event is an Alice in Wonderland themed show and tea party where he intends to feature a teapot he purchased for Two Million Dollars. During the production, Ludvoc is found dead on the kitchen floor and Casper Comberbatch, the director, is the number one suspect. Bernie and Libby Simmons, sisters who own a catering business, believe Casper is innocent and set out to clear his name.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
October 3, 2017
Crawford's story seems a little sluggish in several places. The one really good action sequence is describing the sisters and their attempt to escape through a secret tunnel that was once believed to be part of the Underground Railroad. Michelle, their business nemesis and rival for their father's affection, has a couple of startling revelations by way of her ingredients and recipes, which quite frankly sound so much more appealing than those that Crawford gifts her readers.
November 3, 2016
Bernie and Libby are supposed to be grown women, but they act like they're 13. They bicker constantly. It got very annoying. The mystery took a backseat to all the fussing.
I knew there was a reason I didn't read this series on a regular basis.
I knew there was a reason I didn't read this series on a regular basis.
February 1, 2017
The plot was a bit absurd and it was difficult to keep track of the characters.
June 30, 2017
This is the 12th book in this series and only the second one that I have read. I think I need to go back to the beginning and start as there were issues in this book that I was not sure about and were probably a continuation of a previous storyline. That being said, I did like the story.
Bernie and Libby have been hired to cater a local theater production of Alice in Wonderland by a wealthy man who wants to feature a two million dollar tea pot in the production. Their business of "A Little Taste of Heaven" has a very good reputation and they are worried after this event, it may be tarnished. As well their father, Sean, a retired police officer who often helps them solve mysteries is seeing a younger woman (Michelle) who not only is romantically interested in their father, but she is opening a competitive bakery and is trying to wangle information and recipes from the sister's shop. Libby and Bernie do not like this woman at all. Libby does not hide her feelings, while Bernie does as she does not want to send her father further into Michelle's clutches.
Meanwhile the wealthy entrepreneur ends up dead before opening night is finished and Bernie and Libby's friend is arrested for the crime. They offer to help and the sleuthing begins. They do not try to hide anything they are doing at all, they are very blunt and I can not imagine why they do not get themselves into major trouble. There are a lot of suspects as Ludvoc is not very well liked and appears to owe everyone money. Enter the Russian family, full of cousins, actors, business owners and liars and Bernie and Libby are having a harder time to solve this one than usual. With the help of their boyfriends and their father, they finally figure it out. The culprit was not someone I had on my radar at all. An interesting story, if a bit convoluted. I am not sure if I like the characters of Libby and Bernie. They seem to argue a lot, tend to be a bit obnoxious and short tempered. Maybe it was just this book, I will have to see when I read a couple more. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
Bernie and Libby have been hired to cater a local theater production of Alice in Wonderland by a wealthy man who wants to feature a two million dollar tea pot in the production. Their business of "A Little Taste of Heaven" has a very good reputation and they are worried after this event, it may be tarnished. As well their father, Sean, a retired police officer who often helps them solve mysteries is seeing a younger woman (Michelle) who not only is romantically interested in their father, but she is opening a competitive bakery and is trying to wangle information and recipes from the sister's shop. Libby and Bernie do not like this woman at all. Libby does not hide her feelings, while Bernie does as she does not want to send her father further into Michelle's clutches.
Meanwhile the wealthy entrepreneur ends up dead before opening night is finished and Bernie and Libby's friend is arrested for the crime. They offer to help and the sleuthing begins. They do not try to hide anything they are doing at all, they are very blunt and I can not imagine why they do not get themselves into major trouble. There are a lot of suspects as Ludvoc is not very well liked and appears to owe everyone money. Enter the Russian family, full of cousins, actors, business owners and liars and Bernie and Libby are having a harder time to solve this one than usual. With the help of their boyfriends and their father, they finally figure it out. The culprit was not someone I had on my radar at all. An interesting story, if a bit convoluted. I am not sure if I like the characters of Libby and Bernie. They seem to argue a lot, tend to be a bit obnoxious and short tempered. Maybe it was just this book, I will have to see when I read a couple more. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
February 19, 2024
Bernie and Libby Simmons are back in the 12th novel of the popular culinary mystery series, A Catered Tea Party, by Isis Crawford.
Bernie and Libby Simmons have been hired to cater a tea party at the opening of a play at a venue created by Ludvoc Zalinsky, a so-called billionaire who is in charge of the play and party afterward. Zalinsky is terrible to work with and has alienated everyone near him, including the cast and crew of the play. When Zalinsky is found murdered at the end of opening night. Since the prime suspect is Casper, a friend of Bernie and Libby, they investigate with the hope of finding the real murderer.
Just like the previous novels, this one is fun. Bernie and Libby are not your run-of-the-mill protagonists – actually they are old ladies – and they tend to be fairly humorous and likeable. Crawford does an excellent job of developing them as characters who seem like real people. She also does a good job of developing the sub-characters so readers are very familiar. Crawford’s writing style is very easy to follow. She is a veteran writer and knows how to make the story flow while building some suspense and adding a surprise ending.
All told, this novel is just as fun as the previous ones in the series. It is a true culinary cozy so it’s filled with plenty of food (including good recipes for what the ladies serve at the tea party), as well as an absence of blatant sex, profanity, and violence. This one is highly recommended as a light and enjoyable read.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
Bernie and Libby Simmons have been hired to cater a tea party at the opening of a play at a venue created by Ludvoc Zalinsky, a so-called billionaire who is in charge of the play and party afterward. Zalinsky is terrible to work with and has alienated everyone near him, including the cast and crew of the play. When Zalinsky is found murdered at the end of opening night. Since the prime suspect is Casper, a friend of Bernie and Libby, they investigate with the hope of finding the real murderer.
Just like the previous novels, this one is fun. Bernie and Libby are not your run-of-the-mill protagonists – actually they are old ladies – and they tend to be fairly humorous and likeable. Crawford does an excellent job of developing them as characters who seem like real people. She also does a good job of developing the sub-characters so readers are very familiar. Crawford’s writing style is very easy to follow. She is a veteran writer and knows how to make the story flow while building some suspense and adding a surprise ending.
All told, this novel is just as fun as the previous ones in the series. It is a true culinary cozy so it’s filled with plenty of food (including good recipes for what the ladies serve at the tea party), as well as an absence of blatant sex, profanity, and violence. This one is highly recommended as a light and enjoyable read.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
March 2, 2022
I read this for a book club thing with my friends, and I really wanted to like it. But I didn't. First off, since I haven't read any of the other books, it was hard for me to connect with the characters and how they delve into a mystery. Some mystery series do a recap explaining certain characters or situations to help situate first-time readers. This was not the case. Second, I was not a fan of the writing style. The dialogue flowed fairly well, but at times, there were unnecessary informal aspects that we say in our conversations that don't have a place in a book. The writing was also inconsistent, introducing people without establishing them in the story. I never connected with any of the characters nor cared what happened to them.
Things started to get better when the two main characters snuck into a house to look for clues, but the story fell flat soon after. Honestly, I skipped to the last few chapters because I didn't want to finish the book, but had to for the book club. I feel like I didn't miss out on too much and the cause of death wasn't surprising.
Overall, I don't recommend it. I wouldn't try any of the other books in the series.
Things started to get better when the two main characters snuck into a house to look for clues, but the story fell flat soon after. Honestly, I skipped to the last few chapters because I didn't want to finish the book, but had to for the book club. I feel like I didn't miss out on too much and the cause of death wasn't surprising.
Overall, I don't recommend it. I wouldn't try any of the other books in the series.
December 3, 2022
Sisters Bernie and Libby, who run a small cafe and do catering, are attending the amateur theatrical performance of "Alice in Wonderland" when the angel--in the financial sense only--Ludvoc Zalinsky is murdered. Zalinsky was supposedly a billionaire collector and patron of the arts; he was actually none of these things, and the sisters were among the vendors that he stiffed out of their payments. The play's director was the leading suspect, as he quarreled with Zalinsky about the constant changes he made to the script and his abusive manner toward the cast. There are many suspects, and Bernie, especially, wants to help the director, who is also accused of stealing the $2,000,000 Chinese teapot that Zalinsky insisted be on stage during the performance. This is usually a solid series, but this entry is definitely flawed.
January 10, 2018
Mostly I had to find time to pick up the book to read it. But each time I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down.
This book I loved, I couldn't figure out who did it until they did in the book. This was because too many people would have wanted him dead. So every where you looked you could see someone with a reason to want to kill the person who died. So with every time the girls found out something new, it just left them more puzzled as they couldn't figure out how to knock someone off the list of who could have done it.
IF you want a book which has food and a hard puzzle to solve, this is a good book to read. Of course, when you discover who it is, and the reasons you realize that it was a fun twist.
This book I loved, I couldn't figure out who did it until they did in the book. This was because too many people would have wanted him dead. So every where you looked you could see someone with a reason to want to kill the person who died. So with every time the girls found out something new, it just left them more puzzled as they couldn't figure out how to knock someone off the list of who could have done it.
IF you want a book which has food and a hard puzzle to solve, this is a good book to read. Of course, when you discover who it is, and the reasons you realize that it was a fun twist.
September 4, 2018
I had a hard time staying interested in this one. It seemed to drag and the characters that I've enjoyed in some of the other books in this series seemed overly whiny. I'm hoping that this is an exception, and hold great hope for the next book!
November 9, 2018
This was another good read in the series. Yet again I didn't know who did it until the end. Which was nice. I really disliked Michelle. She was a horrible person. I really hope she doesn't spend a lot of time in the series.
January 23, 2021
Over the past year, I gotten into cozy mysteries, had this been the first, it most likely would have been the last. It was too long and the characters weren’t that likable. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the plot was decent, but had too many characters went off on tangents.
June 13, 2023
This was good. But, we were left with questions about Bernie n Libbys dad n his gf. And his gfs bakery. I don't like unresolved storylines. The story was good but it got cluttered again with too many suspects. Too drawn out. I hope the next one answers these questions.
December 13, 2018
Long and complex, I had a hard time keeping track of all the clues and characters
January 30, 2019
Didn't like this book at all writing does not flow at all
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