Mozzarella Most Murderous

Carolyn Blue Culinary Mysteries #7

by Nancy Fairbanks

Food writer Carolyn Blue is looking forward to firing up some passion with her husband - and enjoying sumptuous Italian food - in romantic Sorrento, Italy. When a strike strands Jason in Paris, Carolyn spends her first day with a beautiful Italian woman named Paolina who has been stood up by her lover. The next day, Carolyn's vacation turns sour when she finds her lovely companion drowned in the hotel's pool.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Italy, Food, Cozy, Cooking

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 5, 2005

About the author

A pseudonym used by Nancy Herndon.

Series:
* A Culinary Mystery with Recipes

Reviews

[Tabby Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carolyn Blue is a forty-something faculty wife, embarking on a second career as a food writer. Her husband's work as a chemist gives her ample opportunity to travel to exotic locations and sample local fare. Needless to say, her passion for food is a running theme throughout the series, and often is the source for much comedy. For readers who cook, recipes are inserted throughout as parts of the columns that Carolyn writes. She is also an amatuer historian, and interesting bits of local (and not so local) history are scattered through the pages.

The latest installment has Carolyn in Sorrento, Italy. Compared to previous books, this one was somewhat light in place desciption; previous books would have delighted not just fans of the genre but fans of the area in which the books have been set. As an Italophile, I didn't find this book as charming as the previous ones, in which I've enjoyed mini-vacations to New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Barcellona, France and El Paso. Perhaps it was my increased familiarity with the place. In any event, this cost half a star in my rating-- Ms. Fairbanks has set very high standards in her previous books indeed, and this one just didn't quite live up to them.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This easy to read, lightweight cozy mystery is filled with cultural stereotypes (about Americans, the French, the English, and Italians from different areas of Italy) and has an implausible plot. The two narrators have the same inner voice, despite one being a 40-something American tourist and the other a young pregnant Italian, and I often forgot which one was currently telling the story.

I enjoyed vicariously visiting Italy, and the Italian recipes made my mouth water. But I will not be seeking out other books in the series.

(Maybe I would have enjoyed this one more if I'd read the books that came before it in the series.)

[Wildgoose · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Pretty light and cozy. It was a kinda weird combination of mystery, comedy and recipe book!
The characters sometimes were too silly for my cup of tea, but the story was keep going, soit didnt bother me that much.
I did not like some things, like the way some characters were thinking (not by comedic silliness, but plain stupidity). The reveal of the murder was uninteresting, so that disappoint me in a level, but the whole incident afterwards was pretty comedic, funny and "cheerful" so I had a good time.
Not the book I would usually read (that is mostly the reason of the low rating), but it was a funny mystery and good choice for a light summer read.
If you are into "Inspector Clouzo", the Pink Panther etc kind of thing, then you will definitely like this one.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore the amateur sleuth genre. This one however wasn't my style. The main character is a food critic. Each chapter is peppered with random history facts and recipes from her column. It made the story choppy. I also did not like the two narrators. It was difficult sometimes to keep them separate. They sounded a lot alike. A fun easy read but not great.

[Lynn Howard]

I have liked the previous books in the series that I have read, but found this one confusing as the tale is told between two main characters. So, I found it confusing at times, if I did not concentrate and who was narrating the tale.

[Emma-Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

The two narrators had the exact same voice, which seems to have taken place in the early 1900s rather than early 2000s. The story was also more than a bit ridiculous with very little actual investigating going on. I guess, what did I expect? Haha

[Xinma]

This was SO bad. There was not a single likable character. The author injects historical data into the story in awkward ways, and the food writing is even bad. There are recipes, and an index for them in the back, which is the best thing.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t finish.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book was written in 2005 it felt like it was written in 1995. The way they spoke about food, the mafia, cell phones, almost everything, made the book feel remarkably dated and not like a Sue Grafton novel which is set in a specific slice of time. Carolyn Blue and her chemist husband Jason are in Sorrento for another of his conferences where Carolyn immediately stumbles onto a body. Well, almost immediately. First, she gets to know the woman, then she finds her dead. But as with prior books that I've read in the series, Carolyn and her husband just aren't that likable. The columns and the the recipes are cute interludes but they don't make up for the lackluster stories.

[Ed · Rating 2 out of 5]

#7 of the Culinary Food Writers series. I'm not quite sure why, but this is one of my least favorite entries in the series.

Culinary Food Writer series - When Jason is stranded in Paris, Carolyn's first day in Sorrento is spent quite enjoyably with Paolina, whom Carolyn then finds dead in the hotel swimming pool the next morning. Carolyn seems to be the only one truly interested in finding out the truth behind her death, and sets about investigating, enlisting Bianca's aid. Bianca is a heavily pregnant Italian woman whose husband is attending the same conference as Carolyn's.

[Alexia Athanassiadou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Θα έβαζα 3,5 αστεράκια. Αυτό το βιβλίο μου άρεσε λίγο περισσότερο από το Σοκολάτα για φόνο. Εκτός από τις εξαιρετικές συνταγές που έχει και την ιστορία πίσω από αυτές όλο το υπόλοιπο είναι γεμάτο κλισέ. Η άποψη των Αμερικανών ότι η Μαφία είναι παντού στην Ιταλία. Η άποψη των Ιταλών ότι αυτοί μόνο έχουν δίκιο και πολλά άλλα. Η ηρωιδα είναι μονίμως μπουκωμένη με κάτι στο στόμα και αναρωτιέσαι ποτέ προλαβαίνει να κάνει όλα τα υπόλοιπα. Για το καλοκαίρι ότι πρέπει, πολύ ανάλαφρο για τα γούστα μου.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd book in a row I've read this week about people not being who you think they are. This is the 7th of the Carolyn Blue culinary mysteries. This one is set in Italy and of course Carolyn starts right out finding a dead body and then trying to find out who killed the young girl even though everyone wants to say it was sucide.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this genre, and this is a fun series. The recipes look yummy, but the histories get a bit pedantic and over-the-top. I figured out what was going to happen pretty early in the story, but it was still a fun, quick read.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am just about finished with this light and fun mystery novel featuring food columnist Carolyn Blue as she helps the Italian police find the murderer of a young lady who was staying in Carolyn's hotel in Italy.

[Mary Newcomb]

A trip to Italy becomes a murder investigation for the intrepid Carolyn Blue. In addition to the lovely scenery, fabulous food descriptions and the murder, we have the added attraction of an incredibly pregnant woman. What I did not care for was the varying POV chapters.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light reading; humorous suspenseful, and delightful. Includes recipes as an aside!
They're fun to read, even if you don't cook.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

a nice light read; made me chuckle a few times.

[Lisabemery · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was in the mood for something with Italian flavor.
Characters were cartoonish and recipes way too unathentic
not my cup of tea.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the dog!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters, but there were just a lot of them.

[Judym · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun little mystery by Nancy Fairbanks. I like that they are set in Europe so I get to see various countries through her eyes. The characters are entertaining and of course there is food.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an Italian, this brought back memories of my trips to Capri and Rome, etc...and definitely the food!!

[Mary Havlovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book and its recipes