A Catered Murder

A Mystery with Recipes #1

by Isis Crawford

Bernadette Simmons wasn't sure what to expect when she left L.A.--and her no-good, cheating boyfriend--to move back in with her family in New York. And her sister Libby had no idea what she was in for when she hired Bernie to work for her catering business. But in between cutting up canapes and dishing up desserts, the two find themselves in the midst of a mystery they can really sink their teeth into. . .
It's only been a few days since Bernie and Libby started working together at A Little Taste of Heaven, and already they've got their hands full--baking cookies and slicing rare beef tenderloin to serve at a high school reunion. The dinner has a "Dracula" theme and a very strange guest of honor: Laird Wrenn, a New York Times bestselling author of vampire novels. Libby and Bernie know this will be an evening unlike any other. And they're proven right when Laird pours a glass of water, takes a long sip--and drops stone-cold dead. . .
Now, with murder on the menu and Libby under suspicion, the sisters will have to put their heads together to figure out whodunit--in a mystery that promises to be deadly to the very last bite.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Food, New York, Chick Lit

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Isis 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

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bernadette moves from Los Angeles to New York and goes to work in her sister's catering business. Unfortunately, a guest dies at one of their events. And a friend of Bernadette's sister is one of the suspects.

Crawford delivers an enticing plot, relatable characters and a nice twist ending.

A fun read.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Bernadette Simmons escaped from Los Angeles leaving her cheating ex behind along with most of her belongings to return home to New York. There she starts working with her sister Libby at A Little Taste of Heaven, a store and catering company. They have been hired to cater a high school reunion with a Dracula theme. The guest of honor, author Laird Wrenn, even arrives with his own coffin. Sadly, before the night ends he is going to need it because after a big drink of water he keels over dead. Since Libby provided the bottled water she becomes a prime suspect but everyone at the reunion had access to it so the suspect list is wide open and Bernie and Libby are going to find who sucked the life out of the popular vampire . . . author.

I found the family dynamic interesting in this first book of this series. The sisters are as different as night and day but both seem to attract jerks and deserve better. In addition to working together, they are also taking care of their father, Sean, the former police chief. He is in a wheelchair but no real story as to why as been revealed as yet. Truthfully the author has not given any of the core characters much depth so there is a lot to be revealed in subsequent books. I did like the interactions between the sisters and with their father. They came across as realistic and true.

The girl’s investigation into the murder was fun to read. Taking along treats when visiting the suspects did loosen some tongues. In fact, the heat was soon off Libby and onto one of her friends. I also liked that they talked things over with their dad to get his expert opinion. His replacement at the police department is a real tool and needed to be put in his place. I was able to pull all the clues together before Bernie and Libby and the police but enjoyed following along to the end.

This story was good but I wish the characters were more fleshed out so that I would feel more invested in them. I identified a bit with Sean because I too spend a vast amount of time in a wheelchair but want to know more of his story. We did learn Bernie has an eidetic memory which can be annoying and Libby is a really hard worker but again I wanted more.

For me, the book is A Satisfactory Excursion, but I am not writing the series off. I have book #2, A Catered Wedding on my Kindle so I will be giving this author another chance. It is a long-running series, book #15, A Catered New Year’s Eve was just released so I am assuming the flaws I found in this story have all be ironed out.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable mystery series, but I recommend skipping book 1. I began reading this series in December 2016 and chose to read the book 3 which is set at Christmas first. I'm so glad I didn't start with the first book. I have read 4 books in the series and this is my least favorite selection. It's not terrible, but just not a memorable book. The murder takes place at a book party which is essentially a high school reunion. There are too many characters in this town to follow throughout the book. I read the book in 3 days and can't imagine how you would keep track of everyone if you read the book slower! The ending felt rushed and it is unlikely you will guess the solution in advance. Start the series with book 2 and you will really enjoy these catering sisters, their retired cop father, their friends, their town, and the cozy mysteries they solve. Enjoy!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery I really liked, good writing not to fluffy with no filling if that makes sense. It's enough to make me want to read more.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, easy read. Could have done with some editing but otherwise a good mystery. Looking forward to the next in the series. 3.5*

[Diane Morasco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love mysteries. Cozies are my favorite mysteries to read. I'm hooked. Hooked.

I always enjoy getting my hands on a new series, new author ~ new author to the publishing world or new to me.

I get a kick out of being the first to scoop up the latest. I consider myself a cozy devotee.

Sadly, A Catered Murder did zip, zero, nada for me. Nothing. I was bored. I found excuses not to read it. I read other books instead.

I wondered how on earth this book got published. Did it win a contest? Was it nepotism?

Was the editor @ Kensington about to embark on a cruise & said, " Oh, what the heck? " or did s/he win the lottery & give them a shot @ making their dream come true?

I am one of those people who has to finish a book ~ no matter what.

I am slowly learning to stop being so anal & read the incredible books waiting to be read.

Instead of slogging through the drivel, I have decided to toss the books I can't digest aside.

I have allowed myself to read the first 50 pages a` la Oprah, but have come up w/ my own reader meter ~ 25 pages.

So, what was it about this book that was so foul tasting?

Ingredients:
Zzz
Characters too over the top
Grammatical errors
Predictable plot
Dialogue too problematic to follow
Typing errors
Snore Syrup
Lack of Sense Sauce


Isis Crawford’s previous experience was as a food writer.

Hmmm... maybe the recipes are worth the read, but I didn't bother. I walked away... ok, sprinted.

A Catered Murder is the first of the Mystery with Recipes series & just because it isn't for my palate... you may enjoy this serving.

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to see how it all started out. I had only read the last book in the series that is out. Just like that one it was a nice mystery. Yet again I didn't know who it was. Which is always nice. There are 11 more for me to read in the series. I hope they all continue to be good.

[Kevin Kern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of minor mistakes, with 2 rather ditzy sisters, trying to solve a murder, then another. If you don't mind female characters that aren't really dumb, but seem to lack any common sense, you will probably enjoy these books. Start with this one, tho, because you have to be there in the beginning of their quest for justice.

[Kelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't say that I was very impressed with this book. I don't feel like I know the characters very well and I'm not sure if it was the writing or just me, but I had a hard time following everything. The characters and dialogue when it was happening was kind of hard to follow who was talking. The plot was easy enough follow and there were a lot of interesting scenarios thrown out from the girls trying to solve the murders. While the true murderer was unexpected I can't say there was really any 'wow' factor because she wasn't a character I thought much about or had gotten to know throughout the book anyway. I can hope that things get better as the series goes on, but I'm not sure if I'll continue.

[Rubi Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, the story was a fair distraction during a mourning period when I desperately needed distracting. The execution of the story, however, was frustrating. There were too many times I had to stop reading to figure out who was speaking or how/why someone was performing an action (sitting, standing, opening something) when they'd done that just ten lines earlier.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done first book in the series. Good mystery and I was just as lost as to who the culprit was as Libby and Bernie were. Looking forward to more.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder with Recipes I'll start with I loved the recipes. I did make copies of the cake recipe. My kids loved it. This was the first book in the series and there were moments where I felt like looking at the end to see who did it. Lots of suspects, lots of "sisterly" nonsense and just seemed longer than it needed to be. I did continue and it was a pretty good story. I am going to try another book from the series and see how I feel after it. 

[Angustia⋆Cósmica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just MWAH, perfect.
Maybe I jus have a soft spot for middle-aged catering ladies, but I got hooked and didn't stop 'till I reached the end.

The vintage air of it all, I'm in love with everything about this book. Sisterly bond, food, murder, it's got everything I like!

Maybe I finally found the way to scratch the itch that has been bothering me for so long, so expect a lot more ramblings about this series.

[Karen Merris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked her style. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Catered Murder by Isis Crawford is the first book in A Mystery with Recipes series. Bernadette Simmons returns home to New York after walking out on her cheating boyfriend and joins her sister Libby at A Little Taste of Heaven. They are catering a vampire themed school reunion when the guest of honour, vampire writer Laird Wren is poisoned with Libby falling under suspicion. An excellent culinary mystery and a nice start to the series. It was nice to meet the two sisters and their wheelchair bound ex-policeman father. An interesting, light, fun cozy mystery.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bernie Simmons arrives on the doorstep of her family's home in Longley after a red eye from LA where she came across her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with her friend. She has no luggage and owes a $213.35 cab fare which she will now owe her sister - some day because she's also out of a job. Libby Simmons is busy preparing for the Clarington High School 17th reunion where the guest of honor is a New York Times bestselling novelist, vampire wannabe and their old classmate Lionel "Laird Wrenn" Wrenkoski. Libby puts Bernie to work helping with the event but all Bernie can do is critique the menu as not being historically accurate. That's the least of Libby's worries when Laird shows up and they clash over his ideal placement of his coffin. Yes coffin. Everyone from their school days is at the reunion, including Libby's old flame, Orion, who is currently in the process of divorcing the woman he dumped Libby for. Even romance seems trivial when Laird unexpectedly dies dramatically after ingesting cyanide and Libby briefly becomes a suspect. The police set their sights on Libby's best friend Tiffany, Lionel's longtime girlfriend, who was drunk and disappointed the night of the reunion. Libby KNOWS her BFF didn't kill Lionel and she sets out to find out who did. With the help of Bernie and their father, a retired police officer, they come up with better suspects but when one of them ends up dead, Tiffany is still on the suspect list. Libby isn't sure of anything anymore but she's not going to let her friend go to jail without finding proof of someone else's guilt.

This story was not so great. It's told in alternating third-person points of view: one chapter is Bernie's POV and the next Libby's. Some overlap and that gets repetitive and not a whole lot happens at first. There's a little bit of cooking but some of it is also random. I never guessed whodunit but there were slight clues that Libby realizes in hindsight pointed right to this person.

All of the characters know each other already and we're dropped into this story without explanation. Is Libby the older sister? Are they twins? They seem to have gone to high school at the same time. Was Libby in the same class as Lionel? If so, how come she's catering the reunion instead of attending as a guest and what school has a 17th reunion, let alone one in the school cafeteria? I didn't like how everyone knew each other and was connected. I felt left out and confused as to who was who and how they knew each other. I didn't really find any of them appealing.

Libby must be the older sister. She's careful, thoughtful, dutiful and loyal. Libby stayed home to care for her father and run the family business. She seems to be a good cook but it's unclear if she has formal training. It doesn't sound like it. Libby is stuck in a midlife crisis or maybe a quarter life crisis. She's stuck in a rut and doesn't seem to know she's there. She doesn't muster up an inertia to do anything to change. I relate to her big sister attitude and being the rule follower. I was also the frumpy teen with my nose in a book. Bernie reminds me of my younger sister with her impulsive nature and lack of filter. Bernie reads ADHD to me. Yet I can also relate to Bernie's need to know things and how she reads the dictionary for fun. Careful Bernie, everyone will treat you like a human Google/Wikipedia if you don't stop sharing random facts with people. These women seem to be Gen. Xers and this story set in the very late 90s/early 2000s. Technology has changed a lot but not so much that younger readers can't understand this mostly pre-digital world. They have cell phones, the internet and fanzines (rather than fan pages).

I can see why someone would want to murder Lionel. He was awful! For starters, he thinks he's a vampire. His ego is out of control since he became a bestselling author of vampire lit. Lionel is rude to everyone he thinks is beneath him - mainly everyone, including his assistant Lydia who is a real *itch. She's type A and runs the Lionel show, feeding his ego and making sure the fans appreciate him. Everyone who was there had means and opportunity so what was the motive? Was it the vampire theme park deal Lionel reneged on? Did he plagiarize/steal someone else's book? I was thinking the same thing as Libby. It sure seemed like she had it but the second death provides more suspects. Was it the wronged wife angry at her husband for losing their money to a silly scheme? Can it be Bree Nottingham "real estate agent extraordinaire"? She surely was the class mean girl and hasn't changed.

Tiffany needs help, I agree with Libby. I don't think she did it. She was drunk and crying her eyes out so something must have happened. She's down and out and not thinking clearly. All the evidence is absolutely circumstantial. Tiffany seemingly had a motive but she loved him so why would she kill him with cyanide? It seems like if she got into an argument with him, his death would have been accidental rather than premeditated. Who brings arsenic with them to a party? Unfortunately real life isn't like the novels/cop shows and sometimes innocent people get railroaded. This seems to be happening to Tiffany but she also seems to be letting it happen. Libby finally musters the energy to do something in order to help her friend. Sean Simmons was a great cop but he loves his daughters and would do anything for them - even if it means breaking the rules. He has a chip on his shoulder the way the political machinations forced him out of a job, even referring to the chief as "Lucy" short for Lucifer. I think Sean likes talking out the murder, it makes him feel involved again when he's felt sorry for himself since illness has forced him to use a wheelchair. I think he also wants to shove it up Lucy's behind that Lucy is incompetent and Sean's still got it. Unfortunately they both miss the right suspect!

Nigel Herron is a finance guy who is really a frustrated writer. He has motive to want both victims dead. Nigel has really gone off the rails since Lionel's death, according to his girlfriend. A guilty conscience perhaps? Geoffrey Holder has made a bundle in body shops. His kid is graduating and the Holders were supposed to hire Libby to cater the event but haven't paid or discussed final menu details yet. Libby's menu is way off base for a graduation party but it gives her a chance to be nosy. Mary Beth Holder is a font of information when she's drunk and all is not what it seems in the Holder household.

Libby has terrible taste in men. Orion has moved back in with his parents and wants to pick up with Libby where he left off after high school. Just like old times! He just wants to score and doesn't seem to care about Libby or he would be more sympathetic to her feelings about her friend's predicament. Bernie seems to be forming a romance with a chance met new acquaintance. Rob seems nice. He's friendly and he likes animals. I like him well enough so far. He has a sense of humor which is good when dealing with Bernie. The only character I really like is Susan Andrews. Since the death of her husband, she has gotten even more eccentric, working with her dog's fur to make woven art. You CAN do that if your dog is not a Poodle. Poodles have hair and not fur and it's curly - the silly haircut is not so silly if they're in the water, it helps them float. I don't know if you can weave with poodle hair but you can work in somehow. Susan's art is very abstract and bizarre but I find her eccentricities enjoyable to read.

I may pick this series back up with a later book and see how it goes. I didn't find the writing style very engaging and the characters were not too interesting to me.

[quinnster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exploring the 'cozies' type of mystery I came across this series. Recipes and mysteries?! Sounds awesome! Now, I haven't tried the recipes yet, but I did finish the book and I have to say, I didn't love it. I think that reading Pure used up all my good book karma this past week. Out of the last 5 books I've read I loved Pure, A Fatal Grace was okay, hated Evernight and Killer and this one were just meh.

But it happens, right?

**slight spoilers ahead**



The killer ultimately was a surprise because they weren't even offered up as a suspect and there was no backstory given on them. When revealed though, it didn't really feel like a 'wow' twist. It felt like a 'what the heck?' out of left field kind of twist. I like to be able to have a chance to figure out the mystery and wonder how they pulled it off.

And the killer's motive was an interesting one so it's kind of sad it wasn't elaborated much.

I also didn't care for Libby much. Control yourself a bit woman! Food, her emotions, nothing. She would just blurt out the absolute wrong thing to say all the time. Then there were things like Bernie saying to herself how she truly believes people can change. Then 5 pages later Libby is asking Bernie if she thinks people can change and she says 'absolutely not'. Huh?

I will read the second book because there was enough her, enough about Libby, Bernie and their father for me to be interesting in finding out more. And the book wasn't horrible it was just okay. Maybe it will get better? Plus, I got the second book for free and that's why I had to find this one at the library.

So I reserve judgement on the series until I finish at least the next one. Stay tuned....

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I read this book to back-track after reading "A Catered Halloween," which is further along in the series. I am pleased to say that this book is more enjoyable than the Halloween one, but it still lacked some basic information about the characters, and the mystery wasn't readily solvable.

I am curious as to what happened to their father, and how much damage he has from the injury. Obviously he is paralyzed or stuck in the wheelchair, but it just seems like there's more that could have been mentioned since the author alludes to his emotional problems but not really giving us any details.

I liked the sister relationship and see that the stereotypes in cozy mysteries are really like a checklist. One sister is the suave diva, while the other sister is the frumpy one with relationship issues that never seem to go away (although it seems like this one will hopefully end with the first book). At least the dialogue is nice, though it's peppered with weird actions like a bee on an arm being brushed off followed by a flying ant. The constant talk of the recipes got a little tiring. It's not bad in the flow, but I don't think people discuss pastries as much as these characters do while discussing murders.

Definitely not the best series I've read, but also good enough to make me curious about the next installment.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two sisters become a team in a store and catering
business plus as amateur sleuths.
Bernadette Simmons arrives at home in New York
after fleeing a cheating boyfriend in Los Angeles
with just the clothes on her back.
She turns to her sister, Libby who runs A Little
Taste of Heaven store and catering business while
caring for their father who is wheelchair bound.
Bernadette joins Libby helping at a catered reunion
party. All is going along fine til the host takes a
drink of bottled water then drops over dead.
The sisters will work together to find the culprit who
spoiled the event.
Another murder occurs....is it related to the first? If
so how?
Come along with the delicious treat giving sisters
as they interview a cast of hometown, quirky, well
defined suspects.
Love the relationship between the sisters and the
caring they gave their Dad.
Recipes at the end for: Caviar Mousse, Tomato
Aspic, Mesclun Salad with Goat Cheese, Blood
Oranges, and Toasted Almonds in a Balsamic
Vinaigrette Dressing, Midnight Beef (Black
Pepper-coated Beef Tenderloin), Au Gratin Potatoes,
Finger Bone Cookies (Kranserkaker) and Devil’s
Food Cake with Chocolate Mocha Frosting.

[Kim j · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this ebook for practically nothing & I am glad because it is not worth full price or any price. I am a fast reader & this book took forever to read. I found excuses to not read it--cleaning, cooking, shopping, even an agonizing medical procedure over this book. It has potential & I kept thinking that something good would happen but no because I usually toss the bad ones out pretty quick. I like the characters Bernie, Libby & Sean but they lacked background info that adds to the story. I liked that they did investigate not like other cozies that the characters do nothing & fall into finding the killer. Not sure if I will read the next one--maybe if free or under a dollar. Not impressive but it gives me hope that if crap like this can get published maybe I can???

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by the low ratings I saw. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought that it was unique in the fact that we don't have just one sleuth but two. A sister team that has two distinctive personalities but actually care about each other, unlike some that I've read. I love how Bernie starts rambling about any info that she has stored in her brain, sometimes driving people crazy. The only drawback I had was when it was figured out who did it, I was a little lost. I don't know if I missed some clues, or if they just weren't there. Still it was a fun read and I will continue on with the series.

[Tasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Walked by this new series (to me) in the library.... Liked the description, loved the fact that it was a Tasty Murder Mystery..... Too bad my like for the book stopped there. The characters are so poorly developed and out of place it's frustrating. Doubt I will read more of this series. Note: at one point I had to write out the characters mentioned and started to read the book again to figure out when they we're introduced so I could figure out who they were. Sadly, several were just thrown in all of a sudden.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up. It felt very dated and just didn't keep my interest. Nothing really happened. In addition, I found the fluctuating viewpoint hard to follow.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Taken from the book, "Bernadette Simmons wasn't sure what to expect when she left L.A.--and her no-good, cheating boyfriend--to move back in with her family in New York. And her sister Libby had no idea what she was in for when she hired Bernie to work for her catering business. But in between cutting up canapes and dishing up desserts, the two find themselves in the midst of a mystery they can really sink their teeth into. . .
It's only been a few days since Bernie and Libby started working together at A Little Taste of Heaven, and already they've got their hands full--baking cookies and slicing rare beef tenderloin to serve at a high school reunion. The dinner has a "Dracula" theme and a very strange guest of honor: Laird Wrenn, a New York Times bestselling author of vampire novels. Libby and Bernie know this will be an evening unlike any other. And they're proven right when Laird pours a glass of water, takes a long sip--and drops stone-cold dead. . .
Now, with murder on the menu and Libby under suspicion, the sisters will have to put their heads together to figure out whodunit--in a mystery that promises to be deadly to the very last bite."

The above sounds like a good who done it with a couple of interesting characters. I did find the characters interesting would have liked for them to be more developed and calm down a bit. The story itself was all over the place for me, at times boring, other times I felt lost, other times stupid dialog but here and there interesting enough to finish the book. I will give the next book in the series a try. I am hoping this is a set up book and next will be better.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy cozies-- they are quick, easy reads and I use them a a kind of palate cleanser between heavier or longer books. So I don't want to have to work to read them. This was work. I struggled to get into this book. It just did not hold my attention at all, and I am not even sure why. It got better after the murder finally happened, but it seemed to take so long (it didn't, but it felt that way). Then, I immediately guessed who did it.

I can forgive typos, but there were times that the author seemed to mix up the sisters, causing me to question what I had just read. Here is an example:

Bernie watched Libby adjust the heat under the pan. “How about I talk to him and the Enterprise people and you talk to the neighbors,” she said. Libby nodded.

Seems pretty straightforward, except on the next page Libby went to Enterprise and Bernie went to talk to the neighbors (even though it specifically mentioned Libby would talk to them because she knew them). This wasn't the only time I had to doublecheck which sister was talking vs. which sister I thought should actually be talking. Very confusing.

I did like end up liking the main cast of characters. I just don't know if I would want to read further in this series.

I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had trouble getting through this, it was slow and boring. I will read the next in the series to see if it picks up. Also- the author really should have picked better names for the characters, they were all literally starting with L's! Libby, Lydia, Lucy, Lionel, the list goes on. She had two characters that went by two different names, and she kept shifting back and forth, and it confused me as to who was who. She even had a Bree and a Bernie!

[Anne]

Just an entertaining "beach read". Although it has been freezing cold here!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, light mystery. The culprit was a surprise. I had no idea how it would end. I liked finding out how this series started, since I started with the twelfth book. I also liked all the food and recipes in this story.

[☺Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro to a new-to-me culinary cozy mystery series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery with interesting characters