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Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #11
Chopping Spree
For Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz, business isn't just booming--it's skyrocketing. But as her friend Marla is constantly warning her, "Success can kill you." Goldy knows she needs to slow down before she breaks down, and she vows she'll do it--right after her next booking: a cocktail party for the Westside Mall's Elite Shoppers Club.
It's the event of the shopping season: the Princess Without a Pricetag party for the wealthy shopaholics who drop at least a thousand dollars a week at the mall. Goldy has been hired by charming mall manager Barry Dean to cater the jewel-encrusted affair. But she has hardly begun setting up when she finds herself in the path of a truck that has no intention of stopping until both she and Barry are crushed beneath it. Muddied, bruised, embarrassed, but determined to do her job, Goldy manages to get the party started on time with the help of her trusted assistants Julian Teller and Liz Fury.
But with the outbreak of an ugly marital spat among the guests, the behavior of Barry's flighty young girlfriend, and Barry's own strange actions after the truck incident, the event is--by Goldy's standards--a catastrophe. And it's about to get worse. When she goes to pick up her check, she finds an old friend lying dead in a pile of sale shoes--stabbed with one of Goldy'snew knives. Hours later, Julian is the prime suspect in the murder.To prove Julian's innocence, Goldy must catch the real killer. But to do that, she will have to figure out why the victim was carrying a powerful narcotic. And why was a private investigator called in shortly before the murder? Was the killer connected to a mall renovation project--or the eviction of a disgruntled tenant? Or was the villain the odd lover out in a violent love triangle?
Between whipping up Sweethearts' Swedish Meatballs, Quiche Me Quick, and Diamond Lovers' Hot Crab Dip, and digging up clues, Goldy knows this is going to be one tough case to crack. And her gourmet sleuth's instinct tells her that the final course will be a real killer.
It's the event of the shopping season: the Princess Without a Pricetag party for the wealthy shopaholics who drop at least a thousand dollars a week at the mall. Goldy has been hired by charming mall manager Barry Dean to cater the jewel-encrusted affair. But she has hardly begun setting up when she finds herself in the path of a truck that has no intention of stopping until both she and Barry are crushed beneath it. Muddied, bruised, embarrassed, but determined to do her job, Goldy manages to get the party started on time with the help of her trusted assistants Julian Teller and Liz Fury.
But with the outbreak of an ugly marital spat among the guests, the behavior of Barry's flighty young girlfriend, and Barry's own strange actions after the truck incident, the event is--by Goldy's standards--a catastrophe. And it's about to get worse. When she goes to pick up her check, she finds an old friend lying dead in a pile of sale shoes--stabbed with one of Goldy'snew knives. Hours later, Julian is the prime suspect in the murder.To prove Julian's innocence, Goldy must catch the real killer. But to do that, she will have to figure out why the victim was carrying a powerful narcotic. And why was a private investigator called in shortly before the murder? Was the killer connected to a mall renovation project--or the eviction of a disgruntled tenant? Or was the villain the odd lover out in a violent love triangle?
Between whipping up Sweethearts' Swedish Meatballs, Quiche Me Quick, and Diamond Lovers' Hot Crab Dip, and digging up clues, Goldy knows this is going to be one tough case to crack. And her gourmet sleuth's instinct tells her that the final course will be a real killer.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
478 people are currently reading
1971 people want to read
About the author
Diane Mott Davidson
76 books2,322 followers New York Times bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson wrote three novels before one was accepted for publication—when she was 41. She has since written 14 more mysteries, all featuring Goldy the caterer. In addition, she has written short stories and poetry for various publications. Davidson has won the Anthony Award from Bouchercon, and has been nominated for the Agatha, another Anthony, and the Macavity Award. In 1993 she was named Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' Writer of the Year.
Davidson was educated at St. Anne's School in Charlottesville, Virginia, where her English teacher, Emyl Jenkins, encouraged her to become a writer. She attended Wellesley College, where she was named a Wellesley Scholar, before transferring to Stanford University, from which she graduated with a double major in Art History and Political Science. Several years (and one child) later, she received her MA in Art History from Johns Hopkins.
Davidson has volunteered for numerous organizations. She was a tutor in a correctional facility, rape-victim counselor, and served for 10 years on the Board of Examining Chaplains of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. For years she taught the adult Bible study at her parish, where she was also licensed to preach.
Davidson has been married to her husband, Jim, for almost 40 years. They have three sons, a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and a basset hound.
Davidson was educated at St. Anne's School in Charlottesville, Virginia, where her English teacher, Emyl Jenkins, encouraged her to become a writer. She attended Wellesley College, where she was named a Wellesley Scholar, before transferring to Stanford University, from which she graduated with a double major in Art History and Political Science. Several years (and one child) later, she received her MA in Art History from Johns Hopkins.
Davidson has volunteered for numerous organizations. She was a tutor in a correctional facility, rape-victim counselor, and served for 10 years on the Board of Examining Chaplains of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. For years she taught the adult Bible study at her parish, where she was also licensed to preach.
Davidson has been married to her husband, Jim, for almost 40 years. They have three sons, a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and a basset hound.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 312 reviews
September 29, 2017
Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to Chopping Spree, the 11th book in the "Goldy Bear Schultz Culinary" cozy mystery series, written in 2002 by Diane Mott Davidson. Don't you just love the titles? This was a good book in the series, as it focused on Julian, my favorite character, and it took place in a mall. Goldy's always in the middle of things, and this one took it to new levels. She gets herself into the worst situations, but they are always amusing and educational. She's almost run over in this book, a somewhat new way to die for mysteries... A definite read in the series!
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
4 out of 5 stars to Chopping Spree, the 11th book in the "Goldy Bear Schultz Culinary" cozy mystery series, written in 2002 by Diane Mott Davidson. Don't you just love the titles? This was a good book in the series, as it focused on Julian, my favorite character, and it took place in a mall. Goldy's always in the middle of things, and this one took it to new levels. She gets herself into the worst situations, but they are always amusing and educational. She's almost run over in this book, a somewhat new way to die for mysteries... A definite read in the series!
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
April 20, 2010
Book 11 in the Goldy Culinary Mysteries.
An old college friend, Barry Dean, hires Goldy to cater the opening event at a high-end mall. Things are going well enough until Goldy stumbles over Barry, bleeding to death after being stabbed by one of her brand new knives. Julian is arrested for the murder and, of course, Goldy sets out to prove his innocence.
As in the last installment, Goldy's teenage son, Arch, is over-the-top obnoxious, to the point where he is repeating the abusive pattern set by "the Jerk." His behavior, and Goldy's acceptance of it, really soured the story for me.
An old college friend, Barry Dean, hires Goldy to cater the opening event at a high-end mall. Things are going well enough until Goldy stumbles over Barry, bleeding to death after being stabbed by one of her brand new knives. Julian is arrested for the murder and, of course, Goldy sets out to prove his innocence.
As in the last installment, Goldy's teenage son, Arch, is over-the-top obnoxious, to the point where he is repeating the abusive pattern set by "the Jerk." His behavior, and Goldy's acceptance of it, really soured the story for me.
January 8, 2024
It was cute. I was not really understanding Goldy’s relationship with her son. I haven’t read others in the series. Honestly the only reason I picked up the book was because the cover looked interesting. Just because I gave this book three stars doesn’t mean I won’t read more.
May 6, 2013
I had trouble getting into this one. I think it was because the focus on food and cooking was too much. It eclipsed the mystery and everything else. And don't get me started on Arch! WTH is Goldy thinking allowing a 15 year old to dictate to her and with that attitude? (My mother would have beat the stuffings out of me for half of what he did.) Especially after surviving an abusive husband (Arch's father). Not only did she allow his disrespect, she rewarded him too! I just didn't get it. Yeah I guess it's easier to give in than to parent but once you start a kid on that route, it's much more difficult to turn him/her around.
I found it annoying when Goldy made negative comments about Marla's delinquent son, Teddy. Where does she think her own kid is headed? I found Goldy to be overly negative and petty in this installment. I will continue the series because on the whole, I like her attempts at detecting and her long-suffering cop husband (when is he going to get a backbone?) It's kind of funny when he's doing the cooking and she's playing the cop.
I found it annoying when Goldy made negative comments about Marla's delinquent son, Teddy. Where does she think her own kid is headed? I found Goldy to be overly negative and petty in this installment. I will continue the series because on the whole, I like her attempts at detecting and her long-suffering cop husband (when is he going to get a backbone?) It's kind of funny when he's doing the cooking and she's playing the cop.
April 5, 2019
I have gotten to the point that it is just too much to read about the son's abusive attitude to his mother and her trying to excuse it as typical teenage behavior. This behavior is not typical and is downright unacceptable and over the top and definitely needs correcting. Dropped my usual 4 Star rating down to 3 Stars.
September 10, 2008
This was a fun read! It was like visiting an old friend. I was introduced to this author and this series a few years ago. Read 2 or 3 of her first books. These books are like, for want of a better term, literary "junk food". Fun to consume with no serious after affects. Goldy Schulz is a caterer/amateur sleuth. She lives in an up-scale Colorado area; is married to a sheriff's officer (which comes in handy)and is raising a teenage son. She only get's involved in cases that concern either someone she loves or a client. Cooking is a release for her as well as her muse. Goldy is a fun character and the people in her life are every bit as entertaining as she is. In this one a former college buddy is killed and her assistant chef is accused of the murder. She sets about trying to prove his innocence. In the process she makes some yummy creations and shares the recipes with you in the book. Food is a central character in all these books and as one of the blurbs on the back of book suggests ". . . you may want to pull your reading chair up next to the oven."
August 12, 2017
I actually enjoyed this more than the last few Goldy mysteries I have read. Goldy is even more of a ditz than usual with her lack of sleep and inordinate consumption of caffeine. And I have to say that I am amazed at how quickly this woman heals from concussions. Her son needs his butt kicked, and I can’t believe how willing the police (especially her husband) are to overlook her interference in murder investigations. The story moved along, if somewhat disjointedly at times, but the solution left me shaking my head. And, as I write this review, I’m not really sure what I liked about the book or why I continue the series when I’m not especially fond of anything about it. Maybe I’m trying to figure out why it’s so successful…
July 31, 2021
Although not a foodie, I have been a fan of Goldy Schultz (perhaps a Schultz thing!).
I thought I read them all. When I saw that I had missed this one, I was sure I was in for a fun time.
I have enjoyed how Julian continues to be great ~ now a nice young man.
But what’s going on Goldy and son Arch? Yikes! He was acting like a spoiled brat.
I was so disappointed ~plus the language was nastier that I thought necessary~ sure wasn’t the enjoyable cozy I was expecting!!
https://cozy-mystery.com/blog/diane-m...
I have always loved Diane Mott Davidson's stories and really hated to give this such a low rating😥
I thought I read them all. When I saw that I had missed this one, I was sure I was in for a fun time.
I have enjoyed how Julian continues to be great ~ now a nice young man.
But what’s going on Goldy and son Arch? Yikes! He was acting like a spoiled brat.
I was so disappointed ~plus the language was nastier that I thought necessary~ sure wasn’t the enjoyable cozy I was expecting!!
https://cozy-mystery.com/blog/diane-m...
I have always loved Diane Mott Davidson's stories and really hated to give this such a low rating😥
July 31, 2015
Although the story was okay, Davidson's treatment of Arch's character really ruined this book. Just short of his 15th birthday, Arch has become a demanding, obnoxious, ungrateful, disrespectful jerk...his father's mini-me, apparently. And Goldy the Caterer foolishly caters to his every whim. She and Tom need to put a lid on his bullying behavior, but somehow it never happens. When Goldy is so grateful for the infrequent tiny crumbs of thanks Arch begrudgingly offers up, it makes me sick.
October 5, 2018
I don’t think I have read a lot in this series and I think of this series as almost the original cozy mysteries. Lost of other novelists started writing foodie cozies after these. I liked the progression of this one. And the whodunit made sense which I find doesn’t always happen in modern day cozies. I’ll have to dig up more of hers at some point.
September 18, 2014
Except for the bratty son i enjoyed this book. He was kind of hard to take until the end when he kind of redeemed himself. So many suspects to choose from I didn't see this one coming. Will read more of this series.
October 6, 2021
good, never read any of her books, the main character is a bumbling fool, and not so graceful either, and comes up in alot of trouble, but it kept me hooked and reading until the end
July 26, 2010
Just shy of son Arch's 15th birthday, Goldy's business is booming thanks to her old friend Barry Dean, the mall manager. When a catered mall event starts with a parking lot near miss, included two fights, and ends with Goldy discovering Barry's stabbed body, it's not a good day. When Julien is accused of the murder, it's worse. Goldy has to free Julien before Arch's birthday, so mayhem ensues as Goldy tracks down the clues.
The murderer was surprisingly a surprise, Arch was a whiny brat until the end, and Goldy and Julien are way too addicted to their coffee.
This was narrated by Joyce Bean - NOT a good choice compared to the normal Barbara Rosenblat narrations. Goldy has a Boston accent, Tom sounds like the deep south, and it was all wrong. Annoyingly wrong. Fortunately the other 13 I've listened to have been done by Rosenblat.
The murderer was surprisingly a surprise, Arch was a whiny brat until the end, and Goldy and Julien are way too addicted to their coffee.
This was narrated by Joyce Bean - NOT a good choice compared to the normal Barbara Rosenblat narrations. Goldy has a Boston accent, Tom sounds like the deep south, and it was all wrong. Annoyingly wrong. Fortunately the other 13 I've listened to have been done by Rosenblat.
October 17, 2012
It took me a while to get into Chopping Spree and even then it was hard to hold my attention. It wasn't that it was a bad story I just couldn't focus or something. I can't put my finger on what nagged me so about this book because I enjoyed Goldy and I love a book with recipes included so I'm chalking it up to bad timing on my part and am thinking maybe if I go back and try to read them in order I can appreciate this particular story better.
February 20, 2018
I didn't finish this one. I'd read many of the series and just wasn't liking how they glossed over the son's demands, overstepping rules, etc. in this book. The swearing & the exploits of the rich clients was also not something I wanted to keep hearing.
April 10, 2017
A decent kitchen cozy, a bit less twee than the average. As with most cozies, liable to kill any follower of Occam's Razor, as it is rife with red herrings and complications, but it is a decent time. Some of the characters, however, are infuriating enough to make portions difficult to struggle through.
October 7, 2023
Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson is book 11 of the Goldy Bear culinary mystery series set in contemporary Colorado. Goldy's catering business is wildly successful (at last). She's hired a helper and still struggles to meet all her commitments; overdoses on caffeine and chocolate rather than sleeping. Her "stinking rich" best friend (also an ex-wife of Richard) advises Goldy to slow down. Goldy says "after the next few parties".
Goldy's son Arch adds tremendously to her stress by demanding ultra-high-price presents for his birthday. The teenage brat gives her a list of top-of-the-line electronics he "must have", then asks her daily if she bought them yet. He refuses to let her know where he is after school, because she hasn't bought him the multi-thousand dollar latest smart phone yet. Goldy caves. Buys the ultimate guitar on a break during a catering party at a mall. She'll likely buy the rest of his list, if she ever finishes her work.
Goldy is catering a party for super-rich women to rent fabulous high-end jewelry on a monthly subscription. A wife at the party screams at her husband because he refuses to pony up a $6000 per month rental fee. He's only willing to pay for $5000/month. "What a cheapskate" [NOT]
A reader who is not a conspicuous consumer, who believes in 'waste-not, want not', will not find this plot or these characters appealing. If the obscenely wasteful spending doesn't deter a reader, the seemingly endless description of Goldy's difficulties getting to the mall will.
Bulldozers and piles of dirt are common on a construction site. Huge puddles and mud are typical after rain. Goldy tries to enter the mall through the construction site. She and her crew must ferry dozens of boxes of carefully crafted gourmet food and party setup supplies into the mall. Each person carrying a catering box drops it; several must dive into a muddy ditch to avoid being run over by the bulldozer.
This lengthy buildup is before Goldy discovers the first murder victim. If you're a huge fan of Goldy Bear, listen while doing chores. Marvel at the huge amount of coffee and chocolate Goldy consumes. A unique quirk to this mystery: Goldy's friend habitually left cryptic clues and riddles to a scavenger hunt, whether it was to share information, give a gift or hide incriminating evidence.
Included are Goldy's recipes for elite shopper parties: Spice of Life cookies, Shoppers Chocolate Truffles, Sweetheart Swedish Meatballs in Burgundy Sauce, Diamond Lovers Hot Crab Dip, Quiche Me Quick, Today-Only Avocado Shrimp Boats with Champagne Dressing, Super Spenders Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler, Ad Guys Roast Beef & Gravy, Wild Girls Grilled Mushroom Salad, Shopping Spree Salad.
Goldy's son Arch adds tremendously to her stress by demanding ultra-high-price presents for his birthday. The teenage brat gives her a list of top-of-the-line electronics he "must have", then asks her daily if she bought them yet. He refuses to let her know where he is after school, because she hasn't bought him the multi-thousand dollar latest smart phone yet. Goldy caves. Buys the ultimate guitar on a break during a catering party at a mall. She'll likely buy the rest of his list, if she ever finishes her work.
Goldy is catering a party for super-rich women to rent fabulous high-end jewelry on a monthly subscription. A wife at the party screams at her husband because he refuses to pony up a $6000 per month rental fee. He's only willing to pay for $5000/month. "What a cheapskate" [NOT]
A reader who is not a conspicuous consumer, who believes in 'waste-not, want not', will not find this plot or these characters appealing. If the obscenely wasteful spending doesn't deter a reader, the seemingly endless description of Goldy's difficulties getting to the mall will.
Bulldozers and piles of dirt are common on a construction site. Huge puddles and mud are typical after rain. Goldy tries to enter the mall through the construction site. She and her crew must ferry dozens of boxes of carefully crafted gourmet food and party setup supplies into the mall. Each person carrying a catering box drops it; several must dive into a muddy ditch to avoid being run over by the bulldozer.
This lengthy buildup is before Goldy discovers the first murder victim. If you're a huge fan of Goldy Bear, listen while doing chores. Marvel at the huge amount of coffee and chocolate Goldy consumes. A unique quirk to this mystery: Goldy's friend habitually left cryptic clues and riddles to a scavenger hunt, whether it was to share information, give a gift or hide incriminating evidence.
Included are Goldy's recipes for elite shopper parties: Spice of Life cookies, Shoppers Chocolate Truffles, Sweetheart Swedish Meatballs in Burgundy Sauce, Diamond Lovers Hot Crab Dip, Quiche Me Quick, Today-Only Avocado Shrimp Boats with Champagne Dressing, Super Spenders Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler, Ad Guys Roast Beef & Gravy, Wild Girls Grilled Mushroom Salad, Shopping Spree Salad.
October 15, 2009
Another trip down the bizarre catering business of Goldy Schulz. In this one, her friend is the business manager of a shopping center and asks her to cater an event. He ends up dead and it looks like she has done it. Through some bizarre circumstances, which make excellent reading, she is able to discover who did it. Along the way there is a sub-plot going on about her troublesome teenage son, 15 years old so of course he can be a pill, and some more relevations about her friend, Marla. Her ex is not present in this book.
October 27, 2015
I abandoned this book in less than three chapters. The teenage characters were annoying; the adult character were more annoying, though, for giving in to and rewarding the teenage characters' selfish, materialistic, borderline abusive attitudes. I couldn't get over these horrible people, even to find out who gets killed. I'm happy I only wasted 50 cents on this book. It is destined for recycling.
June 4, 2019
Overall, the book is typical for the series, but I'm getting to the point where I'm a little irritated at the way Goldy lets her son treat her. I get it to a degree, but she's raising a little snot, and I find it very aggravating. Also, in this particular book, she didn't figure out who the killer was; the killer revealed himself, which felt like lazy writing. I hope the author hasn't become too comfortable, and that future books won't feel off the way this one did.
Read
July 15, 2020I stopped reading this one after listening to Goldy talking about Archie saying He better get everything on his list. I can't believe anyone would be such a pushover. Since the next line wasn't so I told him to give it to his daddy that makes $600K a year and not his mom that makes money based on bookings, I got sick of the relationship. Goldy seems to be a constant victim. I hoped by book 11 she would wake up.
August 20, 2018
I wasn't a huge fan. I couldn't connect to any of the characters. For a cops wife, none if Goldy's actions made sense. And the son, extremely unlikable and it added nothing to the story or to define the characters other than to just highlight how little common sense they seem to have. This was a huge disconnect for me.
June 9, 2020
Not my favourite Cozy Mystery. The main character (Goldy) lets her son get away with being disrespectful (brat!). It made it hard to get into the story. Lots of food and coffee in this book though which always brings a smile! I read this book as part of a challenge (read a book with a pun in the title) and it was just 'ok'. I don't believe I will read anymore from this series.
December 26, 2019
Goldy is a nosy busybody who should stick to catering and leave the crime solving to her husband who actually works for the police department. Also if I had a son who disrespected me the way Arch did to Goldy, there is no way I would buy him any kind of expensive presents.
February 16, 2023
gd food mystery
October 1, 2012
A nice, easy read
June 20, 2019
Cute, but very formulaic, the recipes are always intriguing though.
February 12, 2017
Always a delight
December 4, 2017
Goldy Schultz owns "Goldilock's Catering: Where Everything is Just Right!" and she is now quite successful, making several thousand dollars a month from her catering company. She's so successful that she is starting to burn out - not on catering, but the constant work is leading to exhaustion and insomnia. Her best friend, Marla, is concerned about her - and her son is acting out. This is the background to about half the novel.
Goldy is contacted by an old college buddy who now works as a manager at the local high class shopping mall. He hires Goldy to cater an event at the mall for the Elite Shoppers Club - people who spend $1000 or more per week at the mall. The friend, Barry, keeps telling Goldy he has to talk to her, especially on the day of the event. However, with one thing and another - they never talk. After the event, as Goldy goes to pick-up her son's birthday gift (paid for but stored at the store where she bought it) and then get the final check from Barry for the catering - Barry is murdered. Since Goldy is found knocked unconscious by his body - the police at first accuse her of killing him. They then accuse and arrest one of her catering assistants because he found Barry's body and tried to take the knife used to kill him out.
Goldy is quickly cleared - but not so much her assistant, who happens to be a close, personal friend of her family (especially her son), and he's kept in jail. Goldy, between trying to take care of herself, trying to repair her relationship with her teen-aged son, her getting ready for additional catering events by preparing food, tries to get her friend out of jail, and despite numerous warnings, investigates the case.
Goldy ends up inheriting Barry's dog, who had initially been taken in by Barry's neighbor. The dog proves to be crucial to the case, and Goldy ends-up at Barry's house, investigating - and discovering evidence. She's attacked by the murderer, but manages to knock him out, then calls her police officer husband,who had been barred from the case since it involves family. The case is wrapped up.
Background to the book includes Goldy running her catering company, actual recipes in the midst of the book (which I found annoying, actually. I would prefer if all the recipes were at the end of the book), and a "shopping addiction" group. That many of the suspects were spending way, way beyond their means for one reason or another, and therefore might have a reason to dispose of Barry both gives the book flavor and forms the Red Herrings of the book. For example, the husband of one addictive shopper who constantly competes with her wealthy gold-digger sister, claims that Barry was blackmailing him - he also owes the mall thousands in back rent, that he never paid, due to his wife's shopping habit. The AA-style meeting Goldy attends is brilliantly written.
The final discovering of evidence scenes as well as the confrontation with the actual murderer was also well done. It's a surprise, but the clues were all there - and certainly something did seem suspicious about what was going on - that led to the murder.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read. The catering background was interesting and a bit different. All the characters, many of whom are probably regulars, were well-drawn enough in this book that it was interesting to read about them. I didn't feel at all that the supporting cast was flat - a danger in any cozy-style mystery. Goldy's first husband was also extremely abusive - both physically and mentally; when she witnesses a couple going at each other at the event at the mall - it brings up bad memories (and leads to one of the more plausible red herrings). That Goldy's second husband is a cop with the local sheriff's department makes sense - he probably rescued her from her ex-husband. Goldy's issues with her son (from her first marriage) seem to be mostly typical teenaged stuff and her son probably feeling a little abandoned by her sudden focus on her business. The background material at the mall and with the AA-style group for compulsive shoppers also was surprisingly sensitive and well-written. The casual racism towards the Hispanic construction workers at the mall not so much though.
Still, this is a fun, light mystery with plenty of inside details on how a catering business works including some delicious-sounding recipes. Recommended.
Goldy is contacted by an old college buddy who now works as a manager at the local high class shopping mall. He hires Goldy to cater an event at the mall for the Elite Shoppers Club - people who spend $1000 or more per week at the mall. The friend, Barry, keeps telling Goldy he has to talk to her, especially on the day of the event. However, with one thing and another - they never talk. After the event, as Goldy goes to pick-up her son's birthday gift (paid for but stored at the store where she bought it) and then get the final check from Barry for the catering - Barry is murdered. Since Goldy is found knocked unconscious by his body - the police at first accuse her of killing him. They then accuse and arrest one of her catering assistants because he found Barry's body and tried to take the knife used to kill him out.
Goldy is quickly cleared - but not so much her assistant, who happens to be a close, personal friend of her family (especially her son), and he's kept in jail. Goldy, between trying to take care of herself, trying to repair her relationship with her teen-aged son, her getting ready for additional catering events by preparing food, tries to get her friend out of jail, and despite numerous warnings, investigates the case.
Goldy ends up inheriting Barry's dog, who had initially been taken in by Barry's neighbor. The dog proves to be crucial to the case, and Goldy ends-up at Barry's house, investigating - and discovering evidence. She's attacked by the murderer, but manages to knock him out, then calls her police officer husband,who had been barred from the case since it involves family. The case is wrapped up.
Background to the book includes Goldy running her catering company, actual recipes in the midst of the book (which I found annoying, actually. I would prefer if all the recipes were at the end of the book), and a "shopping addiction" group. That many of the suspects were spending way, way beyond their means for one reason or another, and therefore might have a reason to dispose of Barry both gives the book flavor and forms the Red Herrings of the book. For example, the husband of one addictive shopper who constantly competes with her wealthy gold-digger sister, claims that Barry was blackmailing him - he also owes the mall thousands in back rent, that he never paid, due to his wife's shopping habit. The AA-style meeting Goldy attends is brilliantly written.
The final discovering of evidence scenes as well as the confrontation with the actual murderer was also well done. It's a surprise, but the clues were all there - and certainly something did seem suspicious about what was going on - that led to the murder.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read. The catering background was interesting and a bit different. All the characters, many of whom are probably regulars, were well-drawn enough in this book that it was interesting to read about them. I didn't feel at all that the supporting cast was flat - a danger in any cozy-style mystery. Goldy's first husband was also extremely abusive - both physically and mentally; when she witnesses a couple going at each other at the event at the mall - it brings up bad memories (and leads to one of the more plausible red herrings). That Goldy's second husband is a cop with the local sheriff's department makes sense - he probably rescued her from her ex-husband. Goldy's issues with her son (from her first marriage) seem to be mostly typical teenaged stuff and her son probably feeling a little abandoned by her sudden focus on her business. The background material at the mall and with the AA-style group for compulsive shoppers also was surprisingly sensitive and well-written. The casual racism towards the Hispanic construction workers at the mall not so much though.
Still, this is a fun, light mystery with plenty of inside details on how a catering business works including some delicious-sounding recipes. Recommended.
July 18, 2023
DNF at about 100 pages - because those 100 pages are all dithering around over the span of a few in-universe hours wherein almost nothing interesting happens. When something interesting threatens to happen, the protagonist swiftly replaces any curiosity about it with dissatisfaction about her appearance instead, and moves on to continue dithering around in another room, doing nothing of interest for a while again. It takes 100 pages for a dead body to show up... in a murder mystery novel. The corpses should have hit the floor well before this book was already 1/3 over!
Besides that, I think I'm just the wrong kind of audience to appreciate this book, because the few motes of personality I can detect in any of the characters are incomprehensibly alien. I cannot get into the mindset of someone whose first reaction to seeing beautiful women is to seethe with spite that they dare exist, yet finds a man attractive on the sole basis that he's a police officer, and barely shows concern that her teenage son seems to be transforming into a skinhead on her dime. This novel speaks pure bizarro language to me.
Also, if she were really well-versed in how cops operate like she claims, she'd know you never speak to them. But she just starts blabbering on like an idiot and contradicting her own statements within seconds of questioning. I had to stop reading by the third time she meekly requests a lawyer but then keeps on talking anyway. Goldy... Please...
I found myself skimming a dozen pages after that point to try to pick up on anything that seemed relevant or salient to the plot before realizing that 1. there wasn't, 2. I didn't care anymore, 3. everyone in this book is either flavorless as cardboard or toxic as arsenic and I frankly don't want to read about these people at all.
Why not 1 star? Because the narration and descriptors were well-written, at least. If the prose itself weren't alright, I wouldn't have stuck with this book as long as I did, so there's that.
Besides that, I think I'm just the wrong kind of audience to appreciate this book, because the few motes of personality I can detect in any of the characters are incomprehensibly alien. I cannot get into the mindset of someone whose first reaction to seeing beautiful women is to seethe with spite that they dare exist, yet finds a man attractive on the sole basis that he's a police officer, and barely shows concern that her teenage son seems to be transforming into a skinhead on her dime. This novel speaks pure bizarro language to me.
Also, if she were really well-versed in how cops operate like she claims, she'd know you never speak to them. But she just starts blabbering on like an idiot and contradicting her own statements within seconds of questioning. I had to stop reading by the third time she meekly requests a lawyer but then keeps on talking anyway. Goldy... Please...
I found myself skimming a dozen pages after that point to try to pick up on anything that seemed relevant or salient to the plot before realizing that 1. there wasn't, 2. I didn't care anymore, 3. everyone in this book is either flavorless as cardboard or toxic as arsenic and I frankly don't want to read about these people at all.
Why not 1 star? Because the narration and descriptors were well-written, at least. If the prose itself weren't alright, I wouldn't have stuck with this book as long as I did, so there's that.
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