Fans who relished Davidson’s previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too.
Fans who relished Davidson's previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too.
Terrific.
Richmond Times-Dispatch on
Fans who relished Davidson’s previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too.
Terrific.
In Davidson's enjoyable if overplotted 16th culinary novel of suspense (after Fatally Flaky), Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz hires longtime friend and chef Yolanda Garcia as her catering assistant, after a string of bad luck forced Yolanda and Yolanda's irascible great-aunt, Ferdinanda, out of their rental home. Yolanda has been making extra money cooking meals for Ernest McLeod, an ex-cop turned PI, who also let the pair live in his guest quarters. But when McLeod is murdered, Yolanda's connections to his various investigations—from a cheating spouse to an illegal puppy mill—create suspicion. Goldy insists that Yolanda, who's also afraid of an abusive ex-boyfriend, and Ferdinanda stay at the Schulzes' house so she and her sheriff's investigator husband, Tom, can keep an eye on them. Goldy must once again sift through Aspen Meadow's unending supply of dirty secrets and suspects while whipping up delicious meals. 6-city author tour. (Apr.)
Terrific.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch on Crunch Time
“Fans who relished Davidson’s previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too.” — Booklist on Crunch Time
“Enjoyable.” — Publishers Weekly on Crunch Time
“Davidson’s fans will not be disappointed.” — Kirkus Reviews on Crunch Time
Davidson's 16th episode (after Fatally Flaky) with Goldy Schulz, caterer extraordinaire, seems longer and more contrived than usual. Some of the old favorites are back; husband Tom, best friend Marla, and Arch, Goldie's son, show up. However, there are almost too many other characters involved in what can be a confusing plot line. There is, of course, the murder of a private investigator who was working on a divorce case, a puppy mill case, and a case of missing jewelry. Add to the mix the arrival of Yolanda Garcia (who first appeared in Fatally Flaky) and her aunt, Ferdinanda, who move in with Goldy and Tom after arson destroys both their rental house and the home of the dead PI, where they were staying. Obviously, this is more than a coincidence.Verdict Davidson fans and readers who enjoy culinary cozy mysteries should this like title—maybe not love it but enjoy it. [Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/10.]—Susan Hayes, Chattahoochee Valley Libs., Columbus, GA
Yet another murderer in Aspen Meadow, Colo., meets his (or is it her?) match in caterer Goldy Schulz (Sweet Revenge , 2007, etc.) and her detective husband Tom.
Goodhearted Goldy is happy to hire her old friend Yolanda Garcia, a top-notch chef fallen on hard times. Yolanda's left her rich but abusive boyfriend, and her rental house has burned to the ground. So she and her abrasive aunt Ferdinanda move in with private eye Ernest McLeod and nine beagle puppies apparently rescued from a puppy mill. Goldy takes them all into her home when Ernie is murdered but ignores hints from Tom that Yolanda may be hiding some sort of relationship with the mysterious Humberto Captain, who shares her Cuban heritage. Instead, Goldy concentrates on the cases Ernie was investigating in order to get a handle on who could be a threat to Yolanda. Puppy mills, adultery and a fortune in gems stolen from a Cuban family are all on the list. Despite Tom's firm warnings, Goldy uses culinary bribes to get people to talk to her. But danger lurks behind every slice of coffee cake.
Davidson's fans will not be disappointed with the usual lavish appended recipes. This time, though, the tale is overlong, with too much attention to food and a chaotic mystery.
