rants_n_reads's review against another edition
2.0
Arch was very frustrating in this book. I know he’s a kid, but 14 years old seems old enough to understand what kind of person his dad is and what he did to Goldy. This was difficult to get through.
kmc3050's review against another edition
2.0
2. Not my favorite. It just kind of ended.
Barbara Rosenblat does a good job narrating.
Barbara Rosenblat does a good job narrating.
jettison_m's review against another edition
4.0
Diane's books are always entertaining. I'd love to try some of the recipes she gives.
tarana's review against another edition
5.0
There are times when I get really frustrated with Goldy, but I love her anyway. Loved the mystery. There was actually someone to dislike as much as the jerk too! However, this episode did have less humor which is a big reason why I live this series. The audiobook is great!
ncrabb's review against another edition
Ah, the halcyon days of summer in Colorado—nothing like them. One woman wants to have a Stanley Cup party to belatedly recognize the achievements of the Colorado Avalanche hockey team; she’s also bent on getting revenge against caterer Goldy Schulz’s ex-husband, an abusive ob-gyn. Indeed, it’s the grilling season, and it’s the perfect time to find a bruised and beaten body in a ditch. Just ask Goldy; that’s exactly what she’s done. In hope of finding her abusive ex-husband at the home of his new girlfriend, Goldy drives there as this book opens only to find the woman’s body battered and lifeless in the ditch.
Goldy’s never felt entirely safe since the divorce, and the thought of a long prison term for her abusive ex has a certain amount of appeal. Despite how it looks, the abusive ex emphatically denies he killed the woman, and Goldy’s teenage son insists that his mom do all she can to clear his dad’s name. Obviously, that flies in the face of everything Goldy would like to see, but she cannot ignore the fervent pleading of her son, and so she sets out to investigate. Her ability to do that is hampered somewhat by the fact that she’s a witness—having found the body and even witnessed the arrest of her ex-husband.
This is another well-written book filled with some of the fun and memorable characters with which readers of this series are already familiar and a couple of new ones. This is a book where tempers explode and so does the occasional barbecue grill. And of course, there’s the suspenseful part near the end where Goldy’s life is endangered.
I very much enjoyed this book, but I confess I skipped the recipes. Most of what the caterer and amateur sleuth made in this volume just didn’t appeal to me. There aren’t any descriptions of sex in this book—a good thing for those who prefer to use their imagination rather than have things explicitly spelled out for them. There’s a smattering of profanity in here, but it won’t likely leap off the page and kill your enjoyment of the book.
Goldy’s never felt entirely safe since the divorce, and the thought of a long prison term for her abusive ex has a certain amount of appeal. Despite how it looks, the abusive ex emphatically denies he killed the woman, and Goldy’s teenage son insists that his mom do all she can to clear his dad’s name. Obviously, that flies in the face of everything Goldy would like to see, but she cannot ignore the fervent pleading of her son, and so she sets out to investigate. Her ability to do that is hampered somewhat by the fact that she’s a witness—having found the body and even witnessed the arrest of her ex-husband.
This is another well-written book filled with some of the fun and memorable characters with which readers of this series are already familiar and a couple of new ones. This is a book where tempers explode and so does the occasional barbecue grill. And of course, there’s the suspenseful part near the end where Goldy’s life is endangered.
I very much enjoyed this book, but I confess I skipped the recipes. Most of what the caterer and amateur sleuth made in this volume just didn’t appeal to me. There aren’t any descriptions of sex in this book—a good thing for those who prefer to use their imagination rather than have things explicitly spelled out for them. There’s a smattering of profanity in here, but it won’t likely leap off the page and kill your enjoyment of the book.
jmcdbrock's review against another edition
4.0
I'll spare you the list of her other six mysteries I've read, but they are very enjoyable. Pretty light. The sleuth is a caterer in Colorado, so you get mouthwatering descriptions of her creations (with recipes included) and descriptions of the Rockies. Some of my favorite escapist reading.
innae's review against another edition
3.0
Another enjoyable tale in the Goldy Catering series. This time her ex-husband is arrested for murder, and she feels she needs to investigate because her son asked her to.
attytheresa's review against another edition
1.0
In this convoluted and ultimately both unpleasant and unsuccessful mystery in the caterer Goldy mystery series, Goldy's abusive ex is arrested for the violent murder of his current girlfriend, and for the most unrealistic reasons, Goldy investigates to prove that while he probably did beat her up, her ex did not actually commit murder, someone else did. Along the way Goldy discovers ugly secrets about the HMO her ex now worked for and that he is essentially soon to be bankrupt and unable to pay the child support he owes her.
Sadly, given this is a series I have enjoyed in the past, I found just about everything about this mystery unpleasant, especially Goldy's strange passivity, her 14 yr old son's behavior towards her, and especially the amount of physical abuse Goldy is subjected to from her ex and others.
What was enjoyable and gave it a one star rating were the scenes involving the Babsie Collectors (clearly intended to be Barbie Collectors without infringing trademark) and the food descriptions and recipes. As long as you ignore the too cutesy names linked to events in the mystery. I have in the past made some of the recipes featured in the series, and they are always delicious.
Sadly, given this is a series I have enjoyed in the past, I found just about everything about this mystery unpleasant, especially Goldy's strange passivity, her 14 yr old son's behavior towards her, and especially the amount of physical abuse Goldy is subjected to from her ex and others.
What was enjoyable and gave it a one star rating were the scenes involving the Babsie Collectors (clearly intended to be Barbie Collectors without infringing trademark) and the food descriptions and recipes. As long as you ignore the too cutesy names linked to events in the mystery. I have in the past made some of the recipes featured in the series, and they are always delicious.
miramanga's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series so much I pay to import them from the U.S. as criminally Diane Mott Davidson (see what I did there?) is just not as well known here.
This book finally had a satisfying comeuppance for evil ex JR whether it'll stick in the next book remains to be seen!
Goldie still regularly endangers herself so the final chapters are mostly her being kidnapped or beaten by a bad guy and this one is no exception. Maybe one day Tom will be around and not just too late... I'm not holding my breath!
Some nice recipes and a satisfying read
Onto the next as soon as I order it... 😊
This book finally had a satisfying comeuppance for evil ex JR whether it'll stick in the next book remains to be seen!
Goldie still regularly endangers herself so the final chapters are mostly her being kidnapped or beaten by a bad guy and this one is no exception. Maybe one day Tom will be around and not just too late... I'm not holding my breath!
Some nice recipes and a satisfying read
Onto the next as soon as I order it... 😊
smiley7245's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. I was surprised about who the killer was, and who it was not. I really wanted The Jerk to be guilty, and to have to spend more than a year or two in jail. I was also upset with Arch and how he was dealing with it. I know he's a kid and his reaction was not anything unexpected, but I was still disappointed, because of how hurt Goldy was. I was glad that Tom was the person to catch The Jerk when he was in hiding. I liked Macguire more this book than in the previous book, and I was a little upset with the very brief mentions of Julian. Overall, it was an engaging read.