“Chopping Spree” by Diane Mott Davidson

“Chopping Spree” by Diane Mott Davidson
July, 2002, A Bantam Book
ISBN: 0-553-10730-5

“Chopping Spree” by Diane Mott Davidson is a neat mystery with a twist. Goldy Schultz is a caterer. She’s really good at it and is in high demand from all sorts of groups who want her to cater their dinners and functions. The problem is that she also has a tendency to get herself involved in the middle of mysteries. And, the only way she knows to get out of them is to solve them.

This places her in danger and nothing less than that happens in “Chopping Spree”. Her husband Tom is a detective on the police force and is moral support to her and also an inside line of important and helpful information when he can share stuff with her. He worries about her, though.

You know what the absolute best part about these books Diane writes are? It’s the recipes. Goldy caters a dinner and the menu is there in the book, they talk about the food that is prepared and you, the reader, get to see the recipe too! Talk about a double espresso latte.

In “Chopping Spree” an old friend, fond of riddles, tries to tell Goldy something that is bothering him, a problem he is having, and before he can talk to her he is killed. The story is Goldy finding out what happened and putting the bad guys where they belong.

“The Main Corpse” by Diane Mott Davidson

“The Main Corpse” by Diane Mott Davidson
1996, Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-09999-X

“The Main Corpse” by Diane Mott Davidson is a culinary masterpiece. This is a about Goldy, a caterer in Colorado, who everywhere she goes gets involved with solving crimes. Her husband Tom Shultz is a detective on the police force. Her son Arch, his bloodhound Jake and other folks all stand beside her as she swirls into a maelstrom of evil.

Well, it isn’t that dramatic, but it is a good story. Goldy’s best friend, Marla, is involved with a guy who is promoting a gold mine, except, he turns out to be something less than the ideal boyfriend. There is murder. Actually, there are several murders.

In between catering gigs Goldy is swept into helping her friends. What’s fun is that the things she prepares as she moves through the story are included in the book as recipes. So, in addition to a rousing mystery you get 12 recipes:

· Bacon-Wrapped Artichokes with Dijon Cream Sauce
· Banana-Pecan Muffins
· Chocoholic Cookies
· Cinnamon Griddle Scones
· Jake’s Dog Biscuits
· Plantation Pilaf
· Provencal Pizza
· Rainy Season Chicken Soup
· Sour Cream Cherry Coffee Cake
· Stir-Fry Chicken with Asparagus
· Sugar-Snap Pea and Strawberry Salad
· Tomato-Brie Pie

“Killer Pancake” by Diane Mott Davidson

“Killer Pancake” by Diane Mott Davidson
1995 Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-09588-9

“Killer Pancake” is a terrific foody who-done-it. It’s the second one I’ve read by Diane Mott Davidson and it will not be the last.

The story opens with Goldy, a caterer living in the high mountains of Colorado, who has just married her policeman sweetheart Tom. Somehow she always seems to be in the thick of mysterious happenings and by her involvement is also thrust into very dangerous situations. Everybody has to eat and Goldy never seems to be at a loss for catering assignments. However, everybody also includes people with skull duggery on their minds.

Goldy drives her husband Tom nuts as she rolls in and out of danger helping him to solve crimes. At the same time, cooking close to her heart, recipes are included in the book. I’ve never seen a book that does that. This is really neat!

Goldy's son Arch and a young apprentice, Julian, who has fast become part of their family comprises a core group of folks. Goldy does have a heart of gold and reaches out to include as her best friend and into her family unit, Marla, the ex-wife of her ex-husband (a real nasty guy they all call The Jerk) .

This book is involved with make-up empires and how the people who run them and the people who work for them are driven to succeed. I won’t get into the story because I don’t want to give it away, but I will certainly recommend this book as a good read.

“Dying for Chocolate” by Diane Mott Davidson

“Dying for Chocolate” by Diane Mott Davidson
1992, Bantam Books
ISBN: 0-553-08576-X

“Dying for Chocolate” by Diane Mott Davidson. I’ve been hanging out in the mystery section at the library lately and I happened to be drawn to this book. It wasn’t anything that had been recommended to me. I’m generally relying upon psychic impulses and nudged from Spirit as I wander around the library these days. I have to say I snagged a winner with, “Dying for Chocolate”.

This story centers upon Goldy Bear a caterer in the mountains of Colorado. She has a friend, Tom Shultz, who is a policeman and who comes to her aid as Goldy finds herself embroiled in the middle of a horrible mystery where another friend of hers has been murdered. She lives with a bunch of odd characters as she tries to establish some stability in her life after a nasty divorce. Her son, Arch, is 11 years old and is becoming a pretty good magician. Swirling throughout this story are her efforts to cater this or that event and a most wonderful part about this book are the fantastic recipes included!

But, first and foremost this is a murder mystery and an excellent one at that. Diane Mott Davidson has created a series with Goldy as the star. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series. Excellent book. I highly recommend it.