Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Review: The Whole Enchilada by: Diane Mott Davidson

Title: The Whole Enchilada
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Publisher: Avon
Series: A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #17
Pages: 436
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher Request
Purchase: Harper | Amazon | Tattered Cover Bookstore

Description:

Goldy Schulz knows her food is to die for, but she never expects one of her best friends to actually keel over when she's leaving a birthday party Goldy has catered. At first, everyone assumes that all the fun and excitement of the party, not to mention the rich fare, did her in.

But what looks like a coronary turns out to be a generous serving of cold-blooded murder. And the clever culprit is just getting cooking.

When a colleague—a woman who resembles Goldy—is stabbed, and Goldy is attacked outside her house, it becomes clear that the popular caterer is the main course on a killer menu. With time running out, Goldy must roll up her sleeves, sharpen her knives, and make a meal out of a devious murderer, before that killer can serve her up cold.

My Thoughts:

In this book which I received from HarperCollins for a honest and fair review Thank you to Kaitlyn Kennedy for this great book.  This is the first book I've read by Diane Mott Davidson and she definitely writes different then typical 'cozy mysteries' in this book we meet Goldy who is getting ready for a birthday party for her son Arch and his friend Drew who have grown up around each other since they were born.  We also meet a slew of colorful characters like Julian the live in cook who helps with Goldy's catering business.

At the party we catch up with Holly and Drew and see that something is going on with Holly when some uninvited guests show up Holly's ex-husband George and his new wife, which creates some tension as Holly didn't invite them.  We also meet a mystery man who wants something from Holly but what it is we don't at this point.  Towards the end of the party as Holly and Drew were leaving something happened leaving Holly dead on the ground, and Goldy and Marla are shaken by the realization their friend is dead and has left more questions about what is up with Holly than they thought they knew, like what happened to her money?, why she left Denver to move back in a short time?.

Goldy doesn't seem to have better luck when she takes Drew to pack up somethings at his house as she has an accident on their porch that lands her in the lake, a very cold lake and scrapes her leg, who is out to kill Holly or Drew and why?  Was it a fight between Holly and Drew?  Was it one of Holly's ex-boyfriends?  What oh what is going on with Holly and will anyone ever figure it out?

There really are no shortage of possible murderers, there are countless theories thrown around in this book but when the pressure is on it's up to Marla, Tom and Goldy to figured it out before Goldy becomes the next victim and the one holding all the answers was in a coma in the hospital.

I really enjoyed this story with all the complexity of trying to figure out who was out to harm Goldy and who killed Holly and the countless secrets Holly carried with her.  I also enjoyed what happened with Neil and Ophelia.  It was such a great and fulfilling story I will definitely have to check out her others books as this one I couldn't put it down.  Great job Ms. Davidson!


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