Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Fatally Flaky: A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery" by Diane Mott Davidson

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Review of "Fatally Flaky: A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery" by Diane Mott Davidson

In this 15th book in the 'Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery' series, caterer/amateur sleuth Goldy Schulz is catering a couple of weddings when her godfather and his friend are the victims of two separate crimes. Goldy helps her cop husband investigate. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Goldy Schulz, owner of Goldilocks Catering, is thrilled when her godfather Jack moves to Colorado and purchases a home near her. Jack and his friend, Doc Finn, can always be counted on when Goldy needs a hand.

As the story opens Goldy - who is married to police detective Tom Schulz - is preparing to cater a couple of weddings: the O'Neal nuptials and the wedding of Billie Attenborough to Dr. Craig Miller.

Billie is a narcissistic pain-in the-neck who has driven Goldy crazy by continually changing the wedding menu, wedding guests, and wedding venue. Finally, Billie decides to hold the event at the Gold Gulch Spa owned by Victor Lane - a man Goldy dislikes and distrusts.

Prior to the Attenborough wedding, Goldy and Jack drive over to check out the Gold Gulch Spa facility - for catering purposes. Jack soon gets caught snooping around the usually locked 'smoothie shack' where delicious fruit beverages are prepared for spa guests.

Jack, however, pretends he entered the shack to nuzzle one of the spa employees and won't explain the incident to his goddaughter.

The first tragedy strikes when Doc Finn has a fatal car accident on the day of the O'Neal wedding.

An investigation shows that, before his death, Doc was thinking of having a mysterious vial analyzed.

A few days later, Jack is attacked at the Attenborough affair. When Goldy visits Jack in the hospital he provides her with mysterious clues, though Goldy doesn't immediately know what they mean. However, spurred on by Jack's clues Goldy helps her husband investigate the crimes.

Seems there are odd goings on in the local medical community and at the Gold Gulch Spa; things that Doc Finn and Jack were looking into.

The plot of the book is satisfactory for a light mystery and Davidson's popular recurring characters are on hand: Goldy's rich (and hungry) friend Marla;

Her teen son Arch;

And her talented assistant Julian.

The additional ancillary characters are also well-drawn and interesting. As always in the Goldy series, the characters consume lots of mouth-watering food (for which Davidson provides the recipes).

I'd recommend the book as an enjoyable light mystery.

Rating: 3 stars

2 comments:

Carla Loves to ReadJanuary 28, 2018 at 3:32 PM
Nice review. I have heard good things about this series, but have never read one. I should probably check it out.
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Barb SafferJanuary 28, 2018 at 9:21 PM
Thank you Carla. This series is a favorite of mine. :)
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Barb's Book Reviews

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Review of "Fatally Flaky: A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery" by Diane Mott Davidson

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