The grilling season

These two excellent page-turners feature women who are both mothers of teenage boys, successful businesswomen, and nobody's fools. In Davidson's latest, Goldy Schulz, owner of Three Bears' Catering in Aspen Meadow, Colorado, has to deal yet again with her abusive ex-husband, this time arrested for the murder of his latest girlfriend. Their son, Arch, feels that Goldy should help prove his father's innocence. Goldy also has to contend with the catering demands of a convention of hard-core "Babsie" doll collectors, some of whom wear outfits to match their prize specimens. Including all the requisite ingredients of a good puzzler, a rip-roaring finale, and the recipes from Goldy's catered affairs, this one is not to be missed. Wesley's Tamara Hayle, a struggling PI in Newark, New Jersey, also finds herself entangled in family affairs when Bessie Raymond asks her to find out who killed her son, Shawn. From what Tamara learns, Shawn's life was anything but exemplary. She doubts that the truth will ease Bessie's grief, but Tamara feels compelled to accept the case. She encounters a cold trail and any number of reasons why Shawn may have deserved his fate, but she still wants the truth--if not justice--and continues to push for it. Wesley portrays the gritty realities of life in an urban ghetto with the ring of authenticity, and there is not a shred of sentimentality in this story's grim but ultimately satisfying resolution. Women of color in contemporary mysteries are rare, and good mysteries are always hard to find. This one scores on both counts. --Stuart Miller

Goldy Schulz, owner of Goldilocks' Catering in Aspen Meadow, Colo., becomes involved in another mystery (after The Main Corpse, 1996) when her ex-husband, Dr. John Richard Korman, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Suz Craig. Physically abused by John Richard during their marriage, Goldy has good reason to believe that the misogynistic obstetrician killed Suz, but she agrees to investigate other possible suspects for the sake of their vulnerable 14-year-old son, Arch. She discovers that Suz, regional v-p of an HMO that had recently bought out John Richard's medical practice, had the power to decide whether or not he would receive a $200,000 bonus, money he badly needed due to a pending malpractice suit being brought by the woman for whom Goldy is currently catering a major party. Goldy also learns that Suz was widely hated for her ruthless business tactics and vicious handling of personnel problems. Although the mystery suffers from slow pacing, little action and a contrived ending, Davidson has created a finely nuanced suburban world, warmly detailing Goldy's life with Arch and Tom, her protective policeman second husband, and Macguire, their long-suffering boarder. Goldy's menus‘this time built around a hockey theme in celebration of the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup victory‘are smoothly folded into the mix. Major ad/promo; author tour. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Davidson, known for her skillful writing and the mouth-watering recipes concocted by her series sleuth, Goldy Schulzas, serves up a tale of murder and love gone rotten. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Goldy Schulz, the catering queen of Aspen Meadow, Colorado, is once again embroiled in murder (The Main Corpse, 1996, etc.). The victim this time is Suz Craig--young blond top exec at the HMO known as ACHMO. Accused of the killing is her handsome, short-fused boyfriend, Dr. John Richard Korman, ex-husband to Goldy and later to her now best friend Marla--and referred to by both as ``the Jerk.'' Goldy, now happily married to homicide detective Tom Schulz, found the body--apparently battered to death--one early morning in front of Suz's house. Korman, with his history of wife- beating, is soon arrested, loudly protesting his innocence. Archer, Goldy's 14-year-old son with Korman, lives with Goldy and Tom but sees his father regularly. He believes Korman's denials and begs Goldy to try to find the real killer. That's all the encouragement our nosy food maven needs. Suddenly she's soon all over town, tracking down rumors and details of Korman's soon-to-happen bankruptcy; Patricia McCracken's malpractice suit against him and the HMO; Suz's firing of Dr. Ralph Shelton; reports of Suz's cruel verbal abuse of ACHMO's doctors, nurses, and department heads, and the vanished tapes she'd secretly recorded at private meetings. Meanwhile, Korman, out on bail, has disappeared; Archer is distraught; Tom and his police force seem ineffectual; and only Goldy, between cooking and catering, can get this job done. Our heroine's friends and foes on the local scene are mildly entertaining, her 11 recipes elaborate and inviting. But the plot is labyrinthine and beyond belief. Amiable, readable, forgettable. (Author tour)

%% This is a multi-book review. SEE the title "No Hiding Place" for next imprint and review text. %% ((Reviewed Aug. 1997)) Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews

Davidson, known for her skillful writing and the mouth-watering recipes concocted by her series sleuth, Goldy Schulzas, serves up a tale of murder and love gone rotten. Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information.

Goldy Schulz, owner of Goldilocks' Catering in Aspen Meadow, Colo., becomes involved in another mystery (after The Main Corpse, 1996) when her ex-husband, Dr. John Richard Korman, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Suz Craig. Physically abused by John Richard during their marriage, Goldy has good reason to believe that the misogynistic obstetrician killed Suz, but she agrees to investigate other possible suspects for the sake of their vulnerable 14-year-old son, Arch. She discovers that Suz, regional v-p of an HMO that had recently bought out John Richard's medical practice, had the power to decide whether or not he would receive a $200,000 bonus, money he badly needed due to a pending malpractice suit being brought by the woman for whom Goldy is currently catering a major party. Goldy also learns that Suz was widely hated for her ruthless business tactics and vicious handling of personnel problems. Although the mystery suffers from slow pacing, little action and a contrived ending, Davidson has created a finely nuanced suburban world, warmly detailing Goldy's life with Arch and Tom, her protective policeman second husband, and Macguire, their long-suffering boarder. Goldy's menus this time built around a hockey theme in celebration of the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup victory are smoothly folded into the mix. Major ad/promo; author tour. (Sept.) Copyright 1998 Publishers Weekly Reviews