Chopping Spree

Her inventive recipe for mixing first-class suspense and five-star fare has made Diane Mott Davidson a favorite of mystery lovers and a mainstay on major bestseller lists across the country. Now she has prepared another irresistibly tempting tale spiced with mystery and mayhem� For Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz, business isn�t just booming--it�s skyrocketing. Her friend Marla is constantly warning her, �Success can kill you.� But Goldy doesn�t take the warning literally until her next booking: a cocktail party for the Westside Mall�s Elite Shoppers Club. While setting up, Goldy is nearly run down by a truck with no intention of stopping. Then she finds an old friend in a pile of sale shoes--stabbed with one of Goldy�s new knives. Goldy must catch the real killer between whipping up Sweethearts� Swedish Meatballs, Quiche Me Quick, and Diamond Lovers� Hot Crab Dip. Why was the victim carrying a powerful narcotic? Who hired a private investigator shortly before the murder? Goldy�s gourmet instincts tell her the final course in this case will be a real killer. From the Paperback edition. Amazon.com Review When Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz is hired by her old friend Barry Dean to provide a lavish buffet for the opening of his chic new Aspen Meadows mall, the last thing she expects to stumble over is Barry himself, stabbed to death with one of her very own carving knives. When the police arrest her assistant, Julian, for the murder, Goldy launches her own over-caffeinated investigation. There's enough espresso in this culinary cozy to keep the reader wide awake while Davidson's irrepressible heroine sets up the suspects, solves the mystery, sends up a Shopaholics Anonymous meeting, and dishes up 10 recipes for fabulous party food, including the Chopping Spree salad of the title. The plot's somewhat creaky and there's hardly any dramatic tension, but fans of this popular series won't mind a bit. --Jane Adams From Library Journal Catering a fancy event for a bunch of high-end shoppers gets sleuthing chef Goldy all stirred up. Includes ten new recipes. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.