Rating: 
Summary: Perfectly catered, tasty little bon-bon of a read
Review: In contrast to other reviewers, I find the plotting in this Davidson novel to be more complex and the suspicious characters to be better developed than in her previous books. The victim was a bad guy, a good guy, a two-timer, a lover who wanted (and maybe expected himself) to become faithful, a good friend, and an exploiter -- yes, all rolled into one interesting, attractive man. Likewise, the people who might have knocked him off hardly arouse indifference. Solve riddles, read recipes, go to a Shopper's Anonymous meeting, sigh at the mistakes we all make with our children: yes, indeed, you can get a lot done reading this book. It is also a great introduction to what passes for springtime on the eastern slopes of the Rockies and to the burgeoning (some would say out of control) commercial and residential development happening here. I had allowed myself to be put off by reviews here and finally picked up the book for a holiday weekend. I was not in the least disappointed -- except that it had taken me so long to get to it. The book engaged my brain, made me laugh out loud, and brought on ruminations about how life -- and our outrageous mistakes in it -- catches up with us all.
Rating: 
Summary: Loosen your belts
Review: It seems all they do in this book is cook and eat! This is the second only book I've read by this authour. I could care less about the receipes, I'm not going to try any of them. And those women that had nothing better to do with their time and husband's money than shop, shop, shop for so much stuff they had to rent additional storage places. I did enjoy the description of the scenery in the Aspen area, but that was about the only redeeming aspect of this story. Talk about spoiled kids and pampered wives, I'm glad I don't know any of them. I'll move on to others than can really keep me interested in their mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: Loosen your belts
Review: It seems all they do in this book is cook and eat! This is the second only book I've read by this authour. I could care less about the receipes, I'm not going to try any of them. And those women that had nothing better to do with their time and husband's money than shop, shop, shop for so much stuff they had to rent additional storage places. I did enjoy the description of the scenery in the Aspen area, but that was about the only redeeming aspect of this story. Talk about spoiled kids and pampered wives, I'm glad I don't know any of them. I'll move on to others than can really keep me interested in their mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: Caffeine junkie cooks a meal.
Review: It took me a good bit of time to get through this book...i had read others in the series...but this!...Goldy Schulz needs to have a talk with that rude child of hers...and Ms. Davidson needs to fill in some of the blanks....and who in the world uses the word "pickaninny" to describe a main character's hair style? Ms. Davidson does! And this character - Goldy - is one caffeine junkie. No wonder it appears as if she is preparing 6000 meals at once. She probably is on enough caffeine to go into orbit! Coffee is wonderful...but i would suspect Goldy has burned out her taste buds by this time. Please start a new series, Ms. Davidson, and let this one go.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Effort
Review: Living in Colorado, I have been reading this series from the beginning. Although it was never the best of the genre, it was a fun, light read. Now, it is boring, with characters who are totally unbelievable. Looks like it is time for Ms. Davidson to call a halt to Goldy (and especially her son and ex) and try something different.
Rating: 
Summary: Has Goldy Lost It?
Review: My devotion to this series can best be illustrated by the fact that I braved driving to the mall after eye surgery to get this latest installment. I wasn't disappointed, and a night and a half of eye strain later, I had digested a full buffet of emotional characters, clever clues, intriguing recipes, and interesting plot twists. Davidson writes well, and her main characters typically are likable and sensible. It's always nice to finish a book without once screaming at the main character, "Don't you get it, you moron?" Unfortunately, the good elements of Chopping Spree were overshadowed by the negative behavior of Goldy's son. In the early books, he was described as an introverted prodigy. It was easy to feel motherly toward him as he struggled to fit in with other kids, despite his less-than-perfect family situation. However, in the last several books, his shyness has evolved into an abusive intensity that goes beyond teenage angst. He repeatedly verbally berates Goldy, and his self-absorption exceeds anything that should be acceptable in a real family. The most disturbing part of the story is that Goldy exercises no discipline and does not explain to him that his childish outbursts and tantrums would not be acceptable for a 4-year-old, much less a 14-year-old. Is Davidson trying to illustrate that Goldy still has doormat tendencies left over from her abusive marriage? Is she a proponent of no-discipline parenting techniques? (If this is the case, I hope she knows her way to the visitors' area in the local jail). Regardless of the author's motives, the abusive child-parent relationship threatens to overshadow all of the typical good qualities that make Davidson's series such a joy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Murder at the Mall - a Fun Ride
Review: Opening up a Goldy Schultz book is like curling up under an old quilt during a winter storm by a roaring fire with cocoa and chocolate chip cookies by your side. There's just something about jumping into a Diane Mott Davidson mystery that's so comforting. It must be, in part, due to the way Davidson has a talent for establishing a mood that few other mystery writers can. She transports readers to Goldy's warm and inviting kitchen filled with an array of aromas, from Shopper's Chocolate Truffles to steamy espresso, described so tangibly that it makes you want to run in and whip up a batch of cookies and make a pot of coffee. This, intermingled with the soft snow falling outside in the icy, blustery Colorado winters, makes for some enjoyable reading. To be able to mix this atmosphere with murder and still result in a fun, light-hearted book is Davidson's true talent. For the books are really not about the murders at heart, but about Goldy and how she deals with them. Davidson's newest installment, "Chopping Spree", does not disappoint. To fully appreciate this book, you need to read all the rest of the series in order. It's important to understand where Goldy, Arch, Julian, and Tom have been in terms of their lives to understand why they are the way they are today. True, as other reviewers have said, Arch has become a spoiled-rotten brat, and Goldy fosters this in him while all the while spouting her distaste for the ultra-rich, materialistic classmates Arch attends school with. To declare this a fault of the book, however, is absurd. Everyone has her own faults, and a protagonist of a novel should not be immune. Many teenagers display far worse behavior than Arch, and many parents can't say no to their children. Goldy is no different. While she hates materialistic values, she suffers from the guilt of the impact that previous ordeals in their lives, domestic violence, the Jerk being in jail, a new marriage, etc., have had on Arch. In turn, she spoils him. If you're looking for a likeable character, Julian, Tom, and Marla all suffice. The murder-mystery in "Chopping Spree" is intriguing and suspenseful but does fall a bit flat in the conclusion. It is a little incredulous how Goldy is able to put together some clues in the end that seem a little far-fetched, and the motives of the killer mirroring other relationships in the book is a little too coincidental. Nevertheless, "Chopping Spree" is a fun book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In addition, if you ever get a chance to attend a book signing with Davidson, by all means go. It is interesting to hear how Davidson comes up with her ideas and how she goes about her research. She also shows up to every signing with a batch of homemade treats, a.k.a. Goldy-syle. Yum!
Rating:
Summary: Comfort, coffee, and chocolate
Review: Reading a Goldy series book by Diane Mott Davidson is like coming home to a cozy fire with your favorite afghan and of course, a great cup of coffee (with a little of the finest chocolate on the side), and reading a long letter from a dear friend. I had read several uncomplimentary reviews of Chopping Spree, but being a fan of the series, I had to decide for myself. The rating of 3 stars is in relation to all books of any genre. Davidson has never claimed to be a world class author of fine literature. What she does claim is an ability to create a lovable cast of characters that you feel you know, and to create twists and turns that keep you guessing. Goldy's "annoying" tendencies to ignore common sense at times is part of what endears her to the reader. She is like a friend that exasperates you, but you "gotta love her." As to anyone who criticizes Davidson for Gold's son, Arch's behavior, has certainly never had a teenager! All in all, an as-usual FUN read. 'Can't wait for the next one!
Rating: 
Summary: Chopping Spree
Review: Shopping sprees can be hazardous to your health--as Goldy quickly discovers when she is asked to cater an event for the overprivileged "Elite Shoppers" of Westside Mall. But this time, it's not only the credit cards that are being abused. With a psychopath hell-bent on achieving serial-killer platinum-card status, the egg timer's ticking--on Goldy's life--before a clever murderer strikes again. Featuring ten original tantalizing recipes, including Shoppers' Chocolate Truffles, Spice-of-Life Cookies, and Quicke Me Quick.
Rating:
Summary: A LATEST MYSTERY OF GOLDY BEAR SCULTZ
Review: This is a really good book. This has wonderful recipes! This time Goldy is catering to a bunch of ritzy custermers at the malll. To her dismay her employer is an old coolage friend. When he is murderd JULLIRN TELLER (their border)is convicted her apprentice do i metion friend of the family. She sets out to find the real murder before the murder goes free anf JULLIEN goes to jail.
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