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Summary: Love Diane Mott Davidson
Review: this is another great book by Ms. Davidson. Poor Goldy almost gets killed in this book & it doesn't look good for her up to the very end of the book. Her son Arch needs to be sat down & talked to which she seems to have a problem with but she will learn. You never know what Goldy is going to walk into next & boy does she get in trouble at the end of the book. This wasn't my favorite Davidson book but it was good. Can hardly wait for her next one. And love all the recipes. They make your mouth water. Do buy this book. It is hard to put down.
Rating: 
Summary: MOTT SO GREAT
Review: This is the 11th book in the Goldy Schulz series, and aside from the always clever titles, this is not one of the strongest. Ms. Davidson continues to decrease her ability to create any type of suspense or as one reviewer, put it so nicely "dramatic tension." By the time you get through all the descriptions of the recipes (a gimmick that has gotten old in the last few books), you really don't have much in the way of believable characters or even a tidy mystery. Marla is not used much in this one at all; Tom is sidelined as a kind of "Father Knows Best" figure; and Arch continues to be a real pain in the butt. Goldy doesn't show much disciplinary skill at all in handling his smart mouth and surliness. Even if his behavior is indicative of our teens these days, he's becoming a real hard pill to swallow. The identity of the killer comes so unspectacularly that you scratch your head and say, why was so much focus put on the other suspects when this one is the culprit? I've read all the series and think Ms. Davidson has done well most of the time, but I sincerely think it's time to hang up the apron for a while.
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Summary: Chopping Spree
Review: This is the first book of Diana Davidson's I have read. I thought the book was funny, and a light read.
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Summary: Murder, mayhem and great recipes!
Review: This latest in the generally excellent culinary mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson, is a little less inspired than some of her other works. Even the recipes are more mundane----a quiche recipe you could find in a lot of cookbooks, a roast beef with burgundy recipe that has also been around a long time. Goldy Schulz' teenage son Arch is in a difficult period now, and readers will miss his tractable sweetness of earlier books. Julian is in---catch this---JAIL as a murder suspect. Goldy's best friend Marla appears infrequently, as does her stalwart cop husband, Tom. For much of the book Goldy is on her own, trying to withdraw (without much success) from her twin pleasures of caffeine and chocolate, even as she suffers from various injuries incurred in the course of her investigation of the murder. If you're new to the series, read some of the earlier books first to get to know Goldy, Tom, Arch and company. This one's a lesser light among many bright books.
Rating: 
Summary: not Davidson's best but still enjoyable
Review: This latest in the generally excellent culinary mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson, is a little less inspired than some of her other works. Even the recipes are more mundane----a quiche recipe you could find in a lot of cookbooks, a roast beef with burgundy recipe that has also been around a long time. Goldy Schulz' teenage son Arch is in a difficult period now, and readers will miss his tractable sweetness of earlier books. Julian is in---catch this---JAIL as a murder suspect. Goldy's best friend Marla appears infrequently, as does her stalwart cop husband, Tom. For much of the book Goldy is on her own, trying to withdraw (without much success) from her twin pleasures of caffeine and chocolate, even as she suffers from various injuries incurred in the course of her investigation of the murder. If you're new to the series, read some of the earlier books first to get to know Goldy, Tom, Arch and company. This one's a lesser light among many bright books.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable summer mystery reading
Review: This mystery takes place during the snowy Colorado spring which made reading the book in 90 degree summer heat a pleasure. Chopping Spree is the 11th in a series of mysteries that deals with how the rich in Colorado, when they aren't spending on luxuries, get knocked off at their catered events. All of the regular characters are back except The Jerk who is serving time--if you haven't read the previous books, their relationships are all explained. Arch is about to celebrate his 15th birthday and is starting to show some unpleasant teenage materialism and angst - or is this the first glimpse we get into behavior inherited from his father, The Jerk. The novel series was started before the JonBenét Ramsey murder and the Columbine High School massacre; yet even with the limited violence and gentle writing style, we get a peek into how the very rich and pampered (and the wannabees that surround them) handle their children (or are handled by them) and why these well-off communities are set upon by such unfortunate occurrences. I love reading about the rich and how they screw up. I dreamt of chocolate and coffee the other night because of this book instead of murder and violence.
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Summary: THIS JUST SHOULDA' BEEN CHOPPED
Review: This refers to the audio version of the book - I almost felt as though a ghost writter had written what I was hearing. The narrator was not at all as good as Cherry Jones and for some strange reason Diane has resorted to some less than nice language that was not in the earlier books (that I have read and I have not read them all). Too bad - this just doesn't rise to the level of her other books - a big disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Not Davidson's Best
Review: This series is a favorite of mine but, unfortunately, this was not one of the best. Goldy's son Arch makes me glad I'm not a parent, if he was my son I'd be reported to the authorities for child abuse for whalloping him. Her recipes aren't as enjoyable as those in previous book, not enough baking. Hope her next is better.
Rating:
Summary: Not one of her best
Review: This was not one of Davidson's best efforts. I kept waiting for something to happen, and it never seemed to get off the ground. I was disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time...
Review: This was the first Diane Mott Davidson book I have read. And the last. She spends waaaay too much time on the recipes (they are so arcane that no real people will ever make them), which I could overlook if the plot and the characters were compelling. Goldie is an accomplished coffee drinker and failing mother who disdains the materialistic shallowness of yuppie life, yet participates in it completely, enabling her obnoxious son to continue to grow into what will certainly be obnoxious adulthood. This kid is NOT "just a typical teen" he's a spoiled rotten brat - made so by his mother. The plot is poorly revealed, the characters are one dimensional and the recipes are annoying. And Ms. Davidson should realize that there are a million people just like her who consider their addiction to caffeine as connoisseurship. They are nothing special, she should not display her superior attitude. A waste of time. I give every book a chance, finishing it out of respect for the author. Too bad she doesn't give her readers similar respect.
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