Rating: 
Summary: Goldy Rocks
Review: I love this whole series. I just wish Julian would come back.
Rating: 
Summary: Re. previous criticism...
Review: I have already weighed in (pardon the pun, Goldie) re. the "corpulent caterer" as the main character is referred to in a news article in "Tough Cookie," but felt I must clear up a reviewer's previous criticism.Goldie's husband Tom fixed her drain. He took the whole thing apart and put it back together for her, good as new, so they wouldn't have to hire a plumber to do the work. Don't people read the book before they make a negative comment? Seems irresponsible to me.
Rating:
Summary: Compulsive overeaters beware!
Review: How Goldie does not weigh three hundred or more pounds is beyond me. If I consumed the amount of cookies, cakes and "drippingly lushus" buttered stuff she consumes, I would be an avalanche waiting to happen. Oh, well, it's fiction. I read some of her other books and found them amusing, and this one is O.K. but not, in my opinion, among the best. Still, she's an upscale ski resort caterer with a Jersey attitude, and that's kind of cute. And I personally like her dysfunctional life. It's actually quite real. It keeps me listening, with half an ear, as I prepare simple but healthy meals for my family.
Rating:
Summary: Loved the book...But ....
Review: I loved this book. what an original concept! I couldn't put it down. I would sneak into the bathroom at work and read a few pages. I hide Tough Cookie among our many law books and pretend to be busy reading a certain case and would actually be reading about Goldy and her cooking/snooping or her relationship with her son Arch. The only problem I had was when she had that terrible car accident and went home and COOKED A WHOLE MEAL AND BAKED COOKIES...PLEEEEEESE. Otherwise the book was fantastic, especially all those wonderful recipes. I just ordered all DMD books (except Stones & Scones) and plan to have a great summer reading all of DMD books and trying out recipes.
Rating: 
Summary: Time marches on...except for Goldie
Review: I have to say that I loved the beginning books of the Goldie series, but have found the last few completely lacking. The one thing that bothers me the most is that althought it has been over ten years since her first book, "Catering to No One", no one in Goldie's books has aged. In this particular book,she seems to have forgotten traits of the major characters. For example Marla (who is the best part of this series) a woman who has previously eschewed anytime of exercise is found skiing like an expert. Within the book she seems to forget the story line. For the first half of the book Goldie bemoans the closing of her kitchen because she can't afford the drains. Yet later, with no appparent influx of cash, the drain miraculously appear. I suspect Ms. Davidson is working with a publisher who cares more about churning out the books then the quality of them. I hope that Ms. Davidson returns to the quality of her earlier books. Until then, I will be taking them out of the library rather than paying for them.
Rating: 
Summary: Tough Cookie Tough to Digest
Review: I don't recommend this book to any serious fan of detective stories. Neither an Agatha Christie nor a Julia Childs, Ms Davidson creates a pedestrian work of fiction overly loaded with kitchen trivia and out of context recipies that lack most of the ingredients for a solid "who done it." Indeed, my reaction at the end was more like who cares who done it. Perhaps there are some useful hints for the budding chef but for me, I'll not bother with another of her books.
Rating:
Summary: Good Recipes, Great Writer, Excellent Novel
Review: After reading Dying for Chocolate, I enjoyed it so much that I immeditately was drawn to this book. Sure it was a later sequel. Even though Diane's writing style has not changed, you can tell that as an author she has matured. This story is a little easier to follow that of "Dying...." While some characters were mentioned before, that is nice because it gives some background and adds perspective the story. In both of Ms. Davidson's novels you have excellent, at times subtle, clues as to the villian, but you also have 3 other superbly troubled individuals that have their own reasons for desiring the coarse of events that unfold. So you find out the villian at the same time Goldy does. I will definitely look for other books in this series and it is my sincere hope that Ms. Davidson's recipe for a successful novel isn't changed! In conclusion, this is an excellent book by a great author with the added bonus of good recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Delectable!
Review: This latest in the Colorado Caterer series is exactly what we'd expect--another reviewer called it a 'cookie cutter' of a novel. And that's true...except that I like the Goldie mystery series, and I don't mind another delicious little bite. It's not a novel for the first-time reader of this series, however: you will wonder about Julian and The Creep, who are never really explained and who seem to appear in the novel for no good reason except to provide a car, a loaf of bread, or a convenient scapegoat. If you're perplexed about them, read the other mysteries in this series. And use the recipes--they are delectable.
Rating:
Summary: Too Annoying
Review: I have always found Diane Mott Davidson's 'heroine', the caterer Goldy Schultz to be willfully dysfunctional - putting herself in harm's way constantly, dealing foolishly with her abusive ex-husband and tolerating and encouraging the sullen and rude behavior of her adolescent son. This book is set at a ski area. Among all of those acknowledgements at the beginning of the book, wouldn't you think that Ms. Davidson could find one person who knows enough about skiing to correct at least the most egregious errors about the sport? Her sneaky underhanded ways of gathering 'evidence' with no respect for the law or individual rights are beyond tolerating. Perhaps the smarmy references to churchgoing are supposed to encourage forgiveness for these lapses. We are further treated to recipes with ground beef and Velveeta. Maybe hamburger helper is gourmet food where she comes from and it is a nice change from the heart stopping cream and butter laden recipes of her past books, but really - don't bother with this book if you eat or if you ski, it is too annoying.
Rating:
Summary: What a great read!
Review: I couldn't put this one down! Diane Mott Davidson keeps cooking up great stories and ideas. This book is the best yet! The recipes included were to die for. Goldy is a great character, who always finds herself in the greatest messes. I look foward to many more stories in the continuing saga . . .
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