Crunch Time (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #16)

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Crunch Time (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #16)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 2,553 ratings · 457 reviews

Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz cooks up big trouble as she tries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia. When the rental house shared by Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair move in with cop-turned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead and his house is set on fire, nearly killing Goldy, Yolanda, Ferdinand...more

Hardcover, 471 pages

Published April 5th 2011 by William Morrow

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Mar 16, 2011 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 2 of 5 stars

With the death of a friend and cop turned PI, and the torching of his home where Yolanda and Ferdinanda, ex-patriot Cubans have been finding refuge, here starts the downward spiral of this book. As Goldy tries to help a fellow chef and old friend and her wheelchair bound aunt, Goldy of course not thinking or caring about her husband and son, takes these two annoying women into her home and opens herself and her family up to all sorts of danger. Unfortunately, long time readers know that this is...more

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May 01, 2011 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Guilty pleasure.Thoroughly enjoyed this as much as the earlier books by DMD. A bit disappointed that the recipes were not as central to the story...but that is minor given the fun of reading the series.

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Mar 25, 2011 Benjamin Thomas rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-ameteur-sleuth

I'll start by saying I have read every one of the series to this point and have enjoyed most of them very much. Mostly that's because I have grown to really know the main characters and I like to see them grow and change. But starting with book #13, Dark Tort, they seem to have lost something. I had hopes after #15, Fatally Flaky, once again returned to form with a decent mystery plot but now with this 16th entry in the series, I am afraid for the future of the entire series.

So what's wrong wit...more I'll start by saying I have read every one of the series to this point and have enjoyed most of them very much. Mostly that's because I have grown to really know the main characters and I like to see them grow and change. But starting with book #13, Dark Tort, they seem to have lost something. I had hopes after #15, Fatally Flaky, once again returned to form with a decent mystery plot but now with this 16th entry in the series, I am afraid for the future of the entire series.

So what's wrong with this one? Where should I start? There is just way too much going on here. Too many characters, too many subplots, too many attempts to throw the reader off course. I suppose with a cozy mystery, the reader expects to suspend their disbelief somewhat and just go with it. But Goldy just ignores any and all precautions as she goes about gathering clues to solve the murders. That happens in most of the books due to her personality but here she really defies logic in gathering evidence. There is no way a prosecuting attorney could ever bring the bad guy to justice because virtually 100% of the evidence would be inadmissible. Goldy commits all sorts of crimes to gather that evidence as well, including multiple B&Es, false statements to the police (even her own husband) and yet she gets offended when the police don't share facts with her. What was once an endearing quality of Goldy's personality (which is what really drives these books) has now become simply annoying and making me, as a reader, have less and less sympathy for her.

The plot is so convoluted it seems Ms Davidson was making it up as she went along. There are so many subplots here, with minor characters making one or two sentence appearances, that it is hard to follow. The long-term characters, those that have appeared throughout the series, make zero strides forward. Goldy's son, Arch, for example, is 16 years old now but she still treats him like he was 11, actually dismissing him from the room when the word "sex" is uttered out loud. The mystery itself is weak, the surrounding plot was weak, and I was looking forward to the last page so I could get on to another book. That just ain't a good sign.

If it wasn't for the setting (Colorado), and hopes for further growth in characterization, I would give up on this series. I still may because there are just so many good books out there to spend my time with.

Ms Davidson is a talented writer as evidenced by her past work. Perhaps it's time to move on to a new series.
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Apr 03, 2013 Drebbles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

The economy has been tough on everyone and caterer Goldy Schulz has seen a drop-off in people hiring her. Still, she knows Yolanda Garcia is struggling and hires Yolanda to help her on the few jobs she has. Yolanda has a lot of problems, including an abusive ex-boyfriend, and soon, due to a chain of circumstances, Yolanda and her aunt Ferdinanda are living with Goldy, her cop husband Tom, and her son Arch. Trouble follows Yolanda and soon Goldy is involved in arson, murder, theft, a puppy mill,...more The economy has been tough on everyone and caterer Goldy Schulz has seen a drop-off in people hiring her. Still, she knows Yolanda Garcia is struggling and hires Yolanda to help her on the few jobs she has. Yolanda has a lot of problems, including an abusive ex-boyfriend, and soon, due to a chain of circumstances, Yolanda and her aunt Ferdinanda are living with Goldy, her cop husband Tom, and her son Arch. Trouble follows Yolanda and soon Goldy is involved in arson, murder, theft, a puppy mill, and more.

"Crunch Time" is the fifteenth book in Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Schulz series - a series that at this point I think I'm reading out of habit rather than enjoyment. While better than some of her more recent books (for example Sweet Revenge) it is not as good as the early books in the series. Some of the plot devices are stale at this point - for example you know that Goldy is going to get beat up or injured several times in the book. The things Goldy does to try to solve a mystery have always been a bit too much, but in this book she went way over the top (it amazes me how often her husband and the entire police force simply turn their heads as Goldy breaks law after law). The book also relies far too much on Goldy being in the right place at the right time (or is it the wrong place at the right time?) that puts her in the center of action and danger. Goldy's best friend Marla was barely in the book and while I hardly missed her, I did miss Julian's character quite a bit. His convenient absence seems to serve merely as a way to get Yolanda in the book. While she grew on me as a character, she felt awkwardly thrust into the book - Davidson tries to make it seem like she was always an important part of Goldy's life, but if she was in earlier books I don't remember her. As for the mystery - parts of it were very good, but there were so many things going on the book felt a bit convoluted. Finally, while the book is a good size, the ending still felt a bit rushed and Davidson left a few plot lines dangling.

So why do I keep reading Diane Mott Davidson's books? Because, despite it all, I like the characters and setting. I just wish the characters would grow a bit more (Arch is 16, it's time Goldy treated him that way). Davidson does add something to the plotline that may change the direction of future books - let's hope it's for the better.(less)

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Nov 04, 2012 M.M. Silva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good Sunday morning! It’s a chilly one in New England, and I hope this finds you safe and warm wherever your locale. I have been thinking and praying for my many friends in the states that have been devastated by Hurricane Sandy and hope that life returns to normal for all of you very soon.

My review this week is called Crunch Time, written by Diane Mott Davidson. Her main character is Goldy Schulz, who’s a caterer by trade. You know how you’ve heard of the term “comfort food” for people who are...more Good Sunday morning! It’s a chilly one in New England, and I hope this finds you safe and warm wherever your locale. I have been thinking and praying for my many friends in the states that have been devastated by Hurricane Sandy and hope that life returns to normal for all of you very soon.

My review this week is called Crunch Time, written by Diane Mott Davidson. Her main character is Goldy Schulz, who’s a caterer by trade. You know how you’ve heard of the term “comfort food” for people who are sad or upset? Well, this book someone manages to make you nearly taste the comfort food via the pages. (Neat trick, eh?) It’s not a cookbook–rather, it’s a mystery–but Goldy does so much cooking, in order to help her think through the who-dunit, that sometimes you forget where the food stops and the story begins.

Like many of Davidson’s other books, the gist of the story is that Colorado-based Goldy gets tangled up in a case that her husband, who’s a sheriff, is working on and would prefer her to stay OUT of. When their neighbor is murdered and leaves Goldy and her hubby to shelter his tenants–one of Goldy’s employees and her wheelchair-bound-aunt-from-Cuba who wields a very nasty baton–along with nine puppies, and a fellow law enforcement officer, let’s just say things get interesting. Each of them is wrapped up in solving the murder for their own different reasons, and the mystery goes in many different directions before it’s all neatly tied up at the end.

This book is fun, light reading and really gets your culinary senses fired up. (And I must admit that I felt completely inadequate in the kitchen after closing this read, but that’s really not that hard to do). What’s also very cool is that Davidson puts many of the recipes discussed in the story in the back of the book. Some of the ones from Crunch Time are as follows: Tex-Mex Ham and Cheese Casserole, Goldy’s Garlic Lamb Chops, Goldy’s Guava Coffee Cake, and Breakfast Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Is your mouth watering? :-) Told ya! ‘Til next week, happy reading…
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Jul 16, 2012 Alannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is #16 in the Goldy Bear cozy mystery series. Goldy has an interesting life as a caterer and a mom, and also fits in time as a sleuth.

In this book, Goldy hires on unemployed fellow chef Yolanda, even though Goldy's own business is experiencing the crunch from the recession. Yolanda is apparently an old friend featured in one or more previous novels in the series (ones that I haven't seen). Yolanda and her great-aunt Ferdinanda move in with Goldy and hubby Tom's cop-turned-private-investigat...more This is #16 in the Goldy Bear cozy mystery series. Goldy has an interesting life as a caterer and a mom, and also fits in time as a sleuth.

In this book, Goldy hires on unemployed fellow chef Yolanda, even though Goldy's own business is experiencing the crunch from the recession. Yolanda is apparently an old friend featured in one or more previous novels in the series (ones that I haven't seen). Yolanda and her great-aunt Ferdinanda move in with Goldy and hubby Tom's cop-turned-private-investigator friend Ernest after their (Yolanda's and Ferdinanda's) rental house has been burned down due to arson. But someone must be dead set after Yolanda, because Ernest is killed and his house is also burned down. There are a number of diverse suspects.

I've read several of the earlier books in the Goldy Bear series, but haven't kept up with the most recent ones. (Only because I haven't done a lot of reading in recent years - nothing that has to do with Diane Mott Davidson's writing). So I must take this book on its own merits rather than judge the character on Yolanda based on how she was portrayed in the previous novel, which I haven't read.

I had a decided lack of sympathy for Yolanda. Which is a shame, because there are things that could have been done to make her more interesting and sympathetic, and less whiny/suspicious. Also, her great-aunt Ferdinanda, a former sniper in Castro's army in Cuba, is a character who could have been amazingly fascinating (as opposed to annoying) all the way through the book instead of just at the end. IMO, Diane Mott Davidson missed a great opportunity in developing the character of Ferdinanda.

This being said, the writing style and the evolving web of occurances captivated me. A lot is going on, but it's not too much to follow. I love the intricate pattern of character detail and plot that Diane Mott Davidson gives us.

I wouldn't call this the best mystery I've ever read, but I couldn't put it down. It's pretty long for a cozy - 600 pages, including the recipes - and I read it all in an entire weekend. And my only real complaint is that Davidson didn't include the Cuban sandwiches among her recipes. That's not too bad. :-)(less)

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Jan 01, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was introduced to culinary mysteries when I discovered Josi S. Kilpack's Sadie Hoffmiller books. They are excellent, so when I came across this culinary mystery in my library I was really excited to see another author's take on it.

Crunch Time follows caterer Goldy Schulz as she caters various events in her small Colorado town, while at the same time trying to solve crimes. Goldy is nosy and quite the entertaining character. Her life is put in jeopardy several times, and some of her crime solvi...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Scilla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Goldy does her usual sleuthing and gets herself in trouble. She is trying to help out her chef friend, Yolanda and her aunt Ferdinanda. Yolanda has lost her job and broken up with her rich boy friend, and Ferdinanda is in a wheel chair after a hit and run accident. The apartment they were in was destroyed by arson, and they have moved in with ex-cop/investigator Ernie McLeod, for whom Yolanda is cooking meals. Goldy has hired Yolanda, and while they are cooking at Goldy's house, a cop comes to t...more

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Jan 01, 2012 CC rated it 3 of 5 stars

Yep, another mystery from Colorado caterer Goldy Shultz. These books are so silly that I never care who did it in the end -- that's not why I read them. I think it's the voice that Diane Mott Davidson is able to create -- both homey and on point with the tiny details of how real people live, that makes me pick up another installment every so often.

Goldy is continually surrounded by the wealthy, but exists to serve them, not be them. It's a point of view that always remains intact and fresh, and...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Sara Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Goldy is back and up to her usual mischief. Her new assistant and old friend, Yolanda, has left an abusive relationship and moved in with a friend, Ernest. When Ernest is found murdered, Goldy has to clear her friend's name. Filled with twists and turns and mistrust this story is sure a mix of humor and mystery with a lot of cooking.
The plot of this particular Goldy Shultz Mystery was not bad - it was suspenseful and interesting. There was a lot more mystery in this story than previous ones. The...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great book in the Goldy series.
Caterer and sleuth extraordinaire Goldy Schulz returns in another tasty and suspenseful adventure from New York Times bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson

Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz cooks up big trouble as she tries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia. When the rental house shared by Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair move in with cop-turned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead...more

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May 26, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, homey

Sixteenth in the Goldy Bear Culinary Mysteries cooking series set in the Aspen area in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

The Story
When Yolanda loses her job when the spa restaurant is shut down for sprinkling their guests' food with cocaine—they thought the guests would think the spa was the reason for their extra energy and spirit, Goldy hires her as a precautionary measure against Tom's advice.

Then Yolanda's roommate, Ernest, is murdered, his house is burnt down, and Yolanda is blaming her ex-b...more Sixteenth in the Goldy Bear Culinary Mysteries cooking series set in the Aspen area in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

The Story
When Yolanda loses her job when the spa restaurant is shut down for sprinkling their guests' food with cocaine—they thought the guests would think the spa was the reason for their extra energy and spirit, Goldy hires her as a precautionary measure against Tom's advice.

Then Yolanda's roommate, Ernest, is murdered, his house is burnt down, and Yolanda is blaming her ex-boyfriend, Kris, for it. She claims he's stalking her although she refuses to give Goldy or Tom anything with which to work. An ex-cop turned private eye, Ernest, was investigating a variety of cases including a puppy mill, Yolanda's stalker, a cheating husband, and an old case of stolen jewels. I swear it's like Peyton Place in Aspen Meadows as Goldy chases down one idea or lead after another driving her husband quietly nuts with her illegal activities.

My Take
While I enjoy the homey qualities of this series—Tom is so very patient and I just love the descriptions of the food that everyone creates in this story, I'm getting rather tired of Goldy. She's so nosy and I don't really see where she can really do that much anymore now that pretty much everyone in town knows about her detecting. I'm rather surprised that Tom hasn't dumped her for being such a pain. And I miss Julian. Nor was there much interaction with Marla or Archie; things are rather tame without the Jerk. Not that I didn't cheer when he died! This story just has a rather tired feel to it. Not helped at all by the evasions and actions of Yolanda and Ferdinanda.

Then there's the irritating details within the story because I'm sorry, there is no way that a standard wrench is adjustable enough to handle bolts for a potrack and the handle of an electric skillet. Nor do you have to be a "real data-processing geek" to know that you need a USB hub if you need more USB ports than are available. Come on, come up with a real geeky question...!

So what if Kris and Harriet are cruising up the street when Goldy walks out of Frank's Fix-It? She's taken whatever it is that Humberto took there and not something belonging to Kris..!?? Then, duh, Davidson has Goldy going on and on...and on ...actually, the entire story she's been going on...about how no one actually gets things fixed at Frank's and that they're all stoners. Why wouldn't it be the safest place to stash stolen goods? I think Davidson was simply trying to fill up space with this interior monologue. She's been doing this throughout the story and it's been rather irritating.

The Cover
The cover is as yummy looking as ever. My mouth was watering as I read the ingredients for the Crunch Time Cookies…drool!
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May 14, 2011 Susan Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Goldy Schulz and her supporting cast of husband Tom, son Archie, and best friend Marla. Goldy and Tom's relationship reminds me of an episode of "I LOve Lucy" with Goldy getting into trouble and the Desi character, Tom, getting her out. In other words, just fun.
In this one though there are many troubles. One is that it is too long. Two, the plot is very confused with too many cases going on at once. There are puppy mills, stalking, stolen jewelry, an affair, a murder, unexpected wealth a...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Judy Iliff rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I thought this, the 17th (I think) of the Goldy Schultz series was weaker than most. There are so many threads running through, not to mention the number of characters, that it was at times hard to follow. One thing I will say for Davidson, though, is you are never really sure if the murderer you've identified is correct until the end.

Crunch Time begins with the death of a former detective turned PI Earnest. Goldy's friend Yolanda and Yolanda's aunt were staying with Earnest because the place wh...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is another story about Goldie Schulz, a caterer and ameture detective. Even though this is book is one of a series, each story stands on its own. Goldie's friend, Yolanda Garcia, and her great aunt, Ferdinada, are suddenly homeless when their rental home burns. A former police detective, Ernest McLeod, asks Yolanda and her aunt to move in with him and cook for him. Then Ernest is murdered. Goldie, softie that she is, insists that Yolanda and Ferdinada move into her dining room.(we all have...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Babs rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

Boy, this was a complicated book. There were several threads going on; about three different suspects, at least. It was an interesting read, but in the end, a bit of a disappointment. I just think once the murderer was revealed, it wrapped up too quickly and it took only about a page to wrap up the loose ends. I’m sorry, that seems a bit sloppy to me.

I haven’t read one of Diane Mott Davidson’s books in a while. What happened to Goldie’s husband Tom? I thought I remember him being more opposed w...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-horror-thriller

(fiction – cozy mystery) Don't get me wrong – I like cozy mysteries, I really do. Generally they are light reading without overly gory murders and with interesting and fun characters. I've read some of the other books in this series about Goldy Schulz, Colorado caterer and amateur sleuth, and have enjoyed them. This one just didn't appeal to me as much.

First of all was the length. I'm prepared to spend two to three hundred pages. This one, including recipes at the end, is 471 pages. Okay, I'm a...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Christina Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just finished this lasted escapade with Goldy and loved it. A few more twists and turns than some of the other earlier ones, but I did end up guessing who was the primary murderer about 2/3 the way through. The addition of Yolanda as a victim/friend was an interesting psychological study into battered wife syndrome and possible mob intimidation coming together to terrorize this young woman. I like the fact that Goldy is using technology more; that the series is timely with the country's recessio...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Lynn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

I have been a fan of Diane Mott Davidson's books for a long time. They are light mysteries, but it is the culinary aspect that keeps me coming back.

Davidson's main character, Goldy Schulz, is a caterer married to a police officer. She always finds herself involved in some kind of caper which inevitably leads to a body. While Goldy tries to unravel the mystery, she cooks. Sometimes by herself, sometimes with other cooks/friends, and sometimes with her beleaguered husband. Davidson's love of cook...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Kimi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I really shouldn’t read these kinds of books when I’m trying to lose weight. The daily discussions about food are filled with detailed descriptions of dishes that sound downright delectable. (How’s that for alliteration?) Included at the end of the book are recipes of some of the dishes. It’s just not right.
Unfortunately, the recipes were my favorite part of the book.
Goldy the caterer and amateur sleuth really has her hands full this time. When Goldy’s fellow caterer Yolanda, and Yolanda’s great...more I really shouldn’t read these kinds of books when I’m trying to lose weight. The daily discussions about food are filled with detailed descriptions of dishes that sound downright delectable. (How’s that for alliteration?) Included at the end of the book are recipes of some of the dishes. It’s just not right.
Unfortunately, the recipes were my favorite part of the book.
Goldy the caterer and amateur sleuth really has her hands full this time. When Goldy’s fellow caterer Yolanda, and Yolanda’s great-aunt Ferdinanda, need a place to live temporarily after their rental is torched, they move in with Ernest McLeod, a private investigator who hires Yolanda to cook for him. Ernest is found dead and his house is later also torched, actually while Goldy and Yolanda and Ferdinanda are in it. Goldy offers her home to Yolanda and Ferdinanda, who came over from Cuba decades earlier. She also becomes highly involved in solving the mystery of who murdered Ernest and who is setting houses on fire, along with a few other mysteries which completely befuddled me and made it nearly impossible to sort out just what was going on even though Goldy lays everything out multiple times. That was a major problem with the book. There were too many story lines and even at the end, it just didn’t gel. Another major problem is that Goldy keeps sticking her nose in to things she knows darn well she shouldn’t. She is married to Tom who is an investigator with the county sheriff’s department. He is frequently upset with her because of this habit of hers but she does it anyway, gets in trouble, and then does it again the next day. It doesn’t make sense to me.
I really wish I liked these books better because, despite Goldy’s proclivitiy for getting into trouble, I like her and Tom and several of the other characters too. My favorite in this book was Ferdinanda, the irrepressible former member of Castro’s army. She had become disillusioned with communism and emigrated to Miami in the 60’s. She was shrewd and tough for an old lady in a wheelchair and I loved the parts with her in them.
Was it a clean read? Yes, for the most part. There was mild swearing in the book and several things best described as adult situations, such as adultery, prostitution and drugs that would make it PG-13, but not too bad overall.
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Apr 16, 2011 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Crunch Time" by Diane Mott Davidson, it a novel of suspense as it is declared upon her cover of the latest Goldy Schultz Catering mysteries.

Yes, there are delicious and delectable recipes at the end of each book that draws persons whom love to cook, Yes, there is humor and love between the characters; but when you look at the well-honed writing of the actual murder mysteries, crimes, and twisty paths you are led to take, while aiding amateur sleuth, Goldy, you know this is one heck of a murder...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Penny Watson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I finally finished Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson. Her Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery Series is one I've enjoyed for many years. However, the quality of these books has been on a rollercoaster ride. Some of them are pretty good. Some of them are not. This was the worst I've read. There were way too many characters, too many storylines, and too many absolutely ridiculous events. Goldy's TSTL moments were out of control. No one thought is was weird having one of the main murder suspects stay at t...more

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Sep 22, 2011 LORI CASWELL rated it 3 of 5 stars

Goldy Schultz, Colorado caterer, is in hot water again as she tries to help her friend, employee and fellow chef, Yolanda Garcia. It seems Yolanda is having a bit of bad luck after breaking up with her "boyfriend". The rental she is sharing with her great aunt Ferdinanda burns to the ground and arson is suspected. Then they move in with cop turned private detective Ernest McLeod. Shortly thereafter Ernest is killed and his house goes up in flames. Goldy, Yolanda, Ferinanda and nine puppies rescu...more Goldy Schultz, Colorado caterer, is in hot water again as she tries to help her friend, employee and fellow chef, Yolanda Garcia. It seems Yolanda is having a bit of bad luck after breaking up with her "boyfriend". The rental she is sharing with her great aunt Ferdinanda burns to the ground and arson is suspected. Then they move in with cop turned private detective Ernest McLeod. Shortly thereafter Ernest is killed and his house goes up in flames. Goldy, Yolanda, Ferinanda and nine puppies rescued from a puppy mill, barely escape with their lives.

Goldy takes them all in thinking that her house will surely be safe since her husband is a cop but they are not even safe there. The house is almost burglarized but Golldy's son foils that attempt. Then another body is found.

Goldy decides it is Crunch Time and jumps from the frying pan into the investigation of the fires and the murders. Can she stay one step ahead of the killer and keep herself from being their next victim?

My Thoughts
I have enjoyed this series since Catering to Nobody (Goldy, Book 1) but by the 16th installment it must get harder to write for characters. I really had a hard time finishing this book. The main plot and subplots were very good and I love these characters but the book seem so dragged out and really long. It is over 400 pages and 100 could have easily been cut. The last installment came out in April of 2009 which leads me to believe the author may have struggled a bit with this one and it shows.

An the positive side, Aunt Ferninada is hilarious, her little digs and her amazing wheelchair carried this story.

If you are a fan of this series you will want to read it to keep up with the characters you love but I recommend picking it up at the library unless you have the whole series collected on your keeper shelf. It will be interesting to see if this is the last we read about Goldy Schultz or if the author brings back a new installment more like the previous editions I loved.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Amazon Vine Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” (less)

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Apr 01, 2011 Mayda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, mystery, cozies, cookbooks

I always expect an entertaining, cozy mystery when I pick up a book by Diane Mott Davidson. Therefore, I was surprised to see that her latest book, "Crunch Time," included the words, “A Novel of Suspense,” beneath the title. I don’t think this novel can really be classified as suspense, but if there were a genre for a suspense-cozy, it would fit this book. The author did a good job of intertwining the several mysteries in the story, and providing enough suspects to make the reader wonder along w...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Traci Haley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, audiobooks, mystery-suspense, series-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 10, 2011 Wisteriouswoman rated it 1 of 5 stars

As with many of the readers of this series, I love Goldy and Arch and Marla and Tom and Julian. That is the only reason to read this book. I like the expressions Goldy uses because they sound like real folks. I like the fact that she says she is short and pudgy--what else would you expect of someone who cooks and eats all the time? Her husband still loves her despite her faults. They have nice marital sex and after a good night she actually admits she feels sore. She isn't some gorgeous brillian...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, read-in-2011, cozy-mystery

While I still enjoy the author's writing style, it's just time to put the series to bed. There are only so many times one woman can meddle in police investigations in a lifetime, much less during one book, without it being ridiculous. It's just too silly! There's just no attempt to have any respect for the law anymore. This book felt frantic throughout and then wrapped up suddenly and disappointingly. I like Goldy and her friends and family, but there is no compelling reason to read about them o...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-reads

I won a copy of this book as a goodreads.com giveaway.

I'll start by saying that I did enjoy reading this book. It was a fast read and I found myself very entertained. I have never read another book by this author before and the lighthearted writing style was easy to read.

I did feel like there were too many sub plots going on at the same time. I found myself lost in the details a few times, however never saw the end coming. I couldn't actually guess how this was going to end, which is a good thin...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I love Goldy and Arch and Marla and Tom and Julian and .... I've read every one of DMD's books as soon as each was available and regretted when I turned the last page. But this book .... not so much. I had trouble getting it going. There were too many words that didn't advance the story or help develop the characters. They were just there, in my way, like hurdles to reading the story. And, I'm someone who can tolerate extra words. As the story progressed, there were fewer unnecessary words, than...more

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May 31, 2011 Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

I always enjoy this series. While this is not the best of the lot, it is an entertaining read and the recipes look delish! As usual, Goldy has gotten herself smack in the middle of the town's latest murder. She's trying to help her friend, Yolanda and her great-aunt, Ferdinanda. Yolanda has escaped an abusive boyfriend, Ferdinanda is confined to a wheelchair due to a hit and run accident, and they have both been burned out of their rental house. Ernest, the investigator they had been staying wit...more

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Tasty Murder Myst...: Just started to read...	7	37	Apr 28, 2013 05:07pm

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Other Editions (9)

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Genres

Mystery

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Mystery > Cozy Mystery

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Adult

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Food And Drink > Culinary

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Food And Drink > Cooking

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Food And Drink > Cookbooks

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Thriller > Mystery Thriller

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Food And Drink > Food

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Contemporary

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Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

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About Diane Mott Davidson

New York Times bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson wrote three novels before one was accepted for publication—when she was 41. She has since written 14 more mysteries, all featuring Goldy the caterer. In addition, she has written short stories and poetry for various publications. Davidson has won the Anthony Award from Bouchercon, and has been nominated for the Agatha, another Anthony, and the...more

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Books by Diane Mott Davidson

Catering to Nobody (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #1)

Double Shot (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #12)

Dying For Chocolate (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, Book 2)

The Cereal Murders (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #3)

Killer Pancake (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #5)

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Crunch Time (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery #16)

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