Reviewed By Liz

I feel sorry for any reader who makes this book their first foray in Davidson’s series. This book is both long and awful to read. I sometimes enjoy reading a book in which the main character struggles with weighty issues. In this book, caterer Goldy Schulz’s abusive ex-husband is accused of murdering his girlfriend. This wouldn’t be a big problem for Goldy, except that their 14-year-old son wants her to help his father. An interesting situation, except that the angst goes on FOREVER – this book is 400 pages long. The characters are under stress and do things they shouldn’t, leaving the reader angry with them.

What kinds of things annoyed this reader, you ask? The cop husband who feeds his wife information about the case that he shouldn’t, Goldy saying she knows better than to mess up evidence and tamper with witnesses and then goes ahead and does it, nobody taking any serious safety precautions when her crazed ex-husband is on the loose, and Goldy not just telling her son that his father is an abuser who she has no interest in helping – instead she hides his attacks on her to save her son’s feelings.

Now, while the characters are doing all these bad things, Davidson does manage to distract us briefly with food. Do not read her books while you are hungry! Although I was less tempted by the recipes in this book than in previous books, I still found my mouth watering and wondering what I had in the pantry. And speaking of pantries, does Goldy ever shop? Food seems to miraculously appear in her fridge and then stay fresh forever. I wish my fridge could do that.

Did I guess it? No. Frankly, I was just glad it was over and I could move onto something else. Trust me, her other books are better. Skip this one.

Mystery Book Reviews by Reviewed By Liz.com ©2006