Fatally Flaky - Diane Mott Davidson

I truly enjoy this culinary mystery series! Goldy Schulz is a funny and quirky character who solves every problem with a shot of espresso or "whipping up" something in the kitchen - my kind of gal. In each book Goldy is catering an event in which someone is murdered - happens every time she steps out of the kitchen. She, against her cop husband's wishes, plays amateur sleuth and usually ends up in "hot water" herself. This series is light reading for a mystery, but has a humerous aspect and is thoroughly enjoyable.

With that said, this book seemed to not be up to her usual fare - or maybe my expectations have begun to set the bar too high. The series (after 14 earlier books) just seems to have gotten "tired."

In Fatally Flaky, Aspen Meadow's renowned Goldie Bear Catering has 2 nearly back-to-back wedding receptions. The first goes off without problem - except that one of the guests never makes it to the wedding. Doc Finn, a well-loved retired community physician, was supposed to give the bride away but his car runs off the road and he dies. But was it an accident? Goldy's godfather (and Finn's best friend) is suspicious and soon Goldy is too.

The second wedding is for the mother of all bridezillas. Billie Attenborough, bridezilla herself, changes dates, guest lists, menues, and finally reception halls on her way to the alter to quiet Dr. Craig Miller. The new reception location is the Gold Gulch Spa - run by Victor Lane, a long time adversary of Goldy's. In touring the new site, Goldy becomes aware that something strange is happening at the spa - clients can't wait to return. The plot here gets a bit transparent, but not crystal clear so the mystery still works.

Goldy's a strong woman. She's overcome a lot of difficulty in her life and created a successful catering business and a circle of wonderful friends. But in this book, she comes off as a bit of a doormat and wimp. Maybe it's because someone close to her becomes a victim in this book and she struggles to cope and grieve throughout her sleuthing. Maybe it's because we have no less than 4 despicable characters for her to contend with this time around. I don't know what to blame it on.

You don't have to read this series in order - but it's nice to grow with the returning characters. Each character has their own personality and quirks, but it's not as apparent if you only read one book. My favorite character is Marla - her best friend and someone who shares an "ex" with her. I have often wondered how Goldy and the other characters keep from gaining weight - lots of cream and other fattening ingredients are involved. It's impossible not to have cravings as you read Goldy cooking her way through a problem. But the big bonus to these books is that recipes are included!