A Catered Birthday Party [Mass Market Paperback]

This was a fun book to read. Of course who wouldn't enjoy a book with Pugs in it. Unlike the other two reviews I found this book a good read.

Birthday parties for pugs, murder and mayhem collide in Isis Crawford's sixth installment in her series "A Mystery with Recipes", A Catered Birthday Party.

Bernie and Libby Simmons own a delightful and well-known catering company and shop named A Little Taste of Heaven. As sisters, they are as different as night an day, as business partners, they work together to please their customers. One such customer, Annabel Colbert, a wealthy and not-so-respected business woman asks the sisters to cater a birthday celebration for her beloved pet, Trudy the Pug. Not overly keen on the idea, Bernie and Libby take on the job, knowing it will be a boost to their catering company. The sisters knew they would be in for a bit of nit-picking from Annabel, perfectionist extraordinaire, but what they didn't count on was inadvertently agreeing to solve Annabel's murder.

During Trudy's party, as Annabel is giving a toast and laying out all the cards on her true thoughts of her "friends", she realizes that something is just not right:

"Here's to me and my new ventures and to hell with all of you. I don't know where any of you are going, but if I had to guess I'd have to say to the bad place, and don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Annabel raised her glass to her lips and drank the wine down. A strange expression came over her face. Here eyes widened. Her hand went to her throat. "I've been poisoned!" she cried. "Someone has put something in this wine!"

"Now, dear," Richard said. "I'm sure you're fine. You know how you tend to exaggerate."

Annabel's death is ruled a death by natural causes and that is that. Until Bernie and Libby take things into their own hands. As Annabel sit dying, they gave her their word that they would find her murderer. However, will they be able to find the murderer before he or she can escape freely?

A Catered Birthday Party is filled with an abundance of humor. There were several times that I found myself laughing aloud as I read. I adored the sassy Bernie and her sharp- witted tongue, as well as Libby's more "no nonsense" take on life. The sisters are a perfect contrast and lend a vivid and excellent layer to the story. A Catered Birthday Party is my first by this author and I can honestly say that I am anxious to go back to the beginning of this series and start with the first book, A Catered Murder. As I read, I really felt myself caring for, not only the sisters, but also their father, Sean. Sean is an ex-police officer with a penchant for helping his daughters solve crimes. I loved his sense of humor and his exuberance for life. He is an awesome character and one that I find myself wanting to read about in the next installment to see how things pan out for him.

As a cozy mystery, A Catered Birthday Party definitely works. There is a perfect blend of lightness, humor and fun, as well as a bit of mystery and sleuthing. Of course, the added deliciousness of recipes is a fun bonus as well. I do have to say that throughout the story, the characters partook in several mugs of hot chocolate, thereby causing me to crave this sweet and creamy beverage on several occasions. The plotting, was subtle and entertaining, though I did feel the ending was a bit rushed.

I recommend A Catered Birthday Party to anyone looking for a fun and fast read. Whether you have read the series up until this one, or are new to it, it is guaranteed to bring out the giggles - and cravings for hot chocolate!

Annabel and Richard Colbert are the richest couple in town thanks to the hot seller of theirt toy company's Puggables based on their pet Trudy. Annabel is throwing a birthday party for Trudy and she hires the catering service of A Little Taste of Heaven run by sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons. Annabel toasts the attendees saying she knows no one there is her friend, but instead are leeches before dinking the wine. She starts choking claming she has been poisoned; before falling into a coma she begs the siblings to find her killer and bring that rat to justice. Two days later she is dead.

As soon as the body is released for burial, her husband Richard has her cremated and demands the sisters drop the idea of investigating Annabel's death. Everyone at the gala depended on Annabel but also loathed her as she screwed all of them at one time or another thus everyone has a motive to kill her. With help from their father, a retired police chief, Bernie and Libby uncover the identity of the culprit, but lack solid proof.

The rich and powerful cast of suspects are amusing and lampooned as unlikable amoral A-holes. Isis Crawford delightfully mocks the affluent inside of a fascinating amateur sleuth mystery. Readers will root for the sisters to bake a perfect case so the killer receives his or hers just desserts. Unlike the odious affluent characters, the siblings are nice and caring as they are always there for one another and their family. With an amusing satirical spin, A CATERED BIRTHDAY PARTY is a delightful Creative Culinary mystery.

Harriet Klausner

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