Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz had a lot to be grateful for as the holidays approached. She had 25 parties to cater in the month of December, and Hermie MacArthur, who, along with her husband, are wealthy additions to the Aspen Meadow's Regal Ridge Country Club area asked her to take charge of two very important events. This was even more jingle for Goldy's holiday stocking. Hermie's husband, Smithfield, collected antique maps, very expensive ones. That's fine with Goldy, she's quite used to rich eccentrics.

All of this seems too good to be true - and it is because as Goldy says, "A month before Christmas, I saw a ghost." Granted the ghost is a very attractive one. Nonetheless, the apparition appears to Goldy to be Sandee Brisbane, not only a woman presumed dead but the woman who murdered Goldy's former husband, aka the Jerk.

Goldy takes great pleasure in arranging the table for an event she is catering. So, she takes her time viewing the set-up for breakfast at the Aspen Meadows Library, but all that comes to a quick halt when the body of former DA, Drew Wellington is found in a corner of the Library. He definitely was not on her menu - nor was the expensive antique map found along with him. Always perceptive and one to heed her intuition she believes that the thought to be late not very great Sandee and Drew are mixed up in a pot of trouble, perhaps a poisonous concoction for her.

With her 14th culinary caper, author Davidson's plot simmers as temptingly as Goldy's stews. Plus, readers receive more original recipes, including Unorthodox Shepherd's Pie, Prudent Potatoes au Gratin, Chuzzlewit Cheese Pie, Bleak Bouse Bars, and Got-a-Hot-Date Bars.

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke