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!3.5 stars This story involves a catered birthday party for a dog, Trudy. Of course, the owner of Trudy drinks a special wine and then states that she has been poisoned. The police do not see murder, just a heart attack. Libby and Bernie promise the dying Annabel that they will find the murderer. In this caper, Sean Simmons, father of Libby and Bernie, leads the investigation and discovers the killer. I especially liked same of the new characters: Samantha and Trudy. Crawford likes to show that anger and hate can simmer for years, before an action is taken. Again, I like Crawford's writing better than Joanne Fluke's writing, but has better recipes.
What do You think about A Catered Birthday Party (2009)?
Similar to Diane Mott Davidson series, but not as good.
—mmcphailfnp2009
I enjoy these books by this author very much!
—Fortissimo
