ISBN: 1-7887-1871-1 Order from: Recorded Books
A mildly interesting modern mystery with a somewhat annoying protagonist, and several unlikely plot developments.
Reviewed by David on October 28, 2000
Genre: Mystery (Amateur Detective, Cooking)
Synopsis: This is an unabridged recording of The Grilling Season.
Goldy Schulz is an experienced caterer in a samll Colorado town. When her former abusive husband falls under suspicion of killing his latest girlfriend, she is quite content to let the "Jerk" take his chances with the police. However, things are rarely that easy. Her son from the first mariage suffers along with his father, and against common sense, Goldy decides to delve into the case. While maintaining a demanding schedule of catering engagements, asking intrusive questions, and avoiding alienating her teenage son, Goldy also needs to keep her policeman husband informed, the newspapars baffled, and herself alive whle doing so.
Full Review: The plot is interspersed with detailed descriptions of food preparation, which may be distracting or enticnig, depending on the reader's habits and state of hunger. While the plot is mostly plausible, several unlikely twists serve to break up the reader's pleasure, including the thin reasoning behind Goldy's decision to start investigating, and the extreme behavior of the victim. The main protagonist suffers a bit too much from her memories of the first marriage, and seems rather less assertive, and too far from deft in situations of stress, than one would prefer. In general, this weakness, along with monomaniacal or caricatured nature of most supporting characters, make this mystery less than entirely satisfying.
Overall: 4.5; Plot: 4; Characters: 5; Style: 4.5; World-building: 5; Originality: 5;
Copyright date 1987, Recorded Books, 1998, Audio cassette, 8 cassettes
ISBN: 1-7887-1871-1 Order from: Recorded Books