Dying for Chocolate

Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson is the second of the Goldy culinary mystery series. As with the others, I listened to the Barbara Rosenblat audio. Unfortunately for the earliest books (except for the first) the CD audios are all abridged. My library offers it for download through Oneclick but those bastards put a non-Mac friendly DRM on it. So I ended up having to buy a digital copy from iTunes as I will probably have to do for book three.

In this book, Goldy and Arch have moved from their previous home to escape the ever abusive ex-husband. Goldy for room and board is cooking and answering phones in a massive home. Meanwhile Arch is attending summer school at the local private academy along with a petulant, mohawk sporting show more Julian.

Things go horribly wrong with the death of Philip Miller. It's a rather gruesome description of how he dies. Goldy is understandably distraught. Interestingly, though, her feelings for him change as she learns more about him.

Besides Miller's death, Goldy has a competing caterer complaining that she has stolen their name, a newspaper reviewer dubbed "Pierre" who is writing nothing but negative reviews of her food, and Arch bugging her to have a magic show swim party.

Although I've figured out other mysteries in this series, I didn't this time. It had the right amount of herrings to keep me confused and interested.

I also must admit that I have a complete and utter literary crush on Julian. show less

Digital audiobook read by Barbara Rosenblat

This is book two in the popular Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series. Divorced and trying to avoid further altercations with her ex (usually referred to as “The Jerk”), Goldy and her son Arch have landed in temporary quarters where she is the private chef to a wealthy couple, Gen Bo and Adele Farquhar. The position gives her a place a live and access to a dream kitchen, and allows her time to also take on catering jobs. She’s also dating a man she originally met in college. But not everything is going her way. A food critic is writing very negative reviews of Goldy’s work. The Farquhar’s have taken in a former boarder at the tony Elk Park Preparatory School, Julian Teller, but Goldy show more doesn’t quite trust him, and she’s not thrilled that Arch follows Julian’s every move. And then people begin to die.

I started this series ages ago and loved the recipes. At that time I didn’t care if I read the series in order or not and have no memory of reading this one (and it wasn’t on my “read” shelf). It has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur sleuth whose “career” puts her in contact with a wide range of people (whether victim or suspect), a home situation with added tension, a love interest, and some great recipes. I have to admit that Goldy is pretty resourceful when getting herself out of a jam and doesn’t always rely on the big strong detective to save her. On the other hand, if she kept her nose out of business that isn’t hers … well we wouldn’t have this series.

Barbara Rosenblat does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. I loved the way she voiced Gen Farquahar. What a character! The audio does NOT include any of the recipes that are printed in the book, so be sure to grab a copy of the text if you’re inspired to try concocting your own “death by chocolate.” show less

Much better than the first one "Catering to nobody". I read that she changed publisher with her second book which might account for the depth the secondary characters have instead of being paper thin cut out like the first book. Goldy still annoys me to no end but I liked Arch (her son), Tom Schulz (police detective and on and off suitor of Goldy), Julian and the crazy retired General enough to stick with the plot. I was surprised. The character I thought was the culprit wasn't. If only because Davidson managed to surprise me and not go the obvious way I'm gonna read the next one, "The Cereal Murders".

This book had me at the word chocolate. Goldy and her son are presently living with the Farquhars so she can be a live in cook for them. This came about because the Jerk (Goldy's ex) kept driving by her house and it scared her. Mrs. Farquhar is Goldy's best friend's sister. Julian Teller is introduced in this book. Since I am familiar with this series, I know that Julian turns out be a well liked teen, but he certainly got a shaky start in this book.
Goldy witnesses her psychologist boyfriend die in front of her in a tragic accident. Goldie wonders if it was an accident. This mystery, along with another death, makes this book a great read.
As always, the description of the food will make your mouth water. I have tried 3 or 4 recipes show more in this book and all have been wonderful. show less

this probably would've tasted higher if I hadn't first seen the Hallmark version. they share a name only but, as a result, I was expecting a much cozier mystery. while this isn't as gritty as the pornographically violent stuff that seems to be dominating so much crime fiction today, it isn't cozy. but the mystery is good and Goldy finally gets a backbone by the end so I might try another.

I can understand Goldy's stress, but she's downright bitchy for the majority of this book.

There are some things that bugged me, as well -- if a shrink is murdered, it doesn't mean the police can now look into all his client's confidential medical files with ease. Second, she cannot be sued to change her legal name (Goldy Bear) because a business says they have 'The Three Bears' copyrighted as their business name. It's not a trademarked legal name they're attacking her for - it's her legal name. If our actual names were copyrighted, we'd all be in trouble eventually as more kids are named the same name and...well, it just doesn't make sense.

As mystery stories go, the villain wasn't predictable but possibly could have been guessed, while show more the reason and back story never could have. My issue really was that Goldy never seemed to do that much investigating. It was more prompting every once in awhile from Tom to ask questions, and she had to be there anyway, sometimes she would overhear stuff, other times she would be in the right place at the right time, and even still the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't act like a detective besides perhaps one to two incidents, but then didn't carry them much farther other than to inform authorities higher up. Still, the mystery lasted but a week or so and there was plenty of action to keep one reading.

The cooking details, since she is a busy caterer, is of course a primary focus of the book. I was delighted to find so many generous recipes throughout, and am sure to try some, especially the Anniversary Hamburgers. I wish she had put the recipe for the Chocolate cake she made up, but since it included fillings of actual chocolate mouse and an outer painting of tempered chocolate, it sounds pretty complicated anyway. More's the pity.

Tom Schultz just doesn't seem like a desirable leading man to me. He seems sweet but from this book alone I didn't glimpse that much personality, attraction, or mystique. The unfortunate Phillip seemed a bit more interesting for the short scenes he had, just because of the looks, his work, and his dialogue dished out more human quirks than ol' Toms. Arch seemed like a typical child with a mouth when things get stressed but not a bad seed; the general was especially funny in his unusual and quirky ways. The abusive ex seemed to be portrayed realistically enough. He didn't get tons of time but enough to make the points needed.

I also felt she was a bit unsympathetic. She was mentally telling herself she'd be sure to rat out the general for what she sees at his house to her cop friend, although the general is the one who is letting her and her kid stay at his house and is so protective of her. He's not right in the head, but to report him for any wrong thing you see?

Even if this ones mystery fell a bit flat in its execution, and the method of death was a tad unrealistic and far-fetched, I still greatly enjoyed the story. Goldy isn't a humorous fun type of character, she's a stressed one. There's not much of a romantic involvement to speak of, despite claims that it's supposed to be so (just no spark anyway to make that count). The bizarre situations among the various catered parties helped create the book, especially when it surrounded the main whodunnit sort of characters that helped keep this story alive. show less

These are your basic light little mysteries, but they suffer from a two-dimensional quality. The viewpoint character is just so pure – she’s in her thirties, has a child, and still feels guilty about sleeping with her fiance before the wedding, and enjoying it – while all the other people in the small Colorado town where she lives are so nasty, snobbish, priggish, gossipy, and shallow that the reader gets a lopsided view that just isn’t believable. And the reasons these people have for committing murder strain your disbelief even further, but I won’t give anything away. I was also particularly put off by one line in Dying for Chocolate: “She had that drawn look that vegetarians get.” I haven’t looked drawn since I became show more a vegetarian – quite the opposite, in fact – and everyone knows that a vegetarian diet is, in point of fact, much better for you. Anyway, the books do have a redeeming quality – they all include several sinfully sweet recipes so you can take time out and cook something if the story is bothering you. show less