Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Four Parties and a Funeral (Catering Hall, No 4) on + 648 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
Reality t.v. comes to Belle View Catering Hall with a casting call for the new show The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. That along with weddings, proms, graduations, and a very special funeral keep Mia Carina and her staff very busy.
But it is the reality show that takes most of her time especially when one of her new employees/relatives gets cast in the show and finds romance with an executive producer who happens to be the production company owner's ex-wife and also a minor British royal. There is more drama offscreen than onscreen with the cast and crew on a daily basis so it wasn't really a surprise that someone ended up dead . . . and there are plenty of suspects.
While the show must go on Mia plans to produce a killer while trying still catering to the masses.
______
All our favorites return in this new Catering Hall Mystery. Mia and Shane's relationship has risen to a new level but hits a big bump. Grandmother Elisabetta is on a crafting binge that had me truly wondering if the woman is now color-blind or at least needs a fashion refresher. Mia was a trooper wearing whatever the woman came up with. Ravello is on a health kick that kicks back. And Cammie has come up with another way to spend Detective Pete Dianopolis's money.
They are joined by a bunch of "Dons and Donettes", and a wacky production crew. There is also a Boldano wedding and all the pre-wedding gatherings that bring many new characters to the story including the bride's Connecticut family. While there was plenty of drama among the characters there was also a lot of comedy. The author had me in stitches throughout most of these stories with all these characters' antics.
In between all the laughter, there was a mystery to solve and with so many suspects it was not easy. There were twists on top of twists and some very interesting turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out a few pages later I saw I was all wrong. I truly was still guessing when all was revealed. Ms. DiRico did an excellent job of plotting and misdirection.
Of course, there was a lot of food involved whenever people gathered. The rehearsal dinner in Connecticut almost had me on the floor laughing, one recipe is included in the back of the book. While tasty, not your usual party fare. There was some seriously delectable Italian cooking done as well and the author has included recipes for a few of those treats as well including Pasta Puttanesca.
Four Parties and a Funeral is a hilarious mystery. I was captivated from beginning to end. I am excited for this series to continue. I am fully invested in these characters and can't wait to see what Ms. DiRico dreams up for them next.
As always for maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading the books in order.
Reality t.v. comes to Belle View Catering Hall with a casting call for the new show The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. That along with weddings, proms, graduations, and a very special funeral keep Mia Carina and her staff very busy.
But it is the reality show that takes most of her time especially when one of her new employees/relatives gets cast in the show and finds romance with an executive producer who happens to be the production company owner's ex-wife and also a minor British royal. There is more drama offscreen than onscreen with the cast and crew on a daily basis so it wasn't really a surprise that someone ended up dead . . . and there are plenty of suspects.
While the show must go on Mia plans to produce a killer while trying still catering to the masses.
______
All our favorites return in this new Catering Hall Mystery. Mia and Shane's relationship has risen to a new level but hits a big bump. Grandmother Elisabetta is on a crafting binge that had me truly wondering if the woman is now color-blind or at least needs a fashion refresher. Mia was a trooper wearing whatever the woman came up with. Ravello is on a health kick that kicks back. And Cammie has come up with another way to spend Detective Pete Dianopolis's money.
They are joined by a bunch of "Dons and Donettes", and a wacky production crew. There is also a Boldano wedding and all the pre-wedding gatherings that bring many new characters to the story including the bride's Connecticut family. While there was plenty of drama among the characters there was also a lot of comedy. The author had me in stitches throughout most of these stories with all these characters' antics.
In between all the laughter, there was a mystery to solve and with so many suspects it was not easy. There were twists on top of twists and some very interesting turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out a few pages later I saw I was all wrong. I truly was still guessing when all was revealed. Ms. DiRico did an excellent job of plotting and misdirection.
Of course, there was a lot of food involved whenever people gathered. The rehearsal dinner in Connecticut almost had me on the floor laughing, one recipe is included in the back of the book. While tasty, not your usual party fare. There was some seriously delectable Italian cooking done as well and the author has included recipes for a few of those treats as well including Pasta Puttanesca.
Four Parties and a Funeral is a hilarious mystery. I was captivated from beginning to end. I am excited for this series to continue. I am fully invested in these characters and can't wait to see what Ms. DiRico dreams up for them next.
As always for maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading the books in order.
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Four Parties and a Funeral is the fourth installment in the Catering Hall Mystery series set in Queens, New York and featuring Belle View Banquet Manager, Mia Carina. It's June and the catering hall is busy with with brides, graduations and proms but Mia finds herself tasked with the job of watching out for Little Donny Boldano who has joined the cast of the latest reality show - the Dons of Ditmars Boulevard - which follows the lives of wannabe mobsters and their girlfriends.
Little D hooks up with Ariadne St. James, ex wife to Giles St. James, the producer and quickly finds himself the prime suspect when Giles turns up dead. Mia promises Big Donny that she'll clear his sons name and internally hopes that the real culprit might be Little D's cousin Nicky since the two don't get along and tend to fight over the same women.
It was fun to connect with Mia again but this addition to the series fell short for me. There really wasn't much of a mystery/storyline that surrounded the reality show, just a lot of cast and crew who really didn't do much other than despise Giles and each other. A few laugh out loud moments provided by Mia's grandmother, Elisabetta but even those were somewhat overshadowed by Mia's drama with boyfriend Shane, and her concerns about her Dad's health. Things end on a positive note so I'll look forward to the next adventures at Belle View.
Little D hooks up with Ariadne St. James, ex wife to Giles St. James, the producer and quickly finds himself the prime suspect when Giles turns up dead. Mia promises Big Donny that she'll clear his sons name and internally hopes that the real culprit might be Little D's cousin Nicky since the two don't get along and tend to fight over the same women.
It was fun to connect with Mia again but this addition to the series fell short for me. There really wasn't much of a mystery/storyline that surrounded the reality show, just a lot of cast and crew who really didn't do much other than despise Giles and each other. A few laugh out loud moments provided by Mia's grandmother, Elisabetta but even those were somewhat overshadowed by Mia's drama with boyfriend Shane, and her concerns about her Dad's health. Things end on a positive note so I'll look forward to the next adventures at Belle View.
