Crunch Time: A Novel of Suspense (Goldy Schulz) [Hardcover]

Diane Mott Davidson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 5, 2011 | Series: Goldy Schulz

“A cross between Mary Higgins Clark and Betty Crocker.”
—Baltimore Sun

“The Julia Child of mystery writers.”
—Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph

No one cooks up a tastier stew of murder, mystery, and mayhem than New York Times bestselling author Diana Mott Davidson. Entertainment Weekly calls her “today’s foremost practitioner of the culinary whodunit.” And now it’s Crunch Time, as Davidson’s delightful series protagonist, caterer and amateur sleuth-extraordinaire Goldy Schulz, digs into a deadly smorgasbord that includes a heaping helping of murder, a double dose of arson…and nine adorable beagle puppies!

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Terrific.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch on Crunch Time)

“Fans who relished Davidson’s previous culinary mysteries will assuredly eat up this newest one, too.” (Booklist on Crunch Time)

“Enjoyable.” (Publishers Weekly on Crunch Time)

“Davidson’s fans will not be disappointed.” (Kirkus Reviews on Crunch Time)

From the Back Cover

When the rental house shared by chef Yolanda Garcia and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair moves in with cop-turned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead and his house is set on fire, nearly killing Yolanda, Ferdinanda, and their good friend, Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz, along with nine beagle puppies that Ernest had recently rescued from a puppy mill.

Concerned for her friends, Goldy invites them to stay with her. But even her house isn’t safe. After a failed break-in and the discovery of a second body, the intrepid Goldy decides to swap her chef’s hat for a sleuthing cap. Now she’s got to move fast because it’s crunch time and a killer is getting dangerously close.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1ST edition (April 5, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061348155
• ISBN-13: 978-0061348150
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (276 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Diane Mott Davidson is the author of more than ten bestselling mysteries. She lives with her family in Colorado.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery

#41 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

#80 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers

#88 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

#88 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery

#41 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

#80 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers

#88 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

#88 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 113 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful but... March 6, 2011

By Rushmore TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I adore this series. There is no delicious pleasure quite like hunkering down with a new Goldy Schulz book. Over the years I have grown extraordinarily fond of Goldy, her husband Tom, son Arch, and best friend Marla. I even love her pets. The setting of Aspen Meadow is very true to Colorado, a state that is dear to my heart. And if course, someone is always cooking something that sounds super yummy.

Having said that, Crunch Time is not the strongest installment in the series. It seems unusually chaotic. Every single social event that Goldy attends, as a caterer or as a guest, is a disaster. It's hard to imagine why anyone would want her at their party. The book seems to me, surprisingly, to go on a bit too long. There are so many suspects, I just wondered why any sane person would live in such a community. Finally, there is a plot twist that I will not reveal, that just feels a bit desperate. I don't believe it would happen, and certainly not the way it rolls out.

I have built up a large store of goodwill for Goldy Schulz and her entourage. I did enjoy this book but wish Diane Mott Davidson had not felt it necessary to throw in everything including the kitchen sink. This is not a series that needs to be read consecutively, you could enjoy any single book on its own merits, but I wouldn't start with this one.

89 of 100 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not good August 4, 2011

By Happy reader Helen

Format:Hardcover

I like mysteries. I have liked this series. I didn't like this book.

My daughter got me reading these books a long time ago. She bought me some as gifts or sometimes loans me her copy after she is finished. I really like reading these and thought they were fun until now.

Goldy acted like she didn't have any brains and Tom let her get away with it. There were too many story lines and I couldn't keep track of who was who or what was what and didn't really care by the end.

When my daughter loaned me her copy, I asked what she thought and she wouldn't say much. She wanted me to make my own decision. After reading it, I think it may be time for Goldy to hang up her apron.

Interesting: I think it's funny that many of the 5 star reviews showed up here after the author posted on Facebook, asking readers to come to Amazon and give this book 5 star reviews. About 30 of the 5-star reviews (out of the 70 currently posted) were written within 24 hours of the author's request. I don't think that is right.

175 of 209 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Out of over 400 reviews this may only be my second 1-star rating, it's that bad March 11, 2011

By Holly K TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am a long-time fan of this series having read every single one. I have largely enjoyed the series and looked forward to the next installment to find out what mess Goldy Schultz would get herself into next. An interesting cast of characters, the scenic setting of Colorado, and a caterer that found herself mixed up in murder investigations has provided me with many hours of entertainment. A couple of books back, I was very disappointed in the novel and gave "Sweet Revenge" a 2-star rating. The more recent "Fatally Flaky" got a 4-star from me and a sigh of relief that things were again on the upswing. When I knew "Crunch Time" was being published, I was excited and ready for a fun, light read.

With that background in mind, I must be brutally honest and say this has to be one of the worst books I have ever read (and I read a lot). From the beginning, things start off rocky and it just gets worse as the pages go on. Cozy mysteries always require that the reader suspend belief and turn a blind eye to some things that just don't make sense but this story was just a mess. There is so much wrong with this book that I can't even begin to describe it. It feels like an author with ADHD is writing about a main character with ADHD --- absolutely manic action all the time. A cast of thousands is present that make appearances for a sentence or two, disappear for awhile and then reappear for a sentence or two. The mystery is weak, the characters are weak, and Goldy runs around interrogating everyone she meets by ranting a list of questions at them that make no sense. When I got to approximately page 325 and characters start cussing and prostitution become part of the story line, I really got frustrated. Not only is this book bad, but it is LONG so the reader continues to be subjected to page after page after page of horrid dialogue, a silly mystery, and characters that are downright stupid.

I am not sure I have ever been as blunt in a review before, but this book is beyond bad. I will no longer be following this series after a book that can only be described as one giant mess from beginning to end. Absolutely painful to read - sorry!