Prime Cut [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Diane Mott Davidson (Author), Cherry Jones (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Grilling Season comes a delectably deadly new novel of savory dishes and unsavory deeds, as caterer-turned-sleuth Goldy Schulz must find the missing ingredient in a killer concoction of high fashion, low-life, and murder.

An unscrupulous new rival has pushed Goldy's beloved catering business to the brink of collapse. An even more unscrupulous local contractor has left her precious kitchen in a shambles. Yet Goldy has joined forces with her old mentor, French chef André Hibbard, to cater a fashion photo shoot at a turn-of-the-century mountain cabin. There, in a hopelessly outdated kitchen, Goldy and André struggle to create warming Models' Mushroom Soup Savory Florentine Cheesecakes, and a luscious spread for a vain and vacuous crowd of beautiful people whose personal dramas climax when a camera is pitched through a plateglass window...into the buffet.

Things go swiftly from bad to worse when the infamous building contractor, Gerald Eliot, is found strung up in the house of one of Goldy's best friends. Goldy is certain that her friend isn't a killer--even if he had every motive for murder. After all, how many others would have cheerfully strangled unethical Mr. Eliot, including Goldy?

Now Goldy readies for a society soiree tasting party against her archnemesis that could make or break her career. As she prepares Big-Bucks Bread Pudding, André's Coq au Vin, and Jailbreak Potatoes, Goldy faces the shock of a second murder closer to home. Suddenly she must find the ingredients of a mystery that includes the dead contractor's unwholesome past, a food saboteur and the theft of three historical cookbooks. What she comes up with is the perfect recipe for murder. And Goldy may be the next one on the menu!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You could die from reading one of Diane Mott Davidson's culinary mysteries: this one includes recipes for Jailbreak Potatoes (butter, whipping cream, freshly grated Parmesan cheese) and Labor Day Flourless Chocolate Cake with Berries, Melba Sauce, and White Chocolate Cream (butter, chocolate, eggs, sugar, whipping cream). So you might want to take both the recipes and Davidson's pinball machine-like plots in small bites. This time, caterer Goldy Schulz careens between the worlds of contracting and high fashion models, with bodies from both camps falling into the food. It's all in fun, and readers have been lapping up Davidson's merry mélanges with increasing appetite. Catering to Nobody, The Cereal Murders, Dying for Chocolate, The Grilling Season, Killer Pancake, and The Main Corpse are available on the paperback menu. --Dick Adler --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In the markedly lighthearted eighth outing (after The Grilling Season, 1997), Aspen Meadows, Colo., caterer Goldy Schulz is ousted from her kitchen. Bilked, like many other residents, by local contractor Gerald Eliot, her workplace in a shambles, she agrees to help her old teacher, Chef Andre, as he caters a Christmas catalogue fashion shoot. On the way home from the acrimonious set, she stops by to visit her friend Cameron Burr, whose house has also been ravaged by Eliot. Searching for a coffee pot, she discovers Eliot's dead body. At the scene, the police find one of four cookbooks that had been stolen from the museum where Eliot was a part-time guard. Goldy's husband, Tom (a cop), has a confrontation with his rude and politically ambitious boss and is suspended from the force while charges of insubordination are investigated. Compounding Goldy's problems is an aggressive new local caterer who seems bent on stealing Goldy's clients. When Andre is killed, Goldy slips into her super-detective mode to find out who murdered two such disparate victims and why the antique cookbooks were stolen. Despite the accumulation of bad news, Goldy retains her optimism. Davidson laces her frothy tale with 11 calories-be-damned recipes likely to keep readers satisfied on the gustatory front as well as the narrative one. Simultaneous BDD audio; author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio; Abridged edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553525352
• ISBN-13: 978-0553525359
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Books on Cassette > Authors, A-Z > ( D )
  • #53 in Books > Books on Cassette > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Goldy, please, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Prime Cut (Hardcover)

I am a huge fan of Davidson's culinary mysteries. I waited very impatiently for the release of Prime Cut and wasn't disappointed. The characters are like old friends, and, of course, "the jerk" can't be left out. People like him never go away. What a delight that Julian is back! Goldy is a fun, believable character who displays a tremendous amount of strength. Her recipes are mouth-watering. Goldy's enthisiasm for food is contagious--makes me want to jump up and start cooking! Her books are best read with a cup of espresso on the side. I have been looking for her next adventure since October--can't wait! When will the next book be available, and what is the delicious title?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Promising, August 17, 2000

By 

Helen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prime Cut (Goldy Culinary Mysteries, Book 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was my first read of any part of this series. I found the main characters warm and engaging and this alone will ensure that I locate and read the rest of this series.

The plotting however was loose and confusing and the motivation of the "bad guys" equally unclear. Nevertheless, it was an interesting and fun read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another delicious visit to Aspen Meadow, Colorado!, February 10, 1999

By 

Nancy A. Fox (West Covina, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prime Cut (Hardcover)

Goldy the Caterer is back in another fun mystery by Diane Mott Davidson. Goldy becomes embroiled in yet another mystery in her town of Aspen Meadow, CO., when she discovers the dead body of the unscrupulous contractor that had made a mess of her kitchen. She decides she has to solve the mystery when a dear friend of hers is arrested for the murder and her teacher is found dead under suspicious circumstances.

One of the main ingredients in this series is the rich background involving Goldy's friends and family. We get to catch up with best friend Marla, husband Tom, and son Arch. This book also features the welcome return of border and vegetarian chef in training, Julian Teller. We also discover how Goldy's ex husband (the Jerk) can still make life difficult for Goldy, even when he's in jail.

A fast and fun read. Speaking as a museum worker and volunteer, my one complaint is that the folks involved at the local history museum are just a little too mellow, and relaxed about what happens at the museum. As always, I enjoyed my latest visit to Goldy's kitchen.