My favorite type of light reading is the new sub-genre of cozy mysteries, culinary mysteries. I’ve read everything written by Diane Mott Davidson, the author best known for popularizing culinary mysteries.
’’Tough Cookie’’ is one of my favorites in this mystery series. All of the Davidson books are set in Aspen Meadows, Colorado and this book, in a nearby ski resort, has an excellent description of the winter wonders and hazards of Colorado intertwined with the basic story line. This series features a very likeable amateur sleuth, Goldy Schultz, who owns her own catering business and struggles to make a go of her business along with raising a son.
In Tough Cookie, Goldy’s is waiting to re-open her business which has been shut down by the health department because of lack of drains. So, the resourceful heroine works on building her reputation as a personal chef and hosts a PBS tv cooking show at a ski resort area. When she runs into a man she once dated a few times, she is in the process of selling him a pair of vintage skis when the man ends up being killed in a skiing accident. Goldy gets involved in the investigation as a way to clear her name after she comes under suspicion.
Before the mystery of the man’s death is solved, Goldy’s life is in jeopardy, a suspicious avalanche death in the past is resolved, and Goldy has to figure out the connection between her former date, the parole board and Goldy’s ex-husband who is currently in prison but coming up for parole.
As always, the caterer intersperses investigation with cooking, either cooking for her business or for the fun of it and as a stress reliever. All the Davidson books include recipes that are mentioned in the story line. Some of my favorite recipes in this book include ones for ginger snaps, crab cakes, orange marmalade muffins and, my very favorite of all, Chocolate Coma Cookies. I’m not the greatest cook around but these cookies were big hits when I made them for my family.
Reading a Davidson mystery almost always puts me in the mood to cook. Goldy’s enthusiasm for cooking, her use of the best and freshest ingredients and Davidson’s writing style with descriptions of food that appeals to the senses all make great reading for a mystery-loving foodie.
Although ’Tough Cooky’’ is one of Davidson’s best books with a well developed mystery that makes it a page turner, the book does have its weaknesses. One of the strengths of her books are well rounded and interesting secondary characters that are seen in each book such as her son, her ex-husband-known as ’the jerk’’, her wonderfully loving present husband, a police officer; and her best friend, Marla. Marla isn’t very prominent in this book which fans of the wealthy, outspoken, sometimes abrasive friend are bound to miss.
Also, there are a few too many minor characters to keep them all straight. These are characters that are found only in this book and all possible suspects in the deaths.
However, all in all, I’d recommend this to anyone who likes light mysteries. One can read this book by itself but if you’d like to read more Davidson books, I’d suggest starting with the first-’’Catering To Nobody’ and reading them in order. This is because Goldy and her life evolves with each succeeding book. When the series opens, Goldy is a single mother, recovering from an abusive marriage, trying to raise her son and create a successful catering business. True to life, Goldy’s attempts to juggle everything are always problems and then there’s always a murder mystery or two to solve in each book as well. All of this makes for a full, rich life for Goldy and delightful reading for her fans.