Double Shot (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #12) by Diane Mott Davidson

Double Shot (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #12) Reviews

• 
  James

  Review
  
  Diane Mott Davidson's "Gold Bear Culinary Mystery" series were one of the original cozy series I started reading, and once I started, I ran through the first ten as quickly as I could. By then, I was caught up and had to wait for the successive ones to be released.
  Double Shot, her 12th book in the series, was the first one I had to wait for... and I was restless.
  
  Goldy and her antics, and friends, were a nice release from the reality going on around me at the time. And when her ex-husband, Dr. John Richard Korman, showed up, we all knew there'd be trouble. From the beginning of the series, Marla and Goldy talked up so many bad things about him, I was certain he'd be killed in the future only to cast suspicion on one of them... and the payoff happens in this book.
  
  
  
  The doctor is first being stalked, then found dead. The police, even though Goldy's new husband, is one of them, can't help but find her behavior a little shady. Even Marla wondered what Goldy had been up to. And the whole time, Goldy's trying to protect her son Arch from the bad side of his father. As expected, she handles it well and even Arch is grateful for her support during his father's murder.
  
  After a dozen books hearing about the louse, it was good to see it taken care of. Yes, I know... I shouldn't condone murder. But it was in a book... where fantasies are healthy, my friends. Even Jessica Fletcher agrees with me in the books she writes -- and that I've read!
  
  
  
  Series fans must read this one purely to see the comeuppance. But it would not be a good one to start the series with, as history is important.
  
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• 
  SimitudeSims

  I love this series. It's comforting to come back to. This is one of my favorites in this series.
• 
  BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme

  Okay, this is my last one. Yes, I'm finally done with these books. Her ex-husband is back? Why? Couldn't he have been killed in prison in the shower while being a bitch? I guess that doesn't happen in these books.
  
  Goldy is now being targeted for death, again. Seriously, how can she not be dead yet? I would have killed her. Don't even have to pay me to do it!
• 
  Peggy

  I have had enough of this. Goldy is all about Goldy and as far as I'm concerned, I would so move out of Aspen Meadows, maybe even the state of Colorado!
  She puts everyone she comes into contact with in danger, she has NO regard for her family and friends let alone the police.
  I would not like to live where the Police Dept. gives out important info to a caterer yet kick her husband (A cop) off cases. She seems to feel that she is above the law and only SHE can solve the case.
  I lost all my pity for her from her first abusive marriage as she herself is an abuser! Yes, an abuser, her son Arch and her husband along with her (friends), she puts their live in danger all the time.
  
  ENOUGH ALREADY
• 
  Donna Davis

  Psssh. Desperation drove me to try this series; sometimes I am looking for a light, cuddle-up-by-the-fire type of book that doesn't require the intensive attention of, say, The Pentagon Papers. Well, I found light and fluffy, all right, but this book is light enough for its very premise to blow away with the first breeze. What was I thinking? What kind of air-head (besides me) buys a novel in which the police cannot possibly solve the crime, but hey, the caterer can whip up great food, drop a recipe smack into the middle of a plot (I hate that!) and well, lookit that, she has sooooolved the crime too!
  
  I feel as if this novel was penned to comfort women of a certain age, to make us feel that if this humble caterer can do great things, then we still may, too. And I have news: we still may, but this plot line does not hold water. Man the life boats; we have a serious enough reality leak to prevent our enjoying the otherwise possible fantasy!
  
  Save your money. Save your intelligence. Go read Paretsky or Grafton or even Evanovich. Nevada Barr will make your heart beat quicker. But Davidson helps me realize...it's too late to ask for a refund.
• 
  Leslie

  This book made me angry. I know that's not an emotion you are supposed to feel when you read one of the Goldie Bear mysteries. This particular story pushed me over the edge.
  
  It begins as Goldie's ABUSIVE ex-husband is released from jail because the governor commuted his sentence ostensibly for saving the life of a guard in prison.
  
  And he moves back into Aspen Meadows and get visitation with their son. Now Goldie is married to a Sheriff's Deputy, so you would think they might have a little pull with the courts. I am not sure how a woman who suffered from physical abuse from her ex would be required to deliver her child to the ex's home. I don't know how an abusive husband like her's would even get anything but court supervised visitation. And I don't know how when her son is now 15 1/2 he could be required to visit with his abusive father. Yes I know it's only a book.
  
  When the Jerk is killed Goldie and her husband tiptoe around her son, poor thing he's mourning his father. His father a serial woman beater. [spoiler it turns out the Jerk is also a child rapist ]
  
  At no point does anyone say to her kid - "you know your father was a horrible, horrible person. You are going to need to deal with that for the rest of your life"
  
  I recently read
  Dark Tort and I enjoyed it. This one was a huge mistake.
• 
  Kate

  I am a big fan of the Goldy Bear catering mysteries, although I must confess it's been a while since I've read one, and she's published two books since I last read her work! In this offering, Goldy is the prime suspect in the murder of her ex-husband, the Jerk, and I for one was cheering, as I was a bit tired of the Jerk showing up in every single book and being such a pain in the rear end.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed Double Shot, although there was a LOT of death in it, including the death of the town's gossip columnist, which I think could be a huge loss to the series. Of course, Goldy and Marla are up to their usual hijinx, and Marla is more and more a source of information, so perhaps she will become the new town gossip...
  
  This was not my favorite book in the series, which remains reserved for Dying for Chocolate, with great literary character General Bo Farquhar. Still, it was a good read, and definitely a great addition to the Goldy Bear series. Goldy's son is becoming more human in his teenage years and it was nice to see Julian back a bit. The recipes look great, although I haven't yet tried them! I'm definitely going to make the almond cookies. Certainly worth the read if you're a fan of the series, if not, start with the aforementioned Chocolate.
  
• 
  Cinda

  This book reads like a soap opera. I didn't appreciate the tone at all. I didn't realize the book was part of series until after I started reading and the frequent--and totally unexplained--references to a back-story made that evident. The characterization seemed a little weak, many of the personalities exaggerated--or sterotyped. I didn't feel like there was a real conclusion in the book; it just . . . ended. There are recipes in the back of the book, but not being the kind of person who loves to cook, I'm not tempted.
• 
  L8blmr

  I am glad this was a quick, easy read, more or less, because it was not one of my favorites. SO many questions, whodunits, red herrings, as well as seemingly endless times that Goldy is breathless, in pain, dizzy, or worse, none of which stops her from interfering in yet another investigation. I did not enjoy her at all in this story. I believe I already have the next book in the series, and I will read it, but if the lead character does not become more tolerable and likable in the next story, I may have to unfriend Goldy and her series.
• 
  Amy Lyn

  My first thought when I started reading this book was that Goldy should be severely handicapped by now with all the head injuries she's had. But, I was pleasantly surprised with the twist and turns this title took and that it dug a bit deeper than the previous book. I was also happy to see she actually did something about Arch's bad behavior. Not too fluffy and definitely the best so far.
• 
  Dawn Michelle

  First, let's talk about just how bad this narrator was; she. was. hideous. I am so glad I didn't have to pay for this audiobook and I truly feel bad for anyone who did. This narrator slurped, swallowed audibly, sucked on candy and at one point BURPED!, all while narrating [poorly I might add] this book.
  
  I was not a fan of this story - I was sure I had read this one, but not one thing seemed familiar to me at all. And it was in no way a happy story - in the whole book, there was only one [to me] funny line. There are usually WAY more than that, because Goldy herself is a hilarious character. There was very little hilarity in this one.
  
  I am glad I read this so I can have the continuity, but it is absolutely one that I didn't enjoy.
• 
  Terry

  Having read this, the twelveth in the Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series, many years ago, I re-read it for my book club. At the end I remembered why I stopped reading the series with this one. Diane Mott Davidson seemed to run out of enthusiasm for her writing. Descriptions were unimaginative. The story seemed to move forward awkwardly just to get to the end. How many times can one person get knocked unconscious in one book?
• 
  Shelby *trains flying monkeys*

  I always enjoy these books but they put pounds on my bottom! I've tried several of the recipes and loved them.
• 
  Sara

  Last week it was a religious murder mystery and this week it's a cooking murder mystery. What the hell is going on in publishing?
• 
  Readergirl77

  It's been awhile since I've read about Goldy and her crew, but the sleuthing and gossip and catering all came back in this installment. Fun read.
• 
  Cherise Deeley

  This is a little more difficult read than my usual cozy mystery. It is well written and the author does bring together so many different elements that make for an interesting read HOWEVER for me personally I was hard to read. Her ex husband is a horrible person and not only beat her but was actually convicted of abusing someone else and she still cow tows to him! He wants the son to come over at a time that is not agreed upon and she goes. Heck no! But what bothered me most is that not only does she take her child to a convicted violent abusers home, the teenage son doesn’t stand by his mom! That’s so devastating! That horrible man beat her and broke her bones and the son stood by him and not the mom! That bothered me a lot! I need to go read something light and fluffy now
• 
  Jacqueline

  I really enjoyed Chopping Spree by the same author but was disappointed by Catering to Nobody which I read years ago. Unfortunately, the first half of this book reminds me of the later not the former. The first half of this book, especially the opening chapters have Goldy Schultz, caterer and amateur detective making a lot of stupid mistakes for plot reasons. The book starts with her heading to her new catering building the Roundhouse for a catering event, as she's walking from her van to the door, she's attacked, run down by someone on foot, and hit on the head. To her credit she calls the police right away to report the attack.
  Now, if you had been attacked at your place of business - would you (a) sit and wait calmly for the police to arrive, (b) call your best friend for help, (c) call your insurance company, (d) go into your business - shoot up the place yourself, and then "clean up" destroying all evidence of the attack? Well, guess what our protagonist does. Hint: she acts like a dingbat. Yep, she calls her friend, then cleans up all the evidence of the attack - all the spoiled food, the broken glass, the mice - every thing.
  This is monumentally stupid. As a business owner - she must have insurance on her building and equipment. If she doesn't she's extremely dumb and naive. Also, she may have to carry the equivalent of malpractice insurance - what if she serves food to someone and they are allergic to it and they sue her? But no... Goldy decides to call her best friend, Marla, who arrives before the police (because apparently her little community of Aspen Meadow has the world's slowest police department), and the two go inside - where they discover tons of damage. Everything in the cooler is spoiled because the cooler was turned off. Bags of mice are on the floor. Dishes and such are broken. Does she call her insurance company? Start taking pictures with her cell phone or a camera? Go back outside and wait for the cops? No - Goldy shoots at the mice with her handgun, then cleans the place up. She throws out all the spoiled food, disposes of the broken glass, lets the mice outside, and drops her gun in her unlocked van. Doesn't this woman have insurance? Doesn't she know you need to document damage if you want to make an insurance claim?
  Goldy pushes through and puts together an improv catering event since all her prepared food is gone. The catering event goes reasonable well, but her ex-husband, released from jail on a technicality or something, harasses her outside, demanding she bring her son, Arch, for visitation outside the planned time and threatening her. Course, Goldy takes this to mean everyone will think less of her , so she agrees with her husband's demands.
  When Goldy goes to drop off her son, though, her ex never answers the door. Goldy goes to check the garage and finds him dead. The rest of the novel is a standard mystery. There are plenty of clues and red herrings. Goldy is actually picked up by the police and questioned in the murder. This actually makes a certain amount of sense on the part of the police, especially given Goldy's stupid actions earlier.
  Double Shot rests on a series of family connections, old secrets, and rivalries. That part of the book works. The looming threat of forest fires permeates the rest of the novel. This "Checkov's fire" does and does not actually get realized fully (the conclusion is set during the fire - but the fire never threatens Goldy's home or place of business). And, unfortunately, nearly every detail of how forest fires in the US are fought is out-and-out wrong. For one thing, if the forest is in a National Forest US Forest Service fire fighters will be fighting that fire. They are paid Federal employees (with their own families, children, and bills) not volunteers. If the fire is on State land, most Western states have their own Fire Service (I know California does). But throughout the story, Ms. Davidson refers to the fire fighters on the Federal Wildlife Preserve as, "local volunteers from Aspen Meadow". That's not how it works. Even if a local department works on a fire, they will work with state and federal agencies. That is what an Interagency Forest Fire Agency is for. But enough ranting, just because I have experience in supporting fire fighters as an admin/IT Tech...
  Getting back to the book, Goldy and Marla precede to investigate - to clear Goldy, and to figure out who did them the favor of offing their ex. The perpetrator is an expert at laying false clues, exposing secrets, and throwing blame in a number of different directions. I liked that part of the book. I liked it a lot. If only the story had just picked up about 50 pages from where it did and followed that storyline, it would have been a five-star book. I'm not going to spoil who the killer is or why - because that is the best part of the book. The last few chapters of the book, as Goldy puts it together and tracks down a killer are well done. I hope that future Goldy Bear Culinary Mysteries are like Chopping Spree and not like this one.
  To sum up, things I didn't like about Double Shot: the protagonist, Gold Schultz, who is now married to a police officer and has solved mysteries for twelve books now, apparently has no idea how to act when victim of a crime herself, doesn't bother to document damage to her business, never calls her insurance company, and thinks the best way to dispose of mice is to shoot them with a .38 handgun. Yeah, that will work. There are other issues - one of the secrets uncovered is a major crime that no one reported at the time, that essentially ruined the lives of several people in the novel, and seriously, exposing the person responsible for the crime, especially as there were witnesses, is a better solution than murder. One of the mustache-twirling villains of the book is a county health inspector, who acts in a very unprofessional and illegal manner, but who also, at one point grabs Goldy and hits her. That's assault. This character did it in front of witnesses. Not only can Goldy have him fired - she can have him arrested. Government employees cannot go around beating up caterers. That's just not how it works. The forest fire in the background really adds to the atmosphere of the story, but I truly wish the author had bothered to do at least some research - because she got everything wrong. Fires in National Forests are fought by the US Forest Service firefighters - some of the best in the world. Fires on state lands are fought by state fire services. Even local fire departments are usually professionals, not volunteers. The fire fighting methods weren't detailed enough or really correct. But on the positive side, once the book gets in to the mystery it moves at a fast clip. the descriptions of food in this book are mouth-watering, it reminds me of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels in that respect. Here's hoping the next one is better.
• 
  Eileen

  This cozy mystery had me thinking of Jessica Fletcher and Cabot Cove, Maine. Goldy Shulz like Jessica seems to attract trouble and watch out anyone who is around either of them you may be next. The murder rate in Cabot Cove and Aspen Meadow must be astronomical. They are always in the midst of things and they work it all out in the end. Goldy has a family though which plays rather heavily in what happens. Her storyline moves forward where Jessica's is always the same.
  Goldy was in fine form in Double Shot. In this one Goldy forged ahead with her catering work despite injuries that would send most of us to the hospital. She discovers her ex-husbands body and must deal with his loss, her son's grief and the fact that she is the main suspect all while trying to solve the crime, cook and cater. Except for the scene when she magically gets the note at the hockey rink, a very important note, hey where did it come from? She does it all and provides us with the recipes. Gotta love her.
• 
  Karen

  DOUBLE SHOT DIANE MOTT DAVIDSON
  This is a story with one dead man, too many suspects with too many motives. That’s what happens when one person invokes anger in pretty much everyone he knows. Goldy is the first suspect as it was her gun but as the story unfolds we as readers find out there were loads of people gunning for him.
  Mixed in with murder and mayhem was a lot of cooking. I gain ten pounds reading her books but I can’t resist. I found a who and why done it compelling as it keeps me on my toes as a reader. The book was appetizing as the recipes in it. I give kudos to the sleuthing chef and give the book a definite 5 star rating.
  
• 
  Barb

  Best-selling author Diane Mott Davidson is the diva of the culinary cozy, and here, she returns with everybody's favorite sleuth, Goldy. This time, Goldy's just arrived at her new catering center to prepare for a special luncheon when she's attacked and knocked unconscious. When Goldy comes to, she suspects her abusive ex-husband Korman was somehow involved—until later that day when he's found dead!
  Keeps you on the edge of your seat. You won't know till the last minute who dunit. 5 stars.
  
• 
  Michelle

  This was one of her best. In truth I was getting board with the series. How many bodies can one person discover. And the family dynamic with her ex as the constant pain in the ass was getting old to. But this book brought me back with avengance. It is even a great book for someone who has not read the series. Kudos to you Diane.
• 
  Karin

  Very captivating cozy with humor involved. If you like cozies and recipes, I highly recommend.
• 
  Michelegg

  Another good Goldy mystery. Lots of yummy food and a good tale. I enjoyed this one.
• 
  Paula

  When her ex-husband was murdered the police suspected Goldy. Come to find out, lots of people did not like her ex!
• 
  Andie

  Picked up this series again because reading a quickie perks up my reading interest. This cozy mystery about Goldy the caterer was especially fun with The Jerk & the family drama!
• 
  Jan

  Nice, easy read though I wasn't captivated by this book
• 
  Jennifer Robb

  I've read several in the series but I'm not always sure I've read them in order. In fact, I thought they'd changed the series name to Goldy Schultz or just Goldy.
  
  Double shot apparently refers to Goldy's consumption of coffee--despite the fact that she's trying to "cut down", it seems every time we turned around, she had a double shot of espresso that she was drinking.
  
  This book was a little too soap-opera-ish for my taste. I can't quite figure out how John Richard Korman manages to have had relationships with over 50 women given how boorish his character is in the scenes we see him in in these books. Why would any woman want to go out with that?
  
  You've got a teenager who gets pregnant and gets sent away, a different teenager who's raped, a nurse who doesn't say anything because she figures she'll get fired if she accuses a doctor,and a whole host of other characters who almost seem to be caricatures.
  
  The premise seems to be wearing a bit thin. Goldy seems to feel that she, and only she (with a little help from Tom), is the only one who can solve a mystery. Why even bother to have a police department then? Why not just get Goldy to give up catering and take over solving all the mysteries and crimes that occur in Aspen Meadows? I mean, why would you want to hire a caterer who has dead bodies turn up at some of her events and in other cases, around her? I think I'd find a different caterer--even if I had to pay extra to get someone in from the "big city".