The Cereal Murders (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #3) by Diane Mott Davidson

The Cereal Murders (A Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery, #3) Reviews

• 
  James

  Book Review
  3 of 5 stars to
  The Cereal Murders, the third book in the "Goldy Bear Culinary" mystery series, published in 1993 and written by
  Diane Mott Davidson. I'm a fan of this series, enjoying the charming antics of the cozy little town, the delicious-sounding recipes and the mystery fun each book includes. Another good installment in the series, it falls somewhere in the middle range of best and worst, nothing to extraordinary but nothing much of fault.
  
  Focused on the intensity of college preparation, the students at Elk Prep, where Goldy's son, Arch, goes to school, are preparing for college. Goldy's sort of adopted son, Julian, is a senior there and is suddenly suspected when the school valedictorian is found murdered at a dinner. He wasn't well liked, but Goldy discovers a web of secrets he was hiding. Then a teacher is murdered and Goldy's starting to fear for her own life, especially when she's uncovering more and more unexpected dirt. Her relationship with Tom Schultz moves forward as they investigate the case. The highlight: Julian. He's always been my favorite character, and I admit, I might have a small crush on him. Ha!
  
  Usual cozy fun. A few red herrings. A town connected underneath the surface. Marla looks out for Julian at some point. Even Arch is glad to be part of the process. Plus, who doesn't love some cereal for a meal?
  
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• 
  Angela

  a little paragraph that just made me so happy!! from page 38
  
  "He reached into the front pocket of his sweatshirt and pulled the rock out. So much for fingerprints. But the rock was tennis-ball-size and jagged. It probably wouldn't have held a print anyway."
  
  As a real life CSI, it gets old when books/movies/tv shows all indicate that prints CAN and ARE pulled off everything from glass to oranges to rocks. In real life, it just doesn't happen. Nice to see it in a book :-)
  
  Another win for the Goldy series. Just a good little mystery, and I didn't see the ending coming. After it got spelled out, I was like -- well of course -- but I didn't see it before that.
• 
  Debbie Zapata

  Jan 31, 845am ~~ Review asap. No reading today, I have three reviews to write! Whew!
  
  Jan 31, 1145am ~~ Getting into a good university can be murder.
  
  Literally.
  
  Goldy Bear is on duty again in this third book in the series. The fancy schmancy prep school in her town of Aspen Meadow is grooming its seniors for their SAT tests, and Goldy is hired to provide the food for various meetings between students, parents, and officials of the school.
  
  But at the end of the very first one, the highest ranked student in the class is found dead.
  
  Found by Goldy, of course.
  
  This begins a chain of events that ultimately proves that people go a little crazy when faced with college options.
  
  And at least in this book, more than a few sets of parents are more stressed than the students. I would not have believed any of this plausible if not for the recent scandals over this very topic. But whether in a book or in Real Life, how terribly depressing for any parents to have such little faith in their children's abilities that they feel they have to stoop to such idiotic moves as paying for good scores, lying on applications, or even murder.
  
  Well, anyway, this was a quick read and was interesting enough to keep me going, even when I could see The Author's Formula appearing. Goldy is catering an event, Goldy find a body, Goldy gets told by her policeman/maybe boyfriend to pay attention and keep snooping, etcetera up to the end when It All Becomes Clear to Goldy. It's all just so.....cozy.
  
  But annoying as well. I usually avoid reading any lengthy series because I get distracted by the predictability of the patterns in them.
  
  I must remind any readers of this review that Mystery is not my chosen genre. I am reading these books to fulfill a promise to my Mom, who devoured them all and has been asking for at least a year when I would be reading them. Anyone who enjoys the genre more than I do might be very entertained by Goldy Bear and her capers.
  
  
  
• 
  Cyndi

  There is a fine line between sarcasm and bitchy, Goldie crosses the line too often. It was hard to get into the mystery when I was weary of all her griping. None of the characters grabbed me, but the story was still interesting.
  We have an exclusive school of rich children with parents ready to do whatever it takes to get their offspring into the best colleges. From bribes to murder and everything in between.
  So even though I didn’t like the heroine and felt that the side characters never fleshed out, the story was interesting.
  
• 
  Denise Spicer

  Caterer Goldy Bear gets caught up in the murder of a high school student who attends Elk Park Prep School. While busily catering for friends and acquaintances in the prep school/town circle, she manages to assist friend/homicide inspector Tom Schulz in the investigation. Interesting characters make this a fun read with recipes interspersed throughout the text.
• 
  Amy the book-bat

  I wished I liked Goldy as a character better. She tends to grate on my nerves.
• 
  Erica Chaillot

  Interesting audiobook. Enjoyable characters and a fun plot. Recommend
• 
  Jonathan

  Though this book suffered from a slow start, it soon sped up and became an entertaining read that I couldn't wait to finish,
  
  I had read the last book in this series in December of last year, so it took me a while to get reaquainted with the characters, but after I warmed up to them they were fun! Goldy is blunt, funny, and fiercely protective of those around her, but yet Ms. Davidson shows that Goldy isn't perfect in multiple instances throughout the book. I especially loved reading more about the school Julian and Arch go to and I thought the author portrayed the cut-throat way academics are in some schools wonderfully.
  
  The mystery was good, there was a couple of abstract clues through the book that you don't pick up on until the end and the killer took me by surprise.
  
  Overall a very enjoyable read. The Cereal Murders gets 4/5 stars!
• 
  Andrea Kelly

  Engaging mysteries, and fun recipes! The only thing I don't like about these books are her relationship with her son, and the fact that characters who are considered "good friends" seem to appear and disappear at random! Otherwise I recommend them, they definitely suck you in.
• 
  Thereadingbell

  When Denver caterer Goldy Bear takes on a catering job at her son's school she has no idea whats in store for her. It comes as a surprise to discover how worried the Seniors at Elk Park Prep School are about their grade point averages. Its an even bigger surprise to discover the extremes some of the parents are going to in order to get their offspring into ivy league schools. The evening came to a disruptive end when several parents got into arguments with each other. Unfortunately the parental spats weren't the worse part of the evening. As Goldy was taking out the trash, she literally stumbled into the body of the class valedictorian.
  Goldy decides to do some investigating on her own after she happens on to the body of a murdered teacher during another catering job at the school. She discovers that spats are breaking out among the parents but some have been bribing teachers and college admissions representatives.
  Also, someone is playing dangerous pranks on her family. At first its difficult to pin point the target of these pranks.
  
  This is a really good cozy mystery. I will be reading more from this author. I really enjoyed this one and I really like Goldy.
• 
  Connie N.

  #3 in the Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series
  
  This series is getting better and better. I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could. This was my favorite so far, probably because it was more than a cozy mystery. It also included some romance (with Tom Schultz), some chick lit (with Julian's and Arch's school issues), as well as foodie fiction. I love hearing about Goldy's menus and catering jobs--Davidson makes it seem so fun and casual while still being very professional. This time Goldy is involved with a murder of a student at the school, with everyone getting intense about SAT's and college applications. Julian is a senior so is in the middle of all of the action. Barbara Rosenblatt really does an excellent job voicing Goldy, and Schulz has a nice low sexy drawl too. I particularly enjoy her emphasis and enthusiastic narration style. She really adds to my enjoyment.
• 
  Karen

  I have read most of this series, so was glad to see on my list that I have a few I have missed and can still read for the first time. Goldy Bear, caterer extraordinaire, never fails to entertain.....in so many ways! This is a very good series, a favorite of mine, with great characters and plots that you have to work hard at to figure out before the "bad guy" is revealed. That is not always easy, which is a plus to me!
• 
  Shelby Bagby

  reread
• 
  Christine

  This was a quick read in the Goldy Bear series. The mystery was good and I enjoyed catching up with the characters.
• 
  Lisa B.

  I listened to the audiobook. The story is well written and the narrator for this audio version makes it very entertaining.
• 
  Chanel Sharp

  This school sure causes a lot of murder. We know it is only the second book, but Goldie is cleaning up after cater event at her son's and renter's prep school. As she is bringing stuff out to the car, she see's a body laying in the newly fallen snow and goes over to see who is laying passed out in the snow. Only to find that it is dead. The murder victim is the alumni of the prep school. Goldie calls the police and learns from Tom that the boy was killed using electric cord. As Goldie and Tom try to figure out why the prep school boy was killed they come across a whole host of snobby rich parents who are trying everything to get their children into top college's. The question is which of these parent's would kill to get their child into a top college.
  Goldie relationship with Tom progress very nicely. They start by telling us they have been spending time together and continue on with shopping how much he has started to become part of her life and how much he gets along with her son.
  Secondly Mom and I how love how much her renter cares about her and how much he intern cares about her. Though mom and I both found it a little weird hen Goldie comes home to find he has been drinking and smoking.
  Over all this book was a fun ride and just made mom and I want to continue on in the series.
• 
  Sheila Burke

  I really enjoyed this book! This was my first Diane Mott Davidson book, and I was pleasantly surprised at how creative her story was. The mystery kept me guessing throughout. I really wished that my library had the first two books of this series, because it would have been nice to have a backstory to explain the presence of different characters in Goldie's life. Very worth the time to read, with a fabulous bonus of all of the recipes that were mentioned throughout the book.
• 
  Kate

  Not a bad series mystery, and the recipes are pretty good for the recipe-mystery publishing craze, but even Barbara Rosenblat couldn’t make me appreciate a book with characters so sharply Good or Evil. A relic of its time, with a topic (the tyranny of grades and testing) that has only gotten worse since its publication.
• 
  Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ...

  The best thing about this little cozy mystery was the fact that it is set in Denver and so many places mentioned are familiar to this Colorado girl.
  
  Quick, fun, easy read. As expected.
• 
  Genie

  When Denver caterer Goldy Bear takes on a catering job at her son's school she has no idea whats in store for her. It comes as a surprise to discover how worried the Seniors at Elk Park Prep School are about their grade point averages. Its an even bigger surprise to discover the extremes some of the parents are going to in order to get their offspring into ivy league schools. The evening came to a disruptive end when several parents got into arguments with each other. Unfortunately the parental spats weren't the worse part of the evening. As Goldy was taking out the trash, she literally stumbled into the body of the class valedictorian.
  Goldy decides to do some investigating on her own after she happens on to the body of a murdered teacher during another catering job at the school. She soon discovers that not only are spats breaking out among the parents but some have been bribing teachers and college admissions representatives.
  To further complicate matters, someone is playing dangerous pranks on her family. At first its difficult to pin point the target of these pranks. It could be Goldy herself, her son (a 7th-grader at the school) or her catering helper / live-in student (and a senior) at the school.
  This light, enjoyable mystery is topped off with the recipes for the foods that play a major role in the story.
• 
  Cheryl Gatling

  I think it was the cover of the audiobook that attracted my attention: a skull made out of Cheerios. It was creepy, yet kind of cute. I think that was a good summary of the story. There are actual serious murders, and actual real danger, but the narration is almost funny.
  
  The story takes place at a private prep school. The valedictorian is found murdered on the night of the first college advisory meeting, which Goldy caters. It becomes clear that stress about getting into the right college is consuming the lives of these students and their parents. Goldy goes among them, as she caters all their events, but she is not quite of them, which gives her the opportunity to observe and critique.
  
  And she does. Goldy is a warm-hearted, approachable woman, but she harbors a dry wit, and she skewers the pretensions of her rich, snobby neighbors in spot-on descriptions. She shows them up to be silly and selfish, and I enjoyed that wry voice more than the action of the murder mystery. But still, would one of these people, even a silly and selfish person, actually kill to get into a top college? That is the question. And while we are solving it, Goldy, who is self-supporting, has to go on working, and that means whipping up new menus of tasty food, recipes included.
• 
  Sarah Sammis

  The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson is the third of the Goldy Bear Culinary mysteries. As with the other books in the series, I chose to listen to the audio, performed by Barbara Rosenblat.
  
  Goldy's son Arch is still attending Elk Park Prep. As Goldy can't afford to give huge financial gifts to the school like other parents can, she is expected / coerced / guilt-tripped into catering school events. Her latest one: the College Advisory Dinner for seniors and parents. That's all well and good until the school's valedictorian is found beaten to death and buried in the snow.
  
  He is but the first body in this book as tension mounts over college applications and acceptance letters. This is a school that prides itself on getting its students into the very best and the pressure placed on students, parents and teachers results in a collective insanity.
  
  As I have family members who are teachers, I hear the horror stories. Thankfully for my relatives, nothing they've experienced comes close to violence Goldy faces: poisonous spiders in kitchen drawers, a stopped up chimney and a near strangulation.
• 
  Erin

  Enjoyed it. Can't wait to try a few of the recipes.
  
  Was horribly annoyed by most of the parents, but then that could be because I didn't experience them at all in my own final years of High School.
  The character of Audrey Coopersmith was the most annoying character in the entire book. If she had been my parent, I would have disowned her.
  
  Actually none of the secondary characters were likable in any regard. I felt no sympathy or empathy for any of them.
  
  I do look forward to reading the next one.
• 
  Candace

  I especially love this author's cozy mysteries because they're set up in our mountains where I like to pretend I live, but don't, due to my terror of mountainous snow-driving. This one was extra fun because parts of it took place here in Denver at The Tattered Cover bookstore, a beloved institution. In fact, I enjoyed that aspect so much that I had to go back there and buy books.
• 
  Yvonne Mendez

  I've read several of Goldy's murder-mystery books and though I always try to figure out who-did-it, the end is a surprise to me! I've been close in guessing, one day I might get it! Thanks to these books I know I would never be in catering, seems like way too much work.
• 
  SherryRose

  Nice audio narration. I like the down to earth personality of Goldie. 3.5 stars. I could have done without her love life. Did she have to keep telling us that it had been awhile since she had sex and she liked it? She's engaged now so in the next book maybe she'll lay off on it. I like her though
• 
  Rosemary

  I have read some of the later books in this series and decided to start at the beginning to have a better understanding of how things have evolved over time. This is book 3. The narrator is Goldie, a caterer. These are light mysteries filled with wonderful descriptions of food. A cozy listen.