A Catered Murder

Sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons run a catering business in their small New York town. When they cater an event at a local bookstore, the store owner is found dead, and the sisters become entangled in solving the crime. The investigation leads them through a web of local characters and possible suspects, from competitive authors to disgruntled employees. While managing their catering commitments and dealing with their retired police chief father's involvement, Bernie and Libby work to uncover the truth. The story combines elements of culinary fiction with traditional mystery, featuring both recipes and detective work. This first book in the series establishes the dynamics between the sisters and their community while presenting a classic whodunit structure with modern sensibilities. The novel explores themes of family loyalty and small-town relationships, demonstrating how personal connections can both help and hinder the search for justice. It sets up the foundation for a series that balances light entertainment with mystery conventions.

Readers found this cozy mystery to have an engaging small-town setting and relatable sisters as main characters. Positive reviews noted the detailed catering elements and food descriptions, with multiple readers mentioning they appreciated learning about the restaurant business. Readers pointed to pacing issues and an overly complex plot as main drawbacks. Some found the number of suspects confusing and the mystery resolution unsatisfying. Multiple reviews criticized the amateur sleuthing as unrealistic, with one reader noting "the sisters make illogical decisions just to advance the plot." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (90+ ratings) Common criticisms: - Too many characters introduced too quickly - Dialogue feels stiff and unnatural - Sisters' investigation methods lack credibility - Several plot threads left unresolved Some readers noted they continued with later books in the series despite issues with this first installment, as the writing improved in subsequent books.

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🔎 "A Catered Murder" is the first book in Isis Crawford's mystery series featuring the Simmons sisters, Bernie and Libby, who run a catering business while solving crimes. 🍽️ The author incorporates authentic recipes throughout the book, allowing readers to recreate dishes mentioned in the story, blending the culinary and mystery genres. ✍️ Isis Crawford is actually a pen name for Barbara Block, who has written numerous other mystery novels under different pseudonyms. 🏆 The book helped establish a new subgenre of cozy mysteries known as "culinary mysteries," which combine amateur sleuthing with food-related themes. 🗽 The story is set in the fictional town of Longely, New York, which the author based on various small towns in New York's Hudson Valley region.