Cozy culinary mystery novels are increasingly popular, and nobody writes them better than Diane Mott Davidson. Her protagonist, Colorado caterer Goldy Bear Schultz, combines culinary prowess (complete with delicious recipes) with being a soccer mom and a part-time sleuth. That she's married to a local sheriff's deputy ensures that she's always in the middle of any local mayhem.
Dark Tort Summary
Dark Tort, the 13th in the Goldy Bear series, refers to both a legal wrong (a tort) and a sinful chocolate confection (a torte). Goldy gets involved when she trips over a young friend and neighbor's body while lugging supplies to a catering gig at a local lawyers' office, where the dead girl works. That the girl, Dusty Routt, comes from a struggling family that sometimes has had to accept charity and that the managing partner in the law office is one of the tony suburb's leading benefactors helps to bring out the smoldering class division in Goldy's Aspen Meadows community.
The plot revolves around a recently deceased prominent local painter and friend of Goldy’s – Charlie Baker. His paintings, which depict culinary delights with a list of ingredients in stylish calligraphy, have increased dramatically in value in recent years... and Dusty was involved in cataloging his estate. As Goldy pokes around the circumstances surrounding the murder, at Dusty’s distraught and mistrusting mother’s request, Goldy finds danger enveloping her and the people close to her.
Dark Tort - A Good Read?
Past Goldy mystery readers will find lots of familiar characters and a couple of new ones. New readers will enjoy Davidson’s friendly well-developed characters and fluid writing style. Dark Tort is tasty indeed.
