Rating: 
Summary: A great book in a delicious culinary mystery series
Review: The Jerk has been charged with murder and his ex, Goldy Schulz, ownerof Goldilock's Catering and a former victim of spousal abuse, thinks he isvery capable of having killed his girl friend, Suz Craig. Still Dr. John Korman is the father of her teenage child and though Goldy thinks he deserves punishment for his crimes to women, the amateur sleuth agrees to investigate the case. Goldy quickly learns that the deceased was the regional vice president of Astute Care HMO that recently purchased her former husband's medical practice. Suz controlled whether John deserved a bonus payment, cash he might soon need depending on the results of a malpractice suit filed against him (by one of Goldy's clients). Though the evidence continues to stack up against John, Goldy realizes that other people had motive and opportunity to have killed the hated Suz, who ruthlessly mistreated many people in business and play. Now all she has to do is prove who actually did it before she becomes their next course. The insight into the lead protagonist's character (especially from the perspective of her teenager and her ex-spouse) adds dimension to Goldy. The use of real events effecting the Colorado backdrop (such as the local hockey team's Stanley Cup victory two years ago) adds a touch of authenticity. However, THE GRILLING SEASON is not for those who like a lot of spice in their meals because, like most culinary mysteries, the story line simmers very slowly. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Another good read by Diane Mott Davidson
Review: Goldy's latest adventure is once again laced with wonderful sounding recipes and a mystery that I didn't quite have figured out till the very end. But Grilling Season is not up to par with Davidson's previous books. I missed the frequent interactions with the town's interesting characters. This story was heavily preoccupied with Goldy and the abusive Jerk; missing was humor and joy in Goldy's life. I wanted more of Tom and Marla and even the town's cigarette smoking/Jolt drinking "investigative reporter". And we were tantalizing introduced to some new characters only to never return to them (I hope to see more of Amy). And what is it with Arch!? Why does Goldy - wonderful, caring mother that she is - allow him to verbally berate her that way?! But by all means read this latest installment by Davidson; I'm looking forward to the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: OK but not her best
Review: I've come late to this series and I'm trying to read them in order. On the whole I've enjoyed them and the characters, but I think Arch needs an attitude adjustment and Golda needs to get some backbone...I have never been abused so maybe the victim mentality continues forever but Arch seems to be turning into a manipulator who knows all the right buttons to push. This is probably too harsh a criticism for a book that is over all a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A great book in a delicious culinary mystery series
Review: The Jerk has been charged with murder and his ex, Goldy Schulz, owner
of Goldilock's Catering and a former victim of spousal abuse, thinks he is
very capable of having killed his girl friend, Suz Craig. Still Dr. John
Korman is the father of her teenage child and though Goldy thinks he
deserves punishment for his crimes to women, the amateur sleuth agrees to
investigate the case.
Goldy quickly learns that the deceased was the regional vice president
of Astute Care HMO that recently purchased her former husband's medical
practice. Suz controlled whether John deserved a bonus payment, cash he
might soon need depending on the results of a malpractice suit filed
against him (by one of Goldy's clients). Though the evidence continues to
stack up against John, Goldy realizes that other people had motive and
opportunity to have killed the hated Suz, who ruthlessly mistreated many
people in business and play. Now all she has to do is prove who actually
did it before she becomes their next course.
The insight into the lead protagonist's character (especially from the
perspective of her teenager and her ex-spouse) adds dimension to Goldy. The use of real events effecting the Colorado backdrop (such as the local
hockey team's Stanley Cup victory two years ago) adds a touch of
authenticity. However, THE GRILLING SEASON is not for those who like a lot
of spice in their meals because, like most culinary mysteries, the story
line simmers very slowly.
Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Enough of the JERK! Enough of the series.
Review: It was all I could do to listen to all of this book. As far as I am concerned Ms. Davidson goes over the top in this book in her treatment of the JERK and his rampages. He could show up far less often in this book to far better effect. So intensly mean and abusive is he that I had to turn off the tape and take a break from his tirades. For those who have not read it I will not say weather we see the last of him here. But in more recent books the adolescent Arch seems to take more and more after him. It is for that reason I will read no futher in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Hockey pucks and "Babsie" dolls
Review: Hard-working caterer Goldy Schulz still manages to put her recipes together and deliver food to her clients while pondering whether her ex-husband, John Robert Korman, alias "the Jerk", has murdered his girlfriend. This is the seventh of the excellent culinary mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson, and the pacing, the plot, and the well-drawn characters, most of all plucky, likable Goldy, will draw you in. Like all Davidson's books, this one is a satisfying read, especially for women. The inner lives of the people involved are convincingly and sympathetically presented, and the relationships she describes seem authentic. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: good but....
Review: I like this seiries of books but was not real happy with this particular one. The recipes, as always, are terrific, but the dynamics between Arch and Goldy makes me want to point somebody in the direction of family counseling. The plot of the story is that it appears that Goldy's abusive exhusband has murdered his current girlfriend. Arch, her son, gets angry because he feeld Goldy and Tom don't want to help the "Jerk". This seems a bit difficult to swallow because I would have thought Arch would have seen the after effects of Goldy's abuse - the broken thumb, the black eyes, the bruises. You can't hide something like that from a child, they can tell something is going on. So that the "Jerk" would ba a good non-abusive father yet a horrible abusive husband doesn't seem to work for me. Nor does Arch's anger at his mother for what her perceives as her failure to try to clear his father's name. If you're working thru the complete seiries (as I am), you will have to make this stop. I don't think you'll enjoy it as much as the other books, but the recipes may make up for it.
Rating:
Summary: Too spineless
Review: I enjoy all of Diane Mott Davidson's books, but I found this one flawed by the totally unrealistic portrayal of Arch. How many sons would be furious with their mother because their father had abused and possibly killed another woman? And where is Goldy's backbone? She allows Arch to move out of the house to a friend's because he is angry with her. She allows him to berate her for things that are not her fault. She asks permission to speak to him! This is not a healthy mother-son relationship. The same with Maguire. Goldy is supposed to see to it that he eats, since he has lost so much weight from mononucleosis, but whenever Maguire says he doesn't feel like eating, she lets him not eat. As far as I can tell, she does nothing except put food in front of him that he doesn't like, after which he goes to bed. Goldy needs to develop the kind of backbone in dealing with teen-agers that she shows in defying the law on behalf of her friends. Nevertheless I think readers of these mysteries will enjoy The Grilling Season. Just grit your teeth when Arch appears.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely makes you hungry!
Review: This is one of the popular "female mystery solver" series you don't have to follow in sequence. But it doesn't hurt if you do. I think this is her best so far. The characters have by now become really well developed. A couple of her previous books have had moments in which the characters' actions or words didn't quite ring true, but I didn't have that sense in this one. Well paced, very well thought out, satisfying conclusion. It was a little too long for my taste at 400 pages, but amazingly well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Tuna and Suspects on Goldy's Grill
Review: The food is the best part of this entertaining mystery. The dishes all sound irresistible, and food as therapy is well displayed both through cooking and eating. If that were all there was to the book, it would be a five star effort. The story involves Goldy Schulz in some sleuthing when her ex-husband is charged with killing his latest girl friend. On the surface, it looks like he went overboard with his favorite activity of beating up women. Their son, Arch, is horrified and wants to protect and help his Dad. Reluctantly, Goldy tries to do the right thing, even though she cannot stand the vicious creep (referred to as The Jerk in the book). Unfortunately, Ms. Davidson chooses to turn Goldy into a punching bag for physical and mental abuse throughout the often-distressing plot. Her ex-husband hurts her, suspects hurt her, and her son treats her like something he stepped in. Now really, enough is enough. We all know that much such abuse occurs every day. I did not see that it advanced the plot or my understanding of it to have the heroine being constantly assaulted. On the other hand, Ms. Davidson's development of the theme is well done. She nicely captures the lassitude and passive cooperation of the victim mentality, and the utter insensitivity of the abusers. The mystery itself involves a sort of HMO gothic, filled with evil careerists who stop at nothing to advance their own ends. Where are the silver stakes when we need them? I thought that the legal aspects of the plot were badly flawed. Goldy is married to a police officer, and she repeatedly acts in ways that compromise the legal case against various suspects. Ms. Davidson needs someone who knows criminal procedure to look these stories over for her. Goldy's marriage would have lasted about 4 minutes if she had done these things as the real wife of a real police officer. Her abuses of the legal process are awful! If you are a devoted Diane Mott Davidson fan, you will probably enjoy the story enough to read it, but it will probably be your least favorite of her books. If you have not yet read her work, I suggest you skip this one and read any of the earlier ones instead. After you finish the book (if you decide to read it), I suggest that you think about how you could use comfort food in a healthy and supportive way to improve your life and the lives of those you love. Bon appetit!
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