This was a wonderfully wacky cozy mystery with a main character who has relatives who've been on both sides of the law. Mia is running a legit catering hall during the Christmas holidays where she has to wrangle teenagers, animals, and a wayward employee. But, when her mother comes to town and a body is found in a holiday display, Mia has to figure out what happened before someone else tries to destroy her Christmas holidays.
This story had a plot that drew me in and I didn't want to stop reading until I found out whodunnit. I loved the setting and the way the author described the weather. It made me feel like I was right there next to Mia. I will look forward to the next one in this series. I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico (Catering Hall Mystery #3) 5 stars

Greetings, it is a most wonderful time of the year since there is another Catering Hall Mystery to be read, enjoyed and leave a reader wishing for more (P.S there will be another one soon). This book has everything, a smart main character, the New York version of The Great Christmas Light Fight, an extreme sweet sixteen party, the local mob boss, + family issues, and a dead body buried underneath an outdoor Santa's Wonderland display.

We find Mia Carina extremely busy running the Catering Hall during the holidays. She is unexpectedly called in to deal with a personal family matter for Donny Boldano, the local mob boss. Like anybody associated with "The Family", even on the periphery, Mia knows to not dawdle. Secrets are revealed and it looks like someone is trying to worm their way into the Family. During a tour of the neighborhood decorative displays, Mia notices feet sticking out under a decoration. It is the worm that was trying to connect with The Family. Mia has her hands full trying to figure out the real culprit and keep the Boldano's from arrest.

Not only was this an intriguing mystery with multiple suspects (included the Boldano's), it was also a laugh out loud situation with scenes that had dialogue you could see on the screen. I thought the spa scene was hilarious. I really enjoyed Mia's interactions with her grandmother and her kind of introverted flirting with Shane, a fellow employee. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

It's the Christmas season in Astoria, Queens and Mia Carina is busy with clients at the Belle View catering hall as well as big problems affecting her family and friends. Mia's estranged mother Gia has returned and her best Jamie Boldano is shocked to learn he is adopted. Jamie is so angry that he dumps his family and girlfriend Madison and starts hanging out with Lorenzo who claims to be his long-lost brother. But before the brothers can celebrate, Lorenzo's body is found in a Santa’s-workshop lawn display near Mia's house. When DNA proves that Lorenzo was a con artist, the Boldano family asks for Mia's help to find the killer and reunite their fractured family.

Mia's grandmother Elisabetta's rivalry with her nemesis Jacinta for winning the best Christmas decorations on their street ramps up big time and is hilarious.

This was another fun read in the Catering Hall mystery series.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Another fun addition to the Catering Hall mysteries - this one with festive yule tide fun, plenty of Italian curse words and a dead body.

Mia Carina is pleased at how well her business, Belle View, is doing, not only because it keeps her father in a legit business on the right side of the Family but because she is proud that she has managed to build a successful business. The Boldano F(f)amily, who owns Belle View, gets an unexpected visit from their son Jamie's "long-lost brother," raising the questions of Jamie's parentage. It is clear the brother is a fraud to nearly everyone and when he turns up dead, there is no shortage of suspects including the Baldanos. Mia is determined to solve the crime and take the blame off her friends.

The cast of characters in this book is what really makes it wonderful. Mia, her grandmother Elisabetta and the gang at Belle View makes you want to pull up a chair and hang out with the group. Elisabetta's rivalry with several blocks for the best Christmas decorations is hilarious, especially when she works on corrupting their new neighbors to abandon their simple white lights in favor of something, well, flashier. I am a big fan of Maria DiRico (aka Ellen Byron) and her knack for making her settings come alive for the reader and put you smack in the action. Cannot wait for another in this series!

The 3rd installment in the Catering Hall Mystery series find Astoria Queens decorated to the nines and Mia Carina busy as all get out-but she needs to find time to find out who left a body amongst the elves in a lawn display and just who Lorenzo really is.

I liked the solid interesting characters and the premise of a catering hall as the family business. The family’s mafia connections is an entertaining addition to the story.
The whodunit was well written and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Event Planner Mia Carina has her hands full planning two upcoming events at the Belle View Banquet Manor in New York City. She also has to keep her Nonna from going to war with nearby streets over the neighborhood holiday decorating contest. She is also involved in some drama related to the Boldano crime family who back the banquet center as one of their legitimate businesses. When her longtime friend Jamie Boldano is being accused of murder, Mia will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence.

This book is the third one in this delightful series. I really like the behind the scenes look at the events Mia is in charge of. The organized crime element is handled with a light touch and creates a unique backdrop for so many interesting situations. As I was reading I kept thinking that Mia and her Nonna would give Stephanie Plum and her grandmother a run for their money in the situations they find themselves in.

There is a lot going on in this book, almost too much. In addition to her job, Mia has to juggle developments in her own family as well as helping her good friend, Jamie. I kept getting the different suspects mixed up which distracted me from the overall story. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. The friendship Mia formed with her teenage client was touching. I liked Mia’s estranged mother, Gia, much more than I had expected. I also like the promise of romance between Mia and her employee Shane, who had once modeled in Italy. There are also just enough Italian words and phrases included in the book to give the book authenticity without interrupting the flow of the story. I like the book and the series and am curious to find out what is next for Mia and Shane as well as the entire Carina family.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Mia is busy with events at the catering hall. When Jamie is approached by a man claiming to be his biological brother, things go from bad to worse with the Family. Mia tries to help them communicate, but when the new brother winds up dead in the Christmas display next to Nonna's house, Mia is quickly drawn in. Lots of action and plenty of humor in this story. The holidays add an extra level of craziness at the hall, so be prepared! Great characters and a good plot carry this third book in the series.

This is the 3rd in the delightful "Catering Hall Mystery" series by cozy author Maria DiRico. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

I loved this charming Christmas theme next in series. The author has beautifully described Christmas decorating, celebrating and food . Mia has her hands full this Christmas with a outlandish catering party for a overindulged teen, decorating for the seasonal lights competition and dealing with her estranged Mother who has now arrived. The arrival of her long lost Mother has upset her entire family. Her friend Jaime has his challenges in this book which Mia must help him with with some super sleuthing. Add in a dead body and Mia has to investigate and solve the mystery and manage her Christmas responsibilities with her large family. .

I loved the humor, the charcters and the Christmas theme. This was such a fun introduction to the Christmas seasonal. reading. I highly recommend this book for all fans of this fun series and those who love Christmas theme cozies. Very well done to the author !

Thank you NetGalley, Maria DiRico and Kensington Books for the ARC of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder. This is my personal review.
This is book three of the Catering Hall Mystery series.
Mia is as busy as ever with running the catering hall with her father. They are extra busy with the holidays coming up. She tries to do it all and then with some family drama tossed things are piling up. Just when Mia thinks there can be nothing else her mother shows up. And to add to it her friend is now dealing with some shocking things with her family.
Mia then has a murder tossed into things and this all makes for one fantastic cozy to read.
I can only tell you to pick up this cozy mystery and if you haven’t read the first two in this series grab those too! You will be so glad you did.

Can we all just stop and appreciate the clever title on this third installment of the Catering Hall Mysteries?

As we all know Christmas can be stressful. Mia is busy with the business. And the jobs she has lined up are not your typical parties. Sweet sixteen drama queen? Check. First-time parents looking to recreate the nativity scene? Check. Enough said. They are swamped. And to make it even more fun…her mother shows up! Oh my goodness I didn’t foresee that.

When Jamie finds out some news that rocks his world, Mia is there for him. While Jamie sulks and ignores his own family for this guy who is so obviously not his brother, Mia can only be patient and dig for more information.

When a body turns up by the neighbor’s Santa Workshop, Mia and her friends go all out to find out who the killer is. Which could end up getting her killed.

This is one of my favorite series. I love every single character. Each one is unique and funny in some way. I hope we will see a new one soon!

NetGalley/October 26th, 2021 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

The Catering Hall mysteries are great! The setting, including the capital-F Families, really add to the atmosphere. The characters feel authentic and down-to-earth, and that's why I continue to read this series.

This third book in the Catering Hall series is fun. In this Christmas-themed book, Mia Carina, part of an Italian family in an Italian neighborhood in Queens, NY, is working at as an event planner for a banquet facility run by her father for the leading organized crime family.

The characters are absolutely marvelous, so much so that I want to go back ASAP and read the first two books in the series, as well as any forthcoming books.

This delightful holiday mystery is highly recommended!!

Is the holiday season supposed to be fun? Mia Carina has to ask herself this in the third installment of Maria DiRico’s Catering Hall Mysteries. Estranged and incarcerated relatives crashing the holiday in the Carina household would have been plenty for Mia to deal with but add in her friend Jamie Boldano’s family drama and it’s Christmas ala murder. Throw in an inappropriate crush on her employee, Shane, from yet another mobbed up family, and two events at the catering hall to survive before she can take a breath and enjoy the Christmas season.

There's nothing like some Italian family drama at Christmas, along with an evil eye curse over Christmas decorations to bring a smile to your face and a twinkle to your eye! This is book 3 in the Catering Hall Mystery series, and the follow up to Long Island Iced Tina. Once again Mia is dealing with drama in her family life and at work, and both are making her sweat and loose her mind! Then a body turns up in the block Christmas light display and things go from bad to really worse, as secrets long held come out and cause havoc. It's part chick lit, part cozy, and a whole lotta fun! Don't miss this series!

It was good to hang out again with Mia and friends. I love some of the parties that the Belle View holds. They go all out for their clients. I could picture all those Christmas lights that adorned all those wonderful houses. I love Christmas lights anyway. I loved the storyline in this book and the characters. Oh my, there are some real characters! Some will make you laugh and others may make you shake your head or roll your eyes. I love Nonna (Elisabetta). She has her character part down pat. I can’t wait to see what adventures await these wonderful folks. You will also find some yummy recipes and an event tip at the end of the story. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Though I haven't read the first 2 books in this series it was easy to jump straight into this.

I love a Christmas book and a cosy crime Christmas book is my favourite. This was a real delight to read. The story itself was very enjoyable but for me the real gems were the characters and the setting.

A very enjoyable read which I highly recommend.

I like this series very much. This book has great plots along with Christmas fun! I liked most of the characters but found that I had no interest in learning who the murderer was.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Maria DiRico continues the high standards she has set in the third book in the Catering Hall Mysteries, It is Beginning to Look a lot Like Murder. It is a few days before Christmas and Mia Carina is very busy planning the ultimate Sweet 16 party for a very nervous teenager, a first birthday party where the proud parents want to have a living nativity for their miracle baby, plus the over-the-top neighborhood Christmas decorating competition that obsesses her Nonna. To really add to Mia's stress her estranged mother, Gia, "comes home" and her friend Jamie Boldano is shocked and hurt to discover he is adopted when his long-lost "brother" Lorenzo shows up. When Lorenzo's body is found in a Christmas display Mia tries to helped the Boldanos find the murder from many suspects.
Another murder, a birthday party saved by a baby goat, collecting the clues and possibly connecting with her hunky coworker keep Mia busy all through this well written book. Hopefully #4 is coming quickly! Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an arc copy.
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Oh boy, Maria DiRico has done it again! It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder is a great cozy mystery that you must read.

Mia Carina has a full plate during the Christmas holidays. when a body is found in Santa's workshop lawn display. Mia puts on her amateur sleuthing cap and goes to work to find out who is the guilty party.

A very well-crafted character and fun storyline make this a must-read cozy mystery.