The third installment of the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series by Shawn Reilly Simmons, Murder on a Designer Diet, where Penelope finds herself excited about a big job coming up. However, when she gets a late night phone call from her best friend’s brother, Max, things don’t seem as nice, since he becomes the most viable suspect in the murder of an influential model.

As is most series, most of the characters are likeable, especially the protagonist, Penelope. Some are, however, more likeable than others. The characters are the catalyst to the unexpected scenarios, and Simmons does an excellent job. She is a good storyteller, and doesn’t give too many clues throughout to give away the dénouement.

The story combines catering and movies, which is a great combination to make a good story. Those of us who enjoy culinary mysteries welcome the foodie aspects. I do wish there were recipes included at the end, but the novel is a fast and fun read even without.

All told, this novel is a fast and fun cozy that has no blatant violence, no sex, and no profanity which makes it a good one for all ages. Having read one of the previous novels, I will now be picking up the other to enjoy reading this excellent series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This is the third book in the Red Carpet Catering mystery series. The series sleuth is a caterer for movie and television sets. It’s an interesting twist in the cozy mystery genre and provides a peek into the backstage of making movies, etc.

Penelope Sutherland is the owner and catering chef of Red Carpet Catering. She and her crew have taken a short job on an Indy film in New York City. The hours are difficult and sporadic as some days (or nights rather) they work until dawn.

She and her homicide detective Joey, are guests at a fashion show for men and spend a wonderful evening together. Things go completely haywire after Penelope received a muffled telephone call in the early hours of the next day. She is worried that her best friend Arlena’s brother, Max, is in trouble and convinces Joey that they must go investigate.

Things go from bad to worse in quick order and ends up with the two of them potentially being arrested in connection with a murder.

While the relationship between Joey and Penelope continues to grow and mature, I was sorry to see so little of Joey in this book. On the other hand, the surprise ending was not something I expected.

The whodunnit and the whydunnit were interesting and unusual for me. This series has improved with each book. I have enjoyed them all but I am really getting caught up in the characters. For that reason, I recommend reading the books in order.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Synopsis

Penelope’s life revolves around cooking and keeping her Red Carpet Catering business afloat, and she’s just landed a hearty new job for her and her staff. Just when Penelope thinks life couldn’t be sweeter, a panicked late-night phone call from Max, her best friend’s brother, ends abruptly with shots fired on his end. Her relationship with her police boyfriend as sturdy as a soup sandwich, because of his involvement. Penelope hopes to resolve it and get her boyfriend out of hot water.

Book Review

The main reason I liked this book is because the boyfriend was depicted in a realistic manner. He was investigated because of his involvement in a situation that totally outside of his jurisdication. This is a good reminder that cozy mysteries the main character doesn't have a set of rules that they must follow. That touch really enhance the story and brought it home. It is a great read!