Murder is the Main Course (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery #4)

Author:  Shawn Reilly Simmons
Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781635112061; 9781635112030
Henery Press Publishing
250 Pages
$31/95; $15.95; $4.99 Amazon
March 23, 2017

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Penelope and her Red Carpet Catering crew find themselves transported to a different world when they arrive on their newest movie set in rural Indiana.  Surrounded by prickly locals, a nervous director out to prove herself, and a vast forest with secrets all its own, Penelope feels more homesick for the big city than ever before.  When she finds their host, owner of Indiana's newest culinary hotspot, dead of an apparent suicide, Penelope works to uncover the darker truths boiling beneath the surface of his seemingly perfect life.  Asked to help keep the late chef's restaurant afloat, Penelope is fried trying to juggle two kitchens and a ravenous cast and crew.  When the chef's suicide turns out to be murder, and the restaurant is vandalized in the middle of the night, Penelope must find out who is behind it all before she's the next one on the chopping block.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Penelope Sutherland owns Red Carpet Catering, and she and her crew are in Indiana on a movie shoot, along with her best friend and housemate actress Arlena Madison.  While filming a version of Turn of the Screw, Penelope enters the kitchen early one morning in preparation of making breakfast for everyone, enters the walk-in freezer and finds the hanging body of Jordan Foster -- the chef and owner of the inn where they are staying. 

After calling the police, Penelope notices things that shouldn't be -- like where are Jordan's boots, and the necklace he always wore.  Jordan also owned Festa restaurant, and soon after his death, she's asked by his widow to take over as chef at the restaurant while they search for a replacement.  So Penelope is now tasked with two things - catering on the set and running a restaurant - while she's there, and even though it's keeping her running, she's also not sure the chef committed suicide, and neither is the director of the movie, Jennifer, who was Jordan's longtime friend.

The sheriff insists that things like this don't happen in his small town, but when the kitchen is vandalized early one morning, the evidence points to a local man named Bailey whom Penelope thinks is guilty for everything due to his past record.  But Penelope soon learns that what's on the surface might not be the truth, and only in digging for it can you uncover the mud beneath, and that mud might just get her suffocated out of everything...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have to say that I have enjoyed them all.  It's different in the fact that the protagonist is a chef and a traveling caterer, to boot.  She lives with Arlena as her personal chef, and also she and her crew travel to various movie sites around the world.  It's an interesting concept, and one I've enjoyed highly.

The mystery starts out simply enough -- with a chef who's suspected of committing suicide -- but his childhood friend refuses to believe it.  That's enough to pique Penelope's curiosity, and she soon discovers other things that aren't adding up: the missing boots, missing wine, and a mysterious name keeps popping up on papers she sees.  She also discovers that five teens have gone missing in the last five years in this sleepy town, and she wonders if everything isn't connected, and after exploring a bit, she thinks she might be right.

Helping the story along is an appearance once again by Arlena's charismatic father, actor Randall Madison, her brother Max, and Penelope's cop boyfriend, Joey, who's managed to take some time off to fly out to be with her.  While the story is clearly centered on Penelope's private investigation, there are some light-hearted moments as well which add to the tale.

The mystery is written extremely well, and the actions surrounding the movie set take second place in the story, just as it is meant to do.  There are plenty of false trails that lead you in first one direction and then another, and it is only when you are nearing what Penelope discovers that you also discover the truth.  While I was suspicious of one particular character (and rightly so); another unexpected one was added to the mix.  It gave a surprise that was both unexpected and rather disheartening to know one could be so unfeeling.

When the murder is solved and the killer is revealed, it comes together beautifully like a dish of paella, everything blending nicely and a feeling of satisfaction at the end.  We are also given a hint of things to come, and I will read the next in the series as soon as I can.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Course-Carpet-Catering-Mystery/dp/1635112036/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3243474539

More on Shawn Reilly Simmons's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/shawn-reilly-simmons/

Murder on the Rocks (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery Book 5)

Author:  Shawn Reilly Simmons
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense

Hardcover; Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781635112993; 9781635112962
Henery Press Publishing
268 Pages
$31.93; $15.95; $4.99 Amazon
February 6, 2018

✮✮✮✮✮

After surviving a brazen attack at one of her favorite local cafes, Penelope Sutherland is ready to escape the big city and head to her next film set.  She and her Red Carpet Catering Crew set up their kitchen on location in the tranquil mountains of Vermont.  But peace and quiet aren't on the menu.  It starts to get hot when a series of accidents befall the celebrity tennis pro consulting on the film.  Then mix in an uptight director, an isolated location, and a quirky bunch of locals with secrets of their own and that's a recipe for disaster.  Penelope soon suspects a connection between the cafe attack and the incidents on set, and you know what comes next.  She must uncover the truth before her goose gets cooked.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Penelope Sutherland and her actress friend Arlena decide to have a quiet breakfast at a favorite outdoor cafe, they are joined by Penelope's friend Nadia, a tennis star.  Nadia is going to be a consultant on a new film Arlena is doing, and they think this is the perfect opportunity for the two to get to know each other.  But while everything at first seems to be fine, Penelope notices someone watching them from across the street.  And then suddenly things turn violent - a couple of teenagers in hockey gear start attacking the customers, in an obvious attempt to rob them.  Shaken by the attack and the fact that while she and Arlena are safe, Nadia has been slightly injured, and a friend is dead.

But there's no time to dwell on it - they need to be in Vermont to start filming.  When Penelope arrives, she's not expecting what's to come:  the director Jeremiah (and owner of the place where they're staying) is a somewhat New Age Eco-nightmare.  He's also expecting everyone to begin their day with meditation, not one of Penelope's strong points.

But then she sees the same man she saw outside the cafe, and she begins to think that someone on the crew might have a stalker; she's not dealing well with panic attacks since the incident occurred, and there's no way to reach the outside world except by driving halfway to town - which gives her the one link to her homicide detective boyfriend, Joey.

Penelope soon realizes that things aren't always what they seem, and with trying to keep Jeremiah happy and deal with her own problems, she discovers that something isn't right and someone close to her might be in more danger than she knows...

I really enjoyed reading this book, so much so that I read it in one setting.  I suppose I should explain what I meant about Jeremiah being an "Eco-nightmare".  It's all well and good to want to save the planet, we should all strive for that.  But to expect a hundred people to re-use dishes just isn't practical, especially when a crew of four are the ones who seem to be doing all the cleanup.  I didn't read of anyone else helping out, even though he mentioned 'many hands make quick work'.  Um, not his hands, for sure.  I felt Jeremiah should have hired his own dishwashers to do that much work - and the trade off with how many times you'd have to run a dishwasher to clean that many items just wouldn't be worth it.  It would take hours every night to clean that much.  (Let's face it, you can't put hundreds of items in one or two loads).  They'd have those two dishwashers - not commercial ones, by the way - running constantly, and there are Eco-friendly disposable tableware on the market.  (Sorry - I notice details).

But back to the story - there was plenty of suspense going on, with Penny for the most part cut off from the world and having to figure things out without the ready use of a computer or cell phone.  Her natural curiosity kept her involved in everything around her, from her friends to someone she recently met in town; and watching how she dealt with them, along with her own new found insecurities about what happened was definitely worth the read.

While Joey is trying to find out who's behind the robberies, he discovers another big problem at the police station that needs to be sorted out; and Penelope is trying to figure out who the man is who keeps showing up.  When she finally starts to realize what's going on, it's nearly too late, but Penny has always been able to think fast, which is probably her strongest suit. 

This series has always been quite entertaining, and this latest installment is no different.  The characters are fully dimensional, the plot is always believable, and the story is always realistic.  True to previous books, this one is a suspenseful journey to the truth, and a glimpse into Penny's mindset as she tries to deal with her own trauma.  It is done so well that one cannot help but feel sorry for her personally, and root for her as she handles sudden complications to her standard catering routine while she tries to please her host and get through the shoot.

When the ending comes, it is all convincing and well done; all our questions are answered admirable.  This was indeed a book worth reading, and Ms. Simmons has equaled any of the others she's written.  Highly recommended.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Rocks-Carpet-Catering-Mystery/dp/1635112966/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2280738158

More on Shawn Reilly Simmons's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/shawn-reilly-simmons/

Murder on a Designer Diet (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery Book 3)

Author:  Shawn Reilly Simmons
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook
ISBN #:  9781635110364; 9781635110333
Henery Press
216 Pages
$31.95; $15.95; $4.99
June 7, 2016

Five Stars

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.  The next morning, a handsome model and club promoter turns up dead, and when the police serve up Max as their main suspect, Penelope risks it all to prove his innocence (and find him before the police do).  With her relationship as sturdy as a soup sandwich and her own life being threatened, it's up to Penelope to find the truth before anyone else is eighty-sixed.

********

Penelope Sutherland is a caterer for the film industry, and at present is in New York City because her friend Sienna Wentworth has a fashion line premiering.  After attending the show, her detective boyfriend Joey Taglioni has a surprise for her - he's booked a room at the Tribeca Loft hotel, and has plans for them to spend a few days sightseeing.  But early the next morning around three Penelope receives an unsettling telephone call which from her friend Max which leaves her reeling.  Max is the brother of Penelope's best friend and housemate, actress Arlena Madison.  He is a celebrity in his own right, being on a reality television series, but surprised them the evening before as one of the models in Siena's fashion show. 

When the phone call is abruptly terminated, Penelope calls back only to have Max ask for help and tell her someone has been shot.  After the phone goes dead a second time, Joey and Penelope go to investigate, and while they don't find Max, they do find a dead body, which turns out to be another of the runway models from Siena's show.

When the police arrive, they handcuff both Penelope and Joey until things can be sorted out, which doesn't go over well with Joey.  After this incident, it causes a rift between them, and he too disappears, leaving Penelope alone in New York City - or at least until Arlena and her father can arrive to help find Max and clear his name.

But there are more problems afoot:  the killer knows who Penelope is, isn't happy about her asking questions, and seems determined to let Max take the fall.  While the police think Max's motive for murder was jealousy, this only makes Penelope more resolved to find the truth, and it has her digging deeper into the model's death and who would want him dead.  When all the clues start pointing to a very different reason for the murder, Penelope realizes that it had nothing to do with jealousy and everything to do with keeping secrets hidden forever...

This is the third book in the Red Carpet Catering Mysteries, following Murder on a Silver Platter and Murder on the Half Shell.  While I hesitate to give away any more of the plot than stated above in order not to spoil it for others, I will tell you that it can be read as a stand alone, and it also has less to do with Penelope's catering and is more is focused on the mystery.  That being said, I found it just as enjoyable as the first two books, and as much a pleasure to read.

The author has created characters that have a life of their own; they are not merely words on a page, with no inspiration.  They are well-defined, believable and have personality.  She has that rare quality of  imagining the person she wants to see and the ability to put it into words.  The result is a delightful ensemble of people who care about each other and are willing to go to great lengths due to their loyalty, affection, and belief in one another.

Ms. Simmons has given us a book imbued with a great mystery, a little romance, and enough suspense to keep us wanting more.  There is no doubt her skills as a writer are once again proven in this latest mystery and I look forward to the next one in the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Designer-Carpet-Catering-Mystery/dp/1635110335/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1702428260

More on Shawn Reilly Simmon's books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/shawn-reilly-simmons/

Murder on the Half Shell (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery #2)

Author:  Shawn Reilly Simmons
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Ebook
ISBN #:  9781943390649; 9781943390618
Henery Press
230 Pages
$31.95; $15.95; $2.99 Amazon
February 23. 2016

Five Stars

Filming a movie on a sunny Florida beach may seem like working in paradise, but dealing with the brutal heat, a difficult director and a leading lady with a serious aversion to seafood makes for a challenging task for Penelope Sutherland and her Red Carpet Catering crew.  After two girls go missing during a raucous beach party thrown by the movie's director, the cast and crew fall out of favor with the Andrea Island locals.  When a flashy celebrity chef is accused of the crime, Penelope Sutherland steps in to help her former culinary school instructor find the truth.  Surrounded by suspicious locals with a history all their own, Penelope uncovers clues from the past that reveal an undercurrent of evil amid the magnificent sandy beaches.

********

Penelope Sutherland, chef and owner of Red Carpet Catering, is on location in Andrea Island, Florida with her best friend and housemate, Arlena Madison where Arlena is filming a movie with a temperamental director and a cast and crew of over 100 people; needless to say, she's kept busy throughout - so busy that she has hired local teens to help out when they can:  Regan, a young man who is helping the kitchen staff, and two girls, Rebekkah and Sabina, as waitresses.

Shane, the director, has arranged a beach party one Friday night after shooting for the week was finished.  Penelope was pleasantly surprised to learn that the caterer was none other than one of her culinary school instructors, Emilio Babineau, owner of Craw Daddy's a New Orleans restaurant; and that he is also planning on opening one of his restaurants on the island.  It turns out that Emilio had left the school under clouded circumstances concerning two of his students, but since then has managed to become quite successful.

The night of the party Penelope sees Regan with a beer in his hand, and since he is not yet twenty-one, tells him that he can't be drinking; he profusely apologizes.  She speaks with the teen girls and they tell her that they are staying over at one's home, and leaves them to enjoy their evening.  Feeling responsible, she asks her sous chef Francis to keep an eye on them.

Before the weekend is over, it is learned that Rebekkah and Sabina are missing, and they were last seen in Emilio's company.  What makes it worse is that Rebekkah's purse is found in Emilio's truck, and he seems to have no idea how it got there.  Then the girls are found - in critical shape - locked in the building which is to be Emilio's new restaurant, which makes him the chief suspect.

Then Penelope couldn't be more surprised when her boyfriend, Homicide detective Joey Baglioni, shows up.  It turns out he had some vacation time coming, and decided to use it to visit her.  She's both pleased and grateful he's there, but still worried about Emilio, wondering if what supposedly occurred in culinary school could be repeating itself...

This is the second book in the series, the first being Murder on a Silver Platter, and I will say that this one does not disappoint.  I find the characters both believable and engaging, without a 'true villain' among them (one gets tired of finding someone to hate right off the bat, which isn't too say there aren't those that are just not likable at all).  They are three-dimensional and in this book I found that Joey isn't quite your usual homicide detective.  You can tell, by small snippets only, that he thinks he might have a rival in Max, Arlena's brother, and doesn't like it one bit even though he's not saying it aloud to Penelope.  That makes him not quite sure of himself, but quite human in nature.  Penelope, I am glad to say, is still the smart and independent woman she was in the first book, not caving to needing help from her boyfriend or anyone else, when she knows things need to be done.  But do not be fooled:  this is in no way a mystery woven into a romance; it is strictly the other way around - the romance is woven into the mystery, and in such a way that it is not primary, but enough that you want to know more as it progresses.  My only disappointment was that the delightful Randall Madison, father of Arlena, did not appear in this book too.  Well, you can't have everything!

  Once in a while an author will come along who has a fresh voice; one who can take a tired genre and make it seem new again.  Such is Ms. Simmons.  She manages, in both books, to create a mystery within a mystery, which isn't to say it will be a murder within a murder by any means; but rather two intriguing stories which tie in together to create one.  Quite unique, and quite refreshing.  She is a gratifying addition to the mystery genre and I heartily await the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/MURDER-SHELL-Shawn-Reilly-Simmons/dp/1943390649/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1555066357

More on Shawn Reilly Simmons:  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/shawn-reilly-simmons/

http://joannesbooks.blogspot.com/2016/02/murder-on-silver-platter-red-carpet.html

                                                

Murder on a Silver Platter (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery #1)

Author:  Shawn Reilly Simmons
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Paperback; Ebook
ISBN #:  9781943390601; 9781943390571
Henery Press
236 Pages
$31.95; $15.95; $2.99 Amazon
February 23, 2016

Five Stars

Penelope Sutherland and her Red Carpet Catering company just got their big break as the on-set caterer for an upcoming blockbuster.  But when she discovers a dead body outside her house, Penelope finds herself in hot water.  Things start to boil over when serious accidents threaten the lives of the cast and crew.  And when the film's star, who happens to be Penelope's best friend, is poisoned, the entire production is nearly shut down.  Threats and accusations send Penelope out of the frying pan and into the fire as she struggles to keep her company afloat.  Before Penelope can dish up dessert, she must find the killer or she'll be the one served up on a silver platter.

********

Penelope Sutherland is the personal chef and best friend of Arlena Madison.  Arlena is an up-and-coming actress who, up until this point, has always starred in B-movies, but is being given her first big break.  She and Arlena share a house in Glendale, New Jersey.  On this night, during what may turn out to be a blizzard, Arlena's dog Zazoo has escaped, running out into the snow.  Both women go out to search for him, in the hopes they can find him before he freezes to death.  After a short time Arlena heads back toward the house in the hopes he may be returning, and Penelope continues on.  Soon after, Penelope sees a motionless white furry object half-buried, and is afraid it might be the little dog.  Moving forward, she calls his name, and when he doesn't respond, she reaches for him and falls into the snow...but it's not Zazoo...it's a hat, and it belongs to the dead girl lying next to her.  

When Detective Joseph Baglioni arrives to investigate, Penelope recognizes him as an old friend from grade school.  However, with a dead body at the forefront, there's no time to reminisce about the past.  After determining neither of the women recognized the girl, the police leave them to try and get some sleep, and they figure this will be the end of them hearing about the death...but it is not to be.

Once they discover the identity of the dead girl, Holly Anderson, they discover that she has an amazing resemblance to Arlena, but neither woman knows her.  It also happens that Arlena's father, a famous actor, has had several wives (not to mention girlfriends) and children who live in different states.  While he readily supports all of them, he too maintains he's never heard of nor seen her before, nor does he recognize the name.  And when it is discovered the girl was murdered right outside Arlena's home, it soon becomes apparent that there is more to the death than meets the eye.

Then a series of circumstances arise:  Arlena's half-brother Max arrives, and finds out about the 'accidents' which have suddenly befallen Arlena, and alerts her father,  Randall Madison, who appears almost on the heels of Max.

What ensues is a captivating mystery surrounding the film industry.  We meet Penelope Sutherland, a strong, intelligent woman who is beginning to get her Red Carpet Catering company in full swing and doesn't shirk work to investigate a murder.  Her friend Arlena Madison is somewhat more fragile; being an actress who is trying to be taken seriously in a business not known for sensitivity, she shows us she has morals (she won't appear topless) and does her best to keep going regardless of what is occurring around her.  

For you romantics, there was a bit of a love triangle toward the middle of the book, but nothing that was unbelievable nor distracting to the story.  In fact, it only showed Penelope reasoning things out in her mind and making a decision that was right for her at the time.  I found Arlena's father Randall to be a hoot, he seemed like such a friendly and happy-go-lucky person who still took his responsibilities seriously, and he's someone I would like to know (on a platonic basis, of course - he does have a way with the ladies).

I also found it interesting that there was an intrigue afoot within the murder.  More than meets the eye, as it were.  Without giving too much away, I will venture to say this:  don't assume that all the questions lead up to one answer.  

Ms. Simmons has given us quite a good beginning to a new series; she manages to create characters that are both believable and likable, while weaving in small tidbits of movie-making and what is involved in catering food to a movie crew.  I look forward to reading the next in the series.  Highly recommended.     

http://www.amazon.com/MURDER-SILVER-PLATTER-Reilly-Simmons/dp/1943390606/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1552908704

More on Shawn Reilly Simmons:  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/shawn-reilly-simmons/                                                                                        .