Shawn Reilly Simmons

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.… (altro)

This is the first book in the Red Carpet Catering Series. The series is about Penelope and her catering company, Red Carpet Catering. She caters various events, specializing in movie sets. Penelope has the ability to get enmeshed in the lives of the people and events around her. When she catered a previous movie starring Arlena, she was asked to move in with her and become her personal chef as well as build her business. She jumped at the opportunity.

This book opens with a snowstorm resulting in a blackout. This gives Zazoo, Arlena's dog, the opportunity to sneak out into the night. As Penelope and Arlena head outside to look for her, Penelope stumbles on a dead body of a teenage girl. Who is she and what was she doing on this street during a snowstorm? As the story progresses, Penelope and Arlena are working on a movie in New Jersey. Things are happening and Arlena seems to be at risk. Will they have to shut down the movie? It appears the dead girl looks a lot like Arlena. Does this dead young girl have any relationship to Arlena and what is happening to her? The supporting characters in the book, Arlena's father and brother, the detective investigating the murder and attempts to harm Arlena are all well written and add another dimension to the story. Of course there is some romance with both Arlena and her leading man as well as Penelope and two gentlemen, that I hope will continue in the next book.

Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Penelope and the police detective actually worked together which is different as it was done happily not begrudgingly as it so often is in cozies. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (altro)

This is the fourth book in the A Red Carpet Catering Mystery series written by Shawn Reilly Simmons and I am still loving this series. This book can be read as a standalone, as well as any of the others, but you will want to read them all because they are great stories. Penelope is a chef that owns her own business, Red Carpet Catering. She caters to the television/movie industry on sets while filming. This means that she travels all over for her business, this time to Indiana.

The cast and crew of the movie filming in small Indiana, are staying at the Inn of the director's friend. He is also the chef of the newest restaurant du jour. When Penelope finds him hanging in the walk-in freezer, the troubles begin. With break ins, mysterious disappearances from years ago, difficult wait staff, kitchens being off limits and a director that seems nervous and tense, Penelope is soon up to her neck in investigating. When it seems that her sous chef is the prime suspect, she gets her back up to protect him. Will the sheriff take any of her suggestions seriously? Is she putting herself in danger again?

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. I like the relationship between Penelope and Joey, especially with the new developments in this book. The interactions between the main characters in these books shows what a great relationship friends and "chosen family" can have. As the two story lines seem to merge together, there is another added plot development. The ending was satisfying and drew the stories together. Once again, Penelope solves not one this time, but two mysteries. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.… (altro)