The Gourmet Detective - Delitto al dente

This third movie in the series is really fun and enjoyable since the formula, chemistry and characters are coming together well and the mystery unfolds well too. The similarities to "Castle" (which I loved for the first 7 series) are glaring though. The pairing of attractive, bossy female Detective and attractive, kinda goofy Writer (foodie blog), the two of them solving cases in the field while her TWO colleagues do the background work at the station and most of all the character, dialogue and humor of the Gourmet Detective. I could have sworn I was watching "Castle" during the whole sweet ending of the movie. I guess it's the "Canadian" version supposedly set in San Francisco but I'm getting used to and enjoying it as such.

I mentioned in reviewing an earlier installment that it seemed like these productions don't have a technical adviser because they seem to have no concept of police procedures. In this episode, Maggie executes an illegal search and later another. There are many other such problems. And this is not about police procedure but Steve commits blatant sexual harassment (Maggie's resulting tension is palpable), but Maggie just rolls with it.

But so it goes with most of the amateur detective movies. We don't watch them for good police procedure. It's just annoying for it to be so blatant.

Both leads have egos, but Henry's is huge. I can't believe actual police detectives stood there and let him boss them around including telling Steve to get lost.

The mystery in this one is not bad, but the hook in the series is the relationship between Maggie and Henry. That and their banter. So far as this installment begins they are still in stage of dancing around their feelings, but they are starting to recognize that there is something there. There is definite chemistry.

This series is nothing excited and not particularly well acted, but the chemistry between the leads is a bit charming. I'm glad it was a short series, as I probably wouldn't have watched many more of these. Only one left!

Dylan Neal our full time gourmet cook and part time amateur sleuth recommends a new chef who is working out well in Ben Wilkinson's Italian restaurant which is something of a bay area institution. But things are not going well in his marriage because wife Jordana Largy has been fooling around with that selfsame new chef Matt Hamilton.

Wilkinson is shot by someone who tried to break into his house and later he's finished off in the hospital. Someone clearly did not want this man to live. But there's more to this story than a bad love affair. There's a rumored fortune in diamonds from the old country and a lot of people are looking for them.

As mysteries go this one isn't all that hard to figure out. But in an unusual twist to the Hallmark mystery formula, the amateur detective is a guy who assist the professional woman, in this case SFPD homicide detective Brooke Burns. Neal and Burns have a nice chemistry though in this case another police detective is moving in on Burns.

Nice chemistry, but no real mystery.

Detective Maggie and Chef/Consultant Henry are back in this the third entry in the Gourmet Detective series, Death al Dente. Henry is teaching Maggie's mom to make a crown roast. Henry and Maggie are funny and sweet together...almost as sweet as her meddling family's not so subtle meddling. Maggie and Henry end up going to a fancy restaurant called Carmela's where Henry is friends with the owners. After describing a break in to Maggie, another break in occurs and this time it ends with Leo getting shot and in a coma. Enter the B&E detective who just happens to be one of Maggie's ex's. Maggie has the case declared an attempted and pairs up with the B&E unit...allowing Henry to have a front row seat to the two detectives' flirty banter.

I really appreciate the mature relationship between our protagonists Henry and Maggie where they are allowed to be equal partners...(and they share some good witty and flirty banter of their own).

This was a fun case that involved some interesting clues and a kiss between colleagues.

One of the better Hallmark Mystery offerings. I recommend. I hope they continue this series.