Curious Caterer: Fatal Vows

Detective Tom's ex-wife, Jessamyn, is back in town and getting married again. Goldy and her friend Marla are catering this wedding of the season and Jessamyn is not only their former high school classmate but an absolute bridezilla! The morning of the wedding they end up with a missing bride and dead groom. Initially Tom and his protege Mason investigate, only for their boss to bring in an outside detective named Tracy who has history with Tom and is known for bending the rules. With Tom on desk duty due to conflict of interest, Goldy partners with him to investigate on the downlow...even making a murder board out of her catering menu. This ends up being a good thing as Trach goes after Tom for being the killer!

I am enjoying our regular Elk Park cast members: Nikki Deloach as Goldy, Andrew W. Walker as Tom, Jaycie Dotin as Marla, and Riley Davis as Mason. They have a tight cast that plays well off one another. I also really appreciate that they have kept the same actors for Goldy's daughter and ex-husband: Maesa Nicholson who plays Olive and Lochlyn Munro who plays Richard. I am not sure how I feel about this interloping detective Trach...although I did enjoy his flirty banter with Marla.

There was a fun scene in which Tom and Goldy completely swap roles, with Goldy questioning a suspect and Tom in an apron working on a dough for an appetizer. That was great fun. Fist fights, food allergies, and lots of ex's in this entry in the Curious Caterer Mystery Series. The solution to the mystery doesn't come to light until Goldy flushes out the killer...with help from Marla and Mason. Marla ends up locked in a room with Trach explaining how wrong he has been about Tom...and presenting him with evidence that the rest of them assembled...which dissolves into a flirty argument about if a hamburger is a sandwich or not.

This is one of the stronger mystery series on hallmark this year 2023. I am not sure it is up to the old Aurora Teagargens, Hannah Swensen's or Mystery 101's, but the two leads are strong and I am hoping that they make more of these. This is a recommendation from me to Cosby mystery and hallmark mystery fans. I think they will enjoy this entry in the curious caterer.

I found this movie on a DVD at my public library, containing the first three movies in the "Curious Caterer" series. This is the third one, filmed about 6 months after the second one, so the young daughter looks a bit more grown up, almost as tall now as her mother.

Nikki Deloach (early 40s) is Goldy. She has a bakery and also takes on jobs catering special events. This story is about a wedding of Tom's former wife and Goldy is making the special, tall 7-layer wedding cake. The morning after the rehearsal dinner the groom is found dead in the lobby, partially in a large fountain. Was he murdered or did he simply drown?

As we saw in the first one Andrew Walker (early 40s) is detective Tom. In the prior two movies Goldy and Tom have come to understand and appreciate each other more, Tom is recognizing how big a help Goldy can be. As in the prior movies she is able to get some information crucial to the case.

As usual with this type of movie there are a few red herrings thrown about, clues designed to sow seeds of doubt for the viewer, and when it is nearing the conclusion lots of explanations are given regarding who and how of the crime.

Even though the overall theme, murder, is very serious the movie is done with frequent humor thrown in and that works well to keep it entertaining, and my wife and I were.

This third episode was even more stupid than the previous two with Andrew Walker's ex-wife being even more OTT as the demanding bride. The whole show was extremely forgettable and Andrew Walker still hasn't owned the role yet. I keep feeling like he's either ill, burned out or simply wishes he'd never signed on to this series.

Reactions are predictable and bland and even Nikki DeLoach seemed to be struggling in this one.

The plot was stupid and I kept wondering how most of these people had grown up in this small town together without seeming to have any connection. There's no warmth to the characters and everyone just seems to be acting as written and directed without bringing any spark to their roles.

I will watch the upcoming one but I'll have my phone handy in case I get bored.

I enjoy the charisma between Nikki Deloach and Andrew Walker in these roles of Goldy and Tom. I, like others who enjoyed the books, find so many aspects of the books changed (body types, core relationships between characters (ex-husband, best friend, etc.), swapping out a daughter for a son (why?), and adding to it in this movie, that Tom cannot cook) to render the movies lacking in sub-text which was provided to them.

Even if Hallmark had just made Goldy's ex-husband grouchy (I mean his nickname was "The Jerk!" in Ms. Mott Davidson's books), it might make sense, but a pleasant, helpful, happy to see ex-husband/surgeon? It makes that whole side of Goldy's history not make sense.

Why is Tom only be allowed to be a hunk detective? I feel certain Mr. Walker could handle more! Tom's also missing the wood working skills and his can-do-it attitude, calm attitude, which is such a big part of his character in the books.

Maybe Hallmark only contracted to use some of the author's books or elements of her books? The wedding storyline was so changed, I did not recognize it.

However, I enjoyed the movie and look forward to more. Yes, things from the books were were changed and/or removed, but twists were also added to keep the interest going in the movie. You definitely do not have to be a fan of the Goldy Bear series by Diane Mott Davidson to enjoy this movie, hence my 9 - Star rating! Nicely done!

Boxes checked for too many mixed relationships, over the top bridezilla behaviors, unrealistic parent/child interactions including adults, horrific costume designs, and attempts to infuse humor in obviously tense situations. Showcasing Walker's woody woodpecker haircut with ill fitting to slovenly clothing actually took away his generally attractive presence. Female lead normally plays a genuinely empathic character was relegated to slapstick, face making humor, and frumpy clothing. BTW, why the bridal gown? The number of situations playing out at the same time made for lack of interest in each. Bottom line, A hot mess.