Curious Caterer: Grilling Season

I found this movie on a DVD at my public library, containing the first three movies in the "Curious Caterer" series. This is the second one, filmed about 10 months after the first one, so the young daughter looks a bit more grown up.

Nikki Deloach (early 40s) is Goldy. She has a bakery and also takes on jobs catering special events. This story has her catering for an event at the home of a real estate friend. After everyone leaves there is an explosion, at first they think the outdoor gas grill malfunctioned. Upon closer examination it seems to be an attempt to cover up for a murder. But who would do this?

As we saw in the first one Andrew Walker is detective Tom. As he and his young partner conduct their investigation Tom is frequently frustrated at Goldy's seeming to be launching her own investigation which, it truth, is essential to crack the case.

As usual with this type of movie there are lots of 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.

I gave this new series another shot after being very disappointed with the first one. I felt Andrew Walker was a bit more comfortable in his role in this one but the script was perhaps even worse. His ex-wife is so OTT and one cannot imagine them ever having been a couple. Even more so than Goldy and Richard.

This series seems even more unrealistic than most because there is no chemistry between any of the characters imo. If you enjoy them, you enter the worlds of the Mysteries and you accept them as written. You begin to recognize the town, the characters and their relationship to each other and it becomes a familiar place with familiar faces. The method of crime solving is predictable but fun and enjoyable.

This one still misses the mark and I have no idea who these people are and how and where they live. It doesn't seem to be the fault of the author as so many have raved about her books and are dismayed how far the series has strayed from her characters.

Something still hasn't clicked yet and they are immediately easy to forget.

This is a well done Hallmark mystery. The two leads are solid and writing is good. But the characters are changed too much from the books these stories are taken from. Goldy's ex-husband was an abuser. They did not have a friendly relationship in the books. It changes the reason Goldy gets involved in the mysteries. Also she had a son not a daughter. Changes feel of the story

It's bad enough that Goldy doesn't have blonde curly hair like Goldy Locks from the fairy tale but the actress is to tall and thin. Hallmark should have kept all the main characters similar for all the fans of the books.

Why base it on a novel if all you do is keep a few names (but not even the heroine's!) and professions? Having read the series, it's disappointing to see it so poorly translated into Hallmarkese- bland and boring and body-conscious. Angsty son is now a confident daughter. Ex is now an okay guy, not an abuser. Love interest is a skinny dude, not a gorgeous Dan Hagerty bear of a guy. Best friend no longer a loving and lovely diva who has the same ex as heroine. All the realism and feistiness of the series has been sucked out. Actually, the best thing about the series is adding "The Curious Caterer" title to it. Best use of series is to have TV on while you do something useful, like meal prep.

I'll say up front that I have read all the Diane Mott Davidson books. I actually used to work with her husband.

The stories are good and I love Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker. They are so good together.

In the books, Goldy's husband, Richard, is a spousal abuser. Marla is Richard's ex-wife and Goldy's friend. Goldy's has a son, not a daughter. Eventually Goldy marries Tom Schultz (Andrew Walker) and Richard is murdered.

It's Hallmark, so they won't show the dark side of the characters, but I'll keep watching because I love the actors and love another mystery series.

Overall a must watch.