Crunch Time ★★★½ by Diane Mott Davidson

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Subject: Puppy Mills, domestic violence, stalkers, recipes

Setting: Aspen Meadow, Colorado

Main Characters: Goldy Shulz, Tom Shulz, Yolanda Garcia, Ferninanda Garcia, Ernest McLeod, Humberto Captain, Kris Nielsen

Series: Goldy Bear 16th

Dates Read: January 18 - January 25

Number of pages: 471

Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

Category for 12 in 12 challenge: Home Ec,

I have been looking forward to this book since the middle of last year. I love Goldy and the adventures that she gets herself into without thinking about it, as well as the delectable food that she describes and provides recipes for. I especially love it when I get an audio version that is narrated by the great Barbara Rosenblatt. (I honestly believe Barbara Rosenblatt could make the construction of a cement truck sound fascinating.)

In this latest installment of Goldy's adventures, Goldy is trying to help a friend who has lost her job and her home. Yolanda starts as an assistant to several of Goldy's catering jobs. As we start we are told of the death of Ernest McLeod, a retired cop turned PI, who was a friend of both the ladies. The story of the investigation into Ernest's murder is mixed with the cases that he was working on at the time of his death - puppy mills, stalkers, missing family jewels. Goldy manages to gather all the info and finally figure out where the evidence is and nearly gets killed in the process. Goldy as she always is...enjoyable and delicious!