A Catered Costume Party
Bernie and Libby Simmons agree to cater a Halloween party in Longely, New York. They didn’t like a ghost being part of the experience, but it’s not like they have a choice. Darius Witherspoon is determined to throw his party even though his wife, Penelope, is missing. He never counted on his murder being the entertainment for the evening.
The Berkshire Arms is a haunted house at least as far as Bernie and Libby are concerned. Darius hires them to provide the treats. They wish they could say no, but bills need to be paid, so they accept the job. As soon as the guest start arriving, the girls sense something is off with Darius. A short while later, Darius is found hanging from a rope outside one of the ballroom’s French doors.
Was it suicide? Bernie and Libby don’t think so. Once everything has been cleared away, and the decorations are taken down, the sisters begin their investigation and set out to expose a killer.
Series: A Bernie and Libby Culinary Mystery – Book #13
Author: Isis Crawford
Genre: Culinary Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Kensington Books
Rating:
A Catered Costume Party is the 13th cozy book in this series. Even without reading any additional books in the series, it is relatively simple to follow the plot. The main characters created by Ms. Crawford are strong in personality and intellect.
Bernie and Libby are typical sisters; they torment each other, find fault with one another but care deeply for each other. They have distinctive personalities that are very dissimilar from each other. Where Bernie is bold and eager to take risks, Libby is quieter, less prone to do anything rash without her sister’s goading.
The sister’s father is an intelligent and caring man who delights in watching his children succeed, even when they don’t realize it. As a former police officer, he encourages the girls to dig into the crimes they unwittingly keep stepping into. Where most fathers would dissuade their daughters from taking chances or stepping on toes, he has no trouble driving the girls towards confrontation or danger to help them figure out a crime. The additional characters in A Catered Costume Party have similar roles to play in the plot, but none of them are as memorable as Bernie and Libby’s dad.
As the narrative unfolds, the reader is taken on a roller coaster ride as each suspect is exposed and their motives brought to light. When the murderer is revealed, many readers will be taken by surprise but satisfied by the outcome.
Although the writing is fluid, and the plot kept at the forefront, the story is not fast-paced. At times the story gets a bit bogged down with too many questions that never appear to go anywhere. More knowledge of the previous cozy books could strengthen the overall story and keep the reader from scratching their head in puzzlement.
However, A Catered Costume Party is engaging. The plot is unusual in and of itself. Readers will derive even more satisfaction if they go back and read the other books in the series. Even with some minor issues, this cozy book is recommended. Readers will be inspired to keep turning the page to discover the killer’s identity and witness the sister’s triumph. Those who enjoy authors such as Jessica Beck or Leighann Dobbs will want to continue reading this series.
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