After her philandering husband’s boat went down, newly single Mia Carina went back to Astoria, the bustling Queens neighborhood of her youth. Living with her nonna and her oversized cat, Doorstop, she’s got a whole new life—including some amateur sleuthing . . . Mia is starting work at Belle View, her father’s catering hall, a popular spot for weddings, office parties, and more—despite the … parties, and more—despite the planes that occasionally roar overhead on their way to LaGuardia and rattle the crystal chandelier. Soon she’s planning a bachelor party for a less-than-gentlemanly groom. But it goes awry when the gigantic cake is wheeled in and a deadly surprise is revealed . . .
Since some of her family’s associates are on the shady side, the NYPD wastes no time in casting suspicion on Mia’s father. Now, Mia’s going to have to use all her street smarts to keep him out of Rikers Island . . .
Italian recipes included!
“Mamma mia! What a nifty story. This endearing new heroine has a lot on her plate—all of it delicious fun!”
—Laura Levine, author of Death of a Gigolo
“A catered feast of a mystery.”
—Sherry Harris, author of Let’s Fake a Deal
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Mia Carina is ready for a new chapter after her cheating husband goes missing/maybe dead and the police took a look at her for disappearing him. Leaving Florida behind she arrives back home in Queens, NY and joins her father in his new, legit (maybe) business, Belle View Banquet Manor. Mob free, all on the up and up except that the business is owned by his old Mob Boss. Mia puts together a bachelor party, complete with a stripper jumping out of a cake. Only the stripper isn’t the right stripper and she’s not popping out due to being very dead. It isn’t long before Mia’s father lands at the top of the suspect list. If that isn’t bad enough, another body turns up and Mia has lots of reason to try to figure out who dunnit.
I was aware that this was a debut mystery written by Ellen Byron and, having enjoyed her Cajun Country series and was so glad that I was able to get an advance copy. I have put it on my list of must be read series. The plot was solid and the characters were wonderful, especially Mia’s Nonna. Then there is her ginger Abyssinian cat named Doorstop. What a name. Add to all of it, Ellen Byron learned the catering business from Martha Stewart back in the early days and can be seen on page 29 of Martha Stewart’s first book, Entertaining. This mystery has it all and I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for Mia and her colorful family.I’ll place a bet that it won’t be boring.
Most-likely-a-widow Maria Carina returns home to Queens and is reunited with her family (and Family!) after her estranged, cheating husband is presumed dead at sea. With a new career in the catering business at her father’s Belle View Banquet Manor, Mia’s ready to establish herself back in her hometown, but when a woman is found murdered in a giant cake at her first event, and her father is suspected of doing the dastardly deed, Mia must clear his name. Maria DiRico’s first Catering Hall Mystery, Here Comes the Body, is a fantastically funny start to a new cozy mystery series, filled with memorable characters and settings. A+++
On Sale February 25th, 2020
Here Comes The Body is the first book in a new cozy series from Kensington Books. Written by veteran author Ellen Byron using the pseudonym, Maria Derico, “A Catering Hall Mystery.”
Mia is an interesting character with quarks that make her instantly likable. Her father, Ravello, and brother, Posi as well as other members of the family and employees, adds a great deal of entertainment and make this new cozy book come to life. Even though this is the first book in a new series, the characters are well-rounded and keep readers intrigued. The setting, however, is not your typical small-town setting. However, readers will forget that they are in one of the biggest cities in America and have the feeling of a small tightly knit community.
The victim(s) are shady characters that many will feel got what was coming to them. The suspects are equally dubious in many regards but some are very loveable and easily excused for their past and present connections and behavior. This new cozy series adds in the flavor of New York with all its intricacies, the residents who are as varied as the food, and the mob who will always hold a fascination for most people in the US. In the end, the killer is revealed and is not unexpected. The evidence is all there for readers to find, and it’s essential to keep everything straight, so you won’t lose track of whose-who and what their role is in the murder.
With original characters and plot, as well as some beloved pets, including families that are like any other family with faults and secrets, and this new cozy series has all the earmarks of becoming a fan favorite for years to come. I enjoyed Here Comes The Body and am happy to recommend it to lovers of mysteries, eccentric characters, and crazy family.
Funny, unexpected, fantastic! The name may be different, the culture may be different, but the outstanding writing, amazing characters and complex mystery are all there! Here Comes the Body, the first book in A Catering Hall Mystery by Maria DiRico, is as captivating as the Cajun Country series she writes as Ellen Byron. I am a huge fan of that series so I requested Here Comes the Body from NetGalley and it was awesome.
Mia Corina is coming home glad to leave the town where her maybe-late husband destroyed her self-confidence and the investigation into his disappearance that destroyed her reputation. Even more, she is thrilled to be heading to a job running an event center in Queens with her father who spent most of her life overseeing casinos for a mafia Family. Now he has been given the chance to take over an event centered the Family accepted as payment of a gambling debt. It has to be a legitimate enterprise for the feds to focus on so it has to make money but it must maintain a clean reputation! Naturally having a dead body turning up isn’t exactly what the Family wants connected with the place, and just as naturally, the police are more than glad to have an obvious suspect, one they have long wanted nab. To prevent her father losing his chance at the straight-and-narrow or even going back to prison, Mia feels compelled to find the killer. She sure doesn’t trust the detective on the case.
Add her old friend Jamie and the delightful senior citizens surrounding Mia to the glitz and glam of the wealth, mix a possible connection and in a murder, and you have Here Comes the Body, a great start to what is sure to be a series to be read over and over again.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a chance for an early read of such a fun book! The opinions expressed are solely mine and are based on my love of the book, Here Comes the Body!
Maria DiRico/Ellen Byron maintains her spot at the top of my top authors list. I can’t wait for the next book!