As part of our Author Alert series, we’re now on our third week and I’ve completed 400 reviews on the ThisIsMyTruthNow blog site. This week, I’ve selected… Diane Mott Davidson!
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Diane Mott Davidson (1949 – Present) writes cozy mystery fiction. To learn more about her, you can check out her profile on Goodreads, Fantastic Fiction, Wikipedia, Facebook and Harper Collins publishing website. Though she doesn’t write novels anymore, you’ll occasionally see a fun post or recipe.
Book Series – Goldy Bear Schultz Culinary Mysteries
This is truly one of my favorite cozy mystery series and I am sad that it finished in 2013. I didn’t know it was the end of the series and finished reading #17. It felt like it had come to an end, but I assumed it was just a nice conclusive book. Then I checked out some articles on line and learned it was the last one. How sad!
It takes place in a small town outside of Denver, Colorado, where Goldy Bear is a caterer who ends up solving crimes. When she marries Tom, she becomes Goldy Bear Schultz. Each book is usually 25% recipe and 75% mystery story. Always humorous and fun, they range from strong mystery to very lightweight. Easy reads in about 4-hours.
Key Characters
Goldy: Primary sleuth. Mother to Arch. Best Friend to Marla. Wife to Tom. And mentor / boss / mother figure to Julian. She’s been almost killed a few times, and almost killed her ex-husband (Arch’s father) who physically and mentally abused her.
Marla: Goldy’s best friend who follows her to Aspen Meadow, Colorado. Rich divorcee. Helps with the sleuthing from time-to-time. Searching for her next husband. Julian’s aunt (although not known at first).
Tom: Aspen Meadow Police. Falls for Goldy and they eventually marry. They want to start a family together. Step-dad to Arch. Tough but good guy.
Arch: Goldy’s son from her marriage to ex-husband. He’s a teenager for most of the book, learning how to deal with his mother’s antics. Good kid, always respectful and caring with family and friends.
Julian: Marla’s nephew. Had some family issues and ended up coming to work for Goldy during his college years. Brilliant cook. Very sweet guy who has some dating issues.
- Catering to Nobody (1990)
- Dying for Chocolate (1992)
- The Cereal Murders (1993)
- The Last Suppers (1994)
- Killer Pancake (1995)
- The Main Corpse (1996)
- Grilling Season (1997) — least favorite
- Prime Cut (1998)
- Tough Cookie (2000)
- Sticks & Stones (2001)
- Chopping Spree (2002)
- Double Shot (2004)
- Dark Tort (2006) — most favorite
- Sweet Revenge (2007)
- Fatally Flaky (2009)
- Crunch Time (2011)
- The Whole Enchilada (2013)
Diane also wrote a cookbook full of Goldy’s recipes and general life musings. You can see more at: Cookbook. Though I’ve never cooked any recipes, the desserts sound amazing. And to think… you too can eat the murder weapon from some of her crimes!
Link to the Diane Mott Davidson page where you will be able to return in the future to see when I post new reviews and book thoughts. For now, I’ve posted reviews on all 17 books in the series.
About Me
I’m Jay and I live in NYC. By profession, I work in technology. By passion, I work in writing. Once you hit my site “ThisIsMyTruthNow” at https://thisismytruthnow.com, you can join the fun and see my blog and various site content. You’ll find book reviews, published and in-progress fiction, TV/Film reviews, favorite vacation spots and my own version of the “365 Daily Challenge.” Since March 13, 2017, I’ve posted a characteristic either I currently embody or one I’d like to embody in the future. 365 days of reflection to discover who I am and what I want out of life… see how you compare! Each month, I will post a summary of a trip I’ve taken somewhere in the world. I’ll cover the transportation, hotel, restaurants, activities, who, what, when, where and why… and let you decide for yourself if it’s a trip worth taking. Feel free to like, rate, comment or take the poll for each post. Tell me what you think. Note: All content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
I’m really digging your author spotlights. Just wanted to give you a little shout out 🙂
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You are awesome! I appreciate. I need to finish these reviews! BTW, we need to discuss the fantasy genre age recommendations tomorrow! You’re up!
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Oh really??? Yes we do! I’ll get right on compiling that list!
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I will definitely write it the morning to coordinate. I somehow have drank a bit too much this evening. I’m posting on Instagram and Facebook. And now I am in trouble.
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Hahaha. Well don’t go overboard! We need you coherent tomorrow! The blog world would be lost without you!
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Lol. It might be more amusing if I’m a bit lit!
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Are you on IG or FB?
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Facebook and Twitter. I’ll message my credentials 😀
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Excellent. You see my descent into a stupor! Lol
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I think I am jamescudney4 on both.
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I will look for you!
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And yes. Awesome. You.
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Oh, another new-to-me author! Will check her books out 🙂
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Enjoyed the post. Her books ignited my love of cozy mysteries.
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That’s fantastic. She was one of my early reads for that sub-genre, too. Good to connect with you!
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[…] Diane Mott Davidson […]
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I am very happy to have FINALLY found out why there haven’t been any new Goldy stories. I have adored them & am very sad to hear that Diane Mott Davidson has given up the series. Why has she really because Diane is certainly young enough to keep writing Goldy stories?
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Me too! I have been searching for information and I haven’t been able to find anything that said she had retired. I miss Goldy I am currently revisiting the series. She was the first author that got me hooked on cozy’s and I can’t find any I like more, the exception being Sue Grafton. I am sad to know “The Whole Enchilada” was the final in the series.
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Glad to help!
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I was glad to see this update also. I read The Whole Enchilada and,when I was finished, looked forward to reading how Goldie was going to handle ‘new’ motherhood, catering and solving murders. Sad to see this series end but flag to know I can stop searching for the next book.
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You’re welcome. If I ever see a new one somehow I will update it here. But I think we’re out of luck. :(. Thanks for stopping by.
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I have been checking for the past 5 to 6 years for info on more books! I kept hoping Dianne would write another! Please tell her we miss her books and would love updates on our favorite characters. Even short novellas would be nice! I can’t stand the thought of not being able to read more from her!
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I agree. They were some of my favorite cozy mysteries. Hers and a few others inspired my way of writing and how I put together a cozy mystery series. I wish I had her talent! The Hannah Swensen ones are also good (for me / my style) as a reader looking for fun cooking stuff, too.
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If I recall, she’s in mid to late 60s, so definitely young enough to do it. Maybe she’s taking a nice break and enjoying her days without deadline. 😦 Good for her!
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Enjoyed this post. I used to read this author and then somewhere along the line, I stopped seeing that she had new books out. Appreciate the heads up on the books I’ve missed – I have some catching up to do!
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I am an avid reader, who stopped by to enjoy how your blog about books and reviews goes. I am totally Impressed. I don’t know how you find time to blog and read so much/god bless You. ~J
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Thank you! It’s been a year since I opened the site. I also published my debut book last week. It’s been fun. Great to meet you!!! What genres do you read?
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This was the first cozy series I got hooked on. Love her. Read every one.
Nice Pick! Enjoyed the post.
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It’s a great series. I am sad they are finished. Which are your other favorites?
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I like the way you put it. Short and clear. You make me want to come back again and again just to read a new review. Love your work! Love it!
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Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
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James – I am sorry. I meant to click on like & hit the wrong thumb emoji. Please excuse it. I did try to correct it but didn’t work. Jeanne
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Hi! No worries. I didn’t even notice anything until you said it. I guess WP doesn’t tell me when I get a thumbs down. It happen. 🙂 Hope you’re having a great Sunday!
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I’m so sad that there will be no more Goldy books…I’ve now list three of my favorites ; Diane Mott Davidson , Sue Grafton and Anne George..I loved the characters in these books and will miss them terribly.
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I know. I wish it weren’t so. I haven’t read Anne George. Should I try them?
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Awwwwww darn it….and Goldy preggers. How can she do this, leave us hanging. I hope nothing serious has caused D.M.D to step back. I have enjoyed the series and will miss her stories.
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She’s wonderful. I am not sure how old she is, but I thought she was in her 60s/70s. It might just be time to relax and enjoy her days rather than be under the pressure of a deadline. Have you read the Joanne Fluke series?
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Goldy has rhapsodized about “Julian’s Fudge”. Does anyone know which of the Goldy books contains the recipe? It’s not in the Cookbook and I’d really like to make it.
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Offhand, no… did you try to google search it or check her website?
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She is one of my favorite authors – I usually start the series all over again and read from 1st to last book (I own them all) every other year. So does my mom. I’ve made many of the recipes and I thought they tasted good but my all- time favorite recipe we eat about two to three times a year and that is Snowboarder’s Pork. Fairly easy tp prepare, and in my opinion, one of the Great Recipes that I wouldn’t go anywhere for long without it. If you haven’t tried it, you owe it to yourself to do so!
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Hi. I will look that one up. I don’t have copies of all the books these days, but perhaps I can find it online. I am glad to hear from you. I might reread them again the future. I’m closing in on finishing other series, so I could read an old favorite and start a new one. Have a great day.
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