Catering to Nobody

August 1, 1990
Davidson's debut is as embarrassing as a fallen souffle would be to her narrator, divorced culinary artist Goldy Korman of Goldilocks'ok?yep Catering in Aspen Meadows, Colo. Goldy, in business to support herself and her 11-year-old son, Arch, caters the gathering after the funeral of Arch's teacher, at which her former father-in-law, gynecologist Fritz Korman, drinks from a poisoned cup. While the police make sure that Goldy is now ``catering to nobody,'' she begins her own investigation to clear herself. As amorous detective Tom Schulz courts her, Goldy courts danger, seeking connections among the recovered Fritz, the teacher and nearly everyone else in the rustic town, including her teenage lodger, Patty Sue. The only rewards of the mystery are recipes for tasty dishes and the endearing Arch, who outwits the killer and is the sole credible character in the overstuffed cast.

This abridgment doesn't do justice to Davidson's characters. The story line is stretched pretty thin, too. Mary Gross, the versatile comedienne, reads fluidly and brings energy and excellent articulation to this tale of intrigue. Goldy tries to clear her name and discover who has attempted to poison her ex-father-in-law with her food. Investigating officer Tom Schulz is smitten with Goldy and wants her to stop the amateur detective work before she gets hurt. S.C.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine