Curious Caterer: Fatal Vows

Detective Tom's ex-wife, Jessamyn, is back in town and getting married again. Goldy and her friend Marla are catering this wedding of the season and Jessamyn is not only their former high school classmate but an absolute bridezilla! The morning of the wedding they end up with a missing bride and dead groom. Initially Tom and his protege Mason investigate, only for their boss to bring in an outside detective named Tracy who has history with Tom and is known for bending the rules. With Tom on desk duty due to conflict of interest, Goldy partners with him to investigate on the downlow...even making a murder board out of her catering menu. This ends up being a good thing as Trach goes after Tom for being the killer! I am enjoying our regular Elk Park cast members: Nikki Deloach as Goldy, Andrew W. Walker as Tom, Jaycie Dotin as Marla, and Riley Davis as Mason. They have a tight cast that plays well off one another. I also really appreciate that they have kept the same actors for Goldy's daughter and ex-husband: Maesa Nicholson who plays Olive and Lochlyn Munro who plays Richard. I am not sure how I feel about this interloping detective Trach...although I did enjoy his flirty banter with Marla. There was a fun scene in which Tom and Goldy completely swap roles, with Goldy questioning a suspect and Tom in an apron working on a dough for an appetizer. That was great fun. Fist fights, food allergies, and lots of ex's in this entry in the Curious Caterer Mystery Series. The solution to the mystery doesn't come to light until Goldy flushes out the killer...with help from Marla and Mason. Marla ends up locked in a room with Trach explaining how wrong he has been about Tom...and presenting him with evidence that the rest of them assembled...which dissolves into a flirty argument about if a hamburger is a sandwich or not. This is one of the stronger mystery series on hallmark this year 2023. I am not sure it is up to the old Aurora Teagargens, Hannah Swensen's or Mystery 101's, but the two leads are strong and I am hoping that they make more of these. This is a recommendation from me to Cosby mystery and hallmark mystery fans. I think they will enjoy this entry in the curious caterer.

I enjoy the charisma between Nikki Deloach and Andrew Walker in these roles of Goldy and Tom. I, like others who enjoyed the books, find so many aspects of the books changed (body types, core relationships between characters (ex-husband, best friend, etc.), swapping out a daughter for a son (why?), and adding to it in this movie, that Tom cannot cook) to render the movies lacking in sub-text which was provided to them. Even if Hallmark had just made Goldy's ex-husband grouchy (I mean his nickname was "The Jerk!" in Ms. Mott Davidson's books), it might make sense, but a pleasant, helpful, happy to see ex-husband/surgeon? It makes that whole side of Goldy's history not make sense. Why is Tom only be allowed to be a hunk detective? I feel certain Mr. Walker could handle more! Tom's also missing the wood working skills and his can-do-it attitude, calm attitude, which is such a big part of his character in the books. Maybe Hallmark only contracted to use some of the author's books or elements of her books? The wedding storyline was so changed, I did not recognize it. However, I enjoyed the movie and look forward to more. Yes, things from the books were were changed and/or removed, but twists were also added to keep the interest going in the movie. You definitely do not have to be a fan of the Goldy Bear series by Diane Mott Davidson to enjoy this movie, hence my 9 - Star rating! Nicely done!