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Book Review: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico

  • Writer: Kristen Lewendon
    Kristen Lewendon
  • Oct 26, 2021
  • 2 min read

Catering Hall Mystery Book 3

Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is juggling her job at the Belle View catering hall with a case of murder . . .


Mia’s busy with a full schedule of events at the family business—among them an over-the-top Nativity-themed first birthday party and a Sweet Sixteen for a teen drama queen. But her personal life is even more challenging. Her estranged mother has returned—and her lifelong friend Jamie has discovered a shocking secret about his past. He’s so angry that he starts hanging out with Lorenzo, who claims to be his long-lost brother—even after it becomes clear that Lorenzo’s story is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree.


Then a body turns up among the elves in a Santa’s-workshop lawn display, and amateur sleuth Mia has a buffet of suspects to choose from. Amid the holiday celebrations, she intends to find out who’s the guilty party . . .


Italian recipes included!

 

My Review:

I adore Mia and her wild and crazy family, friends, and co-workers. I’m fascinated by the predicaments she gets herself tangled up in. She’s a savvy, street-smart young woman who doesn’t fall in to many of the “too stupid to live” tendencies of so many heroines in this genre. That’s a big part of why I love her so much. I also enjoy the clever mysteries that always keep me guessing and following the wrong red herrings. It doesn’t hurt that the shenanigans of those crazy family, friends, and co-workers keep me delightfully distracted and laughing my butt off. I binge-read this whole series in, largely, a single sitting. And now that I’ve come to the end of what’s currently available, I’m feeling a little bereft that there aren’t more books in it for me to gobble down right away. I’m not sure what’s in store for Mia next, but I can’t wait to read it.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

Other books in the series:

Here Comes the Body (A Catering Hall Mystery Book 1)
Long Island Iced Tina (A Catering Hall Mystery Book 2)

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