New Culinary Crime Book Released

Sun., Sept. 28, 1997

Don O'Briant The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Diane Mott Davidson has found the right recipe for best sellers, with mysteries such as “Killer Pancake,” “Catering to Nobody” and “The Main Corpse.” With more than 1 million copies of her culinary crime novels in print, the Evergreen, Colo., author has been described as a cross between Mary Higgins Clark and Betty Crocker.

Her latest work, “The Grilling Season” (Bantam, $29.95), features caterer/sleuth Goldy Bear Schultz on a murder case involving her ex-husband, a prominent doctor whom she refers to as “the Jerk.”

“I had no idea my characters would arouse such reactions from readers,” Davidson says. “‘The Grilling Season’ was written largely in response to readers who wanted me to punish the Jerk. So I thought, ‘What if the Jerk really did get into trouble?”’ The novel, which includes recipes such as Chocolate Comfort Cookies and Mediterranean Orzo Salad, delves into the issue of corrupt HMOs.

Speaking of recipes: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ cook Marta Sgubin has signed a $1 million deal with Scribner to publish a cookbook, presumably with Jackie’s favorite recipes.

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