Princess Fuzzypants here:
I have been a fan of this series from the first book. I enjoy the insights into the world of movies as well as the story lines. It does stretch credulity at times but it is a cozy and it is fiction. In fact, I can almost guarantee no movie set operates like the ones in the book but it does not deter the fun.
Penelope’s catering business is growing, thanks to her talents and the help of her movie star friend. They are up in rural Vermont this time, out of range of any cell towers and forced into being as “green” as possible by the director of the film. Initially, he is an unpleasant character who, although he purports his commitment to mankind and the environment, treats people under his command in a very high handed manner. Happily, he is not without merits. They just need to be brought out.
Amid the chaos of the logistics, it appears someone is targeting a member of the crew, a famous tennis player who is consulting on the picture. Many violent acts are committed before Penny realizes who is behind the attacks and why.
I have become fond of Penny, her boyfriend/cop Joey, Arlena and her family, and Penny’s team. It is fun to be brought along on their adventures for a quick and easy read..
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

A cozy mystery that does not make the cut for this reviewer. The underlying plot has potential, but the author fails to carry it out well. Though I regularly review books from this publisher, this is the first book from this series that has crossed my path; thus, I was not sure what to expect.

What I found was a story that focused on a caterer that, from my experience, was understaffed. Many of my college days were spent working on the catering crew for large trail rides in the mountains surrounding California's Central Valley. We were equipped to feed 40-60 men for a week. It required a staff of 12 or so (the owner, the chef, two cooks, and a support staff to feed and clean up after each meal). There is no way a crew of four could have completed the job. This made the story less believable from the very beginning.

But, besides being unbelievable, the story seemed slow as it developed. Some chapters appeared to offer little to the ongoing plot, other than adding pages to the book. A broken family, a newly hired chef/cook, and a difficult and mobile setting provided a familiar backdrop - but the story just did not want to hold together. I wanted to finish the book so I could move onto the next book in my to be read list. The story was not so poorly composed I wanted to put it down (I have read some like that), but it was sometimes easier to leave the book on the bed stand and hit the hay rather than pick it up to finish the current chapter.

The bottom line: I will want to read another book by this author. The series has potential, but this book missed the target for this reader. I give it 3½ stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Murder on the Rocks

by Shawn Reilly Simmons

Murder on the Rocks is an engaging and relaxing cozy mystery. It begins with a motorcycle chase and moves on to a relaxing gathering of friends for brunch at a Glendale, New Jersey, café. Violent crime enters the picture and follows Penelope all the way to Vermont where her catering company has been hired to provide food for a movie production. The movie stars her friend and roommate Arlena for whom Penelope also acts as personal chef. Arlena portrays Helen Mills, tennis star from the 1930’s and 1940’s.

I have read another mystery in this series and from a comparison of the types of services provided in the two books and a short Internet search, I discovered that the sorts of food and service provided by companies like Penelope’s vary widely depending on the event, location, and needs and desires of the hiring group. That part of the story is almost as fascinating as the mystery. Penelope and her crew necessarily display a huge amount of professional flexibility. I recommend this book for both the mystery and the culinary background.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery

Notes: # 5 in the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series

Publication: February 6, 2018—Henery Press

Memorable Lines:

Francis shifted his weight and Lewis cleared his throat, the universal signs of being witness to an uncomfortable encounter.

“You’re here because Arlena believes you’re up to the challenge of nurturing our crew, providing our film family with life-sustaining fuel, nourishing our bodies and souls while we embark on this artistic venture together.”

Penelope’s thoughts drifted and grew soft around the edges as she fell asleep.

Penelope and her friends are enjoying a nice brunch at a local cafe, when the restaurant is robbed. The women are okay physically, but very shaken after the attack. A series of events follows, and it seems someone is targeting Penelope's friend Nadia, a tennis pro serving as consultant on the film Penelope is catering. With several strange events occurring, Penelope seeks to learn which events are connected and who is behind them.

The 5th book in the A Red Carpet Catering Mystery series, but the first one I have read. I enjoy cozy mysteries, and found this to be an entertaining, light read.

This book packed a lot of mystery. There were two main mysteries, who attacked the cafe and who was after Nadia. Plus, there were a couple of smaller mysteries, theft in the local police department and the filmmaker's family feud. I thought it was a bit much, and could have done with a little less mystery.

Enjoyable book. I have read at least one other in this series and enjoyed it as well. Penelope is a chef extraordinaire. Her best friend is an actress, Arlena. Together they have adventures. In this book, they are embroiled in two mysteries/crimes. One has to do with a robbery at a restaurant while they were eating and another has to do with a mysterious man that seemed to be watching them at the restaurant.

I liked the characters. Arlena and Penelope are great. Some of the other characters you wanted to hit over the head! But that is what makes it fun, quirky people. They mystery was good and kept my attention. In fact I was a little surprised with both mysteries were solved. It wasn't what I expected. I would recommend this book to all cozy lovers.

Catering for a movie on location can be difficult, but when the directors of the movie require Penelope Sutherland to Go Green, she has her work cut out for her. Reeling from a dramatic robbery in a local cafe prior to the movie catering job, Penny is having fits of unease and thinks she is seeing the perpetrators of the robbery. When a tennis consultant begins having accidents, Penny is right to worry.

Penelope is present during a violent assault and robbery at a favorite restaurant. Although she is unhurt one of her friends wis injured and the owner later has a heart attack. Her boyfriend is one of the investigating officers which ties her further to the case. Her and her catering team go to a remote location along with her friends, one starring in movie and one advising. When strange things start happening Penelope questions whether it is the trauma or if one of them was the original target. The mystery kept me guessing and the food descriptions were vivid and appealing.

Penelope is one of the more likeable main characters I've come across in cozy mysteries recently. She's polite and kind, but can set limits to how much she allows others to push her.

I really liked how much attention was given to the catering job at hand. This author also wrote one of the best awkward dinner scenes I've ever read. For the most part, the mystery was well done. There was enough information given for me to have a pretty good guess at who had done what. I might have been happier if some of the more unpleasant people had ended up paying a bit for what they'd done, but that's the way it goes. Also, I didn't quite connect with Penelope's relationship with her boyfriend and actress friend. Perhaps that would be different if I had been with the series from the beginning.

This is the first book in the series I have read. I'd definitely like to stick around with Penelope for awhile.

Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons is the 5th book in A Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series, and another great addition. Penelope Sutherland is a personal cook for movie star Arlena, who is also her best friend. Penelope also owns her own catering company, where she provides food on movie sets. Before they leave for Vermont to cater Arlena's next movie, they witness a brutal robbery at a restaurant they are eating at. Penelope's boyfriend Joey is the detective in charge of robbery after one women dies. Between the cafe robberies and the accidents on set, Penelope is determined to find the truth. I strongly recommend this book, and every book in this series. This book is a quick read, that I could not put down. I am anxiously waiting the next adventure for Penelope and crew.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The book opens with an incredibly cheesy James Bond-style scene – my heart sank. But fortunately, I read on, and the story got a whole lot better.
This is the fifth Red Carpet Catering mystery, the first that I have read, and I doubt it will be the last. It is a well-written and well-paced ‘cosy’ mystery, that keeps you guessing for much of the story. It is not until you are close to the end that you – and Penelope (the main character) – fully understand what has been going on.
The story proper begins with a robbery at a café owned by one of Penelope’s friends, Sonya. Penelope, and two of her other friends – Arlena and Nadia – are caught up in the traumatic attack, with Nadia being injured. Penelope notices a suspicious looking man observing them before and during the attack. Afterwards, a number of items that the thieves appear to have missed, disappear from the police cordon, and another café is targeted.
Later, far away, in another state, at the film set, Penelope has to deal with: a new-age Director, who insists that all the catering be done on a ‘green’ plastic-free basis, and who likes invading her personal space; a new member of the catering team; a possible family feud; more sightings of the suspicious man; and listening bugs in the accommodation. To make things more difficult, the film set is in a mobile phone and wifi free area, so contact with the outside world – and particularly with Penelope’s cop boyfriend – is limited.
Is there any connection between all the unusual activity? Will there be a murder? Another attack? Who is/will be the victim? Being a ‘cosy’ mystery, everything is resolved in the end – but the resolution(s) may not be what you expect. The book keeps you engaged throughout, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

this is a very entertaining book. it has suspense, people with strange backgrounds, a surprising end. I really liked it.

From being to end this was one very enjoyable read. Each characters was fun and unique from Jeremiah to Penny each character is fun and enjoyable.

Since this is the first in the series I have read the author was able to catch up readers fast without slowing down the current story.



Shawn Reilly Simmons doesn't leave any questions unanswered giving readers a very satisfying ending for mystery reads and readers of the A Red Carpet Catering Mystery series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Henery Press for the advance copy.

I'm so conflicted about this book. I've enjoyed the rest of the series, but this one didn't work for me the same way. I thought the mystery was a bit disjointed and there was one really weird part of it that just completely threw me out of the story every time it was mentioned. And the movie set with the brothers was weird and felt like a not quite properly executed response to the #Metoo moment. I wanted to like it more - and I like the set up enough that I'll probably still come back for book 6 if it's at the right price

When Penelope Sutherland and her actress friend Arlena decide to have a quiet breakfast at a favorite outdoor cafe, they are joined by Penelope's friend Nadia, a tennis star. Nadia is going to be a consultant on a new film Arlena is doing, and they think this is the perfect opportunity for the two to get to know each other. But while everything at first seems to be fine, Penelope notices someone watching them from across the street. And then suddenly things turn violent - a couple of teenagers in hockey gear start attacking the customers, in an obvious attempt to rob them. Shaken by the attack and the fact that while she and Arlena are safe, Nadia has been slightly injured, and a friend is dead.

But there's no time to dwell on it - they need to be in Vermont to start filming. When Penelope arrives, she's not expecting what's to come: the director Jeremiah (and owner of the place where they're staying) is a somewhat New Age Eco-nightmare. He's also expecting everyone to begin their day with meditation, not one of Penelope's strong points.

But then she sees the same man she saw outside the cafe, and she begins to think that someone on the crew might have a stalker; she's not dealing well with panic attacks since the incident occurred, and there's no way to reach the outside world except by driving halfway to town - which gives her the one link to her homicide detective boyfriend, Joey.

Penelope soon realizes that things aren't always what they seem, and with trying to keep Jeremiah happy and deal with her own problems, she discovers that something isn't right and someone close to her might be in more danger than she knows...

I really enjoyed reading this book, so much so that I read it in one setting. I suppose I should explain what I meant about Jeremiah being an "Eco-nightmare". It's all well and good to want to save the planet, we should all strive for that. But to expect a hundred people to re-use dishes just isn't practical, especially when a crew of four are the ones who seem to be doing all the cleanup. I didn't read of anyone else helping out, even though he mentioned 'many hands make quick work'. Um, not his hands, for sure. I felt Jeremiah should have hired his own dishwashers to do that much work - and the trade off with how many times you'd have to run a dishwasher to clean that many items just wouldn't be worth it. It would take hours every night to clean that much. (Let's face it, you can't put hundreds of items in one or two loads). They'd have those two dishwashers - not commercial ones, by the way - running constantly, and there are Eco-friendly disposable tableware on the market. (Sorry - I notice details).

But back to the story - there was plenty of suspense going on, with Penny for the most part cut off from the world and having to figure things out without the ready use of a computer or cell phone. Her natural curiosity kept her involved in everything around her, from her friends to someone she recently met in town; and watching how she dealt with them, along with her own new found insecurities about what happened was definitely worth the read.

While Joey is trying to find out who's behind the robberies, he discovers another big problem at the police station that needs to be sorted out; and Penelope is trying to figure out who the man is who keeps showing up. When she finally starts to realize what's going on, it's nearly too late, but Penny has always been able to think fast, which is probably her strongest suit.

This series has always been quite entertaining, and this latest installment is no different. The characters are fully dimensional, the plot is always believable, and the story is always realistic. True to previous books, this one is a suspenseful journey to the truth, and a glimpse into Penny's mindset as she tries to deal with her own trauma. It is done so well that one cannot help but feel sorry for her personally, and root for her as she handles sudden complications to her standard catering routine while she tries to please her host and get through the shoot.

When the ending comes, it is all convincing and well done; all our questions are answered admirable. This was indeed a book worth reading, and Ms. Simmons has equaled any of the others she's written. Highly recommended.

Penelope, Arlena, and Nadia are having breakfast outdoors at a local cafe when it's robbed. Just prior to the attack, Penelope noticed a man across the street watching the cafe, or them, or both. She wonders if he is part of the crew that robbed the place.

Not long after, Penelope, Arlena, and Nadia meet again on location in Vermont. Arlene is the star of the film. Nadia is a consultant. And Penelope is in charge of catering on site. Penelope seems to be developing PTSD since the robbery. And the people in charge of the film are making unusual requests of her – that the food be locally sourced and no plastics be used among other things. The goal, they say, is to lessen the carbon footprint of the film. An attack befalls Nadia. Penelope wonders if there is a connection to the events at the cafe.

Penelope's boyfriend, Joey, is a detective with the police. He is looking into the robbery. But, he is also suggesting to Penelope that they might be ready to take their relationship to the next level.

This is a good mystery. It's well-written. It grabbed my attention and held it. The characters are well drawn and interesting. The romance between Penelope and Joey is a minor plot, but it all flows together.

My only complaint is that the title of the book seems to have little to do with the plot. Otherwise, it is an excellent cozy mystery.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I liked it enough to look into other books in the series. It's written so that you could read it as a standalone, but if you like it you will want more of the characters. The incidental information about how a film set and catering service works is interesting. All in all, it's a good cozy read.

Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons is expected to be published February 6, 2018 by Henery Press.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Henery Press via NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Murder on the Rocks is a well written book, great plot and characters. I recommend to fans of mysteries.

Up and coming tennis star and young actor in important television series meet to explore psychology of historical tennis star our actor is playing: a biopic successful female player. Attempted kidnapping is thwarted. but people are hurt in the attack, and the caterer, a friend of both women takes it on herself to investigate. It's a bit slow and really unlikely but tennis star harmed and seeks treatment we learn will probably need successful. Etc the rather Naive aura about it all is a feature of the 'cozy' and it's here too; a bit implausible it seemed to me however.

Murder on the Rocks: A Red Carpet Catering Mystery
By Shawn Reilly Simmons
Henery Press
February 6, 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

The fifth of the Red Carpet Catering mystery series starts off with a motorcycle chase, shootout, and even a chain fight. It’s just another day at work for actress Arlena Madison, the best friend and client of personal chef Penelope Sutherland. Yet the violence nearly pales in comparison to what was to be a genial brunch at their Glendale, New Jersey neighborhood café. Arlena’s next movie role is to play a real-life professional tennis player of the 1940s and 50s, so Penelope had set up the meal to introduce the actress to an old high school friend. Nadia Westin is now a professional tennis player herself, and hopefully would available to help Arlena train and mold herself into the role. Instead, their relaxing brunch is interrupted by a violent robbery where a family is attacked, Nadia injured, and her very valuable purse be placed in police custody.

It’s as good as time as any for them to leave for Vermont, where Arlena is filming the biopic based on the life of tennis-playing artist, Helen Willis. Penelope’s Red Carpet Catering company joins her to provide the casts’ meals, but they never expected that the two producers/directors would demand that their food be historically accurate to the 50s, environmentally-friendly, and locally sourced. Penelope isn’t sure what to think about the Svengali-like Jeremiah Truegood’s mandatory morning meditations or his growing influence over her new chef, or whether Nadia is having more than just a streak of bad luck. It makes being apart from her boyfriend Joseph Baglioni all that much harder, as the detective himself seems stymied by the robberies that are becoming more violent.

The author excels in depicting the fascinating details that go on behind-the-scenes to produce such glamorous results. Penelope has learned to roll with the impractical and often whimsical demands of her artistic clients, but readers see the enormous amount of work required to make the results seem effortless. This is further reflected with both Arlena and Nadia, who face physical and mental tolls in order to be professionals in their respective fields. Social media certainly hasn’t made their tasks any easier, as while they can be inspirations and role models, they also face the onslaught of criticism and trolling. Readers who appreciate complex mysteries, mixed in with culinary and entertainment business details, will adore the latest in this always entertaining series.

This is book #5 in the Red Carpet Catering series. This is a fun, clean but exciting cozy mystery.
Penelope owns a catering company and they travel with movie people to different locations. This takes place in Vermont. Her best friend Arlena is one of the actresses. They are filming a tennis themed movie so they bring Nadia who is a tennis pro. Things begin to happen but are they coincidence or is one of them under attack and why? There are a lot of quirky characters but it isn't too difficult to figure out the culprit although you can't be sure until more info is uncovered. This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery!

Penelope's crew is once again providing catering on the set of Arlena's period movie about a famous female tennis player. The characters I have grown to know and love were not much in evidence in 'Murder on the Rocks' and the new characters that were introduced were not very likeable to me. In some cases they were downright creepy and I couldn't determine if that was the intention to sharpen the mystery or if it was unintended and they were just plain not appealing. Without giving away the plot there was an effort to introduce a current topic that was rushed and for me was a fail. The ending was also abrupt and unsatisfying. I'm hoping for a return to what I've come to expect from Shawn Reilly Simmons in a future offering.