I really, really love finding new mystery series! Here Comes the Body is the first in A Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico aka Ellen Byron. You may be familiar with Ellen Byron’s Cajun Country Mystery series. I’ve read the first two in that series, which takes place in Louisiana, and really enjoyed them.

I enjoyed that Mia is a party planner since that is one of the things I’ve always thought I would enjoy doing. But after DJing for about five years, I realized I don’t want to deal with all the craziness that goes into weddings and other events. I can see a lot of potential for future books when it comes to the shenanigans of people at different parties.

The characters were so much fun. I love grandma and can’t wait to see what future adventures her and her group of neighborhood ladies find themselves in. I also enjoyed meeting the people in the pet support group and the new neighbors that moved in down the road, and I can’t wait to get to know more about them.

And then there’s the whole mafia angle, which is a riot. At first Maria was trying to distance herself from it, but as the book progressed she started to embrace it. I do enjoy books on the mob, so I’m happy to find a cozy series that includes them. Once again there is so much potential for future books in regards to the mafia aspect.

I also really enjoy that the love interest isn’t a cop, lawyer, or some other official that can look the other way when Mia needs some information. Instead he’s a cab driver studying for his psychology degree, oh, and he happens to be the son of the mafia boss. That is such a nice change of pace.

A fun start to a new cozy series, and one that I highly recommend!!!

This a new author and a wonderful book. Mia moves back to New York. She helps her dad at belle view. Someone is killed and she sets out to investigate the killer

I am absolutely in love with this new series! The characters were just wonderful and developed well throughout the plot. The murderer was not too easy to come by - and sometimes that's what draws me in - the wondering of the who done it. I can't wait for the next in the series!

This was a great first installment of a new series. I liked the setting of a catering hall in Queens. It brought that area to life for me and made me interested to visit. The characters were developed to be interesting to read about. The mystery puzzle had lots of action to keep you interested. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series.

Here Comes the Body is the debut of the A Catering Hall Mystery series set in Astoria, NY and featuring Mia Carina, the daughter of reputed mobster Ravello Carina. A disastrous marriage to adulterer, Adam Grosso has ended with a boat crash in Palm Springs with Adam's body never being recovered and fingers pointing at Mia and her "Family" as having organized his disappearance. Leaving her position in a high end leather shop, Mia returns home to Astoria moving in with her grandmother Elisabetta and taking a job assisting her father at the Belle View Manor and Catering Hall.

Ravello had been working for the Boldano family making sure that gamblers weren't walking away from their debts, but after several stints at Rikers he's determined to follow the straight and narrow and make a legitimate go at running the catering hall. Her first big night has Mia overseeing an anniversary party in the downstairs ballroom and a raucous batchelor party upstairs. Things seem to be going well until a body is found in the pop up cake, and it's not the stripper that was supposed to be jumping out. Making matters worse, the dead woman had accosted Ravello the day before demanding money for a supposed earlier date, and tucked in next to her body is a check written by Ravello for a million dollars.

Determined to prove her Dad's innocence, Mia sets out to track down the real killer and prove to Detective Pete Dianopolis, that for once her family was not connected to a murder. Teaming up with catering hall employees, her ex boyfriend and her grandmother's "Army" of elderly neighbors, Mia quickly finds herself mixed up in a prostitution ring, bullying real estate deals and attacks by a rival Mob family.

A fast paced plot and laugh out loud moments with a zany cast of characters from page one this series is sure to be a "hit". I for one can't wait to see what happens next!

I received an advanced copy of Here Comes the Body from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

I found this to be an unusual cozy mystery. It doesn't have any of the usual occupations or characters. I really liked the neighborhood of old italian ladies and the way the writer brought the atmosphere of Queens to life. I was surprised by who the killer was and by how he was caught. I was happy that the main character's bird was found at the end. #HereComestheBody #NetGalley

This was an enjoyable first in a new series.
Solid interesting characters and a well written whodunit.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

What a fun and funny introduction to what I hope will be a fantastic series. Well written, with a great characters, and an interesting plot. More please.

Most-likely-a-widow Maria Carina returns home to Queens and is reunited with her family (and Family!) after her estranged, cheating husband is presumed dead at sea. With a new career in the catering business at her father's Belle View Banquet Manor, Mia's ready to establish herself back in her hometown, but when a woman is found murdered in a giant cake at her first event, and her father is suspected of doing the dastardly deed, Mia must clear his name. Maria DiRico's first Catering Hall Mystery, Here Comes the Body, is a fantastically funny start to a new cozy mystery series, filled with memorable characters and settings. A+++

Here Comes the Body is the first book in a new series entitled A Catering Hall Mystery and written by Maria DiRico, a pseudonym for author Ellen Byron. When I saw she was writing a new series, I had to get a copy of the debut, so I checked on NetGalley and got lucky! Then I saw it would be on a blog tour with one of my favorite companies, Great Escapes Virtual Tours... so... yeah, I had to read this one, and I'm so glad I did.

Let's start with the setting: Astoria, Queens, New York City. I live in Manhattan directly across the East River from where this book takes place. The author mentions towns on Long Island, like Syosset, next door to where I grew up. The book is a perfect match for me... and like the charm of Byron's Cajun / Bayou series, this one will immediately make you feel like you're in an authentic place. And if I'm being honest, that might be the only thing about the book that gave me some concerns in the beginning - it was a little 'too much' in terms of the Italian NY mafia scene. I worried it would be a bit overkill, but by the middle of the story, I found it amusing and on par.

Let's dish about the plot: Mia returns from Florida as a widow. Or her husband might still be alive, but she's no longer wanted for his disappearance and possible death. Her mobster father swears he didn't kill her husband either, but Dad's decided to go legit, and he and Mia run a catering hall together, despite the owner obviously being a Godfather. Dad deals with removing obstacles on the back end, Mia meets with the clients and attends the events. In their first one, a dead stripper fails to pop out of the cake for a bachelor party. Okay, she shouldn't have been dead when she popped out, but that's what happened... unfortunately, Mia's dad has a connection to the woman, so he is eventually arrested for the murder.

Toss in Mia's old high school boyfriend who has a new girlfriend (they're in their late 20s / early 30s) yet seems to still think about her (he's also that Godfather's son, so yeah, that's gonna be a problem), a couple of unusual catering hall staff members, a nutty grandmother, a brother in prison, a charming friend with tons of connections (and an ex on the police force), and a cool supporting cast... you've got a hit for a new series. I look forward to reading more. I hope the mafia scene stays funny, and we get to see the hilarity of Mia's grandmother's Astoria neighborhood (fighting over religious items, holiday decorations, and renovations, oh my).

This will definitely be a good one, and I recommend it to all cozy lovers and those who want to see a piece of NYC (whether it's Queens or Manhattan, because as the book confirms, BOTH are part of 'the city.'

What a fun book! This made me laugh and I was thrilled to read such a great new plot. I'll be reading this author again.

I have to say I'm not particularly a fan of mob stories or of New York, but I loved this story. The mystery was fantastic, the characters had depth, and the overall story was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next one!