Mia Carina's pregnant friend Nicole plans to hold a shower at Belle View at Mia's family catering hall,
But Nicole also has to attend the glitzy event that her stepmother Tina is throwing at the fanciest place in Queens, Versailles. Mia tags along at the lavish party to get a read on her family's competitor and notices some strange goings-on there. Then Nicole's Belle View baby shower is hijacked when a fight breaks out and a valuable stolen painting is found among the gifts. Tina is shocked to see the painting and freaks out. The next day, Mia finds Tina's lifeless body floating in the marina.

So who wanted to ice Tina? Mia has plenty of suspects to sift through but the trail eventually points to Tina's direct role in the original heist. Mia unwittingly confronts the killer while attending another fancy event at an estate near Long Island Sound.

This was another funny, quick read in the Catering Hall mystery series. I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Even if I'm not a fan of Mafia as a trope (being born in Italy it makes you think of a lot of unpleasant events and situations) I like this series and really liked this book.
Mia is an interesting character, a clever woman who tries to build a life on the right side of the law. I was happy to catch up with her and the other well written characters.
The plot is well developed and I found it engrossing and entertaining. The mystery kept me guessing.
Can't wait to read the next installment, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Princess Fuzzypants here: In spite of two murders on the premises, Belle View, the catering hall that her “connected” father’s Family wants run as a legitimate business, is starting to do well. Clearly not as well as some of the other “nose bleed” destinations around but business is growing. Mia is delighted to host a baby shower for her best friend and all goes smoothly until her stepmother, or stepmonster as she is known swans in and proceeds to take over the spotlight.

When a present, purportedly from her is unwrapped, Tina is both shocked and dismayed. It is a painting that had been stolen in an art heist twenty years earlier. Who had the picture all this time and why did they set up Tina? Everyone wants to know what is the connection between Tina and the painting but Tina is unable to answer them. Her body is pulled out of the water and the mother to be’s parents look like suspects. Mia is convinced neither is guilty so she asks questions and figures out that the cast of characters are not whom they seem to be.

This series has just the right bit of Italian/Mob humour, if the Mob was funny. As the Mafia Princess she tries to find her way through life on the right side of the law. But Mia is also a very wise lady and she is able to suss out things others do not. It can, however, get her in deep trouble. It adds the excitement and suspense to the story which, when revealed, is quite a complex knot of relationships. It was fun unravelling them.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: February 23, 2021

Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico is the second book in A Catering Hall Mystery series. I had not read the previous book, but was able to easily read this one.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and held my attention. The story was great with interesting characters! I loved the mystery, so much fun!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the other book(s) in the series!

I'm so grateful to Maria DiRico, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Book 2 in DiRico's Catering Hall Mystery series continues with the droll voice of our sleuth, Mia Carina, as she unravels another mystery/farce set at the Belle View Banquet Manor in Queens NY.
For those who do not speak Italian Mia's given name translates as "my darling" in English. A darling character she is. Filled with humor, common sense, and the ability to handle being part of 'the family" that wants to go straight, Mia is able to handle the challenges that life tosses her way. Challenges in this case involve learning to drive, applying active listening skills to Nonna when her competitive streak emerges, and most importantly knowing when to break up a 'cat fight'.
The catering events covered in this novel include competitive baby showers. Nicole, Tina's friend wants to use Belle View. Her step'momster' Tina, has selected the fancy schmancy other venue.
Tina who deserves her demise, regretfully dies on Belle View property. Mia, along with the capable crew from book 1, hone their investigative talents while walking the most narrow of the straight and narrow paths. Yes, the Mafia does have a role in the cast of characters. This Mafia is more like The Gang Who couldn't Shoot Straight than the Godfather. The setting is true, the characters are frothy extensions of New York types. I love Mia, and hope for the best for her as the series moves along.
Highly recommended for readers of culinary mysteries and for lovers of light-hearted puzzles

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from netgalley and Kensington Press in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

Mia Carina is throwing herself into making a success of her family’s Belle View Banquet Manor, ostensibly because she wants to make sure her Mafia-connected dad stays on the straight and narrow. Annoyingly, certain friends and family members are starting to drop hints that she’s using work to avoid her lack of personal life. Ignoring them, she decides to focus on planning the best baby shower possible for another good friend Nicole. Surprised to learn that Tina Karras, Nicole’s stepmother -- or stepmonster as Nicole’s grandmother calls her -- is also throwing a baby shower for Nicole at the incredibly swank Versailles On The Park, Mia decides to take the opportunity to check out the competition, and is chagrined by how her business pales in comparison.

But for all that the Versailles On The Park event is extravagantly lavish, Mia knows that it lacks the personal touch her business can provide. And everything seems to be going well at Nicoloe’s Belle View shower… until Tina gets into a blowout fight with Linda, Nicole’s mom. Mia does her best to smooth things over, bringing the focus back to celebrating Nicole and her baby, till Nicole unwraps a bizarre present: an expensive painting that turns out to have been stolen. Tina, of all people, reacts the most strongly, and the baby shower ends with the cops coming in to take custody of the painting.

Still, the shower overall seems to be a success, until Mia discovers Tina’s body floating in the waters of the bay behind Belle View. When Linda becomes prime suspect in the murder, a distraught Nicole begs for Mia’s help investigating. Linda and Tina might have had bad blood, but there’s no way Nicole’s mother is a murderer. Mia must get to the bottom of things in order to put her pregnant friend’s mind at ease. Besides, she of all people knows what it means to protect her family.

This second installment in the Catering Hall mystery series was just as much fun as the first, with realistic characters I genuinely enjoyed spending time with. The mystery was complicated and clever, and the dialog witty and believable. It was also really great to have a mystery set in Astoria-Queens: small town cozies are awesome, but it’s always refreshing -- and frankly more easily relatable for me -- to have that aesthetic transplanted to the big city.

There were four recipes included here, all of which played a part in the narrative, and I decided to try making this cookie-baklava hybrid:

QUOTE
Honey Phyllo Rollups

The cookies:
2 cups ground nuts--walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or almonds work. Baker's choice
¼ cup sugar
2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
24 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
½ cup butter, melted

The syrup:
½ cup honey
½ cup white sugar
½ cup water
1 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the ground nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.

Place two sheets of phyllo dough on a sheet of parchment paper larger than the dough. Brush the phyllo dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the dough with ¼ cup of the nut mixture. Roll the dough tightly but carefully from the long side upward, creating a slim log. Slice the log into four pieces and set each into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. You can pack the rollups tightly--they won't expand. (Note: keep the unused phyllo dough covered with a wet cloth or paper towel so that it doesn't dry out.) When you've finished making the rollups, bake for 14-16 minutes until they're light brown. Let them cool.

While the rollups are in the oven, make the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for around five minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about ten minutes.

Spoon the syrup over the rollups. If you have any leftover nut mixture, sprinkle it over the rollups.

Serving: 24 rollups.
END QUOTE

These rollups were even easier to make than I expected! I actually wound up making 32 rollups from the ingredients I had, without extra nut mixture at the end. Speaking of nuts, since I had trouble finding ground versions at the grocery store, I just pulsed the ones I had with the sugar and spices, which made for a really nicely integrated mix. These cookies keep quite well, though I did roll them over in the syrup so that they were evenly coated and didn’t end up being mushy on one side. My family and I very much enjoyed these over the course of several days.

Next week, we’ll be heading to the Midwest to bake up a savory treat while solving a murder in a series debut. Do join me!

Long Island Iced Tina is the second book in the 'Catering Hall Mysteries' written by Maria DiRico, aka Ellen Byron. It features Mia, an Italian Princess, whose father has gone clean after his stint in prison. He and Mia are running a catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor. The hall belongs to a mob kingpin, but they are running it clean and are not involved in mob matters, at least not intentionally. Mia's friend is pregnant and not only is Mia organizing a baby shower for her at Belle View, but she also attends another shower put on by Nicole's stepmother, Tina. Tina seems to have a lot of money, but nobody knows where it came from. Nicole gets a rather mysterious gift of a valuable and stolen painting and then Tina turns up dead. What is going on?

This was another great story by Maria DiRico. It is a fun and humorous cozy mystery with great characters. Mia is a great protagonist. She has her funny moments and you never know what trouble she is going to find herself in. Working with her father has her constantly frustrated as he is trying to stay uninvolved in the mob, but it is not easy for him. Although Mia and her dad were not suspects in this murder, because the body was found in the bay next to their establishment, they are worried it will damage business, so Mia begins to investigate. There are several suspects and the painting adds even more of a mystery to the story. Mia once again finds herself up to her neck in danger and the reveal is exciting and even has some humour. I did not figure out the culprit until the end, which always makes a story better for me. After this all wraps up, we are left with raised eyebrows as their new employee is introduced to us. I definitely recommend this book and series.

Munniguccia Evangelista’s grand baby is having a baby and she wants to have a baby shower at The Belleview Banquet Manor.Mia had only been running the Belleview with her father for a few months she told the great grandmother to be. They insisted on inviting Tina, Ron Karmas’ second wife with the venomous spin put on the word step monster. They insist to include one dish on the menu since the step mother will be there “pasta puttanesca, for the puttana, the Italian word for “whore”. At one of her baby showers Nicole is given a painting called “Cow and Woman” by late Spanish artist Ferdinand Vela that was stolen from the Malcolm Miller art collection about 20 years ago. Justine checks the back of the painting saying it is not a copy, it’s the original painting. Tina let’s out a scream then collapsed on the floor. Later the next day the police retrieve the body of Tina Iles-Karras from the waters next to the dock closest to Belleview. The police suspect Nicole’s mother for the murder of her stepmom. The family asks Mia to prove Nicole’s mom innocent. While she is trying to solve the mystery of Tina’s death she also has to face the competition Versailles that’s interested in buying and taking over the Belle View. A fun exciting story with twists and turns to find the killer and keep the Belle View.

I have been looking forward to this book, since I read the first book in the series. It was even better than I hoped it would be. I love how the Jersey culture and setting are described. The characters draw you in with their unique personalities. The mystery was very interesting and I had a few suspects, but didn't guess right. However I think what we learn about Jamie is more exciting than the mystery. If you didn't read the first book, you can read this book with no problem. If you love some mobsters and Jersey Shore in your mystery you will love this book. I can't wait for the next book.

Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico is another remarkably written book about this Italian catering hall.

Can Mia figure out who would kill Tina?

Mia Carina
Mia Carina is back again in the next book of A Catering Hall Mystery series. I am in love with this series. Being part of an Italian mob family, Mia knows that sometimes the police don't like her family. She is a special character that always has a tremendous time of being funny. I love it when she translates some of the words that she knows for us readers who don't speak Italian or really read Italian. Mia is an exceptional sleuth despite this being only her second mystery. I love reading about this character, but I'm unsure I would like to meet her in real life. Seriously, her family is a bit scary.

The Mystery
The mystery this time is about a family friend's stepmom dying on a dock near Belle View Catering. I feel bad for Mia and her family as they are trying to keep the business legal and not doing anything with laundering money through it. She is tasked with figuring out who would kill the stepmom like that. It's just one thing after another in this one.

Five Stars
My rating for Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico is five stars, and I recommend it to anyone who loves reading culinary cozy mysteries. I love Ms. DiRico's fabulous writing style throughout this book. Also, I love this whole Italian mob family owning a catering hall to try to go legitimate. Ms. DiRico has an amazing imagination, and it shows throughout this book which transports the reader into the story so perfectly.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Long Island Iced Tina by Maria DiRico.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

I enjoyed the first in the series so much, I had to read this second one right away!

Mia Carina is still working at the Belle View Catering Hall with her father. This time Mia's best friend, Nicole, is having a baby and she has to deal with dueling baby showers. Nicole's mother is hosting the shower at Belle View Catering Hall while Nicole's stepmother, Tina, is hosting at the fanciest place in Manhattan (Nicole hates the whole idea but has to go along for her father's sake). For the shower at Belle View, Nicole is greeted by friends and family and has a great time until the Tina makes her grand entrance. Hoping that Mia will help her handle the next shower, Nicole invites her to the fancy one. The fancy shower is more a showcase for Tina than a baby shower and Nicole is so upset that she leaves early.
What Mia finds is that Belle View will need a lot of work if it plans to compete. But something isn't right here. When Mia later finds Tina floating dead near Belle View, she knows that she needs to find the murderer to keep Belle View from shutting down.

With her neighbors and Nonna helping, Mia investigates Tina's past and present to figure out who and why.

When is the next one coming? I want it now!!

This book is so much fun! I loved Mia and Elisabetta as well as the host of crazy characters that show up in the book. The recipes are enticing too!

Mia Carina is back in the borough of Queens—in charge of the family catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, and keeping her nonna company. But some events—like murder—are not the kind you can schedule . . .

Mia’s newly pregnant friend Nicole plans to hold a shower at Belle View—but Nicole also has to attend one that her competitive (and mysteriously rich) stepmother, Tina, is throwing at the fanciest place in Queens. It’s a good chance for Mia to snoop on a competitor, especially since doing a search for “how to run a catering hall” can get you only so far.

Mia tags along at the lavish party, but the ambiance suffers at Nicole’s Belle View shower when a fight breaks out—and then, oddly, a long-missing and valuable stolen painting is unwrapped by the mom-to-be. Tina is clearly shocked to see it. But not as shocked as Mia is when, soon afterward, she spots the lifeless body of a party guest floating in the marina . . .

Long Island Iced Tina
Catering Hall Mystery, Book 2
Maria DiRico
5 Stars

Synopsis:

In the second installment of Maria DiRico's new Catering Hall Mystery series, Mia Carina is back in the borough of Queens, in charge of the family catering hall Belle View Banquet Manor, and keeping her nonna company. But some events--like murder at a shower--are not the kind you can schedule...

Mia's newly pregnant friend Nicole plans to hold a shower at Belle View--but Nicole also has to attend one that her competitive (and mysteriously rich) stepmother, Tina, is throwing at the fanciest place in Queens. It's a good chance for Mia to snoop on a competitor, especially since doing a search for how to run a catering hall can get you only so far.

Mia tags along at the lavish party, but the ambience suffers at Nicole's Belle View shower when a fight breaks out--and then, oddly, a long-missing and valuable stolen painting is unwrapped by the mom-to-be. Tina is clearly shocked to see it. But not as shocked as Mia is when, soon afterward, she spots the lifeless body of a party guest floating in the marina . . .

Italian recipes included! (Goodreads)

Review:

Mia is a good daughter and a good friend. She is helping to host a baby shower for her friend at her family-owned catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor. And she is a good daughter because she is helping her dad become a legitimate business man and being sure he has cut the ties with the mob. When Mia attends a baby shower for her friend and a stolen picture is one of the shower gifts, she knows something is up. And when someone is found dead, she knows she has to find the culprit before someone she cares about is charged with the murder. She will need all of her “connections” to figure this one out.

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Mia and Nicole are really good friends and will do anything to help the other. Mia’s grandmother is very funny and she will boast to anyone about what a good detective Mia is. There may be a new love interest for Mia, we will have to wait and see.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there watching all of the action taking place. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I was not sure who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end, which is how I like it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

LONG ISLAND ICED TINA is the second book in the CATERING HALL MYSTERY series. I was swept into it immediately even though I haven’t read the first book, HERE COMES THE BODY, yet. Growing up in Queens and having relatives in Long Island I could picture the locations. Being part of a big Italian family (not Family) it was was fun to hear the Italian being spoken and an explanation of the phrases in English as I was reading. At times I felt like I was home! There were also Greek words sprinkled throughout since Mia’s best friend is half Italian and half Greek and much of the story revolves around her since she’s pregnant and her baby showers are front and center.

A cozy mystery, the story has a lot of action and storylines along with an amateur sleuth, Mia. She runs the catering hall with her dad and many of the scenes take place there. She has a nose for trouble and is good at piecing things together sometimes with a little help from her friends or family. The story has a nice flow and was a quick read with lots of clues throughout. There is the tight-knit community of Astoria as well as family ties and competing catering halls. It was fun getting to know the good guy characters, even if some were part of the Family, and see their interactions. There is nice closure especially since the mystery gets solved and loose ends are tied up. The ending hints of what may be coming in the third book in the series, IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER. The book has a pretty cover and it was easy to be drawn into it.

Ms. DiRico is the pen name of author Ellen Byron. Both are new to me authors. I look forward to reading more in this series as well as some of the books written by Ms. Byron.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mia Carina manages Belle View Banquet Manor, a catering hall her father, former mob enforcer, Ravello Carina, acquired through interesting circumstances. She is excited that one of her upcoming events is a baby shower for her friend Nicole. But then she learns that this is not the only shower being held for the mother-to-be. Her stepmother, Tina has booked another shower at the ritzy Versailles on the Park. Nicole invites Mia to the other shower and she gladly accepts because it will give her the chance to check out the upscale competition. She also sees the very selfish style of Tina and understands how she was given the nickname of step-monster.

The shower at Belle View gets off to a great start, that is until Tina shows up unfashionably late and gets into a fight with the host, Nicole’s grandmother, Minnie. The event really gets even more crazy when one of the gifts appears to be a priceless stolen painting from the step-monster herself. But Tina denies the gift is from her especially when the police arrive to investigate the artwork that has been missing for years. Thinking the worst is behind her Mia is ready to head home but then she sees the body, the body floating in the marina behind Belle View.

Ms. DiRico has created such wonderful characters. Our protagonist Mia Carina is trying so hard to make Belle View Banquet Manor a success while doing a little sleuthing on the side. She is surrounded by a wide-ranging group of supporting characters that will have you laughing out loud and shaking your head. Her Nonna is involved in many things throughout the story but one of her exploits had me laughing so hard I had tears running down my face. Mia is also trying to master a skill with her “friend” Jamie’s help which also generated some comedic moments. I know murder is a serious subject but this author knows how to bring the funny in all the right places. I loved the way she did this.

Okay, back to the serious murder. The author plotted a strong complex mystery with a variety of facets. We are introduced to several new characters/suspects as Mia chases down clues, sometimes with Jamie’s help. I really enjoyed following along with Mia for each twist and clue, and there were a lot. My suspect list shuffled several times. The big reveal was very surprising and exciting. In addition to the main mystery, the author blends in some memorable subplots.

I have so much fun visiting this Italian family for all the crazy exploits. There truly is never a dull moment when the Carina family is involved.

Long Island Iced Tina is a captivating cozy with a mystery that will test readers as they try to keep up with Mia. It was most definitely A Perfect Escape!

Mia runs the Belle View Banquet Manor in Queens, New York. Her main goal in life right now, as she recovers from a nasty marriage, is to do all she can to keep her dad from returning to the Big House for another stretch. You see, Dad is mobbed up and the Belle View operation is just about the only legit business going for The Family. It helps them with their bookkeeping, so to speak. Cammie is an employee in very flexible terms - she loves her job because she rarely is expected to actually work. Bottom line? Mia is doing it all, from start to finish, set up to clean up and with the help of the rest of the staff, well, she gets the job done. So far her Dad is still a free man......unlike her brother.
Nicole is Mia's best friend and pregnant with her first child. Baby showers are happening and there are more than a few fireworks due to Nicole's Stepmonster, Tina. A real piece of work is Tina. Disliked by most, she is the evil second wife and she is bound and determined to steal the spotlight every chance she gets. For example, she hosts a fancy baby shower shindig at a posh venue and sends out invitations that dictate that it's formal attire and all of the women must wear black. Why? All the better to act as a canvas for her grand entrance....wearing a ruby red dress and a collection of rainbow gem bracelets. Needless to say, she's as welcome as a case of food poisoning.
Things get really complicated when one of the gifts, a painting, turns out to be hot, having been stolen. Then a killer strikes and Mia not only finds herself juggling the Belle View business but trying to catch a killer. How are the stolen painting and the corpse tied to Tina?
So far there are only two books in this delightful series with the third, It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Murder, coming out October 26, 2021. Each is a five star read full of humor, Italian style and a great cast of characters....and a very well crafted mystery to solve. The fact that the author (Ellen Byron) grew up in Queens and the family businesses were catering halls, these mysteries have that something extra special.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mia Carina is doing well as she continues to manage her family’s catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor. She’s thrilled her best friend, Nicole, is having her baby shower at Belle View. However, it’s not the only baby shower her friend is having. Belle View’s competitor is the host for a very fancy baby shower for Nicole hosted by the mother-to-be’s step-mother, Tina.

When one of the baby gifts turns out to be a valuable stolen painting, Tina is stunned. After the party, Mia stumbles upon a dead body. Nicole’s family is under suspicion which is causing Nicole to have problems with her unborn baby. Mia vows to protect Nicole, her child and her family by finding out who the killer is.

This is a fun and exciting series. Mia is such a lovable and sweet character in a family filled with people that are not exactly law abiding. The Carina family and their friends gave me hours of laughter and crazy antics mixed in with a mystery that kept me thinking.

The finale was an adventure that took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting that ending. The author has a wonderful knack for writing cozy mysteries and keeping readers at the edge of their seat. I’m so looking forward to another visit to Queens, New York. As a native New Yorker, I always love a good story centered in my home state.



FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The second in the Catering Hall Mystery series, Long Island Iced Tina again sees main character Mia Carina striving to save her friends and family from a very suspicious murder. Mia is no ordinary manager of a catering hall in Queens. She is the daughter of a mob lieutenant who is trying to go straight.

A lot going on in Book 2 with the murder of Tina, while Mia continues to wrestle with the remaining question of her ex, as well as her close friendship with Jaime. She is living with her grandmother who is involving her in her own wacky goals.

Mia’s father hired the grandson of a mob family to help at the banquet manor in a subtle exchange of favors, but Benjy is not the enthusiastic staff member of their dreams. Tina’s excessive baby shower at the Versailles and the unhappy ending of her at Mia’s shower in the Belle View Banquet Manor in Queens prompts Mia’s sleuthing.

I love that Mia is so embroiled in her tight Italian family. The writing style weighs heavily in their inherited sense of humor, their love of the city, and their shared history.

This could be read as a standalone as bits and pieces of history are dropped into the investigation and Mia’s interviews where she’s really quite adept, gleaning little clues that lead to further gains.

The conclusion is probably where you’d expect it to go and leads to the introduction of a possible new romance (thumbs down on that one). I feel that eventually we’ll get the story of what really happened to the ex. The well-plotted and paced mystery settles in to a fun read and spurs curiosity over where the author will take us next. I’ll be looking for Book 3. 4.5 stars

Long Island Iced Tina, the second book in Maria DiRico’s Catering Hall Mysteries is just as cute and clever as its title. And like its predecessor, it is a whole lot of fun!

Caterer Mia Carina is only too happy to host a baby shower for her friend, Nicole, at the Belle View event center. The festive atmosphere, however, is undermined, first by a fight initiated by Nicole’s step-mother, and then when one of the presents turns out to be a missing painting, the subject of an art heist some twenty years ago. If that wasn’t enough, the next day, Mia discovers one of the shower guests has drowned in the nearby bay. Afraid that the bad publicity connected to the event will negatively impact her business, Mia sets out to find the murderer.

Mia and her mob-connected Italian family are terrific. Mia is intelligent, resourceful, and streetwise. While she appears tough, she also shows her gentle side with her madcap family. Her brother, Posi, is in prison, and her father, Ravello, a former mob lieutenant, is trying to go “legit.” The jewel of the family is her Nonna, the perfect Italian grandmother. Nonna and her crazy schemes add a perfect touch of humor to the story. Even the peripheral characters are superb. The subplot involving reporter Teri Fuoco has a full arc all of its own.

The mystery, too, is excellent. Multi-faceted and suspenseful, it leads the reader on a winding journey through enough clues and red herrings to build – and hold —the suspense. The interplay between the art theft and the murder, too, lends itself to a unique and intriguing storyline. And speaking of intriguing, it appears that several romantic possibilities loom for Mia.

Long Island Iced Tina is a well-paced, character-driven mystery that is just a joy to read. With heightened suspense and laugh-out-loud moments, it is a book that satisfies on all levels.

Note: I received an ARC of Long Island Iced Tina from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

Love this series! So much fun, and I'm not a fan of all things New York, but the author makes this into a fun story. Cammie and her "job", the Family with a capital F, it's all just so much fun. Love reading about Mia and her bunch of crazies!