After years of heartbreak and self-doubt, Mia Carina is finally enjoying a romance with a handsome, intelligent, caring guy who adores her. So what if they work together? She and Shane Gambrazzo are doing their best to stay professional and keep their romance on the down low, to the ongoing amusement of their far from oblivious co-workers.

It does help that business is booming at the Belle View Banquet Manor that employs them. One of their latest bookings, however, gives Mia pause. Famous producer Giles St James wants to hold a three-day casting call on the premises. A three-day reservation is good money, but Mia has spent far too much time growing up with real mobsters to appreciate Giles’ latest project: a reality show featuring broad caricatures of Mafia wannabes.

Mia soon has good reason to keep a closer eye on the proceedings when her newest employee decides to join the cast. Donny Boldano Jr is actual Mafia royalty, being the namesake son of the local mob boss who also happens to be Mia’s godfather. Now that Donny Jr is in his mid thirties, the entire Boldano clan – including Donny Jr himself – has accepted that he simply doesn’t have the stomach for The Life. In an effort to help him figure out what he wants to do next, Mia hires him on. After all, the banquet manor is one of the Boldano family’s legitimate businesses.

Unfortunately, Donny Jr seems far less enamored of event coordination than of the glitz of reality TV. More specifically, he’s developed a strong attraction to Giles’ ex-wife Ariadne, who’s also one of the new show’s executive producers. It’s pretty clear to everyone who cares about Donny Jr that Ariadne is just using him, but he refuses to brook any criticism of his new lady love.

Things go from bad to worse when Giles is found bludgeoned to death. When Donny Jr becomes the prime suspect in Giles’ murder, Don Sr begs Mia to help prove he didn’t do it. Junior essentially washed out of a life of crime because he doesn’t have an appetite for violence. Surely not even his taste of Hollywood can have finally changed this about him?

This was another effortlessly charming and hilarious Catering Hall mystery, as Mia has to figure out which of the producer’s many enemies hated him enough to actually kill him. It’s so much fun to follow along as Mia uncovers more than one crime and one criminal, even before she learns about the big secret Shane is keeping from her. The cast of characters is large and endearing, but is perhaps surprisingly easy to keep track of given each character’s vivid personality.

Four Parties And A Funeral also includes event tips, as well as five recipes for dishes mentioned in the book. I chose the Italian-adjacent one, which shows up in one of the funniest scenes in the novel:

QUOTE
Tuna Casserole

2 cans (10 ¾ oz.) cream of mushroom soup (I go for reduced fat whenever possible)
2 cans all-white tuna fish, drained
2 cups milk (chef’s choice; I use skim)
1 cup finely diced onions or shallots
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked peas
I cup cooked chopped mushrooms (I like to roast mine for extra flavor)
2 cups cooked farfalle pasta
2-3 cups crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the soup, tuna, and milk in a large bowl. Add the onions, peas, and mushrooms. Stir in the cheese, and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients. Add the pasta, and gently stir to combine.

Pour into a 12” x 17” baking dish. Sprinkle all over with the crushed potato chips and bake for 20 minutes. Check the center to make sure the casserole is thoroughly cooked.*

Serves 16.

*If you’ve halved the ingredients, use a 9” x 12” baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. Check the center to make sure the casserole is thoroughly cooked.
END QUOTE

I absolutely halved this recipe to make at home, and felt zero shame about substituting ingredients in my pantry that I wanted to use up while making it. Throw in whatever pasta you like, and don’t feel bad about using canned or store-prepared ingredients. Pro tip to reduce the amount of cleaning you’ll need to do after: go ahead and mix up all the ingredients in the dish you’re planning on baking them in instead of using a separate prep bowl.

As Mia discovers in the novel, this is a delicious and satisfying dish, for Italians or otherwise. It’s also a shockingly good way to stretch out a single can of tuna to feed eight people. My family loved it.

Next week, we travel to the West Coast to bake up some delicious cookies while investigating the death of an artist. Do join me!

It's as funny as the previous entries, with lots of focus on the Catering Hall crew, Mia, and family. The reality show is fun, and the romance very satisfying.

In this 4th book in the Catering Hall Mystery Series Mia Carina is running Belle View Banquet Manor, her LEGITIMATE family catering business. A movie production company has hired Mia to cater the shooting of their pilot reality show, Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. Mia thinks something bad will happen, but doesn't realize it will involve murder.

This book was challenging for me since it involved so many people. It was difficult for me to get the names straight. It was a nice story and Mia is a great character, but the multiple personalities made it confusing

Dollycas's Thoughts

Reality t.v. comes to Belle View Catering Hall with a casting call for the new show The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. That along with weddings, proms, graduations, and a very special funeral keep Mia Carina and her staff very busy.

But it is the reality show that takes most of her time especially when one of her new employees/relatives gets cast in the show and finds romance with an executive producer who happens to be the production company owner's ex-wife and also a minor British royal. There is more drama offscreen than onscreen with the cast and crew on a daily basis so it wasn't really a surprise that someone ended up dead . . . and there are plenty of suspects.

While the show must go on Mia plans to produce a killer while trying still catering to the masses.

______

All our favorites return in this new Catering Hall Mystery. Mia and Shane's relationship has risen to a new level but hits a big bump. Grandmother Elisabetta is on a crafting binge that had me truly wondering if the woman is now color-blind or at least needs a fashion refresher. Mia was a trooper wearing whatever the woman came up with. Ravello is on a health kick that kicks back. And Cammie has come up with another way to spend Detective Pete Dianopolis's money.

They are joined by a bunch of "Dons and Donettes", and a wacky production crew. There is also a Boldano wedding and all the pre-wedding gatherings that bring many new characters to the story including the bride's Connecticut family. While there was plenty of drama among the characters there was also a lot of comedy. The author had me in stitches throughout most of these stories with all these characters' antics.

In between all the laughter, there was a mystery to solve and with so many suspects it was not easy. There were twists on top of twists and some very interesting turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out a few pages later I saw I was all wrong. I truly was still guessing when all was revealed. Ms. DiRico did an excellent job of plotting and misdirection.

Of course, there was a lot of food involved whenever people gathered. The rehearsal dinner in Connecticut almost had me on the floor laughing, one recipe is included in the back of the book. While tasty, not your usual party fare. There was some seriously delectable Italian cooking done as well and the author has included recipes for a few of those treats as well including Pasta Puttanesca.

Four Parties and a Funeral is a hilarious mystery. I was captivated from beginning to end. I am excited for this series to continue. I am fully invested in these characters and can't wait to see what Ms. DiRico dreams up for them next.

As always for maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading the books in order.

FOUR PARTIES AND A FUNERAL by Maria DiRico
The Fourth Catering Hall Mystery

Reality TV has come to Belle View! The production company for The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard have arrived filming the pilot they hope to sell to the networks. Now Belle View Catering Hall is filled with wannabe reality stars, including some Family members looking to become TV celebrities. When the production company's smarmy CEO winds up dead Little D becomes the prime suspect, after all he is the son of a real Don and is romantically involved with the victim's ex-wife. Mia Carina will have to prove his innocence while corralling the dons and donettes as the film crew tries to create more drama. At least she can count on Shane for support. Or can she?

Oh, the lure of fame and stardom achieved without any real effort... or talent. While Mia is immune, she sees a solid money making opportunity for Belle View and takes advantage. Little D and many others, however, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, look to promote themselves, whatever the cost. Reality television brings out the worst behavior in people-and so it is in the fourth Catering Hall Mystery. We see behavior that can be hilariously funny, jaw dropping, and murder motive making. The mystery is ingeniously woven through the scenes along with major character development.

While there are lots of laughs, there are also serious moments when a critical problem to Mia and Shane's future arises as well as health concerns for Mia's dad. This balance of laugh out loud moments (I can picture those bargain bin colors on Elisabetta's new knitwear) and sobering issues (and I'm not talking about the day after the bachelorette party kind of sobering) makes FOUR PARTIES AND A FUNERAL so great.

Belle View Catering Hall takes on reality TV in FOUR PARTIES AND A FUNERAL with plenty of drama, laughs, and love. It will tug at your heartstrings while you simultaneously hold your stomach from laughing too hard.

This was such a fun cozy! I actually enjoyed this installment more than the first one. This was a fun and funny cozy with great characters. The plot was well paced, and I could not guess who the killer was!

I am not sure what had me laughing more, Mia trying to not lose it while keeping it together when taking care of craft services for a reality TV show called The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard, or Cammie being not only helpful but almost a model employee while trying to get the hang of creating a podcast. In case you aren’t familiar with the Catering Hall Mysteries, you should know that Mia and her Dad, who used to work for the Boldano Family (that’s with a capital F) are running a family business (a legitimate family business) which tends to create moments of mayhem for Mia who is often asked by the head of the Family, Donny Senior, to help out. Completely legitimate help, this time it is with Little Donny, who seems a little lost and forlorn, so Mia is asked to hire him on at Belle View. From here, Little Donnie becomes involved with the reality show and its female executive producer, a Brit with a bit of a royal background. As far as Mia is concerned just about everyone involved in the show is a bit of royal pain. Turns out the production company owner is also a Brit and is also the ex-husband of Ariadne. Guess who dies and guess who is the #1 suspect? Yep, Giles St. James and Little Donny respectively, oh ad Giles St. James had a new bride that no one seemed to know about until she showed up as the mourning widow. To really add a little spice, somehow the show intersects with the pre-wedding plans of Donny Senior’s younger son, Jamie and his bride Madison which includes the bachelor/bachelorette parties in New Orleans. How anyone thought that was going to not be a nightmare is beyond me. Mia did not have to drink to end up with a massive hangover like headache. The film crew has been told to keep those cameras rolling no matter what, and Mia is doing her level best to handle damage control in addition to her temper and dismay at learning a little something something about her boyfriend and former model Shane Gambrozzo and an incident in Vegas. So many suspects, so much drama, and Mia just knows that Little Donny can’t possibly be the bad guy. Wondering where the tuna casserole comes in? You’re just going to have to pick up a copy and read for yourself. Another great Maria DiRico cozy complete with recipes, so many wonderful recipes.

I always have the best time reading this series! Mia makes me think of an Italian Fran Fine, well voice-wise anyway, lol. She had her hands full helping to babysit bridesmaids when Madison's maid of honor went into rehab, then she had to deal with a film crew doing a reality show of what else, wannabe dons of course! And their ladies, but one of the crew or someone had it in for the CEO so now Mia had a murder she couldn't resist snooping into as well.

There were so many funny scenes, you just gotta read it to appreciate everything! The showdown was a good one, and I hadn't really suspected the whodunit. The side story of Shane having something to hide was resolved nicely for him and Mia, and now I just have to wait (im)patiently for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I loved this this book, and I don't usually like "Family" books (with a big F). The characters are relatable, dysfunctional and fun to be around. I hope Mia's brother gets out of prison soon, I think that would be a fun twist. I love that Little Donny was so relatable, and I felt bad for him. I hope he finds his path forward and his purpose.

Belle View is an event center that is run by Mia Carina and her father Ravello - in an effort to have a legitimate business unrelated to their mob connections. In this story, The mobster Donny Baldano Sr. (mobster) wants his son Donny Jr. to work at Belle View to try to ascertain what he is best at outside of the family business. An independent film operation is creating a reality show, The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard, and suddenly Donny Jr. gets involved with a very pretty producer much to the disapproval of Donny Sr.

The characters and plot lines are totally entertaining and the mystery well presented. Fun series!

OHHHHHHHH how I love this series. I miss NY so much on a regular basis, but even more so when I listen to one of these books. Because, truly, IMHO, you N E E D to listen to this book. The narrator does an excellent job with the Queens accent and the Italian and all. of. it. Her narration really makes the book come alive and makes you think you are right there, in the thick of it all.

This book had so much going on that IMO, it is better to just go in blind and enjoy the whole ride, unencumbered by preconceived notions [though I will say, as someone who LOVED her trip to NOLA, the trip to that amazing city was absolutely glorious sidebar I never expected we needed AND, never trust that your beloved Nonna is going to make you things that you will actually WANT to wear. You will see. ;-) ]. I found I like Mia more and more with each book [and would love to be friends with her IRL] and her staff/friends are just fantastic; even Terri is growing on me. WHO knew?? I will never be a fan of Cammi, but even she doesn't rub me the wrong way in this one. Everyone does their job and THEN sleuths, Mia takes care of her family and respects and loves her Nonna deeply and there is a real respect for Pete [the cop] and the job he has to do.

This is one of the best cozies I have read in awhile [WOW, the last really good one I read was back at the beginning of February!!!] and I will admit I CANNOT wait for the next one. I can only hope she writes faster [joke. kind of]!!! Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maria DiRico, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's just a home run every time!! Ellen/Maria just keeps knockin em outta the park!!

This book/series has it all... humor, mystery, family (and FAMILY lol), and even fun romantic relationships. I seriously LOL!

Think of The Godfather meets Hallmark Mysteries & Movies Channel.

This is a very character driven book/series and they are all so fun and interesting in their own way. They remind me of several members of my crazy Italian family, and I really just mean family (lower case). Nonna is just the best and one of my favorite book characters! She is an absolute hoot!!

I cannot wait for more, more, more!! Do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobooks if possible. The narrator nails it!

This series guarantees laughs. If you love watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey or a similar reality show than you must read this book.

Mia is back in book 4 in the Catering Hall series trying to run the family business and keep it clean from mobster crime while catering to the needs of a reality show being taped at the catering hall. Mia has also found herself in charge of the pre-wedding festivities for a “family” member. Unfortunately, murder finds its way to the catering hall and Mia must find the killer.

As with any series I suggest reading this one in order. I believe once you start you won’t want to stop.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Four Parties and a Funeral is the latest installment in the Catering Hall Mysteries series. In this book, Mia, the main character, has to deal with the filming of a reality television show at Belle View. The participants, producers, crew and others involved bring drama and murder to the location, and Mia investigates. As with previous books, Mia and her family are entertaining and fun. The book is smartly written and the mystery is solid and interesting. There are no spoilers so that a reader starting with Four Parties and a Funeral can go back and read the previous entries in the series. I really enjoyed reading this book, it took my attention away from unpleasant issues in my life.

Mia Carina runs Belle View, a catering hall in Astoria, Queens. The Belle View is the sight of the casting call for a new reality show. Some of Mia's friends go on the casting call. While the show is filming, Mia's childhood friend, Jamie, is getting married to his girlfriend, Madison. Mia ends up taking over the bridesmaid's duties. Due to Jamie's brother being in the show, cameramen and producers are following the whole bridal party around. The owner of the production company is murdered and Jamie's brother is the presumed culprit. Mia now has to prove his innocence.
I love this series. It gets better with each book. I liked the character development we saw in both Mia and Shane in this book. Mia's Nonna is great as always, as is the rest of the side characters we have come to know. The mystery was good. I was not expecting that ending at all. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

This is the fourth in the Catering Hall Mystery by Maria DiRico, aka Ellen Byron.
Mia is saddled with watching over a mob bosses’ son and a reality show films at Belle View Manor, The Dons at Ditmar Boulevard. I couldn’t stop laughing at the stereotypical craziness and stupidity of the wanna-be dons.

I was not surprised at who was involved in the murders but there were a few pop-up characters. All these twists and turns added to the story.

Can’t wait for the next installment. I was given an advanced copy by Netgalley and am Not required to leave a favorable review.

I love this series! This book was such a fun read. The characters feel like old friends. I recommend reading the books in order because a lot of details carry from one entry to another.

Another visit with Mia in Astoria, NY is always a welcome treat! This series is filled with wonderful characters, interesting, multi-layered mysteries and lots of humor. The author has maintained the quality of the series throughout and I greatly look forward to the next installment!

Four Parties and a Funeral is book #4 in the Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico.

Mia Carina is busy running Belle View Banquet Manor and handing proms, graduations, and weddings. Then a reality show, Dons of Ditmars Boulevard, has a casting call at Belle View. Mia is sucked into the world of reality TV.

I love a series that makes me laugh and this series does. It Mia tries so hard but the world seems to be against her. Her family and “the family” keep her on her toes. The characters are wonderful. I enjoyed the reality TV setting and the mystery was interesting and I didn’t guess who committed the murder. I can’t wait to for the next book!

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Four Parties and a Funeral is the 4th book in Maria DiRico's engaging Catering Hall Mystery series. Maria has a full plate when a reality show books the Bell View Banquet Hall with the intention of filming casting call applicants for the Dons and Donettes of Ditmars Boulevard show. Her intuition tells her this could be a mistake--- and it proves to be a rocky endeavor. As with the former books in this series the characters are zany and so much fun! Maria and her dad run the banquet hall on the 'right' side of the law, completely separate from the "Mob family enterprise." Maria is roped into the drama when her cousin is in a dubious relationship with an older woman and then the first death occurs. The pace is swift, the storyline is varied and interesting, while the mystery is twisted and difficult to solve. A very enjoyable read. Oh, there is also romance---Shane and Maria have a few bumps to smooth out as their relationship blossoms.
Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Cozies, and Maria DiRico for the advanced EARC to read and give an honest review. I love Maria DiRico's humor and I think others will, too.

#FourPartiesandaFuneral #Netgalley #KensingtonCozies #MariaDiRico