June is a busy month for the catering business and Mia has her hands full with weddings, proms and such but she takes on another "event" that she later wonders why she did. A reality show about the Dons of Ditmar Boulevard hires the catering hall for some shoots and various catering events and Mia needs the money so why not. It becomes more of a three ring circus with the cast and crew and family and friends who want to be involved with the show. It isn't long before things get serious and a killer strikes. Who is hiding a motive that would lead to murder?
Mia and her family and friends are some of the funniest characters ever penned. Put them in a well constructed mystery and you have a laugh out loud reading escape that you will wish to be longer. I hope this series has a very long run. I have set aside space on my TBR shelf for however many more there will be.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a fun cozy mystery series! It is hysterically funny with storylines that are always interesting and entertaining. This is a series that I’ve read once and listened to once- if you can find the books on audio, I highly recommend because the narrator really adds a lot by encompassing the each of the character’s personalities. Highly recommend!

Worry is paying a debt you may not owe…
Maria DiRico, Four Parties and a Funeral, Kindle Loc. 254

The June events schedule at Belle View is busting out all over—proms, graduations, and of course, weddings. There are unexpected bookings too, including a casting call for the pilot of Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. But soon, Mia’s fears about the cheesy reality show are confirmed . . .

Belle View quickly becomes the site of a sea of wanna-be goombahs and phony girlfriends, and some of Mia’s friends insist on getting in on the action. The production company owner and his executive producer ex-wife—who’s also very minor British royalty—have assembled a motley crew that does as much infighting and backstabbing as the on-screen “talent.” Even so, it’s a shock when a dead body is found in the pool house of a local mansion rented by the show . . .

Murder might boost the ratings. But Mia intends to make sure the killer gets jail time, not airtime . . .
Amazon.com

Four Parties and a Funeral is the fourth book in Maria DiRico’s (Ellen Byron) Catering Hall mystery series. It was released yesterday.

This series keeps me guessing its backstory. Just when I think I know what is going to happen—it doesn’t—something else does. Of course, that’s also the reason I like the series. This is not predictable prose!

Please welcome Maria/Ellen back to WWK. E. B. Davis

Do you plot a series arc and work the backstory to an end point? I actually don’t arc my series. I have a general idea about the ongoing storyline for my characters but let one book inform the next in terms of their growth.

Mia and her boyfriend Shane complain to each other about being brought up in notorious families that caused hurt and shame in their youths. Did Shane also come from a mob family? Yes! The Gambrazzo Family, which was based in Florida. (Fictionally, of course. 😊)

The mob Godfather, Donny Boldano Senior and his wife, Aurora, are dangerous people. Even so, why do we like them so much? Because I focused on problems we can all relate to: marital discord, kids they don’t know what to do with, aging… I also made Donny semi-retired and more interested in legit than illegal businesses. It’s a cozy series. I always keep that in mind. The prototype is one of my favorite movies from the 1980’s, Married to the Mob.

The reality show, “The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard” showcases Little Donny, who needs a career since he isn’t cut out for the mob. Although “Don” in Italian is a title of honor, in slang, it also refers to a mob boss. Why would Little Donny go on the show when it associates himself with his father, the Don of the mob? Wouldn’t that be too much exposure? This is one of the reasons Donny Senior is very unhappy with his son doing the show. But he also knows DJ is at sea and loves his son and wants him to find his path in life. And he knows that even DJ would draw the line at revealing anything incriminating or that would endanger his loved ones.

If there is a real Ditmars Boulevard, what’s it like? It’s the main drag in Queens, with shops and restaurants.

Why is Connecticut called the “Nutmeg State?” I had to look this up! It’s an unofficial nickname and no one seems to know the origin. The official nickname is The Constitution State.

I found it hard to believe that Madison’s cousin, the Anglophile, Pickney, had such atrocious manners. Wouldn’t her upbringing and interest in English Royalty influence her manners for the better? That’s so funny, because she’s based on a real person I knew! A very good question. And one I’ll put to the person in question if I ever see her again, lol.

Many of the reality show associates displayed transactional behavior. What is transactional behavior? Is it a new term for being Machiavellian? Narcissistic? It’s more upfront than Machiavellian. It’s taking a certain action knowing it will get you something in return. I.e., on a reality show like The Bachelor, a contestant may throw a fit or be nasty knowing it will get them more screentime. The producers understand this and expect it.

In the past, journalist Teri has been helpful to Mia. But she’s a pain! Why? What is it about Teri that is so irritating? I like to think of Teri as affably annoying. She enjoys getting a rise out of Mia. And she’s completely comfortable with who she is.

What’s a cafone? Basically, it’s someone who’s low-class and boorish, male or female, although I think it’s used more for men than women.

What’s a sizzle reel? It’s basically a sales reel – a short promotional video that will get buyers excited about your product. In TV, if you’re producing a pilot without a pre-set buyer, you’d put together the juiciest clips to woo a buyer.

What’s a Frankenbite? This is a reality TV term for when they cut together disparate takes to create a manufactured moment. It looks like a single shot but is different clips edited together for more of a dramatic effect. I.e. – and this is exaggerated – a contestant might say at different times, “I hate strawberries” and “I’d like to talk to you.” A Frankenbite would be editing those moments together somehow into her saying “I hate you.”

What’s a second line? Technically, it’s the line of mourners marching after the band following a funeral in New Orleans. But it’s morphed into a celebratory quasi-parade for all kinds of events.

Is Little Island real? Yes, and it’s fantastic! It was primarily funded by Diane Von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller and is in the Hudson River around 14th Street at the pier where the old White Star ocean liners used to dock. Home - Little Island

What does Farkakte mean? It’s a Yiddish word that basically means “messed up” or “ridiculous.” It’s kind of a Yiddish verbal version of an eye roll.

What is Montepulciano wine? Is that a vineyard’s name? It’s a red wine varietal generally grown in the Abruzzo region of Italy, where my mother is from.

What’s next for Mia? The Witless Protection Program will launch in June 2024 and we’ll finally get to meet her no-good adulterer of a husband, Adam Grosso. And yes, he’s still her husband, which will complicate her personal life enormously – as you might expect!

This series definitely stretches the boundaries of what is typically found in cozies. I love the references (on the fringes, of course) to the Family, which adds a little more drama to the series. The addition of the reality show in this one made this funny with all the stereotypical characters. The mystery is well plotted and I had no idea who the guilty party was until the very end. I enjoyed the progressing relationship between Mia and Shane and the cliffhanger at the end. I look forward to seeing what they get up to next.

Four Parties and a Funeral is the latest in Maria DiRico's quirky and hilarious Catering Hall Mysteries, and I loved it!

Mia Carina runs her Italian-American family's Queens, New York, catering hall. Her family has links to the mob but is trying to go straight, and the catering hall is their legit business. Mia has her hands full with the business and the wedding, but a reality show is doing a casting call at her hall, and even her friends and family members get in on the action. But when a dead body turns up, Mia must uncover a killer.

I had so much fun reading this! Populated with interesting and colorful characters, I enjoyed spending time with them and particularly liked Mia's Nonna. Mia has a large and very close extended family, and the family relationships and Mia's friends make this book feel more like many of the small-town set cozies, even though its set in NYC. Also, the dialogue between these characters and Mia's internal dialogue is just so funny! Maria DiRico also writes under the name Ellen Byron. She has worked as a tv comedy writer, including on The Fairly Odd Parents, and her books are funny and engaging.

Mia has several irons in the fire this time, from her sleuthing to her catering business, the wedding, her relationship, the reality show, and everything going on with her friends and family. But such is DiRico's talent that these subplots do not detract from the well-crafted mystery. Instead, they add to the overall fun and development of several characters. I really loved how DiRico wove everything together and threw in a few red herrings and some delicious recipes to create a unique cozy mystery and entertaining read! Cozy mystery lovers, this is a great addition to the series, so you'll want to pick it up!

This is such a fun series! It’s filled with a cast of great characters that are engaging and some are so over the top that you just can’t wait to see what their next antics will be! Not only is there an entertaining mystery, but there’s humor, a little romance, friendship, family and Family of the Mob variety. A highly recommended series!

I enjoy all of Ellen Byron/Maria DiRico's works. This one had too many annoying characters, which is why I gave it four stars. Or maybe I should give it five since the book revolves around a reality TV show and of course they're all going to be annoying. OK I changed it to five since they were so annoying that is effective writing.

My favorite part is when Mia is herding the bachelorette party around New Orleans and at one point she fakes being a local. If you have read Ms. Byron's Cajun Country mysteries you'll understand the joke.

I love the Italian sprinkled in these books. I don't speak it but there is enough context to figure out what it means. I also enjoy the charming older females she casts in her books. They take no guff and there are no feeble old ladies here.

I looked forward to picking this book up again to wind down my day. I highly recommend all of her series!

If you are looking for a really funny cozy mystery book, look no further. Author Maria DiRico, which is the pen name for Ellen Byron, knows comedy. She has been a writer/producer for several television comedies and that talent shines through in her mysteres. Four Parties and a Funeral is the fourth book in the Catering Hall Mystery series featuring Mia Carina. This book has some added fun because the Queens, New York venue that Mia manages becomes the setting for a reality tv show, The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. Mia already had some concerns about the event, and then a murder occurs.

In addition to the humor which occurs during the reality show, the murder mystery itself is an interesting one. Mia is a likable character and a capable amateur sleuth. I was also interested in the new developments in Mia's romance with her coworker, Shane. Other series regulars appear and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed "Little Donny" in this book. The mystery itself stands alone but there are a lot of characters in this one, once you add in everyone involved in the reality show. It might be better for new readers to start with an earlier book to at least get to know the regular characters first. I enjoyed how things were wrapped up in the long epilogue and will definitely read the next one to see what's in store for Mia and her family and the "Family." I recommend this series to cozy lovers looking for something a little different and a lot of fun.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Kensington Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

In the fourth title in Maria DiRico's Catering Hall Mystery series, Four Parties and a Funeral, banquet hall director Mia Carina's life is good. Her “secret” relationship with coworker Shane Gambrazzo is going well, the Belle View Banquet Manor bookings are full, her friends Jamie Boldano and Madison Wythe are soon to be married and the reality show The Dons of Ditmars Boulevard is making Belle View a base for their filming. Mia has second thoughts about the show when wrangling the would-be Dons and Donettes proves to be a problem, especially after Giles St. James, owner of the production company is murdered and Little Donny Boldano is a prime suspect. Suspects, mob connections, real and imagined, and red herrings are plentiful. Well written, tense, humorous and romantic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A casting call for a reality show about the Dons of Ditmars Boulevard gets booked at the Bellw View Banquet Hall whicj Mia Carina and her father are running as a legitimate business, not a Family business. The cast of characters waiting to be cast is only outdone by those in the production company. A rollicking fun cozy with charscters you can care about and a plot that will keep you guessing.

Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico takes us back to Queens, New York, where Mia has a wedding to attend, and she has to deal with a production company filming a pilot.

Can Mia solve this case before anything else goes wrong?

Mia and her friends from the Catering Hall and the Family are again here to solve another murder. Well, they all pitched in to help Mia solve it this time. We also get to know more about the other people within this book that are close to Mia. Let's say that Big Donny has made things a bit difficult for Mia concerning a couple of things this time. They both revolve around his oldest son Little Donny. One of the many things I love to read about that's played out perfectly in this book is the main character's relationships with everyone around her. Not just with family members but with everyone. It's great.

The Mystery
Big Donny has tasked Mia to keep Little Donny from going to jail for this murder. For Mia, this is proven to be more complex than anything. The victim has made an enemy with everyone who surrounded him in his production company, including some of the cast members hired for the show. The show is Dons of Ditmars Boulevard which, to me, isn't the smartest move for a show to be based around. The only good thing to have come out of this is that maybe Little Donny has found his calling, and it isn't illegal. I did end up falling for a red herring which saddens me since I never saw the real killer coming!

Five Stars
Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico is a fabulous book set in Queens, New York, during the summer and has Mia facing some tough life choices for Belle View and her own choices. My rating is five stars for Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRic, along with recommending it to anyone that likes an excellent cozy culinary mystery. It definitely had me laughing out loud at certain parts.

There are recipes in the back of the book as well. The recipes are Pasta Puttanesca, Italian Wedding Cookies, Coconut Amaretto Bread Pudding, Tricolor (Tre Colore) Cookies, aka Rainbow Cookies, and Tuna Casserole, along with an event tip at the end of the recipes.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

3.5 stars

Pro:
* Writing is as solid as always.
* Standing characters are welcomed friends at this point.
* Strong finish

Con:
* My least favorite of the series so far
* The premise of a reality show is contemporary but just doesn’t captivate me.
* The cast of suspects are not all that engaging or likable.
* Some unbelievable “coincidences”

Thank you to Maria DiRico, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reality tv shows- always drama but murder? Mia and her dad Ravello are happily (sort of) running th family catering hall after his retirement from the Mob but now a bunch of Mafia wanna-bes are hanging around because they want to be part of the show that's having a casting call at the hall. Of course, someone ends up dead, one of Mia's friends is the prime suspect, and the whole group investigates. Her grandmother Elizaabetta is a hoot (she's knitting these days) and Shane the romantic interest - whew! I like this series for the characters and the setting but recognize that it might be a tough one to jump into because of the large cast. That said it's funny but never makes fun of the characters. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico is the fourth book in the Catering Hall Mysteries, and it continues to be a well written and fun cozy mystery series.

Lots of things are happening in this one; lively scenes for the reality TV show that includes lots of fights, pre-wedding celebrations, a wedding, Cami trying to start a podcast, Grandma knitting up a storm, and a lot more.

With all the craziness happening Mia and her gorgeous model boyfriend have some issues of their own, but nothing stops Mia from figuring out the killer… one that I didn't see coming… which doesn’t happen too often any more with cozy mysteries, so that was fantastic!

Between all the fun scenes, f(F)amily togetherness, fun parties/events, fabulous food throughout the book, and the recipes at the end, The Catering Hall Mysteries is a cozy series you need to read.

I loved, loved, LOVED every bit of this story. We have the Italian-American Don families, sleaze and booze (no cussing or show of skin), cat-fights, betrayals, back-stabbings, drama, weddings, bachelor parties, romance and a bit of oomph *wink* and, a murder mystery to keep us guessing till the end. A full entertainment package!!

The mystery behind the murder kept me guessing till the end. The list of suspects is long and seems like many from the production company had motive, means and opportunity. Cat fights, jealousy, betrayals, and back-stabbings make it more difficult for Mia to find the killer. The killer's identity was a huge surprise. I couldn't identify them until the end and to be honest, I didn't see it coming. Why do all the bad guys wear a good-guy-suit??

If you are looking for an entertaining and engrossing cozy mystery filled with drama, personality, and romance, you might want to give Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico a try.

The first of this series for me, but not the last! Loved the main character, Mia, and her dedication to her family, and separation from the Family. Great characters, no cursing. Mia and friends run a catering company that lands a job providing food for a reality tv show, which a friend is part of. Throw in a wedding, several dead bodies, a trip to the Big Easy, and a boyfriend with a secret, and Mis is one busy woman! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Four Parties and a Funeral” the 4th instalment in the A Catering Hall Mystery series by Maria DiRico. Mia Carina who is coming to grips with being back in Astoria, Queens, and running her Italian-American family’s catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor but a TV casting call is about to put murder in the spotlight . . .

I love Mia, her Nonna, Cammie, Shane and the rest of the side characters. I like where things are heading with Mia and Shane’s romance too!

I felt like I was at a big fat Greek wedding but the Italian version with the Don’s and Donette’s, I laughed lots during this story. The author is one of my favorite as she knows how to keep the reader entertained as well as cate about the main characters and what happens to them.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, I found myself guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I couldn’t put the book down, read it in a day .

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends and I can’t wait for book five!

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was first introduced to this series by checking out, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Murder. So much holiday and family drama happened in that book and I truly enjoyed reading it.

So when I heard about this book, I was more than happy to read this one. More drama and a new murder mystery happens in this book. If you haven't read this series before, I definitely recommend you give it a try! The story and characters made this book a fun read for me.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. I look forward to reading more of Maria DiRico's work in this series.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

This book is the fourth in a fun, light mystery series featuring Mia Carina. This time she is back in Queens and involved in her family’s (legitimate) business, the running of a catering hall. Mia becomes embroiled in lots of mayhem both with her family and in her work.

Work wise, Mia is involved with a film shoot. She is not impressed with the reality show wannabes that this brings in. Alongside this, Mia’s cousin is marrying into a family that doesn’t even care about food! Also, she is hoping that someone special might “pop the question.” And, of course, as if that were not enough, there is a murder with a certain family member as suspect.

Readers will quickly turn the pages in this one. Traditional mystery fans should give it a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.