It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder (A Catering Hall Mystery) 
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies (October 26, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

Synopsis

Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is juggling her job at the Belle View catering hall with a case of murder . . .

Mia’s busy with a full schedule of events at the family business—among them an over-the-top Nativity-themed first birthday party and a Sweet Sixteen for a teen drama queen. But her personal life is even more challenging. Her estranged mother has returned—and her lifelong friend Jamie has discovered a shocking secret about his past. He’s so angry that he starts hanging out with Lorenzo, who claims to be his long-lost brother—even after it becomes clear that Lorenzo’s story is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree.

Then a body turns up among the elves in a Santa’s-workshop lawn display, and amateur sleuth Mia has a buffet of suspects to choose from. Amid the holiday celebrations, she intends to find out who’s the guilty party . . .

 

Italian recipes included!

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Recipe

Rummy Tiramisu

I am that rare person who is not a fan of coffee. To put it mildly. Tiramisu is about the only thing coffee-flavored I’ll even take a bite of. Since coffee is such an important ingredient in this delicious dessert, my personal attempt not to let it overwhelm the favor is to increase the amount of rum in this recipe. If you prefer, you can use more coffee and less rum.

Important recipe notes: Many tiramisu recipes, including this one, utilize uncooked eggs. The good news is that all eggs nowadays must be pasteurized by law, so that won’t be a problem. This recipe also calls for the tiramisu to be chilled overnight or for at least six hours.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
• 1⁄2 cup white sugar, divided into two 1⁄4 cups
• 1 lb. mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup black coffee
• 3⁄4 cup rum
• 48 ladyfinger cookies, sturdier ones if possible
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 4 T. cocoa powder
• 1⁄2 cup ground or shaved semi-sweet chocolate

Beat the egg yolks and a 1⁄4 cup sugar together on medium-high speed until they are creamy. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat on medium-high speed until so well-combined the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and wash out the first bowl.

In the clean bowl, beat the whipped cream on heavy speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone-yolk mixture. Wash out the bowl again.

In the clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, then whisk in the second 1⁄4 cup of sugar. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the other mixture until all the ingredients are well-combined.

Combine the coffee and rum in a wide, shallow bowl.

Quickly dip the ladyfingers in the liquid one at time—quickly, because you do not want to soak them. They’ll disintegrate, especially if they’re the small, light kind.

Line the ladyfingers in a single layer at the bottom of a 13”x 9” baking dish. Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over the ladyfingers. Sprinkle half the cocoa powder and ground chocolate over this layer, and then repeat: another layer of dipped ladyfingers, evenly covered with the remaining mascarpone mixture, and sprinkled with the rest of the cocoa powder and chocolate.

Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight or for at least six hours.

Serves 8–12. Or even 16! It’s rich.

About the Author

Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award-winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is a first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father’s side. She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother’s family in Queens, and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection. She’s a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.

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