After her philandering husband’s boat went down, newly single Mia Carina went back to Astoria, the bustling Queens neighborhood of her youth. Living with her nonna and her oversized cat, Doorstop, she’s got a whole new life—including some amateur sleuthing . . .
Mia is starting work at Belle View, her father’s catering hall, a popular spot for weddings, office parties, and more—despite the planes that occasionally roar overhead on their way to LaGuardia and rattle the crystal chandelier. Soon she’s planning a bachelor party for a less-than-gentlemanly groom. But it goes awry when the gigantic cake is wheeled in and the woman inside fails to jump out . . . because she’s dead.
Since some of her family’s associates are on the shady side, the NYPD wastes no time in casting suspicion on Mia’s father—especially considering that he and the victim had a previous encounter. Now, Mia’s going to have to use all her street smarts to keep him out of Rikers Island . . .
Phew! What a start to this new series if the follow on ones are a good as this I will be hard put to give anything but over 5 out of 5 as a rating!
Mia Carina left Astoria about 4 years ago when she married, it turns out that her whirlwind romancing husband was a cad of the first order but even so disappearing from a boat leaving his then girlfriend and Mia a suspect in his murder! When she was no longer a suspect in that she headed back home, took over the upstairs of her Nonna's house and took a job as the assistant manager at the Belle View catering hall. When she arrives for her first day things start to happen, a hooker claims that Mia's father Ravello owes her money, there will be two parties coming up, a stag night and a 50th wedding, the groom has a groom'smotherzilla but that is (hopefully) easy to deal with, the stag night doesn't go off without a hitch when the stripper doesn't jump out of the cake …. err only it isn't the stripper as she has just arrived, it is the hooker and there is a knife in her and a cheque signed by Ravello! Now he is in the cross hairs of the police, Mia's brother is still in jail and she is the only one of the Family that can sort this out.
Add in the fun happenings around her Nonna's neighbourhood, the fact that one of the chefs seems to be keeping an awful lot hidden, Mia needing to make sure that people still book the Belle View, and there is a LOT more on her plate than Lasagne!
An Interview With A Character
What is your full name?
Messina Maria Carina
What is your Profession?
I’m the Senior Event Planner at Belle View Banquet Manor.
What is your current favourite book or movie?
My favorite current movie is The Irishman.
What is your go to comfort book or movie?
Married to the Mob. Are you sensing a theme here, lol? My dad’s a lieutenant in the Boldano crime family, but he’s running Belle View as a legit business and I’m determined to help him make it work so that he doesn’t have to go back to the Life.
If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?
Leah Remini is so me! We’re not the same age, but she’s got the whole Queens, New York thing going, just like me.
What is your ideal evening?
Since I spend so much time at our banquet hall running parties, my ideal evening is just the opposite: sitting on my couch in my jammies with my cat Doorstop on my lap, either reading, watching TV, or surfing the Internet on my laptop.
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 24 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
February 24 – This Is My Truth Now – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 24 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 25 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 25 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST
February 25 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – REVIEW
February 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
February 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
February 26 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
February 27 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
February 27 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 27 – Jane Reads– GUEST POST
February 28 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 28 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, RECIPE
February 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 29 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
March 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
March 1 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
March 2 – That’s What She’s Reading – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
March 2 – TBR Book Blog – REVIEW, EXCERPT
March 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, RECIPE
March 3 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
March 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 4 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
Crafts and Life 
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