Things are getting spooky at Emily Westhill’s donut
shop. In honor of Halloween, she’s come
up with some sweet creepy treats like Boston Scream Donuts and Jack o’ Lantern
donuts. Both seem to be making a good impression with customers, with the
exception of a man from Boston who is more fixated on extolling the virtues of
his city than on appreciating what’s before him. Still, he does ask Emily to make him donuts
for his upcoming birthday party and asks her to consult on redecorating his
guest cottage. She agrees, but gets more
than she bargained for when she arrives at his house and find him dead.
This fourth entry in the series brings back all our
old friends in an engaging mystery. It’s
definitely a cozy and has the near-regulation semi-romance going on. Emily is still resisting falling in love with
police officer Brent, who was her late husband’s best friend and partner. Deputy Donut the cat is still adorable, and
the supporting cast is still supportive.
I did find some of the donut-making descriptions to be skippable, but
the book still held my interest.
I found the early part of the mystery to be a bit
contrived, but past that it settles into a good yarn. As is also near-regulation, Emily takes some
dubious chances but to the author’s credit she doesn’t use these to make her
heroine look too foolhardy. Parts of the story involves kayaking, and
there is some excellent description of how it feels to be out alone on a lake,
with the mists rising. I’m a non-kayaker but she made it sound like something I
might want to try some day.
Or not.
Overall, a solid entry in the series. I do wish the
relationship between Emily and Brent would move forward, though.
Series titles:
Survival of the Fritters
Goodbye Cruller World
Jealousy Filled Donuts
Boston Scream Donuts
Beyond a Reasonable Donut
Deck the Donuts
(October 2021)
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