Author: Lisa Siefert
Genre: Mystery
Digital Book
ASIN #: B0FDKQLJ21
Tule Publishing
240 Pages
$4.99 Amazon
October 20, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her Christmas cupcakes were a hit, but her customer's death lands her on the naughty list.
Ava Decker is catering the biggest holiday party of the season, and she's dreaming of sugarplum profits. But her festive mood sours when she discovers her client face down in a vat of melted chocolate. And worse? She stiffed her on payment for 200 custom cupcakes before taking her final dip.
With her high school sweetheart back in town stirring up old feelings and union scandal brewing hotter than cocoa, Ava must whisk through revenge-seeking factory workers, suspicious girlfriends, and missing millions. Armed with her crime-solving cat Lucky and her own knack for finding trouble, she's racing to unwrap the truth behind this murder before the killer strikes again.
Can Ava crack this candy-coated case in time for Christmas, or will she find herself wrapped up and under the tree--permanently?
✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽
Ava Decker owns Frosted, a dessert shop in her small town. She's unhappy when her maybe-or-not wealthy boyfriend, Marcus Palmer, decides he needs to go to Africa and build hospitals She didn't have the conversation of whether they are or not a couple, so she does what any woman would do, right? She drowns herself in pity for two months eating takeout and living in her pajamas.
Her friends have decided it's enough and asked another friend, Detective Wesley Lockwood, to get her to her birthday party, which is supposed to be a surprise, but really isn't. Ava hates surprises. She hates the fact Wesley is making her do something. But she has a big order of cupcakes to deliver to another friend's business, so needs his help.
Unfortunately, when they arrive, they can't locate the woman...at first...until Ava sees her floating face-down in a vat of chocolate. She tries to get her out, but calls Wesley, and he tells her to step away while the police investigate. At least she's not a suspect in this murder. But someone is...
Ava finally gets moving. Then finds out Marcus has assigned her ex-boyfriend to keep an eye on her.. What is going on? Between him and her bestie Ruby, she's stymied at every turn. Or is she? With this, Ava is on her way again determined to solve a murder, even before the police have a change to investigate. But with so many people who could be guilty, which one is the killer?
This is the fifth book in the series, and I am sorry to say that it is my first foray into Lisa Siefert's books. I am sorry because this book is enchanting. It's funny, witty, warm, and full of characters you will either love or hate; no in-betweens here. With Christmas on the way soon, Ava has her hands full in more ways than one. She has cupcakes to make, people to see, her cat Lucky who tries to keep her out of trouble but is right there with her more often than not...and a killer to catch.
There's a lot going on here, with a winter festival going on, her ex's mother Vivienne cornering her at every turn to do a 'favor' or two -- even if she doesn't want to (no one can say no to Vivienne); Ruby is giving up on love and willing to settle for any man who at least has a job (no, Ruby!); and her newest inheritance. Oh, didn't I mention that? Well, read the book. You'll be glad you did.
When Ava does finally figure it out, it's almost too late for her; but the climax is done extremely well, and this book left me feeling so good that I immediately went back and read the first (and I will continue with this series). In all, this is a great cozy and I look forward to the next. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Lisa Siefert's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/lisa-siefert/
No comments:
Post a Comment