Powdered Peril (Donut Shop Mysteries Book 8)

Author:    Jessica Beck

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781250001061

St. Martin's Books

300 Pages

[Various Prices] $11.99 Amazon

August 28, 2012

⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's hard to keep a secret in April Springs -- especially when it involves a no-good cheater like Peter Morgan.  Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart has tried to be civil with the guy, since he's dating her best friend Grace.  But when Grace shows up at her doorstep -- sobbing -- Suzanne's the first to admit she's glad the relationship is over.  She's also the first to spot the footprints leading to Peter's dead body...

Instead of the usual morning donuts, the police are busy rounding up suspects and sifting through clues: why did Peter splash yellow paint on Suzanne's shop window before he was murdered?  How angry was Grace when she learned that her boyfriend was two-timing (or three- or four-timing) her?  Suzanne is willing to bet dollars to donuts that her friend is innocent.  Now she has to prove it -- before the real killer takes a powder...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart lives in the small town of April Springs, North Carolina, with her mother.  She's a divorced woman who decided to take a chance and open a donut shop, Donut Hearts, and has found that every day it's filled with people who want a little morning pick-me-up, which makes her happy.  

Her best friend Grace has been dating a man named Peter Morgan that Suzanne just can't like, no matter how hard she tries.  She thinks he's smarmy; so when Grace shows up one night at her house crying, she quickly finds out it's because Grace has found Peter cheating on her and broken up with him.  But the next morning when Suzanne goes to work she discovers that someone has thrown yellow paint all over the front of her building, and she has an idea who it was.  Still, when the police chief himself shows up, she's surprised -- at least until he tells her why: someone has killed Peter and he wants her to come with him to Grace's -- not to accuse her, but because he thinks Grace will need her after he breaks the news.

Still, Suzanne realizes that Grace is the main suspect, so she and her friend go into investigative mode, trying to figure out who wanted Peter dead.  What they don't expect to find is the man was a huge womanizer, and practically all of them had a real reason to kill him.  

When they start investigating further, they also find that Peter was more than just a womanizer, and the suspect list grows.  Now, all Suzanne has to do is ask questions and avoid a killer.  Easy, right?...

This is the eighth book in the series and I have read them all.  I know this is an older book, but once in a while I feel the need to go back to my library and dig an older one out.  The reason being is that these books don't have political overtones or leanings, and you're not getting someone else's personal views in your reading.

I have found that these books are a lot of fun to read.  They feature Suzanne, who's practically fearless but also careful, and she stands up for what she believes in -- which is loyalty to her friends and justice for the innocent.  She's also a pretty good donut maker!   Anyway, I like the characters in the book, and like Suzanne, I'm even warming to Chief Martin.

In this book we find out that Peter was quite a womanizer.  What gets me is when did he have any time to himself?  There's no shortage of suspects, and while many of them don't want to be questioned, one of them goes to great lengths to avoid it, which only puts that person on the major radar, if you will.

But when things come to a head, Suzanne realizes she only has her wits to save her, and she uses them for everything it's worth (as we know she will survive!).  The ending is quite nice, and makes for an easy read any evening, with a feel-good satisfying result.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Powdered-Peril-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0085UCTQ0/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4154714610

More on Jessica Beck's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Drop Dead Chocolate (A Donut Shop Mystery #7)

Author:    Jessica Beck

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781250001054

St. Martin's Paperbacks

304 Pages

$7.99; $11.99 Amazon

April 24, 2012

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The whole town of April Springs is stirring over the upcoming mayoral election.  Suzanne Hart's mother, for one, is dead-set on replacing the current mayor...and what better way for Momma to drum up support than by luring in voters with Suzanne's drop-dead-delicious donuts?  Just add chocolate, and they're sure to kill the competition...

With Momma's half-baked campaign heating up faster than a donut shop deep fryer, Suzanne wonders if they've bitten off more than they can chew.  But when Momma's opponent is brutally murdered, the odds of winning are suddenly, and suspiciously, in their favor.  Sure, they'd been planning to beat the mayor -- but with speeches and donuts, not a blunt instrument.  If Suzanne hopes to reveal the killer's recipe for revenge, she'll have to uncover a plot that's darker than any chocolate...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, a donut shop in small-town April Springs, North Carolina,  She lives with her mother in the home she grew up in, and has made a nice life for herself after her divorce.  But one day she finds her mother completely riled up by the mayor, who has done something no mayor should ever do, and decides to run against him in the upcoming election.  But before that can happen, the mayor is discovered dead at one of her properties, and now Suzanne's mother Dorothy is a big suspect.  When she asks her to help clear her name, how can she refuse?  Even if it means going against her police inspector boyfriend Jake.  But someone killed the man, and once you've murdered someone, it's a lot easier to murder again...

This is the seventh book in the series, and I'm really starting to enjoy it.  I like the fact that it's not stagnating, and is moving right along.  I also go back to older series every now and then because I know that the authors aren't going to throw their political beliefs in everywhere.  It's sad, but I read to escape from reality, not have it pushed in my face.  There's also a cute conversation about male writers using female pseudonyms, which is funny because of the author (who is very good, by the way).

Suzanne has several suspects to sift through, and none of them want to give her any answers, especially the ex-wife of the police chief, who is running against Dorothy.  Not even Suzanne's donuts can open her up.  But Suzanne has her posse of best friend Grace and retired cop George to help, and they all seem to glean information one way or another.

When the ending comes it is surprising in more ways than one, and there are changes for Suzanne that we will have to wait and see how it plays out.  The narrative is lighthearted and playful, just as it's supposed to be.  I really enjoyed the book and visiting with these characters again, and will continue on with this series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Drop-Dead-Chocolate-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250001056/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4049825658

More on Jessica Beck's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Killer Crullers (A Donut Shop Mystery Book 6)

Author:    Jessica Beck

Genre:     Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781250827593

Minotaur Books

304 Pages

Various Prices; $11.99 Amazon

January 3, 2012

⭐⭐⭐⭐

As owner of April Springs one and only donut shop, Suzanne Hart is privy to the deliciously personal, downright eccentric tastes of her customers.  One man is crazy for crullers -- heavy on the icing.  But when he doesn't pick up his order, a tall dark stranger buys the whole box.  Which he tosses, one drippy cruller at a time, at her friend Gabby's storefront next door...        

The man claims that stolen family valuables ended up in Gabby's thrift shop.  His wild, weird behavior has Suzanne wanting to call the cops.  But when he turns up dead -- outside of Donut Hearts, no less -- the cops come calling for her and Gabby.  Can Suzanne prove that their role in the cruller-vandal killing is a cruel, albeit sugar-coated, twist of fate?

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When Suzanne Hart, owner of Donut Hearts, sells a dozen crullers to a man she doesn't know, she also doesn't expect him to use them as ammunition.  As he's throwing them at the store front window of her neighbor Gabby's store ReNEWed, she steps in to stop him.  He starts accusing Gabby of stealing $10,000 and a vintage brooch from his aunt Jean when Jean donated a coat and it was supposedly in the pocket.

After the man leaves, Gabby insists she had nothing to do with the missing money.  But when the man is later killed, and Gabby is the main suspect, she begs Suzanne to help clear her name.  So Suzanne enlists the help of her best friend Grace, and her retired cop friend George to try and find the killer.  But with plenty of suspects, Suzanne may have gotten herself in deeper than she wants, especially with a killer closer than she thinks...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read every one of them.  I have to say that this book is a breath of fresh air.  Honestly, it is so nice to read a book that doesn't have an author's personal political views thrown in every which way they can lately.  No offense to the authors, but I read a book for entertainment and to escape daily life, not to have you tell me what I should think and do.  Perhaps that is why I feel the need to read older books so much.  There's no nonsense in them, just pure fun.

And while this book isn't high literature -- it's not meant to be, after all -- it is fun to read.  This time out Suzanne is partly on her own with her friends having to unfortunately leave her in the lurch even if they don't want to.  It makes for an interesting time watching her handle things mostly by herself, and still manage to keep her business moving along.

We see a different side of the hard-hearted Gabby, as she softens toward Suzanne, and there are a couple of surprising twists as well to keep the story moving along.  Because of this, it makes the reader want to finish the book in one sitting, which I did, anyway.  When the ending comes and the identity of the killer is revealed, it also brings everything together nicely, and even gives us something to look forward to in the next book.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Crullers-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250827590/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3978665065

More on Jessica Beck's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Tragic Toppings (A Donut Shop Mystery #5)

Author:  Jessica Beck

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9780312541095

Minotaur Books

290 Pages

[Various Prices]; $7.99 Amazon

January 1, 2011

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart sees customers come and go all day long.  But when one of them up-and-disappears, the police start asking questions.  It seems Suzanne is the last person to have seen Emily Hargraves, who runs the local newsstand.  Suzanne has nothing to report about their encounter.  But when Emily doesn't turn up, no news is bad news,,,

Suzanne has to admit that Emily's last request was a little odd -- a blueberry donut made to order, with chocolate icing, sprinkles, stars, and a chewy sour gummy worm coiled on top.  Odder still, Suzanne's ex-husband Max also appears to be missing. But what really takes the cake?  The corpse Suzanne finds hanging from a tree in the park.  Who knew donut-making could turn out to be such a dangerous business...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, a donut shop in small-town April Springs, North Carolina.  One morning she's visited by Chief Martin, who's been contacted by Emily Hargraves' mother, who's worried because Emily is missing, and Suzanne was the last person to see her.  So after he leaves, she calls her best friend Grace to help her locate Emily, knowing she'd never just disappear without a word and leave her shop unlocked.

But later while Grace and Suzanne are walking through the park toward Suzanne's home, they find something they'd rather not:  Tim Leander hanging from Patriot's Tree.  After the police arrive and they've been questioned, they think that's the end of it.  But Suzanne has been asked to help find out who killed Tim, and she feels an obligation to do so.

Complicating matters are the fact that her boyfriend Jake has arrived since he has a few days off work and wants to spend the time with her; being a state investigator doesn't give him a lot of free time; and someone has stolen her beloved recipe book, without which she can only create the donuts she's memorized by heart.  So Suzanne decides that now it's been made personal, and she's more than ever determined to find the killer, even if it puts her own life in danger...

This is the fifth book in the series, and probably my favorite one.  The plot was decent, and there were enough suspects and enough red herrings to keep me reading throughout without getting bored.  I like Suzanne and the fact that she doesn't knowingly do things that might put her into danger, nor does she do stupid things like breaking and entering.  It helps that she's smart enough to merely ask questions, even if those questions are a tad invasive.  After all, how does one get answers otherwise?

This time out, she has managed to finagle Jake into working with her, sort of like a tag team.  She and Grace will ask the questions of the women, and Jake and her friend George Morris will tackle the men (not that it's sexist, but it makes more sense that way).  In doing so, they hope to ferret out a killer.

Also on the sidelines is her mother Dorothy, who is trying out dating again after being a widow for many years.  The man she's seeing is none other than police chief Philip Martin, who's had a crush on her forever and is mellowing in his desire to please her.  But unfortunately, some of his efforts have gone awry, and now Dorothy is still on the fence, which worries Suzanne.

But in the end, the killer will be found, as we know it must be, and the reasons for the murder seem rather twisted and delusional, giving us no sympathy at all for them.  All in all, it was a satisfactory ending and I will continue with the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Tragic-Toppings-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B004VMV3YU/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3444320405

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Evil Eclairs (A Donut Shop Mystery #4)

Author:  Jessica Beck
Genre:  Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9780312541071
Minotaur Books
304 Pages
Various Prices; $7.99 Amazon
April 26, 2011

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart admits her sweet treats don't exactly qualify as health food.  But does she really deserve to be labeled a "killer" by local radio jockey Lester Moorefield?  The annoying host is urging citizens to boycott Suzanne's "deadly dough" factory -- until he's found dead himself, stuffed with one of Suzanne's éclairs...

Everyone in April Springs knows about the feud between Lester and Suzanne, which makes her the number-one suspect.  She tries to use the donut defense -- donuts don't kill people, people kill people -- but that cream-filled éclair at the scene of the crime has the whole town filled with suspicion.  If Suzanne can't figure out who killed the radio star, she'll soon be filling a prison cell instead of a pastry...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts in small town April Springs, North Carolina.  She's not getting rich, but she's managing to make a decent living doing what she loves.  While listening to the radio one night while she's in bed, she hears radio jockey Lester Moorefield -- a thorn in her side -- tell everyone to stay away from her business because she's feeding everyone poison with her donuts.  Angry, she dresses and goes to the station to confront him.  They have words, and Suzanne leaves, determined to make him regret targeting her.

Later on the next morning, police chief Martin comes to the shop and asks her to come with him to the radio station, where he tells her that Lester is dead, and one of her éclairs was found stuffed in his mouth.  While he doesn't believe she committed the murder, he wants to know where she was at the time of the murder, and then if she knows anything.  Of course she doesn't, but when her business starts to suffer because of Lester's final broadcast, Suzanne can't just sit back and wait for the police.

With the help of her friends Grace and George, she's determined to investigate.  But then her boyfriend, state investigator Jake Bishop, is assigned to the case, and there's an accident that puts her in the forefront of knowing it shouldn't have happened, and Suzanne is bound and determined to get the murderer...that is, if the murderer doesn't get her first...

This is the fourth book in the series, and I must say that it's been improving along the way.  I do like Suzanne as a person; she doesn't rush headlong into accusing everyone she meets of murder; she asks questions and then eliminates that suspect, which is much nicer and more believable.

She loves her donut shop and the people around her, and it's apparent that they love her, too.  I do like the fact that she has a mother who's not hounding her about grandkids and is a good part of Suzanne's life.  I'm beginning to enjoy Dorothy's presence in these books; and I do like the fact that Suzanne's relationship with Jake is beginning to take shape and grow.

As far as the murder goes, it was done very nicely, with just enough suspects who may or may not have had solid alibis, and sifting through them with Suzanne was tons of fun.  While the murderer wasn't totally unexpected, my dislike of another character really wanted that person to be guilty.  Oh, well.  In the end, it came together seamlessly, and I spent a good evening with Suzanne and her friends, and look forward to seeing them again in the next book.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Eclairs-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/0312541074/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397101964

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Sinister Sprinkles (A Donut Shop Mystery #3)

Author:  Jessica Beck
Genre:   Mystery


Hardcover; Trade Paperback; Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781445836843; 9781250100221; 9781250005380
Minotaur Books
290 Pages
Various Prices Amazon
November 1, 2011

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just in time for the Winter Festival, a glistening layer of snow has covered the streets of April Springs, North Carolina.  Of course, it reminds donut shop owner Suzanne Hart of sweet delicious frosting.  But her visions of sugar plums plummet when her ex's ex-girlfriend gets iced...

Suzanne could never understand why her ex-husband Max cheated on her with Darlene Higgins.  Why Darlene's body was found wearing another woman's clothes is an even bigger mystery.  Now Max is suspected of murder -- and Suzanne is sifting through her mixed-up love life looking for clues.  If she can't sprinkle evidence on her half-baked theories of whodunit, Max is as good as fried...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart is the owner of Donut Hearts in April Springs, North Carolina.  It's just before Christmas and everyone is loving the Winter Festival, especially Suzanne.  She has a booth set up outside her shop where she's selling her donuts, and couldn't be happier.  That is, until there's a commotion in the town square a few blocks away, and Suzanne hears someone shout that Muriel Stevens has been murdered.

Suzanne asks her employee Emma to watch the shop and goes to see what happened, and she notices Muriel's distinctive winter coat.  But then she notices something else -- Muriel's hair has streaks of grey, which Muriel would never allow, and a touch of blonde.  She tells them that's not Muriel, and it's discovered that the dead woman is Darlene Higgins, the woman who destroyed Suzanne's marriage by sleeping with her husband, Max.  Now Max is a suspect in the murder, but he's disappeared and Chief Martin thinks Suzanne is shielding him.  But Suzanne knows Max is no killer, so she and her best friend Grace set out to find the truth.  But that's only going to work if the killer doesn't find her first...

This is the third book in the series and I have to tell you that it's improved over the first two.  The characters are starting to come together and Suzanne is beginning to grow on me.  I didn't much care for her in the first book, so that's saying a lot.  I even like Max the Dirtbag.  At least he's remorseful, but I agree with Suzanne wholeheartedly in her decision. 

In this book we have a few changes in Suzanne's life and even Emma's, that make them rethink a few things.  It's a nice concept and we see how they react to them.  In all these cases, I like Suzanne more.  She's generous, kind, thoughtful, and whole-hearted.  Those are good qualities in a person.  She's also strong and independent, and can give as good as she gets.  Watching her reactions to people in different situations gives us an eye to her as a person, and it's nice to see.

Suzanne isn't sure who killed Darlene, or why, but she's determined to find out, and with this in mind she and Grace are asking questions -- as surreptitiously as they can, of course -- and while they're not quite discovering a murderer, they are discovering suspects, and reasons why someone would want Darlene out of the picture. 

When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it's a bit of a surprise, but not an unwelcome one, at that.  I really liked how this was done, and as unexpected as it was, it was a nice touch in the last few scenes.  I also did like the ending of the book, giving us a hint of what might be next in Suzanne's life.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Sinister-Sprinkles-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250005388/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3244759386

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Fatally Frosted (A Donut Shop Mystery #2)

Author:  Jessica Beck
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9780312946111
Minotaur Books
320 Pages
Various Prices; $7.99 Amazon
August 3, 2010

⭐⭐⭐

A local busy body has dropped dead after eating one of Suzanne's famous treats.  A forensic team is soon swarming through the Donut Hearts kitchen, dusting for clues, sifting through sugar, and suspecting the worst of Suzanne.  But with the help of police Inspector Jake Bishop and her ex-husband Max, Suzanne hopes to clear her hood name -- before another bad donut is fatally frosted...

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Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, where she happily spends her mornings baking and selling coffee and donuts.  But she’s been asked by a friend to participate in a charity fundraiser, to demonstrate making donuts in the kitchen of one of the participant’s home, and Suzanne jumped at the chance to show off her skills.  However, there's one person who doesn't want her involved, and that's the chairperson, Peg Masterson, isn't happy about it and makes her feelings known.  But since Peg isn't liked by many people, Suzanne ignores her.

The day of the demonstration, with a roomful of onlookers, someone notices that there’s a body outside the window, and screams. The victim is Peg, and upon further investigation, it's apparent she's been poisoned...and it was with one of Suzanne’s lemon filled donuts.  Now, with being a suspect in the murder, and with her life and reputation on the line, she's out to find a killer.  She can't count on help from boyfriend police Inspector Jake Bishop, who wants to stay away from her because he doesn't want anyone to think he's 'favoring' her, she asks retired cop and friend George to help.  But even he might not be enough if a killer decides that she's getting a bit too close and needs to be eliminated...

This is the second book in the series and better than the first, which is good.  I’m not sure yet if I like Jake Bishop or not, considering he’s not much of a boyfriend.  I get that he has things going on, but cops do have relationships, and spending time with her shouldn’t be a big deal.  He is allowed a private life, after all, and if he doesn't discuss the case with her, I can't see how it would be a big deal if they went to dinner once in a while.  It’s like he’d rather make excuses than spend time with her.  Who knows?  Maybe the author wants to get rid of him since someone else was introduced in this book and her ex Max is hanging around, too (don’t tell me; I’d rather find out gradually by reading the other books).  I do like her mother, Dorothy and most of the other characters; I’m even beginning to like the Chief Martin since he didn’t treat her unfairly in this one.

At any rate, the mystery was decent, and we were given several suspects to sift through and a few red herrings along the way, which are also nice.  When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it was a bit of a surprise, which is always a nice thing.  The reason for the murder was believable, the characters are developing, and everything came together well enough that I will continue to read the next in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/Fatally-Frosted-Donut-Shop-Mysteries/dp/0312946112/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3237318204

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Glazed Murder (A Donut Shop Mystery Book 1)

Author:  Jessica Beck
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781250005397
Minotaur Books
320 Pages
Various Prices; $7.99 Amazon
November 1, 2011

⭐⭐

Meet Suzanne Hart, owner and operator of Donut Hearts coffee shop in April Springs, North Carolina.  After her divorce from Max, an out-of-work actor she's dubbed "the Great Impersonator," Suzanne decided to pursue her one true passion in life": donuts.  So she cashed in her settlement and opened up shop in the heart of her beloved hometown.

But when a dead body is dumped on her doorstep like a sack of flour, Suzanne's cozy little shop becomes an all-out crime scene.  Now, everyone in town is dropping by for glazed donuts and gruesome details - and they're all suspects.  Soon Suzanne - who finds snooping as irresistible as donuts - is poking holes in everyone's alibis...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart divorced her husband and bought a donut shop, giving herself a new start to life.  Unfortunately, one morning she sees a dead body being dumped in front of her shop.  After she calls the police, she finds that the body is none other than Patrick Blaine, a regular customer of hers.  When she thinks the police aren't circling in fast enough on a suspect, she decides that she'll look for the killer on her own, even if it puts her in danger of being the next victim...

I really wanted to like this book, but there were several things wrong with it, the main thing being that I couldn't find any relationship between Patrick and Suzanne.  Yes, he was a customer, but so were many others.  As to being friends?  Customers aren't friends.  They're customers.  Friends are people you call, do things with, see occasionally.  I couldn't find a relationship between these two.  She knew nothing about his life, never had even so much as a lunch with him.  So that gave me pause as to why she would be investigating his murder in the first place.

I also felt that this book could have been set anywhere in the United States, since the only mention to it being in North Carolina was the mountain view.  There were no descriptions of the town, none of the area around at all.  Descriptions are important.  We're also given very little description of Suzanne or anyone else.  Basic, but that's about all.  I know that this author is a man using a pseudonym of a woman, but we do like to know details so we can create images in our minds of the people we're reading about.

Why would her friend Grace be investigating so willingly?  I could see it if Grace worked for a newspaper, but she was in sales.  I also felt that Suzanne left Emma alone too much.  Since Suzanne closed the shop at noon, what was preventing her from investigating after that time, instead of before it?  It certainly would have made more sense in the long run.  Oh, well.

The mystery itself was fine, but nothing special.  If the police were actually intelligent, they would have closed in on the killer themselves before Suzanne did, and it would have been obvious at some point.  Everyone was clueless until the very end, including Jake, which surprised me.  I know this series has gone on for quite awhile, and my only guess is because of the donut recipes.  (I do make my own donuts, for those wondering if anyone does; however I also use my own recipes, and wouldn't be inclined to buy these books just for that.)  Two stars for the writing, which was fine, but I still feel let down by the ending.

https://www.amazon.com/Glazed-Murder-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1250005396/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3185015896

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/