Ellie Alexander: Killing Me Soufflé

Bakeshop #20

Killing Me Soufflé is the 20th addition to Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop mysteries. Juliet, baker and owner of Tort bakery, is facing a lot of new changes in her life – being pregnant with twins, adjusting to decaf coffee, losing two of her valued employees and friends, Sterling and Stephanie, and hiring their replacements. While she regrets the loss of her friends in the shop, she knows that it is important for their own futures for them to take advantage of this new opportunity. Becoming head of the SeaBreeze Bistro at Whaleshead Resort could be Sterling and Stephanie’s big chance to make a name for themselves in the culinary world. However, what seemed like a fantastic opportunity with nothing but potential quickly turns into a nightmare. read more

Ellie Alexander: A Smoking Bun

Bakeshop #18

A Smoking Bun is the 18th Bake Shop Mystery book by Ellie Alexander. I was so excited to see the next instalment in our baker and part time detective Jules Capshaw’s adventures. Her ever growing foodie empire has been a joy to watch expand. Jules cares about her community and has forged her place in Ashland, Oregon after many trials and tribulations and has even settled her family here. It isn’t all family and fondant for her, however. Jules also has made a bit of a name for herself in helping the local police detective, known primarily as The Professor, and now also to her as stepdad, solve several murders. She tries her best to stay away from any dangerous situations, but when a friend is in need she cannot turn away. read more

Winnie Archer: Bread over Troubled Water

Winnie Archer’s Bread Over Troubled Water has aspiring photographer Ivy Culpepper racing not just to solve a murder, but to also to save her friends and her job at bakery Yeast of Eden from disaster. As the book opens, Ivy’s morning is focused on her normal routine of baking and on reflecting on her own to-do list for her impending wedding party. She does not have much free time, however, as the bread shop is a town staple and thus plenty of regulars and tourists pass through, keeping everyone busy. One such regular is Josh Prentiss. He is a well-known fixture in Yeast of Eden, working away most mornings on his laptop and offering charmingly flirtatious remarks to both customers and employees. After some light commotion in the shop resulting in dropped bread and a broken plate, he leaves the shop and Ivy does not think about him further, until her determined and charming pug, Agatha, sniffs out his body amongst flowers in the park and drags Ivy once more into a mystery. read more