chez_jae: (Archer book)
Chilled to the Cone (A Bakeshop Mystery, #12)Chilled to the Cone by Ellie Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Finished my work book over my lunch hour today. It was Chilled to the Cone by Ellie Alexander, and it's the 12th installment in the "Bakeshop" mystery series. Narrative is in first-person pov of the main character, Juliet Capshaw.

When a unique business opportunity arises, Jules jumps at the chance to open a pop-up ice cream shop to showcase the iced lattes and frozen custards that her bakery, Torte, is becoming known for. The site is located in Ashland's famed Railroad District, which features an eclectic array of businesses and some eccentric characters. Foremost among them is a man known only as the Wizard, a homeless street performer known for his capes and his balloon animals. Jules is shocked when the Wizard is murdered, but that's not the end of the trouble. Someone has been defacing businesses with graffiti, engaging in vandalism, and stealing items. Things come to a head when a fire is set in Jules' new space. She is sure the vandalism is related to the Wizard's murder, but proving it will be difficult. In the meantime, Jules is trying to rebuild her relationship with her husband, whom she's been estranged from for two years. She'd love for Carlos to stay in Ashland with her, but she refuses to stand in his way if he wants to return to life on the sea. Spring is traditionally the time of love in the air, and just maybe it will lend its magic to Jules and Carlos.

I've been snagging these books at a second-hand shop, which is why I'm reading them wildly out of order. The author has done a stellar job, however, of providing backstory so that I haven't been lost. I am loving this series. Jules is an engaging character, and I like how she takes people, specifically her employees, under her wing, providing support and encouraging their creativity. I really appreciate that the entire book wasn't consumed with Jules' sleuthing. In fact, most of it was of her getting Scoops up and running while still managing Torte, spending time with her husband and friends, and making delectable items for sale at Torte.

Favorite line: "I made a special drink for you that you're either going to love or hate." // "Well, when you sell it like that, I can't wait to try it."

Wonderful story, wonderful series, and I'll certainly be scrounging for more of them. Five stars.
chez_jae: (Books)
Live and Let Pie (A Bakeshop Mystery, #9)Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Yesterday, I brought my book home from work to finish the final two chapters. It was Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander, and it's the 9th installment in the "Bakeshop mystery" series. This is the first I've read in the series, but I did not feel as though I was floundering to keep up. The main character is Juliette "Jules" Capshaw who, along with her mother, owns and runs the bakeshop Torte.

With renovations at Torte almost complete, Jules is looking to hire more staff to help out in their expanded space. She's also been helping her mother look for a new house. On one such excursion to the lake, Jules is enjoying the beach when two young girls retrieve a skull from the bottom of the lake. The remains are identified as those of a local who had disappeared decades earlier. His death is ruled a homicide, and Jules can't help but be intrigued by the cold case. Things heat up when another local is murdered, presumably in an altercation regarding the property he was offering for sale. Jules is convinced the two crimes are connected, and it's going to take some serious sleuthing to put the pieces together.

I enjoyed this story. It's set in Ashland, OR, which seems like a quaint and cozy town...at least on the surface. Characters were fleshed-out and believable, and the narrative proceeded in a sensible fashion. The story wasn't consumed with the investigation--Jules spent plenty of time on the job, and I nearly drooled over the wonderful array of items being baked/cooked/made for sale at Torte. There was also the subplot of some friction between an old employee and a new one, the ongoing contention over Edgar's property, the house-hunting, and Jules' own concern over her relationship with her (off-screen) husband.

Favorite lines:
♦ "People don't want revolting pastries."
♦ "There's nothing as ambrosial as a slow drive through the countryside."
♦ "I have it on good authority that the pastry muse strikes you at the most random and inconvenient times."


A delightful story, and I will certainly look for more in this series. Four stars!

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