EVIL ECLAIRS by Jessica Beck

Book Four in the Donut Shop Mystery series.

The local DJ does an editorial saying donuts are poison and Suzanne Hart's shop should be shut down. Of course, Suzanne drives over to the station to tell him off. But when he's found dead the next morning with one of her eclairs crammed in his mouth, it looks like Suzanne is a murder suspect once again.

I love cozy mysteries, but the ones where the protagonist is the main suspect are always a little more stressful to read. And that happens to poor Suzanne an awful lot in this series! In this case, though, the DJ is so odious, there are plenty of other suspects as well. This was my favorite in the series so far - and I am proud to say I puzzled out the killer before the reveal in the book (I always feel good when I can do that). I am enjoying the relationships between secondary characters that are developing and laying some nice groundwork for further books in the series. I've been impressed with Ms. Beck's ability to put a character in a story as an introduction and then give that character a larger story in a later book in the series. It feels like good long-term plotting.

4 out of 5 stars

SINISTER SPRINKLES by Jessica Beck

Suzanne is single because her ex-husband, Max, had an affair with Darlene Higgins, and Suzanne kicked him to the curb. But when Darlene is murdered, Max is the top suspect - and Suzanne is on the list, too. Suzanne and her friends start poking around in Darlene's life looking for clues - and finding plenty of trouble along the way.

 Good mystery with lots of suspects to wonder about as readers dive into the story. It felt like there was a lot to this book that wasn't directly related to the mystery - things going on with Suzanne's love interest, her employee Emma, and her best friend Grace - but it all tied back to the mystery in the end and was great character development for the future. I enjoyed this one.

Again, I think you can read these out of order and still follow the story, but I am enjoying reading them in order, too. You can read about other books in the series here.

4 out of 5 stars

FATALLY FROSTED by Jessica Beck

As if Suzanne isn't stressed out enough doing a public cooking demo at the Kitchens Extraordinaire event, then a dead body is found - and the victim is holding one of Suzanne's donuts. Suzanne is the prime suspect, even though she had no motive, so she's got to clear her name and protect her business.

This was a good mystery. Plenty of strong possibilities for the murderer to keep the reader guessing. In this particular story, there weren't a lot of likable characters - Suzanne ticked off a lot of folks as she asked questions and conducted her own investigation. [Things even felt a little bristly with the series regulars.] In this regard, this was more believable than some cozies where everyone wants to talk to the amateur sleuth and spill their guts.

I don't know that you have to read this story in order (it's #2 in the series after Glazed Murder) for it to make sense. If you enjoy cozy mysteries (and can put up with all the talk of delicious donuts without having to run to the store), give this series a try.

4 out of 5 stars

MYSTERY for ADULTS: Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck

Suzanne Hart is reclaiming her life after her husband's affair (and their subsequent divorce) by owning and running a donut shop. Sure, the hours are awful, but she is her own boss and she is following her heart. But when an acquaintance is killed and his body is dumped in front of her shop, she becomes a witness to a crime. Suzanne is determined to dig into the victim's life - personal and business - in order to figure out what happened to him and get her life back.

This is the first book in a series that is already seven books deep (it's been on my shelf for awhile). I really liked Suzanne and her friends. The donut angle gives Suzanne a great opportunity to meet and connect with a lot of different people, which is great for a series. My only frustration was in Suzanne's repeated defense of her snooping to find out what happened to her "friend." I thought the relationship with the victim seemed thin for a motivator, so every time she was cautioned to back off (a cozy mystery staple) and refused, I wasn't convinced her rationale was strong enough (she almost didn't seem to believe her own assertions). That annoyance did not keep me from enjoying the story, and it isn't a factor as I anticipate reading the next volume in the series.

4 out of 5 stars - a good mystery, interesting characters (the ex-husband is a real pill! He's well defined and a total pain for Suzanne and her budding new romance)

Recommended for: cozy mystery fans should enjoy this book.

Cautions: none