Double Grudge Donuts
Deputy Donut Mystery #8
By Ginger Bolton
ISBN 9781496740212
Author’s website: gingerbolton.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
The countdown is on as Deputy Donut Café owner Emily Westhill gets ready for married life. But before she takes the plunge, she’ll need to poke a hole in a deadly criminal’s plans . . .
When the Fallingbrook Arts Festival rolls into town weeks before she’s set to tie the knot, Emily expects talent and friendly competition at the week-long summer series to go together like coffee and double fudge. But the fun crumbles fast after a lively bagpiper takes first place on day one and turns heads for the wrong reasons—all before Emily and her tabby cat find him dead in a clear case of murder. Along with a distinctive weapon at the crime scene, several strategically placed items leave disturbing clues about the killer’s identity, including a broken piece of a Deputy Donut mug . . .
While detectives aren’t sure who silenced the bagpiper’s music, they don’t trust Emily or her family to tell the truth. With her nuptials and career on the line, Emily launches an unsettling investigation to save herself from trouble and bring a dangerous figure to justice. The search not only brings too many suspects into the picture, but also leads to a strange discovery on Deputy Donut’s rooftop. A discovery that tells Emily she better get cooking, because someone may be watching her every move . . . and carefully plotting to turn a wedding into a funeral! (from Goodreads)
Review:
I found this to be a thoroughly delightful cozy mystery! This visit to Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is my favorite so far for many reasons. An easy one is – double fudge donuts! For those who love to bake, the recipe is included. There is a sweet serving of humor, with one scene in particular that was laugh-out-loud funny!
I enjoy the regular characters as they are like old friends. Emily and her late husband’s father, Tom, own Deputy Donut Café, the most popular place in town for donuts and other pastries, special coffee blends, and spending time with friends. The café is named after the cat that Emily and her late husband adopted, so named because of Alec’s law enforcement career and the interesting markings on her side.
The patio at Deputy Donut provided a front-row seat for afternoon visits from contestants of the Fallingbrook Arts Festival. Each evening, there would be themed competitions such as Wee Wonders Wednesday and Troubadour Tuesday. Every afternoon, the acts went to scheduled shops to give a preview of their act. This was the first year of the festival, and Emily’s parents, both avid supporters, hope it becomes an annual event. They would be judging some evenings, so they stayed at Emily’s rather than return to their RV park late at night.
The very best part of this novel is the wedding Emily and her fiancé, Brent, have been planning. They were counting the days to the big event. Brent is a detective with the local police department, and when a new, major crime occurs, he hoped to have it solved before the big day.
Kirk, a bagpiper who took first place in the Musical Monday event, was a thorn in everyone’s side that evening and the following day. He interrupted people when performing, including Quentin, a friend of Summer, one of Emily’s friends. He distracted Quentin so much that he couldn’t finish his coronet selection and took second place. On Tuesday, he interrupted and even followed some of the vocalists who were performing at several shops around town. He raised a stir in the pub, Fireplug, setting off Ed, one of the waitstaff. Early the next morning, Emily found Kirk dead in the alley that led to Deputy Donut. Near his body was a piece of ceramic broken from a Deputy Donut mug. A couple days later, the rest of the mug was found in Emily’s driveway.
The case is a challenge for Brent, as his department had called for a detective from the state Division of Criminal Investigation to assist. Vic was snarky, especially to Emily, and was visibly suspicious of her and several other people. Emily had helped solve several murders over the years. When she was asked to help a café owner, she didn’t want to get involved with the wedding so close, but she began to follow up on some people she considered possible suspects.
The characters are defined well, and it has been wonderful to see them grow through events of their lives. Emily and Brent perhaps had the most changes and challenges, since Emily’s husband had been Brent’s detective partner and best friend. Whether introduced in this mystery or a long-term character, each is demonstrated through realistic conversations and actions. It’s hard to choose just one favorite; I would have to say Emily, and include Dep. She is a loving little cat with a big, realistic cat-sonality. She loves being at the donut shop, people watching through the window between the office and dining area, and racing through the overhead runs and tunnels Tom built in the office to keep her entertained.
This mystery was plotted and executed well. The characters invited me in from the beginning and kept my attention throughout. I had a few suspects, but the bad guy was someone I hadn’t even considered! I didn’t want the novel to end, even though I did want to see who the killer was. I was very satisfied with this cozy mystery and highly recommend it and the series!
