Survival of the Fritters (A Deputy Donut Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (January 30, 2018)
Paperback: 256 pages

Synopsis

Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.

If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .

Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business . . .

BOOK DEPOSITORY * BOOKS A MILLION

Review

Who doesn’t love a good donut?!  Well maybe someone with a gluten intolerance, but that aside many of us have a fond memory or two of having a warm donut with friends or family.  Well, that is what Emily has created with her Father-in-Law – a donut shop that everyone loves to frequent.  And yes it is true, the police in this town do love their donuts.

The mystery of who killed Georgia is quite involved and goes back many years. The clues that eventually lead us to the killer are not easy to decipher and lead the reader down various paths until the truth is revealed.  I do think that Emily was too focused on a few potential suspects and may have put herself in harm’s way unnecessarily.  But then this would not be a cozy mystery if the protagonist did not pull crazy stunts.

To round out the story there is a potential budding romance between Emily and Brent.  Brent was her deceased husband’s partner on the police force and I think it took a lot for Brent to seem Emily in a potential romantic light.  They definitely have some chemistry, so it will be interesting to see how that progresses.

We give this 3 paws.  It is a great start to a new series, characters need a little more development but that will come with more books.  I read the sneak peek for book two and it intrigues me already!

About the Author

Ginger Bolton writes the Deputy Donut mystery series–cops, crime, coffee, donuts and one curious cat. When Ginger isn’t writing or reading, she’s crocheting, knitting, sewing, walking her two rescue dogs and generally causing trouble. She’s also fond of donuts, coffee, and cafes where folks gather to enjoy those tasty treats and one another’s company.

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