Friday, January 6, 2017

Book Review and Giveaway - Fudge and Jury by Ellie Alexander

Book Synopsis
Welcome to Torte–a friendly, small-town family bakery where the pastries are delicious…and, now, suspicious.

It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival. Business is cookin’ at Torte, and the store is expanding as Jules’ team whips up crèpes filled with mascarpone cheese and dark chocolate. Torte stands a chance of being this year’s confectionery belle of the ball! Life couldn’t be sweeterunless murder taints the batter.

Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, makes a chocolate fountain that would put Willy Wonka to shame, and his truffles are to die forliterally? Yes, the world-renowned chocolatier has just turned up dead…right after sampling a slice of Jules’ decadent four-layer chocolate cake. Now all eyes are on Jules as she tries to find the mysterious ingredient in her own recipe. Can she sift out the truth before another contestant bites the buttercream?
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Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review

Fudge and Jury is the fifth book in Ellie Alexander's A Bakeshop Mystery series.  It is set in Ashland, Oregon.  Juliet Montague Capshaw - Jules for short - prepares sumptuous treats for the annual Chocolate Festival that coincides with the town's Shakespeare Festival.  Unfortunately, a chocolatier dies after tasting one of Jules' cakes.  

 

Fudge and Jury is a charming mystery set in the picturesque Pacific Northwest.  I loved the town, as depicted in this novel, and found the characters very likeable and engaging as well.

 

This is my first Bakeshop Mystery book, but I had no problem catching up with the characters and storyline.

 

The characters are well developed and the mystery is well written, with a storyline that moves along at a steady pace.

 

Foodies will love the baking details in this book!  I loved details like this description:

 

"The Swiss buttercream had a bright coffee finish and just the right balance of bitterness to sweetness.  It spread on the cakes like butter.  Next, I filled a piping bag with more buttercream and started the painstaking task of piping a delicate trim around the border of each cake.  Then I used a closed star tip to hand-pipe individual tiny stars on the sides of the cakes.  The look was both rustic and chic.  When we transported them to the Chocolate Fest I would decorate the tops with Oregon berries and greenery.  It would give them a pop of color and tie in with my forest theme" (pp. 24 - 25).

 

Fudge and Jury is full of this type of mouthwatering descriptions and details!  Add that to the mystery, the character driven plot, and the charming town, and you have a perfect cozy mystery for a weekend read. 

 

Author Bio

Ellie Alexander writes the bestselling Bakeshop Mystery series for St. Martin’s Press, set in the Shakespearean town of Ashland, Oregon and featuring a romantic, artisan pastry chef, Juliet Montague Capshaw.

Ellie is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.

 

Connect with Ellie

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Giveaway
One lucky reader will win a copy of this book.  Open to U.S. and Canada.  Enter with the Rafflecopter form, below.  A winner will be drawn 1/14/17 and notified by email.  Winner must respond within 48 hours.  The book will be mailed directly to the winner by the author or her publicist.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.

36 comments:

Unknown said...

It sounds great, love the cover; thanks for the chance :)

NoraA said...

I own two of the books in this series starting with Meet Your Baker. I'd love the chance to win this latest title for my growing home library.

Heather J @ TLC Book Tours said...

I'm glad to know this one works so well as a standalone since I haven't read the previous books yet.

Thanks for being a part of the tour!

Anonymous said...

THIS SOUNDS LIKE A VERY INTERESTING BOOK TO READ ON A SNOWY WINTER DAY

barbarakwrites said...

I am always interested in finding new "cozy" mystery authors to read. This book looks like one that I will really enjoy. And there are more books in the series too!

Tracy Shafer said...

I would love to read! And living in Oregon myself, makes it all the much better!!

Unknown said...

This book sounds Soo intriguing!
Crystallgregg@gmail

Donna E said...

I'm liable to gain weight just reading this book. But I'll take my chances. ☺

carol said...

This book really looks interesting and would love to win it.

April Swaim said...

Sounds like a really good book! There is nothing better than mystery and chocolates! :) Thank you!

Unknown said...

This looks like a super read.

Unknown said...

thank you for the giveaway

Anonymous said...

I really love the cover.

Taylor Campbell said...

I love a good mystery! :)

Julie Waldron said...

This sounds like a good book that would be difficult to put down.

dlhaley said...

This sounds like a good read. Thanks for the chance to win it.

Unknown said...

This series isn't available from my local library, so I would like to win then after I read, review on good reads, I will donate the book to my local library system. Thanks for the opportunity.

Connie Hill said...

I just discovered Cozy Mysteries.

This looks like a great read

Have a great day

Sadie Jane said...

Thanks for this opportunity. Fingers crossed!

hwscutie said...

Great review! This book sounds good. Thanks for the giveaway.

Unknown said...

This book sounds really good

Unknown said...

This looks like a great read

Anonymous said...

Very interesting.
Marilyn

Ellie Wright said...

I would love to read this. Thanks so much for the chance!

kat said...

Looks interesting.

Unknown said...

I would love this for my friend. I know she would enjoy it.

Unknown said...

Great giveaway! Thank you for the opportunity.

Nancy said...

I love to read cozy mysteries like this one!

Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

Anonymous said...

This book sounds so intriguing.

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

Hello! I hope you're having a lovely January. I,too, am a book reviewer. I haven't heard of this company before.
God bless you!
Laura
http://harvestlanecottage.com

Scianaxtus said...

Great Giveaway! Thanks!

Lissa Crane said...

My two favorite things-sweets and a good mystery! I would love to read this!

Shakeia Rieux said...

I would love to have this so I can make things for my family and my classmates

Sharon Braswell said...

Juliet Montague Capshaw - Jules for short. I love the heroine's name! I'm new to the series but a chocolatier who died from a taste of a dark chocolate crepe, oh my! Sounds so good, no pun intended! Thank you! :)

John Smith said...

Looks like a fun book! Thank you for the contest!

Leela said...

It sounds like an interesting read.