My ReviewBeyond a Reasonable Donut is a cozy mystery set in Wisconsin. Emily is a young widow who owns a coffeehouse named Deputy Donut. When she and her assistant are working a donut concession at a traveling carnival, they unexpectedly become involved with a number of seedy characters ... and end up working to solve a murder back in town.
I wanted to read this book because I enjoy foodie cozies, and the carnival setting sounded very appealing. I have not read the previous books in this series. It took me a few chapters to learn the characters and their relationships, but after I did I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a standalone.
Emily is a very likable protagonist. She is tenatively romantically interested in a local detective, Brent, but she plays amateur detective herself to solve a complex murder with lots of suspects. She puts herself in jeopardy a couple of times, but I was cheering for her to solve the mystery.
The author did a good job with setting the small town scene. I felt like I had visited Fallingbrook from all the charming descriptions. I especially enjoyed the latter part of the book set at a resort with old fashioned cabins and lodge.
There is a storyline about a mysterious antique locket with an old photo and a coded message. I found that particularly intriguing and it pleased my inner Nancy Drew.
Beyond a Reasonable Donut was lots of fun to read. I hope to catch up with more books in this series in the future. I recommend this cozy mystery for fans of food mysteries (yes, there are recipes in the back of the book!), small town settings, and lots of cozy charm.
Book Synopsis
Selling her corn fritters at
a carnival, Deputy Donut Café owner Emily Westhill faces off against a
murderer who doesn’t play fair . . .
Emily and her assistant, Nina, are
looking forward to manning the Deputy Donut tent at the Faker’s Dozen
Carnival in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin—a festival held on Friday the
thirteenth to celebrate good and bad luck. But Emily has barely dropped
the corn fritters in oil when bad luck boils up. First, their bucket of
confectioner’s sugar disappears—and then while a mime creates a
distraction, a magician robs their cash register.
After the carnival, their misfortune
continues. Emily discovers that someone has broken into artist Nina’s
loft and vandalized a large painting in progress with the bucket of
stolen sugar, which is now on the head of the mime, who seems to have
been suffocated. Emily would bet Nina was the intended victim, but the
cops think Nina silenced the mime. Now Emily must catch the killer
white-handed—before someone else kicks the bucket . . .
Author BioGinger Bolton writes
the Deputy Donut mystery series—coffee, donuts, cops, danger, and one
curious cat. The first four books in the series are SURVIVAL OF THE
FRITTERS, GOODBYE CRULLER WORLD, JEALOUSY FILLED DONUTS, and the latest,
BOSTON SCREAM MURDER. JEALOUSY FILLED DONUTS was chosen as the Woman’s
World Best New Cozy Mystery of the week and was named as one of
Dollycas’s Best Reads of 2019. BEYOND A REASONABLE DONUT will be on
store shelves May 25, 2021. When Ginger isn’t writing or reading, she’s
crocheting, knitting, sewing, or generally causing trouble. She’s also
fond of donuts and coffee. As Janet Bolin, Ginger wrote the Threadville
Mysteries—murder and mayhem in a village of crafty shops.
Author Links
Website – https://gingerbolton.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGingerBolton
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ginger_bolton
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ginger-bolton
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16834862.Ginger_Bolton/
Purchase Links: https://gingerbolton.com/where-to-buy
Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
