Torte, Ashland’s favorite bakeshop is decking the halls and brewing up cups of holiday cheer. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is dark for the season, but spirits are high as twinkle lights illuminate Main Street and snow falls softly on rooftops. Torte is bustling with activity. Jules and her team are rolling out dozens of Christmas tree cutouts and dusting them with sparkling green sugar. Helen’s signature Antoinettes, a delectable almond cookie filled with raspberry preserves and slathered with chocolate buttercream, are an instant hit. As are Andy’s peppermint bark mochas and eggnog shooters. While carolers serenade shoppers in the plaza, Jules packages up festive boxes of holiday sweets. She feels a bit like Santa Claus as she delivers glistening Christmas stolens, dainty tea cakes, and mincemeat pies.
To cap off the merry season, Jules and Helen host their annual staff party at the historic Winchester Inn’s Dickens Feast. The six-course dinner is a beloved tradition, complete with Yorkshire pudding and a Christmas goose. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and even a cheerless Ebenezer Scrooge delight dinner guests with jokes, friendly banter, and surprise gifts. As snow piles up outside the hot buttered rum and mulled wine keep everyone toasty inside. However, just as the dessert course is about to be served the power goes out. When the glow of warm light returns, the merriment evaporates. One of the guests is sprawled out in front of the twenty-foot Christmas tree. Suddenly Jules finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Her only wish this Christmas is to catch a killer.
Mass Market Paperback, 277 pages
Published September 24th 2019 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Source: Publisher
Four stars: A delightful holiday cozy mystery with lots of Christmas cheer and scrumptious recipes.
The holiday season means lots of baking at Torte. It is a busy time of year as everyone prepares for the upcoming holidays. The staff at Torte is bustling around, baking Christmas cookies and breads, pies and all kinds of holiday treats. To reward the staff for their hard work, Jules and Helen plan to host their annual Christmas party at the historic Winchester Inn’s Dickens Feast. The local feast is a holiday tradition in Ashland. The Dickens Feast features a six course dinner capped off with Yorkshire pudding. Mr. and Mrs. Claus are present as well as the miserly Scrooge. What promises to be an festive night turns deadly when the power goes out during a snowstorm. When the lights return, a person is found dead. Who could have murdered the visitor and why?
What I Liked:
- Even after ten installments, I am still a fan of The Bakeshop Mysteries. Book ten brings plenty of holiday cheer as the staff of Torte prepares for the holiday season. This book is packed with scrumptious holiday treats and lots of holiday cheer. I loved the festive atmosphere and the decadent food descriptions.
- You would think after ten books, the series would be getting stale, but that isn’t the case. I am still enjoying seeing the characters mature and evolve, especially Jules. The core staff of Torte is still in place, growing as they continue to expand their roles. Plus, there are three new faces at Torte that I am enjoying getting to know. Lance continues to make me smile, and I adore the cozy Torte bakeshop. I still want more.
- The murder mystery was not the highlight of the book, which was fine with me. Instead the murder mystery takes a back seat to the holiday preparations. As usual there are several suspects, and I was surprised by the reveal of the culprit. I was guessing until the end.
- The best part of this series is the rich descriptions of all the food prepared at Torte. There are delicious, savory dishes as well as sweet holiday treats. My mouth was watering. The best part, there are recipes at the end. I love the recipes!
- The book ends with the mystery solved and a bright happy moment for the characters. All’s well that ends well.
And The Not So Much:
- I know I complain about this a lot when it comes to cozy mysteries, but I think the whole murder mystery thing gets a little old when you are in a small town. Not to mention that a baker is always involved and part of the sleuthing. It is a stretch of the imagination, so if you are looking for realism, don’t read this series. If you want cozy and fun, grab it.
- I am frustrated that the romance still hasn’t had any movement for the last two or three books, the male lead hasn’t even made an appearance. I want Carlos!
- The murder victim comes across as a completely selfish and horrible person. Her character read like a cartoonish villain.
A Cup of Fear may be the tenth installment in The Bakeshop Mysteries Series, but the series is still fresh and fun. I loved that this book was all about the holiday season. Prepare for lots of holiday cheer, decadent food and all that you love about the holidays. Plus, there are recipes at the end. The murder mystery though a bit unrealistic, kept me guessing until the end. If you want a fun mystery series give this series a try, especially if you love baking.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
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