Ravensea Castle Cozy Mysteries Series

 

Happy Tuesday, My Lovelies!  Let's also wish a very happy Pub Day to Elizabeth Penney's Dungeons and Danger, book two in her Ravensea Castle Cozy Mystery Series!

Y'all who have followed me for a little while know how much I appreciate a well-written cozy mystery series.  For me, it's all about the characters and community, and Elizabeth Penney has created a lovely little seaside town in Yorkshire replete with a profusion of quirky and intriguing characters.  And as the two titles above hint at, the community also has a castle reached by a causeway from the mainland.  The castle has been in the Asquith family for almost a century, and the family are the main characters in the series.  Herbalist Nora Asquith has recently converted the castle into a bed and breakfast in order to keep it in the family.

In this post, I will give mini reviews for both books in the series.

In my opinion, endearing animal characters are a must in cozy mysteries.  Meet Rolf the English Mastiff and Ruffian the cat.

About Bodies and Battlements

Format         288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published May 27, 2025 by Minotaur Books

The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.

Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk—she’s a prime suspect.

Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.

Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .

My Review

I love the atmosphere of the story, especially with the ghostly characters who actually help Nora solve the murders.  Sir Percival tries to not only give hints about the crimes, but he also protects his family from danger.  I also like Detective Inspector Finlay Cole.  He gives Nora enough room to investigate, and he knows when it's appropriate to step-in and help.  There are absolutely no red flags where Finlay is concerned, and I love that he and Nora are a match.  There are many twists and turns in this mystery, and one was extremely surprising to me.  And although the first books in any new cozy mystery series must establish setting/world building, Elizabeth Penney does a fantastic job describing Monkwell and Ravensea Castle without doing the plot and characterization a disservice.  I love this book, and it's definitely a promising start to the series.

About Dungeons and Danger

Format                         288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Expected publication May 26, 2026 by Minotaur Books

The second in Elizabeth Penney's Ravensea Castle cozy mystery series, set in a haunted castle-turned-B&B in Yorkshire, UK.

As Halloween approaches, Ravensea Castle is bustling with excitement as Nora Asquith welcomes the fall season guests to her family's newly converted bed and breakfast. A historian studying the movements of the Vikings has traced their exploits to Ravensea. A certain Viking woman, known as the Red Maiden, landed here and the historian believes she buried a treasure hoard before the castle was built. He is hopeful he can find the hoard now. Nora can't help but wonder if the enigmatic castle ghost she's always referred to as the woman in red could be this very Viking?

Meanwhile, a team of four ghost hunters is coming to stay at Ravensea for the filming of Britain's Got Ghosts. Former students of the historian, the group arrives with their own rivalries and baggage. They try to see who can make the most paranormal contacts and end up getting more than they bargained for.

When the historian is murdered during a Viking festival on castle grounds and his notes go missing, Nora can't help but wonder if the treasure was why he was killed . . . and could it be connected to the visiting ghost hunters? Additional "accidents" befalling the hunters raise the stakes as Nora races to find the killer—and the treasure—before another death occurs.

My Review

One reason I enjoyed this one is that we get to see more of Nora and Tamsyn's brother Will and their father Arthur.  Will is the founder of the Viking festival meant to promote his mead business.  Nora struggles helping her brother with the festival as she attempts to keep tabs on the four ghost hunters and the historian. The professor promises to find the Viking hoard(treasure) and split the gains 50/50 with the Asquith family.  There are many areas on the castle property that are dangerous, and when the ghost hunters seem more interested in hunting treasure without supervision, Nora is concerned about her guests' safety and true motivations.  The mystery is very riveting in this installment, and none of the guests seem trustworthy.  I love the ending and conclusion to book two, and I cannot wait until the next installment.

So what do you think?  Now is the perfect time to get in on this series with only two books in it so far.  Both will make lovely editions to your Summer TBR.

DISCLOSURE:  I received both books from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Until next time...

Happy reading!

Ricki Jill

Ravensea Castle Cozy Mysteries Series

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Literary Friday: A Fun Mystery Series

 

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!

Shelley and I went to a local fundraiser today and lunch.  Since we were gone a big chunk of the day, I'm posting my Literary Friday post rather late in the evening.  Better late than never, right?

This week I'm sharing the Finlay Donovan series with y'all.  I started reading it when I was going through treatment and I wasn't blogging much.  I really wish I'd written reviews of these books earlier because they are laugh out loud funny.  My local librarian who knows my taste thought I'd love Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, and she was correct.  She's the queen of genre fiction, and I think I've enjoyed at least ninety percent of her recommendations if not more.  Librarians truly are treasures (especially ours).

Here are the books in the series so far:

They are in publication order top to bottom, left to right.

I will give the Goodreads synopsis first, and then a very short review for all four books.  I don't want this post to be extremely long!  If you want, you can read the review for book one and skip to the end of the post.  I wanted to go ahead and write mini reviews to post on Goodreads and also share them here on the blog.

According to Goodreads:

"Getting the job done" for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.

My Review

This book is so funny that it made me laugh so hard my sides hurt.  Finlay is definitely a morally gray heroine: she has taken and spend an advance for a book she hasn't even started writing yet, and her deadline is days away.  While meeting with her agent in a coffee shop, a lady overhears her talking about the plot of her book, and she literally thinks Finlay is a contract killer.  Said lady "hires" Finlay to kill her not so delightful husband for a hefty fee.  I won't give away too many spoilers, but just suffice it to say that the man dies not by Finlay's hand, but she gets all the credit and the money for the hit.  She even attracts the attention of a local mob boss.  Y'all, this is definitely a comedy of errors.  The humor makes it "slightly" cozy, but there are also plenty of suspenseful twists and turns.  

According to Goodreads:

Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...

From Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead―the hilarious and heart-pounding follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

My Review:

This was a nice installment in the series, and I thought it was hilarious about her ex-husband Steven's being a target of a possible hit because of his womanizing habits.  I like her new love interest Detective Nick Anthony: the internal conflict Finlay has about being involved with the Russian mob while dating Nick is a fantastic plot point.  I also love her children's nanny Vero.  She just might be my favorite sidekick in all of fiction.

I kept thinking about this song while I was reading this book.  This is for your listening pleasure!

According to Goodreads:

Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she's a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.

Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay's looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

From USA Today bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the highly anticipated, hilarious, and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series…

My Review:

I want reiterate what the synopsis says, but I must say that Book Three in the series is my least favorite so far.  There is a LOT going on in it, and I feel so sorry for Finlay because she needs to meet her book deadline, find information for Feliks the mob boss, and attend an intensive citizen police academy camp.  That's a lot, and this one needs to be read a bit more carefully, too.  Finlay's frenzied life made me nervous in this one....I was more nervous than amused, and that's why I would rate this one slightly lower than the rest of them.  A plus in this book is that she and her hot cop enjoy each others' company in his dorm room (three times!): They are really stepping-up their relationship!

According to Goodreads:

From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice―the fiercely anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.

But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

My Review:

I read this one early this week.  Like the others, Finlay finds herself in a mess with the Russian mob and seedy loan sharks.  I wasn't crazy about the Atlantic City setting (in winter, no less), but I did think that Elle Cosimano was clever in how she brings the entire cast to Atlantic City not knowing what Finlay and Vero are truly up to.  I also like how Javi, Vero's childhood friend and love of her life, is in this book, and their plot line is very well-written.  Almost all of the loose ends in Finlay's life were tied-up by the end of the book.  Almost.  I can't wait until Book Five!

Do you enjoy reading mysteries and suspense-thrillers?  Based on my reviews, do you think you'd enjoy this series?

Until next time...

Happy Reading!

Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: A Fun Mystery Series

Friday, June 21, 2024

Literary Friday: A New Cozy Mystery Series

 

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!  Today I'm reviewing a new cozy mystery series set in Scotland, and the series is called a Scottish Isle Mystery Series by Lucy Connelly.  There are only two books in the series so far, so if you're looking for a new cozy mystery series that doesn't have twenty books in it, this one might be for you.  Also, I usually like reading lighter books during the summer.  Both of these need to be in your beach or lake bag.

An American in Scotland is Book One.

According to Goodreads:

The small idyllic town of Sea Isle, Scotland, harbors some dark secrets, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is determined to uncover all of them—no matter what the diagnosis in this charming cozy, sure to enchant fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.

Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy dreamed of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, she hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.

Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing she’ll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new responsibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally, when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia must convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur. The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she becomes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor who breaks into her house at night. But she’s never backed down before, and she doesn’t intend to start now.

Someone doesn’t want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emilia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.

My Review:

This is definitely a promising cozy mystery series based on its picturesque setting (a seaside tourist town on an island in Scotland) and its well-drawn if not quirky characters.  Em is the main character, an American expat fleeing stress and heartbreak.  The stress is due to her job as an ER physician in a Seattle hospital, and the heartbreak is due to what her husband did to her.  Although this is another mystery in Book One, it isn't the main one (obviously the murder mystery is the main one), but what her husband did to her is teased almost until the end of the book.  Without giving you a spoiler, let's just say that I don't blame her for running.  So I definitely love the premise for the series.

Upon arrival, Em stumbles upon a body (who was once an elderly villager named Smithy) in a bothie owned by The Laird (Ewan Campbell), who also happens to be her boss.  He's not only the Laird, he's also the mayor and the constable, and he's not convinced that the cause of death was murder.  Em signed on the dotted line before reading her contract, and she soon discovers that she's not only the town's new doctor: She's also the coroner.  Unfortunately she can't perform the autopsy on the body (and prove that foul play caused Smithy's death) because someone, presumably the killer, stole it.  In spite of opening the clinic and searching for a killer and a body, Em is making friends in her new hometown, and the girls are helping her to solve the mystery.  All rely on British mystery shows for their skills, and it's fun reading their dialogue about their favorites (some of them are mine).  

The mystery is a good one, and there are many scenes that made me wince.  For a cozy it has a bit more "blood and guts" than average (which I guess should be expected given Em's vocation).   The plot points and suspense kept me totally engaged, and the resolution was excellent.  I highly recommend this one!

Book Two in the series

According to Goodreads:

Dr. Emilia McRoy is back on the case in the second book in the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.

Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…

Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.

The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place­––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?

It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.

My Review:

Book Two takes place in a remote Scottish Castle that's super creepy....during a snowstorm and subsequent avalanche...with a goth bride with multiple ex-stepmothers (and one not so delightful current one) in attendance...and a dead body.  What could possibly go wrong?  Well apparently a lot.  This book is quite a lot, with a castle full of suspects who are stuck; the murderer can't leave, no one can!  But what if he or she doesn't want to leave because there might be more people to murder?

I must admit that the first half of this book did not hold my attention as well as book one probably because almost all of the action takes place at the castle.  This story depends a lot on dialogue, but the author (Lucy Connelly) does an excellent job of describing the castle and the wedding itinerary's events.  The Laird is obviously interested in Em more than just as an employee, and I really enjoyed reading about how close Em and her friends (Abigail, Mara, and Angie the bride) are becoming.  They truly care and look out for each other.

The second half of the book is much faster paced than the first, and I couldn't put it down.  I was very happy that I stuck with it!  Although I was not surprised about the mystery's resolution, the narrative getting there was one wild ride.  Read this on the beach or by the lake when it's really hot because the coldness of the castle will cool you down mentally.  

I pledged to read fifteen books between June 1st and September 1st.  These are books two and three.  My first book of the summer was Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

What are you reading this summer?

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: A New Cozy Mystery Series

Friday, June 14, 2024

Literary Friday: Muffin But the Truth by Ellie Alexander *PLUS* a Recipe for Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Happy Literary Friday (the Thirteenth!), Y'all!  

Today I'm reviewing the second half of the Bakeshop Mystery Series by Ellie Alexander.  Here they are in order:

For those of you who've been paying attention (HAHA), I read the entire series from start to finish in 2022.  I had already read several of the mysteries, but I decided to read the series from start to finish and in order during my cancer treatment.  It was so much fun, and my family enjoyed many recipes from the books. Each book has several recipes in the back, and every one I've tried has been fantastic!  The latest installment, Muffin But the Truth, was released on December 27th.  I think it's fun that it was released on that date because I started chemo on December 27, 2021, so I've come full circle!

At the end of this post, I will include a recipe for lemon blueberry muffins you and your family will love!

First, you might want to read my overview of the series and short reviews of the first eight books by linking to THIS POST.

Here are the mini reviews of Books 9-15:

Juliet Capshaw, or Jules to her friends and family, has a lot on her plate in this installment as there are multiple murders: the first one when Juliet discovers a skull at a lakeside picnic.  It is believed to be connected to a missing persons case from the 1960s, which adds an interesting layer to the plot.  Jules is also struggling with the business side of Torte, her family's bakery, and she's still estranged from her husband Carlos, a head chef on a cruise ship.  I enjoyed the mysteries in this book, and the overall plot was engaging.

I loved A Cup of Holiday Fear because it has all the Christmas feels.  Jules and her mother Helen are blessed to have the best staff at Torte, and they want to show their appreciation to them by  hosting their annual staff party at the historic Winchester Inn’s Dickens Feast. The six-course dinner is a beloved tradition in Ashland, complete with Yorkshire pudding and a Christmas goose. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and even "a cheerless Ebenezer Scrooge" delight diners with jokes, friendly banter, and surprise gifts. Or that's usually the plan for these entertaining themed dinners.  Unfortunately for the Torte team, the actors are less than delightful and the dinner is a disappointment.  To make matters worse,  the power goes out during the dessert course as snow falls outside.  Soon a body is discovered by the inn's Christmas tree, and Jules finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation.  Merry Christmas, Jules!

This installment takes place in the spring, and Jules and her team at Torte are preparing for the influx of tourists as it's the beginning of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  Jules' mother and her new husband, Ashland's police chief known as The Professor for his Shakespearean scholarship, have moved into a lake home, and they gifted Juliet with her childhood home.  While getting settled, Jules finds a journal her father wrote back in the 1980s, and it outlines a hit and run accident among other mysteries new to Juliet.  This one was poignant because Juliet lost her father when she was a child.  It is very well-written, but I did need to have tissues nearby while reading it.

Chilled To the Cone takes place shortly after Nothing Bundt Trouble.  It's still spring, and Juliet has the opportunity to open-up a pop-up shop featuring Torte's signature iced drinks and frozen custards called concretes.  Jules and her team have trouble with the new business venture, and they seem to be sabotaged at every turn.  When a street performer called The Wizard becomes a murder victim right as the new venture is about to open, Jules tries to solve the case while struggling to run her businesses.  

Mocha, She Wrote takes place in summer during the height of Ashland's festival season.  Torte is busy nourishing the tourists' sweet cravings and iced caffeinated needs between performances at the Elizabethan Theater.   Head barista Andy has been selected to compete in the West Coast Barista Cup which will be hosted in their quaint hamlet.  The competition has drawn coffee lovers and press from all over the West to sample the creative drinks made by the competitors.  Unfortunately for Andy, the first round of competition is a fiasco when the head judge spits out Andy's brew.  Just a few hours later, said judge is found dead holding Andy's creamy latte.  Can you guess who's the number one suspect in Book #13?  You don't have to be a coffee lover to enjoy this installment, but if you love coffee, you will probably love the mystery as well as the recipes.

Bake, Borrow, and Steal takes pace in November, and the Torte Team is challenged with their biggest event ever: creating chocolate novelties for the opening gala of a new exhibit at the  Southern Oregon Museum of Art.  The big draw for the exhibit is a lost Shakespearean manuscript entitled Double Falsehood.  The recent discovery of the manuscript is considered one of the greatest historical discoveries in literature, and to celebrate it Jules and her team will also cater a historically accurate Elizabethan feast.  I loved the historical aspect of this mystery story.  This one is lots of fun!

Donut Disturb is a book the Bakeshop Mysteries fans have been waiting for: Thomas and Kerry's springtime wedding.  Both are Ashland police officers, and Thomas is one of Jules' closest childhood friends.  His bride, Kerry, is fast becoming a good friend to Jules, too.  Kerry is very private, and she's intimidated about having a wedding of any kind, but Jules promises a simple yet beautiful wedding in one of Ashland's most beautiful settings, Lithia Park.  The picnic wedding begins on a sour note as one of the members of Heart Strings (the wedding band) is found dead, and then a wedding crasher from Kerry's past might just undermine the entire event.  As a super fan of this series, this one did not disappoint.

And finally, the most recent installment, Book Sixteen, of the Bakeshop Mystery Series:

I will be writing a longer review of this one.

According to Goodreads:

In Muffin But the Truth, Torte's pastry chef and amateur sleuth Juliet Capshaw finds herself in deep water... in another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series from author Ellie Alexander, set in Ashland, Oregon!

Ashland is known for its Elizabethan charm and touches of Shakespeare around every corner, but the surrounding Rogue Valley draws adventure enthusiasts to its outdoor wonderland of high alpine lakes, mountain ranges, and pristine rivers. Jules Capshaw and the team at Torte have been hired to cater a weekend getaway on the mighty Rogue River. Jules is going to have to put her culinary skills to the test while baking gooey chocolate chip skillet cookies over an open flame and preparing extravagant feasts under a canopy of stars. The executive team at a big city firm will be rafting the Rogue’s rapids and gathering around the campfire for spooky stories, but their dysfunction quickly begins to show. Between constant bickering and heavy drinking, Jules wonders how the team can accomplish anything. She’s happy for a brief reprieve when they zip up their lifejackets and head out in their boats, but the serenity of the scene quickly vanishes when Jules discovers one of the execs floating face down in the water. She’s going to have to uncover the truth before she gets pulled under.

My Review:

There are certain characteristics most readers expect in cozy mysteries: lovable, amateur sleuths; interesting settings; unexpected plot twists; and undelightful murder victims.  In Muffin But the Truth, one of these expectations is not met, which makes it vary from the norm.  I won't tell you which one because I don't want to spoil it for you.  The event Jules and the Torte team are catering on the banks of the Rogue River should have been so easy given their skills and preparation.  However, the corporate employees they're catering to are all a bit too much to handle, whether it's their drinking, attitudes, or spiteful comments.  I wanted Jules to walk away, give them a refund, and take the loss, but our intrepid Jules would never consider such a thing.

What I loved most about Muffin But the Truth is the creativity Jules and the team draw from to make the logistics of catering cowboy-style cookout fare for the event seem simple.  I also have tried a few of the recipes from the back of the book, and they are delicious!  I always try the recipes when I finish each book.  It's fun because all the recipes are in the plot somewhere, and Ellie also shares tips and tricks she's learned about baking and cooking: She is a fabulous baker!  I love watching her YouTube videos.  

Although I recommend reading these books in order, you don't have to do so.  I read several out of order before I started at the beginning (the first one I read was Book #5, Fudge and Jury).  

Here are the recipes in Muffin But the Truth: 

Skillet Cookies

Cowboy Baked Beans

Caramel Apple Strudel

Chicken Pot Pie

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Ode to September Latte

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (I used unsalted)

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk (use whole)

Juice and zest of one large lemon

2 cups flour

2 t baking powder 

1 t salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl.  Add eggs, buttermilk, and the juice and zest of one lemon.  Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and slowly incorporate flour mixture into the mixing bowl.

Gently toss blueberries with one tablespoon of flour.  This ensures that the blueberries don't sink to the bottom of the muffin pan!  (Ellie always shares helpful hints like this one.)  

Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.

Scoop into greased muffin cups (I grease cupcake liners) and bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes.  Take muffins out of tin and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes or so.  When left in the tin, they continue to cook!

NOTE:  Ellie also includes a recipe for a lemon glaze for these muffins, but since I baked them for breakfast, I opted not to glaze them.  If you want the recipe for the glaze, buy the book.  You won't be disappointed!  

I've enjoyed sharing my favorite cozy mystery series with you.  It was comforting reading it during treatment because I love the setting, characters, baking, and the feeling of community.

Do you have a cozy mystery or cozy mystery series you'd like to share with us?  Leave a comment and share!

Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill

 

Literary Friday: Muffin But the Truth by Ellie Alexander *PLUS* a Recipe for Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Friday, January 13, 2023

Literary Friday: Bakeshop Mysteries Cozy Mystery Series by Ellie Alexander

 

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!  Today is Good Friday, and I hope y'all are having a lovely Holy Week so far.

Today I'm sharing a favorite cozy mystery series: The Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander.  I'm dividing the series in half: There are 14 books in the series so far, so today's post will focus on the first eight books.  The latest installment, Donut Disturb, will be out June 28th, and then Muffin But the Truth will be released on December 27th.  I will review the last eight books in the series either late December or early January, 2023.

The books will be reviewed in order.

According to Goodreads:

Welcome to Torte-a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it's criminal...

After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte's customers turns up dead, there's much ado about murder...

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival's newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her...but still. The silver lining? Jules's high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can't help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all...

My Review:

What the book blurb doesn't tell you is that Juliet worked as a pastry chef on a cruise ship after graduation and before returning to her hometown,  Ashland, Oregon.  She also married sexy Spaniard (and head chef on the ship) Carlos.  She leaves Carlos because he lied to her about something very important, hence her running away from the ship and returning to the safe haven of Ashland.

I love Juliet (known as Jules to most of her friends).  Jules has a heart of gold, and her passion for creating beautiful and delicious pastries endears her to me even more.  I love passionate characters who enjoy life, and even though Jules is brokenhearted, she is still passionate about her calling.  

Jules's high school sweetheart Thomas wins my heart in the beginning, but at this point, we haven't met Carlos.  Thomas and Jules are thrown together because the murder happens inside Torte Bakery, Jules's family's bakery.  They work together to solve the mystery, and during this installment we're introduced to the other members of the torte team: Jules's mother, Stephanie, Sterling, and Andy.  They are all endearing characters, especially Sterling.  

I also love the setting:  I would love to visit Ashland and the Shakespeare Festival.  (We have a Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery, Alabama, and we've attended several performances there.)  Ashland is a quirky, artsy town, and the setting couldn't be more appealing.

The resolution of the mystery is surprising, and I love this series because Ellie includes recipes in the back of the book, and not all of them are desserts.  Some of the savory recipes are fantastic, too (I've baked and cooked many of them).  Ellie is a wonderful baker and cook, and the recipes truly add to the experience of the book because they are plot points in the  narrative.

I highly recommend this cozy mystery series.  It is one of my top three favorites, and I can't wait until Donut Disturb is released in late June!

I don't want to have a ridiculously long post, so I will give a very brief synopsis and review for the rest.

Jules has the opportunity to promote Torte Bakery on The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake.  Several high profile pastry chefs will be competing for a $25,000 prize, and Torte could certainly use the money for new ovens.  Unfortunately, Chef Marco, a famous NYC pastry chef, is found dead before the competition even starts.  I really enjoyed this one because the chefs and production staff have over the top personalities, and the competition and recipes are loads of fun.

This installment goes on location at an isolated resort.  Jules has been tasked to cater an off-season retreat for the directors of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which is a super opportunity for Jules to expand her catering business.  Everything has been planned, and the implementation is going well..until a snowstorm takes out the power and Jules finds a dead body (the resort's less than delightful bartender) in the freezer.  This one is a stressful read due to the remote setting, plus Carlos surprises Jules by showing-up.  So far I like his character, and he was helpful during the retreat: He's a truly gifted chef with a passion for delicious food.

Jules Capshaw is still reeling over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. It's winter, and it's the off season in Ashland as the Shakespeare Festival is closed for the season.  However sleepy Ashland is woken-up when Mindy Nolan, new owner of a chain hamburger joint, is murdered right under Jules's nose.  Many in Ashland are incensed that Mindy would even think to bring in a chain restaurant, especially one that doesn't adhere to downtown Ashland's Elizabethan theme.  Carlos and Jules's relationship will have to be put on the back burner as Jules's proximity to the murder places her in peril.  Can Jules solve the murder before she becomes a victim?  I enjoyed this one a lot, and I still don't know if I'm Team Carlos or Team Thomas, LOL!

It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival.  Ellie had me at Chocolate Festival, y'all...This is my favorite one so far!  In this book,  Jules and Torte Bakery has been asked to participate in the Chocolate Festival, a juried event held at the town's grandest hotel.  Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, is dead just after sampling one of Torte's decadent four-layer chocolate cakes.  Was it an accident, or is something more sinister afoot?  

I haven't mentioned one of my favorite characters yet: Lance, the Director of the Shakespeare Festival, is one of Jules's best friends.  I love him!  He might be my favorite character in the entire series.  I like that he has a larger role in this one.  

Jules Capshaw is  working hard to expand Torte, and in the midst of the expansion her estranged husband Carlos has convinced her to sub for his cruise ship's pastry chef who's taken a brief leave of absence.  Carlos has also offered Jules's mom and her boyfriend "The Professor" (Ashland's Police Chief) a free cruise to sweeten the deal.  Onboard, Jules discovers a young woman floating dead in a pool.  Her identity is unknown because it appears she's a stowaway.  As Jules and others attempt to discover her identity and why someone would want her dead, she struggles with other aspects of her relationship with Carlos.

I confess that I liked this one much better than I thought because I love the Ashland setting so much that I didn't think I'd like the cruise setting, but I did!

Introducing Sloan Krause—main character of Death on Tap, the first in a new cozy series from Ellie Alexander!  This is a Kindle only book...it isn't available in paperback, and it's a very short novella.  Ashland is hosting a Beer Fest, and Sloan is the brewmaster at the famed der Keller brewing company that operates out of Leavenworth, Washington, and she’s come to the festival to show off the newest spring brew.  Sloane meets Jules in Torte, and Jules wants to try to incorporate beer into a few of her dessert offerings.  The mystery in this one is who stole Sloan's spring brew.  I enjoyed this little jewel because I also like Sloan's series.

You can read my review of the first two books in Sloan's series HERE.

It’s the role of a lifetime for Jules. The Shakespeare Festival has returned to Ashland, Oregon, for the season, and Torte has been cast as the supplier of Elizabethan-era treats for Lance's over the top cast party: everyone will be in Elizabethan costume, too.   But on the eve of opening night, a brawl between Jules’s friend Lance, the artistic director, and this season's star of Antony and Cleopatra,  Anthony, almost brings down the house. . .and the next morning, Anthony is dead.  Rumors are swirling that Lance is on his way out as director, and he's also the number one suspect in Anthony's murder.  Jules is racing against time to prove her friend's innocence, and I love Lance's vulnerability in this one.  Did I say that Fudge and Jury is my favorite?  It's this one.  This one is my favorite!  It's truly hard to pick the one I like best.  This series is so much fun!

Do you have any favorite cozy mystery series you'd like to share with us?  

Until next time...

Happy Reading!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: Bakeshop Mysteries Cozy Mystery Series by Ellie Alexander

Friday, April 15, 2022