Maggie Sharpe returns to her childhood home, Dogwood Mountain, Missouri, when she inherits a cute little cottage and a donut shop from her Aunt Marjorie. She throws herself into running the business, but soon after, a body is discovered in the alley behind her shop and all kinds of secrets see the light as the investigation progresses. In order to save the donut shop – and her reputation – she begins investigating on her own. There’s not a lot else to do when the police shut down the crime scene anyway.
This was a moderately entertaining book. Has the I-inherited-a-donut-shop thing been done before ? Yes, yes it has. But Maggie is a likeable character, and there’s an intriguing whiff of romance with her childhood sweetheart, now the town sheriff. The secondary characters are well-drawn, and the plot held my interest. It was a fast, easy, clean read, perfect for the treadmill or recumbent bike. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to read them, I would read more in the series if I happen across them.