Bitter Sweet

Samantha Sweet #5

by Connie Shelton

It’s the height of the wedding season at Sweet’s Sweets and Sam has all she can do to stay ahead of the rush of bakery orders. Plus, her side job—breaking into houses—isn’t allowing much summer time off either. Not to mention that her mother is pressuring Sam and Beau to set their wedding date.

When Sam encounters two older women who then die suddenly, it appears that there may be a serial killer on the loose. Sam and Beau are shocked to consider that Beau’s own mother may have been an earlier victim of someone who operates by preying on the women’s trusting natures.

As they begin to investigate, a number of suspects emerge and it looks like someone is desperate to keep Sam quiet.

from ConnieShelton.com

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Paranormal, Audiobook, Romance, Mystery Thriller

278 pages, ebook

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

My love of books started with weekly trips to the library as a child and from the moment I learned to read I can't remember a time that I didn't have at least one book going. For the past 25 years, that list has grown to include what I'm reading and what I'm writing at any given time.

I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico.

In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach.

Series:
* Charlie Parker Mystery

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always so much is going on in this book. I really enjoyed the case and seeing how it all came together. I love reading about the cakes that Sam makes. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanting more

This series is so addicting i can't stop reading it. Connie Sheldons characters get you so involved with their lives, you are cheering for them, crying for them and just plain link g with them.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it. Another outstanding story for Connie Shelton and Samantha Sweet. Samantha Sweet's job as a bakery owner keeps her busy enough for two people, but she is still committed to the government contract to clear out and maintain foreclosed homes that kept a roof over her head before her bakery took off. With 18 months to go, she doesn't know how she will keep up with the second job especially since it keeps leading her to murder. Her fiance Beau is now officially sheriff and together they tackle a case of older women in good health suddenly dying of nature causes to the financial benefit of the new husbands. Humor, warmth, and a busy bakery keep the serious topic of the story from becoming too heavy. The resolution seems a little sudden but has enough basis to carry it.

[Betty]

I have now readed 5 of Samantha Sweet Series. I find them well written and entertaining. This book was disappointing as her characters have not developed over 5 books. The first part the book spends a lot of time on descriptions on cakes. Sam is busy with her business that she has no time for Beau or to have life. The work for foreclose homes is just mention. We still know nothing about the box except it has magical powers. I am rating a 3 as it does hold my attention at times and it a good read for an afternoon.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Winner

Bitter Sweet is an excellent sequel in this delightful, magical cozy mystery series. They are best read in sequence to truly appreciate the story lines.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Sweet gets in over her head with this mystery. Zoe, one of Sam's friends, has a friend Lila that dies unexpectedly and Lila’s new husband, one Zoe didn’t know about, sells off all her possessions days after she dies. One of the houses Sam is taking care of for her USDA job has an older woman recently remarried and placed in a care facility who dies unexpectedly too.
Sam can’t shake the feeling that something more is going on here.
It’s June and the bake shop is super busy making wedding cakes. Sam’s mother is giving her grief over setting a wedding date to Beau.
There was definitely bitter to go with the sweet in this Sweet’s Sweets mystery. I’m getting caught up in the characters lives, so I’m glad I found this series when it has lots of books already available to read.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connie Shelton has done it again. I am now so addicted to the Samantha Sweet mystery series I can't stop reading! This one was wonderful, stopping a ring of serial killers while maintaining her bakery business, Sam is a great heroine. All the characters are fully realized and the relationships more than satisfying.

I definitely recommend that the series be read in order. I also would note that the writing and editing are exceptional. It is a pleasure not having to deal with typos as is often the case in the books I read. I'm binging on this series and going on to the next one right now!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheriff Beau and his girlfriend Sam (Samantha) who owned a bakery in town. I think the story had to much talk about how they made and decorated each cake. A story filler with words. Finally got to the story about a man who had two different sides. He took advantage of using his charm to get elderly woman to marry him. Then he would take all their money and homes as they seem to all die suddenly after they married. Sam decided to get involved in doing her own detective investigation. Will Beau and Sam finally find time to get married once?

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book during my stay in hospital and in two days I finished reading it. A good book really can transport you into another dimension, and Sammantha Sweet’s captivating life and adventure did just that. I wish I discovered this author and series sooner…. The details and the way the writer really paces the story kept me turning the page and two days later I am yearning to know how things work out for Ms. Sweet and Beau.

[Emily Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Sweet’s new bakery is doing more business than she imagined. To make things more complicated, she is still contracted to clean up properties that have been foreclosed by the USDA. She discovers that the owner of the latest property is owned by an elderly woman who is in a nursing home. In addition, the woman recently married and the new husband has no interest in stopping the foreclosure.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another terrific mystery by a Connie Shelton. Still stuck with her USDA job for a little longer , Sam is baking up a storm of wedding cakes as well. At one of the houses she maintains she discovers the owners may not have abandoned the property. This leads her to a nursing home and a scam to defraud older women

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Sweet is #5 in this delightful, magical mystery series. The duo plot line keeps the reader engaged with this busy storyline. Samantha is flourishing as a baker and so is her bakery---but her sideline job is taking more of her time than she wants to give, yet she can't turn away from murder.
This was a great addition to the series and I am ready for more!

[J. A. Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Samantha Sweet series is a fun set of light mysteries. Samantha (Sam) Sweet owns a bakery and does property clean-up on abandoned or foreclosed properties on the side. These are quick reads with not much to offend other than the intimate relationship with her fiancée, but even that is nothing to heavy. I tend to order another one when I'm heading out on a plane somewhere.

[Angela Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Book Five is a very good entry in the series! The mystery is unusual, a personal tie is added for intrigue, the red herrings are well placed, and the disparate threads are tied together for a cohesive finish. Samantha is a bit scattered as a lead, but this is an overall good read.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!!!

I love Connie Shelton--all her books keep me interested until the very end and a lot of all-nighters...😁 I'm always looking forward to the next book she writes so I can stay up all night to finish reading.

[Jenny Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the edge of my chair

This series gets better and better. Serious implications surround this story I need, but Sam prevails, read for exciting details. I loved this book. I must get the next one. I am definitely addicted to this series.

[Renee Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

This book series is my go to right now, and did not start off as slow as some of the others. Also for the most part stayed that way with few lags. Definitely a book to read even if you are not into series.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoying this series so will try Sweets Galore next.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connie Shelton has done it again, this ones a real who done it..great red

[Barbara Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bitter Sweet

Very good story. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Liked the characters. Think the plot was well crafted and it held your interest throughout the book.

[karen wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Even enjoyed all the references to cake decorating. Author used information well.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick tempo’d read

Lots of descriptions so that I felt I was in the bake shop. And lots of clues but I didn’t see the entire ending. I liked it.

[Isabel Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book!
I love Samantha Sweet books, like all the other books by Connie Shelton.
She’s such a fabulous author that every book she writes is a masterpiece

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise of the story was tragic, but Sam and Beau made a wonderful team in solving this case.

[Patricia Strigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magic box?

Despite the fact that I don't care for mystical happenings such as the box in this story, I found the story and characters very likeable.

[Sara Saint-Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so fun. And it takes place not far from where I live, so that makes it even better.

[Amy Hobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars this book, this series. Easy reads.

[Lady Galaxy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm finding myself skipping over the descriptions of designing and assembling the cakes. It's getting old and doesn't really add to the plot of the mysteries. The mystery itself was interesting.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series but I can’t listen to anyone with the narrator. I’m very picky about what I listen to and now I’ll try to read these.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Sam and Beau encounter more mystery with the deaths of older women in their community. The mystery deepens when the care facility that Beau's mom had been at seems involved. Sam and Beau's relationship continues to develop, new characters join the bakery and the mystery keeps you guessing.