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Deputy Donut Mystery #2
Goodbye Cruller World
Named after her beloved tabby, Deputy Donut, Emily Westhill's donut shop in small-town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is doing so well, she's expanding into catering weddings. But a killer is about to crash the reception . . .
Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans. But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she’s immediately sweet on the idea. With the help of her father-in-law and business partner—the former police chief of Fallingbrook—she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.
But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats. When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat she’s got a murder on her hands. Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop’s reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs. She’ll have to move fast . . . before the poisoner takes a powder.
Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans. But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she’s immediately sweet on the idea. With the help of her father-in-law and business partner—the former police chief of Fallingbrook—she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.
But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats. When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat she’s got a murder on her hands. Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop’s reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs. She’ll have to move fast . . . before the poisoner takes a powder.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2018
102 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Ginger Bolton
13 books521 followersGinger Bolton writes the Deputy Donut mystery series--cops, crime, coffee, donuts and one curious cat. When Ginger isn't writing or reading, she's crocheting, knitting, walking her two rescue dogs and generally causing trouble.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
July 22, 2018
Goodbye Cruller World by Ginger Bolton is the second installment of the cozy Deputy Donut Mystery series. In the first book of this series we met Emily Westhill who co-owns the Deputy Donut donut shop named after her tabby cat. Emily used to work as a 911 dispatcher until the day her husband who was a police officer was killed so now she and her retired police chief father-in-law sell donuts instead.
Business is going well at the donut shop and Emily has agreed to take on a catering job for the lady that runs the nearby clothing shop, Dressed to Kill. Emily has been asked to cater her wedding reception so Emily comes up with the concept of a donut wall where the sweet treats can be hung and guests can help themselves at the reception.
The night of the reception things seem to be going along as well as can be expected when the bride had invited an ex and the groom begins to drink rather heavily. With all the commotion Emily takes her eye off of the donuts for a bit only to come back and find the groom on the floor and suspicious power next to the sweet treats. When all signs point to yet another murder in town Emily can’t help but try to solve the crime.
Again I find myself feeling a bit let down by the second book of a cozy series. Now overall this series has some nice characters and I love the fact that there’s a heavy police involvement so it’s not so far fetched for Emily to be involved… However, the first book in this series had Emily teaming up with a quirky elderly neighbor and that character is now gone so color me disappointed as the others in here are quite normal, even the furry Deputy Donut just seems to do normal cat things without and extra chuckle to the antics. Since my number one is the quirky fun factor I had to lower my rating a tad but this is still a solid mystery overall.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Business is going well at the donut shop and Emily has agreed to take on a catering job for the lady that runs the nearby clothing shop, Dressed to Kill. Emily has been asked to cater her wedding reception so Emily comes up with the concept of a donut wall where the sweet treats can be hung and guests can help themselves at the reception.
The night of the reception things seem to be going along as well as can be expected when the bride had invited an ex and the groom begins to drink rather heavily. With all the commotion Emily takes her eye off of the donuts for a bit only to come back and find the groom on the floor and suspicious power next to the sweet treats. When all signs point to yet another murder in town Emily can’t help but try to solve the crime.
Again I find myself feeling a bit let down by the second book of a cozy series. Now overall this series has some nice characters and I love the fact that there’s a heavy police involvement so it’s not so far fetched for Emily to be involved… However, the first book in this series had Emily teaming up with a quirky elderly neighbor and that character is now gone so color me disappointed as the others in here are quite normal, even the furry Deputy Donut just seems to do normal cat things without and extra chuckle to the antics. Since my number one is the quirky fun factor I had to lower my rating a tad but this is still a solid mystery overall.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
September 9, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Weddings and donuts, that is a new tradition I would love! Emily and her father-in-law, Tom, create a donut wall for the wedding of Jenn, the owner of Dressed to Kill. The bride’s favorite donuts on one side and the groom’s favorites on the other. It is a big hit with the guests and the groom makes a regular pig of himself eating one after another. That is until he ends up dead on the floor. Seems someone has added their own secret ingredient to some of the pastries. An item that was made to kill. Everyone at the reception becomes a suspect, especially the bride. Emily knows the connection to her confections is going to be bad for business. She knows Detective Passenmath would love to pin the crime on her and Tom. She has no choice but to try the puzzle out the killer herself.
Tom and Emily own Deputy Donut, named after Emily’s tabby cat. Tom is the former police chief of Fallingbrook. His son was on the force too and Emily is a former 911 operator. The shop has a police theme complete with an old squad car for deliveries. These characters stole my heart in Survival of the Fritters. The nice thing about Deputy Donut is that police and fire personnel hang out there. Some key suspects also stop in a time or two, in addition to all the regulars. It is a unique place because Deputy Donut, the cat, has his own lair to watch over all the all the happenings. I really enjoy how the author has set this up as we get to know the characters better at this special gathering place.
The mystery this time had so many suspects but I set my sights on someone very early in the story. Then I followed along with Emily and let me tell you the author built everything up to a very exciting ending. I was right about the who and most of the why, but boy I was on the edge of my seat at the climactic scene that brought everything together.
The story is set in my wonderful state of Wisconsin and the author described everything wonderfully. The closest thing to Deputy Donut that we have nearby now is Dunkin’ Donuts, but growing up we had a wonderful bakery that reminds me in many ways of Emily and Tom’s shop. Great donuts and a great gathering place to find out all the latest news about town. Crullers are some of my favorites as are powdered sugared (I may be looking at those a little closer now). 🙂
I can’t wait for my next visit!
Weddings and donuts, that is a new tradition I would love! Emily and her father-in-law, Tom, create a donut wall for the wedding of Jenn, the owner of Dressed to Kill. The bride’s favorite donuts on one side and the groom’s favorites on the other. It is a big hit with the guests and the groom makes a regular pig of himself eating one after another. That is until he ends up dead on the floor. Seems someone has added their own secret ingredient to some of the pastries. An item that was made to kill. Everyone at the reception becomes a suspect, especially the bride. Emily knows the connection to her confections is going to be bad for business. She knows Detective Passenmath would love to pin the crime on her and Tom. She has no choice but to try the puzzle out the killer herself.
Tom and Emily own Deputy Donut, named after Emily’s tabby cat. Tom is the former police chief of Fallingbrook. His son was on the force too and Emily is a former 911 operator. The shop has a police theme complete with an old squad car for deliveries. These characters stole my heart in Survival of the Fritters. The nice thing about Deputy Donut is that police and fire personnel hang out there. Some key suspects also stop in a time or two, in addition to all the regulars. It is a unique place because Deputy Donut, the cat, has his own lair to watch over all the all the happenings. I really enjoy how the author has set this up as we get to know the characters better at this special gathering place.
The mystery this time had so many suspects but I set my sights on someone very early in the story. Then I followed along with Emily and let me tell you the author built everything up to a very exciting ending. I was right about the who and most of the why, but boy I was on the edge of my seat at the climactic scene that brought everything together.
The story is set in my wonderful state of Wisconsin and the author described everything wonderfully. The closest thing to Deputy Donut that we have nearby now is Dunkin’ Donuts, but growing up we had a wonderful bakery that reminds me in many ways of Emily and Tom’s shop. Great donuts and a great gathering place to find out all the latest news about town. Crullers are some of my favorites as are powdered sugared (I may be looking at those a little closer now). 🙂
I can’t wait for my next visit!
August 22, 2018
Goodbye Cruller World is the second book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series. Even though I did not like it quite as much as the first installment I enjoyed it is a very good cozy mystery. The biggest downfall in my opinion was that at times there was a lot of speculating going on without any investigating or actions to confirm those suspicions.
I very much like Emily and her police and emergency responder friends. It wasn't far fetched that Emily got involved into the murder case.
At no time I suspected who really killed the victim and the showdown had me biting my nails. So much fun!!
....oh and there are some recipes added at the end of donuts featured in the mystery.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Kensington and the author provided me with an advance copy.
I very much like Emily and her police and emergency responder friends. It wasn't far fetched that Emily got involved into the murder case.
At no time I suspected who really killed the victim and the showdown had me biting my nails. So much fun!!
....oh and there are some recipes added at the end of donuts featured in the mystery.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Kensington and the author provided me with an advance copy.
July 21, 2020
I really enjoy this series. I enjoy the characters and the murder mysteries. I love the protagonist and her relationship with her father-in-law, her friends, and her lovable cat. I just wish the town were a little more developed. I feel it could be it’s own character and lend more to the book. I will continue the series.
July 26, 2018
As the story begins, Emily and Tom, co-owners Of Deputy Donut Cafe, are preparing a donut wall for the wedding reception of the business owner next door, Jenn. After the “I Do’s”, Roger, the groom, stuffs himself with crullers and keels over dead. Tox reports point to poison. Tough and gruff outsider, Detective Passenmath, would enjoy pinning the murder on Emily and Tom and be done with it; however, they have friends with the local police department, and that’s not going to happen.
The story moves along at a steady clip with a great cast of characters. Plenty of suspects are provided for readers to sort out who had means, motive, and opportunity to snuff out the groom. This is a great cozy for an afternoon of reading. Delicious recipes follow the story.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
The story moves along at a steady clip with a great cast of characters. Plenty of suspects are provided for readers to sort out who had means, motive, and opportunity to snuff out the groom. This is a great cozy for an afternoon of reading. Delicious recipes follow the story.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
October 24, 2018
After I read, GOODBYE CRULLER WORLD, I had to go back and get the first book! I loved everything about it. A fabulous mystery, great cast of characters, and yummy food . . . how could it get an better? A big Brava to author Ginger Bolton!
August 27, 2018
Goodbye Cruller World by Ginger Bolton is the 2nd book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series, and another great book. Emily Westhill and her retied chief of police father- in- law opened up a donut shop, Deputy Donut, in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Deputy Donut was hired to make a donut wall for a wedding reception. When the groom is found dead with donuts in his mouth, Emily starts to investigate, and clear their reputation. I really liked this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the series. I enjoyed the characters, which are well written. If you love cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book/series.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 7, 2020
I have to confess, I read this awhile ago but then had events in my life that left a lot of reviews unfinished.
I did a quick re-read to refresh my memory and Oh yeah! Bridal Donut Wall! How awesome is that? Wish I could get one delivered! This was one of those stories where I cheered when the the groom got offed, it felt like justice. I enjoyed wading through the mystery (although I would've preferred to do it with a donut in my hand) and this was one of those books where you have a different suspect nearly every chapter. Mostly the pace was quick and steady but it lagged in a few parts when they were busy tossing out ideas without actually delving into the investigation. Still, it was a fun and enjoyable read and a great second book in the series.
I did a quick re-read to refresh my memory and Oh yeah! Bridal Donut Wall! How awesome is that? Wish I could get one delivered! This was one of those stories where I cheered when the the groom got offed, it felt like justice. I enjoyed wading through the mystery (although I would've preferred to do it with a donut in my hand) and this was one of those books where you have a different suspect nearly every chapter. Mostly the pace was quick and steady but it lagged in a few parts when they were busy tossing out ideas without actually delving into the investigation. Still, it was a fun and enjoyable read and a great second book in the series.
August 18, 2018
Synopsis:
Named after her beloved tabby, Deputy Donut, Emily Westhill's donut shop in small-town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is doing so well, she's expanding into catering weddings. But a killer is about to crash the reception . . .
Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans. But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she's immediately sweet on the idea. With the help of her father-in-law and business partner--the former police chief of Fallingbrook--she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.
But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats. When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat it: she's got a murder on her hands. Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop's reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs. She'll have to move fast . . . before the poisoner takes a powder. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Emily is not afraid of hard work and she is happy to spend her days working to make her donut shop successful, So when she has the opportunity to create a donut wall for a wedding reception, she is happy to do it. Little does she know that her creation is going to be used for murder. She knows that she is going to have to get involved in another killer investigation and figure out who the culprit is. With the help of some friends, she does just that.
The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. Throw in some red herrings and twists and turns and it is not very easily solved. The fact that Emily was considered a suspect seemed a little off to me, she did not know him at all. I guess the fact that the lead detective really dislikes Emily (I think she dislikes everyone) was the reason why she wanted to pin the murder on Emily.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Named after her beloved tabby, Deputy Donut, Emily Westhill's donut shop in small-town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is doing so well, she's expanding into catering weddings. But a killer is about to crash the reception . . .
Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans. But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she's immediately sweet on the idea. With the help of her father-in-law and business partner--the former police chief of Fallingbrook--she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.
But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats. When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat it: she's got a murder on her hands. Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop's reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs. She'll have to move fast . . . before the poisoner takes a powder. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Emily is not afraid of hard work and she is happy to spend her days working to make her donut shop successful, So when she has the opportunity to create a donut wall for a wedding reception, she is happy to do it. Little does she know that her creation is going to be used for murder. She knows that she is going to have to get involved in another killer investigation and figure out who the culprit is. With the help of some friends, she does just that.
The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. Throw in some red herrings and twists and turns and it is not very easily solved. The fact that Emily was considered a suspect seemed a little off to me, she did not know him at all. I guess the fact that the lead detective really dislikes Emily (I think she dislikes everyone) was the reason why she wanted to pin the murder on Emily.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
August 29, 2018
In the second installment of the Deputy Donut Mystery, Emily Westhill and her father-in-law/business partner, Tom, are providing late night snacks for a wedding. Emily's friend, Jenn is getting married and requests donuts. But when the groom ends up dead, it's up to Emily to find out whodunit, no matter where the trail leads her.
The author had me at donut wall. The minute I read about a whole wall of sugary treats I wanted to be at that wedding, helping myself to the treats.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I think I liked this one even more. There was a great cast of characters, and the author kept me engaged with a whole cast of suspects that kept me guessing. I really like Emily, too. She is a strong woman and she stands up for herself. And of course there is Deputy, the cat, adds to the story.
Goodbye Cruller World is a great addition to the Deputy Donut series. It has a great cast of characters, a wonderfully plotted mystery, and as I said, a Donut Wall. What more could you ask for?
I received an ARC of this book from the author.
The author had me at donut wall. The minute I read about a whole wall of sugary treats I wanted to be at that wedding, helping myself to the treats.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I think I liked this one even more. There was a great cast of characters, and the author kept me engaged with a whole cast of suspects that kept me guessing. I really like Emily, too. She is a strong woman and she stands up for herself. And of course there is Deputy, the cat, adds to the story.
Goodbye Cruller World is a great addition to the Deputy Donut series. It has a great cast of characters, a wonderfully plotted mystery, and as I said, a Donut Wall. What more could you ask for?
I received an ARC of this book from the author.
December 16, 2021
This is a fun series.
March 21, 2021
This is the second book in the deputy donut series. Emily Westhill owns and runs a donut shop with her father in law. A fellow store owner asks Emily to supply donuts for a donut wall at her wedding reception. When the groom dies unexpectedly hours after the wedding ceremony possibly poisioned, Emily becomes under suspicion as does the bride. Emily vows to find the real killer. I love Emily as a character and her cat, Deputy Donut, always brings a smile to my face. I thought the mystery was well done. I suspected who the killer was but there were enough clues to make me question myself. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
August 13, 2018
Another fun cozy mystery in the Deputy Donut series! The setting really sucked me in and a well planned mystery kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. The author went above and beyond adding several donut recipes at the end of the book!! I really enjoyed this second book in the series and hope to read more by this author.
August 28, 2018
Goodbye Cruller World by Ginger Bolton is the second tale in A Deputy Donut Mystery series. Emily Westhill and Tom Westhill co-own Deputy Donut in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Their shop has been commissioned by Jenn Zeeland, who owns Dressed to Kill, to provide a late night snack for her wedding guests at her wedding reception. They have constructed a donut wall (with dowels to hold the donuts) and Tom’s wife, Cindy added some decorative touches. At Little Lake Lodge, Emily puts out the fresh donuts and they are an instant hit (who doesn’t love freshly made donuts). Emily is being twirled about the dance floor when the groom is discovered curled up on the carpet by the donut wall. Scott Ritsorf, the fire chief, attends to the victim while Emily notices a saucer with a strange white substance hidden under her hat. It appears that someone used Deputy Donut’s crullers to poison the groom. Unfortunately, the groom does not survive and the police chief calls in DCI to work the murder. When Detective Yvonne Passenmath is assigned the case, Emily knows she needs to track down the poisoner to save Deputy Donut’s reputation. When Detective Passenmath narrows her investigation to Jenn, Emily needs to work quickly before Jenn must trade her wedding dress for a prison jumpsuit.
Goodbye Cruller World can be read on its own. The author provides the necessary backstory on Emily and the secondary characters along with what occurred in Survival of the Fritters. I found the book to be easy to read and I liked the steady pace. However, we really do not need every activity described in detail (unlocking the shop doors, turning on the lights, making the coffee, wiping down the tables, etc.). The author needs to take the time to develop the characters in the series. They are not fleshed out and the secondary characters felt flat. I like Misty, Samantha, Scott, Brent, Tom and the others. I just wish we knew more about them. I could do with Emily spending less time trying to match up her various friends (as she avoids dating and the fact that two men would like to date her). Dep, the cat, is adorable and playful. I like that the author has Emily talk to Dep and he responds with his little “mmp” noise. I did not understand why other characters, like Brent, would answer with a “mmp” though. I would re-read the paragraph because I wondered if I had missed something (was it a person talking or the cat). The mystery could be solved before the bridegroom consumes his first cruller. The killer was as obvious as powdered sugar on a black shirt. Emily does ask questions, but she spends an inordinate amount of time speculating on the crime with Dep (I want more solid content). I like that Brent listens to Emily’s insights and the information that she digs up on the suspects. I intensely dislike Detective Yvonne Passenmath. She is another cliché nasty detective who focuses on finding evidence to convict innocent people instead of following the evidence to find the guilty party. I would like to know more about the town of Fallingbrook. We are given scant details on this little hamlet in Wisconsin. There are delectable donuts described in the story and recipes at the end of the book. Goodbye Cruller World is an easy breezy cozy mystery that will have you making a run to your local donut shop. I am giving Goodbye Cruller World 3 out of 5 stars.
Goodbye Cruller World can be read on its own. The author provides the necessary backstory on Emily and the secondary characters along with what occurred in Survival of the Fritters. I found the book to be easy to read and I liked the steady pace. However, we really do not need every activity described in detail (unlocking the shop doors, turning on the lights, making the coffee, wiping down the tables, etc.). The author needs to take the time to develop the characters in the series. They are not fleshed out and the secondary characters felt flat. I like Misty, Samantha, Scott, Brent, Tom and the others. I just wish we knew more about them. I could do with Emily spending less time trying to match up her various friends (as she avoids dating and the fact that two men would like to date her). Dep, the cat, is adorable and playful. I like that the author has Emily talk to Dep and he responds with his little “mmp” noise. I did not understand why other characters, like Brent, would answer with a “mmp” though. I would re-read the paragraph because I wondered if I had missed something (was it a person talking or the cat). The mystery could be solved before the bridegroom consumes his first cruller. The killer was as obvious as powdered sugar on a black shirt. Emily does ask questions, but she spends an inordinate amount of time speculating on the crime with Dep (I want more solid content). I like that Brent listens to Emily’s insights and the information that she digs up on the suspects. I intensely dislike Detective Yvonne Passenmath. She is another cliché nasty detective who focuses on finding evidence to convict innocent people instead of following the evidence to find the guilty party. I would like to know more about the town of Fallingbrook. We are given scant details on this little hamlet in Wisconsin. There are delectable donuts described in the story and recipes at the end of the book. Goodbye Cruller World is an easy breezy cozy mystery that will have you making a run to your local donut shop. I am giving Goodbye Cruller World 3 out of 5 stars.
April 6, 2021
This is the 2nd book from Donut series. Emily's cop husband Alec died in a line of duty three years ago. Emily and her father_ in _law Tom had a donut shop Deputy Donut ( Emily and late Alec tortoises shell kitty has donut circles on her sides) Jen from Dressed to Kill a clothes Botique is getting married. Jen wants Emily and Tom to make a Donut Wall like a tier with just donuts. One kind for Jen and one for her soon to be husband Roger. Jen sister Suzanne cannot stand Roger. Emily did not ever meet Roger but when she first saw him at lodge where they were going to get married was a very hateful toward Jenn. Jenn ex boyfriend Chad turned up there at wedding ( Jenn invited him). Love the 1950 Ford Sedan that Emilly uses to take they're donuts for deliver. On roof of the sedan there are sprinkle of tiny lights programmed to change colors and patterns. Love little Deputy Donut The cute little girl kitty
The donuts sound scrumptious especially the lemon donuts. I will read more of this series
The donuts sound scrumptious especially the lemon donuts. I will read more of this series
August 26, 2018
Even though I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was (and for once I was right!) this was still another fun trip to Fallingbrook, Wisconsin and the Deputy Donut shop. I just love that little cat, Dep! She was even more talkative and cute in this book.
When the groom at a wedding that Tom and Emily were providing donuts for collapsed and died of poisoning, Emily was worried that DCI detective Yvonne Passenmath was focusing on her as being at fault. She was since Passenmath had a major grudge against Emily, Tom and their police friends, but she was also looking at Emily's friend Jenn who was the new bride. There was no shortage of suspects, and there were some interesting and quirky characters tossed into the mix as well.
I knew who was guilty, but it was interesting to see how the showdown went, which was pretty exciting. I kept expecting a last minute twist since I'm rarely right lol. Everything ended well, except I keep wishing that Emily would let Brent get to be a little more than just friends, but I guess since they just came to grips a year ago with how they both felt about her husband's death 8 years ago (Brent was his partner and had seen him die), maybe they don't want to rush things.
I just love the regular characters. Tom is such a sweetheart, who wouldn't love to have a father-in-law like him? Misty and Samantha are awesome friends for Emily. The three of them are like Nancy, George and Bess when they work on a case. Although Misty is always quick to remind them to let the police do the actual investigating. I'm always anxious for the next book in the series! I hope it's not a long wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book which was provided to me via NetGalley and the publisher.
When the groom at a wedding that Tom and Emily were providing donuts for collapsed and died of poisoning, Emily was worried that DCI detective Yvonne Passenmath was focusing on her as being at fault. She was since Passenmath had a major grudge against Emily, Tom and their police friends, but she was also looking at Emily's friend Jenn who was the new bride. There was no shortage of suspects, and there were some interesting and quirky characters tossed into the mix as well.
I knew who was guilty, but it was interesting to see how the showdown went, which was pretty exciting. I kept expecting a last minute twist since I'm rarely right lol. Everything ended well, except I keep wishing that Emily would let Brent get to be a little more than just friends, but I guess since they just came to grips a year ago with how they both felt about her husband's death 8 years ago (Brent was his partner and had seen him die), maybe they don't want to rush things.
I just love the regular characters. Tom is such a sweetheart, who wouldn't love to have a father-in-law like him? Misty and Samantha are awesome friends for Emily. The three of them are like Nancy, George and Bess when they work on a case. Although Misty is always quick to remind them to let the police do the actual investigating. I'm always anxious for the next book in the series! I hope it's not a long wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book which was provided to me via NetGalley and the publisher.
August 6, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
As with the first Deputy Donut mystery, I was hooked from the start with this unique and cute book! I adore the world Ginger Bolton has created here, and all the detail given to us from Deputy Donut the cat, to her friendship with Tom her Father-in-law, to the wonderful network of friends surrounding Emily. Every part of this book is cozy perfection; great small town attitude, police officers, food descriptions (yum!) and of course, a murder mystery to solve. I absolutely never tire of them, especially with wonderful authors such as Ginger Bolton up to the task!
If you're looking for a cozy mystery to satify your sweet tooth, or perhaps your love of murder mystery (why not both?) then this is the series for you. I can't wait for the next installment!
As with the first Deputy Donut mystery, I was hooked from the start with this unique and cute book! I adore the world Ginger Bolton has created here, and all the detail given to us from Deputy Donut the cat, to her friendship with Tom her Father-in-law, to the wonderful network of friends surrounding Emily. Every part of this book is cozy perfection; great small town attitude, police officers, food descriptions (yum!) and of course, a murder mystery to solve. I absolutely never tire of them, especially with wonderful authors such as Ginger Bolton up to the task!
If you're looking for a cozy mystery to satify your sweet tooth, or perhaps your love of murder mystery (why not both?) then this is the series for you. I can't wait for the next installment!
March 9, 2025
Emily is excited to have Deputy Donut cater the wedding of her store neighbor, Jenn Zeeland, owner of the knitwear boutique, Dressed to Kill but the wedding may not go forward at the last minute. The night before, Jenn's half-sister, Suzanne, informs Jenn loudly that Jenn should not marry Roger but Jenn feels it's too late and she wants to marry Roger. Emily doesn't meet the groom until after the ceremony has taken place, just as she and Tom are setting up the donut board and he heads back to the shop to make fresh doughnuts. Emily is not super impressed by Roger's boorish behavior. The guests seem to appreciate the doughnuts and Scott asks Emily to let him pay for the doughnuts in dances. A guest Emily doesn't know also asks her to dance. After midnight she's allowed to join in the celebration but when she returns to her table to pack up, she discovers the groom collapsing on the floor and a bowl of white powder hidden under her hat. The bowl was not there when she put her hat down and she didn't bring extra powdered sugar. Hopefully it is just sugar ... In spite of the EMTs best efforts, Roger doesn't survive and now Detective Brent Fyne's investigation into a suspicious poisoning becomes an investigation into a suspicious death. When the chief sends Detective Yvonne Passenmath to assist with the investigation, she sets her sights on Jenn, or ideally Emily! Emily feels certain Jenn didn't do it. Soon some of the suspects start hanging out at Deputy Donut, giving Emily a chance to question them about Roger. Will she learn enough to save Jenn?
I am enjoying this series so far even though the murderer was rather obvious. A couple of red herrings midway through the book confused me for a bit but I wasn't surprised by the reveal. The humor is more dead pan and limited than what I'm used to but the writing is still light and cozy. It's been one year since the first murder which is a long time in cozy mystery land and I liked that. The longer time span provides more time for character growth. What I didn't like was how the audio book narrator pronounces cruller the same as crueler, thus ruining the pun in the title. I switched to the e-book after chapter 8.
I like Emily although I don't think she's going to be a kindred spirit. I guess I don't relate to her much. I like how her training as a 911 operator and her life as a detective's spouse has made her calm and collected. She reports everything she learns to Brent and lets him handle it. When she gets into trouble, it's not her fault but she is a bit too trusting. Emily seems to be denying growing feelings for Brent. She's confused because she loved Alec with all her heart and isn't ready to move on. She has grown to be in a space where the pain doesn't hurt as much and she can be friends with Brent but it's a little awkward. Deputy Donut is a hoot. She's a huge diva! That cat is so spoiled and yet she DEMANDS her adoring humans pay attention to HER 24/7 and makes her feelings known. Emily is trying to matchmake for her friends but I think Dep is trying to matchmake for her humans. If she could, she'd force Brent to move in to be her love slave forever! Brent is a great guy and I think he's loved Emily all along but was being respectful of his best friend. I think Brent would like to be in a relationship with Emily but he, too, is confused because he loved Alec like a brother and knows Emily and Alec were devoted to one another. I suspect they will get there eventually. They're already on the way with their frequent dinner NOT dates.
The humor comes from the secondary characters. Emily's father-in-law, Tom, enjoys puns. Don't mistake his sense of humor for an easy going, care for nothing retiree though. Once a cop, always a cop. He may be retired but he is still sharp and on the ball to protect Emily. Emily's friends help her lighten up. Samantha, the EMT, is funny. She's always making puns and cracking jokes. Samantha tries to make Emily see her growing attraction to Brent, finding the man attractive herself but Emily tries to fix up her friends instead. Misty tries to matchmake back at Emily. Emily thinks Misty and Scott, the fire captain, would make a nice couple but I think Scott likes Emily. He's very nice and he's polite, rather boring I guess. Emily wants boring but more boring than someone with a dangerous job. It's nice that Emily has such fierce female friends who serve in law enforcement and first response. Misty is one of Dep's favorite humans and is happy to oblige in cuddles. Misty can blend in as an everyday woman interested in women in business but she's a sharp-eyed cop and rises to the occasion when necessary.
Jenn seems nice. She's sweet but maybe naive and insecure. She's a talented artist whose medium is knitwear and she IS secure in her belief in her talent and how she runs her shop. Jenn has last minute doubts about the wedding but second guesses those doubts and decides she wants to marry Roger. Her older sister, Suzanne, is not like Jenn at all. Suzanne is the opposite. I can relate more to Suzanne being the older sister trying to tell her younger sister not to marry that guy. Suzanne tries to control Jenn and is somewhat verbally abusive. Emily doesn't totally like what she's hearing coming from Suzanne. Suzanne wants to take over Jenn's shop and sell shoes but Jenn disagrees. Suzanne isn't a people person and Emily shudders to think how Suzanne would deal with customers. Suzanne is abrasive but protective of her sister and wants to find out who killed Roger. How come no one is looking at Suzanne as the murderer? Her alibi isn't airtight and while Jenn's isn't either, when push comes to shove, Jenn DOES produce an alibi. Albeit not a great one...
Roger is awful and Jenn should not have gone through with the wedding. He's beyond boorish. He's rude, selfish, abusive towards Jenn and thinks only about money and himself. Emily doesn't like him right away when he insults her donut wall and her donuts, Emily herself for not doing things the way ROGER would do them when it was a)Jenn that hired Emily and b)Tom who is making the doughnuts so they're fresh. How rude to berate the caterer who is doing you a service. How horrid to berate your wife on your wedding day. Poor Jenn! Then Roger gets wasted and stuffs himself with crullers, which aren't even his favorites. Those were for Jenn! Could the poisoned doughnuts have been meant for Jenn? I doubt it unless Roger killed himself accidentally. Roger was supposedly wealthy because he inherited from a distant relative, and/or his parents upon their deaths when he was 16. He's wealthy and Jenn thinks that's one good reason to stay with him although she says she's not a gold digger. He says he'll help her with her business. When we learn what he does for work... hoo boy! He is in the WRONG business and won't last long without sensitivity training. Why would anyone continue seeing him?
Jenn's former boyfriend, Chad, seems nice. She says they're just friends but Roger loathes Chad and kicks out the invited guest. Chad flirts with Emily but is sympathetic when she tells him about Alec. His former girlfriend died in a drunken crash and while he misses her, he's been able to move forward. Hopefully Emily will learn from him. He does seem to like her. I think he COULD be the murderer, especially after Roger was beastly to him but did he know Roger ahead of time? The murder was premeditated so he would have had to plan it out knowing Roger was wrong for Jenn and why do it after the wedding ceremony? I'm not crossing him off my list of suspects.
Why was the security guard asleep and then disappeared before the murder took place? No one seems to know who he is and where to find him. Gerald Stone, former pharmacist, lives a more simple and precarious lifestyle than when he ran a successful pharmacy. His excuse for being at the wedding is creepy and weird. I don't think HE was guilty of that long ago crime but probably ROGER was and that's how Roger got rich. Somehow the crime just stopped as soon as Roger left town? Coincidence? I think not. I think Roger was a master manipulator. Who are the two Happy Hopers and the smell of potpourri? Vanessa Leghaupt is weird. She's a life coach, vegan expert and seems to have cloned herself in her unnamed friend. The pair are inseparable. I think Vanessa is as much of a con artist as Roger but in a different way. She tells people what they think they want to hear and gets away with it. I did like the female entrepreneurs talk Emily gave and how Vanessa wanted her followers to hear about Emily but I didn't like Vanessa's attitude towards doughnuts and anything non-vegan in spite of not all vegan food being healthy. She tries to get Emily to completely change her product, one most people seem to love, especially the police. Doughnuts, even vegan and gluten free, are not so healthy. Vanessa better have a good alibi because she's on my suspect list. She has a good reason to want Roger dead and so do many other people!
Yvonne Passenmath is not a good detective. She's lazy and lets her personal grudges get in the way of investigating. She has her sights set on Jenn and that's that. Brent is keeping his options open.
I enjoyed this book enough to want to read more. I hope to do that soon but I will probably add this series to a rotation and not make it an auto binge read.
I am enjoying this series so far even though the murderer was rather obvious. A couple of red herrings midway through the book confused me for a bit but I wasn't surprised by the reveal. The humor is more dead pan and limited than what I'm used to but the writing is still light and cozy. It's been one year since the first murder which is a long time in cozy mystery land and I liked that. The longer time span provides more time for character growth. What I didn't like was how the audio book narrator pronounces cruller the same as crueler, thus ruining the pun in the title. I switched to the e-book after chapter 8.
I like Emily although I don't think she's going to be a kindred spirit. I guess I don't relate to her much. I like how her training as a 911 operator and her life as a detective's spouse has made her calm and collected. She reports everything she learns to Brent and lets him handle it. When she gets into trouble, it's not her fault but she is a bit too trusting. Emily seems to be denying growing feelings for Brent. She's confused because she loved Alec with all her heart and isn't ready to move on. She has grown to be in a space where the pain doesn't hurt as much and she can be friends with Brent but it's a little awkward. Deputy Donut is a hoot. She's a huge diva! That cat is so spoiled and yet she DEMANDS her adoring humans pay attention to HER 24/7 and makes her feelings known. Emily is trying to matchmake for her friends but I think Dep is trying to matchmake for her humans. If she could, she'd force Brent to move in to be her love slave forever! Brent is a great guy and I think he's loved Emily all along but was being respectful of his best friend. I think Brent would like to be in a relationship with Emily but he, too, is confused because he loved Alec like a brother and knows Emily and Alec were devoted to one another. I suspect they will get there eventually. They're already on the way with their frequent dinner NOT dates.
The humor comes from the secondary characters. Emily's father-in-law, Tom, enjoys puns. Don't mistake his sense of humor for an easy going, care for nothing retiree though. Once a cop, always a cop. He may be retired but he is still sharp and on the ball to protect Emily. Emily's friends help her lighten up. Samantha, the EMT, is funny. She's always making puns and cracking jokes. Samantha tries to make Emily see her growing attraction to Brent, finding the man attractive herself but Emily tries to fix up her friends instead. Misty tries to matchmake back at Emily. Emily thinks Misty and Scott, the fire captain, would make a nice couple but I think Scott likes Emily. He's very nice and he's polite, rather boring I guess. Emily wants boring but more boring than someone with a dangerous job. It's nice that Emily has such fierce female friends who serve in law enforcement and first response. Misty is one of Dep's favorite humans and is happy to oblige in cuddles. Misty can blend in as an everyday woman interested in women in business but she's a sharp-eyed cop and rises to the occasion when necessary.
Jenn seems nice. She's sweet but maybe naive and insecure. She's a talented artist whose medium is knitwear and she IS secure in her belief in her talent and how she runs her shop. Jenn has last minute doubts about the wedding but second guesses those doubts and decides she wants to marry Roger. Her older sister, Suzanne, is not like Jenn at all. Suzanne is the opposite. I can relate more to Suzanne being the older sister trying to tell her younger sister not to marry that guy. Suzanne tries to control Jenn and is somewhat verbally abusive. Emily doesn't totally like what she's hearing coming from Suzanne. Suzanne wants to take over Jenn's shop and sell shoes but Jenn disagrees. Suzanne isn't a people person and Emily shudders to think how Suzanne would deal with customers. Suzanne is abrasive but protective of her sister and wants to find out who killed Roger. How come no one is looking at Suzanne as the murderer? Her alibi isn't airtight and while Jenn's isn't either, when push comes to shove, Jenn DOES produce an alibi. Albeit not a great one...
Roger is awful and Jenn should not have gone through with the wedding. He's beyond boorish. He's rude, selfish, abusive towards Jenn and thinks only about money and himself. Emily doesn't like him right away when he insults her donut wall and her donuts, Emily herself for not doing things the way ROGER would do them when it was a)Jenn that hired Emily and b)Tom who is making the doughnuts so they're fresh. How rude to berate the caterer who is doing you a service. How horrid to berate your wife on your wedding day. Poor Jenn! Then Roger gets wasted and stuffs himself with crullers, which aren't even his favorites. Those were for Jenn! Could the poisoned doughnuts have been meant for Jenn? I doubt it unless Roger killed himself accidentally. Roger was supposedly wealthy because he inherited from a distant relative, and/or his parents upon their deaths when he was 16. He's wealthy and Jenn thinks that's one good reason to stay with him although she says she's not a gold digger. He says he'll help her with her business. When we learn what he does for work... hoo boy! He is in the WRONG business and won't last long without sensitivity training. Why would anyone continue seeing him?
Jenn's former boyfriend, Chad, seems nice. She says they're just friends but Roger loathes Chad and kicks out the invited guest. Chad flirts with Emily but is sympathetic when she tells him about Alec. His former girlfriend died in a drunken crash and while he misses her, he's been able to move forward. Hopefully Emily will learn from him. He does seem to like her. I think he COULD be the murderer, especially after Roger was beastly to him but did he know Roger ahead of time? The murder was premeditated so he would have had to plan it out knowing Roger was wrong for Jenn and why do it after the wedding ceremony? I'm not crossing him off my list of suspects.
Why was the security guard asleep and then disappeared before the murder took place? No one seems to know who he is and where to find him. Gerald Stone, former pharmacist, lives a more simple and precarious lifestyle than when he ran a successful pharmacy. His excuse for being at the wedding is creepy and weird. I don't think HE was guilty of that long ago crime but probably ROGER was and that's how Roger got rich. Somehow the crime just stopped as soon as Roger left town? Coincidence? I think not. I think Roger was a master manipulator. Who are the two Happy Hopers and the smell of potpourri? Vanessa Leghaupt is weird. She's a life coach, vegan expert and seems to have cloned herself in her unnamed friend. The pair are inseparable. I think Vanessa is as much of a con artist as Roger but in a different way. She tells people what they think they want to hear and gets away with it. I did like the female entrepreneurs talk Emily gave and how Vanessa wanted her followers to hear about Emily but I didn't like Vanessa's attitude towards doughnuts and anything non-vegan in spite of not all vegan food being healthy. She tries to get Emily to completely change her product, one most people seem to love, especially the police. Doughnuts, even vegan and gluten free, are not so healthy. Vanessa better have a good alibi because she's on my suspect list. She has a good reason to want Roger dead and so do many other people!
Yvonne Passenmath is not a good detective. She's lazy and lets her personal grudges get in the way of investigating. She has her sights set on Jenn and that's that. Brent is keeping his options open.
I enjoyed this book enough to want to read more. I hope to do that soon but I will probably add this series to a rotation and not make it an auto binge read.
August 26, 2018
The second installment of Deputy Donut is a fun read. Emily Westhill and father-in-law, Tom are creating a donut wall for her Jenn Zeeland's, wedding. At the reception, the groom is found under the table unconscious and a white powder is on the table cover with a plate and under Emily's Deputy Donut hat appeared. Emily calls 911 for help and her good friend Bryant who tells her to get everyone out of the hotel. The groom died and the power turns out to white arsenic. Emily with Deputy Donut, her cat become involved with the investigation. There are enough changes in the story to keep your attention. I found the book difficult to put down So I read it sitting. I am looking for too many more adventure s Del and Emil
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and series.
Donut recipes are included.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and series.
Donut recipes are included.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 18, 2023
Goodbye Cruller World. Goodbye Deputy Donut? This story took too long to get through and the reading experience wasn't a pleasant one. It's disappointing since I enjoyed the first book in the series. If this second one was the first I read I wouldn't be encouraged to continue.
The plot is intriguing enough. Emily and Tom are providing donuts for a wedding. The owner of Dressed To Kill, the shop next door, is getting married at Little Lake Lodge. When they arrive to set up, the owners of Deputy Donut get a view of the groom and it is not a pleasant one. Roger doesn't seem to be a nice person at all. It's still a shock to find him passed out underneath the donut table later though.
Emily is a suspect again, according to the inept detective brought back to investigate this murder as well. I'm not sure why Brent's boss doesn't think he can handle murder investigations. Maybe he should start looking for another job. I have to point out that, Yvonne, the detective who no one thinks is capable, actually suspects the right people. Her reasons are valid and just because she doesn't spell out every detail of her investigation doesn't mean she's not getting the job done.
Emily certainly doesn't seem to do anything. To be fair she's trying to purposely stay out of it. Emily never gets very far in her thinking. She makes wild assumptions, and thoughts about possible scenarios randomly flit through her head. It's no wonder that once again she can't see danger staring her in the face. Seriously, the killer's reveal is unbelievable. I guessed who it was early on.
The mystery wasn't the only thing I had issues with. A loveable character, who had an important role last time, is inexplicably gone. No explanation, just the mention of an empty house. We are then left with bland characters that kind of just fill up space. I would like to see more from Tom but he's too busy making all the donuts and doing all the cleaning. Everyone compliments Emily on her donuts but her involvement in their creation is so limited she is surprised when she bites into a new donut offered at their shop!
The writing is distracting at times. There are a few issues with awkward sayings and actions from characters. Little random descriptions of movement that make little sense appear and clutter up the scene. Unfortunately there is just a different feeling overall in this entry in the Deputy Donut series. If the other books are more like the first one I would happily continue reading.
The plot is intriguing enough. Emily and Tom are providing donuts for a wedding. The owner of Dressed To Kill, the shop next door, is getting married at Little Lake Lodge. When they arrive to set up, the owners of Deputy Donut get a view of the groom and it is not a pleasant one. Roger doesn't seem to be a nice person at all. It's still a shock to find him passed out underneath the donut table later though.
Emily is a suspect again, according to the inept detective brought back to investigate this murder as well. I'm not sure why Brent's boss doesn't think he can handle murder investigations. Maybe he should start looking for another job. I have to point out that, Yvonne, the detective who no one thinks is capable, actually suspects the right people. Her reasons are valid and just because she doesn't spell out every detail of her investigation doesn't mean she's not getting the job done.
Emily certainly doesn't seem to do anything. To be fair she's trying to purposely stay out of it. Emily never gets very far in her thinking. She makes wild assumptions, and thoughts about possible scenarios randomly flit through her head. It's no wonder that once again she can't see danger staring her in the face. Seriously, the killer's reveal is unbelievable. I guessed who it was early on.
The mystery wasn't the only thing I had issues with. A loveable character, who had an important role last time, is inexplicably gone. No explanation, just the mention of an empty house. We are then left with bland characters that kind of just fill up space. I would like to see more from Tom but he's too busy making all the donuts and doing all the cleaning. Everyone compliments Emily on her donuts but her involvement in their creation is so limited she is surprised when she bites into a new donut offered at their shop!
The writing is distracting at times. There are a few issues with awkward sayings and actions from characters. Little random descriptions of movement that make little sense appear and clutter up the scene. Unfortunately there is just a different feeling overall in this entry in the Deputy Donut series. If the other books are more like the first one I would happily continue reading.
April 21, 2023
Love everything about this series. One of my top cozy series.
December 15, 2018
This is the second Deputy Donut mystery and I enjoyed this one as much as the first. Once again we take a trip to Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, where Emily and her father-in-law run Deputy Donuts. They have been hired to put together a donut wall at a wedding. When the groom at a wedding collapses and dies of poisoning, Emily is a suspect. DCI detective Yvonne Passenmath was focusing on her and the bride, Jenn. She seems blinded to all other clues and evidence as she tries to pin the murder on one of them. As Emily and Tom ask questions and snoop around, we come across many other suspects. Throw in some odd and quirky characters and I enjoy the visit.
The plot moved along nicely with some great moments. I love how well Tom and Emily work together. With Tom being the retired police chief, he is smart and can usually pull out information form the investigating officers. I had a sneaking suspicion who the guilty party was and I was right, but was not positive until the end. The showdown was well done and had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoy the relationship developing (very slowly) between Emily and Brent, especially as she is a widow who very much loved her husband and Brent was his partner. She is taking things very slowly and right now they are just good friends. Missy and Samantha, Emily's best friends, round out the regular cast. They are great together and bounce things off one another. Overall, I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next Deputy Donut mystery. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
The plot moved along nicely with some great moments. I love how well Tom and Emily work together. With Tom being the retired police chief, he is smart and can usually pull out information form the investigating officers. I had a sneaking suspicion who the guilty party was and I was right, but was not positive until the end. The showdown was well done and had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoy the relationship developing (very slowly) between Emily and Brent, especially as she is a widow who very much loved her husband and Brent was his partner. She is taking things very slowly and right now they are just good friends. Missy and Samantha, Emily's best friends, round out the regular cast. They are great together and bounce things off one another. Overall, I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next Deputy Donut mystery. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
August 27, 2018
In this second book of the series Emily is catering a wedding and doing a special donut wall for the bride and groom. With the help of her father-in-law they come up with a splendid wall for the wedding and Emily can't wait to see what everyone thinks. When the groom ends up dead during the reception Emily is mortified to see that one of her donuts might have did him in. Seeing a suspicious bowl of powder by the wall she immediately thinks of poison and hopes that no one else got into the bowl. Not wanting people to think that her donuts are killers she jumps into investigation mode. When things start to come to light about the groom it looks like he has more enemies than friends, but who wanted him dead so badly? Emily knows that she must dig up the truth before the investigating officer pins the murder on her. Follow along as Emily makes the donuts, asks questions of potential suspects, and tries to keep herself out of trouble. Will she be able to solve the case? Emily is such a great character and I'm enjoying getting to know her along with the other players in each new book. I can't wait to see what donuts she comes up with next and what mystery fall in her lap.
I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 4, 2025
THIS WAS EXACTLY THE PICK-ME-UP I NEEDED AFTER MY FIRST 2 MAY READS!!!!
SERIES PREMISE: In this series we follow Emily Westhill who runs a Donut Shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin along side her Cat Deputy "Dep" Donut.
In this book: Emily is invited to Jenn's (the woman who works at the clothing store next door) Wedding. Jen asked Emily to make a wall of Donuts which is exactly what Emily did. Everyone is impressed with the edible step-and-repeat, that is until the not so nice Groom is dead on the floor infront of it surrounded by something that's not icing sugar!
THOUGHTS: You know those moments when you get to a point of 'this is exactly what I needed right now'? They happen rarely for me. But this month started off with 2 "three-star" reads and I needed something to save my reading enjoyment. This book was that hero!
From the intriguing culinary side of the edible step-and-repeat, to the incredibly intriguing mystery and the absolute stand-out of a reveal (not to mention the cute Deputy "Dep" Donut moments) this is a book that will go down as a personal fave for many many many years. Truly an absolute pleaseure!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
SERIES PREMISE: In this series we follow Emily Westhill who runs a Donut Shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin along side her Cat Deputy "Dep" Donut.
In this book: Emily is invited to Jenn's (the woman who works at the clothing store next door) Wedding. Jen asked Emily to make a wall of Donuts which is exactly what Emily did. Everyone is impressed with the edible step-and-repeat, that is until the not so nice Groom is dead on the floor infront of it surrounded by something that's not icing sugar!
THOUGHTS: You know those moments when you get to a point of 'this is exactly what I needed right now'? They happen rarely for me. But this month started off with 2 "three-star" reads and I needed something to save my reading enjoyment. This book was that hero!
From the intriguing culinary side of the edible step-and-repeat, to the incredibly intriguing mystery and the absolute stand-out of a reveal (not to mention the cute Deputy "Dep" Donut moments) this is a book that will go down as a personal fave for many many many years. Truly an absolute pleaseure!
5 Stars!
xoxo.
March 10, 2025
This is the second book in this series and I liked it as much as the first. I like Emily, her friends and co-workers, but I love Deputy Donut :) Her antics are entertaining and remind me of many of the things Daughter's cat did when they both still lived here with us.
The murder victim was not a pleasant person in any stretch of the imagination, and there were plenty of suspects to think about. I was tempted by several possibilities, but kept coming back to the same person - who actually turned out to be the killer - again and again. For a change, I even worked out the motive before it was revealed in the book.
I will definitely continue reading this series, just not sure how soon I'll get to the next book.
The murder victim was not a pleasant person in any stretch of the imagination, and there were plenty of suspects to think about. I was tempted by several possibilities, but kept coming back to the same person - who actually turned out to be the killer - again and again. For a change, I even worked out the motive before it was revealed in the book.
I will definitely continue reading this series, just not sure how soon I'll get to the next book.
June 12, 2020
I'm really enjoying this series! I like Emily and the donuts at Deputy Donut sound so good! The mystery was good and kept me guessing right up to the reveal. Donut recipes are included at the end.
September 17, 2018
Deputy Doughnut, Emily Westhills' doughnut shop is doing well. So well that she starts catering events with doughnuts. Except someone does at the wedding reception and her delicacies come under suspicion. Trying to clear her name and reputation, Emily dives into trying to solve the murder. Another fun read in this series!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2019
There's something awkward about the writing and/or descriptions in this book but I can't quite narrow it down. It's doesn't really flow and seems like things are overly described when they don't need to be. It makes it difficult to really enjoy the story. The characters are not quite likeable either.
August 19, 2018
GOODBYE CRULLER WORLD, the second book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series by Ginger Bolton is a sweet read and will have you craving donuts throughout the entire book! I was captivated by the pun-y title and the inviting cover design pulled me into the story. An ex- 911 dispatcher, protagonist Emily Westhill owns the Deputy Donut Café with her father-in-law. This duo has a touching, heart-felt relationship that adds an emotional undercurrent to the story, especially since they lost a son and a husband to a tragic death. The charming donut shop setting provides the perfect gathering place for law enforcement and emergency response personnel and allows Emily access to information when she gets involved in murder investigations. The author’s strong descriptive voice makes you feel like you’re right there with Emily and I could almost smell and taste the donuts in the shop!
Deputy Donut is hired to cater donuts for the wedding of Jenn, owner of Dressed to Kill which is one of the neighboring shops to Emily’s. It doesn’t take long for conflict to erupt between the bride and her half-sister over the upcoming nuptials and once Emily meets the groom, she understands why. When the groom is poisoned and dies after eating some of the donuts she provides at the reception, Emily knows she must get involved and clear both her business’ reputation and prove the bride’s innocence. It doesn’t help that the bride invited an ex-boyfriend to the wedding and seemed to have had second thoughts about getting married. Since my own cousin is a wedding planner, I loved the details the author provides about the reception from the food, to the over-the-top décor, to the special touches the bride requests. Ms. Bolton provides plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing and enough twists and turns until the threads of the plots are woven together into a satisfying conclusion. You’ll be drooling over the yummy treats Deputy Donut serves to its customers and the author provides a couple donut recipes at the back of the book.
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Deputy Donut is hired to cater donuts for the wedding of Jenn, owner of Dressed to Kill which is one of the neighboring shops to Emily’s. It doesn’t take long for conflict to erupt between the bride and her half-sister over the upcoming nuptials and once Emily meets the groom, she understands why. When the groom is poisoned and dies after eating some of the donuts she provides at the reception, Emily knows she must get involved and clear both her business’ reputation and prove the bride’s innocence. It doesn’t help that the bride invited an ex-boyfriend to the wedding and seemed to have had second thoughts about getting married. Since my own cousin is a wedding planner, I loved the details the author provides about the reception from the food, to the over-the-top décor, to the special touches the bride requests. Ms. Bolton provides plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing and enough twists and turns until the threads of the plots are woven together into a satisfying conclusion. You’ll be drooling over the yummy treats Deputy Donut serves to its customers and the author provides a couple donut recipes at the back of the book.
I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 30, 2018
Goodbye Cruller World is the second book in the Deputy Donut mystery series by Ginger Bolton. Once again Emily Westhill finds herself a suspect in a murder. This time it's because the victim was poisoned by a cruller from the donut wall she was hired to cater at a wedding reception. I really enjoyed getting to know some of the characters a little more. Emily is a very likeable character. I do wish we'd get to see her friends, Misty and Samantha, a bit more. I'd love to see those two characters fleshed out more. And here's hoping the next book in the series gives us a break from seeing DCI Detective Yvonne Passenmath. She's incredibly unpleasant and seems far too single-minded to have become an important detective. As far as the story goes, I thought the killer was a bit obvious by 3/4 of the way into the book. However, the mystery was still very satisfying. For me, what makes a good mystery isn't necessarily that I'm shocked when I find out who did it and why... sometimes what makes it good is simply seeing how the author dropped clues throughout and feeling the satisfaction that I was right in my guess all along. If there's one complaint I have about this book, and it is my only complaint, it's that the author has Emily mention several times that she doesn't want to date because of her husband who passed away. I seem to recall this also happening in the first book. I mean, we get it. Emily is still heartbroken over the loss of her husband. We don't need to be reminded of it more than once really. I do like that the author isn't forcing Emily into a romantic relationship with Brent or anyone else, but it does seem obvious that she's attracted to him and that it'll happen eventually. So, we really don't need to have Emily protesting against getting into a romantic relationship anymore. She can mention not being sure about it once in the book and that's enough. I do recommend this book, and the series, to readers who love cozy mysteries, especially culinary-related mysteries. And I'm looking forward to the third book in the series to see what happens to Emily next.
Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
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