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Deep Lakes Cozy #2
Deep Bitter Roots
The promise of Spring in Deep Lakes, Wisconsin brings the community out of hibernation to plan the annual Roots Festival. Bubble and Bake owner Frankie Champagne just wants to help the Granite Mansion quarry heiress plan the keynote presentation. So, why does she find herself in the middle of the legendary and deadly Quarry Curse?
374 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2020
About the author
Joy Ann Ribar
11 books234 followersJoy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. She loves to bake, read, do wine research, and explore nature. Joy’s writing is inspired by Wisconsin’s four distinct seasons, natural beauty, and kind-hearted, but sometimes quirky, people.
Joy holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and an MS in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Blackbird Writers, and Wisconsin Writers Association.
Sign up for her occasional newsletter at https://joyribar.substack.com/
Joy holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and an MS in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Blackbird Writers, and Wisconsin Writers Association.
Sign up for her occasional newsletter at https://joyribar.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 25, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
They joke that in Wisconsin you can sometimes experience all four seasons in one day. Spring is just starting to bloom in Deep Lakes but you could still see snow in addition to the April showers or the blistering hot heat of summer. People who have been enduring the snow and bitter cold are ready to escape to a milder climate just in time for the annual Roots Festival snd this year will be even more special with quarry heiress Emily Spurgeon giving a speech as the park is rededicated and introducing some new features. Bubble and Bake owner Frankie Champagne has been asked to assist Emily with her presentation. After meeting with Emily several times Frankie is shocked that the heiress had passed away in her sleep. She has a lifelong relationship with Sheriff Alonzo Goodman and he knows she has a keen sense of observation and she doesn’t believe her death was due to natural causes so he allows her to check out Emily’s bedroom to see if she notices anything unusual. From the minute she walks into the room she sees many things that don’t make sense. She knows someone killed Emily and she is going to prove it,
Frankie and her BFF Carmen own and operate Bubble and Bake, a bakery during the day, and a wine bar at night. Right now they have the extra help from Carmen’s mother, Tia Pepita, and Frankie’s Aunt Cece. Cece arrived with a lot of luggage saying “I want to see Wisconsin one last time before I die.” Tia plans to stay with Carmen and Ryan to participate in a three month clinical trial at the UW – Madison Hospital Eye Research Unit. These ladies bring so much to the story and their antics are hilarious.
Frankie has ger hands full with the bakery and the vineyard and still holds the dream of being a news reporter. Working with Emily Spurgeon added more to Frankie’s plate but she really enjoyed the time they spent together. Now she is determined to find out who robbed the woman of the last years of her life. Good thing Carmen is on the ball and can take on things Frankie has to let slide while she investigates. Emily Spurgeon was a wonderful character. She had so much depth and had a wealth of knowledge about the history of the quarry and its employees. Her heart was in the right place as she tried to right the wrongs of the past. We didn’t get to know her long but like Frankie, I was invested in her well-being and heartbroken when she died. We also meet a long-lost family member of Emily’s. The woman was the complete opposite of Emily.
The author has written a complex mystery and drops clues in an intriguing way. I will say I missed a few along the way that probably would have helped me solve the mystery sooner but I did pick up some great clues that at least had me looking in the right direction. I enjoyed the way Frankie worked to solve the crime. No matter what she was doing the case was on her mind and even with several twists, she didn’t lose her focus.
What I really liked about this book and the one prior is the way Ms. Ribar highlights Wisconsin. I love seeing places I know visited within the book. Frankie, Garrett, Lon, Jovie, Carmen, and Ryan plan to have a triple date at Feil’s Supper Club. The restaurant has been there forever and I remember going there with my parents and later and still with my husband. The food there is awesome, they have several Bavarian specials, Sunday Brunch, and Friday Fish Fry. My go-to is Herb’s Special – “sirloin steak topped with a MOUNTAIN of Feil’s famous onion rings”. Just reading about it in this book had my mouth watering and wanting to make a reservation. The author also highlights many other places too. I do wish the Bubble and Bake was a real establishment because the descriptions of the food and wine tell me the place would be right up my alley.
Deep Bitter Roots has a large wonderful cast and it was fun following them through everything they do. I enjoyed my visit to Deep Lakes and look forward to returning soon. I will be reading and reviewing Deep Green Envy next month and hope to read Deep Flakes Christmas during the holiday season.
They joke that in Wisconsin you can sometimes experience all four seasons in one day. Spring is just starting to bloom in Deep Lakes but you could still see snow in addition to the April showers or the blistering hot heat of summer. People who have been enduring the snow and bitter cold are ready to escape to a milder climate just in time for the annual Roots Festival snd this year will be even more special with quarry heiress Emily Spurgeon giving a speech as the park is rededicated and introducing some new features. Bubble and Bake owner Frankie Champagne has been asked to assist Emily with her presentation. After meeting with Emily several times Frankie is shocked that the heiress had passed away in her sleep. She has a lifelong relationship with Sheriff Alonzo Goodman and he knows she has a keen sense of observation and she doesn’t believe her death was due to natural causes so he allows her to check out Emily’s bedroom to see if she notices anything unusual. From the minute she walks into the room she sees many things that don’t make sense. She knows someone killed Emily and she is going to prove it,
Frankie and her BFF Carmen own and operate Bubble and Bake, a bakery during the day, and a wine bar at night. Right now they have the extra help from Carmen’s mother, Tia Pepita, and Frankie’s Aunt Cece. Cece arrived with a lot of luggage saying “I want to see Wisconsin one last time before I die.” Tia plans to stay with Carmen and Ryan to participate in a three month clinical trial at the UW – Madison Hospital Eye Research Unit. These ladies bring so much to the story and their antics are hilarious.
Frankie has ger hands full with the bakery and the vineyard and still holds the dream of being a news reporter. Working with Emily Spurgeon added more to Frankie’s plate but she really enjoyed the time they spent together. Now she is determined to find out who robbed the woman of the last years of her life. Good thing Carmen is on the ball and can take on things Frankie has to let slide while she investigates. Emily Spurgeon was a wonderful character. She had so much depth and had a wealth of knowledge about the history of the quarry and its employees. Her heart was in the right place as she tried to right the wrongs of the past. We didn’t get to know her long but like Frankie, I was invested in her well-being and heartbroken when she died. We also meet a long-lost family member of Emily’s. The woman was the complete opposite of Emily.
The author has written a complex mystery and drops clues in an intriguing way. I will say I missed a few along the way that probably would have helped me solve the mystery sooner but I did pick up some great clues that at least had me looking in the right direction. I enjoyed the way Frankie worked to solve the crime. No matter what she was doing the case was on her mind and even with several twists, she didn’t lose her focus.
What I really liked about this book and the one prior is the way Ms. Ribar highlights Wisconsin. I love seeing places I know visited within the book. Frankie, Garrett, Lon, Jovie, Carmen, and Ryan plan to have a triple date at Feil’s Supper Club. The restaurant has been there forever and I remember going there with my parents and later and still with my husband. The food there is awesome, they have several Bavarian specials, Sunday Brunch, and Friday Fish Fry. My go-to is Herb’s Special – “sirloin steak topped with a MOUNTAIN of Feil’s famous onion rings”. Just reading about it in this book had my mouth watering and wanting to make a reservation. The author also highlights many other places too. I do wish the Bubble and Bake was a real establishment because the descriptions of the food and wine tell me the place would be right up my alley.
Deep Bitter Roots has a large wonderful cast and it was fun following them through everything they do. I enjoyed my visit to Deep Lakes and look forward to returning soon. I will be reading and reviewing Deep Green Envy next month and hope to read Deep Flakes Christmas during the holiday season.
April 20, 2020
I loved the first book, Deep Dark Secrets, in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series by Joy Ann Ribar, so I was super excited to read book two, Deep Bitter Roots. And once again it was a wonderful cozy that takes place in Central Wisconsin.
In Deep Bitter Roots, Ribar adds some more characters, including Tia Pepita and Aunt Cece. They both add another layer to the series, including family ties and women in an older and wiser age bracket. If you are looking for a cozy series that doesn’t have the main character in her twenties, still dealing with all the insecurities that can go along with that age, the Deep Lakes series may be just what you need to read.
Besides writing wonderful characters that have depth to them and really encompass the way people in Central Wisconsin are, Ribar also writes a really good mystery. I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was early on, but she still had a twist at the end that I really appreciated.
I was also excited to see Ribar discussing various herbs and trees that grow in Wisconsin. This, in addition to the wines and bakery she describes was a wonderful inclusion to the book, especially since I’m training to be an herbalist!
Another great book in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series and one I highly recommend.
In Deep Bitter Roots, Ribar adds some more characters, including Tia Pepita and Aunt Cece. They both add another layer to the series, including family ties and women in an older and wiser age bracket. If you are looking for a cozy series that doesn’t have the main character in her twenties, still dealing with all the insecurities that can go along with that age, the Deep Lakes series may be just what you need to read.
Besides writing wonderful characters that have depth to them and really encompass the way people in Central Wisconsin are, Ribar also writes a really good mystery. I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was early on, but she still had a twist at the end that I really appreciated.
I was also excited to see Ribar discussing various herbs and trees that grow in Wisconsin. This, in addition to the wines and bakery she describes was a wonderful inclusion to the book, especially since I’m training to be an herbalist!
Another great book in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series and one I highly recommend.
April 13, 2021
What do books one and two in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series have in common? They’re both FANTASTIC! Great characters? Check! Great descriptions? Check. Intriguing dialogue? Check. A mystery that keeps you in suspense to the very end? Check. This page-turner ticks all the right boxes!
Read
January 30, 2024If you like Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries, drop by Bubble and Bake and visit with Frankie Champagne in this Wisconsin cozy series. Join the spitfire Frankie, baker, wine-maker and investigative reporter, as she tracks suspects, armed with delicious baked goods, bottles of vino, and old-fashioned intuition.
Purchase signed copies of both books in the series at a special price here:
https://www.orangehatpublishing.com/b...
Purchase signed copies of both books in the series at a special price here:
https://www.orangehatpublishing.com/b...
April 18, 2020
Deep Bitter Roots is the second book in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series by Joy Ann Ribar and boy is it a page turning, nail biting, breath holding story !!
Do you even read a book then sit back and ask yourself "How did the author think of this ?" I do...quite a lot actually but with Deep Bitter Roots, I asked that question throughout the story.
In Deep Bitter Roots the reader is hanging around with main character Frankie Champagne and hanging around with her is off the charts fun !! Just hanging around her on a regular day would be fun because she owns Bubble and Bake, which is a bakery in the morning and a wine bar at night and she also owns Bountiful Fruits, which is a vineyard where she makes wine for the wine bar and she is dating the local medical examiner. To say Frankie has her hands full is just plain stating the facts but add a murder investigation to her list and LOOK OUT !! Okay no she is not with the police but she does write for the newspaper and when there is a murder in her town, she takes it personally and has to try to solve it.
And in Deep Bitter Roots the murder hits a nerve with Frankie as the person murdered is Emily Spurgeon. Frankie is asked by the mayor to work with Emily on a speech for the park re-dedication ceremony. The town is rebuilding Spurgeon Park and adding some buildings and a gazebo and they thought it would be great to have Emily say some words seeing as the park is named after her family. Her family owned the Deep Lakes Granite Works which employed a lot of people when it was open and she still resides in the Granite Mansion. Frankie gets to know Emily while working on the speech and is shocked when she shows up to a scheduled meeting to learn that Emily had passed away in her sleep. Luckily Frankie and Sheriff Alonzo Goodman are childhood friends and he lets her look over the scene and come to some conclusions for herself. Frankie doesn't believe that Emily died innocently and when it is determined that Emily was murder, Frankie jumps head first into the case.
I have to warn the reader to read carefully....there are some key points throughout the book that will aid you in solving the case....I for one, overlooked them until they were brought up towards the end....and then the light bulb went on. Ribar knows how to keep the reader thinking and enjoying the story. I love how she takes things from the past and brings them front and center in this story. And the way Frankie works through the case will have the reader in awe. You cannot help but LOVE everything there is about Frankie, her jobs, her family, her friends and her community. I would love to visit Deep Lakes and will do so every time Ribar writes a book.
Do you even read a book then sit back and ask yourself "How did the author think of this ?" I do...quite a lot actually but with Deep Bitter Roots, I asked that question throughout the story.
In Deep Bitter Roots the reader is hanging around with main character Frankie Champagne and hanging around with her is off the charts fun !! Just hanging around her on a regular day would be fun because she owns Bubble and Bake, which is a bakery in the morning and a wine bar at night and she also owns Bountiful Fruits, which is a vineyard where she makes wine for the wine bar and she is dating the local medical examiner. To say Frankie has her hands full is just plain stating the facts but add a murder investigation to her list and LOOK OUT !! Okay no she is not with the police but she does write for the newspaper and when there is a murder in her town, she takes it personally and has to try to solve it.
And in Deep Bitter Roots the murder hits a nerve with Frankie as the person murdered is Emily Spurgeon. Frankie is asked by the mayor to work with Emily on a speech for the park re-dedication ceremony. The town is rebuilding Spurgeon Park and adding some buildings and a gazebo and they thought it would be great to have Emily say some words seeing as the park is named after her family. Her family owned the Deep Lakes Granite Works which employed a lot of people when it was open and she still resides in the Granite Mansion. Frankie gets to know Emily while working on the speech and is shocked when she shows up to a scheduled meeting to learn that Emily had passed away in her sleep. Luckily Frankie and Sheriff Alonzo Goodman are childhood friends and he lets her look over the scene and come to some conclusions for herself. Frankie doesn't believe that Emily died innocently and when it is determined that Emily was murder, Frankie jumps head first into the case.
I have to warn the reader to read carefully....there are some key points throughout the book that will aid you in solving the case....I for one, overlooked them until they were brought up towards the end....and then the light bulb went on. Ribar knows how to keep the reader thinking and enjoying the story. I love how she takes things from the past and brings them front and center in this story. And the way Frankie works through the case will have the reader in awe. You cannot help but LOVE everything there is about Frankie, her jobs, her family, her friends and her community. I would love to visit Deep Lakes and will do so every time Ribar writes a book.
April 20, 2020
With keeping her cookie sheets and quiche pans full for customers at the Bubble and Bake and preparing for the uncorking of her latest wine, Frankie Champagne should be too busy for amateur sleuthing. But when she drives up to the stately house known as the Granite Mansion and learns that its owner and Frankie's newest friend has died, Frankie's need for answers pushes aside all caution and warnings. DEEP BITTER ROOTS is Joy Ribar's second book in the DEEP LAKES COZY MYSTERY SERIES which features Frankie, her business partner Carmen and a fictional town that resembles so many small Wisconsin communities. I've had the pleasure to hear Joy Ribar speak about how she creates her stories. It is clearly a labor of love as she chooses places, people, and even pets that reflect the rural charm of Wisconsin. Local readers will recognize the real granite waterfall which the fictional tourist site is based on, and some will smile when a real well established supper club is mentioned. Maybe they will think, like I did, that it's been awhile since I was last there. I believe that cozy mystery writers tend to improve as their series continue; the main character matures with more and more layers of personality added with each story, and the minor characters, when well constructed, turn a simple mystery into a more complex reading experience. Ribar has accomplished much of this "maturity" with her second novel especially with the antics of two "aunties" who have showed up at the Bubble and Bake for extended stays. Reading has been one of my escapes during the virus shut-down, but I am looking forward to being able to visit a small business just like Frankie's to enjoy a pastry, coffee, or even a unique Wisconsin wine with friends. Meanwhile, I hope that Ribar is busy with book three. I received a copy of this book for review purposes.
April 27, 2020
Deep Bitter Roots is a quirky cute cozy set in northern Wisconsin. Deviating somewhat from cozy formula in that the mystery, a death, doesn’t happen until chapter 7, nearly a quarter of the way into the book, nevertheless readers who adore small towns with fun people will enjoy the build up.
Entrepreneur and busybody Frankie Champagne, divorced and of a certain age with grown daughters, is in the perfect spot to hear and get involved in all the local gossip of Deep Lakes with her part-time journalist work and bakery/wine bar business. Having a boyfriend who’s also the local coroner is a bonus when Frankie’s latest project, helping an heiress put together a speech rededicating the town park, goes awry.
The granite industry made Deep Lakes a century ago, but until now, its secrets were literally buried under a long-time Ides of March curse. Using all her wiles and delectably filled bakery boxes, Frankie offers to lend an eye to her friends on the police force and those in other official capacities when they must deal with a suspicious death. Most of them gratefully trust her.
Heavily detailed with a large cast, readers can walk into this second Deep Lakes mystery without having read the first book of the series. Readers who love the aroma of baked goods in all their glory and are intrigued by wine-making will get their fill with this sweet mystery. The story is told generally from Frankie’s point of view with the help of two internal sidekick conscious minders and includes many wonderful epigraphs opening the chapters. And recipes!
Entrepreneur and busybody Frankie Champagne, divorced and of a certain age with grown daughters, is in the perfect spot to hear and get involved in all the local gossip of Deep Lakes with her part-time journalist work and bakery/wine bar business. Having a boyfriend who’s also the local coroner is a bonus when Frankie’s latest project, helping an heiress put together a speech rededicating the town park, goes awry.
The granite industry made Deep Lakes a century ago, but until now, its secrets were literally buried under a long-time Ides of March curse. Using all her wiles and delectably filled bakery boxes, Frankie offers to lend an eye to her friends on the police force and those in other official capacities when they must deal with a suspicious death. Most of them gratefully trust her.
Heavily detailed with a large cast, readers can walk into this second Deep Lakes mystery without having read the first book of the series. Readers who love the aroma of baked goods in all their glory and are intrigued by wine-making will get their fill with this sweet mystery. The story is told generally from Frankie’s point of view with the help of two internal sidekick conscious minders and includes many wonderful epigraphs opening the chapters. And recipes!
April 22, 2020
15: Deep Bitter Roots by Joy Ribar...the second book of Ribar's and Book 2 in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery Series.
If you came to like Frankie Champagne and her enjoyable existence at Bubble and Bake in Deep Dark Secrets, you won't be disappointed to see her in action and pursuing happiness in Book 2. The cast of characters has not changed all that much, except that two sweet tias, Carmen's Aunt Pepita and Frankie's Aunt Cecile, show up and start helping at Bubble and Bake. They definitely add something special to this book.
There's also more good food (recipes included!), more romance, and another mysterious death--all involving Frankie in some way.
The more I read of Frankie's adventures, the more I look forward to the next one! And I sure do appreciate that Ribar involves her readers in plotting her next work.
If you came to like Frankie Champagne and her enjoyable existence at Bubble and Bake in Deep Dark Secrets, you won't be disappointed to see her in action and pursuing happiness in Book 2. The cast of characters has not changed all that much, except that two sweet tias, Carmen's Aunt Pepita and Frankie's Aunt Cecile, show up and start helping at Bubble and Bake. They definitely add something special to this book.
There's also more good food (recipes included!), more romance, and another mysterious death--all involving Frankie in some way.
The more I read of Frankie's adventures, the more I look forward to the next one! And I sure do appreciate that Ribar involves her readers in plotting her next work.
June 26, 2020
Cute cozy mystery for fans of the genre - and Wisconsinites that enjoy WI authors.
October 20, 2020
Book two in this series brings you right back to your favorite characters. I felt like I’d never left! Can’t wait
To read the third book in this series!
They’ve been quick reads because I can’t put them down!
To read the third book in this series!
They’ve been quick reads because I can’t put them down!
March 16, 2021
Spring, wine and empanadas
A good mystery keeps you trying to figure out “who done it” all the way to the end. Love the connection of the small town, history and characters. Guess it a writer’s rule, romance doesn’t lead to marriage, darn!!
A good mystery keeps you trying to figure out “who done it” all the way to the end. Love the connection of the small town, history and characters. Guess it a writer’s rule, romance doesn’t lead to marriage, darn!!
July 7, 2021
Deep Bitter Roots is the second in the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series. Frankie is back and involved in another mystery and murder investigation in the town of Deep Lakes, Wisconsin. It's fun to return and read another mystery in the series.
January 2, 2022
I enjoyed this book along with the first for a couple reasons... the mystery of who done it along with how easily it was a "Wisconsin" community. Plus the author was my high school English teacher!
October 15, 2025
The best kind of cozy community-driven, clever, and comforting. A standout in our feature discussions!
October 16, 2025
I discovered Deep Bitter Roots during the campaign and loved how it built on Frankie’s world. The character growth and small-town layers really stand out.
October 16, 2025
This book deepened my connection with the series. Found it through the campaign and was hooked by how Joy Ann Ribar balances mystery with heart.
October 16, 2025
Deep Bitter Roots had a great plot twist I didn’t see coming. The campaign spotlight got me curious, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance.
October 16, 2025
Frankie Champagne shines again! I read this thanks to the campaign and can’t believe I hadn’t heard of Joy Ann Ribar before. Cozy mystery done right!
July 3, 2023
This second book of the series features a complex mystery that keeps the reader guessing, thanks to multiple viable suspects, right to the end. The introduction of two new and fun characters add to the overall coziness and fun of the story.
The detail of description and background that Ribar exhibited in the first book is also present in this book, for those who crave such extras.
I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of chapters, and may just try out one of the recipes!
The detail of description and background that Ribar exhibited in the first book is also present in this book, for those who crave such extras.
I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of chapters, and may just try out one of the recipes!
May 2, 2020
This second book in the Deep Lakes series is at least as enjoyable as the first, with not as many grammatical errors and much improved punctuation. The plot moved along at a good pace, and the mystery had enough layers to be satisfyingly complex. I look forward to more in the series. I hope Aunt CeCe becomes a regular. Great character!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews