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An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery #5
An Instant Confection
Jane Delight is looking for a fresh start, and believes her new home will dough the trick. But as a batter of fact, her mischievous cat, Mr. Crumbles, has found a body beneath the floorboards in the bread of night!
Jane's eccentric housemates, octogenarians Matilda and Eleanor, are all done and crusted with mayhem, but will stop at nothing to help Jane. Joining the trio is dishy detective Damon McCloud, who is determined to see that the murderer gets his just desserts before he can make a bake for it.
Book 5 in this delightful USA Today Bestselling cozy mystery series.
Jane's eccentric housemates, octogenarians Matilda and Eleanor, are all done and crusted with mayhem, but will stop at nothing to help Jane. Joining the trio is dishy detective Damon McCloud, who is determined to see that the murderer gets his just desserts before he can make a bake for it.
Book 5 in this delightful USA Today Bestselling cozy mystery series.
- GenresCozy MysteryMysteryCozy
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 24, 2020
39 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Hartzler
147 books178 followersUSA Today Best-selling author Ruth Hartzler spends her days writing, walking her dog, and thinking of ways to murder somebody. That's because Ruth writes cozy mysteries and adventures.
She is best known for her archaeological adventures, for which she relies upon her former career as a college professor of ancient languages and Biblical history.
She is best known for her archaeological adventures, for which she relies upon her former career as a college professor of ancient languages and Biblical history.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 1, 2021
I always enjoy Ruth Hartzler's Amish Cupcake cozy mysteries. An Instant Confection didn't disappoint and I was completely drawn into the story from the first chapter. I love the main characters Jane Delight, Matilda and Eleanor Entwistle and of course Mr Crumbles the cat. But let's not forget Billy the evil goat who was an important part of this story. One of the things I enjoy the most about this series is the humor that often has me laughing out loud. The Entwistle sisters Eleanor and Matilda never cease to amaze this reader and I never know what they will try next. Poor Jane has trouble just trying to keep up with them. I found this book to be very entertaining and at times scary. It was a fast page turner and before I knew it I was reading the last chapter. I couldn't guess who was the actual murderer. Well actually there was two murders and I didn't guess right on either of them.
Jane Delight and her two house mates are finally getting settled into their new home. They know the house has a sealed off room and they haven't been able to get into it. Eleanor and Matilda want to store their weapons in this room. Jane give them permission to try to gain entry to the room but she never imagined how they actually planned to go about getting into the room. Once they had gotten in there they where shocked to find not one but two dead bodies under the floor boards. Who could have gotten into this sealed off room with two bodies? How and when did they do it? Our three Slueths work over time trying to find the answers to these questions. When all is said and done it's Billy the evil goat with Mr Crumbles backing him up that horn in on bringing the guilty party to justice in the very end.
I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mystery . This is book five of An Amish Cupcake series. Though the book can be read as a stand alone the main characters are carried over to each book in the series. I recommend reading all of them in their proper order because they are all so good why would readers want to miss reading any of them?
I purchased a copy of this book . A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Jane Delight and her two house mates are finally getting settled into their new home. They know the house has a sealed off room and they haven't been able to get into it. Eleanor and Matilda want to store their weapons in this room. Jane give them permission to try to gain entry to the room but she never imagined how they actually planned to go about getting into the room. Once they had gotten in there they where shocked to find not one but two dead bodies under the floor boards. Who could have gotten into this sealed off room with two bodies? How and when did they do it? Our three Slueths work over time trying to find the answers to these questions. When all is said and done it's Billy the evil goat with Mr Crumbles backing him up that horn in on bringing the guilty party to justice in the very end.
I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mystery . This is book five of An Amish Cupcake series. Though the book can be read as a stand alone the main characters are carried over to each book in the series. I recommend reading all of them in their proper order because they are all so good why would readers want to miss reading any of them?
I purchased a copy of this book . A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
March 17, 2024
Such a cute and funny cozy mystery! I love these characters. They crack me up!
December 1, 2020
I marvel at the way a mind works! First of all for author Ruth Hartzler, how does she think of all the odd-ball and funny situations she puts her characters through? Who else could make a goat a character so funny and important that each entrance into the story brings laughs, fear, or dread depending on the human interceptor. And who else could come up with such convoluted yet sensible crimes? And the main characters? Well there's Jane Delight who has no backbone when it comes to dealing with her slightly "off" housemates! Perhaps that's a good thing, because Jane always seems to muddle through to an accurate conclusion before anyone else! The octogenarians Matilda and Eleanor, sisters with untold experiences, add a sense of bizarre humor, mostly unintentionally! How they always have whatever is needed (wigs, make-up, weapons, C-4 explosives) and manage to pull off their schemes will leave the reader shaking their head or laughing uncontrollably-or both at the same time!
So forget your problems and get this book! You'll enter the world of murder and crime solving unlike any other book you've read. I loved it and thank Ruth for such a fun book! I can't wait to see what happens next!
So forget your problems and get this book! You'll enter the world of murder and crime solving unlike any other book you've read. I loved it and thank Ruth for such a fun book! I can't wait to see what happens next!
November 15, 2020
An Instant Confection is Book 5 in the Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery Series by Ruth Hartzler.
Jane is excited to be in her new home. Her housemates, Matilda and Eleanor , who are octogenarians, are excited too until they find a body under the floorboards. The romance between Jane and dreamy detective Damon is moving along nicely.
This was a great mystery, I had no clue who the murderer was. Matilda and Eleanor are such fun characters, I laugh out loud so much with their behavior. I really enjoy the goats in the story, especially Billy who is rather vicious and a big part of the story line.
This is such a well written story with fun, quirky characters. I suggest reading the series from the beginning to get all the backstory.
Love this series!!!!
Jane is excited to be in her new home. Her housemates, Matilda and Eleanor , who are octogenarians, are excited too until they find a body under the floorboards. The romance between Jane and dreamy detective Damon is moving along nicely.
This was a great mystery, I had no clue who the murderer was. Matilda and Eleanor are such fun characters, I laugh out loud so much with their behavior. I really enjoy the goats in the story, especially Billy who is rather vicious and a big part of the story line.
This is such a well written story with fun, quirky characters. I suggest reading the series from the beginning to get all the backstory.
Love this series!!!!
November 27, 2020
The Amish Cupcake Mysteries are a hoot! Seriously! Sure there's generally a dead body, and Jane and crew are determined to suss out the miscreant, but oh, the things they get themselves into!
This time it's the simple task of some home renovation. With a wall that needs to be knocked down to create a bigger room for the ladies' weapons collection. Yep, you read that right! That wall? It needs some plastic explosives. No problem, right? Well, it isn't until the wall reveals a body AND a skeleton!
Join this crew of sleuths as they set out to find out what happened. With their usual jovial bumbling, they once again get the job done! Easily a standalone book, but you'll want to read all of their adventures, I promise!
[I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author, with no obligation to review. The opinions herein are entirely my own.]
This time it's the simple task of some home renovation. With a wall that needs to be knocked down to create a bigger room for the ladies' weapons collection. Yep, you read that right! That wall? It needs some plastic explosives. No problem, right? Well, it isn't until the wall reveals a body AND a skeleton!
Join this crew of sleuths as they set out to find out what happened. With their usual jovial bumbling, they once again get the job done! Easily a standalone book, but you'll want to read all of their adventures, I promise!
[I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author, with no obligation to review. The opinions herein are entirely my own.]
December 18, 2020
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. This is your typical light cozy with the requisite animals, and emphasis on food. The mystery is not a sophisticated one, but enjoyable nonetheless. Eleanor and Mathilda are my favorite characters and even though I've read several of the books in this series, I just have no clue about their background. I'd love to see the author explain more about where they come from, even if it's just to the readers.
I only had one major issue with the book and that was editing. I don't know if my review copy was sent out before final editing or not, but there were typos galore. The one that really drove me nuts was hydocone instead of hydrocodone. And it wasn't used just once; it was used over and over again. As a retired nurse that just grated on my nerves.
All in all, a simple, enjoyable cozy mystery.
I only had one major issue with the book and that was editing. I don't know if my review copy was sent out before final editing or not, but there were typos galore. The one that really drove me nuts was hydocone instead of hydrocodone. And it wasn't used just once; it was used over and over again. As a retired nurse that just grated on my nerves.
All in all, a simple, enjoyable cozy mystery.
November 19, 2020
Jane is wanting to remodel her new home. And with Eleanor and Matilda's help, things are never quite the way she wants them to be.
There is a walled up room that Jane wants to open up so the two octogenarians can use for their extensive weapons collection.
And with the help of some plastic explosives, the two elderly ladies manage to gain access pretty easily.
When Mr. Crumbles comes out of a hole from the bottom of the rotted floorboards, they discover two bodies with hatchette's embedded in their heads.
This was another fun story with developed characters, and a good bit of humor that builds nicely on the previous story.
There is a walled up room that Jane wants to open up so the two octogenarians can use for their extensive weapons collection.
And with the help of some plastic explosives, the two elderly ladies manage to gain access pretty easily.
When Mr. Crumbles comes out of a hole from the bottom of the rotted floorboards, they discover two bodies with hatchette's embedded in their heads.
This was another fun story with developed characters, and a good bit of humor that builds nicely on the previous story.
September 18, 2021
I love this series and these characters. When the ladies start remodeling Jane's house, they find a skeleton and a body. But, these two people were killed ten years apart. Both have an ax to the skull. Then, the house is broken into but nothing gets taken so the ladies are frightened and decide they need to discover who the murderer is before they become the next victims. Matilda and Eleanor put poor Jane through the paces such as glueing a wig to her scalp. Damon and Jane are getting closer which is a good thing. The next book in the series will be a good thing, too.
December 28, 2020
An Instant Confection is the 5th book in Ruth Hartzler’s An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery Series. Even though this is the 5th book in the series it can very well be read as a standalone. I will warn you once you start reading this series you will want to read all the previous books. This book is enjoyable, will keep you engaged throughout and have you laughing out loud until you have tears. The story is very well written and the characters are likeable. I really enjoyed this whole series and highly recommend it to anyone that loves cozy mysteries.
November 26, 2020
This is such a delightful story! Jane, along with her octogenarian housemates, Eleanor and Matilda, have another mystery to solve after Mr. Crumbles, the cat, discovers two bodies. Get ready for some laugh out loud moments as the sleuthing progresses. Great storyline and fantastic characters! A must read!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
November 30, 2020
Although this is part of a series, that shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying it and laughing their sox off. Like I did! Jane was raised Amish but lived in NYC until recently when she moved back into the old neighborhood and bought a house from her Amish sister. She shares it with a pair of VERY INTERESTING octogenarians, their cat, and their homicidal goat. The murders are not exactly recent and the sleuthing is more than creative, but the LAUGHS are ongoing! Loved it!
December 10, 2020
There’s very little Amish about this book. Yes, the main character used to be Amish. Yes, her sister, who lives next door to her, is still Amish. Yes, it takes place in a community where the Amish live. Yes, there’s another Amish person or two who make a brief appearance, but that’s about it. I would not call this an Amish mystery.
Also, the main character, Jane, doesn’t really seem to be the main character. Oh, she does the narration. And she gets a tiny bit of romance. But the real stars of this book are an octogenarian pair of sisters, Eleanor and Matilda. They’re not Amish, either, by the way. However, they are intriguing. I’d love to know more about them. While Jane is pretty boring, the elderly sisters piqued my interest. They seemed all-knowing, they possess many skills, and they have a mysterious background. Jane’s the one who will solve the mystery, but it’s Eleanor and Matilda who do most of the leg work to get her there.
Mr. Crumbles, the cat that makes this a Culinary Cat Cozy, doesn’t add much to the tale. He doesn’t have a personality, beyond hating the goat. He’s just there, perhaps to pander to cat lovers. Honestly, that goat, Billy, adds more to the story than Mr. Crumbles.
The writing is okay. At times, it’s pretty amateurish with lots of repetition. It tells you something, then tells it again, and again, and again. For me, that gets irritating after a while.
The book is definitely clean and wholesome, not a bad word or much more than a concerned hug to be found. Even when Jane and Damon try to head off on their own for an afternoon, Eleanor, Matilda, and even Mr. Crumbles always seem to join them.
The mystery itself is decent, and while I figured it out who was behind the crimes fairly early, enough options remained to keep me wondering. There are not a lot of twist or turns. It’s more of a question and ponder sort of procedure.
I’d call this an okay cozy, but I’ve read better. This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I might give her another chance, just to find out more about the elderly sisters.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
Also, the main character, Jane, doesn’t really seem to be the main character. Oh, she does the narration. And she gets a tiny bit of romance. But the real stars of this book are an octogenarian pair of sisters, Eleanor and Matilda. They’re not Amish, either, by the way. However, they are intriguing. I’d love to know more about them. While Jane is pretty boring, the elderly sisters piqued my interest. They seemed all-knowing, they possess many skills, and they have a mysterious background. Jane’s the one who will solve the mystery, but it’s Eleanor and Matilda who do most of the leg work to get her there.
Mr. Crumbles, the cat that makes this a Culinary Cat Cozy, doesn’t add much to the tale. He doesn’t have a personality, beyond hating the goat. He’s just there, perhaps to pander to cat lovers. Honestly, that goat, Billy, adds more to the story than Mr. Crumbles.
The writing is okay. At times, it’s pretty amateurish with lots of repetition. It tells you something, then tells it again, and again, and again. For me, that gets irritating after a while.
The book is definitely clean and wholesome, not a bad word or much more than a concerned hug to be found. Even when Jane and Damon try to head off on their own for an afternoon, Eleanor, Matilda, and even Mr. Crumbles always seem to join them.
The mystery itself is decent, and while I figured it out who was behind the crimes fairly early, enough options remained to keep me wondering. There are not a lot of twist or turns. It’s more of a question and ponder sort of procedure.
I’d call this an okay cozy, but I’ve read better. This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I might give her another chance, just to find out more about the elderly sisters.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
February 20, 2025
When Jane Delight moves into her new home, she's hoping for a fresh start and a chance to leave her troubled past behind. Little does she know that her mischievous feline companion, Mr. Crumbles, is about to uncover a decades-old secret that will turn her life upside down. Mr. Crumbles' curiosity leads him to paw at a loose floorboard, revealing a body. Suddenly thrust into the center of a murder mystery, Jane finds herself relying on her octogenarian housemates, Matilda and Eleanor. [amazon synopsis]
On top of trying to solve the murder, the detective, Damon McLoud, is very easy on the eyes and a distraction. One question that will, hopefully, be answered in one of the remaining books is the background of Matilda and Eleanor. Each book we learn or get to see something unusual about them that makes you wonder what they did before coming to live with Jane. However, Mr Crumbles is most annoying. Jane needs to develop a spine and learn what the word "no" means.
On top of trying to solve the murder, the detective, Damon McLoud, is very easy on the eyes and a distraction. One question that will, hopefully, be answered in one of the remaining books is the background of Matilda and Eleanor. Each book we learn or get to see something unusual about them that makes you wonder what they did before coming to live with Jane. However, Mr Crumbles is most annoying. Jane needs to develop a spine and learn what the word "no" means.
November 24, 2020
I just love this series. Somehow Jane always ends up with a new mystery on her hand and when Mr. Crumbles her housemates Matilda and Eleanor cat finds a body. Every book is just full of humor with the housemates and the adorable thing going on between Jane and Damon. This is one you can't put down after starting. So ready for what's next.
March 5, 2021
This mystery really had me going!
Fantastic mystery! Lots of twists and turns!
Great characters and fun animals! I totally
enjoyed the story line and it kept me guessing
right up to the who dunnit reveal. This is a
wonderful series and I'm definitely looking
forward to the next book in the series.
Fantastic mystery! Lots of twists and turns!
Great characters and fun animals! I totally
enjoyed the story line and it kept me guessing
right up to the who dunnit reveal. This is a
wonderful series and I'm definitely looking
forward to the next book in the series.
December 6, 2020
Another funny, uplifting book in this series about a former Amish woman who gets into some hilarious situations. Her two 80-something year old housemates (with some kind of CIA/spy background) usually steer her into awkward experiences that make for good reading. All the while, she is trying to get a romance off the ground. If you like light-hearted, clean mysteries, then you need to read this series.
February 22, 2021
These books never fail to make me laugh! Eleanor and Matilda are the best quirky seniors ever! Jane is amazing at how she just rolls with whatever crazy schemes Eleanor and Matilda think up. Mr. Crumbles is as funny as ever! He really hates Billy goat! But Mr. Crumbles and Billy do save the day!
March 14, 2021
Excellent read good character development.
Good easy read keep you wanting more . characters are well formed. Love the cat. Can't wait to find out more about the 2 older women.
Good easy read keep you wanting more . characters are well formed. Love the cat. Can't wait to find out more about the 2 older women.
April 13, 2024
This was a good mystery read
November 24, 2020
Jane Delight is trying to get settled in her new home. However, there seems to be a hidden room that can’t be accessed from inside or out. The sisters set off to open the room. Mr Crumbles manages to find bodies under the floor. The trio is off to find the murderer.
I enjoy this crazy bunch of women living in Amish country as English women. The mystery is always solved with a fair amount of bumbling along the way. Someday we’ll find out the sisters secret, but not today.
I enjoy this crazy bunch of women living in Amish country as English women. The mystery is always solved with a fair amount of bumbling along the way. Someday we’ll find out the sisters secret, but not today.
December 7, 2020
I really enjoy reading books by this author. her stories no matter the genre are always good. This series is a fun one. It’s well written with great characters and you’ve gotta love the book covers!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews