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Down South Café Mystery #5
Fruit Baskets and Holiday Caskets
Christmas comes with chaos—and a murder—in the fifth book in the Down South Café cozy mystery series! Amy Flowers thinks her biggest problem is going to be creating an enormous cake dummy to mount atop her car for Winter Garden’s upcoming Christmas parade. But when one of Roger's employees is murdered, making the float is the least of Amy’s worries. Her childhood friend is a prime suspect, Aunt Bess is making a new Pinterest Things That'll Probably Kill Me, and her boyfriend's mother is insisting on helping Amy make three-hundred-seventy-five sugar cookies to hand out along the parade route. When Amy starts trying to clear Roger of the murder, she unexpectedly finds herself involved in international intrigue. How will our favorite café owner outwit sophisticated criminals who want to deck the halls with her head?
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2020
65 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Leeson
31 books501 followersGayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. I also write as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I write the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I write the Embroidery Mystery series.
The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The heroine, Daphne, has returned to her hometown of Brea Ridge to open a cake baking and decorating business and is wrestling with the question of whether or not one can go home again. She enjoys spending time with her sister, nephew, and niece, but she and her mother have a complicated relationship that isn’t always pleasant. Daphne has also reconnected with her high school sweetheart and is pursuing a rekindled romance while desperately trying to put her past behind her.
Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”
Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”
The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. Marcy Singer left her home in San Francisco, along with the humiliation of being left at the altar, in order to move to Tallulah Falls and realize her dream of owning her own shop. She takes along her faithful companion, a one-year-old Irish wolfhound named Angus O’Ruff. She makes many new friends in Tallulah Falls, but she also makes a few enemies. Thankfully, her best friend Sadie MacKenzie and her husband Blake run the coffeehouse right down the street from Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch; and Detective Ted Nash always has her back.
Publishers Weekly says, “Fans of the genre will take kindly to Marcy, her Irish wolfhound, Angus O’Ruff, and Tallulah Falls. This is a fast, pleasant read with prose full of pop culture references and, of course, sharp needlework puns.”
Pat Cooper of RT Book Reviews says, “If her debut here is any indication, Lee’s new series is going to be fun, spunky and educational. She smoothly interweaves plot with her character’s personality and charm, while dropping tantalizing hints of stitching projects and their history. Marcy Singer is young, fun, sharp and likable. Readers will be looking forward to her future adventures.” (RT Book Reviews nominated The Quick and the Thread for a 2010 Book Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Amateur Sleuth category)
I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I'm having a blast writing this new series!
The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The heroine, Daphne, has returned to her hometown of Brea Ridge to open a cake baking and decorating business and is wrestling with the question of whether or not one can go home again. She enjoys spending time with her sister, nephew, and niece, but she and her mother have a complicated relationship that isn’t always pleasant. Daphne has also reconnected with her high school sweetheart and is pursuing a rekindled romance while desperately trying to put her past behind her.
Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”
Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”
The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. Marcy Singer left her home in San Francisco, along with the humiliation of being left at the altar, in order to move to Tallulah Falls and realize her dream of owning her own shop. She takes along her faithful companion, a one-year-old Irish wolfhound named Angus O’Ruff. She makes many new friends in Tallulah Falls, but she also makes a few enemies. Thankfully, her best friend Sadie MacKenzie and her husband Blake run the coffeehouse right down the street from Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch; and Detective Ted Nash always has her back.
Publishers Weekly says, “Fans of the genre will take kindly to Marcy, her Irish wolfhound, Angus O’Ruff, and Tallulah Falls. This is a fast, pleasant read with prose full of pop culture references and, of course, sharp needlework puns.”
Pat Cooper of RT Book Reviews says, “If her debut here is any indication, Lee’s new series is going to be fun, spunky and educational. She smoothly interweaves plot with her character’s personality and charm, while dropping tantalizing hints of stitching projects and their history. Marcy Singer is young, fun, sharp and likable. Readers will be looking forward to her future adventures.” (RT Book Reviews nominated The Quick and the Thread for a 2010 Book Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Amateur Sleuth category)
I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I'm having a blast writing this new series!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 12, 2022
★ Christmas Cozy Mystery ★
3.5 Stars
It was fun to revisit the Down South Café at Christmastime. I'd read the first couple of books in the series a few years ago, and it's good to see the gang still as charming and quirky as ever.
This time around, café owner Amy Flowers is trying to clear a friend's name who's suspected of murdering an employee. She's also busy creating an enormous cake float and hundreds of cookies for the town's Christmas parade.
While I thought Amy was clever with her investigation, I thought the mystery itself was just ok. I think it's because a lot of it was telling and not showing, and the ending felt abrupt. However, the whole scene at the end of catching the killer was pretty cute!
[Purchased on Kindle]
3.5 Stars
It was fun to revisit the Down South Café at Christmastime. I'd read the first couple of books in the series a few years ago, and it's good to see the gang still as charming and quirky as ever.
This time around, café owner Amy Flowers is trying to clear a friend's name who's suspected of murdering an employee. She's also busy creating an enormous cake float and hundreds of cookies for the town's Christmas parade.
While I thought Amy was clever with her investigation, I thought the mystery itself was just ok. I think it's because a lot of it was telling and not showing, and the ending felt abrupt. However, the whole scene at the end of catching the killer was pretty cute!
[Purchased on Kindle]
November 22, 2020
Fruit Baskets and Holiday Caskets
Down South Cafe, Book #5
Gayle Leeson
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Amy Flowers thinks her biggest problem is going to be creating an enormous cake dummy to mount atop her car for Winter Garden's upcoming Christmas parade. But when one of Roger's employees is murdered, making the float is the least of Amy's worries. Her childhood friend is a prime suspect, Aunt Bess is making a new Pinterest board: Things That'll Probably Kill Me, and her boyfriend's mother is insisting on helping Amy make three-hundred-seventy-five sugar cookies to hand out along the parade route.
When Amy starts trying to clear Roger of the murder, she unexpectedly finds herself involved in international intrigue. How will our favorite café owner outwit sophisticated criminals who want to deck the halls with her head? (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. Amy and her gang of family and friends all get along very well and I wish I was a member of that special group. When one of her friends is a prime suspect in a murder, they do what they do best: SNOOP! They also have to spend time creating a float for the Christmas parade. With all they have going on, they will be busy.
The writing style flows smoothly and it helped bring the story to life in my mind’s eye. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like was right there, working on the float or conversing with Homer in the restaurant. The mystery was well plotted and it was not easily solved.
I would highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. I did not feel like I was reading a book. I felt like I was sitting with friends, being involved in their lives.
Down South Cafe, Book #5
Gayle Leeson
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Amy Flowers thinks her biggest problem is going to be creating an enormous cake dummy to mount atop her car for Winter Garden's upcoming Christmas parade. But when one of Roger's employees is murdered, making the float is the least of Amy's worries. Her childhood friend is a prime suspect, Aunt Bess is making a new Pinterest board: Things That'll Probably Kill Me, and her boyfriend's mother is insisting on helping Amy make three-hundred-seventy-five sugar cookies to hand out along the parade route.
When Amy starts trying to clear Roger of the murder, she unexpectedly finds herself involved in international intrigue. How will our favorite café owner outwit sophisticated criminals who want to deck the halls with her head? (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. Amy and her gang of family and friends all get along very well and I wish I was a member of that special group. When one of her friends is a prime suspect in a murder, they do what they do best: SNOOP! They also have to spend time creating a float for the Christmas parade. With all they have going on, they will be busy.
The writing style flows smoothly and it helped bring the story to life in my mind’s eye. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like was right there, working on the float or conversing with Homer in the restaurant. The mystery was well plotted and it was not easily solved.
I would highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. I did not feel like I was reading a book. I felt like I was sitting with friends, being involved in their lives.
March 13, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Winter Garden, Virginia is gearing up for the Christmas parade. With a little encouragement, a push, and a shove Amy Flowers decides to participate in the event. How hard can it be to make a huge dummy cake and attach it to the top of her VW Bug? A couple of people walking alongside giving out a treat or two and presto she’s in the parade. But a leak in the roof of “big house” where Amy’s mom and Aunt Bess reside and a dead workman push the parade float to the back burner. When a man she has known forever lands on the plate as the prime suspect Amy knows she has to help me. But this time Amy may no be able to serve up a new suspect, in fact, she may be putting herself on the chopping block.
First I have to say the cover of this book is GORGEOUS!
Second, this story had me laughing from the very first page where Henny Penny, I mean Aunt Bess is calling to say good-bye to all of friends and family. Thankfully rumors of her demise were very exaggerated. She is around to keep us giggling beyond the final page.
The characters in this series are some of my faves. Amy is the perfect protagonist because she is so nice and caring that people just open up to her and the good sheriff knows it as does her boyfriend Ryan. Ryan’s mother doesn’t seem to be a fan of Amy’s though but Amy is doing her best to change that. Aunt Bess is a hoot and Amy’s mother puts up with everything Bess dishes out. Amy’s cousin Jackie plays a big role this time and has a vested interest in catching the real culprit. Readers are also entertained by a variety of Winter Garden residents. Homer is a regular customer and I look forward to his arrival at the cafe each day as much as Amy and her crew. His Heroes quotes always seem to resonate with me.
“The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we have to learn, whatever steps we take, they’re necessary to reach the places we’ve chosen to go.”
~Novelist Richard Bach
I really enjoyed the mystery. There was a real backstory that took the case in a wild new direction. With nice twists and new suspects, Ms. Leeson has plotted an intriguing mystery.
As always when I read this series the yummy food descriptions start my stomach growling.
Fruit Baskets and Holiday Caskets was a real treat. It was funny, entertaining, and had a puzzling mystery to solve. Every book in this series are must-reads!
I am excited that the next book in this series is being released in just a few days on March 16. I will be featuring it on Cozy Wednesday, March 24.
Winter Garden, Virginia is gearing up for the Christmas parade. With a little encouragement, a push, and a shove Amy Flowers decides to participate in the event. How hard can it be to make a huge dummy cake and attach it to the top of her VW Bug? A couple of people walking alongside giving out a treat or two and presto she’s in the parade. But a leak in the roof of “big house” where Amy’s mom and Aunt Bess reside and a dead workman push the parade float to the back burner. When a man she has known forever lands on the plate as the prime suspect Amy knows she has to help me. But this time Amy may no be able to serve up a new suspect, in fact, she may be putting herself on the chopping block.
First I have to say the cover of this book is GORGEOUS!
Second, this story had me laughing from the very first page where Henny Penny, I mean Aunt Bess is calling to say good-bye to all of friends and family. Thankfully rumors of her demise were very exaggerated. She is around to keep us giggling beyond the final page.
The characters in this series are some of my faves. Amy is the perfect protagonist because she is so nice and caring that people just open up to her and the good sheriff knows it as does her boyfriend Ryan. Ryan’s mother doesn’t seem to be a fan of Amy’s though but Amy is doing her best to change that. Aunt Bess is a hoot and Amy’s mother puts up with everything Bess dishes out. Amy’s cousin Jackie plays a big role this time and has a vested interest in catching the real culprit. Readers are also entertained by a variety of Winter Garden residents. Homer is a regular customer and I look forward to his arrival at the cafe each day as much as Amy and her crew. His Heroes quotes always seem to resonate with me.
“The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we have to learn, whatever steps we take, they’re necessary to reach the places we’ve chosen to go.”
~Novelist Richard Bach
I really enjoyed the mystery. There was a real backstory that took the case in a wild new direction. With nice twists and new suspects, Ms. Leeson has plotted an intriguing mystery.
As always when I read this series the yummy food descriptions start my stomach growling.
Fruit Baskets and Holiday Caskets was a real treat. It was funny, entertaining, and had a puzzling mystery to solve. Every book in this series are must-reads!
I am excited that the next book in this series is being released in just a few days on March 16. I will be featuring it on Cozy Wednesday, March 24.
November 12, 2024
I am enjoying this series. And this book was good. But I felt it ended abruptly and kind of left me feeling hanging.
December 23, 2024
Fun holiday story
This was a lot of fun and was a really quick read. The story flowed well and I even guessed the murderer. I do wish there was more insight on that. I loved the parade float storyline. The characters in this series are great and I love reading about their adventures.
This was a lot of fun and was a really quick read. The story flowed well and I even guessed the murderer. I do wish there was more insight on that. I loved the parade float storyline. The characters in this series are great and I love reading about their adventures.
February 8, 2021
Gayle Leeson has done it again! This time Amy (and her staff/customers) have got roped in to be part of the Christmas parade, the idea being that they can advertise the cafe/diner by having a float in the parade, there is only one problem, they don't have a float they can decorate and so plan B consists of Amy's bright yellow VW bug being topped by a huge false cake! Before they can get started though there is a shocking death, Amy's friend Roger finds out that one of his employees has had a car accident and didn't make it, the problem they then discover is that the accident was no accident!
Now Amy is trying to help her boyfriend Ryan Hall, his boss Sheriff Billings figure out what happened, at the same time she is trying to be friends with Ryan's mother, stop her own mother and Great Aunt finding out about the mock cake before it is done, oh and figure out why the new widow seems to hate Amy's cousin Jackie! All this before the Christmas Parade, no pressure then!
Now Amy is trying to help her boyfriend Ryan Hall, his boss Sheriff Billings figure out what happened, at the same time she is trying to be friends with Ryan's mother, stop her own mother and Great Aunt finding out about the mock cake before it is done, oh and figure out why the new widow seems to hate Amy's cousin Jackie! All this before the Christmas Parade, no pressure then!
May 17, 2022
Nice, fun mystery that had some funny scenes. With Amy turning her car into a float for the Christmas parade and trying to clear a friend from being a suspect in a murder, this book was filled with stuff going on! The good thing was that I never got confused. I will say the murderer was pretty obvious after a bit. I did like the ending and how the killer was caught 😁 Now to find the next book in the series!
May 24, 2021
Amy Flower runs a café in Winter Garden has decided to make a giant cake to put on top of her car and ride in the upcoming holiday parade. But soon she has more things to worry about. Her boyfriend's mother is helping with the float and has insisted on baking cookies to hand out at the parade. Then Amy's friend, Roger, is questioned when one of his employees is murdered. But that murder is connected to something much bigger.
I love this series but somehow missed the release of this book which is one fabulous read. The book's well-written with wonderful characters and well-done relationships. The author captures the essence of a small town very well. I was drawn in from the beginning and kept hooked throughout while the mystery kept me guessing. I didn't want to put the book down and am very eager for the next one. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order for the most enjoyment and benefit.
I love this series but somehow missed the release of this book which is one fabulous read. The book's well-written with wonderful characters and well-done relationships. The author captures the essence of a small town very well. I was drawn in from the beginning and kept hooked throughout while the mystery kept me guessing. I didn't want to put the book down and am very eager for the next one. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order for the most enjoyment and benefit.
August 2, 2021
Fun book! It's almost time for the Christmas holidays and Amy is starting to get busy. The new town manager stops by the cafe and asks her to have a float in the parade advertising her cafe. Amy and her employee, Scott, come up with the plan to build a big dummy cake and attach it to the roof of Amy's car. Before they can get started, one of Amy's friend, Roger's employees is killed in a car accident. It is later determined that it was murder and Roger becomes a suspect. In addition to building the cake for the float, Amy is investigating the murder, trying to convince Aunt Bess she isn't dying, and helping Ryan's mom bake cookies to hand out along the parade. Fun characters and an intriguing storyline made this book hard to put down. I hope there will be more books in this fun series!
January 2, 2024
Amy Flowers thinks her only worry is getting a cake dummy mounted on her vehicle for the upcoming Christmas parade. Unfortunately, one of Roger's employees is murdered and Roger becomes a suspect. Amy proceeds to investigate.
This book had so much going on between the Christmas activities and the murder investigation. I love Amy's interaction between all the second characters and her as well as the continued romance between her and Ryan. The story was excellent and hard to put down. I also loved the fact that recipes were included at the end.
This book had so much going on between the Christmas activities and the murder investigation. I love Amy's interaction between all the second characters and her as well as the continued romance between her and Ryan. The story was excellent and hard to put down. I also loved the fact that recipes were included at the end.
September 19, 2020
Amy Flowers is once again involved in a murder. Though the town cops would prefer she stick to running her Down South Cafe, she can't sit back and not help since a dear friend is a suspect. When you add Aunt Bess, Cousin Jackie and all the other regular characters, you end up with an entertaining way to spend your evening.
October 5, 2020
Merry Christmas
It s Christmas time in Winter Garden and there's a Christmas parade coming. Before the parade however a murder is committed and it's up to the gang to help figure it out. As always a great read with smiles and thrills. I either need to read slower or Gayle Leeson needs to write faster because I can't wait for the next book.
It s Christmas time in Winter Garden and there's a Christmas parade coming. Before the parade however a murder is committed and it's up to the gang to help figure it out. As always a great read with smiles and thrills. I either need to read slower or Gayle Leeson needs to write faster because I can't wait for the next book.
October 8, 2020
This was a very good read, as I have come to expect from this series. I love the Cafe setting, the regular cast to characters and this episode is centered near the Christmas holiday so it adds to the atmosphere!!! You know Amy is going to get drawn in when Roger becomes a suspect. There are plenty of interesting leads and a climax that is definitely up there as one of the cutest on record!
April 23, 2022
I clearly missed something given all the other rave reviews. I do enjoy the series and the characters. But I thought that the mystery itself was lacking. Please someone comment if I am wrong, but it seems like one of the characters ought to have recognized and done something about one of the other characters before the events at the end.
August 8, 2023
Not sure why this book took so long for me to get through. I love the series and the setting and the characters, but for some reason this entry just didn't grab my attention and keep me going. Probably had more to do with me than the book itself, which was the typical read for the series. Maybe too much time between this one and the last one. I'll get to the next book more quickly.
November 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. I really love this series. Amy, the cafe owner is the amateur sleuth and what a great job she does as figuring out who did it. This story has such a great ending you just have to read it. I don't want to give anything away. A VERY GOOD READ.
May 25, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed the books and found the characters captivating. However, as a senior on a fixed income, I'm eagerly awaiting the series to become available through a more budget-friendly option. Despite the financial constraints, the story was truly engaging and memorable.
December 18, 2020
Another great book by Ms. Leeson.
January 18, 2021
Given the title of the book, I expected there to be mention of a fruit basket and a casket...and while there was a death, no casket mentioned.
January 23, 2021
This was a quick read because I didn’t want to put it down. I like the characters, especially Aunt Bess.
March 12, 2021
Just enough fun!
Just enough intrigue , just enough fun & a smidge of romance created an easy read. I very much enjoyed the story & looking for more from this author.
Just enough intrigue , just enough fun & a smidge of romance created an easy read. I very much enjoyed the story & looking for more from this author.
September 24, 2021
Another good one in this series. I love all the characters. Aunt Bess just keeps me laughing.
December 7, 2021
Interesting read
This book had me puzzled from the beginning but it ended well. Good storyline and characters. I could almost picture the car driving down the road in the parade!
This book had me puzzled from the beginning but it ended well. Good storyline and characters. I could almost picture the car driving down the road in the parade!
December 20, 2021
Fun and well paced!
October 23, 2022
Fun characters and most of them would give me a chuckle. The plot kept my interest (or I wouldn’t finish the book) through and I was tricked.
December 26, 2022
Good clean mystery
I really enjoy this series! Clean mystery, light content with humor. Hope there will be plenty more coming for this series!
I really enjoy this series! Clean mystery, light content with humor. Hope there will be plenty more coming for this series!
February 15, 2023
really enjoyed the book...
July 29, 2024
A very fun, cute read.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 4, 2025
Just a really boring, easy plot I was aware of the whole time. Of course the out of towner killed the other out of towner
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews