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Bluebell Cafe #6
Proof In The Pudding
It’s ten days before Christmas and the town of Sevenoaks, Vermont is bursting with holiday spirit. Chestnuts are roasting, Jack Frost is nipping, and Victorian-garbed carolers are strolling. If only it would snow!
Even without snow, Harriet Pickles is the happiest she’s ever been. She loves being married to Nick and her café is thriving. There is the niggling worry about a baby – or lack of a baby – but other than that, life is practically perfect.
Perfect, that is, until someone kills Santa Claus. Granted, Santa was a renowned crank, and there aren’t a lot of tears shed over his passing, but it does cast a pall over the festivities. Harriet and her best friend Claire get drawn into the murder investigation when their nemesis, Detective Meachum, zeros in on an innocent woman, a single mother, as his number one suspect. With only a few days until Christmas will they be able to find the real killer and keep Lindsay out of jail?
Proof in the Pudding is a cozy mystery packed with good friends, tasty food, and lots of laughs. Includes recipes!
Even without snow, Harriet Pickles is the happiest she’s ever been. She loves being married to Nick and her café is thriving. There is the niggling worry about a baby – or lack of a baby – but other than that, life is practically perfect.
Perfect, that is, until someone kills Santa Claus. Granted, Santa was a renowned crank, and there aren’t a lot of tears shed over his passing, but it does cast a pall over the festivities. Harriet and her best friend Claire get drawn into the murder investigation when their nemesis, Detective Meachum, zeros in on an innocent woman, a single mother, as his number one suspect. With only a few days until Christmas will they be able to find the real killer and keep Lindsay out of jail?
Proof in the Pudding is a cozy mystery packed with good friends, tasty food, and lots of laughs. Includes recipes!
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2021
100 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 20, 2022
Kindle freebie at time of download. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Harriet and crew are busier than ever at the Bluebell. Married life with Nick is going well too and would be perfect if only they could have a baby! While Harriet spends more time with Nick, Claire has a new best friend. Harriet can't help feel a little jealous, much the way Claire feels about the new bakery in town. It's Christmas time and the town is eager to celebrate. However, the town Santa, Chuck Trimper, could not be any less like Santa if he tried. Unfortunately they're stuck with him. Through Gran, Harriet meets Caroline, a friend of Gran's at The Manor, a home for the elderly. fainted and is taking it easy, not leaving her room. At the same time, Harriet meets nurse Lindsay who distributes medication at the Manor. When another elderly resident faints and later dies, an overdose of blood pressure medication is blamed and so is Lindsay. To make matters worse, Harriet and Nick discover Chuck Trimmer's dead body under the snowy bushes. He, too, died of an overdose of blood pressure medication. With Detective Meachum getting married soon, he's going to even more eager to close the case and sets his sights on nailing Lindsay for the crimes. Harriet's employee Denise is friends with Lindsay and certain Lindsay could never kill anyone. Denise asks Harriet and Claire to investigate on behalf of Lindsay. Can they figure this one out in time?
This is the final entry in the series and it's pretty good but not quite as suspenseful as previous stories or containing as much holiday cheer as I would have liked. The whodunit was a little obvious to me. The person pretty much made it clear why they did it. It was pretty horrific epecially for a Christmas story. Chester wasn't in the story nearly enough but he does lead Harriet to the body. Peanut only had a brief mention. I love animal sidekicks and want to see them used. I caught two spelling errors "sceptic" for skeptic and the ubiquitous "donut" instead of doughnut. (DD uses that spelling because it fit on the sign!)
Harriet is a little too GOOD and perfect for me. She's crushing it as a cafe owner and has the perfect life. Why mess with perfection and add a baby to the mix? Isn't Chester enough? Nick is also too perfect. He's a successful writer and fabulously wealthy now. He's a good sport and ends up enjoying his new role in town. Harriet can give money away whenever she wants and gives it to her employees and to Ron, a former employee, to stop busking in front of the candle store. Gran isn't in the story as much either. I love her sage advice and want more of it. Claire annoys me and she's always going from man to man. In this story, she seems to have met a good match but she rejects him because he doesn't have a sofa, only a beanbag chair taped together with duct tape. She keeps coming up with lame excuses. If he puts up with her cat hoarding then I say he must be a keeper. Only time will tell. Seamus is my favorite human character after Gran. I feel bad saying so because he's such a stereotype of the drunken Irishman but he's hilarous. The drunken sot can't remember anyone's name but he is fundamentally a nice person and very kind when he wants to be, even if he's motivated by free food and beer.
Wally is a little less grumpy now he's in love with Holly. She's tough and keeps everyone in line. Her survival store is doing well and she and Wally may be headed down the aisle! Or at least to town hall for a marriage license. Ron, a former waiter at the Bluebell, is now a college student and part-time busker. He plays the ukulele- badly - and sings Christmas carols - badly - with his girlfriend Taylor to drum up business for Holly's store. These scenes are incredibly funny. Ron is altrustic and can be bought off. He'll switch it up and change jobs if Harriet pays him more money. He's a fickle young man and hopefully will mature a bit in time. Denise is a true and loyal friend. She stays at the Bluebell when she doesn't really have to and tries to help a friend in need. She's a straight shooter and tells it like it is but she's never rude.
Newcomers include Stella, the owner of Around the Block Donuts. Her "sconuts" (fried scones) are so good people line up down the street for one. Claire is very jealous because she's been the best baker in town for so long. Stella is never around when Harriet and Claire come to talk. She's a suspect with a motive and isn't around to defend herself, that makes me suspicious. Plus, her only employee seems to be a guy with a huge neck, Randall, a former bodybuilder. He serves as kind of a bouncer to keep Claire out. How rude! Another new business owner is Montana, who leases the store next to the Bluebell. She started a flower shop with her grandfather's money and yet never seems to be working. She's always at the Bluebell drinking coffee, going to hot yoga with Claire or speed walking or discussing cats. Harriet is very jealous. I find Montana very immature. She clings to Claire and doesn't understand Claire has a job and commitments. Montana needs to learn customer service and take some business classes if she wants her shop to succeed.
Jasper, a recent transplant to Sevenoaks, works at the Bluebell busing tables and washing dishes. He's a hard worker, very cheerful and a nice guy. I think he's hiding a secret and I know what it is. It's unrealistic and tropey but makes him MORE of a nice guy. Gran's friend Caroline is a sweet, little old lady. She's not as active as Gran and she may have dementia. Caroline is paranoid someone tried to murder her and she won't stay in her apartment until the killer is found. I don't blame her! She at least has some faculties and reasoning left even if Gran thinks Caroline talks too much.
Taffy, the mayor of Sevenoaks, is just trying to make Christmas merry for the kids and she's faced with a serial killer loose in her town. The woman should be way more stressed than she is but she seems to have faith in the police. Detective Meachum manages to be human in this book. He's in love and wants to get married soon. He needs to be nice to Ruby's friends and nice to Harriet and Claire because he needs their help for the wedding. He seems not to be able to multitask though and do his job. He completely misses Harriet and Claire's side investigation. To give him credit, he seems to have a new partner or another officer to help him see reason and solve the case- maybe?
Chuck Trimper, the victim, was a nasty guy literally no one liked, not even his family. He was cranky, cheap and rude. Chuck owned The Manor and was overheard threatening to fire nurse Lindsay. There's any number of people who would want him dead though. Lindsay is a nice woman. She needs the job because she has a young son to support and no significant other or even ex in the picture. She also has a mother living with her. Lindsay is cheerful and efficient. She just distributes the medication, she doesn't fill prescriptions or change doses. She's a rule follower and I don't think she'd risk her reputation and her son's future by committing murder, no matter how upset she got.
Campbell, Chuck's son, never got along with his father. They worked together in business and owned The Manor. Perhaps Campbell had his father killed in order to inherit the business interests and run things the way HE wants to. Chuck's brother Jeffrey has a grudge against Chuck too. He sounds bitter and angry and not like a grieving brother. Another suspect is Maryanne Gillespie. She runs The Manor for Chuck and doesn't seem very friendly or nice for someone who manages a home for the elderly. She's only friendly when she thinks someone wants to move in. There may have been some hanky panky going on between Maryanne and Chuck (oh ew!) and perhaps an argument or break up? She might have a good reason to want Chuck dead but what about Hannah?
This wasn't my favorite entry in the series but I will be sad to leave behind Gran and Chester. I hope they get their own series.
Harriet and crew are busier than ever at the Bluebell. Married life with Nick is going well too and would be perfect if only they could have a baby! While Harriet spends more time with Nick, Claire has a new best friend. Harriet can't help feel a little jealous, much the way Claire feels about the new bakery in town. It's Christmas time and the town is eager to celebrate. However, the town Santa, Chuck Trimper, could not be any less like Santa if he tried. Unfortunately they're stuck with him. Through Gran, Harriet meets Caroline, a friend of Gran's at The Manor, a home for the elderly. fainted and is taking it easy, not leaving her room. At the same time, Harriet meets nurse Lindsay who distributes medication at the Manor. When another elderly resident faints and later dies, an overdose of blood pressure medication is blamed and so is Lindsay. To make matters worse, Harriet and Nick discover Chuck Trimmer's dead body under the snowy bushes. He, too, died of an overdose of blood pressure medication. With Detective Meachum getting married soon, he's going to even more eager to close the case and sets his sights on nailing Lindsay for the crimes. Harriet's employee Denise is friends with Lindsay and certain Lindsay could never kill anyone. Denise asks Harriet and Claire to investigate on behalf of Lindsay. Can they figure this one out in time?
This is the final entry in the series and it's pretty good but not quite as suspenseful as previous stories or containing as much holiday cheer as I would have liked. The whodunit was a little obvious to me. The person pretty much made it clear why they did it. It was pretty horrific epecially for a Christmas story. Chester wasn't in the story nearly enough but he does lead Harriet to the body. Peanut only had a brief mention. I love animal sidekicks and want to see them used. I caught two spelling errors "sceptic" for skeptic and the ubiquitous "donut" instead of doughnut. (DD uses that spelling because it fit on the sign!)
Harriet is a little too GOOD and perfect for me. She's crushing it as a cafe owner and has the perfect life. Why mess with perfection and add a baby to the mix? Isn't Chester enough? Nick is also too perfect. He's a successful writer and fabulously wealthy now. He's a good sport and ends up enjoying his new role in town. Harriet can give money away whenever she wants and gives it to her employees and to Ron, a former employee, to stop busking in front of the candle store. Gran isn't in the story as much either. I love her sage advice and want more of it. Claire annoys me and she's always going from man to man. In this story, she seems to have met a good match but she rejects him because he doesn't have a sofa, only a beanbag chair taped together with duct tape. She keeps coming up with lame excuses. If he puts up with her cat hoarding then I say he must be a keeper. Only time will tell. Seamus is my favorite human character after Gran. I feel bad saying so because he's such a stereotype of the drunken Irishman but he's hilarous. The drunken sot can't remember anyone's name but he is fundamentally a nice person and very kind when he wants to be, even if he's motivated by free food and beer.
Wally is a little less grumpy now he's in love with Holly. She's tough and keeps everyone in line. Her survival store is doing well and she and Wally may be headed down the aisle! Or at least to town hall for a marriage license. Ron, a former waiter at the Bluebell, is now a college student and part-time busker. He plays the ukulele- badly - and sings Christmas carols - badly - with his girlfriend Taylor to drum up business for Holly's store. These scenes are incredibly funny. Ron is altrustic and can be bought off. He'll switch it up and change jobs if Harriet pays him more money. He's a fickle young man and hopefully will mature a bit in time. Denise is a true and loyal friend. She stays at the Bluebell when she doesn't really have to and tries to help a friend in need. She's a straight shooter and tells it like it is but she's never rude.
Newcomers include Stella, the owner of Around the Block Donuts. Her "sconuts" (fried scones) are so good people line up down the street for one. Claire is very jealous because she's been the best baker in town for so long. Stella is never around when Harriet and Claire come to talk. She's a suspect with a motive and isn't around to defend herself, that makes me suspicious. Plus, her only employee seems to be a guy with a huge neck, Randall, a former bodybuilder. He serves as kind of a bouncer to keep Claire out. How rude! Another new business owner is Montana, who leases the store next to the Bluebell. She started a flower shop with her grandfather's money and yet never seems to be working. She's always at the Bluebell drinking coffee, going to hot yoga with Claire or speed walking or discussing cats. Harriet is very jealous. I find Montana very immature. She clings to Claire and doesn't understand Claire has a job and commitments. Montana needs to learn customer service and take some business classes if she wants her shop to succeed.
Jasper, a recent transplant to Sevenoaks, works at the Bluebell busing tables and washing dishes. He's a hard worker, very cheerful and a nice guy. I think he's hiding a secret and I know what it is. It's unrealistic and tropey but makes him MORE of a nice guy. Gran's friend Caroline is a sweet, little old lady. She's not as active as Gran and she may have dementia. Caroline is paranoid someone tried to murder her and she won't stay in her apartment until the killer is found. I don't blame her! She at least has some faculties and reasoning left even if Gran thinks Caroline talks too much.
Taffy, the mayor of Sevenoaks, is just trying to make Christmas merry for the kids and she's faced with a serial killer loose in her town. The woman should be way more stressed than she is but she seems to have faith in the police. Detective Meachum manages to be human in this book. He's in love and wants to get married soon. He needs to be nice to Ruby's friends and nice to Harriet and Claire because he needs their help for the wedding. He seems not to be able to multitask though and do his job. He completely misses Harriet and Claire's side investigation. To give him credit, he seems to have a new partner or another officer to help him see reason and solve the case- maybe?
Chuck Trimper, the victim, was a nasty guy literally no one liked, not even his family. He was cranky, cheap and rude. Chuck owned The Manor and was overheard threatening to fire nurse Lindsay. There's any number of people who would want him dead though. Lindsay is a nice woman. She needs the job because she has a young son to support and no significant other or even ex in the picture. She also has a mother living with her. Lindsay is cheerful and efficient. She just distributes the medication, she doesn't fill prescriptions or change doses. She's a rule follower and I don't think she'd risk her reputation and her son's future by committing murder, no matter how upset she got.
Campbell, Chuck's son, never got along with his father. They worked together in business and owned The Manor. Perhaps Campbell had his father killed in order to inherit the business interests and run things the way HE wants to. Chuck's brother Jeffrey has a grudge against Chuck too. He sounds bitter and angry and not like a grieving brother. Another suspect is Maryanne Gillespie. She runs The Manor for Chuck and doesn't seem very friendly or nice for someone who manages a home for the elderly. She's only friendly when she thinks someone wants to move in. There may have been some hanky panky going on between Maryanne and Chuck (oh ew!) and perhaps an argument or break up? She might have a good reason to want Chuck dead but what about Hannah?
This wasn't my favorite entry in the series but I will be sad to leave behind Gran and Chester. I hope they get their own series.
December 5, 2023
Book 2 of my holiday reads
Three people are poisoned at a retirement complex & Harriet & friends try to figure it out. Cute, quick cozy mystery.
Three people are poisoned at a retirement complex & Harriet & friends try to figure it out. Cute, quick cozy mystery.
January 18, 2022
Who knew Christmastime was such a murder magnet? Lots of snarky humor from Claire and Harriet!
Terrific characters with plenty of villians to make it interesting. Love the pets (old and new) and one character that isn't what they seem to be. Such fun! Don't miss the latest book in this terrific series! I can't wait for more!
Terrific characters with plenty of villians to make it interesting. Love the pets (old and new) and one character that isn't what they seem to be. Such fun! Don't miss the latest book in this terrific series! I can't wait for more!
December 15, 2022
This was a reasonable quick, fun read. I mean, it opened with a seemingly drunk, cranky Santa chasing down a kid for swiping some candy canes. Not long afterward, while walking in the park with husband Nick, main character Harriet, well, her dog Chester, finds that same Santa dead. The plot centers around Harriet and her best friend Claire trying to figure out who killed Santa.
While I've grown a bit tired of the not-so-bright detective character use, the characters were likable and could be real people. Heck, even the detective is shown to be more than stubborn and unwilling to listen by the time the book ends, a plus. So, a fun read, interesting characters, and lots of cats and dogs. And, oh, yummy sounding recipes at the end. All in all, a satisfying holiday read.
While I've grown a bit tired of the not-so-bright detective character use, the characters were likable and could be real people. Heck, even the detective is shown to be more than stubborn and unwilling to listen by the time the book ends, a plus. So, a fun read, interesting characters, and lots of cats and dogs. And, oh, yummy sounding recipes at the end. All in all, a satisfying holiday read.
December 17, 2022
easy reading
I was looking for a story that didn’t require concentration, and this was it. Characters are realistic, but for the clueless policeman. There’s one in every cozy, though. Otherwise, how could our favorite character solve the crime? In this mystery, someone seems intent upon killing people associated with an assisted living facility. The police are focusing on the wrong suspects, so it’s up to Harriet and Claire to steer them in the right direction. Meanwhile, there’s a lot going on in town and in the lives of some you know if you’ve been reading the series. Even if you haven’t, this is a stand alone book, and I think you’ll enjoy it.
I was looking for a story that didn’t require concentration, and this was it. Characters are realistic, but for the clueless policeman. There’s one in every cozy, though. Otherwise, how could our favorite character solve the crime? In this mystery, someone seems intent upon killing people associated with an assisted living facility. The police are focusing on the wrong suspects, so it’s up to Harriet and Claire to steer them in the right direction. Meanwhile, there’s a lot going on in town and in the lives of some you know if you’ve been reading the series. Even if you haven’t, this is a stand alone book, and I think you’ll enjoy it.
January 21, 2023
This is the 6th in the series. The main characters are Harriet and Claire. Harriet goes over to visit her grandmother and then goes for a walk in the park with her hubby. They find a dead Santa who owns and works at the old age complex her grandma lives at. They figure out a lot of things the police aren't really looking at but they are sure they show who did it. Just as Harriet and Claire have it all figured out, they finds themselves looking down the barrel of a gun. Have they figured it out to late ?
December 7, 2023
A really entertaining read
I loved this cozy mystery story set in The Bluebell Cafe with owners/bakers Claire and Harriet sifting through the clues to murder. First it appears to be ‘her’, then again it could be ‘him’ or maybe even ‘her’. A really entertaining and enjoyable read.
I loved this cozy mystery story set in The Bluebell Cafe with owners/bakers Claire and Harriet sifting through the clues to murder. First it appears to be ‘her’, then again it could be ‘him’ or maybe even ‘her’. A really entertaining and enjoyable read.
June 14, 2022
Great series. Hope there are more coming!
I just read all 6 books in the series and have enjoyed living in Harriet and Claire's world for a few day. If it weren't for the cold winters, I'd
want to move to Sevenoaks. I highly recommend these for cozy mystery fans.
I just read all 6 books in the series and have enjoyed living in Harriet and Claire's world for a few day. If it weren't for the cold winters, I'd
want to move to Sevenoaks. I highly recommend these for cozy mystery fans.
August 13, 2024
Proof In The Pudding is a fabulous addition to Judith Jackson’s Bluebell Cafe series. The mystery is fun to try and solve, there’s a lot of humor and great character interactions. The people in the book are all so quirky and fun. I highly recommend reading this book and series.
June 12, 2022
Liked every book
Was disappointed when I realized this was the last book. Liked the characters a lot, including the four footed ones. Hope she writes some more.
Was disappointed when I realized this was the last book. Liked the characters a lot, including the four footed ones. Hope she writes some more.
December 19, 2022
This was an enjoyable mystery and well-written. The characters were interesting and the plot was well developed. I look forward to more of Jackson's cozy mysteries.
January 3, 2023
oh this was a good one
I figured out who the killer was but finding out who Jasper was - great plot twist. I love this series are hope there are more.
I figured out who the killer was but finding out who Jasper was - great plot twist. I love this series are hope there are more.
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April 11, 2023Who?
I spent the whole book trying to figure out the characters. Way too many for me! I wad always lost
I spent the whole book trying to figure out the characters. Way too many for me! I wad always lost
December 2, 2023
Pretty good for a small town who done it mystery. 3.5 stars.
March 31, 2024
Cute story with several twists. Happy ending. A fun book to read
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews