Enjoyable light mystery read. When Juliet (Jules) accepts a weekend catering job at a mountain retreat, little did she know that she'd find a body shoved in a freezer and spend a weekend snowed in with a lot of suspects. Also, her estranged husband shows up to add some interest to the weekend! Third installment in the series.
On Thin Icing is the third book in the Bakeshop cozy mystery series. The series revolves around Juliet "Jules" Capshaw and her family bakeshop Torte located in the small town of Ashland, Oregon. Jules runs the bakery with her mom, barista Andy, pastry intern Stephanie, and sous chef in training Sterling.
Jules has been hired to cater a weekend retreat for Lance and the other board members of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The retreat is being held at the Lake of the Woods Lodge, a favorite getaway for Jules and her family when she was younger. Excited for the opportunity to showcase Torte's newly created catering division, Jules packs up the car and takes Sterling along for the weekend.
Jules sets out early in the morning to collect supplies from the massive chest freezer only to discover the body of resort bartender Tony stuffed inside. She is able to call Thomas, Detective and high school boyfriend and Doug, the professor and her mom's boyfriend. The two men arrive to investigate the murder but of course it is winter in Oregon and inevitably the major snowstorm strikes the retreat in the woods leaving the guests isolated from society with no cell phone service and spotty electricity.
Tony was an obnoxious loudmouth who was not well liked by the other two resort staff, Gavin Allen and Mercury Rule, and had made a horrible first impression on Jules and the other board members on their first meeting. It was really no surprise that someone had decided to end his life, but who had the most to gain?
To add to Jules anxiety her estranged husband Carlos has arrived at the resort in an effort to rekindle their marriage. Jules finds herself not only having to track down a killer but come to terms with her feelings for both Thomas and Carlos.
This was a fun, fast paced storyline with snappy dialogue and a likeable cast of characters. There weren't too many suspects to choose from but enough red herrings were written in that I was kept guessing until almost the end.
I have not read the first two in the series, but fortunately I was able to follow along without having to know the background of Jules. I would consider this a good stand alone read. I did enjoy the book so much that I will definitely go back to "catch up" on the first two.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley via St. Martin's publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
Jules has been hired to cater a weekend retreat for Lance and the other board members of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The retreat is being held at the Lake of the Woods Lodge, a favorite getaway for Jules and her family when she was younger. Excited for the opportunity to showcase Torte's newly created catering division, Jules packs up the car and takes Sterling along for the weekend.
Jules sets out early in the morning to collect supplies from the massive chest freezer only to discover the body of resort bartender Tony stuffed inside. She is able to call Thomas, Detective and high school boyfriend and Doug, the professor and her mom's boyfriend. The two men arrive to investigate the murder but of course it is winter in Oregon and inevitably the major snowstorm strikes the retreat in the woods leaving the guests isolated from society with no cell phone service and spotty electricity.
Tony was an obnoxious loudmouth who was not well liked by the other two resort staff, Gavin Allen and Mercury Rule, and had made a horrible first impression on Jules and the other board members on their first meeting. It was really no surprise that someone had decided to end his life, but who had the most to gain?
To add to Jules anxiety her estranged husband Carlos has arrived at the resort in an effort to rekindle their marriage. Jules finds herself not only having to track down a killer but come to terms with her feelings for both Thomas and Carlos.
This was a fun, fast paced storyline with snappy dialogue and a likeable cast of characters. There weren't too many suspects to choose from but enough red herrings were written in that I was kept guessing until almost the end.
I have not read the first two in the series, but fortunately I was able to follow along without having to know the background of Jules. I would consider this a good stand alone read. I did enjoy the book so much that I will definitely go back to "catch up" on the first two.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley via St. Martin's publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
