Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–As The Christmas Cookie Crumbles

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Leslie Budewitz and her new release As The Christmas Cookie Crumbles. This is the fifth book in her A Food Lover’s Village Mystery series.

As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles (A Food Lovers’ Village Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Midnight Ink (June 8, 2018)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738752419
Digital ASIN: B075W25FNF

Purchase Links

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“Budewitz’s finely drawn characters, sharp ear for dialogue, and well-paced puzzle make Jewel Bay a destination for every cozy fan.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Clean-as-a-whistle dialogue, endearing characters, and a solid plot make this cozy a winner.”—Publishers Weekly

“Cozy readers will relish the small-town,Christmastime frame accompanying details of frenzied wedding planning and running a family food business. And, of course, recipes, too.”—Booklist

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about-the-book

AS THE CHRISTMAS COOKIR CRUMBLES

Erin is one smart cookie, but can she keep the holiday spirit—and herself—alive till Christmas?

In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, AKA the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink, and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily’s turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.

When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily—until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer—and keep herself in one piece—in time for a special Christmas Eve?

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The characters are well rounded and well developed. Erin is a smart, spunky and scrappy woman and she does not back down from any challenge. When the murder of her friend occurs, she knows she has to solve the murder for her friend’s sake. I really like her family relationships and the fact that they are so close. Their interactions were realistic and very enjoyable to read.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story I felt that I was right there watching all of the action taking place. I really liked the setting of Jewel Bay, Montana, and it would be a place I would like to visit. It has a typical small town feel and everyone knows everybody else’s business.

The mystery was well plotted and it was not easy to solve. There were enough suspects to consider and plenty of clues to sift through. There were plenty of twists and turns and it made the mystery that much more difficult to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This is the first book that I have read in this series, but it will not be the last.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Midnight Ink, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

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about author

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries—and the first author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction. She lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician, and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat Ruff, a cover model, and avid bird-watcher.