A Smoking Bun

This is the eighteenth Bakeshop Mystery, but the first I have read. In this episode, Ramiro's family is visiting from Spain over the New Year. Jules is busy with her bakeshop and planning things for them to do and see.

Events at Mount A, the local ski resort, will feature prominently. But during a midnight snowshoe trek, they see a guide lead two people off the trail and see the ski patrol come to rescue them. The next day is a much anticipated event called the Downhill Dummy. Local groups and businesses create dummies to send down the ski jump in anticipation of spectacular crashes. But things go immediately wrong when the same guide who led his group off trail is hit by one of the dummies and killed.

Now Jules Capshaw needs to fit a show more murder investigation into her already packed schedule. She quickly learns that the resort is in financial trouble and plans a fundraiser to help the owner make payroll. But is the owner on the up and up? Or does she have a hidden agenda? And what about the woman wandering around with a clipboard? And the environmentalist willing to do anything to stop the resort from selling off some land for clear cutting?

This was an entertaining mystery with interesting characters. Fans of the series won't want to miss this one. Newcomers, like me, will want to read other books in the series to learn more about these intriguing characters. show less

This is another fun installment in the long-running and much loved Bakeshop Mystery series set in southern Oregon.

This time, Carlos's family, including his ex-wife and her new husband from Spain, are visiting for the holidays. Among other enjoyable family events planned, there are several set at the local ski mountain and lodge, including the annual Downhill Dummy event where the murder takes place. Naturally, baker Jules Capshaw gets involved in solving it.

This series features an absolute top-notch cast of recurring characters and, once again, a clever, involved plot.

Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans!!

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander is the eighteenth A Bakeshop Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. The story was not as easy to read as the others in the series. We are introduced to a number of new characters plus there are the regular characters (hotel staff, Ramiro’s family, ski patrol, bakery staff, contest participants, townspeople). It can be a challenge to keep them all straight. I found the pacing to be languid (little action, but plenty of chatting and eating). The mystery was uncomplicated. The victim, of course, was not well liked. You do not get to know any of the suspects very well. The mystery is not at the forefront of the story. A couple of details give away the killer’s identity. I show more like that we get to learn about a few of the outdoor activities available around Ashland. Jules arranged for the family to go on a midnight snowshoe trip on Mount Ashland (I bet the stars were beautiful) with a late-night feast. They also went skiing. Mount Ashland’s annual downhill dummy competition is certainly different. As usual, there is plenty of baking, cooking, eating, and drinking wine. A Smoking Bun had a cheery ending. There was a tidbit at end regarding the obnoxious Richard Lord that had me chuckling. A Smoking Bun is a light, upbeat tale with a visiting family, a slain skier, a snug lodge, tasty pastries, downhill dummy competition, and sunny news. show less

baker, bakery, recipes, small-business, small-town, amateur-sleuth, family, family-dynamics, friendship, Oregon, relatives, relationships, competition, secrets, lies, amateur-theatre, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, ski-season, ski-patrol, cozy-mystery, foodie, unpleasant-victims*****

#18 in this very popular Bakeshop Mysteries series!
Jules and Carlos will be hosting the family of Carlos' friends are visiting from Spain.
She is not only the owner of a popular bakery, but is an amateur sleuth who has her work cut out for her when a very unpleasant member of the community is apparently murdered in front of a crowd.
The sleuthing is well done and the plot is as twisty as a slalom run! Great read!
I requested and received an EARC from St. show more Martin's Press via NetGalley. show less

This latest addition to the Bakeshop Mystery series features the return of familiar characters. Juliet and crew continue to produce exquisite goodies in the bakeshop as the New Year's Eve celebrations are in the offing. Juliet and Carlos welcome a visit from the family of Ramiro, who is the son of Carlos and currently lives with Carlos and Juliet. The town of Ashland, Oregon enjoys winter sports and the annual "dummy ski run," which sadly results in an accidental death that might not be an accident. Juliet and friends get involved in gathering intel to help find out what might be going on behind the scenes at the ski lodge and ski runs. The mystery takes some twists and turns as it heads to the final surprising ending.

For readers new to show more this series, enough background information is provided to allow this novel to be read as a stand-alone. For fans of this series, the author does a good job of keeping things moving along, as the characters mature and relationships change. Characters from the past novels will seem like old friends, although the novel ends with room for future changes as the series continues.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. show less

bookscoffeebrews Book Review: A Smoking Bun. A
bake Shoppe Mystery #18
Stars: 4 X 5
Author: Ellie Alexander @ellie_alexander
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperback. @stmartinspress
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC

This is book 18 of our trip to Ashland Oregan and The
Torte Bakeshop.
Jule's in-laws are visiting from Spain. Juliet plans a trip
for them, a guided snow shoe excursion at a loca ski
area. Hero is there guide and all is going well until the
get interrupted by another very rude guide. The other
guide and his patrons end up getting into "trouble" off
trail. Juliet's group ends up helping them and calling
911. Juliet has a second activity planned for the next
day. This is a yearly activity of a down hill race where
"dummies" are sent to see who has show more the best wipeout.
Fitz, who was the rude guide, is dead as he was
impaled by one of the dummies. The police determine
this was just and accident but the owner of the resort
does not. The owner then ask Juliet an "amateur"
investigator to find out who the killer is. Will Jule's
find the murder all while entertaining her in-laws?

Once again Ellie Alexander does a fantastic job with
this lovely cozy mystery series.
I am love this series and I hope everyone else does show less