As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles

by Leslie Budewitz

Overview

"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

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 has 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?

Includes delicious recipes!

Praise for the Food Lovers' Village Mysteries:

"A lighthearted and amusing story with the added bonus of several yummy recipes."—Mystery Scene

"Treble at the Jam Fest has all the necessary elements to satisfy cozy mystery lovers: likeable, believable characters, a fast-moving plot, and a logical ending. Great fun!"—Suspense Magazine

"A pleasing read with a thoughtful heroine, a plethora of red herrings, and some foodie tips."—Kirkus Reviews

"A delicious mystery as richly constructed as the layers of a buttery pastry. Wine, enchiladas, and song make for a gourmet treat in the coziest town in Montana!"—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries

"Leslie is a fellow foodie who loves a good mystery and it shows in this delightful tale!"—Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries

"Music, food, scenery, and a cast of appealing characters weave together in perfect harmony in Leslie Budewitz's latest book."—Sheila Connolly, author of the Orchard Mysteries and the County Cork Mysteries

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781958384190
Publisher:	Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication date:	11/09/2021
Series:	Food Lovers' Village Series , #5
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

Three-time Agatha Award-winning author Leslie Budewitz is passionate about food, great mysteries, and her native Montana, the setting for her national-bestselling Food Lovers' Village Mysteries. She also writes the Spice Shop Mysteries, set in Seattle's Pike Place Market. As Alicia Beckman, she's the author of stand-alone suspense, beginning with Bitterroot Lake (2021). Visit her online at www.LeslieBudewitz.com, where you can find maps of the village and surrounding area, recipes, and more.

Editorial Reviews

04/30/2018
In Agatha Award–winner Budewitz’s inviting fifth Food Lovers’ Village mystery (after 2017’s Treble at the Jam Fest), Merrily Thornton returns home to Jewel Bay, Mont., after a nearly two-decade absence, which included a short stint in prison for pleading guilty to embezzlement from Sally Grimes’s children’s shop, where she worked part-time in high school. With the exception of her mother, most of the townsfolk welcome Merrily back; she’s even hired to help with the books at her school chum Greg Taylor’s building supply store. But when the store’s bank deposit comes up short and a stash of cash is found in Merrily’s desk drawer, it appears she hasn’t learned her lesson. When she’s found murdered, it looks as if someone decided to teach her one. Erin Murphy, the manager of Murphy’s Glacier Mercantile, takes time to investigate, even though her greatly anticipated Christmas Eve wedding to Adam Zimmerman is just three weeks away. Clean-as-a-whistle dialogue, endearing characters, and a solid plot make this cozy a winner. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"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

Praise for the Food Lovers' Village Mysteries:

"A lighthearted and amusing story with the added bonus of several yummy recipes."—Mystery Scene

"Treble at the Jam Fest has all the necessary elements to satisfy cozy mystery lovers: likeable, believable characters, a fast-moving plot, and a logical ending. Great fun!"—Suspense Magazine

"A pleasing read with a thoughtful heroine, a plethora of red herrings, and some foodie tips."—Kirkus Reviews

"A delicious mystery as richly constructed as the layers of a buttery pastry. Wine, enchiladas, and song make for a gourmet treat in the coziest town in Montana!"—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries

"Leslie is a fellow foodie who loves a good mystery and it shows in this delightful tale!"—Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries

"Music, food, scenery, and a cast of appealing characters weave together in perfect harmony in Leslie Budewitz's latest book."—Sheila Connolly, author of the Orchard Mysteries and the County Cork Mysteries

From the Publisher

2018-04-16
A Montana shop owner copes handily with all the challenges of the holiday season.Jewel Bay has escaped the irrelevance that plagues many rural towns in America's heartland by creating a rustic shoppers' paradise in its picturesque center. And the spirit of cooperation among the crafters and artisans who run the local shops is never stronger than during the Christmas season, when shopkeepers help each other decorate their doors and self-appointed elves string lights and decorate the streets in between. So it's not surprising that Erin Murphy (Treble at the Jam Fest, 2017, etc.), owner of the venerable Murphy's Glacier Mercantile, has chosen Christmas Eve for her upcoming wedding to longtime beau Adam Zimmerman. But the season's shine dims when Merrily, the black sheep of the Thornton clan, returns hoping to make a fresh start. Her parents, Walt and Taya, have other ideas and tell their daughter to get lost. Erin tries to befriend the dejected Merrily and feels rebuffed when she fails to turn up at Erin's annual cookie exchange. But Merrily isn't snubbing Erin. She's dead, as her childhood friend Greg Taylor learns when he finds her corpse at an old schoolhouse on her parents' property. Busy as she is, Erin can't help nosing around to figure out what Grinch would spoil the spirit of the season by strangling a repentant sinner with a string of holiday lights.Budewitz's finely drawn characters, sharp ear for dialogue, and well-paced puzzle make Jewel Bay a destination for every cozy fan.

Kirkus Reviews