A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery, No 2
Virginia Lowell
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2011/ 978-0-425-24501-9
Mystery/Cozy
Amazon
Reviewed
by Laura Hinds
Olivia Greyson and Maddie
Briggs, best friends since they were children, run The Gingerbread
House cookie shop, specializing in rare cookie cutters as well as
the sugary treats themselves. Right next door, rival Charlene Critch
owns The Vegetable Plate. Naturally, The Vegetable Plate features
healthy foods, but owner Charlene takes things too far in her hatred
of all things sugar.
One morning,
Livvie finds the front lawn of her shop littered with balls of white
paper that say "Sugar Kills." She·s convinced they
are Charlene's handiwork, but when she looks over at The Vegetable
Plate, she notices an upstairs light go on and off. Rushing over
with the intent of confronting her neighbor, she discovers the front
door unlocked and the shop trashed. The intruder is still in the
building, but races out the back so that Livvie only sees him from
behind, and cannot identify him.
The story picks
up the pace from there, and before long, Charlene's ex-husband,
Geoffrey King, is stabbed to death. To make matters worse, Livvie·s
brother Jason confesses to the crime. Everyone knows Jason isn't
a killer and Livvie and her mother both believe he thinks Charlene
is the killer and he's taking the blame to protect her. Livvie makes
it her mission to clear her brother·s name, while not interfering
too directly in the police investigation. After all, she·s
becoming romantically involved with Sherriff Del Jenkins and she
doesn't want to get in hot water with him!
Set in small town Chatterley
Heights, Lowell provides the reader with detailed descriptions of
the old-fashioned Queen Ann house that Livvie works and lives in,
as well as the other buildings around town. She makes ample use
of small town gossip, as well as small town secrets kept for ages,
but brings the reader into the story with both scenarios being carefully
crafted.
The characters'
personalities shine through clearly, although I must admit that
a time or two, I felt the urge to shake a couple of them - most
notably Jason, Livvie·s brother. His false confession didn·t
ring true for a minute and his behavior was that of a lovesick teenager
rather than an adult man.
This book is
for cozy lovers, cookie lovers, and fans of amateur sleuths. There·s
a solid mystery, good backdrop, a touch of romance and even some
humor. I was disappointed that there were not any recipes included
though. If you like Joanne Fluke's Cookie Shop Mystery series, you·ll
like this series as well.
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