I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. While the fifth book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. This is such a fun series to enjoy (be forewarned, it will make you wish for lots and lots of doughnuts!). Emily Westhill and her father-in-law own and operate the town’s amazing doughnut shop, named after her cat, Deputy Doughnut (Dep for short). The widow of a police officer, Emily focuses on her business and her friends, while supporting all the unique events in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. This time, it’s the annual ‘Faker’s Dozen Carnival’, celebrating Friday, 13th. When she and her assistant, Nina, arrive at the carnival, they’re greeted by the obnoxious organizer, Marsha Fitchelder, making it difficult to unload everything for their food stall. Working it all out, Emily and Nina are present when a mime mimics Marsha’s officiousness and then leaves. Finding a giant bucket of their powdered sugar missing during all the confusion, Emily is dismayed to later find it covering the head of the mime while in Nina’s apartment. With Nina as the prime suspect, Emily looks to Nina’s past and how it intersects with her present to ensure Nina has a future!

A weekend town celebration turns deadly with a con artist magician and a shady mime on the loose. Emily's friend and co-worker Nina is caught in the middle of a murder investigation when the mine turns up dead in Nina's apartment. Now, Emily must solve the case before a murderer escapes and her friend's life is ruined!

I'm a Deputy Donut fan! This mystery had more layers than the previous books and that made it more difficult to figure out "whodunit" and that's the best kind of mystery! Emily desperately tries to keep Nina from going to jail but Nina has secrets she refuses to share. I loved Emily's persistence and determination to help her friend. As always, the descriptions of the donuts made me crave them! Mystery and donuts - can't beat that combo!

I'm looking forward to the next book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a great addition to the series! The mystery was fun, we learned the background on Nina and DCI Kim G., Em’s finally realised something important, and those donut descriptions had my mouth watering. And the corn fritter recipes! I could not have asked for more. For now at least. I really cannot wait to see what happens next book.

This is a very fun and engaging book. The characters are realistic and very likable. The plot was a bit tricky but clever. I devoured this book. It is the first one I have read by this author and I loved it. I will definitely be reading more. This one is a must read.

With every book in this series, I’m finding it to be one of my favorites.
It’s time for the country fair and Emily is looking forward to all the fun and excitement the fair will bring.
Cooking up her mouthwatering corny fritters makes Emily happy, but unfortunately a weird mime and a con artist magician attempt to spoil the festivities.
There’s so much fun in this story and it made me look forward to going to a fair.

Beyond a Reasonable Donut is the fifth installment in the A Deputy Donut Mystery Book set in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin and featuring donut maker, Emily Westhill and her cat Dep. It's time for the annual Faker's Dozen Carnival to celebrate Friday the thirteenth and Emily (along with her assistant Nina) has rented a booth in order to dish up fritters and her other tasty treats. Arrival at the fair gets off to a rough start thanks to event organizer Marsha Fitchelder who won't let the duo through the gates with their car in order to unload the last minute supplies. But, Marsha seems to be giving everyone a hard time including a cute mime who gets into a "non-verbal" argument regarding parking outside of the gate. In the midst of all the confusion a big bucket of powdered sugar goes missing - did Emily and Nina misplace it or did someone steal it when they weren't looking?

The day seems to smooth out until the mime accompanied by a magician cause a diversion which allows the magician the opportunity to steal money from Emily's cash drawer. Irritated, Nina goes running after the duo but is unable to catch up with them. Later that evening after dropping her friend off at her loft apartment, Emily discovers that Nina left her purse in the car and won't have her keys so she turns around to go back. Nina's door is open so Emily makes her way up the flight of stairs only to discover the body of the mime lying on the floor in front of a large painting and their head stuffed inside the missing powdered sugar bucket.

Fingers are quick to point at Nina as the killer since she was heard threatening the mime at the carnival. Deep down Emily knows that her employee isn't a killer but Nina is definitely hiding something so Emily joins forces with Detective Brent Fyne to pin down the real culprit.

A twisting, turning plot filled with delicious treats, recipes and past secrets. The return of series regulars and a furry companion. In addition to preparing for the upcoming wedding of Emily's best friends Samantha and Hooligan, things are heating up a little bit for Emily too.

I received an advanced copy of Beyond a Reasonable Donut from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

Beyond a Reasonable Donut by Ginger Bolton (A Deputy Donut Mystery #5) 4 stars

This follows last years "Boston Scream Murder". To set the scene, Emily, co-owner of Deputy Donut and her assistant Nina have arrived at the "Fakers Dozen Carnival" to sell their sweets. In the midst of the event, they see a mime and a magician - those two are not what they see, - the magician is a petty thief and the mime, a possible accomplice. Later that evening, Emily and Nina discover the mime in Nina's apartment dying from breathing in powdered sugar that went missing from their supplies for the carnival. Nina is a prime suspect since the mime was vandalizing her painting and she was heard threatening the mime at the carnival. Emily needs to solve this mystery to save Nina from jail.

This was an interesting mystery that was a little slow at times, but turned exciting towards the end. Emily was hampered somewhat by the secrets Nina kept about her identity. Emily appears to still have problems dealing with her feelings over her husband's death and her relationship with her husband's friend and partner, Brent. The fact that her friends are getting married brings this aspect of the series to the fore. Notwithstanding the stalling relationship, I look forward to the next Deputy Donut mystery.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!

I have enjoyed this series from the beginning. I like the interactions between the characters and their relationships are well developed. I'm not sure why this one felt like it dragged in the middle for me, there was action going on but it felt like it was going nowhere. For me this was the weakest of the series so far. I was surprised at the motive and felt it weak at best. The fact that the writing is entertaining rescued the book for me.

Such a fun series even if it ends up causing me to crave doughnuts! An interesting addition to the series focused on Nina and her background and wrapped around a Friday the 13th festival. Well written, colorful characters, and a mystery that keeps you reading.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Books.


I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Its carnival time and Emily is making her delicious corn fritters for the Friday 113th festival But soon all goes wrong when the bucket of confectionary sugar disappears, then a mime distracted them leading to the cash register being robbed by a magician.

Things get worse after the festival when a painting is vandalized at Nina’s loft by the powdered sugar and the bucket is on the head of the mime who been suffocated. The police think that each was involved in the mess as the two will have to work together to save each other from a sticky situation

The big day is looming when Samantha and Hooligan will marry. But before that, the town has to get through their Fakers Dozen Carnival to celebrate Friday the 13th and Deputy Donut has a presence. While Emily and Nina are working the booth at the carnival a magician and a mime create a diversion and rob the till. The ladies make it through the rest of the day, but life has more in store for them. First it’s when the Mime is found in Nina’s apartment with a bucket of sugar that was stolen from their tent over her head. Then it seems that Nina is really the target, but she is arrested for the murder of the mime.

Secrets abound, some are discovered and others go deeper, but Emily is determined that Samantha and Hooligan’s wedding stays on track without any curveballs while also proving Nina’s innocence. But that’s what friends do and Emily is the best kind of friend to have in your corner.

A fun cozy series that balances fun with a solid mystery full of red herrings and the cutest kitty. Another one of my must read series, which seems to grow longer each month.

This series is becoming a favorite and this latest installment just adds to it. A fair, a magician, a mime, and murder are the perfect ingredients for this delicious and decadent read. Full of twists, little side plots, and characters that the reader has come to love this book just gives and gives. I can’t wait for the next installment!