Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander

Romance, weddings, crimes are happening in Ashland, Oregon. Julie Capshaw isn’t sure if she can handle them all.

Lovely book. I enjoyed it. It had a bit of everything: food, mystery, and family relationships. Don’t miss out. Get a copy now. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

One thing I worried about as The Bakeshop series has continued was the expanding cast of regular characters. We’ve gone from a comfortable eight or so people to fifteen or so regular side characters. It can be a little hard to keep track of, but this latest installment has been a tribute to some of those side characters, it seemed. We get a lot more info on Kerry and Steph as character, and it’s been so wonderful to see them fleshed out after so many books. I can’t wait to see more of these characters become more familiar and closer to me as a reader.

Jules and her staff at Torte are an eclectic group with some even more eclectic friends. They are planning a big wedding for Kerry and Thomas. But Kerry’s father comes to town to crash the wedding. Unfortunately he becomes the prime suspect in a murder. Kerry asks Jules to help prove him innocent. This story has a small university town setting with many interesting places in it. Jules owns a bakery./ restaurant with her mother. There are many suspects but I certainly didn’t anticipate the actual one. An enjoyable read.

This is the 15th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series, and the first one I read. I know, I did it wrong, but I loved this book nonetheless. There’s a perfect balance of baked goods, tight-knit community, and murder. Jules is a smart and capable woman, and I loved watching her solve the mystery.

Ellie Alexander continues her Bakeshop Mysteries with Donut Disturb. This story opens with the wedding of Thomas and Kerry drawing nearer and adding to the normal pre-wedding jitters and tensions, Kerry's father, who has a criminal past, shows up in Ashland to celebrate her happiness. Because Kerry is aware that he is supposed to be serving time in prison, she seeks out Juliet's advice on how to approach the situation. Luckily, it is soon discovered that he has been released early and is not on the run. Unfortunately, a man that he had an argument with is found murdered the morning of Thomas and Kerry's wedding. The townspeople agree to not allow this event to mar the day for the couple and the wedding goes off without any additional issues. However, just before leaving on the honeymoon, Kerry asks Juliet to help with the investigation since both she and Thomas will be gone and the Professor will be short-staffed .

The author has done an excellent job of maintaining consistency throughout this entire series with regard to the cast of characters while still making each story new and interesting. The plot twists that are incorporated allow the reader to form their own opinion as to the motive and perpetrator of this crime without telegraphing the real identity too early in the storyline. I truly hope that the author continues to add to this series as I believe that Juliet, Carlos and the gang at Torte have many more stories to tell especially as the relationships continue to develop, deepen and strengthen.

I received an advance copy of this book for free from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and am voluntarily leaving this review.

Let's start out by saying the cover is really cute and I just love the title of these cozy mysteries, they are so clever.
I have enjoyed the books I've read in the Bakeshop Mystery series.
Lithia Park has great reason to celebrate, today is a very special day. Preparations are under way as we wait for Thomas and Kerry's wedding. Guests have the tantalizing scent of vanilla in the air as they sit on blankets at the park in front of the bandshell awaiting the big moment. Torte is catering the event of the year for Kerry and her groom to be , Detective in training, Thomas.
Wouldn't you know it, a wedding crasher shows up, her estranged father. He's supposed to be in Jail, so why is he there. Kerry doesn't want any trouble from him but when a member of the wedding band is found murdered is it her father who just can't seem to stay out of trouble?
I enjoyed this cozy mystery and it kept me guessing right to the end.

Pub date 28 June 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed are my own.

I have enjoyed the books I’ve read in the Bakeshop Mystery series so that I’ve bought all of them! This 15th book in the series kept me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed and I loved spending time with the people in Ashland, Oregon. The descriptions of the food will have your stomach growling. While I think it’s better to read the books in order, this one has enough action to catch your attention and keep you invested in the story. I believe I’ll put Ashland, Oregon on my list of cities to visit (since it’s a real place!). Can’t wait for the next adventure with Juliet, Lance, the Professor, and the rest of the people in this delightful town.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Donut Disturb: A Bakeshop Mystery
By Ellie Alexander
St. Martin’s Paperback
June 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

The town of Ashland, Oregon is thrilled to be ushering in the spring season with the wedding between Ashland Police Detectives Thomas Adams and Kerry Crosby. For the reception, Torte owner Juliet Montague Capshaw and her staff of baking a donut-themed wedding cake, a donut-shaped groom’s cake, and specialty donuts for the guests’ picnic baskets. Kerry comes to Jules with a particular bridal wish though; keep an eye out for Jamie Crosby, the father whom Kerry last knew to be in prison and as far as she knew, should still be there. Kerry has spotted him in their Shakespearean-centric town, and she worries that he will force her to reveal a shameful history she thought she had put behind her. Nothing stays a secret long in their small theatrical though, so when the bassist for the wedding’s planned musical trio is found dead the logical suspect is the convicted armed bank robber just out of prison.

Juliet and her friends plan to hide the death of the Heart String’s musician until the married couple depart for their honeymoon cruise, but they should have known better than to try to fool a pair of observant, professional detectives. Despite the failure of the Donut Ruin Her Wedding Day mission, Kerry and Thomas are able to depart, leaving the investigation in the very capable hands of the detective who also happens to be Juliet’s stepfather. That doesn’t mean that Kerry won’t also ask for Juliet’s assistance, who along with her friends have proven themselves to be alarmingly effective amateur detectives. So when she’s not creating absolutely mouth-watering cakes and pastries in her kitchen, Juliet investigates the remaining members of Heart Strings, a judge who may have violated her oaths and threatened the victim, and the bride’s ex-con father found holding bass strings while standing over the bassist’s body.

This 15th in the series welcomes readers back into the charming town of Ashland, Oregon, where the Oregon Shakespeare Festival theatre campus is the inspiration for the entire town. Attracting both tourists and new residents due its artistic community, Ashland appeals to those who are quirky, unique, and theatrical. Artistic director and Juliet’s best friend Lance Rousseau is enjoyably exuberant throughout their investigation, providing a surfeit of information from his connections and lack of filter when interrogating suspects. Since Juliet has made her staff and friends a part of her family, she is determined to solve the murder before Thomas and Kerry return and begin their new lives together. To calm her anxiety over the investigation Juliet retreats to the kitchen, where readers are able to luxuriate in the details of her butter-filled, intricate, sugary creations. Now that her husband Carlos has given up his career as a celebrated cruise chef and fully embraced life in Ashland, Juliet is ready to take the next step in building a family together. The possibility of Juliet, Carlos, and her parents taking a trip together to Europe opens up even more adventures, but this series is always at its best when it explores Ashland’s love of Shakespeare, the performing artists, and the wonderful creations of Juliet and her talented staff.

Always a favorite series of mine, I particularly enjoyed this latest book. The sense of family, be it blood relatives, friends, community, and the possibility to grow that family are a real theme in this book, involving Jules, Stephanie, Kelly, Thomas, the Professor and so many more, making it a joy to read. I also liked it when Jules admits to herself that just calling the police in the future when something is shady may be a good move, as her seemingly inability to do just that is the only thing that irritates me a bit sometimes….but I guess if the character did that then there’d be no book! As always the food descriptions are wonderful, we could all use a Torte bakery in our lives.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a mouthwatering advance copy,

This was a fun book to read. Now I am ready to read the rest of the series. Warning though donut (lol) read this book on an empty stomach. This book kept me wanting to eat or try new recipes. I did enjoy the mystery and the story that went along with this cozy read. The characters all seemed like someone I would like to know or someone you may already know in a small community. The reason I gave it 4 stars is that at the end it seemed that a couple of stories seemed to appear that I did not see coming but they might be part of the larger series that I was not aware of.

Definitely read this if you are into cozy mysteries, especially ones that involve food that sounds delicious.

Thank you St. Martins Press for this gifted eARC.

I loved this fun cozy mystery! It takes place as two of Ashland’s finest, Thomas and Kerry, are about to get married. Unfortunately, Kerry’s estranged dad shows up, just released from prison, and he’s found near a dead body. Juliet has to find the murderer before the wedding can be ruined. The book has great characters and an excellent plot, and the descriptions of the food will make you hungry! 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

It's Springtime in Ashland, Oregon and love is in the air. Local police officers, Kerry and Thomas are tying the knot. They've chosen to have the ceremony in the beautiful Lithia Park. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and Jules and the crew at Torte are making all the yummy goodies for the reception. Absolutely nothing is getting in the way of Kerry's and Thomas's happiness. Well, nothing other than Kerry's estranged criminal father showing up and Jules discovering a body under the bandstand...

Excellent addition to this series. I love Jules and her Torte crew. The mystery definitely kept me guessing until the end. So many interesting twists and turns and red herrings. And the recipes mentioned throughout the book sound sooo delicious. Especially the Chocolate Cherry Torte.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop series is new to me, but this book makes me want to read the previous one’s. Jules, the owner of Torte Bakeshop (a place I wish I had in my town), is a great leading character. The small town in Oregon is perfect for a cozy mystery, and I loved the food that was a great part of the story. Definitely recommend!

Cute mystery story. Keeps the reader engaged. Owner of bakery torte seems to get herself involved in every aspect of the community. Helping to get a wedding put together she discovers a body and is determined to help figure out who killed this person and why.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Readers arrive back in Ashland, Oregon just in time for Kerry and Thomas’s wedding that is set to take place in the beautiful Lithia Park. Jules and the crew at Torte are catering the event with picnic lunches the guests will enjoy on blankets in front of the bandshell, and a 3 piece band has been hired to play the music.

All the plans are set and everyone is excited but Kerry has seen her estranged father near the park. Thinking he has escaped prison she asks Jules to help her quietly catch the man and get him back where he belongs before he ruins her big day. When Kerry learns he had actually been released she gets nervous he will want to actually take part in the wedding.

As Jules concentrates on getting everything in place in the park she discovered one of the band members dead, stabbed with a piece of his own instrument. The entire town rallies to make sure Kerry’s and Thomas’s day will not be ruined by the man’s death. The ceremony will take place, the picnic reception will be held and the bridal couple will leave on their honeymoon as planned. Then The Professor with the assistance of Jules and yes, even Lance will do everything they can to catch the killer before the killer ruins someone else’s day.
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I really enjoy this series mostly because the group that works at Torte is so genuine. They truly are like one big happy family. They care about each other and rally to help wherever they can. This time they all pull together to seamlessly cater Thomas and Kerry’s wedding reception all the while working to be sure the customers of Torte still have their needs filled. After 15 books in this series, these characters are still fresh and continue to grow in each new book. I love that Carlos and Juliet’s relationship is growing stronger every day and that he has really made himself at home in Ashland. It is a true credit to the author that she can create so many wonderful characters that readers continue to love and are engaged by.

Jules has her hands full this time with all the wedding preparations, an upcoming Sunday Supper, keeping up with all the normal daily stuff at Torte before you add a murder investigation to her plate. The two remaining members of the wedding band, Heartstrings, and the arrival of Kerry’s father tangled things up as they each bring their own drama. Plus because they are not residents of Ashland they make pretty good suspects. At times it felt a little bit like the investigation was going in circles but new clues gave some definition to get it back on track and moving forward.

Steph’s parents also arrive in Ashland for her graduation and they were not at all what I or Jules expected.

The setting of Ashland is one of my favorites. Ms. Alexander’s words really set a scene. “Flaxen rolling hills, dense old growth forests, and a bevy of wildlife hedged in on the plaza which resembled an Elizabethian village. Visitors often commented that it looked like every shop and storefront had been plucked straight from the pages of a Shakespearean manuscript.” Springtime there sounds absolutely breathtaking.

Ms. Alexander also takes time to give vivid descriptions of all the fabulous things being baked and served at Torte including Andy’s special coffee drinks, the marvelous wedding cakes, the food being included in the picnic boxes, and more. I am glad you can’t gain weight while reading about food or I would never be able to lift myself out of my chair.

Donut Disturb is a very clever title for this fun and entertaining cozy mystery. Readers are given just a little snippet of what Jules’ future could hold and I am super excited for the 16th book in the series! Muffin But the Truth is set to be released on December 27. I can’t wait to kick off the new year with the latest Bakeshop Mystery.

This is a charming little whodunit mystery. I liked the setting of a small quaint town in Oregon and the cast of characters is wonderful. The story flowed well and kept this reader entertained and engaged. Since this stories main character is a bakery/café owner/chef I really enjoyed all the little nuggets of information about cooking/baking that were sprinkled throughout the story too. A book I would recommend to those that like a more cozy type of murder mystery.

Nothing makes me more sad then when Ellie Alexander's BRAND NEW book comes to an end. All that means, is that I have to wait another SEVERAL months before this woman can grace us with another round of her beautiful work.

I will say, I didn't see the book ending this way. As someone who always tries to figure out the killer, this one stumped me. Bravo, Ellie!

I love how the wedding of Thomas and Carrie was highlighted in the beginning, how Carrie's father was tied in as suspect, how the ending prevailed that so many of these suspects "knew" and were basically working together, and Sunday Supper. Sunday Supper has been one of my favorite additions to this series. Sterling and Steph are two of my favorite characters, so it's always night when they get a special highlight and chapters.

I will be anticipating book 16 & will happily recommend this book and series to anyone with a listening ear.

In the latest installement in the Bakeshop Mystery series, the small town of Ashland, Oregon has come together to organize and ceebrate the wedding of two of the town's beloved citizens. But then the bride's father shows up unannounced, and the bassist of the wedding band is found murdered, and Juliet, owner and operator of bakeshop Torte, must once again put on her amateur detective hat and solve the mystery.

I love this series. The characters are so endearing, it's like a warm hug reading about them again. There is no shortage of suspects or twists and turns, and the solution to the mystery is a surprise that makes sense. The beautiful descriptions of the town make it its own character. I'm always happy to revisit Ashland, and I highly recommend other readers take the trip too.

Love is in bloom in Ashland, Oregon as everyone gathers at Lithia Park for the celebration of the year—Thomas and Kerry’s wedding. Jules and her team at Torte have been tasked with catering the outdoor reception and everything is going according to plan, until a wedding crasher shows up. It’s Kerry’s estranged father who was just released from prison. Kerry is upset. Jules vows to do everything she can to make sure that there are no other surprises on her friend’s big day. But when the bassist for the wedding band is found stabbed with the blunt end of his instrument, Jules will slice through the five-tiered cake and a bevy of potential suspects in order to track down the killer.
This cozy mystery is lots of fun and cake. I love Jules and her bakery filled with her friends, family and sweet treats. The plot was a nice little puzzle that kept me guessing until the end. Reading this story put me in a good mood because of the little touches the author used to describe the setting. I felt that, even though I don’t know the author, that she was a positive, upbeat person through the wording of the novel, and the lasting impression I got in the end. I will definitely read more of this author’s work.

An exciting who done it that keeps you turning pages. The characters are well done and keep things lively. I really enjoyed this story.