Source: Publisher
Description: It’s late spring in Juliet's charming hamlet, Ashland, Oregon. Spotted deer are nibbling on lush green grasses in Lithia Park, the Japanese maples are blooming, and Torte is baking a bevy of spring delights—lemon curd cupcakes, mini coconut cream pies, grapefruit tartlets, and chocolate dipped almond Tuiles.
Meanwhile, her friend Lance, the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is taking center stage with his new theater troupe—the Fair Verona Players. Their performance in Uva's vineyard promises to be a modern, gender-bending twist on "The Taming of the Shrew," but as the curtain rises, so do the strange occurrences. Stage mishaps and internal bickering threaten to derail the production. But as the curtain rises, the real show begins when the leading actor, Jimmy Paxton, meets his final curtain call. Now, Jules is not only in the mix, but she's going to need to craft the perfect recipe for solving this theatrical whodunit.
Genre: Mystery - Cozy
Why I Picked This Book: This is one of my absolute favorite series!
My Impression: I love this series and this was a fun one! Jules is busy with her team at Torte cooking up yummy spring treats and coffee blends. As well, they've added in new vineyard performances at the winery - Uva. I've always loved when the Sharkepeare Festival actors and politics get invovled with the mystery but this might be even better as Jules isn't going to the festival - the festival is going to her. The play in the vineyard sounds super fun and the food and treats sound amazing. I'm pretty sure that if the Torte bakery really existed I would make the cross country trip to Oregon just to get one of Andy's creations and eat lunch (and dessert - LOTS of dessert) at Torte.
But not only is there drama both on and off the stage and the side characters that I've come to love as the series has developped but there's also a murder! The victim spends all their page time just begging to be murdered and it doesn't take long before they get their wish. Suspects and motives abound and I absolutely loved following along with the investigation as it unraveled. I'm pretty sure Lance is my favorite Sleuth-assistant in all of cozy mystery land.
I did notice that while the reviews on Goodreads were mostly glowing there were a few meh reviews from people who were new to the series. While I thoroughly enjoyed this one it doesn't sound like it works as a true stand alone. That said I have enjoyed every single book in this series so even if you are going to start at the beginning you are in for a treat. And I recommend having a treat nearby as you read because the food descriptions of Jules' baking are fantastic.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! I have read pretty much everything this author has written and enjoyed all of her books.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy cozy mysteries I would highly recommend this series though I don't know that I would recommend jumping in here as there are a lot of relationships and characters to figure out.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy cozy mysteries I would highly recommend this series though I don't know that I would recommend jumping in here as there are a lot of relationships and characters to figure out.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
This does sound like a fun one. And the title totally made me laugh. Ellie Alexander sounds like an author I need to check out.
ReplyDeleteSounds good. And I think to fully appreciate a series like this reading from the beginning builds that community feeling with the reader. Therefore someone who just picks one up somewhere may enjoy it but not as much as someone who loves the characters as they build.
ReplyDeleteAnother series I want to read.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a fun series! I am glad you continue to enjoy it, Katherine.
ReplyDelete