Customer Reviews

The Gingerbread Bump-Off: A Fresh-Baked Mystery

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This is the latest of Livia Washburn's "Fresh-Baked Mysteries," and it's another winner. Pretty soon, Phyllis Newsom is going to have to quit thinking about entering baking contests, though. Too many people get killed when she does.

This time the victim is Georgia Hallerbee, who persuades Phyllis (at the last minute) to include her home on the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour. Phyllis reluctantly agrees, but her home's not on the tour, after all, since someone clobbers Georgia with a ceramic gingerbread man on Phyllis' front porch.

Phyllis finds herself being drawn into the investigation of the crime, much to the chagrin of a local cop who thinks Phyllis would be a lot better off in the kitchen. Phyllis doesn't like his attitude, and neither does her friend Sam, but they both realize that Phyllis isn't a law-enforcment officer, after all. That cop does seem rude, however.

As usual, Washburn manages to make everybody involved seem to be a likely suspect, and when Phyllis works everything out, she discovers . . . well, that's something I won't reveal. There's a good bit of humor in the book, too, and when I read the "get off the lawn" joke, I knew this book would entertain me all the way. And there's more: the recipes will make your mouth water, for sure. Definitely a cozy to read during the holidays or any other time, too.

With Christmas a few days away, Phyllis Newsom is busier than usual because her close friend and tenant (in her home) Eve Turner is marrying to a man she met on Facebook. Phyllis hosts the Christmas Eve bridal shower, bakes for the New Year's Eve wedding and has her house featured in the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour of Homes. Because she can't say no to her buddy, she and her only male friend Sam Fletcher scramble with baking holiday treats especially a gingerbread couple as Mr. and Mrs. Klaus.

On the night of the Home Tour, Phyllis hears something break so she goes to look. An unknown culprit took one of the gingerbread displays and cracked it on the skull of Georgia; placing the woman in a coma until she dies. Eve expects Phyllis to investigate as the baker has solved murder cases before (see The Pumpkin Muffin Murder). Once again unable to refuse, Phyllis begins to look into the homicide that has the police baffled while she also asks Sam to help her.

The latest Fresh-Baked Mysteries contains energetic senior citizens working the case, baking the treats, and hosting the tour and wedding. This character driven amateur sleuth is fun to follow as everyday people like Phyllis attempt extraordinary activities. Although she should have just said no, Phyllis questions various people before putting the recipe for murder together in entertaining whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

I received this book as a promotion contest. I read it right away, it sounded like a good cozy mystery. ....and it was. There were no cussing, swearing or sex scenes. The love interest was just that, an interest. Retired school teachers renters and murder on the front porch make for a good read. I liked the book and wish I could find more like it. I gave it 4 stars, because this is my first review and I don't know what makes a 5 star book. Not having the bad words and sex scenes makes a 5 star in my book. I recommend this book as a good cozy mystery to anyone that likes cozy mysteries.

I have found Livia Washburn to be a favorite author now. Her mysteries are very enjoyable reads. I am looking forward to reading more of her books. Great Brain Candy.

Christmas comes to Weatherford along with the annual Jingle Bell Tour. One of the participants has to drop out for health reasons and Phyllis agrees to have her house be a last minute substitute, even though she already has her hands full planning her friend and tenant Eve's bridal shower and wedding.

After a trip to purchase a more holiday lights and decorations and with the help of her friends and neighbors she has the house ready in plenty of time for the big event. With the tour ready to start in just minutes, Phyllis hears a crash on her front porch. She opens the door she finds Georgia Hallerbee, her friend and coordinator of the Jingle Bell Tour unconscious. Someone had used one of her decorations as a weapon to hit Georgia over the head.

Phyllis quickly transfers herself from hostess mode into detective mode and sets out to find the person responsible for this holiday tragedy.

Dollycas Thoughts
What's a holiday without a little murder in Weatherford? Poor Phyllis seems jinxed by these incidents but she takes them all in stride. With her gentleman friend Sam, they are off to solve another mystery. Love it!!

Livia J. Washburn is a wonderful storyteller and I love the adventures she takes us on with her characters. They are exciting and this one had quite a complicated plot with plenty of suspects. Plus there is never a lack of humor in these stories. They dialogue between the characters can have you in stitches. Poor Sam in the house with these three women, never a dull moment even without the bodies turning up. The back story of Eve and Roy adds a little intrigue as well. That story going forward could prove quite interesting since Eve is known for her many marriages.

This installment is a real holiday treat.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."