If you are looking for a cozy mystery series, you really don’t need to look any further than Ellie Alexander! In my mind there are few better than Alexander when it comes to small town mysteries featuring food. She has such a talent for writing interesting characters and readers will surly get a feel for life in Ashland Oregon!
As an Oregonian myself it’s so great to see cities and towns in books that I am familiar with! I love supporting local authors and Alexander is no exception. I have read a few of the books in this series as well as her other series featuring Sloan Krause. Alexander live in the PacNW and clearly has a lot of love for our area and I simply adore how this series is set in Ashland as I have visited there a few times and find that it’s uniqueness shines under Alexander’s pen!
I have jumped around in this series and have not felt too lost or disconnected from the characters or larger storyline so if you are worried about jumping around, I think you will find yourself right at home after a few pages. Naturally there are established relationships and history within the larger narrative, but I think Alexander does a good job orientating readers in the story and I see no reason for that to stop at this point in the series. If you are a cozy fan you will no doubt know who Ellie Alexander is and if you haven’t tried one of her books, the Bake Shop Mysteries are a wonderful place to start!
Summary
When a barista competition comes to town, Torte’s favorite pastry chef finds herself sleuthing once again–in the next installment of Ellie Alexander’s beloved Bakeshop Mystery Series, Mocha, She Wrote!
Summer has ushered in a new season in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon. Torte is bustling with tourists taking in star-drenched shows at the Elizabethan, setting out to hike in the surrounding Siskiyou Mountains, and sampling the bakeshop’s summer lineup of raspberry lemon tarts and mint mojito cold brews. Jules and the team are buzzing with excitement when they learn that Andy, Torte’s head barista, has been selected to compete in the West Coast Barista Cup.
The prestigious competition draws coffee aficionados from up and down the coast to Ashland. The winner will not only claim to be best-in-brew, but also be awarded a hefty cash prize. Andy’s nervous about his chances, but Jules is confident that her star barista will shine. However, things take a grim turn when head judge Benson Vargas spits out Andy’s first offering, claiming it to be the worst thing to ever touch his lips–and hours later, is found dead clutching Andy’s creamy latte. Suddenly Torte’s favorite barista becomes the number one suspect. There’s no roast for the weary. Jules will have to sleuth out whodunit to clear Andy’s name and catch a killer before she ends up with one foot in the grounds (summary from Goodreads)
About the Author
Ellie Alexander, author of the Bakeshop Mystery Series (St. Martin’s Press), is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.
The 11th book in her Bakeshop Mysteries, NOTHING BUNDT TROUBLE, released on June 30th, and will be followed by the 4th book in her Sloan Krause Mysteries set in Leavenworth, WA, WITHOUT A BREW, in October.
Find out more about Ellie and her books by visiting her website at: http://www.elliealexander.co/ or following her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexand…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexa…
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexande…
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