A Holland Reads: Cinnamon Toasted by Gail Oust

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Published: December 15, 2015

Number of pages: 320

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Spice Shop Mystery #3

Synopsis:

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Case in point: Piper Prescott’s former mother-in-law Melly. Beneath her twin sets and pearls beats the heart of a geek—a geek whose programming changes for the point-of-sale software in Piper’s shop have the owners of the program ready to make her an offer she can’t refuse. “Trusty” Rusty Tulley and Chip Balboa swing by Brandywine Creek—just in time for the town’s annual Oktoberfest, which has cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom flying off Piper’s shelves in record numbers. News spreads faster than a text message, and Melly is the toast of the town.

But it isn’t long before Melly’s status changes to public enemy number one when Chip’s body is found at the foot of her basement stairs. Questions start to pile up when handsome police chief Wyatt McBride arrives on the scene and the coroner sets the time of death for the previous evening. McBride wants to know why it took Melly so long to report the incident—especially after she admits to arguing with Chip about the contract he wanted her to sign. Piper knows Melly would never hurt a fly, so she enlists the help of her BFF Reba Mae to clear her name—but can they find the real killer before Melly gets sent away for good? A mouth-watering entry in Gail Oust’s delicious Spice Shop series, Cinnamon Toasted is sure to delight cozy fans of all stripes.

What did I think of this book:

This is the second book I have read by this author and I am glad I got the chance to continue on with this series. Somehow I missed the second book in the series so I will have to go back and read it. As with most of the cozies I read I love how they make each series a different theme and I enjoy reading about spices in this series and learning more about them in each book. The things that Piper and her BFF Reba get into will make you chuckle.I also like how Piper gets along with her ex mother in law. The writing style of this author is good and the story line will keep you turning the pages just as fast as you can read them. I feel with this book the characters have become a little more developed and are coming into their own even more. I was kept in suspense right up to the last part of the book which for me makes a good mystery. I am looking forward to seeing what this author has to offer us next.

About the author:

Friends often accuse Gail Oust of flunking retirement. While working as a nurse/vascular technologist, Gail penned nine historical romances under the pseudonym Elizabeth Turner for Avon, Pocket, Berkley, and Kensington. It wasn’t until she and her husband retired to South Carolina that inspiration struck for a mystery. Hearing the words, “maybe it’s a dead body,” while golfing with friends fired her imagination for the Bunco Babe Mystery series originally published by NAL. In conjunction with Beyond the Page Publishing, the Bunco Babe series has been republished in digital format as the Kate McCall Mysteries complete with new titles and a whole new look. Gail is currently writing the Spice Shop Mysteries for Minotaur/St. Martin’s. When she isn’t reading, writing, or sleeping, she can usually be found on the golf course or hanging out with friends.

Author Links
Links: www.gailoust.com, Gail Oust Author on Facebook, and Goodreads.

Purchase Links
Amazon