The second delectable Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery from the national bestselling author of Éclair and Present Danger. Baker Winnie Johnson does her best work when the heat is on. As owner of the Emergency Dessert Squad, she has a deft touch in the kitchen and a soft spot for lost causes. So when her business professor beau, Jay Morgan, expresses misgivings over having to fail one of his … having to fail one of his fourth-year students, Winnie cooks up a sweet solution.
She’ll offer an extra credit opportunity in exchange for a little help with her growing business. But when her protégé’s first dessert delivery poisons a student journalist, the publicity threatens to burn Winnie’s business to a crisp. Now the entrepreneur-turned-detective must uncover the ingredients behind a recipe for murder before she crumbles under pressure…
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Silence of the Flans is about a murder that threatens to shut down the Emergency Dessert Squad. When one of Winnie Johnson’s desserts is used as a murder weapon to poison a student she must figure out exactly what happened. The continued success of her business depends on it!
The Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series has a most unique concept. Winnie uses a vintage ambulance as a dessert delivering service in what is a wonderfully different cozy setting. I was pulled in from the very beginning and kept thoroughly engaged in the story and it’s cast of multifaceted characters. Winnie is a very determined sleuth, especially since her livelihood depends on her being able to prove that her food isn’t toxic.
The world building and character development is done really well. I love all of the characters, main and supporting. They are written with realism and are believable. I enjoyed getting to know the entire cast. The concept behind the Emergency Dessert Squad is clever and the dessert names are awesome! I applaud the author’s creativity.
I love everything about Silence of the Flans and the Emergency Dessert Squad series.
Winnie’s new Emergency Dessert Squad business has been opened for six weeks, and it is quickly gaining customers. But then the unthinkable happens – someone dies after eating one of Winnie’s desserts. Now the phone has stopped ringing and it looks like Winnie may go out of business. In order to keep her new business running, she needs to find the killer, can she do it?
This series has such a fun premise, and the punny names that Winnie uses for her desserts are a delight. Just as much fun are the characters. They’re a bit unusual for a cozy series, but I appreciate them for that. The plot is strong as well. I saw a few plot points coming, but others caught me by surprise.
When The Emergency Dessert Squad gets an order for the special BlackBerry and Cream Fade No More Crisp there isn’t a message to go with it for the receiver. After Winnie Johnson bakes it and delivers it to college student , Melinda B. Tully, she thinks the order is complete. Not so ! Something has gone horribly wrong, for Melinda dies before she can finish her dessert. Now the finger of blame is being pointed to Winnie as the Police department awaits the Coroner’s report.
This all looks very bad for Winnie as news spreads that her dessert poisoned someone. For six weeks her new business has been doing very good as word of mouth brings more orders for her special delivery desserts all over the community of Silver Lake Ohio. Now Winnie finds herself to be a number one murder suspect and her new business is defunct.
To make matters worse her budding romance with college professor Jay Morgan is put on hold as he begins to avoid Winnie and stop returning her calls. Is this the end for the Emergency Dessert Squad and will Winnie be charged for a murder she didn’t commit?
My heart broke for Winnie. She has tried so hard to make her new business venture be a success. Then she gets wrapped up in this murder and her new business goes down the drain. I felt that Jay needed a good swift kick in the behind. Even I, as a reader felt her feelings of hurt and betrayal by Jay and the town’s citizens. But I loved how Winnie faught to clear her good name and save her business. I will say this story grabbed me in at the beginning and kept me in till the last page.
I recommend this book to readers of Cozy Mysteries. It’s part of a three book series and since characters are carried over from book one I feel they should be read in order to enhance your reading experience.
I borrowed a copy from the digital library. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.