Torte—the small-town bakeshop no one can resist—is hosting a midsummer night’s wedding . . . where merry-making and murder are served up in equal measure. Till Death Do Us Tart is Ellie Alexander’s eighth delectable novel in the Bakeshop mystery series.Jules Capshaw has too much on her plate—and she’s feeling the pinch: the whole town of Ashland, Oregon, is in on the surprise Elizabethan-themed … surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding she’s planning for her mom and soon-to-be stepdad. But is her secret scheme half-baked? She’s hiding racks overflowing with sweet treats while Torte is topsy-turvy with a major remodel and the return of Jules’s estranged husband, Carlos. And until now, Jules had no clue about the bitter family feud that has her friend Lance frazzled and suspicious. But when a party crasher takes someone out with a serving of poisoned wine and Jules discovers the deadly cup was intended for her, it’s time to turn the tables on a killer.
The Bakeshop mysteries are:
“Delectable.”—Portland Book Review
“Delicious.”—RT Book Reviews
“Marvelous.”—Fresh Fiction
more
The 9th book in this series just released and I knew I had to get reading – as this is a series I love to read in order. And I did not want to miss Helen and the Professor’s wedding day! I love how much all the characters have grown throughout this series. I also loved Lance and Jules as a detective team. I hope that continues in future books! I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a strong addition to a fun series!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Can you keep a secret? Because Jules is planning a big surprise. A surprise Midsummer’s Night Wedding! Her mom Helen and Doug aka “the Professor” are going to be thrilled with the wedding of their dreams. The whole town is in on the surprise and are excited for the bride and groom. Jules is doing a ton of baking for the big event but she is also dealing with the remodeling project at Torte. She is nervous too because Carlos is flying in for the wedding and bringing his son, Romero, who she has yet to meet. Lance is bringing his own family drama to the nuptials in the form of his brother Leo and his entourage. Lance believes his brother is slowly poisoning their father and he wants Jules help to prove it.
Sadly Lance’s father suspiciously dies before the wedding and then a guest collapses at the reception. It appears her glass of wine contained poison. Poison is a common denominator . . . are the cases connected? When Jules learns the doctored wine was meant for her she makes a vow of her own. Catch the killer before they kill her!
______
I have been looking forward to Helen and Doug’s wedding and thanks to Ms. Alexander’s wonderful descriptive writing style she took me there for every delightful moment. From the dresses to the sparkling lights and the delectable food I was treated to a fabulous event. That is until one actual guest keeled over.
There were quite a few new characters introduced and we learned a lot about an original character. Jules’s feelings about Carlo are still muddled but I loved meeting his son. All the characters new and old are well-developed for their place in the story/series but the author leaves room for them to grow.
The mystery was very well done with plenty of twists. With Jules and Lance in the middle of the investigation you know there is going to be drama and excitment. There were also be some truly funny moments too.
Till Death Do Us Tart has a nice quick pace and cleverly meshed subplots. Life in Jules’ world in never dull. In fact, there was a cliffhanger at the end of the book that had me picking up Live and Let Pie immediately after finishing this one. That review will be coming soon.
In the latest book of the Bakeshop mysteries, Jules’ mom and the Professor are getting married. Jules and the team at Torte are trying to pull off a surprise wedding on the summer solstice. Also, returning in this book are Lance and Carlos with his son, Ramiro. When a woman is killed at the wedding reception, it turns out that Jules was the intended victim. Now she must investigate before someone has the chance to try to kill her. I loved reading about all the changes to Torte coming and am excited for the new Torte. I will be interested to see what happens with Carlos, if he decides to stay in Ashland or go back out to sea. Personally, I would like to see Jules with either Thomas or someone new. I feel like Carlos belongs on the sea and wouldn’t really be happy living in Ashland all the time. Someday, I’d like to visit the real Ashland, Oregon. Love this series and, of course, the recipes!
Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Alexander is the eighth tale in A Bakeshop Mystery series. Jules Capshaw has a lot of on her plate. She is busy planning a surprise wedding for her mother and the Professor. Everyone in Ashland, Oregon is in on the surprise except the couple getting married. The nuptials will take place Uva, the vineyard that Jules now owns shares in along with her estranged husband, Carlos (and the horrible Richard Lord). Carlos will be arriving in Ashland along with his son, Romero in two days. It is a Midsummer Night’s Dream wedding and guests have been asked to wear Elizabethan themed attire. The renovations of Torte are still ongoing. The downstairs will be complete within the week and then they can begin work upstairs. As if that is not enough, Lance returns to town and he has a problem. He believes his brother, Leo is poisoning their father and that someone is following him. He would like to invite Leo and his entourage to the wedding (oh no) as part of his plan. Then Lance’s father passes away under suspicious circumstances and a wedding guest collapses from poisoned wine. That glass of wine, though, was meant for Jules. Are the two cases connected? Murder, mayhem and the makeover of Torte are on the menu in Till Death Do Us Tart.
Return to Ashland, Oregon in the latest A Bakeshop Mystery. While Till Death Do Us Tart is the eighth book in the series, it can be read alone. The author does provide the necessary background details for readers. Till Death Do Us Tart is nicely written and it has a fast pace. Ellie Alexander has a conversational writing style that makes her books easy to read and enjoy. There are many cozy moments with baking, friendship, the vineyard, touring the town and the wedding. Carlos is back in Jules life and the attraction between them in undeniable. Jules is falling back in love with Carlos, but she is not sure if he would be happy in Ashland. While I liked the mystery, I thought it was a cinch to solve. I would have liked a better wrap up of the mystery at the end. I wanted more facts and less assumption. My rating for Till Death Do Us Tart is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Many delectable delights are mentioned in the book. They will have your mouth watering (there are recipes at the end of the book). We are left with a small cliffhanger at the end. Readers will have to wait for the next A Bakeshop Mystery to discover what happens next with Jules. Till Death Do Us Tart is a light-hearted, charming cozy mystery that will leave you smiling.
Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Allexander is the 8th in the Bakeshop Mysteries. This is the second book I have read and I am hooked.
Jules is trying to pull off a surprise wedding for her mother and the professor, the renovations are nearly finished.and her ex is coming to town. Though, she already has a full plate, her buddy, Lance, enlists her help on investigating his family. Is he being paranoid or is someone out to end his father’s life. Jules is going to find out, especially when she discovers she may have also been a target.
This is a terrific cozy with a great cast of characters, mystery, and romance. The story line flows with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.
I’m already looking forward to returning to Ashland, Oregon and Torte.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an honest review.
Till Death Do Us Tart is the eighth book in Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Mystery Series and can definitely be read as a standalone. I enjoy this series the more I read it. Tis is a fun series and fans will not be disappointed with this book. Questions you need answers to will compel you to keep turning those pages. I can say that the mystery was neatly done. The tension, buildup, setting and the way the secrets were revealed really appealed to me. The characters feel real and believable, like the people you know. I highly recommend this series. Till Death Do Us Tart is out June 26th and is published by St. Martin’s Press.
Romance, family and murder blend into another wonderful tale in the A Bake Shop Mysteries series. A magnificent surprise wedding and the return of Carlos are the highlights that bring joy to the Till Deat Do Us Tart, the latest book in the series. The family that Jules and her mother have created at Torte expands by one when Carlos brings his teen-aged son to meet Jules. In the midst of the happiness of the wedding and reunion, a tragic event tears Lance to pieces, so naturally he turns to his already overloaded friend to investigate a possible murder. The amazing characters are the thing that keep bringing me back to this delightful series. The mystery, unlike the great characters, did not meet Ellie Alexander’s usual high standard. It was good, better than many, just not as good a puzzle as she usually brings us.
I excited to receive an ARC of Till Death do Us Tart via NetGalley and will spread the word to friends and follows. While the mystery wasn’t my favorite, the book was still awesome.