Bake, Borrow, and Steal: A Bakeshop Mystery

Bake, Borrow, and Steal by Ellie Alexander has Jules Capshaw and the Torte team working to create Shakespearean treats for a gala. SOMA will be hosting a new exhibit titled Shakespeare’s Lost Pages which will feature the Bard’s lost manuscript, Double Falsehood. Jules is creating a stunning chocolate centerpiece for the event and Torte will provide treats authentic to the time period. Just before the unveiling of Double Falsehood--it disappears, and the laidback security guard charged with safeguarding it is murdered. The museum needed this exhibit, or it could cease to exist. Jules and Lance set out to bag the villain who committed these dastardly deeds so the museum can regain its reputation and host a new unveiling. Bake, Borrow, and Steal is the fourteenth A Bakeshop Mystery. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone. However, I recommend reading them in order so you can watch Jules come into her own and watch the other characters grow as well. I like Ellie Alexander’s casual writing style. It makes the story easy to read. There is a great cast of characters that includes Jules, Carlos, Sterling, Thomas, The Professor, Andy, and so many more. Torte has a great staff who create delectable delights. Lance is an over-the-top character. He adds humor to the story with his antics. The mystery was well-plotted, but it was a cinch to solve. I knew who would commit the crime before it occurred. I also suspected where the lost manuscript was hidden. I would like to see this author make the mysteries more complex. I would love to be stumped. There is misdirection to send readers down the wrong snow-covered path. It all wrapped up nicely at the end. Bake, Borrow, and Steal has a sweet ending. The detailed descriptions of Torte’s tempting treats will have you heading to your local bakery. I enjoyed reading about the construction of the chocolate desk and chair. It is not easy to make that type of item out of chocolate. Bake, Borrow, and Steal was an enjoyable cozy mystery to read. I like seeing how the lives of the various characters have changed since the beginning as well as Torte. The business continues to expand under Jules leadership. Bake, Borrow, and Steal is a sweet story with scrumptious pastries, a missing manuscript, a chocolate conundrum, a security guard who is a goner, a zealous Lance, a bothersome board member, and a thoughtful Thanksgiving.

It shouldn't be necessary to say anything more about a book than that it is A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander for readers to know that it will be excellent and fun. From the first Bakeshop Mystery I read, I fell in love with the characters and Bake, Borrow, and Steal, the 14th book in the series, carries on the tradition of bringing us outstanding characters acting like real, kind, and fun-loving people. The mystery is intriguing as always, and it is interesting watching Jules and Lance follow the many trails in hopes that one will lead them to help resolve a murder. I like that over the last few book, Ms. Alexander has worked to help us understand why Jules sees Lance as a friend. In earlier books I found him to be irritating even though I could see he had some redeeming qualities. He is still irritating, humorously so, but he has a great heart. My favorite part of any of the books is when the Torte team is interacting, and we get to see them working and playing together quite a bit in Bake, Borrow, and Steal. The relationships have been dynamic from the beginning and most changes have been positive. The amazing challenge of building a functioning desk out of chocolate adds to the interest in recipes introduced by different characters, and the supportive exchanges among the team. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of Bake, Borrow, and Steal. I loved and my friends and followers will be hearing how much immediately!

Never heard of or seen any of these books in any store...bookstores or other places books are sold....never saw this authors name until today