Glazed Murder-Jessica Beck

Glazed Murder
Jessica Beck
Minotaur, Mar 30 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312946104

In April Springs, North Carolina, population 5001, Suzanne Hart is the one who bought a coffee shop with her divorce settlement. She calls her café the Donut Heart, which requires her to prepare pastries at 2:00 AM to open four hours later. To reduce expenses, Suzanne moved back in with her mom while also eluding her former spouse Max who makes it clear he wants her back with him.

One night with all the businesses shut, Suzanne notices a car parked in front of her store dumping the body of Patrick Blaine before speeding away. She is stunned as she and Patrick became friends with him being a steady customer of her shop. Though she knows better, Suzanne feels obligated to investigate partly because she distrusts State Police Inspector Jake Bishop who leads the official inquiry. Sparks fly between the cop and the donut maker, but in the shadows watching both of them is the culprit ready to kill either if they get too close to the truth.

Everyone warns Suzanne not to pursue a killer; but she insists justice must be served. Although why she obsesses as she does will be asked by even the amateur sleuth audience used to feisty females investigations by those with no business doing so made even stronger by Jake being a good honest cop. Readers will admire Suzanne’s fortitude.
And she makes the tale with her small town relationships with her mom, her employee, her cop and her ex “The Great Impersonator”. Glazed Murder is an enjoyable Tarheel whodunit that stars an obstinate innately good person albeit misguided by charming.

Harriet Klausner