Double Grudge Donuts

Deputy Donut Mysteries Book 8

Ginger Bolton

Kensington Pub

Feb 20^th, 2024

Double Grudge Donuts by Ginger Bolton is a scrumptious read.  She combines tasty treats with likeable characters.

“I got the idea for the series from a cozy writer who told me about a bakery that was about to close. The nine policemen in this small town decided to buy it and now they run this bakery. I used that to jump start the series with a bakery donut shop somehow connected to law enforcement and first responders. I thought donut shops is a great place to pick up a lot of clues. Besides whom does not like donuts.  I like the plain old-fashioned donuts with nutmeg. I cook donuts but do not do it often.”

The story has a murder but also a happy ending for Detective Brent Fyne and Deputy Donut Café owner Emily Westhill. It begins with the Fallingbrook Arts Festival with Emily expecting lots of talent and friendly competition at the week-long summer series that will go together with coffee and donuts. She is half owner along with her ex-father-in-law Tom. 

She’s thriving and happy. Someone who is strong, intelligent, empathetic, and smart. “I wrote her as being feisty and not overly pushy.  She is gentle and kind, someone who really likes people.  She is adventurous and a risk taker. I try not to make her too stupid to live.”

“Brent is gentle, kind, loving, and thoughtful.  He keeps a neutral face when he needs to.”

Their relationship was a no go for a while because Brent was the detective partner of Emily’s late husband. “In the beginning of the relationship, he and Emily were standoffish because he was her first husband’s detective partner who got killed in the line of action. They share this major grief. When they finally got around to speaking with each other they bonded over speaking about their shared grief.”

In fact, unlike some of the other cozy mysteries Brent does not chastise Emily or get upset with her for investigating as an amateur sleuth. He relies on and trusts the information Emily finds and he’s happy for her to call for backup anytime she feels the need. Brent admires these things and doesn’t berate her when she finds clues for him.

During the contest bagpiper Kirk MacLean interrupts other performances with a noisy rendition of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” but despite that rudeness wins the contest. Kirk’s antics continue when he drowns out a teen barbershop quartet. He’s annoying, playing the pipes up and down the street even in the middle of the night while others are sleeping. After speaking with people, Emily finds out that he’s not well-liked. The next morning tragedy strikes when Emily finds the piper dead and calls the police. The list of suspects is long and include a local guy who lost first place to him, Emily’s own parents, the owner of the local café, and other friends of Emily.  She with help from some of her friends decides to investigate and find the real killer. 

“I wanted readers to think of Kirk as devious and mean.  He interrupts other performances.  Nobody really likes him.”

With Emily and Brent getting married in this book the author is hoping that “I do not jump the shark by having them get married. This is a worry for me. I thought this was going to be the last book in the series.  But then the publisher wants two more books. The next book will be out in November and is titled, Blame the Beignets based on the famous New Orleans donuts. Emily discovers a body while kayaking with her assistant a suspect.”

Bolton has nothing to worry about because the focus of her stories are the characters personalities and a plot that has many twists and turns.  Readers are kept guessing in these fun and exciting mysteries. Not to mention mouthwatering donuts. 

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