Evil Eclairs (Donut Shop Mystery, #4) by Jessica Beck

Evil Eclairs (Donut Shop Mystery, #4) Reviews

• 
  Linda

  This was a nice easy read with Suzanne once again involved in a murder investigation. I enjoyed Jake being around and the mystery kept me guessing. I enjoy the donut recipes included and they seem like they would be easy to make.
• 
  Jackie

  It’s very similar to the last book I read in this series... decent book but needs to work on the plots a bit more
• 
  Jennifer Oberth

  I enjoyed this story for the most part.
  
  Now to list a couple things that irritated me because that's what I've been doing for this series in my reviews.
  
  1. Everyone's cell phones don't work for reasons.
  
  Battery is low!
  Left it at home!
  Ringer was on silent the whole time!
  Really, characters? REALLY?
  
  2.) Why is Suzanne hating on the clown?
  
  Suzanne complains that she makes so little money with her doughnut shop, but when a clown comes in, she refuses to sell him a doughnut. It's one thing when the character is mean (and she is so mean to this clown!) but it's another when the author is mean. After Suzanne refused service to the clown and he left, the other people in the shop clapped.
  
  Don't encourage clown hatred!
  
  (Full disclosure, I do not particularly care for clowns. But I've never been mean to one.)
  
  The clown comes back later, and - I kid you not - Suzanne sees him coming toward the door and she flips her sign to closed. OMG!
  
  Then he walked away sad, clomping his big red shoes.
  
  At least she had the decency to later wonder if she was having a little bad luck because of how she unjustly treated the clown.
  You've got to be careful nowadays - bad clown karma is nothing to mess around with.
  
  Even with the cell phone ridiculous drama and the unfair treatment of a clown, I did enjoy the story and the characters and the town and the mystery.
• 
  Luffy

  I was flummoxed for once concerning my rating of Evil Eclairs. I've always prioritized a strong finish, and I loved knowing the identity of the murder, and maybe so will you. The issue with this book is that for one fifth of it's duration little, if anything, happens.
  
  There was no real purpose to the investigation and there were too many interludes during the said inquiry. The previous book was action packed. But this one holds its own. Slowly, events did accumulate, giving us an illusion of overload. It's a fairly unfair 3/5 stars, but then when compared to better books, I simply can't give it a four. Reading the Donut Shop Mysteries is one of the highlights of my readership and I particularly like the fact that I'll be ending my reading challenge for the year with half of the books read - from now till the end - being Jessica Beck's.
• 
  Jeannie and Louis Rigod

  A nasty radio personality does a editorial opinion piece on our favorite donut maker, Suzanne's "Donut Hearts" in April Springs, that leaves, us, the readers, incensed. You can imagine Susanne's feelings as a call for boycotts are issued.
  
  As Suzanne reminds us "donuts don't kill people, people kill people," but April Springs isn't quite so sure about that when the nasty man turns up dead with an eclair at the scene!
  
  I really like this series. I enjoy the gentle, laid-back, feel of the Southern living in April Springs. I enjoy the relationships of our Sleuth and her family, friends, romances.
  
  This was a good book and I'm ready to read "Tragic Toppings."
• 
  Judy

  Being on a diet had me craving for a doughnut. Since I can't have 'em, will just read about them. This series is now 20 books long, I am curious on how Jessica Beck will sustain Suzanne, who still remains one of my favorite cozy heroines. This is book is just like how a doughnut should be, a breather, light and easy reading and revs your sugar rush. Though I got who the killer was toward the end (angle I wasn't expecting). 2 out of 4 so far.
• 
  Stef Rozitis

  I tried to like this for all that it was more cosy than mystery. In brief some of the flaws
  
  -far too much focus on Suzanne's super-chaste lovelife. I didn't mind that it was super-chaste I minded reading about it in so much detail as if the author thought I was 12 and at a Christian camp for learning to be a good wife. I didn't need quite so many pages wasted on whether her mother and friends would or would not date.
  
  -A lot of long sections of people eating. Once again I don't mind people eating and in context it can be an important part of a book, especially when you are trying to make your mystery "cosy". Here there was so much of it that the temptation was to think it was put in because the author was out of ideas for the actual plot.
  
  -Randomly inserted recipes that were all variations on a theme and had no clear connection to the plot. That is to say they were donut recipes, but they were not ones referred to in the story. The last one was a pasta recipe which was probably a reference to an eating scene much earlier in the book but was placed right in the middle of the denoument. WTF? It made the last chapter even less exciting to read because any intertia had been lost. I think if recipes are used they should be thoughtfully connected to the book and perhaps collected at the back. It made me think "Like Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman but more madly done- if you vaguely liked this or thought the idea broadly had potential then try that)
  
  -Woman has to have a man and all the essentialised shit there. In this sense the book almost got a 2 instead of a 1 from me, because it was not the most misogynist book I ever read but it did have some drippy heterosexist stuff that puts men on a pedestal they really have not earned. Also the bad writing pulled it down
  
  -The bad writing. Things just flung themselves along one thing after another. No character development, no feel for setting (I realise this is book 4 but nevertheless) and what is far worse, no clarity. At times I had to read dialogue a couple of times to get a sense of what they are saying. I have philosophers and sociologist to read when I want to struggle for meaning, this was meant to be just a relaxing novel. An ounce of editing and a bit more time put in by the writer might have helped (I mark papers so I am learning to recognise when someone put in a last minute effort).
  
  All in all, I had a tiny amount of amusement but will stay clear of this series given how many things I recently read that I enjoy better (for example Marx who at least is sarcastic). I think some people would probably like this more than I did (because of all the hand holding and chaste twilight kisses over a basket of fried chicken)
• 
  Kirsten Anderson

  I accept that cozy mysteries are a little light on character development and plot plausibility compared to other literary fare, but these novels take my patience for that too far. I'm tired of reading about Suzanne pestering people for an alibi constantly, her cold, non-romantic relationship with Jake, and the limited inner dialogue. Inner dialogue is what gives characters more depth, and there is not enough of that in these novels. The scenes move so fast with little depth and it makes me just not care what is going to happen.
  
  The breaking point for me was early on in this novel when the clown came into the store and Suzanne refused him service because she was traumatized by a clown as a child. Seriously? Refusing service? Then having all the other customers cheer? That just made Suzanne (and the other townspeople) even more unlikable. A good author knows that discrimination is not something that the main character should be involved in. This incident is odd enough that it is surely something related to the mystery, but I just don't care to find out.
  
  There are plenty of other cozy mysteries out there that do a great job of writing likable, deep characters, so I'll just focus on those.
• 
  Amanda McGill

  The 4th novel in the Donut Shop series was a bit of a letdown compared to the other novels in the series.
  
  A local radio commentator Lester Moorefield goes off on Suzanne's donut shop saying how donuts are killing people. After Suzanne pays Lester a visit to give him a piece of her mind, he is found dead with an eclair shoved down his throat. Suzanne is the one number suspect, so she teams up with her friends to find the killer.
  
  The novel started off great, it was fast paced and had the murder with the first few chapters. However, around the midway point, the novel started to get a bit boring and I got a pick tired of Suzanne asking everyone what their alibi was.
  
  Still liking the series though and will continue on.
• 
  Ali

  Not my favorite book of the series...a little slow, no real mystery or intrigue, and a fairly obvious murderer right from the get go. Maybe I'm just getting bored with series in general, but this one was very lackluster to me.
• 
  Lisa

  Another great book by Jessica Beck... Just realized all the other books in the series that I've yet to read and will need to hunt down. Excellent series for those who love a good light murder mystery!
• 
  Brenda Kirton

  I can't decide about this series. They're not bad but they are like a reworking of the Hannah Swenson series by Joanne Fluke. And the characters are almost formulatic.
• 
  Karen

  Cute light reading, took me a night to read. I liked this series. It's just like the fact that this series is like joanne flukes series, just with donuts and yummy recipes.
• 
  Avid Series Reader

  Evil Eclairs by Jessica Beck is the 5th book of the Donut Shop Mystery series set in contemporary small town North Carolina. Suzanne owns Donut Hearts, and dedicates all her time and attention to her business -- except for sleuthing (a favorite hobby). When the local radio station manager Lester Moorefield blasts her business over the air, accusing her of intentionally selling deadly poison (donuts) out of greed, without regard to endangering April Springs residents - of course Suzanne must stand up to him, call him out if you will, face to face. Not long after their confrontation, Lester is found dead, with an eclair stuck in his mouth.
  
  Police Chief Martin questions Suzanne, but does not really suspect her of murder. Plenty of other people in April Springs and surrounding communities have been targeted by Lester. He has a criminal record. A wide variety of suspects could have murdered him. Now begins the process of checking alibis.
  
  Suzanne's business drops off dramatically. She can't afford to box up and give away all her donuts each day at the close of business, while she waits for the slow process of police investigation. Plus she's convinced she can learn more from suspects than the police can. Her pals Grace and George are eager to sleuth another case. They start questioning, comparing notes, and eliminating suspects who have alibis.
  
  Suzanne's boyfriend Jake has vacation coming - and he invites her to go on a trip. She turns him down, claiming she can't leave the business. But is it really because she enjoys sleuthing too much?
  
  Suzanne shares what she learns with Jake and with the newspaperman Ralph, but still ends up in a deadly confrontation with the killer. Mild entertainment, heartwarming interaction between Suzanne and her mom, a touch of suspense at the end.
  
  Recipes included: Peanut Butter Drop Donuts, Oatmeal/Raisin/Cranberry Donuts, Apple Fritters, Potato-Based Donuts, Drop Donuts, Pineapple Drop Donuts, The Last Resort Donuts, A Twist on Textured Donuts, Homemade Pasta
• 
  Tari

  This was another good murder mystery for Suzanne and her bestie Grace to investigate. I like how the series is almost like a serial. There's nothing major that has to be remembered if you choose not to read in order, but people are sometimes brought back to either be killers, victims or red herrings. I really love George's character so much--he's about the only one that Suzanne listens to. There was a fairly major side story regarding him in this book, but I was happy it all worked out well. Emma's another fave character, and Momma too, bless her heart (and I mean it in a good way!) She came to a realization in this book about someone she likes. Maybe she was just worried all along her decision would make Suzanne upset, who knows.
  
  The showdown was a little scary, and I was really hoping that Suzanne's text went through right before it. I think she learned the hard way about the need to take time off and let other capable people handle things for her. Suzanne did have a minor injury but not from any killer confrontation, although I was glad it might have contributed to her learning how to let go and let people take care of her and her shop for a change.
  
  I've been borrowing this series from my local library via Overdrive and enjoying it a lot!
• 
  Patti

  This is the fourth book in a cute series about a baker who keeps getting caught up in mysteries in her small town. Suzanne Hart owns a donut shop in a former railroad station in her hometown in North Carolina. Her donuts are to die for, but not literally until the local love-to-hate host of a show on the radio station turns up dead with one of Suzanne’s eclairs stuffed in his mouth. The problem is, that the two just had a confrontation over his denouncement of the bakery and plea for citizens to boycott the place.
  
  Now the prime suspect in Lester Moorefield’s death, Suzanne is determined to clear her name, with or without the help of the local police.
  
  Since I started reading these “Stephanie Plum”-type books, I call them “fun fluff.” There’s nothing too deep in these types of novels. The main character, in this case, Suzanne Hart, is a capable woman who finds herself in the middle of trouble she didn’t ask for and doesn’t trust anyone else to clear her name. These are supposed to be books that are fun to read that doesn’t require a lot of thinking.
  
  To read my full review, please go to:
  https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
• 
  Debbie

  I'll admit- this fourth book in the series shows some improvement after the second and third ones fell flat for me.
  
  I still think that the romantic subplot between Suzanne and Jake could be left out of the story altogether and it wouldn't really matter. I think that the author either needs to show us some real emotion, or just remove it altogether.
  
  The actual mystery was definitely better in this story than the last one, however, I always wonder about these things when I'm reading this series: Why would anyone want to stay in this town or hang around Suzanne after four murders have happened (in quick succession) around her?! And why is it that Suzanne is the only one capable of solving these mysteries with her "bumbling" around, while both the local and state police are always several steps behind?
  
  At least the ending was a bit of a surprise in this one, and Suzanne's relationship with George shows some actual development. To me that was the best part of this addition to the series.
• 
  Kathy

  Jessica Beck, a.k.a. Tim Myers, is one of the top cozy mystery authors, in my opinion. Tim Myers was writing cozy mysteries, and I was devouring every one of them, before the term “cozy mystery” was coined, I believe.
  
  I love these books. I did read this one, #4 in the donut shop mystery series, before reading #3. Book 3 is “in transit” through the library system. I do not feel that I missed anything by skipping over #3, and book 4 did not give anything away about the previous book.
  
  If you have access to a public library system, i recommend getting the large print editions. They seem to read faster than the regular print, so you can move on to the next one quicker in this long series!
• 
  Tammy Lunsford

  Suzanne Hart makes delicious doughnuts at Donut Hearts. When a local radio personality basically calls her treats poison, she can’t let him get away with this slander. Unfortunately for Suzanne, he ends up dead which makes her the #1 suspect. Suzanne and her best friend, Grace, make wonderful amateur sleuths. I love the characters in this series. I am happy to see Suzanne’s relationship with Jake growing. Her mom is a fireball as well. April Springs sounds like a perfect place to live. This is a great cozy mystery. You have it all with mystery, romance, humor and wonderful recipes throughout the book!
• 
  Michael crage

  This was a fun book. The main character, Suzanne Hart, owns and runs a donut shop seven days a week. A radio jockey urges people to boycott her donut shop because it is deadly. She gets into a tiff with him, and the next morning he is found dead with an elair stuffed in his mouth. The police interviewed her as a suspect, but let her go. But heer business has gone down because of the suspicion that she is a murderer. Therefore he decides that she has to find the murderer herself.
• 
  Katherine Decker

  First, I love the title and it is quite fitting. Second, this was another fun and quick read. This is a very enjoyable series, although I do recommend not reading while hungry, because you might start craving donuts. Suzanne certainly has her hands full once again. In addition to a good story, I like the relationships between the various characters. The relationships have continued to grow over the series. Looking forward to what is up next for Suzanne and her friends.
• 
  Allison Ann

  Another murder and another murderer in this small town. :D Suzanne does her best to get herself killed while once again being framed for murder. I will continue the series because they are quick reads and there are about 7000 of them. A tiny bit more realism would be good though. And I'm very glad George is going to be okay.
• 
  Lisa

  I tried. I read 4 and halfway thru #5 in the series. It doesn’t change. How many people get killed in this small town?? And does she really think the Chief of police can’t do anything? Sorry, I’m out.
• 
  Julie Fetcho

  Enjoy Jessica Beck's books. They are a quick and easy to read. They definitely have the small town flavor.
• 
  Cathy

  The police allow the owner of a doughnut shop, who is considered a murder suspect, to conduct an investigation of the murder of a local radio personality.
• 
  Kim

  Another delicious mystery with good friends by her side.