While I enjoyed the first book in this series, the second book and now this one have really disappointed me. The idea for the Emergency Dessert Squad was such a unique idea. I'm sad that this series just isn't working out for me. I don't think I will continue with this series if there are any future books coming.

I think there has become a really strong focus on the romance/relationship building with Jay in these last two books that it is taking away from the mystery aspect. The death scene in this book just really had me confused. Someone is dead on the floor and the others are just standing around? I wish more sleuthing was done during this story. That is one of my favorite parts of a cozy mystery. The sleuthing just seems to take a back seat to the romance and love triangle in this book.

I did still enjoy the aspect of the Emergency Dessert Squad and watching Winnie come up with the names for the desserts. They all sound amazing and I enjoyed looking over the recipes at the back of the book. I'm going to try one of them sometime. I also find Lovey to be amusing, still. His constant hissing at Winnie adds a little bit of humor to the story.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book three is the amazing Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series. The dessert delivery business is really picking up for Winnie by this point and they are even asked to make special desserts for a new artists retreat in the area. Winnie takes the time to make a special one for each artist but when she goes to deliver them she instead finds the retreat owner dead on the floor in the middle of the group. She can't help but to get involved though she vows to stay out of it and her eclectic group of neighbors helps her along the way. This book is the perfect blend of mystery, comedy, romance, intrigue, and so much more that will keep the reader hooked until the very last page. This is a must read read culinary cozy mystery series. I loved every single page so I give it 5/5 stars.

I love love love this series. This was a great installment and even though I received a copy on Netgalley I will still purchase the book because it's one that I would loan out or read again.

This is book 3 in the Emergency Dessert Squad series. The relationships were many and by reading the previous stories it might be a little easier to figure out Winnie and Jay's romance and his daughter Caroline's dislike of Winnie. Mr. Nelson and Renee are part of the crew that help Winnie solve the murders. When Winnie is delivering special desserts to a group of performers at a local retreat she walks in to find the owner dead by poisoning. Blackmail is the center of this crime book. Some yummy recipes are also included. The mystery is good and clues are plentiful.

Hello Fellow Readers,

I love reading Cozy mysteries, as you all know but while the story was fun (despite that they are trying to solve the murder, murder is not fun) I couldn't get past the reason why the MC was trying to solve the mystery. The reason they gave didn't make sense. I also wish I knew this was the third book in the series since there were some established relationships I had a hard time connecting with. The investigation itself was more in the background than I would have liked.

I did enjoy the puns of each dessert and I give Bradford so much credit for it. Plus, I really love the recipes that are included and can hopefully bake something soon.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Winnie Johnson is a whiz. She can make the most drool worthy desserts and charm every senior citizen in sight. Her best friend and assistant Renee and her son adore her as do her neighbours and the local EMT guy.
Sadly there are two creatures who seem immune to her talents: the cat, Lovey, whom she inherited with the ambulance she now uses to deliver rescue cakes and the daughter of her boyfriend who is anything but subtle in her dislike of Winnie. Lovey, by the way, is a cuddle kitty to everyone but Winnie. She hisses at Winnie. Winnie wishes the daughter would only hiss at her.
Will she be able to curry favour with those two while not losing the affection of her friends? Will she be able to build her business while solving the murder of one of her customers who turned out to be not the nicest of ladies? And will she be able to have it all with her boyfriend or will the daughter from hell destroy all chances of happiness.
It took me a couple of chapters to warm up to the characters but once I did, I enjoyed both the mystery. There were plenty of red herrings as well as “hams” as she looked at the interconnecting histories of the victim and the entertainers who were the suspects. My biggest problem with all these cozies about people who make the most wonderful concoctions is Momma says if she ate all the good stuff, she would be the size of a house! MOL.
I give it four purrs and two paws up

Winne, the owner of The Emergency Dessert Squad, finds herself embroiled in a 3rd murder in the short time her business has been open. She is determined to find the culprit quickly from her 5 suspects, so that she can focus on getting her life back to normal. Not only is Winnie's relationship with her beau Jay rocky, she also struggles to balance her business and relationship with her friends with her constant sleuthing.

This series just gets better and better. I absolutely love the recurring characters; especially Renee and Greg. At this point I feel like I'm personally friends with Bridget and Mr. Nelson and they are just so endearing, yet strong characters. I found the performing artist suspects interesting and wish we could have seen a little more of them. Lovey's antics always make me smile or laugh, even though it causes Winnie distress. I find the idea of the Emergency Dessert Squad so exciting and truly wish it was a real thing that I could order from. I love learning the names and desserts that Winnie and her friends come up with.

As for the mystery itself, I really enjoyed it. I felt that it was put together well and I was easily convinced to tag along. It took a few unexpected twists and by the end I was completely stumped. I was surprised by the unveiling and the identity of the culprit, which was a great surprise. I also appreciate that there isn't a near-death, suspect confronting scene that usually accompanies the ending of cozy mysteries.

I personally am getting a little tired of Winnie and Jay's relationship woes and am hoping that the ending shows that there will be more progress made in the next book. The theme of Caroline hating Winnie and Jay not talking to her about it, is getting tedious. Why doesn't he understand (after last book's issues) that communication is key and just shutting Winnie out does not work for either of them. I have to say I'm starting to root more for Winnie and Greg to form a relationship, but I don't think that will actually happen.

I recommend this to all mystery lovers (and dessert lovers) and I can't wait for the next installment.

DIAL M FOR MOUSSE, the third book in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series by Laura Bradford, is just as adorably delightful as the very first book! The puns entertained me while the plot kept me speculating on ‘whodunnit’, and the characters warmed my heart. Protagonist, Winnie Johnson, is an extremely likeable young woman with a heart of gold. I so enjoy her close relationship with her elderly neighbors and how she is involved in their lives on a daily basis. They, in turn, are eager to help her out when she and her best friend, Renee, stumble across the body of the woman who hired them to provide desserts for five artists. Winnie’s business, Emergency Dessert Squad, is one of the cleverest business ideas I’ve come across. Winnie creates custom desserts and delivers them in a vintage ambulance that she inherited from an elderly neighbor (along with a cantankerous cat that does not like her new owner). What makes it even better are the super fun names Winnie creates for her desserts: Your Jokes Make Me Snicker-doodle Cookies; Apple Kootchy-Kootchy-Koo Kuchen; You’re A Peach Pie, to name a few.

Ms. Bradford packs the story with so many clever scenes such as Winnie having a “conversation” with a mime and gives such vivid descriptions that you feel like you’re living the moment. Winnie’s budding relationship with single dad, Jay, might be hitting a snag when his teenaged daughter tries to drive a wedge between them. Can Winnie find a way to win over both the surly teen and her cat while finding a killer? I devoured this book until I finished the very last page and eagerly look forward to reading more of Winnie’s story!

Winnie creates so many delightfully clever desserts and luckily for the reader, Ms. Bradford includes a couple recipes at the back of the book with fun, pun-y titles!

Dial M for Mousse is the third book in Laura Bradford’s An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series. This is the first book I’ve read in this series; however, the author provided sufficient character background and I easily understood their backgrounds and relationships, and didn’t feel lost jumping in this far into the series. There’s a nice mix of age groups in this book, an intriguing mystery, humor, a touch of romance, and the importance of friendships is prevalent. The mystery was well plotted and has enough viable suspects, and twists and turns, to make it difficult to figure out who the killer was.

Winnie Johnson is the owner of the Emergency Dessert Squad in Silver Lake, Ohio. She loves running the Emergency Dessert Squad, creating delightful desserts for people, and coming up with clever and funny names for the desserts with her assistant and best friend, Renee, and her elderly neighbors and friends. Winnie and her inherited cat, Lovey, deliver her desserts in an old ambulance, with a gurney and emergency kit including an IV usually filled with frosting. Sally Dearfield, the owner of a recently opened artists’ retreat, orders Winnie’s decadent desserts for the five artists who are currently staying at Silver Lake Artists’ Retreat. Even though a meeting is being held, Sally instructed Winnie to leave the special desserts in the recipients’ cabins. As they are leaving, Winnie and Renee decide to stop at the main building and are shocked when they find Sally, dead on the floor, surrounded by the five artists. The death is ruled suspicious and Winnie and her trusty sidekicks decide to help the local authorities identify the murderer. Winnie’s boyfriend, Jay Morgan, and his teenage daughter, Caroline, are out of town, visiting the mother, DiDi Evans, who walked away from them eleven years ago to pursue a career as an actress. Caroline has made no secret of the fact that she doesn’t want Winnie in their lives and Winnie is trying to decide if she should end the relationship.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This series has a unique premise, an emergency dessert delivery service!
I wish that really existed!
I find the characters engaging and really enjoy the intergenerational friendship between Winnie and her neighbours.
The whodunit story was interesting and kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong!
My only complaint is the storyline involving Winnie's love interest Jay and his daughter Caroline. If that storyline and those two characters were removed, I would have given this book 5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Winnie Johnson's Emergency Dessert Squad business is growing by leaps and bounds every day. The business has a competitive and creative edge over traditional bakeries. A fact that has Sally Dearfield, the owner of an artists' retreat, soliciting Winnie for her decadent desserts. Upon delivery of the treats designed, named, and prepared individually for each artist, Winnie and Renee find themselves going to the main building. What they find is shocking and upsetting - Sally Dearfield is dead on the floor surrounded by each of the individual artists to whom they just hand delivered desserts, and the death is ruled suspicious. Winnie and her trusty sidekicks decide to "help" the local police identify the murderer before anyone else is murdered.

Throughout the novel we also get a glimpse into Winnie's complicated love life. As Winnie is trying to solve the mystery behind Sally's death, the threads of her relationship with Jay are woven within. He and his daughter are away and the circumstances make Winnie question everything she thought they had together. When he returns, Winnie isn't sure what to expect, and that has her tied up in knots.

One of the ideas behind Dial M for Mousse that I found interesting was that none of the suspects had anything to do with the main characters in the book. In most cozies I've read lately, the heroine, one of her family members, or some of her friends end up being suspects. I enjoyed the deviation from the same ole - same ole. Winnie's compassion, caring, and friendship with the elders in her neighborhood is a wonderful aspect to the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series.

The author did a great job keeping the suspect protected from identification by the readers. I really didn't have any idea which of the five artists it could have been. All of them had secrets that could have ignited to the point that killing Sally was their final option. Dial M for Mousse was fun, fast-paced, and enjoyable to read.

The characters are well-developed and the author continues the development throughout the book. Winnie's interactions with all of her friends is filled with nothing but kindness and compassion. Winnie's relationship status in the book isn't smooth and the author does a great job writing the issues realistically and without either character looking bad. She continues some world building, as well, as she continues to describe the growth of Winnie's Emergency Dessert Squad business. I recommend the entire series to all cozy mystery lovers.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.

Dual M for Mousse is a wonderful edition to the Emergency Dessert Squad series. Laura Bradford writes characters that come to life when you read the pages of her books. The mystery kept me guessing and I couldn't but the book down. This is a must read cozy and everyone should needs to read it.

In this third installment of one of my favorite cozy series, the mystery-- which is a good one-- often takes a back seat to Winnie's various relationship woes. There's a teenage girl who stubbornly insists on being the only one who's happy, and then there are Winnie's two elderly friends who take turns getting their emotional noses out of joint. The highlight of all this angst is that Winnie gets to say (and to hear) words that each and every one of us on this planet needs. One of the things that makes Winnie such a strong character is her big heart and her love for her friends, and that's the main focus of Dial M for Mousse.

Speaking of Winnie's friends, I can see some readers being upset with the character of Mr. Nelson, a man in his late seventies who loves the sight of a woman's cleavage. He seldom misses the weather report because of the statuesque weather girl, and he has various prime viewing spots on his porch and in his apartment so that he can indulge his hobby. Having had my own cleavage stared at ever since I had one, I have to admit that this can be a tiny bit tiresome, but never once is Mr. Nelson any sort of threat. The man keeps his hands to himself, and he never makes an inappropriate comment. In fact, he'd be the first person to take his cane to someone who did. Mr. Nelson is definitely one of Winnie's most beloved friends, and I enjoy seeing what he gets up to in each book.

Now...if only the focus had remained on the mystery more! I really enjoyed deducing why the woman was killed and which one of the five did the deed. Not only that, but there's an added gem in each of the Emergency Dessert Squad mysteries: the names Winnie gives her delectable confections. Those names alone can be worth the price of admission, and I can't wait for the next book!

Dial M For Mousse
Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery, Book #3
Laura Bradford
5 Stars


Synopsis:

Murder takes the cake in an irresistible Emergency Dessert Squad mystery from the national bestselling author of The Silence of the Flans.
The Emergency Dessert Squad business is booming, with owner and baker Winnie Johnson working overtime to satisfy the emergency cravings of Silver Lake, Ohio. Her latest order, a plate of motivational desserts for an artists' retreat, is just what she needs to keep her mind off her own relationship woes.
But Winnie's problems seem like trifles when she discovers the body of retreat owner Sally Dearfield mere inches away from five oh-so-eccentric and viable suspects. Now, this baking detective must uncover the inspiration behind Sally's murder before another creative genius is iced.
RECIPES INCLUDED (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Winnie is a hard worker who loves her job, running the Emergency Dessert Squad. She loves to create desserts for people who are in need of a pick-me up, a celebration or just because. She also loves her naming sessions with her best friend Renee and all of her elderly neighbors and friends. Some of the dessert names that they come up with are so clever and funny.
The author is very talented in her character development and in her descriptive writing. Through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and listening in on conversations. The writing style flows smoothly,the pace moves along at a great speed and the book is an easy read.

The mystery was well plotted and kept me guessing until the end. With enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through, it was a mystery not easily solved.

I would recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. The premise of the book is unique, the characters are lovable and the mystery is first rate. What’s not to like?

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.