True Rating: 3.5 stars

Emily and her father-in-law run a donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin named Deputy Donut. The shop is named after Emily's cat who was given the name by her deceased husband, a fallen Fallingbrook police officer. One Monday morning one of her most loyal customers, Georgia, does not show up for her morning of knitting with the Knitpickers. After a fretful day Emily and the Knitpickers go to Georgia's house and find her dead along side donuts from Deputy Donut. Emily is determined to figure out who murdered her friend since she failed Georgia five years ago. Will Emily find herself on the wrong side of the law?

I liked this book and really wanted to give it four stars but there was too much lacking in the character development. I was left wanting more in the way of how the characters fit with each other and what their importance was to the story and series. I felt like the author wanted us to know everyone in town in the first book but not for us to get to know them. It was like, oh here is so and so and then bam onto something else in the story.

I adore Deputy Donut, the cat, she is a furry character that adds the cozy. Emily, the amateur sleuth, is interesting and I like that her background has some sadness and depth. I think it will play will into any romantic situations that may develop in the series.

I will be giving this series another chance when the second book, Goodbye Cruller World, is released. I am hoping the other characters are more developed and more necessary to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for a copy to read in exchange for an honest review written in my own words.

Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton is the first book in A Deputy Donut Mystery series. Emily Westhill co-owns Deputy Donut with Tom Westhill (her father-in-law) in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Emily has been a widow for three years and gave up her job as a 911 operator after the death of her husband. Emily greets the Knitpickers (a group of women who meet at Deputy Donut) and their newest recruit Lois Underlaw. They are missing Georgia Treetor who runs the local doll hospital. At the end of the day when no one has heard from Georgia, the Knitpickers along with Emily head to Georgia’s home to check on her. They find the kitchen is a disarray and Georgia dead. It turns out that Georgia was killed on the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder. It is the one case Emily’s husband, Alec was unable to solve. Are the cases linked? When Lois’ nephew, Randy becomes a prime suspect, Emily starts nosing around for clues. Thanks to Emily leaving her fingerprints all over the crime scene, Detective Brent Fyne (Alec’s old partner) is taken off the case. Yvonne Passenmath from Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is brought in to handle the case. This does not bode well for Emily since Yvonne dislikes her. Emily soon uncovers a connection between the deaths. Follow Emily as she follows the clues to uncover a killer in Survival of the Fritters.

Survival of the Fritters is nicely written, the characters are developed (with room for growth in future books) and there is a clever, adorable cat. The author took the time to set the stage for the book which I appreciate. I found that the pace varied throughout the book (sometimes steady and other times it was slower). I did find there was repetition especially regarding the handsomeness of some of the men (especially Detective Brent Fyne). The stage is set for a possible romance between Emily and Brent in the future if Emily is willing to move on after the death of her husband. You could feel the chemistry between Emily and Brent (it was palpable). Another example of reiteration is Emily would uncover details of the mystery. She would then discuss them with Lois and then repeat the details to Brent. These sections felt like filler and were unnecessary. These discussions went along with the speculation over who could have committed the crime. I would have liked more investigation and action (instead of the case being rehashed multiple times). The mystery was interesting (nicely developed) and there were some good clues. I believe many readers will be surprised by the identity of the killer (avid mystery readers should have it solved out before the solution is revealed). I was not a fan of DCI Yvonne Passenmath. There seems to be a trend to have unlikeable cops in cozy mysteries and I hope it ends soon. Yvonne resents Emily for taking Alec away from her (there was nothing between them) and dislikes Tom for not promoting her when he was chief of police (she was lacking in skills and everyone is amazed that DCI hired her). There are some delectable donut descriptions in the book and recipes are included at the end. I am giving Survival of the Fritters 3 stars. The next book in A Deputy Donut Mystery series is Goodbye Cruller World.

Survival of the Fritters is the first installment of the Deputy Donuts Mystery Series. Emily runs a donut and coffee shop in Fallingbrook WI with the father of her late husband. Her father-in-law is a former retired police chief. Emily is a former 911 operator, so both have experience in dealing with emergencies. When one of their regular customers fails to show up at the coffee shop, Emily and a few members of the local knitting group become concerned. Soon, the customer is found dead in her kitchen, five years after her son was murdered. Could the suspicious deaths be related? Emily is determined to find out. I give this book a solid 3 stars. It is an interesting story line and the mystery is well-crafted. The recipes provided at the end of the book are appetizing and I plan on trying at least two. I wish the characters had been a little more developed and therefore more relatable. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series to see how the characters develop. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley, but this did not affect my rating. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.

This was a really good first book in a new series! It was very engaging from the beginning which made it easy and enjoyable. Part of my favorite with good mystery books is that they keep me guessing until the end. Emily and Deputy Donut were great characters. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. There are lots of characters to get to know.
If you like mysteries, then definitely give this series a shot.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

This book was a quick dip in coffee and donuts. It reads fast, and the chapters are stopped and started right on time.
The knowledge Emily expresses about Coffee and donuts informed me more than most foodie mysteries. It also get's to my heart strings that the regular group to the donut shop is a group of knitters. That was a detail I was not expecting. Tea and biscuits yes, but coffee and fritters? More of them from now on.
As a "hero" of the book the kitty Deputy "Dep" the cat was so great. Some cozies get lost on the whole how much can an animal companion help, but Dep comes off wonderfully. It's been about the same amount of time for me from high school as it was for Emily, and I thought that her memories were well writeen. I was really lost on "Doll Doctor" and how much that could work in the real world, maybe I need more doll knowledge. As suspects go, it seemed as a must for Lois the entire time, but she was really fun to read about. The book was pointing all things and even a conclusion the whole time. It was this aspect that had me in a panic at the end. Did Randy do it? The last four chapters change my whole opinion of a "Nice Guy". As a character I loved officer Brent. He is a great cop, and a right fit for Emily. The one character I could not stand was "Passenmath" and that name is so not cool as some one who reads to many puns, and could not pass math. Sigh. But man, I am looking forward to more glazed high paced fun with Emily, Tom, Dep, Lois, and Brent. Step one after this review goes up I must try the delicious recipes at the back. Go Team Donut.

What an awesome first book for this new series! And what a great idea for a donut shop with the whole police theme going on. Emily and her father-in-law own Deputy Donuts and are usually host to most of the town of Fallingworth's (WI) police force. When Emily and some of the older ladies in a knitting club find one of the donut shop's favorite customers murdered in her own home, Emily is forced into interacting with her late husband's police partner, Brent. They had all three been good friends until one evening when Alec was shot and Brent was just hurt. Emily hadn't contacted Brent since then. I liked how Brent and Emily can now remember things that Alec had said or done.

Just before the murder, the murdered woman's good friend Lois moved back into town. This murder also took place five years after the murdered woman's son was killed. This was a case Alec and Brent had not been able to solve. The main suspect now is Lois's great nephew, Randy who was a real stinker in high school but seems to have reformed. A state detective is pulled in eventually on the case so Brent, Emily and Lois decide to do a little sleuthing on their own.

There were so many good twists in this plot that I never saw it coming when the killer was revealed. The ending was pretty exciting and Emily took charge of the situation until the police arrived and took the perp into custody.

I like that Emily is at least acknowledging that Brent was hurting too when Alec was shot. I know their friendship is going to be a little slow coming but I hope they can become even better friends. If Alec was anything like he was described, I would think he would have wanted his partner and best friend to be there for his wife after he passed. There were some good funny parts too. I think I have new favorite little catch-phrase (non verbal kind of noise now), mmp! Even the cat was saying it.

The characters were really well developed and very easy to like. Tom seemed like the type that anyone would just love to have as a friend or father-in-law. Emily's friends Misty (police officer) and Samantha (EMT) were a lot of fun and good, faithful friends. Lois was a hoot! She was the funniest thing at times, kind of made me think of Betty White.

Oh there are some yummy sounding donut and fritter recipes at the end of the book, the favorites that Deputy Donuts serves.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book which was provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Emily Westhill used to be a 911 operator. After the death of her beloved cop husband, she decides it’s time for a career change. She opens a donut shop with her father-in-law and her kitty Deputy Donut. When one of her customers is murdered, Emily can’t stop herself from trying to figure out who the killer is.

Things take a scary turn when Emily’s next door neighbor is attacked in her own home. Then, Emily discovers this attack and the murder could be connected to the case her husband had been working on before his death. All kinds of emotions are stirred up for Emily, but it doesn’t stop her from trying to figure out what is going on in this small town.

The author did a good job of giving us characters the readers can care about. I felt that way especially about Emily. She has a lot on her plate, but it doesn’t get her down. She’s an easy character to root for and I wanted to see her succeed. There are many emotions running strong for her, but at the same time, she’s trying to establish herself and move on after the loss of her husband.

There’s, also, a cat involved so that always makes me happy :) The cat, Deputy Donut, lends a helping paw in trying to solve the case.

The secondary characters are interesting and are well developed. That’s sometimes hard to accomplish in the first book in a series, but this author did and she did it well.

The mystery is intriguing with many twists and turns. There were several different possible outcomes and it wasn’t easy to figure out.

I enjoyed this first book of the series and look foward to reading the next one. This series off to a great start.

Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton is the 1st book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series, and my first book by this author. Emily Westhill and her retied chief of police father- in- law opened up a donut shop, Deputy Donut, in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. When one of their regular customers goes missing Emily starts investigating. I really liked this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the series. If you love cozy mysteries, give this new series a shot.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was such a delightful and solid debut for any fan of cozy culinary mysteries that you will definitely want to look for! And it would also make a great choice for those who haven't discovered the world of cozies before and are simply looking for a place to start.

Between the community and the cast of characters (I'm looking at those Knitpickers), this story provides the potential for much hijinx to ensue as the series progresses. The writing is well done and keeps you guessing right along with Emily as she tries to figure out what happened to her friend. I enjoyed that Emily's character was intriguing enough to keep you drawn to the mystery, but never annoying enough that you felt drug through the story. If you've read enough cozy mysteries, you are fully aware that sometimes the lead can come on a bit too strong, especially in terms of her amateur sleuthing abilities. Emily wasn't like that at all, and in fact, turned to her police associates many times without hesitation as she learned new information that could assist them in their efforts to solve the case.

Many times in these cozy mystery settings, you can be instantly and continuously inundated with the minutia of the niche, but I thoroughly appreciated how the story focused more on the mystery while the bakery remained in the periphery. This may not remain the case as the series continues, but for the opening story, it was really well done. The moments that included scenes from the bakery will leave your mouth watering, so be sure to have snacks available, preferably your favorite pastry or you can make your own using the provided recipes!

I look forward to picking up the second book coming out in August entitled Goodbye Cruller World!

Ginger Bolton’s Survival of the Fritters is another great addition to the cozy murder mystery/recipe genre. Emily, her father-in-law, Tom, and her cat, Dep run a donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. This is where all the action takes place, all the characters gather here and all the information (gossip) is exchanged. The book opens with a missing woman who turns out murdered. The plot gets more complicated from there as you learn about past events that may have lead to the death. Bolton also fills the reader in on Emily’s backstory, how she ended up with a donut store and her love story. The plot thickens as the story goes on, there is romance, drama, a little humor, and just a touch of thrill. Overall, the book is well written and enjoyable, the why behind the murder is a little thin but the flow of the story keeps on pace. If you’re looking for a book with some murder and great donuts this is your read.

Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton was a delicious afternoon read. Ms. Bolton has written a tightly plotted mystery with not one murder but two that need to be resolved. The plot is fast paced and I had to keep turning the pages to read more.

I liked Emily and Tom, her father-in-law as they worked together in the donut shop. They seemed to be a well-matched team. The mystery of the murder of a "regular" customer and an unsolved murder from the past was complex. The characters are slowly developing in this first book. I look forward to getting to know Emily, her friends, Misty and Samantha, and the "Knitpickers" as the series progresses. I was totally shocked by the reveal as I never guessed who "done it". I'm already looking forward to reading the next one in this series.

Survival of the Fritters is the first book in Ginger Bolton’s new Deputy Donut Series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The plot was good, the storyline was well written, it had great characters that are slightly different than the stereotypical cozy mystery characters. At no time did I think, this is preposterous. There were multiple mysteries to be solved, and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing.
Also, an added bonus is recipes.

This was a great start to a new series, I really loved that we wee hosted in a charming donut shop by the lovely Emily. She certainly has ties to law enforcement. And was easy to like. I loved that I was guessing suspects up to the very end.

Synopsis:

Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.

If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .

Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Emily is a hardworking compassionate woman. She has had her share of heartbreak but she has worked hard to get over her loss and get her life back on track. She is doing a good job of that with the donut shop she co-owns with her father-in-law. When one of the regular customers is found dead, Emily feels like she needs to find the killer. With the help of the Knitpickers, the knitters who frequented the shop (and the group that the deceased belonged to), Emily starts investigating the murder to find the culprit. I thought the secondary characters added a lot to the story and I was happy to get to know them better. There is even a possible love interest for Emily, if she is willing to take a chance.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and while reading the book, I felt like I was in the donut shop, with all of it’ doughy goodness. It made me hungry for my own donuts.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and not easy to solve. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through. Throw in some twists and turns and red herrings and even a seasoned armchair detective will have a hard time solving it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I will definitely read more of this series as the books are released.

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

Survival of the Fritters: A Deputy Donut Mystery
By Ginger Bolton
Kensington
February 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

Although it was the police officers of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin who encouraged Emily Westhill to open the Deputy Donut bakery, the shop’s name comes from her cat and not any official or legal affiliation. Emily may no longer be a 911 operator, but having the retired police chief as her assistant and the Fallingbrook police department as most loyal customers, she’s extremely networked and informed. When one of the donut shop’s most loyal and reliable customers fails to arrive for her scheduled knitting group meeting, her fellow Knitpickers enlist Emily along for a welfare check that leads to a gruesome discovery. Not only has doll-mender Georgia Treetor been murdered, but someone has stuffed donut-accessorized doll down her throat.

A Deputy Donut bakery box laid atop Georgia connects her death to Emily’s shop, placing no small amount of guilt and responsibility upon the young baker. One of the first 911 calls Emily received at her previous job was from Georgia reporting her adult son missing, and his murder was one that Emily’s late husband never solved. This, along with her new neighbor being a close friend of Georgia, leads Emily into looking closer into the deaths that have spanned five years.

While a donut shop hosting senior knitters places this debut series firmly in the cozy category, it also delves deeply into the psychological trauma resonating through this band of survivors. Widowed before she was even thirty, Emily carries with her not just sorrow, but the guilt of not being the 911 operator on call when her police officer husband was shot. That sense of failure led her not just to quit her job, but to cut off ties to those who reminded her of the most important life she never saved. Emily is starting to move on in her life though, and much of that involves not just resolving one of his last cases, but in allowing her husband’s best friend and partner back into her life. There are enough descriptions of gourmet donuts to satisfy any foodie, while Emily’s experience and connections with the police keep her investigations grounded and practical. Emily is smart, calm in an emergency, and as creative with her detecting as she is with her recipes. The author of mysteries under the name Janet Bolin continues to deliver fun and enthralling reads with this witty, skillfully plotted, extremely satisfying mystery.

I knew when I saw the cover of this book that I just HAD to get my hands on it to review. I mean how can you go wrong with donuts and an adorable tabby named Deputy? Well, my instincts were right again! This book was a smashing hit for me! For this to be the first in a new series gives me goosebumps knowing that there is a lot more doughy goodness to come. The story line was so well thought out and written that I had no idea how this mystery was going to end. The story took me on so many twists and turns I felt like I was on a roller coaster...ending in a suspenseful and exciting ride. I really enjoyed the depth of this mystery, leading back many, many years. And the characters, they are all written so well that I felt I knew them as personal friends by the end of the book. I especially loved getting to know Em and rooting for her to find peace and healing while being open to new possibilities that may be right in front of her nose. I look forward to seeing what Em, Dep and the whole Deputy Donut crew get into next! We won't have to wait long, as you can already pre-order Book Two, Goodbye Cruller World is set to be released August 28, 2018!

Fairly solid start to a new cozy mystery series. Meet Emily who runs a donut shop with with her father-in-law. As a widow she is still trying to figure parts of her life out so it comes as no surprise that she would find herself wrapped up in a murder investigation it is a cozy after all. I like the mix of mystery and donuts as the two seem to blend nicely in this story. I enjoyed the characters as each one was introduced and feel that this is a solid foundation for more books to come which I am interested in I must say. I enjoyed how the author kept just enough twists in the story so the reader could not figure it all out too early. Parts were a little slow but I imagine it will pick up in future installments. I really enjoyed reading it so I give it 4/5 stars.

I read Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton yesterday. This was a very compelling cozy mystery with a great story, filled with twists turns and nostalgia. I love the complex relationships and back story of main character Em. A young widowed police officer's wife, who together with the retired chief of police who also happens to be her father in law open a doughnut and coffee shop. The mystery and the unraveling of facts was fascinating, and so well thought out. This is a very well written cozy and I think this will make a wonderful series. I really enjoyed it and this one comes out January 30th from Kensington.

Who doesn't love a good donut?! Well maybe someone with a gluten intolerance, but that aside many of us have a fond memory or two of having a warm donut with friends or family. Well, that is what Emily has created with her Father-in-Law - a donut shop that everyone loves to frequent. And yes it is true, the police in this town do love their donuts.

The mystery of who killed Georgia is quite involved and goes back many years. The clues that eventually lead us to the killer are not easy to decipher and lead the reader down various paths until the truth is revealed. I do think that Emily was too focused on a few potential suspects and may have put herself in harm's way unnecessarily. But then this would not be a cozy mystery if the protagonist did not pull crazy stunts.

To round out the story there is a potential budding romance between Emily and Brent. Brent was her deceased husband's partner on the police force and I think it took a lot for Brent to seem Emily in a potential romantic light. They definitely have some chemistry, so it will be interesting to see how that progresses.

We give this 3 paws. It is a great start to a new series, characters need a little more development but that will come with more books. I read the sneak peek for book two and it intrigues me already!

One thing I really enjoyed about Survival of the Fritters is that the characters are slightly different than the stereotypical cozy mystery characters. The basic equation is there, but the ‘norms’ are just different enough in this series to stand out. The heroine Emily is a former 911 operator and the widow of a fallen police officer, and she runs the Deputy Donut shop with her father-in-law, a retired police chief who was a detective before that. Emily’s late husband’s partner Brent is still a detective with the local police force and is in charge of the murder investigation Emily happens upon. So, lots of ties to law enforcement, and while Emily is technically an amateur detective she has all this experience around her and works closely with them to solve the case. The familiar ‘why are they trusting her to help’ argument that is common from some cozy mystery readers sort-of doesn’t apply here because Emily is basically one of their own – with a baker’s apron instead of a badge. Plus, she makes donuts so you know the police are always hanging out at her shop lol.

Speaking of Brent… I smell romance potential!! He looks at her in a certain way and there are a few breathless moments when that crucial next step (kissing) hangs in the balance. Will they? Won’t they? You’ll have to read to find out but I predict it won’t be an easy path for them if they do decide to purse a relationship at some point. Lots of emotional baggage between the two of them… which may present several challenges but also promises some mighty fine kisses once they get around to it. Fortunately, for those who prefer the mystery over the lovey-dovey stuff, this is a very minimal subplot in the overall scheme of the plot.

The mystery is well-plotted and I honestly didn’t know which of the suspects had truly killed Georgia now and possibly her son five years ago. The author did a great job of crafting the possibilities and presenting the story with enough twists to keep it interesting. In fact, I changed my mind several times about the identity of the culprit before all was revealed.

Bottom Line: Survival of the Fritters is a cute start to a new series, with characters you care about and a quaint small town Wisconsin setting. I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other – from Emily & her father-in-law, to Emily’s best friends, and even the KnitPickers group that meets in the donut shop. A well-written mystery and a nice start to a new series! Looking forward to more!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)