Goodbye Cruller World is the second book in Deputy Donut Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.
Emily and her father in law are expanding their business by catering the wedding for the friendly clothing shop owner. All is going well until rude and obnoxious groom ends up dead at his own wedding reception. Hundreds of possible suspects to sift through has Emily determined to find out the truth. I appreciated her close relationship with the local police force and the investigation procedure. Nice and likable set of characters. I must say that I didn't have any problem familiarizing with the story even though I still haven't read the first book.
It is a well plotted mystery that moves at the steady pace with many twiats and turns.
Highly recommended for a quiet afternoon of sleuthing.

GOODBYE CRULLER WORLD, the second book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series by Ginger Bolton is a sweet read and will have you craving donuts throughout the entire book! I was captivated by the pun-y title and the inviting cover design pulled me into the story. An ex- 911 dispatcher, protagonist Emily Westhill owns the Deputy Donut Café with her father-in-law. This duo has a touching, heart-felt relationship that adds an emotional undercurrent to the story, especially since they lost a son and a husband to a tragic death. The charming donut shop setting provides the perfect gathering place for law enforcement and emergency response personnel and allows Emily access to information when she gets involved in murder investigations. The author’s strong descriptive voice makes you feel like you’re right there with Emily and I could almost smell and taste the donuts in the shop!

Deputy Donut is hired to cater donuts for the wedding of Jenn, owner of Dressed to Kill which is one of the neighboring shops to Emily’s. It doesn’t take long for conflict to erupt between the bride and her half-sister over the upcoming nuptials and once Emily meets the groom, she understands why. When the groom is poisoned and dies after eating some of the donuts she provides at the reception, Emily knows she must get involved and clear both her business’ reputation and prove the bride’s innocence. It doesn’t help that the bride invited an ex-boyfriend to the wedding and seemed to have had second thoughts about getting married. Since my own cousin is a wedding planner, I loved the details the author provides about the reception from the food, to the over-the-top décor, to the special touches the bride requests. Ms. Bolton provides plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing and enough twists and turns until the threads of the plots are woven together into a satisfying conclusion. You’ll be drooling over the yummy treats Deputy Donut serves to its customers and the author provides a couple donut recipes at the back of the book.

Hard to say about a groom dead on his wedding day but Roger wasn't a good guy. But...who poisoned the donuts on the wall at the reception? Certainly not Emily and Tom, who made them, and not Jenn, his bride. This is a delightful series made all the more so by the fact that Emily and Tom both worked in law enforcement until Emily's husband (Tom's son) died and thus have the knowledge and insight some cozy sleuths do not. Now the real local enforcement- Yvonne- she's a pill and she'd like the pin the murder on them. Never fear, a combo of good story telling and a nice plot made this a cozy I enjoyed (there's even a cat!). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Even though this is the second in a series, it's easily read as a standalone.

Synopsis:

Named after her beloved tabby, Deputy Donut, Emily Westhill's donut shop in small-town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is doing so well, she's expanding into catering weddings. But a killer is about to crash the reception . . .

Normally, Emily's eyes tend to glaze over when prospective brides go on about their wedding plans. But when the owner of the clothing shop, Dressed to Kill, asks Emily to design a donut wall for her reception, she's immediately sweet on the idea. With the help of her father-in-law and business partner--the former police chief of Fallingbrook--she hangs the treats from dowels on the wall so guests can help themselves.

But that night, when the groom ends up on the floor with signs of poisoning, Emily suspects someone has tampered with her treats. When the groom dies, there's no way to sugarcoat it: she's got a murder on her hands. Despite a list of suspects as long as the guest list, Emily vows to find out who created the killer confection to save her shop's reputation and keep the bride out of handcuffs. She'll have to move fast . . . before the poisoner takes a powder. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Emily is not afraid of hard work and she is happy to spend her days working to make her donut shop successful, So when she has the opportunity to create a donut wall for a wedding reception, she is happy to do it. Little does she know that her creation is going to be used for murder. She knows that she is going to have to get involved in another killer investigation and figure out who the culprit is. With the help of some friends, she does just that.

The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. Throw in some red herrings and twists and turns and it is not very easily solved. The fact that Emily was considered a suspect seemed a little off to me, she did not know him at all. I guess the fact that the lead detective really dislikes Emily (I think she dislikes everyone) was the reason why she wanted to pin the murder on Emily.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Emily Westhill and Deputy Donuts are busily preparing two types of donuts for the donut wall at her friend Jenn's upcoming wedding. But it appears not everything is sugar and spice as the wedding approaches. Jenn's fiance Roger is a bully and she is having second thoughts about marrying him. Her sister Suzanne is also a bully and keeps pushing Jenn to cancel. When the night of the wedding arrives, Emily and her partner and father-in-law Tom set up the donut wall, carefully labeling the side which holds Roger's favorite donuts and the side that holds Jenn. When Roger winds up dead during the reception with donuts crammed in his mouth and pockets, Emily fears for her business.

I really liked this story and it’s premise. It was no surprised as to who did it. What I really enjoy is finding out the why. I don’t believe the why was compelling enough. I was disappointed in the reveal, I felt cheated. There wasn’t a good reason other than his nastiness to the Jenn and alleged questionable business practices. What was the groom blackmailing anyone about? It really wasn’t clear. I believe the reader needed to know more about the groom and his interactions with others.
I was also disappointed that the neighbor from the first story was completely gone.

I liked the donut wall, the interaction of Emily, Jenn, and the crew that supports Emily. I learned a few things in this book. Who knew there was a tasteless arsenic? I also liked the introduction of other potential romantic interests for many of the characters and that the book did not dwell on that aspect. I see a lot of potential in this series.

Goodbye Cruller World is the second delicious novel in the Deputy Donut series. Bolton wastes no time engaging the reader as we join our protagonist, Emily, at her friend's wedding. Emily is there with a donut wall, filled with the bride and groom's favourite donuts, for guests to enjoy at the reception. Once Emily steps away to join the dance, foul play occurs at the wedding, and Emily is working double duty to serve donuts and solve the murder!

This is a fun read - there is an interesting group of suspects, plenty of red herrings, many twists and turns, and these kept me guessing right up to the end. The donut shop is a great backdrop for Emily's sleuthing, as it is such a cornerstone in her small community. In this book, I found Emily's over-analysing of everything, from the suspects to her relationship with Brent a bit much, and the ending could have been tidied up a little more quickly. But I will certainly look for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for an ARC of this book in exchange for review.

Loved it! An entertaining and engaging addition to a delightful series. Adorable cat, fun people, and donuts all add up to an enjoyable read. Light reading at its best.

I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to review this title. I was looking forward to this second installment of the Deputy Donut crew, and it didn't disappoint! I love the familiar, small-town feel of the setting, as well as a mystery that kept me guessing. With several of the series that I've read for a long time coming to an end, I'm thrilled to have found this series!

Another fun cozy mystery in the Deputy Donut series! The setting really sucked me in and a well planned mystery kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. The author went above and beyond adding several donut recipes at the end of the book!! I really enjoyed this second book in the series and hope to read more by this author.

Goodbye Cruller World is the second installment in the Deputy Donut Mystery series set in the small town of Fallingbrook, WI and featuring widowed donut shop co-owner, Emily Westhill. The donut shop that Emily owns with her father in law, the ex Chief of Police Tom is doing well and the customers are delighted to be able to peer in the all glass office each day to see the shop's namesake, the cute tabby cat Deputy Donut.

When the owner of Dressed to Kill, the clothing boutique next door, Jenn Zeeland asks Emily and Tom to create a donut wall for her upcoming wedding reception, Emily is delighted to showcase their donuts. Emily is looking forward to arriving at the wedding in the shop's classic police car complete with a donut on the roof and flashing sprinkles. But, she is not looking forward to working with Jenn's half -sister Suzanne and the grouchy groom, Roger.

Things at the wedding are a little tense. Jenn has invited her ex boyfriend Chad to the reception and the groom is falling down drunk. Much to Emily's surprise after inhaling one of her delicious crullers, Roger collapses and dies; a victim of poisoning. With fingers pointing to Emily as the culprit, she is determined to clear her own name and in turn save the reputation of Deputy Donut.

Setting out with advice from Tom, Emily joins forces with Detective Brent Fyne to catch a killer before the vindictive Detective Yvonne Passenmath locks up Jenn. There are plenty of other suspects including the two women who'd been attending a conference in the room adjacent to the banquet hall and the mysterious security guard who wasn't hired by anyone to guard the halls. Emily has to act fast before she finds herself the killer's next target.

A quick read with a well developed plot. A few things are hard to get past when reading this series; the first being the constant use of "mmp", it's rather annoying that the cat and characters are constantly using this expression and the second being that Emily never has any interaction with her mother in law Cindy, although Tom seems to have a wonderful marriage and Emily was totally devoted to her late husband Alec. But the donut descriptions are mouthwatering and the recipes at the end of the book are delicious!

I received an advanced copy of Goodbye Cruller World from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this mystery. I liked that the main character has ties to the police force, so she doesn't do anything overtly stupid. I loved the donut theme, and the donut descriptions almost made me want to go off my diet. Very interesting setting and fun cast of characters. Great mystery. I look forward to more in the series!

Emily and Tom are retained to build a “wall of donuts” for a wedding reception and the groom ends up dead – from eating an arsenic laced cruller.

The bride is Jenn, the owner of Dressed to Kill, a boutique just across the way from Deputy Donuts, Tom and Emily’s donut shop. There is no shortage of suspects, beginning with the bride herself who realizes she made a mistake in marrying Roger. Then there’s Gerald Stone, a security guard, who no one hired, sitting right outside the murder scene and two women, Vanessa and April, who have nothing good to say about Roger but were sort of hovering around the reception.

Once again, the banter between Emily and Dep, her spunky tabby, make this an entertaining and engaging read. Ginger Bolton continues to build a comfortable community of characters as she creates another interesting mystery with twists and misdirection. The plotting is this book is well done. And it’s always worth returning to read how Emily and Dep are getting on…meow.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

As with the first Deputy Donut mystery, I was hooked from the start with this unique and cute book! I adore the world Ginger Bolton has created here, and all the detail given to us from Deputy Donut the cat, to her friendship with Tom her Father-in-law, to the wonderful network of friends surrounding Emily. Every part of this book is cozy perfection; great small town attitude, police officers, food descriptions (yum!) and of course, a murder mystery to solve. I absolutely never tire of them, especially with wonderful authors such as Ginger Bolton up to the task!

If you're looking for a cozy mystery to satify your sweet tooth, or perhaps your love of murder mystery (why not both?) then this is the series for you. I can't wait for the next installment!

The characters were interesting and the author did not treat the older women in the story as if they were demented. I kept thinking I figured out who the murderer was but it took until the big reveal before I was sure.I was kept guessing until the end. Some twists and turns.

I enjoyed this enough to make it all the way through to the end despite pegging the killer from the beginning, although I'm still a bit dubious about a 'donut wall' at a wedding, particularly one where the groom appears to be the type of guy who would want the best of everything (although, okay, Emily's donuts are the best donuts).

There was a lot of information dumping in it and a long, drawn-out confession of the killer at the end, some clunky detail that could easily be either tidied up or removed entirely, and although I liked the premise and some of the characters, it fell short for me being eager to continue.

Goodbye Cruller World is the second book in Ginger Bolton’s Deputy Donut Mystery series. The mystery is intriguing and the story moves along at a steady pace with a great cast of well-developed characters. Twists and turns, red herrings, and suspects abound in this well written whodunit. This entertaining book held my interest from the first page to the last. I’m looking forward to reading future books in this series.

Emily Westhill and her father-in-law, Tom Westhill, own and operate a donut shop, Deputy Donut, in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. Before opening the donut shop, Emily was a 911 operator, and her deceased husband, Alec, was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty, she has a delightful fur baby named Deputy Donut (usually calling her Dep), and her best friends are Misty, a police officer, and Samantha, an EMT. Tom, who is now retired, was Fallingbrook’s Police Chief and he designed the office so Dep could comfortably spend her days at the shop. The day before the wedding, Jenn’s older half-sister and business partner, Suzanne, who has never liked Roger Banchen, Jenn’s fiancé, brought her to tears when she told her to cancel the wedding. Jenn Zeeland, the owner of Dressed to Kill, a clothing shop, asked Emily to cater the dessert portion of her wedding reception. Emily and Tom created a donut wall where the sweet treats were hung so guests could help themselves during the reception. The bride invited her ex-boyfriend to the wedding and reception and the groom, who was drinking heavily, tells him to leave. While dancing with Scott Ritsorf, the Fire Chief, his attention is drawn to the donut wall where the groom is half hidden under the table. When Roger dies, the toxicology reports indicate he was poisoned with white arsenic. Detective Brent Fyne, Alec’s previous partner, is involved in the investigation, but Detective Yvonne Passenmath of the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, who holds a grudge against Emily and Tom, is called in as the lead detective. Emily can’t help herself and tries to solve the crime.

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

The second book in this series is a delicious delight.
The premise of a "donut shop" cozy has certainly been done before, but this series gives it a fresh feel.
The characters are well written and entertaining.
The whodunit was engaging and kept me guessing until the end.
I recommend this book and look forward to reading the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Pleasant read with an unusual, fun, intricate plot. I really really wanted a donut! Enjoyed all the characters and their teamwork to catch a murderer

As the story begins, Emily and Tom, co-owners Of Deputy Donut Cafe, are preparing a donut wall for the wedding reception of the business owner next door, Jenn. After the “I Do’s”, Roger, the groom, stuffs himself with crullers and keels over dead. Tox reports point to poison. Tough and gruff outsider, Detective Passenmath, would enjoy pinning the murder on Emily and Tom and be done with it; however, they have friends with the local police department, and that’s not going to happen.

The story moves along at a steady clip with a great cast of characters. Plenty of suspects are provided for readers to sort out who had means, motive, and opportunity to snuff out the groom. This is a great cozy for an afternoon of reading. Delicious recipes follow the story.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.