Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book. I have loved the Bakeshop Mystery series, but this one was my favorite! I love the development of Jules and Lance’s friendship. I stayed guessing the entire book trying to figure out who did it. If you have not read this charming series I highly recommend it!

A Cup of Holiday Fear is #10 in the Bakeshop series set in Ashland Oregon. This is the first in the series for me, but I have spent time in Ashland around Christmas and could not resist another trip via armchair. It has the usual cozy elements - small town, interesting characters, irresistible business (do not read on an empty stomach), minimum of on scene gore and violence. I was pleased that there were also none of the cutesy elements so many cozies have, and when the lead character inevitably finds the dead body, what does she do? She secures the crimes scene and runs to find the detective already in the building. Sacre Bleu! What a concept.
The mystery is set during the Christmas season and the special nightly Dickens Feast at the soon to be sold Winchester Inn. Chaos and sabotage at the Inn turn to murder while Jules and her entire staff at Torte are enjoying the Dickens Feast, so all are under suspicion. Not really, but they know someone they know is the killer, and that does put a bit of a damper on the holidays. Jules, her mother, and Lance all try to help out the Professor (the main detective married to Jules' mother) as much as they can, but it's the busiest season of the year, and in another nice touch of reality, Jules is not taking off work to sleuth, she is working her butt off with the rest of her staff right up until noon on Christmas Eve. Amidst the mystery and baking there is still time for lots of Christmas cheer unblemished by the mayhem. And the depiction of Ashland is spot-on. Very enjoyable. I will definitely be going back and reading earlier books in the series.
My copy was an ARC from Net-Galley.

A Cup of Holiday Fear is a very well written cozy mystery. Great plot and beautiful setting. Mystery fans will love this book. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed reading A Cup of Holiday Fear, it was the first time for me reading a book by Ellie Alexander. I liked the Oregon setting, as it reminded me of certain Canadian locations, without as much snow. The author managed to convey a sense of holiday magic throughout the book, which was really charming. I liked the bakery characters, especially Bethany, Juliet and her mom. I was rather uncertain as whether I liked Lance or not even after reading half of the book, but it does reflect how we can feel about people in real life. Cami is as despicable as it gets, and it was fairly easy to guess what would happen to her. I also empathized with the difficulties some of the characters were facing, particularly during the holidays.

The description of the baked goods made me hungry, especially coming back from work. I wanted to taste all that was described in the book: lattes, cookies, bread - everything! I will definitely check out Ellie Alexander's previous books to understand the characters better, and to see what delicious baked goods are described. I recommend this book to fans of mysteries and/or the holidays, and to readers who want to relax with a well written, entertaining book.

It's Christmastime in Ashland, Oregon and Jules Capshaw and her staff at Torte are super busy preparing tasty holiday treats. Jules invites her staff to celebrate the upcoming holidays at the local Winchester Inn's Dickens Feast. The owners, Jon and Emma McBeth are selling the inn to an LA developer named Cami who has promised to keep the long-standing holiday traditions alive. But Cami is really a demanding diva who has made the inn's staff miserable and she gets her just desserts when she is stabbed to death when the lights go out during the dinner. The Professor and Thomas have a prime suspect (Nate, Jon and Emma's son) but Jules is not convinced he is the killer. A secret passageway entry hidden in the closet of Francine, veteran singer providing the entertainment during the Dickens Feast, provides Jules with clues about the killer's motive and opportunity.

This was another fun, tasty read which ends with a Christmas Eve dinner at the new home of Jules' mother and the Professor with friends and family.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

What better way to prepare for the holidays than in a busy bakeshop? I enjoyed the magical pre-Christmas atmosphere the author created as well as a murder mystery puzzle to solve. The plot moved along at a good rate but at times was slowed by the act of cooking, but there were mouthwatering recipes that were added to the book. I did have an idea who the murderer was early on, but the placement of clues and red herrings was excellent. I would highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for a Christmas cozy.

Thank You St. Martins Press, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!
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With the holidays right around the corner, getting into the mood with holiday themed reads is a great mood booster as well as a head start on gift ideas for the booklover on your gift list!
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I am introduced to Jules Capshaw as this is my first time reading a book within this series, and I am not disappointed. We are headed to Ashland, Oregon in a cozy little town where the bakery is front and center. That alone gets you into the holiday spirit. The author had a great writing style so her descriptions for a total visual reader such as myself, worked like a charm! There is a cozy Christmas meal and gathering set up only to end with one “dead goose”! If you like cozy reads, then this one is right up your alley as I loved it and didn’t want it to end! And.....the cover is simply to die for, isn’t it?

Lovey story, quick read, well written and enjoyable from start to end!

Juliet Montague Capshaw owns a bakery in Ashland, Oregon. She recently moved back there after ten years because she wanted to find her roots. Like many small business owners and small towns, she knows almost everyone.

It’s Christmas and everyone is celebrating with parades, feasts, and more. But there’s something dark underneath all the joy in town—something that leads to murder.

This is a standard cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth and lots of suspects, but that’s where the stereotyping ends. Unlike most cozies, the sleuth is never in mortal danger (which is not necessarily a bad thing!). And she doesn’t have an in-town boyfriend. Instead, she has a husband (who’s off at sea for the entire story) and a stepson (who also doesn’t show up until the end). Different, but interesting. The killer is kind of easy to spot, but nothing is really given away until the end—and again, nobody is in mortal danger. Yes, Juliet goes into the dark basement for things, but…really, no angst there.

Things I liked: the imagery! The writer has a deft hand with describing the scenery and the surroundings. I almost wanted to get a cup of hot peppermint cocoa to drink while reading—during ninety-degree weather where I am! I also liked the characters—they were well described and believable, as was the reason for the murder. Plus, no angst about the main characters being in danger. Kind of a nice change from the norm. And her name! Ashland, OR is famous for its Shakespearean Festival and theater and to name the main character after Juliet…had to smile at that.

Things I didn’t like: I was just a little lost with the whole absent husband thing and exactly who the Professor (Doug) is—I gather he’s a police detective? But I’m not certain. This is not the first in the series, so I assume these things were explained in earlier books. Also, going back to the norm with most cozies, there was never any danger for any of the characters (except the victim—and it was obvious from the beginning who it was going to be).

Recommendation: I really would recommend this series, but I’d recommend you start with book one (Meet your Baker) so you understand the connections between characters and who they are. I know I’ll definitely be looking to get the series. Not necessarily because of the mystery, but the imagery alone drew me in. I want to be there—and can, through the books.

Thank you to Netgalley for this free ARC in return for an unbiased review

Simply a mouth watering mystery read to ring the holiday season in. The Author Ellie Alexander awakens all your senses with this book. You can just imagine all the smells coming from the delightful bakery named Torte.
Juliet is the owner of Torte bakery in Ashland Oregon. A town that seems like the perfect Elizabethan getaway for the holiday season. They celebrate the season in a big way with lots of fun things to do all month long. The McBeths hotel Winchester puts on a Dickens dinner theater show to die for. Okay so maybe it shouldn't be to die for. Only the night Juilet has her company party some one is killed. Can Juliet and her best friend Lance solve the murder and still stay in the holiday mood? Book is filled with lots of bakers secrets and best of all yummy recipes.

A Cup of Holiday Fear is a mixture of many of my favorite things-Christmas, cozy mystery and a visit to Ashland, OR. Jules finds herself with another murder mystery to solve when a murder happens while she and her employees are attending a Christmas dinner at a local hotel and the woman who was to buy it is killed. The reader gets the enjoyment of the company of the rest of the gang in Ashland, including Lance and newer Torte employees. The murderer is not easily identified by the reader and many characters become suspects. I enjoyed this book immensely, with the only disappointment being I didn't have the self control to not read it until the Holiday Season.

Torte owner Juliet Capshaw runs a thriving business with her mother and faithful employees. When friends and inn owners, the MacBeths, decide to sell, they plan to help their last Dickens Feast be the best yet. The Feast is beset by problems from the get go, and culminates with a murder. The victim doesn't seem to be liked by anyone and suspects are many.
Juliet aids her stepfather-to-be, Detective Doug aka The 'Professor' in seeking the answers, gets in a few jams, but gets the answers.
Interesting and well scribed the tale moves along and is followed by a collection of yummy sounding recipes.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

This is a nicely done cozy series with a super appealing setting and much greater than usual character development.

Juliet Capshaw has returned from a life as a cruise ship chef to settle down in her home town of Ashland, Oregon and run her family's pastry/coffee shop. If you're a fan of the series you know that Juliet's widowed mother has re-married and that Juliet is torn since her husband Carlos is still a chef away at sea. But the circumstances are adequately explained for newcomer readers.

The small town of Ashland is important to the series and well described. The community itself, particularly with this book's holiday theme, is enormously attractive. And the details of running the bake shop (not to mention the recipes!) add to the appeal.

A local couple with close ties to Juliet's family have decided to sell their hotel and retire. The new owner turns out to be horrible, and the discovery of her body leads to lots of murder suspects.

Highly recommended series. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An enjoyable continuation of the charming Oregon-based Bakeshop mystery series. Recommended for cozy mystery enthusiasts, especially those who like culinary-themes.

Everything about this series is magical, and this latest installment is no different. Gearing up for the holidays, Torte is even busier than normal. With pies, cakes, and cookies galore, the whole crew is excited for a fun filled night together. When murder throws salt instead of sugar into the mix for their evening, Jules finds herself once again hard pressed to help solve the murder and most of all Christmas.
Such a wonderfully executed story. The characters feel like best friends at this point, real people with real conflict. Seeing how the characters grow together, and the surprise at the end make this the perfect holiday mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free review copy.

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Not even a year ago, I discovered Ellie Alexander, and was immediately hooked! A Cup of Holiday Fear is book number ten in this series, A Bakeshop Mystery.

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With all of her books, I am always hooked from the beginning, and hate to put them down! It's Christmastime in Oregon, and everyone is busy with the holiday approaching. Every year the Winchester Inn hosts a Dickens Feast, and this year, some one ends up dead, unfortunately. And in true Jules fashion, she gets to work and starts to dig into this murder mystery.

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Ellie Alexander writes the perfect cozy mysteries, in my opinion. All the characters, for the most part, seem real and are likable. I love Juliet's relationship with her employees, and love how she is with her mom and best friend, Lance. Gaurenteed these books will make you hungry, and I really need to make a few of the recipes, that are provided in the book. 🎂 The stories are always well developed, and most of the time keep me guessing! The ending was perfect for this book, and now I'm patiently waiting for book #11, to be released!

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If you enjoy cozy mysteries, please give this series a try, and start with the first one! I have enjoyed each book, and can't wait to read more!

Nothing is better than a holiday cozy mystery and this one fits that description. It has it all, the lovely decorated town, wonderful characters, and oh yes, a murder. Make sure you don’t miss this one.

This is one of my favorite cozy series. That being said, I was thrilled to get to read this new book in the series. The characters are likable and engaging. Jules' relationship with her mother and coworkers makes the book worth reading. I can always picture myself at Torte and who wouldn't want a best friend like Lance! I solved the.murder early but it wasn't that big of a deal because the book is so well written that you enjoy reading it.

A Cup of Holiday Fear will take you to small town Christmas cheer. Then a murder comes. You'll find the characters come alive as you read. You'll find that you can almost smell all the delicious aromas in the bakery. Lots of twists as you try to solve the murder.

Jules Capshaw and her Torte staff are busier than ever making delicious pastries for the Christmas season. Deciding everyone could use a break, She invites them for a dinner celebration at the local Winchester Inn. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse when the new owner of the Inn is murdered during a power outage. Jules has a few theories about the murder and with her friend, Lance's persuasion, she decides to do her own investigation. This is one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series. Ellie Alexander has created a wonderful cast of characters. Reading a new installment feels like catching up with old friends. From the mouth-watering food descriptions to the beautiful Christmas setting, it feels like you are right there in Ashland enjoying the holidays with Jules and her Torte family. The mystery does take a back seat to all the Christmas celebrations going on, but it was still well developed and the culprit was not completely obvious. It didn't take away my enjoyment of the book and I was very pleased with the ending. Overall, I highly recommend this series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.