I started the first book of this series 6 months ago and I've finally made it to the end. It's a huge compliment to the author that I read all 11 books of the series without taking breaks between books. Usually I'll read 2 books of a series, take a break, and then come back. However, in this case, I didn't want to take a break from the characters and town of Ashland, OR where all of the books of the Bakeshop Mystery series take place. I feel like I've been reading one very long book because the plot line tends to continue on from one book to the next. I'm hopeful that at some point the author will have a better resolution between Jules and her husband. Her estranged husband appears infrequently in the series. In this book, he was nonexistent.

Nothing Bundt Trouble was a different read than the other books in the series because it's a mystery that Jules' dad and a friend tried to solve many years before when Jules would have only been a child. Jules learns of the case when she finds an old journal written in by her father. He called it "The Pastry Case." Jules shows the journal to Doug (the police officer friend who had been helping her dad with the case.) Doug tells her the case was never solved. As in other cases of the series, Jules decides to ask her friend Lance to help interview the main suspects of the case and as usual Jules gets herself into a dangerous situation.

It will be sad to have to say good-bye to this cozy mystery series for awhile. The Bakeshop Mysteries will have a special place in my heart since it helped me pass the time during our recent months of sheltering in place because of the pandemic. I'm hopeful that there will be other books in the series in the near future. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing Bundt Trouble: A Bakeshop Mystery
By Ellie Alexander
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
July 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Bakeshop Torte’s pastry chef Juliet Capshaw is relieving the past in a very unexpected way in the 11th mystery set in the Shakespeare-celebrating town of Ashland, Oregon. Now that the holidays are over and Ashland prepares for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s upcoming season, Juliet is taking the time to move into the family home recently vacated by her mother. Juliet’s widowed mom has finally married Detective Doug Curtis, and she and “The Professor” have gifted the Capshaw home to Juliet to keep it in the family. While going through some of the many boxes stored in the basement Juliet unearths her late father’s journal from March 1988. It is there that she learns that she was in fact not the first amateur detective in the family. That honor would go to her father Will Capshaw, who managed to find himself an active player in what the bakeshop owner appropriately called “The Pastry Case.” During the spring of 1988 the Cabaret theatre opened in Ashland, and handsome actor Chuck Faraday quickly built himself a reputation as the Burt Reynolds of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The hard-drinking thespian made himself just as known for confrontations with the theater members, the crew, and even the restaurant chef providing dinner service. Although Will had only initially agreed to serve an additional dessert menu to be unboxed for theater attendees, he became his “Bard Brother’s” assistant detective when they witnessed Chuck be run down just outside the Cabaret.

As Juliet and the Professor read excerpts from her father’s journal, they relive the unsolved case that continues to haunt the Professor and led to threats against the Capshaws. Juliet soon realizes that many of the players from that case are still in Ashland today, and to honor her father’s memory she becomes determined to finally close The Pastry Case. Getting into the spirit of things, Juliet’s assistant bakers at Torte begin to plan an 80s-themed menu to coincide with their St. Patrick’s Day dinner, recreating classics like Tiramisu, Upside-Down Pineapple Cake, and the ubiquitous chocolate lava cakes. When Juliet realizes that she is being watched and someone seems determined to keep a lid firmly closed on the past, she and her friends track down suspects to hopefully match the handwriting against the villain who threatened their beloved Torte bakeshop.

While Juliet contemplates her future and the choices she must make in her relationship with her traveling estranged husband, she submerges herself fully into the investigation led by her adored father. This novel is as much Will Capshaw’s story as it is Juliet’s, and the author succeeds in bringing to life not just Ashland’s theater world in 1988 but the family man who was the Capshaw patriarch. While no recipes are included, the lovingly detailed descriptions of Juliet’s baking will be more than enough to please pastry-loving gourmands. Further enhancing the setting are recollections of an era of video stores, BMX bikes, and the advisability of not wearing helmets. While Juliet spends much of the novel focusing on the past, it also gives her the insight to make a decision about her future. Readers will be reassured to know that Juliet’s path will take her in directions that honor both her own goals and the memory of her father. While this mix of the past and present serves as the perfect entry point for new readers interested in starting the series, it also promises a rewarding resolution for longtime fans of Juliet, Torte, and her continuing adventures.

This excellent new Torte mystery takes readers back to the 80s, and gives readers a peek at a character we've never really gotten to know before- Juliet's father, who died before the series started. It's bittersweet, but it gives new insight to Juliet and her mother, and the 80s references were fun. It also helps readers to contextualize how Ashland has changed through the years. There is enough of the book set in the present that we get to catch up with longtime favorites, and the 80s section also shows us what other characters were like in earlier decades (Richard Lord :D). A great addition to this series!

This is one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series and I must admit I was a bit disappointed when I saw this would be kind of a flashback. I love Jules and the modern day Torte crew as well as the other Ashland residents so I was sad I wouldn't be spending more time with them in this book. However, I absolutely loved how the author handled it. Yes there was plenty of time spent back in the 1980s with Jules' father but we also get to spend plenty of time in modern day Ashland so it was very much the best of both worlds. I really enjoyed seeing how the theater world really got up and running and I do love a cold case! This was a fun read and felt very much like catching up with old friends. If you enjoy cozy mysteries this is really a series you absolutely cannot miss though I don't recommend reading on an empty stomach - the food references are amazing!

Juliet Capshaw has moved in to her childhood home, and is finding life to be settling in to a mostly perfect course professionally. She just needs to figure out her personal life now. While going through some boxes in the basement, she finds her deceased father's old journal, and in the process sparks interest in a long-cold hit and run case that may have relevance to happenings in town currently. Working with her father's best friend, she finds herself feeling closer than ever to her much missed father. A strong entry to the series, and one that continues to grow the characters and provide new and interesting plot points.

Another wonderful installment in the Bakeshop Mystery series! I'm not usually a fan of tales that jump back and forth between past and present, but the talented Elle Alexander makes the formula work in this story. Add in a touch of the 80s (my generation!) and the result is a book I was sorry to have end.

This has been a long time favorite series of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book is different than the previous books in this series. In this book Juliet finds a journal of her dad's written in the 1980's and a lot of the book is taken up with Juliet and the Professor reading the journal. I loved learning some of the backstories of Juliet 's Dad, Ashland, and Torte. This is well crafted with interesting characters.

This story had me riveted not only once but twice, a story within a story. Or rather, the story had a back story. I did not even realize that this was the 11th book in the series since it read like a debut with an amazing backstory. Needless to say, this was my first Torte Bakeshop mystery and apparently a mystery served cold is just as good as a current one since I couldn’t put the book down having been drawn into The Pastry Case just as much as Juliet our leading lady. Having had no prior knowledge of characters or previous storyline did not hamper my ability as an armchair detective. I was able to keep up with the various characters and the two distinctively different plot lines. The one thing that I felt the book lacked was some recipes to go with those wonderful sounding coffee concoctions, perfect pastries, and marvelous meals. I feel compelled to hunt for a ding dong recipe and make my own version of marshmallow cream with a little cherry extract or maybe some kirsch for that little something extra. Now that I know that there are ten other books I will need to do a little research and get myself up to date on Juliet’s hardworking crew at Torte as well as what really propelled her to leave her job as a head pastry chef sailing around the world while working on a cruise line after a decade to settle in the small town of Ashland, Oregon. Also, I was a little confused as to whether or not she had left her husband, who also worked for the cruise line. All in all this was a highly entertaining cozy and is sure to be a hit!

Nothing Bundt Trouble by Ellie Alexander is the 11th A Bakeshop Mystery. It can be read on its own if you are new to this culinary mystery series. Juliet “Jules” Capshaw found her deceased father’s journal in a box in the basement. She reads how he was conflicted about getting involved in The Pastry Case and decides to discuss it with Doug (aka Professor) who was her father’s best friend. Ashland, Oregon is always a charming town to visit with Torte, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and its friendly residents (except Richard Lord). I like the family feel inside Torte, among the staff, and the descriptions of the tasty treats they whip up. Nothing Bundt Trouble is different from the other ten books in this series. Roughly two-thirds of the book involves Doug and Jules sitting at a table in Torte reading William Capshaw’s journal. Jules seems to go into a haze while they are reading. She fails to notice the lively atmosphere of Torte with people coming in and out getting coffee and pastries. The pacing is sluggish courtesy of the detailed journal entries and lack of action. With all that William had going on in his life, I do not know how he found the time to write such lengthy, detailed entries (would you really write about the food people ate). I missed the lightheartedness that is the norm for the books in A Bakeshop Mystery series. When the story returns to the present Jules and Lance work to solve the case. Chuck Faraday was not a well-liked man which provides some good suspects. The whodunit can be solved easily before the reveal. I did like getting to know more about William. We also get to learn what Helen and Jules were like in 1988. It seems that Jules was inquisitive even as a child. The 1980s gives Jules inspiration for a fun party. Nothing Bundt Trouble just missed the mark for me. I look forward to reading Chilled to the Cone when it comes out later this year. Nothing Bundt Trouble is a blast from the past cozy mystery with a discovered diary, fabulous sugar flowers, clashes at the Cabaret, decorating dilemmas, and a cold case.

Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Mystery series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I literally wish Torte and the characters were real.

Nothing Bundt Trouble is the eleventh book in the series. I would like to say it’s a standalone read, but I don’t believe it is. At its heart, the story is a much-needed journey for the series protagonist, Jules Capshaw. The story goes back in time to 1988. Readers are introduced to Will, Jules’s father and are able to see the town of Ashland, Oregon, and Torte in their infancy.

Now that Jules’s mother, Helen, has married Ashland’s Police Detective Doug Curtis aka The Professor, Jules moves back into her childhood home. While looking in the basement, Jules discovers a diary written by her father. The diary details events starting on March 14, 1988, where Will and Doug witness a hit and run accident, resulting in the death of a stage actor. At the time, The Professor was fairly new to the department and this became his first solo investigation. Wanting to make a good impression, he asked Will to help with his investigation. The two dub the case “The Pastry Case” and attempt to find out what happened. Unfortunately, this was the first case The Professor wasn’t able to solve. While Doug and Jules sit down together to go over the diary, it gives them an opportunity to bond and reminisce about Will. In the end, Jules knows that she has to attempt to solve the case for both her father and The Professor.

Nothing Bundt Trouble is my most favorite book of the series so far. I knew Ellie was going to write a book set in the 80’s and I knew the book was going to feature Jules’s father who hasn’t been introduced until now. I couldn’t imagine how she was going to pull this off. But she did and did an amazing job in the process. The story allows you to get to know Will and see him and Helen open up Torte. You also get to witness Will’s love for Helen and Jules, which comes through the pages of the story. Jules has so many of her father’s qualities that I don’t think she ever picked up on until now. Nothing Bundt Trouble was definitely a book this series and Jules herself needed. I can’t wait to read the next book, Chilled to the Cone.

~ FAVORITE QUOTES ~

“Always trust your instincts.”

“Your instincts will never lead you astray. That’s a lesson for work, for love, for life.”

Nothing Bundt Trouble by Ellie Alexander is the 11th in the Bakeshop Mystery series and is a totally different kind of book for this series. The opening pages we are totally in Juliet's head, remembering and dreaming, but as enjoyable as a day in the bakeshop would be. She's in her bedroom, at her house, the one her mother and Doug gave her when they married, wanting a new place for their new life. This had been her childhood home. The she had to get up and get going so she decided to tackle the basement where she cam upon a box full of her father's things, including an old journal. She was enthralled., but as she started reading it she realized that she could not do it by herself. The story was mostly about Doug and her dad so she called Doug to ask him to meet her. When she mentioned that she had the journal and what it was about, they decided to read it together so that he could explain it to her. It turns out it was a casebook of a murder investigation, Doug's first, from the 80s. It was entertaining to hear about her parents getting the shop started, how hard it was. Reading it brought Juliet so much closer to her dad than she could ever have imagined. It was well past the middle of the book when modern day intercepted and the murder investigation, from 40 years ago, popped into the forefront.

Juliet and the Bakeshop crew are so much fun to be with. They are so full of personality and life. It's fun to see the differences that have happened over the life of the bakeshop and the town. This was definitely a divergence for Alexander and it shows how good a writer she truly is. The transition were smooth and made sense, People that were not involved back then, still fit into the story even as it came into the present. The mystery was good, especially since the murderers thought they had gotten away with it. That's always a good story. She understood so much more about her father and about her mother and Doug's relationship. It all made her very happy, once everything was resolved. It was a good read. I recommend it.

I was invited to read an ARC of Nothing Bundt Trouble by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #nothingbundttrouble

Nothing Bundt Trouble by Elle Alexander is book eleven in the Bakeshop Mystery series. This is one of my favorite series and I was not disappointed. What made this story interesting was Juliet tackles a cold case.
When Jules comes across a journal her late father had kept regarding a hit and run death cold case, she knows she has to find answers. What I enjoyed going into the past was the memories it brought up for me from the 80's.
This story is well written with twists and turns that have you guessing until the end. The main characters are likeable and relatable. You also have love family and friends along with humor. I'm already ready to return to Torte!
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an honest review.

Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop series is one of my ultimate comfort reads. I love returning to Ashland whenever a new book comes out and catching up with all my favourite characters. Nothing Bundt Trouble is a somewhat different instalment then past books in that we see Juliet finding her dad's journal where he documents a case he was involved with back in the 1980's so much of the book is a flashback to that time. I liked learning more about dad, plus seeing Ashland in the 80s, but I did miss hanging out with all the present day bakeshop regulars. That being said, this was still a fun book and it was neat that Alexander tried something new and fresh with the series. As alway, I await the next instalment!

Nothing Bundt Trouble by Ellie Alexander is the 11th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series, and another great addition. I love this series, and have read them all, and when a new book comes out it's like visiting old friends. Juliet Capshaw owns Torte Bakery with her mother. Juliet is moving into her childhood house since her mother has remarried. While sorting through papers, she finds her father's diary, and he talks about the bakery case that he helped the professor on in the 1980's. The Professor is Juliet new step father, and the police chief, so she asks him about the case. I found this book to be very interesting and unique. Together Juliet and the Professor talk about the diary, the case, and the sleuthing begins. The plot and characters are well written, and this book will keep you guessing and wondering about all the suspects. I suggest you read the books in order, to get the full effect. I highly recommend this book for all cozy mystery lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

NOTHING BUNDT TROUBLE, the eleventh book in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I have read the entire series and find this one of my favorite long running series. Thank you with gratitude to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC. My review opinion is my own.

This was such a fun nostalgic look back at the beginning of the Torte Bakery for series fans. Jules finds a old diary of her Father's from the 80's and becomes interested in solving a cold case that her Father was involved in. Throughout the mystery of the case the author included some mouth watering receipes and a look back at Jules as a child . As Jules revisits the case and her history she renews interest in her old family receipes and incorporates them into her bakery. The fun of this book is as always the Bakery , the baking of wonderful comfort food and Jules as a fun savvy protagonist.

The sleuth was well crafted and interesting to conclusion. . I enjoyed this look back in time of the beginning of the fabulous Torte Bakery we all love and of our Jules . This was a fun read!

Know in advance that this is a different sort of offering in the long running series- and perhaps because of that it's a fine standalone. Much of the novel involves Jules and her stepfather Douglas reading a diary written by Jules' father in the 1980s. The mystery, which is less important that the backstory of Jules life, is within the diary- it's a hit and run that's never been solved. You get a good dose, though, of the history of the Torte bakery and of Ashland, Oregon. Oh, and of baked good! Yum! I liked this- I liked getting more info about Jules' family and seeing her relationship grow with Doug. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read and I'm looking forward to the next one.

One of the features of cozy mystery series that I love is that when you get the newest book, you already know most of the characters from previous books. Nothing Bundt Trouble is the newest in a favorite cozy series, Bakeshop Mysteries. Jules has started to read her deceased father's journal and discovers that, like her, he was an amatuer sleuth on a case with the town's detective, The Professor. The book is about 50% the journal of Jules' father where he unfolds the case. The rest is Jules trying to solve the cold case. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other ten in the series because most of it was missing the characters that I have grown to enjoy. I also had a hard time keeping all the new characters straight. I will still look forward to book 12 as this is a great a series.
I received a copy of Nothing Bundt Trouble, but all opinions are my own.

While writing this review, I discovered that Nothing Bundt Trouble is number 11 in the Bakeshop Mysteries series. I had no clue that there were 10 other stories before this. I’d had an inkling that it might not be the first one, but the writing is so good, that you don’t know you’ve stumbled into a lengthy series. I never felt lost at all.
In this story, Juliet stumbles upon an old diary of her father’s that talks about the Pastry Case. Confused, she approaches her stepfather, who was a police detective at the time. After talking with him, she discovers that her father had tried to help him solve a hit and run that to this day remains unsolved. Determined to figure out what happened two decades ago, she enlists the help of her best friend and attempts to solve the long-standing mystery.
Like I stated above, the writing is really well done. You can smell the melting brown sugar and butter in the pot on the stove while they’re working to make Pineapple Upside Down cake, the smell of the bread baking, the pizza’s cooking in the woodfire stove, the coffee and milk steaming for your drinking pleasure. There are many wonderful, friendly characters that you want to get to know better, and a story arc that I can’t wait to dive fully into. What a wonderful read!
*I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This is definitely not a book to read if you are on a diet. Food is intertwined throughout the story and frankly made me quite hungry. This was your standard cozy mystery with characters that felt familiar and a story line that brought back fond memories of the 1980s. It wasn’t hard to figure out who the murderer was but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment I got from the book. This is a series that I hope to read more of in the future.

I love dual time line books and the author did a great job with this one. There's a wonderful mystery threaded through both times. The characters are well developed and you find yourself getting lost in the story. This is the first book I've read in the series, but it worked well as a standalone. However, it was also good enough that I will go back and read the earlier books and future books in the series.

There are tense moments while the crime is trying to be solved. But the depth of the new and rekindling relationships with Juliet keeps things lighter. I really enjoyed the story, the delicious food descriptions, and the mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.