The story is a confusing mystery with many suspects, keeping readers unsure of the killer's identity until the end. The characters from Deputy Donut Café, especially Emily and her assistant, are enjoyable. It has a classic cozy mystery feel, focusing on a small town and tasty food. Reviews describe it as a charming addition to the series, although it's not the most complex mystery. The fun characters and clever idea are weakened by excessive explanations and an improbable ending.

I really enjoyed Blame the Beignets. The murder mystery was very well-written and kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story took another turn. I can't wait until the next book comes out to see what happens next for Emily and everyone in Fallingbrook.

Book Review: Blame the Beignets by Ginger Bolton

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Blame the Beignets by Ginger Bolton is a charming addition to the cozy mystery genre, and it's the ninth installment in The Deputy Donuts Mystery series. Honestly, the first thing that drew me in was the delightful cover—it's as inviting as a warm donut on a chilly day. And while covers can be deceiving, this one does justice to the cozy charm inside.

The story revolves around Emily Westhill, the owner of the Deputy Donut Café. As autumn sets in and business picks up, Emily finds herself juggling more than just donut orders. The arrival of her assistant’s younger sister, Hannah, adds an interesting dynamic to the café. Hannah's knack for serving up powdered pastries attracts some curious patrons, including two admirers whose interest in her complicates matters. However, things take a sinister turn when Emily discovers a dead body near her home, with a trail of her beignets leading to the scene and Hannah's hair clip ominously nearby.

What I found particularly engaging was how the author weaves the mystery with a touch of humor and warmth that you’d expect from a small-town setting. The suspects are numerous, and while I had my guesses, the twists kept me on my toes. Emily is a likable protagonist—quirky but endearing—and her determination to get to the bottom of the murder makes for an engaging read.

One of my favorite parts was undoubtedly the recipes at the back of the book. They add an extra layer of coziness, making me want to try my hand at crafting some of those delicious-sounding beignets myself.

Overall, Blame the Beignets offers a satisfying mystery with enough suspense to keep you guessing. It's a light read that's perfect for curling up with on a cool afternoon. While it might not be groundbreaking, it’s certainly a sweet treat for fans of the cozy mystery genre. I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars—an enjoyable read with just the right mix of intrigue and comfort.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Emily and Dep are kayaking on the lake when they hear a scream. They later discover the broken body of a n’er do well man at the bottom of a cliff. Between Emily and her husband Brent, the murder is going to be investigated, especially since it appears that one of the young women who works for her might be ensnared in the mystery. Just how and what it will mean is uncertain but Emily, with justification, is concerned for Hannah’s welfare.

The deceased, while being a lazy and incompetent worker, and a not very pleasant guy is a perplexing victim. Emily is flummoxed in trying to figure out who disliked him enough to push him off a cliff. But then there are some things that make her wonder if she is looking at this from the wrong angle and when she does what was frightening becomes terrifying. And the killer and the motive will shake Emily and her family and friends to the core. There is a very exciting denouement where Emily is brave but not foolhardy. I like that. She does not go looking for trouble but she is not hesitant to go to the rescue when someone is in danger. In this way, I think this might have been my favourite book of the series.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Emily is happy to have a new helper in the shop it just happens to be her assistants younger sister. She's A bit clumsy but Emily hopes that with time she'll get better. She has even brought in some new customers. When Emily finds a trail of crumbs when returning home for the evening she wonders who put it there and why. She soon learns it leads to a dead body and that is definitely not good. When her new workers hair clip is found next to the body things don't look good. She wants.to clear Hannah's name and keep the young girl out of jail. Follow along and see if she can figure out who the killer is before Hannah ends up behind bars.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

It was a delight to visit newlyweds Emily and Brent in the early autumn days of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin! They enjoy the blessing of two homes, the ones owned before their marriage. Emily’s is close to both of their workplaces. Emily is co-owner of Deputy Donut Café with her late husband’s father, and Brent is a police detective. Brent’s chalet is on a lake, a longer drive, but well-worth it during mild weather. The humor woven throughout and the heartwarming moments between Emily, Brent, Dep, and their loved ones are two of the elements that I enjoy most about the series, along with, of course, the challenging mysteries.

The characters are consistent with earlier novels while showing their growth through their life changes. Each is defined well, befitting their roles. It was fun to see Rex again, a detective for the state’s Division of Criminal Investigation and Summer, owner of the Craft Croft gift shop. They had hit it off when he was in town in the past to help with investigations, and this visit allows them time together.

Emily’s business partner at Deputy Donut is Tom, her late husband’s father and retired police chief. It is named after the adorable Deputy “Dep” Donut, Emily’s tortoiseshell cat with an unusual donut shaped marking. Cat lovers will be captivated by Dep’s cat-sonality and appreciate how the donut shop’s office is set up as her daytime playland.

One afternoon, there were unusual customers in the café. Nobody knew they would be entangled in a murder that occurred the next evening.

At one table, two men were arguing while the woman with them said little.

Two young men came in through the office instead of the main entry, with a tiny dog wearing what looked like a wedding dress. One of them let loose the pup and Dep into the dining area, then enjoyed the chaos. The other helped Emily separate the pets until a nearby shopkeeper came in to claim her pup. Hannah, one of the servers, knew the two young men and took a break to sit with them.

One man came in alone, wanting to sit near other customers. Forrest, an “investment expert”, was firmly turned away by Hannah and her friends when he tried to sell his expertise.

The woman and one of the men left the table where the two men were arguing. After the second man left, Forrest followed him with his sales pitch.

The next evening, one of the six was dead. The other five were possible suspects in the death.

Emily was at their chalet on the lake the next evening, waiting for Brent to come home. Emily heard a scream. It was from the direction of where Hannah and her friends had discussed hiking earlier that day, a steep, dangerous trail with a huge boulder that reminded Emily of the beignets the shop serves. Frightened for Hannah, Emily raced to the trailhead. From the top of the cliff, she saw what a shod foot and jean-clad ankle on a ledge far below, and called dispatch.

It was the body of one of the six who had been at Deputy Donut the prior day.

While awaiting first responders at the trailhead, Emily noted and later showed Brent some possible evidence in the parking area. Customers at Deputy Donut were curious, two bad business experiences with the murder victim, and all expected Emily to take an active part in the investigation as she did in earlier cases. Emily tried to stay out of the investigation, but didn’t think it would hurt if she asked a few questions.

Brent was not a fan of Emily’s involvement only because he didn’t want her hurt by bad guys. For the most part, Emily shares whatever she learns with him. Clues and the victim’s background pointed to several motivated, potential suspects, as the victim wasn’t very well-liked. Red herrings temporarily distracted me, as well as Emily’s sharing rides in her kayak with Dep. The killer took me by surprise! This mystery concluded with the satisfaction of the capture of the killer and the final outcome. I highly recommend this cozy mystery, and earlier mysteries in the series! I have happily followed this series and eagerly look forward to the next visit.

Ginger Bolton gets us immersed in another Deputy Donut mystery in Blame the Beignets. Hannah, the younger sister of the assistant at Deputy Donuts gets involved with two campers who both may be involved in the murder of a less than admirable man whose body Emily, the owner of the restaurant, finds at the bottom of a cliff. Suspects abound for her husband, the local policeman. Whodunit in this sugar-coated cozy centered on beignets.

Another great book in the Deputy Donut mystery series. Not going to lie I enjoyed the storyline outside of the mystery more this time around than I did the mystery.

Excellent addition to the series. Bolton's books are always a real treat to read and leave me hungry for more.
Highly recommend

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Loved reading this book and series. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Her books are fun to read.

I was excited to visit the Deputy Donut Coffee Shop and reacquaint myself with Emily, Brent and their friends. The cozy setting draws me in and the writing keeps me there. A good mystery with several suspects, red herrings, and a staedy pace are what I look for in a good quality cozy mystery. Ms. Bolton checks them all---especially in this enjoyable installment, Blame The Beignets.
The residents of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin have been enjoying Emily's beignets when a murder victim is found amongst such crumbs. And the hunt is on, led by Detective Brent, Emily's wonderful husband---of course, Emily is close at hand to help out whenever needed. A quick and enjoyable read.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The Deputy Donut Café is one of the most popular shops in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, and people love the new beignets so owner Emily Westhill is happy to hire her assistant Olivia’s younger sister Hannah who is taking a break from college. It isn’t long before some of her friends start regularly showing up at the cafe. They both appear to be sweet on Hannah. Emily is fine with Hannah sitting with them on her breaks but Olivia thinks the young men are trouble.

Olivia could be right. When Emily notices a trail of fresh beignets in the forest that borders her lakeside home she follows it straight to a dead body. Hannah’s admirers had bought some beignets earlier and it looks like Hannah’s hairclip on the trail. With Hannah a probable suspect, Emily needs to find out what happened. Are the boys she’s been hanging out with killers? Or did the victim have enemies who wanted him dead?

Emily and her “recently acquired husband” Brent have put the past behind them and stopped blaming themselves for Alec’s death. They will always miss him but decided the years spent avoiding each other never worked and they can finally be “crazy-happy together”. Ms. Bolton handled their grieving and their growth into a strong couple in a very touching way. Everyone in their lives weighed in on the relationship including Alec’s dad and Emily’s partner at The Deputy Donut Café. All the core characters feel very true to life dealing with real-life issues with a murder thrown in to shake things up. I can’t forget Dep, the mascot of the café. The “mischievous tortoiseshell tabby” has a way of stealing every scene she is in.

I was very captivated by this story. The death takes place in one of Wisconsin’s beautiful state parks. Some places can only be reached from the water. Emily and Brent’s home is right on Chicory Lake and she was out in her kayak with Dep when she heard someone scream. She traveled as quickly as she could but she was too late to help the person who had fallen. Our family visits one of our state parks often and there have been people who have fallen from the cliffs and died over the years. Of course, this victim may have had a little help. Emily did a lot of the investigating on her own as Brent was just plain busy. The case had more twists than a spiral pretzel and Emily worked hard to untangle each one. The climatic takedown was excellent, exciting, and funny too. There are some women in Fallingbrook you just shouldn’t mess with.

True confession I Door Dashed a half dozen donuts the morning after I finished this book. They didn’t have beignets but some powered creamed filled donuts did fine in a pinch. There are some recipes after the story that I do want to try but I woke up with quite a craving.

Blame the Beignets was a perplexing whodunit with a plethora of suspects that kept both me and Emily guessing. I enjoyed my time in Fallingbrook and can’t wait to travel up the highway again to spend more time with these characters and some more time at Emily and Brent’s on Chicory Lake. This book can be read on its own but to really get to know the characters I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.

I always enjoy a visit to Fallingbrook to see what Emily and her sweet kitty Deputy aka Dep are up to. Emily's new assistant Hannah and her sister Olivia who also worked for Emily were the employees featured. Hannah and a couple friends were indirectly involved in a murder, so I could just imagine how poor Olivia was worrying like crazy.

I love that Emily and Brent were settled in as a married couple now like her besties Misty and Samantha. They weren't in the story a whole lot except for their roles as police officer and paramedic. I was glad the DCI detective that came this time was Rex who we know from previous books. Emily's friend Summer was really glad to see him lol. I see a new romance starting up and Det. Rex may just have to make excuses to come to town more often.

The showdown was both exciting and fun in a comical sorta way. Everything that led up to catching the perp was pretty awesome and it was a group effort too. Heck, don't bother with prison, just turn Madame Monique loose on a criminal—they'd probably beg for prison instead lol. I was secretly cheering her on because she had an excellent reason for what she was doing to the perp. I really enjoyed the ending and hopefully it'll turn out amazing for a very special couple Emily and Brent were good friends with. Can't wait to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Blame the Beignets by Ginger Bolton is a cozy mystery featuring Deputy Donut owners, Emily and her former father-in law, Tom. Her first husband, Tom’s son, Alec, had died working on a police matter. Tom had retired and to keep busy he had opened this bakery and breakfast/lunch cafe with Emily had been so lucky to eventually fall in love with Alec’s partner, Brent. They had kept both her house in town and Brent’s house out at a nearby lake. Life was good. Recently a young woman named Hannah had started working at Deputy Donut. Emily had seen better employees, but sadly she’d seen worse. Hannah was Olivia’s (long time employee) sister. One day two young men came in looking for Hannah: Joshua and Zachary. Zachary was a graduate student, researching mushrooms and Hannah’s former boyfriend. Joshua was younger and more exciting, including his motorcycle, which was making Olivia nuts. Thus began the story of a man presumed to have fallen off a slippery rock to his death, but turned out to be murder.

Emily and Brent have a good working relationship. He knows he can’t stop her so he tries to moderate. Emily’s all wound up in this because it took place near their lake house and she thought she’d heard a scream at about the right time. Deputy Donut is a community meeting place. Eventually, everyone comes through, so there is the potential for a lot of gossip and opportunities to ask questions. Things Brent would never know if Emily didn’t eavesdrop to ask questions. It was a down home kind of murder and surprising people were involved for interesting reasons. Old grudges, mistaken identity, and such. Very enjoyable time spent.

I was invited to read Blame the Beignets by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonPublishing #GingerBolton #BlameTheBeignets

Though most cozy mysteries really don't need to be read in order, I typically prefer to read them that way so I have some familiarity with the town and the people and can watch how things develop. That said, I did jump into this series with book 9 and felt that even though all was new to me, it was OK to just dive right in. What's not to love about a story that takes place at a donut shop and pairs the main character, Emily with a cat named Dep--the hero we all need in our lives. This book follows Hannah a college student home visiting when a dead body is discovered by her lakeside house, and red herrings are abundant in trying to figure out whodunnit. Did I mention there were beignets? This was definitely a cute story, and I really want to go back and read book 1. And eat beignets! I liked this little book and found a new cozy home with Ginger Bolton's writing. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the eArc!

When one of Emily‘s customer is murdered, Emily finds her shelf involved in solving the mystery. After all, she heard the man fall from the mountain and was a one who called it into the police. and trying to solve the murder, Emily will need to work not only keep herself safe, but also her young employee.

The victim’s wife change her story after throwing suspicion towards her husbands ex business partner. His ex business partner seems to be throwing shade at the widow. Then there are the fellow campers at the state park that may have had it in for the victim. So many suspects. So many reasons they might have wanted the man dead. But can Emily help figure it out before the killer strikes again?

Come for the donuts, stay for the mystery. Both are absolutely satisfying!

I love a cozy mystery that gets its setting just right, and Ginger Bolton "gets" Wisconsin (the frequency with which the characters drink milk, for one). It felt like this one didn't include as much of Emily's friends and family members as previous books, and I missed them, but it's an interesting mystery with plenty of characters introduced that make great suspects.

This is the 9th book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series and while I haven’t read all of the earlier books I still enjoyed this installment. I loved the idea of a donut shop owned by a retired police officer with a cat mascot called Deputy Donut. Dep was an adorable animal companion and I thought she added a lot to my enjoyment. Emily is excited to host a baby shower for her friend and has a lot to do to get ready beyond her normal shifts at the donut shop. When a body is found and one of her employees may have been in the vicinity she is determined to subtly investigate to make sure her employee isn’t in any trouble. Her husband, the detective, isn’t a fan of her investigating and warns her to be careful, but they communicated about the clues she found well and it felt like he supported her. I liked the mystery even if it wasn’t quite as twisty as I would have preferred. It took me a little bit to really get into this one, but once I did it was a fun cozy mystery read.

This is another solid entry in the series. The mystery was interesting and kept my attention. The only issue is that time has passed between books and characters have disappeared without any word of their whereabouts. I just like to keep track of characters in the series I read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ginger Bolton for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Blame the Beignets coming out November 26, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I really love cozy mysteries, especially when there’s food and recipes involved. I was excited to check this one out! I love the small town vibes and autumn setting. I thought Emily was a smart and fun character and I loved the town characters. I really enjoyed the mystery. I would definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!