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Eggnog & Extortion

(A Sweet Bites Mystery #4)

Heather Justesen (Goodreads Author)

4.33 · Rating details · 225 ratings · 29 reviews

Tess Crawford has her hands full at the bakery with Christmas orders, an upcoming event, and two men vying for her attention.
Getting pulled into a murder investigation wasn’t in her plans, but she can’t take the threat to her life in Silver Springs lightly. Though the police make an arrest in the case, Tess is sure they’re wrong. When not just her case but her business is ...more

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Kindle Edition, 221 pages

Published February 23rd 2016 by Jelly Bean Press Co

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· 225 ratings · 29 reviews

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Oct 04, 2019 QNPoohBear rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery, clean-romance, kisses-only

Tess Crawford is super busy with the bakery and catering an upcoming Christmas Around the World event. In addition to the bakery, she also has her work cut out for her to determine which of her two boyfriends she wants to be exclusive with by the end of the year. While leaving a catering event at a cosmetics company Tess witnesses a young woman having a seizure in the parking lot. When Tess learns Jasmine has died and Detective Tingey suspects foul play, Anise, the company director, comes to Tes Tess Crawford is super busy with the bakery and catering an upcoming Christmas Around the World event. In addition to the bakery, she also has her work cut out for her to determine which of her two boyfriends she wants to be exclusive with by the end of the year. While leaving a catering event at a cosmetics company Tess witnesses a young woman having a seizure in the parking lot. When Tess learns Jasmine has died and Detective Tingey suspects foul play, Anise, the company director, comes to Tess to have her move the investigation away from the company - or else! Tess, worried for the future of her business, and admittedly desiring justice for the unfortunate Jasmine, Tess agrees to take the case. When the clues don't seem to lead anywhere and the police don't even have a suspect, Tess continues to investigate with the help of Honey and Lenny. Can she solve the crime before Anise shuts down Sweet Bites? What about her love life?

This mystery is complicated. There are tons of suspects but only some have a slight motive and plenty of red herrings. I never guessed any of it at all! I was thinking something else entirely that would have been too predictable. The love triangle plot annoyed me but I like the way Tess resolved her problem maturely. She makes the right choice but for me, neither of them would be men I would want to date. The plot gets bogged down after the halfway mark. I got tired so I skipped ahead to the last chapter to see how the killer was. When I went back to fill in what I had missed, there wasn't a lot of action. A shorter, trimmer plot would have been more ideal, especially since this one doesn't lead to any clues.

I like Tess. She's more level-headed than most nosy cozy mystery sleuths. She respects Detective Tingey and he is coming to regard her in a friendly manner. At the very least he stays on her good side for his morning cinnamon bun and coffee! Tess is warm and caring and that goodness in her leads her to investigate murders. She does the right thing when she figures out the major clue. Even so, she ends up in danger but through no fault of her own and best of all, she saves herself. Tess's best friend Honey is a superwoman. She's a mom, a wife, works and is more nosy than Tess. Honey seems to get a thrill from working on investigations. I can see how it would be a nice break from domesticity but I think she's a little reckless and eggs Tess on. Lenny does a bit too. He seems to have a past on the wrong side of the law and I'm uncertain as to what he's doing in his investigations that may be quasi-legal (or illegal). He has a hard edge but shows his softer side with Kat. They're a sweet couple and he's determined to make it work despite her nasty family. I like how Lenny teases Tess and helps her no matter what. They really are like siblings.

Marge, from the gift shop across the street from the bakery, is a wise elderly lady. She serves as a grandmother figure for Tess, helping Tess figure out her love life. I like Marge. She's full of good advice but also some sass. Gabe Sabin, a new employee at the bakery is a hard worker. He hints at a tough life and seems to have a hard edge much like Lenny. He doesn't seem passionate about the baking business the way Lenny is but Tess needs help and Gabe is good with the customers. At first I thought Tess was naive to hire him but then she surprised me by running a background check. Go Tess! Jack's parents are super awkward and not all that nice to Tess. I find them rather cringeworthy. Plus they spoil their bratty granddaughter.

The guys in Tess' life don't really appeal to me. I prefer Jack, though. Shawn is a cop and he believes in rules. Shawn has a healthy ego and is just too macho for me. He can express displeasure at Tess investigating crimes and he could lock her up but he doesn't. Shawn gets protective in not a good way. He may be fun to hang out with and kiss but he's not really the kindest man. Jack is a sweetheart but the kid would be a deal breaker for me. Sadie is super spoiled probably to make up for her mom not wanting her. Sadie is precocious but not precious. I don't like children and don't want them so therefore I would not date Jack. For Tess though, she feels the lack of family and she would be a loving mother to her own kids and even Sadie.

The murder victim, Jasmine, seems nice but I don't understand why she stayed at the party in spite of a headache. She was a sister, an aunt and a friend. Her death is a real tragedy. I also don't know why Anise can't call her by her real name. Anise is a first class b****. She's rude, domineering and I am sure she's cutthroat in business. As founder and president of Nova Cosmetics she should create a workplace environment where people will be happy and willing to work for her but instead Nova sounds like an awful place and Anise a really terrible person to work for.I don't like how she tossed her money at Tess and threatened to ruin Tess if Tess didn't take suspicion off the company. Basically she wanted Tess to impede Tingey's investigation and even break the law if necessary. She is my chief suspect for murderer. Why else force Tess to investigate outside the company?

Within the company there could be any number of people who has the opportunity to kill Jasmine. Riley Jenkins was Jasmine's workplace rival. They both battled for promotion recently and always seem to be pushing each other. Could he have wanted to eliminate his rival? Giselle is an overly helpful secretary. Could she be covering up for Anise? Deanna is another employee who worked with Jasmine. The two were friends but Deanna is involved in the murder even if accidentally. Deanna seems nice enough but a bit strange to give a friend herbal pills. list?

Suspects outside the company include Jasmine's brother Reece. He doesn't seem to have a motive and does seem to be genuinely upset at his sister's death. Deanna enables her no-good sister Kaira who does not seem to feel appreciative of all Deanna does for her. Could Kaira or her boyfriend have slipped Deanna some dangerous pills to give Jasmine? Why incriminate Deanna when she takes care of Kaira's kids and helps the family financially? I would guess Kaira and her boyfriend are both on drugs and wouldn't be thinking rationally. Perhaps they wanted to get rid of Deanna in order to get their hands on her money? What about the herbalist? Deanna's boyfriend, Nathan, also has an ex-wife who is not too thrilled with him for moving on. Would she ruin her son's life just to get back at her ex?

Other people in the company include Cleet, a kind security guard who likes Tess.

I'm glad I continued with the series and I'd like to see more of Tess in the future. ...more

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Mar 26, 2016 Sami rated it liked it

This book was as fun as the other three. My biggest complaint was that, if this is the last book in the series, I was unsatisfied with how rushed the ending felt and that I didn't feel satisfied with the romantic resolution. Not that I didn't like Tess's choice, I did, I just would have liked a little more for them as an official couple. ...more

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Oct 28, 2017 Leslie rated it really liked it

Great story

I really enjoyed all 4 books in this series and I hope there will be more to come in the future.

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Nov 29, 2018 Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, mystery-cozy-and-class, mystery-read-and-solved, needs-review

Cute and filled - I mean filled - with interesting recipes. The book is worth those recipes alone, half I have never heard of. No alcohol in the eggnog though? I don't drink the stuff anyway but on principle....The mystery was creative. There were enough suspects, small twists, and fingers to point. Unfortunately the big reveal at the end was only possible after a new major plot point came in within the last three chapters. This made guessing motive not actually possible since it was withheld. K ...more

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Jun 09, 2018 Maureen Hetzel rated it really liked it

In retrospect, I probably should not have read all four books in the series one after the other. While each was entertaining there was quite a bit of repetition. But the mysteries are engaging as are the recipes included.

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Jul 11, 2016 Britney rated it it was amazing

This is the first book that I've read from this author and I loved it! I usually don't read mysteries, but this one was fun. It made me laugh, gasp, and had lots of drama. I loved the characters and the dialogue. I definitely will be reading more from this author! ...more

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Oct 19, 2019 Pam rated it really liked it

This series has been great! Tess is a baker/pastry chef & an amateur sleuth. She seems to have a knack for finding dead bodies & then her nosiness won’t let her leave it alone. This puts her in dangerous situations at times. Jack is a single father & EMT/paramedic that happens to be the one responding to Tess’s situations. They’ve developed an interest in each other & are dating. Shawn is a K9 officer & has also been dating Tess.

The mystery in this one is when a woman is linked & no one can fig ...more

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Dec 07, 2019 Harvey Bennett rated it it was amazing

Well written. The author has the knack of stimulating the mind's eye with describing mannerisms and features that the reader can picture in the mind. This skill magnifies my reading pleasure. I look forward to reading more of her work. If you are a fan of murder mysteries that include a bit of romance as well, you may be pleasantly rewarded by reading the entire series.

Well written. The author has the knack of stimulating the readers imagination with descriptions and mannerisms of the characters ...more

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Oct 06, 2018 Suzanne Perry rated it it was amazing

This book is great

I have loved this series and this installment was great. I love that recipes are included and fit in do well with the story. This book brings another murder mystery to a close thanks to Tess and her assortment of friends. I found the ending to be much to my satisfaction in so many ways. This is the fourth book in the series and I’d recommend reading them in order so you understand the full dynamics between characters, but you could read this one on its own and be ok. I’d defini ...more

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Nov 30, 2018 Jzcotter03 rated it really liked it

When Tess comes across another dead body, she can't help but investigate. Especially when she is forced to by one of her clients. I loved the international recipes included in this book and that Tess was finally able to include a little romance in her life. This book was a fun read and I was actually completely surprised who the killer was in the end. Anyone who wants a captivating suspense with some romance and delicious recipes thrown in, this is the book for you! ...more

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Oct 25, 2018 Pat rated it it was amazing

I normally don't read mystery books, however, I was lured into this series from the very first book! The storyline was well written, the plot flowed smoothly from page to page and the characters were so strongly written that I had to finish reading this book in one sitting! ...more

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Aug 10, 2019 Marci Kimball rated it really liked it

Great read!!

I have read all four of the books in this series and I am hooked!! She takes way too many chances and it makes more crazy☺ 😄 The regular characters are great!! Love Honey & Lenny & Kat. It's there a next book in this series??.I sure hope so!!! ...more

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May 27, 2020 Marlene Taylor rated it it was amazing

Cake mystery

I have loved all 4 books in this series and I'm hoping they'll be more soon. I feel the characters are so real and could easily be my friends and I picture what they look like. Would be very interesting living there and could see me working in the bakery. ...more

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Apr 27, 2018 Paula rated it it was amazing

Great choice

Lovely tale of moving on as gracefully as possible, especially when you are solving a crime. This one is my favorite of the series. Please keep writing about these characters!😀

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Mar 19, 2019 Rachel Coles rated it it was amazing

Amazing!

This series was just amazing. As soon as I started reading I just couldn't put it down! I just wish there was another book in the series! I need to know how things with Jack and Sadie turn out. ...more

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Jun 03, 2018 LaDawn Maerin rated it really liked it

When is the next one coming out?

Have loved the whole series and hope there is more to come. Maybe Tess could be an unofficial part of the Detective team, but that might cause a little friction between "the boys." She's a great little detective and the read was terrific. Thanks! ...more

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Dec 13, 2018 Kathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, romance

I love the mixture of mystery and romance in this series. This book was GREAT! It is well written. I love the characters and their quirkiness. I love that each book in the series resolves a mystery but the romance stays exciting.

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Oct 04, 2017 Donna Campbell rated it it was amazing

Awesome

I loved this final book in the series. I loved the mystery, the suspense and the sweet, clean romance. I especially loved the ending! She picked right.

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Jan 01, 2019 Heath rated it it was ok

This one was really far-fetched. I guessed the murderer early on (because her plotting is fairly formulaic), but he was not a convince ok NG character AT ALL.

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Jul 29, 2019 Suzzie rated it it was amazing

Inventive murder mystery with an amateur detective that is actually a baker. I have enjoyed this series of books.

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Nov 24, 2019 Glenda Crooks rated it it was amazing

Excellent

This series of books are a great read! Funny, serious, exciting and mysterious all rolled in to one. I tried some of the recipes also.

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Dec 28, 2019 Joy Schulz rated it liked it

Sorry I liked the stories but did not like the ending at all

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Jun 30, 2020 Diana rated it it was amazing

Fun read! Love cozy mysteries! No foul language, sweet romance and good mysteries that stump you !!

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Feb 29, 2016 Cathy rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to be able to beta read this book. I have been loving reading this series about Tess and I loved this one too!

Tess is really a great character. She loves to bake, and eat yummy food (that makes her a bit like me!), and she is always willing to jump in and figure out a big case (not really like me - unless it's something our kids are missing that I have to go through our house to find!) In this book, she's catering a big event for Nova Cosmetics when she by chance sees a young ...more

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Jun 18, 2016 Kay Roberts rated it really liked it

Cute, Clean, Murder Mystery with a Little Romance Too

This whole series is really cute. It's about a bakery owner/part-time sleuth that gets roped into solving yet another murder in her small town in Arizona. The recipes are an interesting addition, but most of them are not ones I would try (as I see them as flawed and sub-par), but they might appeal to someone who doesn't already have an awesome recipe arsenal. There are a lot of typos, both in the story and in the recipes, but it's rare to find ...more

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Jan 09, 2017 Karlene Browning rated it it was amazing

I didn't realize I was jumping in the middle of a series here… and I definitely have to go back and read the first ones. I really love cozy mysteries—and this one was pretty good! I like the characters. There were lots of possible killers, and I caught the hints pretty early on. The reveal of the character was a little unsupported (IMO) but I still loved it. I'm adding this series to my "Buy as soon as the next one comes out" list. ...more

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Apr 23, 2016 Cynthia Cox rated it it was amazing

The long wait was worth it.

Each story in this series has drama, laughter and mystery. The personal growth of each character is what sets this series apart from other cozy mysteries for me.

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Feb 27, 2016 Julie rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, read-in-2016

Heather and I grew up in the same small town, and it was fun to read a cozy mystery that was written by someone I know. This book was clean, fun, and positive (as positive as a murder mystery can be).

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Sep 10, 2016 InD'tale Magazine rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-mystery, 2016-september, rating-3-5-star, steam-1

3.5/5.0

Fans of the series will be pleased to catch up with Tess and her friends again and to sample more of her delicious baking!

Read full review in the 2016 September issue of InD'tale Magazine. ...more

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