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Donut Hole Mystery #1
Strawberry Cream Murder
Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Check out these links to follow the rest of the books!
Book 1:
Book 2:
Book 3:
Book 4:
Book 5:
Book 6:
Book 7:
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Check out these links to follow the rest of the books!
Book 1:
Book 2:
Book 3:
Book 4:
Book 5:
Book 6:
Book 7:
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2016
573 people are currently reading
921 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
October 16, 2017
This was a decent mystery but it's so short, took a little under an hour to read that it really has no time to develop the characters, even the main character Heather and her friend Amy are really little more then sketches and barely more developed then the minor characters in the story. I'll read a couple more to see if I do in fact like the characters.
January 21, 2018
Strawberry Cream Murder is the first book in the Donut Hole Mystery series. I have several of these books on my Kindle, and never seem get around to reading them. This year I have challenged myself to read more backlist books from my own bookshelves, and I decided today was a good day to make a dent in the 400+ books on my Kindle. This cozy mystery series has been waiting in the queue for almost two years -- time to start reading!
The basics: Heather Janke owns a donut shop. She just had to fire one of her employees for stealing some of her donut recipes and secretly preparing to open her own shop across town. On the day Christa Fordyce was to open her new donut shop, she was found dead on the floor of her store, a donut laying next to her and crumbs on her face. Heather immediately feels that there is foul play involved as Christa was a neat freak and never would have been eating in the customer area of her store, let alone dying with crumbs on her. She begins to investigate, to the chagrin of local police detective Ryan Shepherd. Did someone kill Christa? And why?
This story is a quick read. There isn't much in the way of character development and the mystery moves along at a fast pace. There are some editing issues with the version I have. Not sure if there is an updated version that fixes the mistakes I found. For example at one point Heather calls Christa's mother to get information and express sympathy at the death of her child. The mother says "It was so sudden. You never expect your children to outlive you.'' Really?? That's a pretty big error since she really should be saying "You never expect to outlive your children.''
Editing issues aside....this is a cute, cozy mystery. The short length makes it a perfect read for short trips or while waiting for an appointment, etc. The story is fast paced and not complicated. I will definitely be reading more of this series, as I have several of the books saved on my Kindle. I hope subsequent books are a bit more developed with fewer mistakes. But, the errors weren't bad enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story that much.
There are 60 short novellas in the Donut Hole Mystery series. I might be reading for a long, long time! ha ha :) Only problem is....each book is named after a different type of donut with a lovely donut illustration as the cover. Makes me hungry!!! :)
On to book #2! :)
The basics: Heather Janke owns a donut shop. She just had to fire one of her employees for stealing some of her donut recipes and secretly preparing to open her own shop across town. On the day Christa Fordyce was to open her new donut shop, she was found dead on the floor of her store, a donut laying next to her and crumbs on her face. Heather immediately feels that there is foul play involved as Christa was a neat freak and never would have been eating in the customer area of her store, let alone dying with crumbs on her. She begins to investigate, to the chagrin of local police detective Ryan Shepherd. Did someone kill Christa? And why?
This story is a quick read. There isn't much in the way of character development and the mystery moves along at a fast pace. There are some editing issues with the version I have. Not sure if there is an updated version that fixes the mistakes I found. For example at one point Heather calls Christa's mother to get information and express sympathy at the death of her child. The mother says "It was so sudden. You never expect your children to outlive you.'' Really?? That's a pretty big error since she really should be saying "You never expect to outlive your children.''
Editing issues aside....this is a cute, cozy mystery. The short length makes it a perfect read for short trips or while waiting for an appointment, etc. The story is fast paced and not complicated. I will definitely be reading more of this series, as I have several of the books saved on my Kindle. I hope subsequent books are a bit more developed with fewer mistakes. But, the errors weren't bad enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story that much.
There are 60 short novellas in the Donut Hole Mystery series. I might be reading for a long, long time! ha ha :) Only problem is....each book is named after a different type of donut with a lovely donut illustration as the cover. Makes me hungry!!! :)
On to book #2! :)
September 4, 2016
This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, but I’ve been so intrigued by this series. I’ve seen it around for months. It’s the first book in the “A Cozy Donut Hole Mystery” series. So far there are 16 books in the series. That’s a lot but they are short books. It’s approximately 200 pages a book.
I liked the main character, Heather. I did have a couple of problems with her walking freely around the crime scene. She’s not part of the police, she owns a donut shop. Then, there were a couple of problems with the editing of the book. I was bothered by a couple of things, which I don’t want to specify because I don’t want to inadvertently giveaway spoilers, but I got over it. I was still able to sit back and enjoy the story.
It’s not a complex storyline, but I also didn’t figure out who the killer was until the end. So, that’s a good thing. It’s a fast read and I’ll definitely continue reading this series. Did I mention how hungry I’ve been for donuts since finishing this book? LOL
I liked the main character, Heather. I did have a couple of problems with her walking freely around the crime scene. She’s not part of the police, she owns a donut shop. Then, there were a couple of problems with the editing of the book. I was bothered by a couple of things, which I don’t want to specify because I don’t want to inadvertently giveaway spoilers, but I got over it. I was still able to sit back and enjoy the story.
It’s not a complex storyline, but I also didn’t figure out who the killer was until the end. So, that’s a good thing. It’s a fast read and I’ll definitely continue reading this series. Did I mention how hungry I’ve been for donuts since finishing this book? LOL
May 1, 2018
Heather Jenke is the owner of the Donut Delights
bakery in Hillside Texas. Her is proud of her shop
and the chance to use some of her grandmother’s
recipes.
Heather’s bakery assistant, Christa Fordyce has been
stealing these recipes and planning to use them in
opening her own donut bakery. Heather fires her.
Christa is found dead the night prior to her bakery
opening with a half eaten Strawberry & Creme donut
next to her.
Will the handsome Detective Ryan Shepherd from
Hillside Police Department think her a suspect??
Join Heather and her best friend, Amy Given as they
decide to investigate who would have wanted Christa
dead.
They find several persons of interest....her brother, Billy
who was cut from their father’s will....her brother’s drug
supplier who she use to date....her mother who was mad
Christa for getting Billy cut from the family inheritance or
was it random?
The reader will find themselves involved as they are
made to feel as if they are part of this intriguing investigation
in which the girls partake.
You will meet Heather’s fur baby, Dave the dog plays a part
in the story.
The Donut Delights weekly donut is the Ice Cream Sundae
donut.
This is the second edition of this book with a new Prologue
and Epilogue plus donut recipes.
I volunteered to read Strawberry & Creme Murder. Thanks
bakery in Hillside Texas. Her is proud of her shop
and the chance to use some of her grandmother’s
recipes.
Heather’s bakery assistant, Christa Fordyce has been
stealing these recipes and planning to use them in
opening her own donut bakery. Heather fires her.
Christa is found dead the night prior to her bakery
opening with a half eaten Strawberry & Creme donut
next to her.
Will the handsome Detective Ryan Shepherd from
Hillside Police Department think her a suspect??
Join Heather and her best friend, Amy Given as they
decide to investigate who would have wanted Christa
dead.
They find several persons of interest....her brother, Billy
who was cut from their father’s will....her brother’s drug
supplier who she use to date....her mother who was mad
Christa for getting Billy cut from the family inheritance or
was it random?
The reader will find themselves involved as they are
made to feel as if they are part of this intriguing investigation
in which the girls partake.
You will meet Heather’s fur baby, Dave the dog plays a part
in the story.
The Donut Delights weekly donut is the Ice Cream Sundae
donut.
This is the second edition of this book with a new Prologue
and Epilogue plus donut recipes.
I volunteered to read Strawberry & Creme Murder. Thanks
July 3, 2018
I'm baffled over the number of positive reviews for this book. I'm all for quick, cozy reads, but I found this one silly and ridiculous. Who knew the doughnut business could be so dangerous?
The main character is questioned by the stereotypical hottie detective about a murder, so what does she do? She goes snooping around the crime scene, and then tells him how to conduct his investigation of course. Pure nonsense all around. In my opinion, the only good things about this book is that it was short and free.
The main character is questioned by the stereotypical hottie detective about a murder, so what does she do? She goes snooping around the crime scene, and then tells him how to conduct his investigation of course. Pure nonsense all around. In my opinion, the only good things about this book is that it was short and free.
April 22, 2018
Strawberries & Cream Murder
A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery,Book #1
Susan Gillard
5 Stars
Synopsis:
ATTENTION: This #1 Best Seller is back with a Second Edition Release of Book 1 in the Donut Hole Series.
“This book is a culinary delight! I really enjoyed all the donut descriptions and Heather, the amateur sleuth, is a very likable character.”
We've made some MAJOR updates to the book that new and existing fans will definitely enjoy.
Could a workplace disagreement lead to murder?
Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Praise for Strawberry Cream Murder:
“This book is a culinary delight. I really enjoyed all the donut descriptions. Heather, the amateur sleuth, is a likable character. As a former Texan, I am glad the book takes place in Texas.” - ★★★★★ Ms. Loves To Read
“I really loved this book and couldn't seem to put it down.” - ★★★★★ Joyce C
“… this book is well done. The characters that are introduced are fully fleshed out, and the reader will not be overwhelmed by too many people too quickly. A solid mystery, with a satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next in the series.” - ★★★★★ Stephanie Jones
“Nice clean cozy series. I plan to read the entire series. “- ★★★★★ Sandy
“ I think you'll love this book like I did. Can't wait to start book 2” - ★★★★★ Cheryl
Satisfy your inner bookworm. Pick up your copy today by clicking the BUY NOW button at the top of this page. (Goodreads)
Review:
I have been reading the latest books in this series and have enjoyed them. I decided to go to the very beginning and see how it all started. I am very glad that I did. I enjoyed getting to see how Heather and Amy’s lives were different way back when. I liked getting a glimpse of their friendship when it was just those two, no husband or boyfriend, just the girls. They are smart, funny and loyal and people I would like to have as friends.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me right into the story and kept me engaged. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well developed and moved along at a steady pace. I had considered the real culprit as a suspect but then dismissed them, so the author did a good job of tricking me, which is great.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. But I would suggest reading it when you are not hungry because after reading this book you will want a dozen of those Ice Cream Sundae donuts.
A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery,Book #1
Susan Gillard
5 Stars
Synopsis:
ATTENTION: This #1 Best Seller is back with a Second Edition Release of Book 1 in the Donut Hole Series.
“This book is a culinary delight! I really enjoyed all the donut descriptions and Heather, the amateur sleuth, is a very likable character.”
We've made some MAJOR updates to the book that new and existing fans will definitely enjoy.
Could a workplace disagreement lead to murder?
Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Praise for Strawberry Cream Murder:
“This book is a culinary delight. I really enjoyed all the donut descriptions. Heather, the amateur sleuth, is a likable character. As a former Texan, I am glad the book takes place in Texas.” - ★★★★★ Ms. Loves To Read
“I really loved this book and couldn't seem to put it down.” - ★★★★★ Joyce C
“… this book is well done. The characters that are introduced are fully fleshed out, and the reader will not be overwhelmed by too many people too quickly. A solid mystery, with a satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next in the series.” - ★★★★★ Stephanie Jones
“Nice clean cozy series. I plan to read the entire series. “- ★★★★★ Sandy
“ I think you'll love this book like I did. Can't wait to start book 2” - ★★★★★ Cheryl
Satisfy your inner bookworm. Pick up your copy today by clicking the BUY NOW button at the top of this page. (Goodreads)
Review:
I have been reading the latest books in this series and have enjoyed them. I decided to go to the very beginning and see how it all started. I am very glad that I did. I enjoyed getting to see how Heather and Amy’s lives were different way back when. I liked getting a glimpse of their friendship when it was just those two, no husband or boyfriend, just the girls. They are smart, funny and loyal and people I would like to have as friends.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me right into the story and kept me engaged. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well developed and moved along at a steady pace. I had considered the real culprit as a suspect but then dismissed them, so the author did a good job of tricking me, which is great.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. But I would suggest reading it when you are not hungry because after reading this book you will want a dozen of those Ice Cream Sundae donuts.
March 20, 2017
This book was pretty much horrible, for being a mystery, it didn't have any real mystery to it. I will not be reading anymore of this series, in fact I have no idea how she has so many books in this series.
May 9, 2018
A fluff waste of time. Glad it didn't take too much of my time!
May 13, 2019
Most of my bookish friends on Twitter were talking about this book and I have decided to pick it up. The 1st book in series is free on Kindle.
Well, as they say this was an easy read.
When I started to read it, I thought the girl in the prologue was the main character and I thought the author is very challenging to use this type of annoying girl, which turned out be my misunderstanding!!
Well, since I can read this within a day, I might pick up the next book if I suffer from reading slump. Otherwise maybe I won’t pick it up... otherwise someone convince me...!
Well, as they say this was an easy read.
When I started to read it, I thought the girl in the prologue was the main character and I thought the author is very challenging to use this type of annoying girl, which turned out be my misunderstanding!!
Well, since I can read this within a day, I might pick up the next book if I suffer from reading slump. Otherwise maybe I won’t pick it up... otherwise someone convince me...!
April 29, 2018
Heather Jenke is the owner of the Donut Delights
bakery in Hillside Texas. Her is proud of her shop
and the chance to use some of her grandmother’s
recipes.
Heather’s bakery assistant, Christa Fordyce has been
stealing these recipes and planning to use them in
opening her own donut bakery. Heather fires her.
Christa is found dead the night prior to her bakery
opening with a half eaten Strawberry & Creme donut
next to her.
Will the handsome Detective Ryan Shepherd from
Hillside Police Department think her a suspect??
Join Heather and her best friend, Amy Given as they
decide to investigate who would have wanted Christa
dead.
They find several persons of interest....her brother, Billy
who was cut from their father’s will....her brother’s drug
supplier who she use to date....her mother who was mad
Christa for getting Billy cut from the family inheritance or
was it random?
The reader will find themselves involved as they are
made to feel as if they are part of this intriguing investigation
in which the girls partake.
You will meet Heather’s fur baby, Dave the dog plays a part
in the story.
The Donut Delights weekly donut is the Ice Cream Sundae
donut.
This is the second edition of this book with a new Prologue
and Epilogue plus donut recipes.
I volunteered to read Strawberry & Creme Murder. Thanks
to the author for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.
bakery in Hillside Texas. Her is proud of her shop
and the chance to use some of her grandmother’s
recipes.
Heather’s bakery assistant, Christa Fordyce has been
stealing these recipes and planning to use them in
opening her own donut bakery. Heather fires her.
Christa is found dead the night prior to her bakery
opening with a half eaten Strawberry & Creme donut
next to her.
Will the handsome Detective Ryan Shepherd from
Hillside Police Department think her a suspect??
Join Heather and her best friend, Amy Given as they
decide to investigate who would have wanted Christa
dead.
They find several persons of interest....her brother, Billy
who was cut from their father’s will....her brother’s drug
supplier who she use to date....her mother who was mad
Christa for getting Billy cut from the family inheritance or
was it random?
The reader will find themselves involved as they are
made to feel as if they are part of this intriguing investigation
in which the girls partake.
You will meet Heather’s fur baby, Dave the dog plays a part
in the story.
The Donut Delights weekly donut is the Ice Cream Sundae
donut.
This is the second edition of this book with a new Prologue
and Epilogue plus donut recipes.
I volunteered to read Strawberry & Creme Murder. Thanks
to the author for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.
June 6, 2018
Another one
Susan gifted me with this story. I chose to review. Heather's Donut Delight is about to have competition with a new shop opening. Former employee, Christie, was stealing her recipes. When Christie is murdered, Heather is a suspect. Detective Ryan Sheperd, investigates and used Heather's help. Good action and keeps it's mystery until the end.
Susan gifted me with this story. I chose to review. Heather's Donut Delight is about to have competition with a new shop opening. Former employee, Christie, was stealing her recipes. When Christie is murdered, Heather is a suspect. Detective Ryan Sheperd, investigates and used Heather's help. Good action and keeps it's mystery until the end.
April 18, 2018
The beginning of Christa Fordyce’s day was very good. She smiled as she looked at her new donut shop, “Christa’s Creations”, which would have its grand opening the very next day. She dreamed of how popular her shop would soon be and how everyone would flock there to eat her tasty treats. So what if she stole all the recipes from her former employer, Heather Janke, owner of “Donut Delights?” Christa always got what she wanted and stepped on everyone and anyone to get her way. She didn’t care that very few people liked her as long as she got what she wanted and right now she wanted her own donut shop.
But maybe, just maybe, someone wasn’t afraid to let Christa know how they felt about her because she was found murdered in her shop with crumbs of a half eaten poisoned strawberry creme donut on her lips. But who killed her? Could it have been her last boss, Heather Janke, who fired Christa two weeks earlier for stealing her donut recipes? Detective Ryan Shepherd of the Hillside Police Department thinks that talking with Heather about her previous relationship with the dead woman would be the best place to start. But Heather did not like being a suspect in Christa’s death so she decided she better do a little investigating of her own. It’s not that she didn’t trust Detective Shepherd, well, maybe it was a little.
Heather discovered a few interesting things about Christa. Her assistant, Joey Gorham, who was previously jailed for selling drugs, found Christa’s body in the shop. What why was he doing working in a donut shop anyway?
William (Billy) Edwin Fordyce, Christa’s younger brother, was recently released from rehabilitation for drug use for the fourth time. He was also friends with Joey Gorham.
Billy gave Heather the key to Christa’s shop saying that his sister “screwed him over.” Maybe he felt she screwed him because his wealthy father cut Billy off from his will and Billy thinks this is Christa’s fault. Would he actually murder his sister?
As long as Heather had the key to the shop she thought she’d take a look around and she found something interesting. There was some pink icing on one of Christa’s desk draws. Christa was meticulous and very neat and there would be no way that she’d leave icing on her furniture. Heather’s investigation was in full swing now. She tried to get Detective Shepherd to listen to her theories but he just told her to let the police department do the investigating. Heather was not going to let that happen so she and her best friend, Amy Givens, started poking around in Christa’s life. It was then that the two friends figured out that doing some freelance investigating could get very dangerous for them.
“Strawberries & Crème Murder” by Susan Gillard, is the second edition of the very first Donut Hole Cozy Mystery Series book. Having read all of these novels it was a delight and a pleasure to reread the first in this popular series. Rereading how Heather and Ryan met and being reintroduced to all the wonderful characters that are now so familiar to me was a joy. At the end of the book there’s a link where you can get four easy to make donut recipes straight from Heather herself.
I know there are lots of fans of this delicious series and I’d urge all of you to grab this new edition of book one and reacquaint yourself with everything. And if you’re new to the series “Strawberries & Crème Murder” is a great introduction to the beginning of a terrific family-friendly mystery series.
“I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.”
But maybe, just maybe, someone wasn’t afraid to let Christa know how they felt about her because she was found murdered in her shop with crumbs of a half eaten poisoned strawberry creme donut on her lips. But who killed her? Could it have been her last boss, Heather Janke, who fired Christa two weeks earlier for stealing her donut recipes? Detective Ryan Shepherd of the Hillside Police Department thinks that talking with Heather about her previous relationship with the dead woman would be the best place to start. But Heather did not like being a suspect in Christa’s death so she decided she better do a little investigating of her own. It’s not that she didn’t trust Detective Shepherd, well, maybe it was a little.
Heather discovered a few interesting things about Christa. Her assistant, Joey Gorham, who was previously jailed for selling drugs, found Christa’s body in the shop. What why was he doing working in a donut shop anyway?
William (Billy) Edwin Fordyce, Christa’s younger brother, was recently released from rehabilitation for drug use for the fourth time. He was also friends with Joey Gorham.
Billy gave Heather the key to Christa’s shop saying that his sister “screwed him over.” Maybe he felt she screwed him because his wealthy father cut Billy off from his will and Billy thinks this is Christa’s fault. Would he actually murder his sister?
As long as Heather had the key to the shop she thought she’d take a look around and she found something interesting. There was some pink icing on one of Christa’s desk draws. Christa was meticulous and very neat and there would be no way that she’d leave icing on her furniture. Heather’s investigation was in full swing now. She tried to get Detective Shepherd to listen to her theories but he just told her to let the police department do the investigating. Heather was not going to let that happen so she and her best friend, Amy Givens, started poking around in Christa’s life. It was then that the two friends figured out that doing some freelance investigating could get very dangerous for them.
“Strawberries & Crème Murder” by Susan Gillard, is the second edition of the very first Donut Hole Cozy Mystery Series book. Having read all of these novels it was a delight and a pleasure to reread the first in this popular series. Rereading how Heather and Ryan met and being reintroduced to all the wonderful characters that are now so familiar to me was a joy. At the end of the book there’s a link where you can get four easy to make donut recipes straight from Heather herself.
I know there are lots of fans of this delicious series and I’d urge all of you to grab this new edition of book one and reacquaint yourself with everything. And if you’re new to the series “Strawberries & Crème Murder” is a great introduction to the beginning of a terrific family-friendly mystery series.
“I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.”
October 21, 2019
Doughnut baker Heather Janke is shocked when a detective arrives in her shop Donut Delights to grill her about her former employee Christa Fordyce. Sure Heather is angry Christa stole Heather's family recipes to use to start her own donut shop but that doesn't mean Heather wanted Christa dead! Heather feels she owes it to Christa to find out who did. Was it her drug addict brother or her new assistant? Heather is determined to find out in spite of repeated warnings from the detective in charge that he can handle it.
This is a really short cozy mystery. There's not a lot of room to develop characters and the setting. I never guessed who did it at all. It came as a surprise. I think Heather is very naive and stupid to go around investigating a murder of someone she didn't like, especially since Heather's chief suspects are a drug addict and a dealer. That could be dangerous! Her nosiness is incredible and her lying and sneaking is just silly. I know it's the hallmark of the genre but it didn't make sense for Heather to get involved because she wasn't a suspect! Her best friend Amy encourages Heather to be stupid. I didn't like Amy much. She comes across as silly and frivolous, always noticing how cute men are and not stopping Heather.
The other characters are hardly in the story except for Detective Ryan Shepherd seems competent and intelligent. My favorite character is Heather's dog Dave. He should have more to do in the story. He's loyal and protective of his Mommy even if he seems kind of dumb.
The killer didn't have a strong enough motive. The person wasn't really in the story to pick up on any clues and their method of killing was kind of sloppy. It wouldn't be that hard to trace.
I read one other book in the series but I'm not interested in reading more.
Kindle freebie at time of download
This is a really short cozy mystery. There's not a lot of room to develop characters and the setting. I never guessed who did it at all. It came as a surprise. I think Heather is very naive and stupid to go around investigating a murder of someone she didn't like, especially since Heather's chief suspects are a drug addict and a dealer. That could be dangerous! Her nosiness is incredible and her lying and sneaking is just silly. I know it's the hallmark of the genre but it didn't make sense for Heather to get involved because she wasn't a suspect! Her best friend Amy encourages Heather to be stupid. I didn't like Amy much. She comes across as silly and frivolous, always noticing how cute men are and not stopping Heather.
The other characters are hardly in the story except for Detective Ryan Shepherd seems competent and intelligent. My favorite character is Heather's dog Dave. He should have more to do in the story. He's loyal and protective of his Mommy even if he seems kind of dumb.
The killer didn't have a strong enough motive. The person wasn't really in the story to pick up on any clues and their method of killing was kind of sloppy. It wouldn't be that hard to trace.
I read one other book in the series but I'm not interested in reading more.
Kindle freebie at time of download
April 18, 2018
This was really an awesome and entertaining, quick to read mystery! I had never read the first version of this book so it was all new to me but I know that I really enjoyed the idea of a Prologue and the Epilogue which give some extra insight into a couple of characters. I won't spoil who these characters are but you can read about it on Goodreads if you want. I am so anxious to read the second book now and get to know the main characters better.
Heather Janke's assistant Christa was about to open her own rival donut shop using recipes she'd stolen from Heather when she was stopped cold by being murdered. Heather was a little worried that handsome Det. Ryan Shepherd would think she did it because they were such rivals and Heather had been pretty angry about the recipe thefts. She realized not even Christa deserved to be murdered so she and her BFF Amy took it upon themselves to do some snooping around.
I enjoyed the three main characters a lot. Amy was a true friend to go investigating with Heather and of course Ryan seems like a sweetheart. Dave the dog wasn't mentioned a whole lot but he had quite a bit to do with saving his owner's life.
Oh this had such a cool twist! I was sure it was someone else when boom! I know some people don't care much for shorter reads like this that are a little easier to digest and get read quickly but this one was well-written, well-developed and had a great surprise ending. I am definitely ready for more of this series! Why I haven't read it before now, I guess that's a mystery!
Heather Janke's assistant Christa was about to open her own rival donut shop using recipes she'd stolen from Heather when she was stopped cold by being murdered. Heather was a little worried that handsome Det. Ryan Shepherd would think she did it because they were such rivals and Heather had been pretty angry about the recipe thefts. She realized not even Christa deserved to be murdered so she and her BFF Amy took it upon themselves to do some snooping around.
I enjoyed the three main characters a lot. Amy was a true friend to go investigating with Heather and of course Ryan seems like a sweetheart. Dave the dog wasn't mentioned a whole lot but he had quite a bit to do with saving his owner's life.
Oh this had such a cool twist! I was sure it was someone else when boom! I know some people don't care much for shorter reads like this that are a little easier to digest and get read quickly but this one was well-written, well-developed and had a great surprise ending. I am definitely ready for more of this series! Why I haven't read it before now, I guess that's a mystery!
July 26, 2019
This was a cute small-town, food-based cozy mystery short story. I enjoyed the story line and the mystery aspect of it and didn't know "whodunit" until the very end. However, the characters were not terribly likable, the writing felt a bit "stilted" in places, and while I'm sure that any competing businesses can have disdain for each other, it seemed a bit too cut-throat for a donut shop. I also found the detective taking advice from a suspect on how to do his investigation a bit unbelievable. However, if you can suspend belief on some of these items, it makes for a fun and enjoyable story.
November 11, 2018
Enough twists so the ends not clear disappointingly soon (we’ve all been there). Nice bed/fireside read. Clean, clever and enjoyable.
July 25, 2018
The book started off okay. I didn't like the ending. I will say the whole time I was reading I could just taste that strawberry creme donut!!
September 17, 2018
This book was a really quick read, but I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading on in this series.
May 10, 2020
Decent, if perhaps a bit rushed, start to this series.
July 15, 2018
I read quite a few of the reviews before I bought this book ( and the two following in the series) and must admit to being disappointed. I find it predictable and a bit fluffy and silly. And why does the Detective have to be so stupid and stereotyped?
Yes, it is a quick read, no effort required, but with very little stimulation or drama.
Yes, it is a quick read, no effort required, but with very little stimulation or drama.
April 20, 2018
Heather owns a bakery called Donut Delights. Her biggest secrets are recipes that were her grandmother's. When Heather discovered her assissant Christa Fordyce had been stealing her recipes and planning to use them in her own bakery shop she fired Christa. When Christa is found dead with a half eaten donut next to her, Heather becomes the number one suspect. Heather and her best friend Amy decide to do a little looking around on their own. Who could have killed Christa? Could it have been her assissant Joey? Her brother? Her ex-boyfriend? And why? The girls decide their snooping could be a dangerous thing to do. This is a fast paced well thought out plot. I think the prologue and epilogue are great additions. And it was fun to go back and see how Ryan and Heather met. And there are donut recipes!!!
I voluntarily received a copy of this 2nd edition and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
I voluntarily received a copy of this 2nd edition and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
October 6, 2019
Title: Strawberries & Crème Murder
Author: Susan Gillard
Series: Donut Hole Mystery, 1
Format: ebook
Length: 151 pages
Rating: 2.5 stars
Synopsis: Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Favourite character: N/A
Least favourite character: Heather
Mini-review: The continuity! I now know why this series and it's spin-off have altogether 134 books. Because whoever writes this series doesn't edit. A grand opening was happening tomorrow, two pages later it's opening today (only five fictional minutes had passed). Or another one was a character talks to her in her office, leaves, then another character comes in and then she asks current person if the previous person has come to work today. Stuff like that.
It wasn't the greatest, but I'm still intrigued.
Fan Cast:
Heather Janke - Bryce Dallas Howard
Ryan Shepherd - Sam Witwer
Amy Givens - Anna Camp
Maricela - Cote de Pablo
Eva Schneider - Michael Learned
Michelle - Jillian Bell
William "Billy" Fordyce III - Caleb Landry Jones
Carolyn Fordyce - Diane Lane
Author: Susan Gillard
Series: Donut Hole Mystery, 1
Format: ebook
Length: 151 pages
Rating: 2.5 stars
Synopsis: Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Favourite character: N/A
Least favourite character: Heather
Mini-review: The continuity! I now know why this series and it's spin-off have altogether 134 books. Because whoever writes this series doesn't edit. A grand opening was happening tomorrow, two pages later it's opening today (only five fictional minutes had passed). Or another one was a character talks to her in her office, leaves, then another character comes in and then she asks current person if the previous person has come to work today. Stuff like that.
It wasn't the greatest, but I'm still intrigued.
Fan Cast:
Heather Janke - Bryce Dallas Howard
Ryan Shepherd - Sam Witwer
Amy Givens - Anna Camp
Maricela - Cote de Pablo
Eva Schneider - Michael Learned
Michelle - Jillian Bell
William "Billy" Fordyce III - Caleb Landry Jones
Carolyn Fordyce - Diane Lane
September 4, 2025
A quick, quick read. There are a few major editing issues (a character discussing information about a character before finding the information out; a character having a conversation with a character, speaking to another, and then asking if the first is around.) that really break the flow of the story. Overall it was cute but not deep, nor too mysterious. I'm hoping later books improve.
March 26, 2016
Great first book
Heather is a feisty young baker with a great sense of flavor combination. In this first outing her strawberry donuts have a sinister part. The mystery plotline is good and characters are very real. I look forward to starting the second one soon.
Heather is a feisty young baker with a great sense of flavor combination. In this first outing her strawberry donuts have a sinister part. The mystery plotline is good and characters are very real. I look forward to starting the second one soon.
March 23, 2017
Very cute cozy series.
July 31, 2025
I've got some serious quality book-whiplash going on, after finishing the previous book earlier today.
First thing, this is a popcorn read. This is a book you can finish within the hour.
It's a good in-between longer books to get a fresh and quick story in. However. Quality is not here.
The characters are very one-dimensional. Not a surprise, the book is barely 70 pages long, if that.
The actions of the characters make no sense.
For example, a (new to you) detective just happens to throw information your way, telling you about the active investigation, and answers your phone call whenever you call. Right.
The mother calling you after her daughters murder, to more or less tell you that she doesn't care that she's dead. Another unrealistic thing.
Getting access to a previous / active crime scene, (that part wasn't entirely clear, considering she could enter the first time without issues, and the second time she got stopped by cops watching the place.). The same access given to you by the victim's brother who just happens to want to ditch keys on someone. What in the world is going on in this book?
Anyway, it is quick, but do not expect quality or logic, no buildup, and it suffers from white-room-syndrome. It is suitable to read for something without much thinking required.
Short books can have quality, as several others have proven to me. But this was too short to have anything other than the bare events / facts and dialogue.
Maybe it's a case where the setting and characters develope overtime, because there are so many books in this series. But we'll see.
First thing, this is a popcorn read. This is a book you can finish within the hour.
It's a good in-between longer books to get a fresh and quick story in. However. Quality is not here.
The characters are very one-dimensional. Not a surprise, the book is barely 70 pages long, if that.
The actions of the characters make no sense.
For example, a (new to you) detective just happens to throw information your way, telling you about the active investigation, and answers your phone call whenever you call. Right.
The mother calling you after her daughters murder, to more or less tell you that she doesn't care that she's dead. Another unrealistic thing.
Getting access to a previous / active crime scene, (that part wasn't entirely clear, considering she could enter the first time without issues, and the second time she got stopped by cops watching the place.). The same access given to you by the victim's brother who just happens to want to ditch keys on someone. What in the world is going on in this book?
Anyway, it is quick, but do not expect quality or logic, no buildup, and it suffers from white-room-syndrome. It is suitable to read for something without much thinking required.
Short books can have quality, as several others have proven to me. But this was too short to have anything other than the bare events / facts and dialogue.
Maybe it's a case where the setting and characters develope overtime, because there are so many books in this series. But we'll see.
December 25, 2025
Title: Strawberries & Creme Murder
Author: Susan Gillard
Series: Donut Hole Mystery, 1
Genre(s): cozy mystery, mystery
Format: ebook
Length: 152 pages
Publisher: Guardian Publishing Group, LLC
My Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could a workplace disagreement lead to murder?
Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Favourite character: Dave
Least favourite character: N/A
Mini-Review: I decided to give this series a reread before finishing it's spin-off series. This book is a quick read, fast and easy. Definitely lives up to the cozy vibes, but it just wasn't long enough to feel like a decent mystery. There's no foreshadowing or anything that you'd get in other mysteries, that being said, I still enjoyed myself.
Author: Susan Gillard
Series: Donut Hole Mystery, 1
Genre(s): cozy mystery, mystery
Format: ebook
Length: 152 pages
Publisher: Guardian Publishing Group, LLC
My Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could a workplace disagreement lead to murder?
Donuts, deceit and the potential murder of a former assistant find master donut backer Heather Janke at the center of a mystery in which she is a potential suspect and possibly the only one capable of discerning the truth.
Was her former assistant Christa murdered and if so, why?
Follow Heather as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this sweet caper.
Favourite character: Dave
Least favourite character: N/A
Mini-Review: I decided to give this series a reread before finishing it's spin-off series. This book is a quick read, fast and easy. Definitely lives up to the cozy vibes, but it just wasn't long enough to feel like a decent mystery. There's no foreshadowing or anything that you'd get in other mysteries, that being said, I still enjoyed myself.
June 24, 2018
Christa Fordyce is the owner of the newest donut shop in town. "Christa's Creations". She had lied, decived and even betrayed people to get her shop. She might have even destroyed some lives, but she was a business owner now. She could hardly wait for the grand opening! Then there is a knock on her door, it was late, but she let the person in even though they had not left each other on good terms. The next moring Heather Janke asked questions by Detectve Ryan Shepherd of the Hillside Police Department. The body of Christa was found by Joey Gorham last night. Did Heather have something to do with Christa's death? Afterall Christa was once an employee of Heather's and they left on unfriendly terms. Mrs. Fordyce is grieving for Billy her son, not Christa her daughter. Billy's life being ruined? Something is not adding up and Heather is going to find out what is going on. Then the killer confronts Heather---and you will be surprised who it is! For the answer read the book.
August 24, 2018
This is my first time reading this author.
I’m intrigued by this book/series. I liked the mystery and that it was a quick read. I didn’t like that I didn’t really get to know Heather or really any of the characters, not even Dave the dog. I’m hoping that as the series goes along the main characters will develop more. It is possible since these are quick books the author is choosing to let us get to know everyone a little at a time. That would be fine as we don’t know anyone very well our first meeting. I also question how quickly and easily Heather is allowed to help with the investigation. I can go with things though if I like the characters.
It took me about an hour or so to read it. It was interesting enough that I plan to read a few more to see how the story and characters develop.
I’m intrigued by this book/series. I liked the mystery and that it was a quick read. I didn’t like that I didn’t really get to know Heather or really any of the characters, not even Dave the dog. I’m hoping that as the series goes along the main characters will develop more. It is possible since these are quick books the author is choosing to let us get to know everyone a little at a time. That would be fine as we don’t know anyone very well our first meeting. I also question how quickly and easily Heather is allowed to help with the investigation. I can go with things though if I like the characters.
It took me about an hour or so to read it. It was interesting enough that I plan to read a few more to see how the story and characters develop.
February 10, 2019
This is a 2.5 star rating from me. It was a pleasant, easy read. And there was almost nothing that frustrated me, which is a pleasant surprise. But it felt to me like a sequence of events and there wasn't much of a sense of things naturally proceeding in a certain order. And I didn't really feel why our donut-shop-owning self-made investigator was so invested in figuring out how this particular victim came to be dead.
I also was annoyed by the epilogue. To me, it didn't really feel like a natural comment on the book, but more like a transitional tease to a character which (I expect) would be more fully presented in a sequel.
That said, I'd read more of this series for free, for a relaxing and unchallenging read, but given the short books and the superficiality of the book, I would not be likely to buy more of this series.
I also was annoyed by the epilogue. To me, it didn't really feel like a natural comment on the book, but more like a transitional tease to a character which (I expect) would be more fully presented in a sequel.
That said, I'd read more of this series for free, for a relaxing and unchallenging read, but given the short books and the superficiality of the book, I would not be likely to buy more of this series.
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