Sticks and Scones is the 19th book in the wonderful Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. This is one of my favourite long-running series.
Title: Sticks and Scones
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: Bakeshop Mystery #19
First Published: August 20, 2024
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genres: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher
*** Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. ***
It’s late spring in Ashland and Juliet and her team at Torte is baking a bevy of spring delights—lemon curd cupcakes, mini coconut cream pies, grapefruit tartlets, and chocolate dipped almond Tuiles.
Meanwhile, Juliet’s friend Lance, the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is taking center stage with his new theatre troupe—the Fair Verona Players. Their performance in Uva’s vineyard promises to be a modern, gender-bending twist on “The Taming of the Shrew,” but as the curtain rises, so do the strange occurrences. Stage mishaps and internal bickering threaten to derail the production but the real show begins when the leading actor, Jimmy Paxton, meets his final curtain call.
How a long-running series stays fresh
It’s hard to believe that this is the NINETEENTH book in this long-running series. I’ve been a fan since the start and it always amazes me how this series still hasn’t gotten boring. I think part of the charm is that the books aren’t just about Juliet – there are so many good supporting characters to keep up with – not just Juliet’s family, but also the police team, the Torte staff, and of course, Lance. Getting to re-visit Ashland and these people is always a treat and this adventure was no different.
The mouth-watering offerings at Torte are just as tempting as usual, and I love (as always) the inclusion of recipes in the book, which include Strawberry Scones and Pineapple Cake with Coconut Buttercream. The descriptions of the food (and the preparation of it all) always makes me want to run to the kitchen and get my baking apron on. There is just so much care and attention to the culinary aspect of this cozy mystery series.
But it’s not all cozy vibes and cute baked goods this time around, and I’m not just talking about the murders. There’s a lot of change in the air, much of which has been teased in the few books leading up to this one. Some of the changes I could see coming from previous books and one I guessed 2 pages into this book. I won’t say more because *spoilers*, but, like real life, nothing stays the same forever. It’s a bit sad, but also exciting, and I know there’s already another book planned so we’ll see how the changes affect the characters soon enough.
Another cozy mystery to solve
The mystery was pretty much what I’ve come to expect in an Ellie Alexander book – it’s a solid read from start to finish. The pacing is even and the characters and action keep things moving well enough that it’s hard to put the book down.
There are a lot of suspects to start (the victim was NOT a likeable person) with but they slowly get whittled down and the conclusion is satisfying. I also liked that we get so much Jules-Lance time – the two are a favourite pair of mine and their banter always seems so natural.
This is one series I highly recommend readers start at from the beginning. There is so much character growth and inside knowledge that getting a real feel for the characters and how they interact makes the books so much more enjoyable. That’s not to say that you can’t read these as standalones, but it’s honestly so much better to enjoy them in order.
Quote from Sticks and Scones
