The Gingerbread Bump-Off

October 3, 2011
At the start of Washburn’s engaging sixth mystery starring retired teacher and baker Phyllis Newsom (after 2010’s The Pumpkin Muffin Murder), an old friend of Phyllis’s, civic booster Georgia Hallerbee, drops in at Phyllis’s “lovely old house” in Weatherford, Tex., and asks her to participate in the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour of Homes. A reluctant Phyllis is busy preparing for a bridal shower and a wedding, but when her special friend, former basketball player Sam Fletcher, says he’ll lend a hand, she agrees to put her house on the tour. Meanwhile, gingerbread cookies may be burning in the oven. Shortly after this meeting, on Phyllis’s porch, someone smashes Georgia over the head with a ceramic gingerbread man dressed as Mrs. Claus, with fatal results. Once again, Phyllis turns sleuth in a cozy distinguished by its appealing characters and mouthwatering recipes.

November 1, 2011
An amateur sleuth's Christmas plans are upset by murder. Something's cooking among the boarders in Phyllis Newsome's home in Weatherford, Texas. Eve Turner is soon to marry Roy Porter. Her wedding plans are keeping Phyllis and Carolyn Wilbarger, another boarder, especially busy baking for Christmas and the upcoming nuptials. When local accountant Georgia Hallerbee asks Phyllis to decorate her house and become a stop on the Jingle Bell home tour, she reluctantly agrees. But Georgia pays the price for her initiative by getting attacked on her front porch with Phyllis' ceramic gingerbread man. Phyllis ignores a police warning and starts sleuthing with the help of Sam Fletcher, yet another boarder. A little investigation shows that several people were angry with Georgia over tax matters, but they all seem to have alibis. Once Georgia dies without regaining consciousness, Phyllis redoubles her efforts to solve the crime before Christmas. Washburn's Fresh Baked series (The Christmas Cookie Killer, 2008, etc.) continues to feature competent mysteries, likable characters and the obligatory recipes.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2011

In her sixth adventure, Phyllis Newsom (Killer Crab Cakes) and the fellow retired teachers who share her large Texas home pitch in to solve the murder of the Jingle Bell Tour of Homes coordinator. A solid cozy with capable senior sleuths and comfort-food recipes.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2011
Phyllis agrees to add her home to the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour of Homes. It is an extra-busy holiday season for Phyllis, as she is also hosting a shower for friend Eve's pending New Year's nuptials. Then Phyllis finds Georgia, organizer of the home tour, slumped on her porch, hit with a ceramic gingerbread man. Phyllis starts making a list of suspects despite the police warnings not to get involved. She includes Eve's fianc', Roy, in that list, as no one seems to know much about him. She and romantic roommate Sam visit each house on the tour to find out what caused this crime of passion. In the sixth title in Washburn's appealing series, Phyllis displays a spicy edge reminiscent of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin. Even with a small cast, Washburn does a good job disguising the clues with plenty of red herrings. Fans of foodie mysteries such as those by Joanne Fluke will especially enjoy this solid seasonal sleuthing adventure, which comes complete with recipes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)