First off, I should say that this is the eighth book in the series, but only the second one I’ve read. I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing something at all. The author provided everything I needed to know to jump right in with this book; it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
I really enjoyed the small-town setting. I loved the descriptions of local businesses, events, and people. In this installment, the murder takes place during the town’s Arts Festival, so there were lots of interesting events for the reader to enjoy along with the characters.
The mystery itself was excellent! The victim was known to be annoying to virtually everyone, and just plain mean to some. As a result, there were plenty of suspects who had reasons to wish him harm. I enjoyed this variety of suspects, with motives varying from professional jealousy to interrupted sleep. The author provided a variety of motives and clues for Emily to investigate, and it was fun watching her try to figure everything out. Once all was revealed at the end all the clues the reader gathered along the way made sense, including a couple of things that initially seemed so innocuous as to not actually be clues.
I liked reading about main character Emily. She seems like a very real person, and one I’d love to know in real life. I particularly enjoyed her interactions with her (visiting) parents, and her relationship with her former in-laws. This time around, we are treated to Emily and Brent’s wedding. I appreciated that the author took a few pages after the mystery ended to let readers observe a bit of the celebration.
I’m happily rating “Double Grudge Donuts” five out of five yummy slices of Provolone!
