Boston Scream Murder

In Bolton’s disappointing fourth Deputy Donut mystery (after 2019’s Jealousy Filled Donuts), Emily Westhill is preparing special doughnuts for Halloween when a pompous former bank manager, Richmond P. “Rich” Royalson III, enters her shop, Deputy Donut, in Fallingbrook, Wis. Rich orders Boston cream doughnuts and coffee for his birthday bash, but when Emily later arrives at his home, she finds him dead with the murder weapon—a heavy skillet—lying nearby. Emily learns that Rich’s wife, Patty, drowned under suspicious circumstances a while back, and that those with a motive for his early demise include a pianist neighbor who was an old friend of Patty and was thwarted by Rich in a real estate purchase; a caterer who was cheated out of business by Rich; an ex-boyfriend of Rich’s girlfriend, Terri Estable, with whom Rich was having an affair at the time Patty drowned; and Terri herself, who stands to gain substantially from Rich’s will. An awkward construction, far-fetched situations, and an obvious perpetrator provide less than satisfying reading. Hopefully, Bolton will return to form next time. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Aug.)