Beyond a Reasonable Donut

Bolton’s gentle fifth mystery featuring widow Emily Westhill, part owner of the Deputy Donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wis. (after 2020’s Boston Scream Murder), finds Emily and her enthusiastic assistant, Nina Lapeer, heading to the Faker’s Dozen Carnival fairgrounds to prepare their fritter stand. The carnival’s theme is Friday the Thirteenth, and there certainly seems to be a good deal of bad luck floating around the Deputy Donut stand: a petty thief makes off with money from the cash box, a manic mime helps the thief escape, and—most peculiarly—a bucket of powdered sugar goes missing. At the end of the day, Emily stops by Nina’s apartment, where she discovers the mime suffocating in the errant bucket of powdered sugar. Nina promptly becomes the prime suspect in the mime’s murder. Series fans will be pleased to attend the wedding of two cast regulars and to try out the easy-to-follow recipes, including one for corny fritters. This undemanding cozy is a treat. (June)