Donut shop owner and amateur sleuth Suzanne Hart is back in SINISTER SPRINKLES, the third installment in the Donut Shop Mystery series. Joining her are ex-husband Max, friends Emma and Grace, retired cop and donut lover George, boyfriend Jake, her mom, and the quirky inhabitants of April Springs North Carolina.

Suzanne is manning her donut booth at the annual April Springs Winter Carnival when screams cut through the cold air and everyone rushes to the court house where a dead body has been discovered. Turns out the victim is Darlene Higgins, the woman she found in bed with her then husband Max (hence the ex-). But why was Darlene dressed like Muriel Stevens? And why has Muriel disappeared? With both she and Max as prime-suspects, Suzanne finds herself investigating with the help of her friends in order to keep them both out of jail.

You can't tell from the cover but this is a winter-themed mystery with a touch of the holiday... a setting made clear by the fact that murder weapon is a candy cane! SINISTER SRPINKLES is a well-written cozy mystery that works on many levels. The mystery kept me engaged, but I also really enjoyed reading about the life of a donut shop owner and the role the shop plays in a small town. The relationships felt genuine and each character faced his or her own personal issues. Jessica Beck's well-developed characters and compelling mystery make for a great story. The donut recipes are nice bonus that will make your mouth water.