Book Review: Dial M for Mousse by Laura Bradford (Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong series regulars, lots of fun

Cons: Weak suspects

The Bottom Line:

More dessert rescues

Lead to another body

In fun third novel

Delivery for a Dead Retreat Owner

We are now on the third book in the Emergency Dessert Squad series, and I’m still completely hooked on the concept.  In the first book, Winnie Johnson was left an antique ambulance in an elderly friend’s will.  With a little ingenuity, she turned it into the selling point of her new business that delivers desserts to pick up someone’s spirits.  It’s such a fun concept, and the fun continues with Dial M for Mousse.

As this book opens, Winnie has just gotten a job delivering five different desserts to the people currently staying at the new retreat center outside of town.  These are creative people, including a poet, a magician, and a puppeteer among others.  She has a weekend to come up with the desserts, so she has some fun brainstorming the desserts and names with her friends.

The delivery is set for late morning on Monday when the guests are going to be in a meeting.  After leaving the desserts in their cabins, she pokes her head into the center’s main building only to find that the owners has just fallen down dead.  Only as she replays the scene later in her mind, she begins to suspect things were not as they first appeared.  Can she figure out what really happened?

One of the things I love about this series are the dessert titles.  Take the two we get at the back of the book – Your Jokes Make Me Snicker (Doodle) Cookies, and Now You See ‘Em, Now You Don-Uts.  I love a good pun, and these are fantastic.

That sense of fun carries over to the suspects in this book.  They are unique and add some humor to things.  Unfortunately, I don’t feel we spend enough time getting to know them, but that’s because the mystery is a little weak overall.  Don’t get me wrong, we do get some twists and surprises, as Winnie does her best to figure out what really happened that Monday morning.

However, the series regulars more than carry the book.  We have several good sub-plots with them, and I truly do care about these characters so I was pulled into those scenes.  I was glad with how several things turned out, in fact.

Dial M for Mousse truly is a lot of fun, which is no surprise to anyone who is a fan of this series.  And if that is you, but sure to pick up this book today.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Just leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  I will pick the winner Friday evening January 5^th (please note the earlier deadline), so please leave your comment before noon Pacific Time on 1/5.  You will have until midnight on 1/8 to get back to me, or I will choose a new winner on 1/9.