My grandpa Gil is always getting me in trouble and this time he’s invited a fudge-loving prince from Belgium to visit us in Door County, Wisconsin.
The prince is excited about a legend of a nun who may have hidden a divinity fudge recipe during the Great Fire of 1871 that swept our region and killed a thousand people or more. It happened on the same dates as the Great Chicago Fire.
Grandpa insists the prized recipe is hidden in a local church. He’s told the prince that I’ll make the fudge from that recipe. Talk about pressure! I bet the real Cinderella didn’t have to worry about this sort of thing before the ball.
Grandpa and I own Oosterlings’ Live Bait, Bobbers & Belgian Fudge & Beer. Everything in Wisconsin ends with “and beer.” Our town of Fishers’ Harbor is on a peninsula in Lake Michigan known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” because of its rustic beauty and tourism.
My signature recipe is Cinderella Pink Fudge, which is a vanilla-cherry fudge made with our famous Door County cherries.
The locals are very excited that the Cinderella fudge lady might become a real Cinderella. My boyfriend, Dillon Rivers, is amused, though I sense a bit of jealousy, too.
Grandpa believes the divinity fudge recipe is hidden in a church in Namur, Wisconsin, a few miles south of our shop. Namur is near where I grew up on a farm near Brussels. The early settlers named the local towns for their villages back home.
A true legend here speaks of Sister Adele Brise, a Belgian nun who taught school children when the Belgians first settled our county in the 1850s and beyond. If you look her up on the Internet, you’ll find that even the New York Times wrote about her. Why? Because the Catholic church says she’s the only person in the entire United States who has experienced a credible sighting of Mary, mother of Jesus. And that sighting happened here in the 1800s near where I live.
The five-alarm trouble for me started when Grandpa told the prince about that legend. Grandpa has been doing research on our ancestry and he insists we’re related to the royal family. He’ll do anything to please the prince. Now it seems all of Belgium is excited about me finding that fudge recipe and making “the” divinity fudge. I’m in a divine mess!
My girlfriends, Pauline and Laura, and I have looked high and low in the quaint, little church in Namur where Grandpa is sure we’ll find the recipe. But nothing pops up in all our searches but old coal dust—until we find a dead body.
Then a series of fires in the church and in the places I frequent begin to turn my life to cinders.
Dillon doesn’t like the threats on my life. He doesn’t like how it’s changing me. He sees the stress. He tries to help. He’s a construction guy who knows the secret hiding places inside buildings. He and his hunting dog, Lucky Harbor, find intriguing surprises but not before more of my dreams go up in smoke.
Grandpa believes this fudge recipe is worth millions. But is it worth my life?
You can read more about Ava and her prince in Five-Alarm Fudge, the third book in the “Fudge Shop” mystery series, published by Obsidian. The first two books in the series are First-Degree Fudge and Hot Fudge Frame-Up.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 a.m. eastern on April 22 for the chance to win a print copy of Five-Alarm Fudge. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your SPAM folder.
About the author
Christine is a writing teacher at University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies where she mentors writers of 
novels, screenplays, plays, and short fiction. She directs the “Write-by-the-Lake Writer’s Retreat” every June. Her other publications include Spirit Lake, a romantic suspense novel. Christine is a past winner of the Slamdance Film Festival and optioned that screenplay to New Line Cinema. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, Writers Guild of America, and Wisconsin Screenwriters Forum. www.christinedesmet.com.
First-Degree Fudge enjoyed 10 weeks on the Barnes & Noble mystery bestseller list.
My Dad had a fudge recipe that was
so delicious, yet we could never
master it. Would love to read Five Alarm Fudge! Quick question: have you
considered increasing the font size
in these wonderful books?📖📋
Sounds like a yummy book! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
This sounds wonderful. Fudge Shop mysteries? Delightful! Thanks for the chance to win.
I haven’t tried this series yet, but after reading this, it definitely goes on my TBR pile.
Looking forward to reading this one.
was just wishing i had this book! i grew up in milwaukee , so i love books about wisconsin, and well, FUDGE?, what’s not to like?
Sounds intriguing. I recently bought my first “Fudge” book but it is in my TBR pile, not far down so it would be great to have this one to read too.
That Cinderella Pink Fudge looks so delicious. This series is on my TBR list for sure!
Sounds like a thrilling cozy mystery! I have added it to my TBR list. Thank you for the giveaway.
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds different and very interesting. Would love to own this one.
I haven’t read this series but will have to. Love to win thanks for chance
Loved Christine’s first “fudge” book and can’t wait to read this one!
Mmm Fudge. My grandmother’s recipe for divinity was totally awesome. This Cinderella fudge I’ve got to try…
Book series sounds excellent. Thank you for the chance.
Nothing better than homemade fudge. I still remember my mother’s chocolate marshmallow fluff fudge and my mother-in-law’s peanut butter fudge. I know this book series is a real hit. Thanks for the interview and chance to win a copy. robeader53@yahoo.com
Would love to win! Thanks for the chance!
My father loved making candy, fudge is always a favorite This book sounds like a delicious mystery
Sounds like a wonderful book
Sounds like a fun book. Have never had pink fudge but it might be good.
thanks for the chance to win the book.
Sounds like a fun read—thanks for the chance to win a copy!
This looks like a fun book. Thank you for the chance to win.
We know all about lost fudge recipes in my family! The vanilla-cherry fudge sounds yummy! Thanks for the chance to win.
Cherry fudge – YUM!
thank you for the chance, looks great
Sounds like a yummy read!!
That Pink Cinderella Fudge looks fabulous!
lag110 at mchsi dot com
Always like to read a new Cozy author!
This sounds like a terrific book~thank you for the great post and contest! Now I want fudge for breakfast!…and lunch…and dinner…and a snack or two…!!!
This soundslike a good book with a delicious fudge recipe.
So many good comments! Thank you so much for your support of, well, fudge! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing this series set in Door County. Ava and Grandpa are quite the duo. They have a lot of love for each other. The question was asked about larger type. That’s out of my hands. Only my publisher can decide on exercising the large print rights for the book. I’d love to see these books in large print as well as in audio books. I’ll have to nudge my editor. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the adventures of Ava, Grandpa, and Ava’s friend, Pauline, and that frustrating Mercy Fogg.
This is a great series and this newest book sounds exciting! Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy Christine and Dry!
Read the first 2 books in the series; they were delish! Can’t wait to read the third! And you can’t go wrong with fudge. And beer. And cherries. 😉
Sounds like yet another great cozy! Thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
A delightful cozy. Thanks for this feature and giveaway.
sounds like my kind of book and would love to win it — love reading your feature above – thanks for this fantastic giveaway
Fudge and mystery, can’t beat that! Thanks for the giveaway, can’t wait to read this book. 🙂
Sounds delightful! I love ‘finding’ more authors.
Fudge and mystery–sounds like a great story
Cinderella Pink Fudge. . .sounds absolutely heavenly! That, I’d love to try – along with the chance to win the book! Both sound like winners! Thanks for the chance!
Pink fudge? Sounds yummy.
I want to try that Cinderella Pink Fudge—I’m not a chocoholic and LOVE cherries. Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Fudge worth killing for? Quite an idea.
I’m more of a chocolate fudge person and hope they find the divinity fudge recipe before they all get burned! Thanks for the chance, good luck all!
I somehow have missed this series and it sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks, Dru and Ava/Christine. I enjoyed both other books, in the series, and am looking forward to reading Five-Alarm Fudge!
This sounds like a delightfully delicious read!
Would love to win thanks for the chance
Fudge a mystery perfect for me.
This sounds interesting – and tasty! Thanks for the chance to win; I’d love to read something from this series!
Always on the lookout for a great fudge recipe since mine never turns out the same way twice. Would love to win….sounds like a sweet read ( no pun intended) thanks for the opportunity!
Would love to read this book! I have a friend of mine whose husband’s fudge recipe is to die for! Thanks for the chance!
Candy and murder what a divine pair. Sounds like a great read.
Thanks for the giveaway. Love hearing about the authors and books!
Love blond fudge. Thanks for a chance to win this book.
We moved to TN from IL, and about the only thing I miss is our annual trip to WI to the fudge shop in Hayward! Winning this book would bring back so many great memories, and be a great inspiration for trying new “Christmas” fudge recipes. Thanks so much for the chance.
Is the fudge for-real??? I need to sample it!!!
Thank you for the giveaway…
Love the fudge and this series. Happy to see a new one.
OMGosh, the thrill of winning books makes my heart pitter-patter! What a wonderful chance at a great prize! Thank you!
A good mystery & the thoughts of fudge– can’t get any better.📖📚
This brought back memories of making fudge with my older sister. We used to make it on Sat. evening and enjoy it while watching TV. Your book sounds awesome!
Mystery,adventure,fun,and FUDGE! What could be better:) thanks for the chance to win and read.
This interview was a lot of fun to read, Christine. Can’t wait to read the book.
I am curious about this pink fudge recipe. Count me in.
I enjoy this series and look forward to reading this. Thanks for the chance to win
I would like this series
I love these cozy mysterious. Thank you for this giveaway
I LOVE these mysteries.
Love, Love, Love cozy mysteries!
contest is closed.