Dying For A DonutDying for a Donut by Cindy Sample is the fifth book in the “Laurel McKay” mystery series. October 2015

To Laurel McKay, there’s nothing better than spending an autumn afternoon in the Apple Hill area, munching on caramel apples and cinnamon donuts. It’s a good thing daughter Jenna’s landed a seasonal job at Apple Tree Farm and Bakery.

Then Laurel stumbles over the bakery owner’s body, coated in powdered sugar. Axel Thorson was a well-respected member of the community. Who would want to sweeten him up?

When the police arrest the heartthrob grandson of the bakery manager, Jenna decides to help him by solving the case herself, a move that lands her in jail. With Laurel’s detective honey in another state, and her octogenarian grandmother threatening to chase down the culprit, what’s a soccer mom with a sweet tooth to do but go undercover.

Detecting among donuts should be a piece of cake, but not if Laurel discovers first-hand that sugar can kill you.

What a fun read this book is from beginning to end. Laurel is a hoot especially when she is dealing with family members, and in particular her lovable grandmother. I love how this light and humorous tale flows from scene to scene keeping me engaged in all facets of this mystery, from Jenna going to jail, to Gran deciding on a name for their detective agency and to Laurel’s dogged pursuit that a killer is still roaming the neighborhood. The author did a great job in putting the killer in plain sight, because I didn’t see it until that one pivotal clue and it was fun to watch how it all played out when the killer was revealed. A great read and I love the ending and I can’t wait for the next book in this delightfully entertaining series.