Book ~ "Caught Bread Handed" (2016) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Jules Capshaw is still chewing over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. Could there be too many cooks in the kitchen? Whatever is stirring between those two will have to wait. Despite the Oregon Shakespeare Festival being dark for the winter, the bakeshop is bustling, the dough is rolling, and there’s no rest for the weary … especially when murder is thrown into the mix. 

When Mindy Nolan, the owner of a new restaurant in town, turns up dead, the batter at hand thickens. Jules knows that there was bad blood between Mindy and others in town and tracking down the killer could prove to be an unwelcome treat. And to top it all off, there’s Carlos, who is pleading - with those delicious dark eyes and sexy Spanish accent - for Jules to take him back. Is home where the heart is or will she make a fresh start … and risk getting burned? 

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, but dreamed of seeing the world.  She grew up helping her parents in their bakery, Torte, and went on to culinary school.  She got a job with a cruise line and didn't get home often after that.  She met her husband, Carlos, an executive chef, on a cruise and things were going well until she discovered he had a secret.  With a broken heart, she headed home to figure things out.  It's been over six months and she now happily shares ownership of Torte with her mother. 

Ashland is a quaint Shakespeare-theme town and recently a flashy chain restaurant opened and not many are happy, which has caused conflict.  When Mindy, one of the owners of the restaurant, is found murdered on the site, it could be one of many who killed her ... including Alan, who up until recently had owned the space but lost it due to financial difficulties, or Rosamond, who has the ear of the town council and has been petitioning to have the restaurant closed down.

In the meantime,  Carlos showed up out of the blue wanting to work things out with Jules.  He is spending the week in Ashland before he heads back to the cruise ship and and he wants Jules to go with him, and she is very tempted.

This is the fourth in the Bakeshop Mystery series and I liked it.  I've read all in this author's Sloan Krause Series and I'd recently read the first couple and the last one in this series.  This book works as a stand alone ... there is enough information provided.  It's written in first person perspective in Jules' voice.   It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. There are recipes at the end.  I look forward to reading the others in this series.