Interesting start to a series, the "re-occuring characters" have alot of back story and Ms. Daheim will have alot to work with in future books.

I really tend to like the locked door mysteries (or in this case, locked house mystery), like Agatha Christie, you know one of the characters did it, but the motivation, as well as opportunity are the real keys to who did it. And this one satisfied, though with the amount of characters keeping them all straight was iffy for me at times, but that's probably just me. =] ( )

Just Desserts by Mary Daheim is a 1991 publication.

This is the first book is the long running Bed & Breakfast cozy mystery series. With the thirtieth installment set to release soon, I thought it would be fun to go back to the very beginning to see how far the series has progressed.

I will confess that I have been much more diligent in following Mary’s “Emma Lord- Alpine” series, than this one, and I have not read every book in the series, but have skipped around here and there with it. However, I’m familiar with the characters and the set up and it’s always fun to touch base with them from time to time.

This first book introduces us to Judith and her cousin, Renie, who end up embroiled in the most unusual murder mystery at the Hillside Manor Inn. To make matters even more uncomfortable, Judith’s former fiancé, Joe, is the lead investigator on the case, which stirs up some painful feelings between them, but could also lead Joe to discover a huge secret that Judith has been keeping for over twenty years.

The mystery in this case is over the top and to say it is implausible in putting it mildly, but at the same time it was fun to see these characters before the series truly developed because it gives me a greater appreciation of the later installments. The author basically jumps right in without giving the reader a lot of background on Judith, Renie, or Joe. We learn a little more about how Joe and Judith’s wedding was thwarted, but not enough to give us an explanation of why the wrong was not righted a long time ago. So, I found this area rather puzzling. However, the trademark quirky characters that drive Judith and Renie crazy are all here, and gets the series launched, although, looking back on it, it was built on a rather shaky foundation. Still, that just goes to show you, it always pays to stick with a series for at least three installments before deciding to stick with it or let it go.

Since these books are quick and easy reads, I think I will read a few more of them in order to get a good solid opinion of the series as a whole before diving into the latest chapter in this series, especially since I’ve only checked in with it sporadically. So stay tuned. ( )

This book was a typical locked door mystery. The murder occurs at the B&B owned by Judith McMonigle when the Brodie family checks in because their own house is being fumigated. For fun step-mom Oriana, decides to hire a fortune teller who ends up dead.
Good premise, but way too many characters with little development who were never sufficiently identified as to how they related to each other, poor police interaction and IMO, below par writing. That said I enjoyed but doubt I'll pick up the next one anytime soon. ( )

This was an odd book, even for a cozy mystery. The characters waffled between believable and engaging to flat caricatures that switched back and forth between regular language and slang that would have been more appropriate in a 1940's nor...a bad one.

The story was interesting though the mystery started to get to muddied and in the end just fell apart and as usual in these books the experienced law men were all but useless while an armature sleuth solved it all.

That said I still had fun reading it and I did enjoy the two main characters. Only for the fan of cheesy, fluffy cozy mysteries. ( )

Very funny book! I liked this story so much better than Creeps Suzette. It actually made me want to read more of the Bed-and-Breakfast mysteries. It did seem very unlikely that the police would share so much of the investigation info with Judith and her cousin, though. This book made the police detectives seem very ineffectual. ( )