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Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
Crumbs of Defeat by Jo A. Hiestand, the fourth Cookies & Kilts Mystery, is for fans of mystery, crime, drama, and detective novels. Kate Dunbar owns a bakery for pets in Beaudin Trace, Missouri. Kate participates in an annual baking contest. Despite a discouraging start, when she couldn't find her recipe and had a heated debate with another participant, nineteen-year-old Tiffany Farnsworth, Kate is proud of her cake. Yet something feels off. Where is Tiffany? Kate finds her lying dead on the floor of her working space. She notices a strange pendant under Tiffany's body. When Kate becomes a murder suspect, she decides to investigate Tiffany's death. The more she learns about the girl, the more puzzling her case gets. The clues lead to unexpected places, and Kate joins forces with an old friend.
In Jo A. Hiestand's Crumbs of Defeat, the lovable main character surprises us with her logical approach to the investigation. Kate is resourceful and attentive to details. She faces challenges with composure and makes witty observations. The author keeps us intrigued throughout the narration. The writing style has an appealing touch of dry humor. The author offers a unique murder weapon and skillfully combines the disparate parts of the riddle into a jaw-dropping whole. The book teases us with many suspects and has intense scenes at the end. I appreciated the interesting facts I wasn't expecting to find in a cozy mystery and the wonderful recipes the author shares, including cookies for dogs. Hiestand studies the characters thoroughly. Those who enjoy Agatha Christie-esque character-driven mysteries will enjoy this novel very much.
