A Doomful of Sugar (Maple Syrup Mysteries, 1)

A Doomful of Sugar is the first book in Catherine Bruns’ Maple Syrup Mysteries series. The storyline flows smoothly in this fast-paced cozy whodunit. The characters are three-dimensional, the well-plotted mystery is intriguing, and there’s a great mix of mystery, everyday life, and complicated family relationships. There’s no shortage of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. I recommend this delightful series to readers who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries.When Leila Khoury, a teacher living in Florida, her mother, Selma, and her younger brother and reporter for the Maple Messenger, Simon, gather in her father’s attorney’s, Theo Martin, office for the reading of her father’s will, she learns that he had recently made a new will. Victor Khoury, a well-loved and respected citizen of Sugar Ridge, Vermont, left the family farm, Sappy Endings, to Leila, stipulating that she run the business for one year, at which time she can sell the business if she so desires. In addition to the farm filled with maple trees, there’s a café, a gift shop, and the sugar shack where the maple syrup is processed for Leila to oversee. Leila’s mother provides maple-flavored baked goods for the café, Jessica Fowler cooks and takes care of the café, and Noah Rivers, a man Leigh doesn’t know or trust, manages the farm and maple syrup production. All Leila wants to do is return to Florida, but she decides to honor her father’s final wishes.When her father’s good friend, Police Chief Alan Crosby, informs the family that he suspects Victor’s death was a premeditated murder, everyone is shocked. Simon becomes the prime suspect, but Leila immediately suspects Noah. Leila enlists her best friend, Heather Turcot, to help clear Simon’s name and find themselves in harm’s way.

This was a new author and new series for me and I very much enjoyed it. Leila is back in Vermont at the death of her father and is stunned to find out he left the family business, Sappy Endings, a syrup making business, with a cafe and giftstore to her. She is deeply unsettled and even more so by the fact that her beloved father was murdered in the beautiful small town she had called home. She decided to give the business a year but more importantly needs to find out what really happened to her Dad. This is an interesting mystery, with several suspects, employees she doesn't know if she can trust, someone trying to frame her brother, and a murder that takes place right in front of her eyes. Best of all a guilty party I never saw coming. Definitely worth your time!

Good start to a new series! From the book blurb: "Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he's killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she's left untapped." Of course, Leila feels she needs to "help" the police to discover the killer, even though she is putting herself in danger by doing it.It took me a while to warm up to Leila, who was her father's pet, but who has been at odds with her mother for years. It never really says how old she is, but she left VT when her fiancee broke off their engagement, and has spent the last 4 years in Fl, so that means she must be at least 26. But in the beginning of the book, she acts more like a spoiled teen than a 20 something. To give the author credit, Leila does show a good amount of growth throughout the book and I did end up liking her. Fingers crossed there is another in this series, coming soon!!

This was a great mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Can’t wait for more.

I've always enjoyed Catherine Bruns' books, but she hit it out of the park with this new series. I couldn't put it down. Her characters are well fleshed out and there are twists and turns all the way to the end. I loved her kitten, Toast. I can't wait for the next book to see where things go with her and Noah.

This is an excellent book. A cozy mystery that grabbed my interest almost from the first page. The writing is witty and it kept me guessing right to the end. I highly recommend it

Catherine Bruns has another hit ! A Doomful of Sugar is wonderful. Well written with characters you would want as friends. Intriguing story that keeps you turning the pages.

I love stories set in Vermont. Having been there in the gorgeous fall, my mind sweeps back there when reading a book like A Doomful of Sugar. And what better place to set the story than on a maple sugar farm? To add a sweetener, Bruns set Lebanese characters as the owners. Loved the choice.Leila (love the name) returns to her family's maple sugar farm after her dad is murdered. She planned to return home until the will is read, designating her as the new owner of the farm. Driven by a need to know who killed her father, she searches Dad's papers to find his murderer. Yes, the police are investigating, but, it seems, from what she is uncovering, they are after the wrong person. Unfortunately, her discoveries put her in great danger.Twists, turns, and red herrings are the lifeblood of cozy mysteries. I enjoyed them all in this story except, the last one, which seemed over the top to me.All in all, a good read!