Killing Me Souffle by Ellie Alexander

Item: Killing Me Soufflé
Rating: 4
Author: karenbaron

Posted March 4, 2025 by karenbaron in #BookishRecipe, Mystery, Review, Series / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Killing Me Soufflé

by Ellie Alexander

Series: Bakeshop Mystery #20
Series Rating:

Published by Minotaur Books on February 25, 2025
Setting: Ashland, Oregon
Genres: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Pages: 295
Format: Audio CD, Kindle, Paperback
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Bookhype
BookBub
Storygraph
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Sticks and Scones

Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!

Amidst the rocky beaches of the Oregon coast, Torte’s beloved Sterling and Stephanie have been hired to take over the aging restaurant at the cliffside Whaleshead Resort. They’re nervous about striking out on their own, but excited by the opportunity to put their own spin a new menu. From fresh fish caught the very same day to vegan options and handcrafted pastries, they’re buzzing with ideas. What’s even better is that Jules and the team from Torte have come out for opening weekend to cheer them on.

Despite some opening night jitters, the dinner is off with a bang. Guests and long-term residents of Whaleshead Resort are eager to taste the young couple’s creations. As the tickets begin to line up and guests pile in the front door, Jules and Carlos offer to roll up their sleeves and help in any way they can.

Stephanie is taking on every chef’s nightmare—a fluffy chocolate soufflé—and Sterling is fast at work prepping shrimp linguini and pan-seared halibut when they suddenly hear screaming. Erik Morton, the manager of Whaleshead and their new boss, has taken a fatal fall down the steep and dangerous cliffside trail leading to the beach. Jules and her young protégés quickly realize this was no accident. Now, the team will have to juggle the investigation while keeping the restaurant—and Steph and Sterling's new jobs—from crashing like the waves along the cliffs.

Killing Me Souffle by Ellie Alexander is the perfect beach read.

Will this be the end of Steph and Sterling’s new vision?

Stephanie and Sterling are excited about their new venture: managing their own restaurant and creating a whole new menu. The only problem is that their new boss isn’t quite an easy person to work for. He died on the restaurant’s opening weekend, which isn’t good for business.

Juliet and Carlos

Juliet and Carlos make a great team in the kitchen and even out of the kitchen. I love seeing these two in these books since they are the perfect wife and husband duo when it comes to these mysteries. Carlos knows by now that when Juliet gets her mind up about solving a case, he will let her do her thing while keeping an eye on her. He is also like that when it comes to being in the kitchen. Juliet is pregnant with twins, and she’s delighted. From what I’ve read, she is a great mother when caring for Ramiro – Carlos’ teenage son.

I love how they make a great family unit, and I can’t wait to see how they do with twins.

The Mystery

Juliet was first on the scene to find Erik Morton’s body after he fell. She then phoned the police and wanted to help bring his killer to justice even if her stepfather and the local police were handling it. Juliet’s suspect list didn’t dwindle down, as everyone they talked to had a motive to kill the guy. Erik wasn’t a saint, and everyone had a reason to dislike him.

I had a feeling on who did it, but I just didn’t put two and two together fast enough to be sure.

Four Stars

I am giving four stars to Killing Me Souffle by Ellie Alexander. Ms. Alexander has done a fantastic job of transporting me to the beach with Juliet, Carlos, Ramiro, and some of their friends. I felt like I was out there on the south Oregon coast solving this mystery with all of them. Juliet is quite a character, but I’m glad that despite being a wife and now soon-to-be mom, she isn’t changing and still wants to solve mysteries. Carlos can also be at peace knowing that Lance will be there with Juliet most of the time in solving these mysteries.

Remember that Ms. Alexander put recipes in the back of the book. They are Chocolate Cherry Sponge Cake, Sterling’s Sunday Sauce, Rhubarb Crumble Cake, Breakfast Lasagna, Peach Cobbler Muffins, Chocolate Souffle, and Andy’s Decaf Chocolate Cherry on Top Latte.

Bakeshop Mystery

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Killing Me Souffle by Ellie Alexander

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

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About Ellie Alexander

Hey There

A voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. I believe that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over thirty-five published novels and counting, my goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.

I love inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and am passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, I guide writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.

Come on a storyventure with me!

^ got from the author’s bio