Donuts, Deception, and Death: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Paradise Beach Cozy Mystery) by Eloise Brightly

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Donuts, Deception, and Death: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Paradise Beach Cozy Mystery) by Eloise Brightly. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Donuts, Deception, and Death: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Paradise Beach Cozy Mystery)

by Eloise Brightly

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Donuts, Deception, and Death: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Paradise Beach Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (May 20, 2021)

Daisy Elliot doesn’t expect to end up embroiled in a murder mystery. She’s the owner of a bed & breakfast just minutes from the beach, but her neighbor opened a new B&B and used Daisy’s business name as her own. Daisy believes kindness and talking can solve everything. She’s ready to brew up a cup of tea and sit down to discuss the problem…until her neighbor ends up murdered.

With the spotlight on Daisy, she needs to solve this crime, or she’ll end up behind bars. Pure grit and determination lead Daisy to focus on those closest to the victim. But when Daisy gets too close, the perpetrator lashes out, putting Daisy in harm’s way.

A web of half-truths and outright deceptions keep Daisy in the dark. Will she end up lost, or can she find the truth?

Guest Post

Hello, I’m Eloise Brightly and I love reading mysteries. I love getting into the character’s world and seeing life through their eyes. One of my favorites was “The Cat Who…” series. I can almost imagine the barn and the cats along with the town. I also loved the Benni Harper series and Kinsey Millhone mysteries.

In these books, it’s almost like the setting becomes a character, too. You can feel the town along with the characters as you go through the story.

In Donuts, Deception, and Death, Paradise Shores is the idyllic beach town. It’s nearly perfect, or Daisy thinks it is. But sometimes perfect can whip back, cutting deep. Daisy is a little too trusting at the beginning of the series, which is part of her charm. She’s the type of person who trusts others so deeply she’s shocked when she gets hurt.

Being so trusting comes with a downside. She’s unable to confront her neighbor, Abigail, when Abigail opens a bed and breakfast with basically the same name—Ocean Walk Bed and Breakfast versus Ocean Walk Boulevard Bed and Breakfast.

Daisy refuses to call in the lawyers, saying she’ll take care of the issue in her own way. Daisy tries with offers of tea, cake, and cookies. Then Abigail ends up dead. And as luck would have it, Daisy is the one to find her.

There are other interesting characters in Paradise Shores. Like Daisy’s across the street neighbor who throws cat poop at Daisy. Then there is Mariam, who everyone thinks is nice, but the woman has a dark side that comes out when least expected. The mix of characters living and working in Paradise Shores makes the town a special place.

Daisy creates distinct donuts for her sister’s bakery, The Shore Bakery. Dianne’s bakery is the type of place you can sit for hours with friends, enjoying the best treats in the city. Dianne makes sure each customer is treated kindly, but that doesn’t mean her shop doesn’t have some drama, too. It seems like under the surface the waves of drama keep Paradise Shores rocking.

There are beautiful beach parks along with duck ponds, and walking trails where residents can wander alongside nature. Exploring the city through Daisy’s eyes will give you a taste of how wonderful the landscape is, and how dark the city’s underbelly turns out to be.

In the beginning, Daisy knows nothing about how to solve a crime. But she’s motivated. She must clear her name, or she could end up in jail. Of course, Daisy fumbles around, breaking into someone’s house and is almost caught. Detective Tanner Thomas decides to take her into the station to strike the fear of something into her, but Daisy is resilient and won’t be deterred. She is bound and determined to solve this case. But will she solve it in time?

I hope you enjoy the world of Paradise Shores and all the people you meet. Book 1, Donuts, Deception, and Death came out on the 20th of May, and Cupcakes, Collusion, and Casualties is out on June 10th. Book 3, Sorbet, Schemes, and Slayings will be out July 1st.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3gaeZ7t

About Eloise Brightly

Eloise Brightly loves cozy mysteries. Crime fiction is her favorite. She enjoys figuring out whodunit while curled up before a roaring fire with a mug of hot cocoa. She lives on the eastern seaboard and combs the beaches while watching dolphins play, searching for inspiration for another mystery series.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Eloise-Brightly-109067511230858