Crafts and Life

Torte—the small-town bakeshop no one can resist—is hosting a midsummer night’s wedding … where merry-making and murder are served up in equal measure.

Jules Capshaw has too much on her plate—and she’s feeling the pinch: the whole town of Ashland,Oregon, is in on the surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding she’s planning for her mom and soon-to-be stepdad. But is her secret scheme half-baked? She’s hiding racks overflowing with sweet treats while Torte is topsy-turvy with a major remodel and the return of Jules’s estranged husband, Carlos. And until now, Jules had no clue about the bitter family feud that has her friend Lance frazzled and suspicious. But when a party crasher takes someone out with a serving of poisoned wine and Jules discovers the deadly cup was intended for her, it’s time to turn the tables on a killer.

Jules and her team at Torte have very nearly finalised the plans for Helen and Doug's surprise wedding, everyone is saying that the party (and therefore all the food etc) is for the grand re-opening of Uvo Winery (which is held by Jules/Carlos, Lance and sadly Richard Lord), at the same time the final preparations for the remodel of Torte (basically the kitting out of the new basement bakery/pizza place followed by the gutting of the old kitchen to provide a larger pastry display, larger coffee station and more seating), Carlos and his son are coming over (so the they need to be warned about the subterfuge!)

Lance, however, has more drama in his life, he has finally reconciled with his estranged father only to discover that he is dying (his father – not Lance), but Lance has the horrible feeling that someone (his brother?) is trying to speed the process along, so with this, Richard Lord being even more pompous and domineering, the wedding and a death (or two) Jules's life is in turmoil.

Another brilliant episode in the life and times of Ashland, Ellie Alexander weaves a story as wonderful as A Midsummer Night's Dream, and like that play there is more than one story strand and some wonderful characters.  This is a series that never disappoints.