Recently Wandering Reader sent me another box of books! These are always fun as they are new (to me) authors and series. One of those this time was A Killer Cake, Book 3 in the Classic Diner Series by Jessica Beck. Victoria and her family run a nice little diner in the small town of Jasper Fork with good food and regular customers, most of whom are nice ... with one exception ... Roy Thompson. He is so rude one day that Victoria finally kicks him out, tells him he is no longer welcome at the Charming Moose Diner (so named for her Grandfather). He is a local businessman and threatens to sue. Soon after, at the local bicentennial celebration he dies ... over a piece of cake from the diner. Victoria, and her grandfather are determined to prove it wasn't the cake (seems they've helped solve mysteries before and have a decent relationship with the local police). Turns out, there is more motive than they thought.

Albert and Rex are headed for York, to learn about Yorkshire puddings and (hopefully) a nice quiet visit. Instead they thwart a robbery which seems to set off all sorts of unfortunate events. There is an upcoming competition, not only to see who can make the best Yorkshire pudding, but also a challenge to make the biggest Yorkshire pudding ... ever. When a chase after a most annoying cat results in bags of flour bursting open, it is learned that it has been tainted, someone is trying to sabotage the competition ... but why? Then someone who should have been in charge, but wasn't, is found dead. Head down in a large mixing machine. Then are complaints the finals for the rounds leading up to the 'best' pudding are fixed. The man in charge goes missing ... pretty much nothing is going as it should. All this, over Yorkshire pudding? Death of a Yorkshire Pudding is the fifth book in the Albert Smith's Culinary Capers mystery series by Steve Higgs.

Reading Hermit With Dog