ARC Review: The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander

The Whisking Hour
Author: Ellie Alexander
Series: Bakeshop Mysteries (Book 22)
Publication: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2026)

Description: Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.

On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

My Thoughts: Jules Capshaw is eagerly awaiting the birth of her twins in this 22nd Bakeshop Mystery. It's fall and the OSF is putting on a murder mystery. Her friend Lance who is the theater director is busy planning his wedding and calls upon a noted New York director to put on this show. 

When the director is murdered and found in the lead actress's dressing room, Lance with Jules very reluctant help begin their own investigation. Jules would be more than happy to leave the investigation to the very competent Ashland Police Force. 

Even a cursory investigation provides lots of suspects. The lead actress has been bullied by the producer. The director's almost ex-wife has her own reasons for wanting him dead. One of the other actors has been pushed by the director into stalking other cast members. The female understudy is trying to gather evidence that the director has a history of hitting on his pretty female cast members. Even the props guy has reasons to want the director dead. 

Besides the various villains and searching for the clues, the food Jules and her staff create all sounds amazing. Unlike many culinary cozies, this one doesn't have selected recipes in the back. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.