Title:	As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles
	Author:	Leslie Budewitz
	Published:	June 8, 2019, Midnight Ink
	No. of Pages:	288
	Cover Price:	$15.99 Paperback, $8.69 Kindle

---

As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles is the fifth installment in the Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz. The protagonist, Erin Murphy, busy manager of Murphy’s Mercantile, a popular store located in the heart of the small town of Jewel Bay, Montana. Erin makes a new friend, a girl who left Jewel Bay in shame years ago and has come back, Merrily Thornton. Merrily has turned her life around, but her parents, who still live in Jewel Bay, are still shunning her and won’t accept her. Erin invites Merrily to her Christmas Cookie Exchange, and knows Merrily is excited to attend. However when she doesn’t show up, Erin goes looking for her and discovers her murdered body. Merrily was working for a local company, and the owner believes that Merrily stole a bank deposit, and blames her. Erin is sure Merrily isn’t guilty, and works to investigate both the murder and the bank deposit theft.

Erin is a well-developed and likeable character, and the supporting characters are believable. They seem like they could be real people, which helps readers imagine that the small Montana town is real and the scenarios could actually happen. Budewitz is a good storyteller and the novel is easy-to-follow. This is a fun culinary mystery series, and as a bonus, includes recipes.

Cozy lovers who like to include food in their mysteries will definitely enjoy this series. As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles is especially apropos for the Christmas season, and is a quick read. There is no graphic violence, profanity, or sex, so this novel, as well as the entire series, is suitable for all ages.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.