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Life in her small Colorado town has gotten a little uncomfortable for amateur sleuth, Sadie Hoffmiller. Her involvement in five different murder cases over the last year has earned her a reputation as a "murder magnet." She's proud of her detective skills, has even opened Hoffmiller Investigations to make it all legal, but still, she can't help but notice the suspicious looks she's been getting from longtime friends and neighbors.

Getting out of town seems like a good idea, especially when handsome Pete Cunningham needs her help to watch his three young grandsons while their parents house hunt in Texas. Being in the Boston area during Halloween time is lovely, albeit a little spooky. Maybe it's the nearness of Salem that's giving her the creeps or maybe it's the boys' colorful neighbors or maybe it's something more ... sinister. Sadie does not believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the family's house in suburban Jamaica Plain, there are few logical ways to explain them. With lightbulbs exploding, doors slamming shut, lights flickering on and off, and obvious signs that someone's sneaking into the house while Pete and Sadie aren't home, all of them are on edge. Ghosts or not, Sadie's determined to solve the mystery. But the more she involves herself in the strange goings-on in the neighborhood, the more dangerous it's becoming. When a woman ends up dead, Sadie knows the weird things that have been happening are no joke and that the killer's becoming increasingly violent. If she doesn't solve the mystery - and fast - she could be the next victim.

You may not have noticed, but I broke one of my cardinal reading rules with Pumpkin Roll by Josi S. Kilpack. Normally, I'm too anal to read books in a series out of order; due to time constraints, though, I had to finish this one (number 6), before reading numbers 3 - 5. So, I did. Shocking, I know. The books actually stand alone quite well, though, so I only ruined a few plot surprises for myself. Regardless, I found that I liked this new installment much better than I liked the first two books in the series. Why? Because it's a little different, a little more complex. I still don't love Sadie's character and I definitely think the books in this series could be trimmed down by at least 100 pages each, but Pumpkin Roll engaged me more than others in the series have. I'm not saying the book's not predictable - it is - or that the characters couldn't use some major development - they can - I'm just liking the improvements I'm seeing as this series goes on. Oh, and did I mention the Fall recipes included in this one? Um, yum. Even if the book isn't quite perfection, the recipes just may be.

P.S. I really should mention that you can find all the recipes included in Kilpack's books on her website. While you're over there, be sure to check out her giveaway for an iPad2. There are multiple ways to enter, including commenting on this review. Good luck!

(Readalikes: Lemon Tart, English Trifle, and other books in the Sadie Hoffmiller series by Josi S. Kilpack; also Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Blueberry Muffin Murder, Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, and other books in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for some violence

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Pumpkin Roll from the generous folks at Pump Up Your Book Promotion (for whom this review was written) and Shadow Mountain (a division of Deseret Book).

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After solving the murder of a young mother in her quiet Colorado neighborhood, 56-year-old Sadie Hoffmiller's ready for a little R&R. A trip abroad is just the ticket. The fact that Sadie gets to travel with her daughter, Breanna, and stay at a luxurious English manor owned by the family of a future earl is icing on the cake. Especially since the earl-to-be happens to be Breanna's boyfriend, Liam Martin.

When their indulgent week of sightseeing comes to an end, the women are ready to go home, but reluctant to leave Liam, who's staying in Devonshire to care for his dying father. Liam's despair, coupled with a strange tension amongst the staff of the manor, unnerves Sadie. Her instincts tell her something's not quite right at Southgate. The corpse she discovers behind a drapery confirms it. Shocked to come face-to-face with another murder victim, Sadie immediately calls the local police. But when the Police Authority inspector shows up, the body's gone. Although everyone thinks she's crackers, Sadie knows what she saw. A man was killed and she intends to find out why. And by whom. Since she's not being allowed to leave the city, she might as well solve a murder.

As Sadie pokes her nose into the intricate lives of the people at Southgate, she stumbles upon a complex web of secrecy and lies. Everyone seems to be hiding something - even Liam. The question is what? The more she discovers, the more troubling the situation becomes. If Sadie doesn't solve the mystery soon, she's afraid she might be the next victim.

English Trifle, the second book in a series of culinary mysteries by Josi S. Kilpack, didn't do a whole lot for me. The plot seemed stale and contrived, the characters cliche, and the finale predictable. With about 100 pages more than it needed to have, the story dragged, getting especially dull in the middle. I did appreciate the fact that Kilpack fleshed her heroine out a lot more in this installment than she did in Lemon Tart - I'm not sure if I like Sadie, the overbearing do-gooder, but she's definitely getting more interesting. Not interesting enough, though, to carry this novel. In the end, I found English Trifle bland and disappointing. Rather like English food - or so I hear.

(Readalikes: Lemon Tart and other novels in the Sadie Hoffmiller series by Josi S. Kilpack; also Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Blueberry Muffin Murder, Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, and other novels in the Hannah Swenson series by Joanne Fluke)

Grade: C-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for a small amount of violence

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of English Trifle from the generous folks at Deseret Book. Thank you!