Butter cream frosting and cinnamon glaze won’t hide evil! Missing and exploited children along with human trafficking of all aged people cannot be sweetened. The “Breaking Chains” fundraiser at Sandy Shores Evangelical Church to fight human trafficking is a special event for Piper and Samantha at the Ooey Gooey Goodness Bakery. The grand prize of a 4 Day Spa Stay at the Heavenly Day Spa wasn’t on their radar.
Distracted by their tasty first love of the Ooey Gooey Goodness Bakery, Samantha and Piper are blindsided by their WIN! Yes, the two bakers were the winners of the spa stay. They were beyond excited. One of their most loyal customers, Gladys, booked a stay at the same time! The three friends planned a ‘spa stay vacay!’
All that Luxury Brings Drama
But all is not sweetness and light in the small town of Sandy Shores! The first threatening note appears on a bakery table before the spa stay begins. At the Spa, peculiar things continue with escalating threats. The threesome begin to suspect one another!
Piper is clearly the main target of the villains. Serious disaster stalks her. Who is after her and why? How will budding romances survive? Will friendships and small sweet businesses survive? There is plenty of ‘suspicious dust and smoke’ to scatter around on most of the characters!
Even as the story comes round to the right ending, Piper is designing new cookie recipes for the Ooey Gooey Goodness Bakery!
Sweet and Profound
Despite the spa drama that could have killed Piper, I liked this book because of the rollicking, fast moving story. The humor is gentle, dry and appeals to me. Contrasting characters who are best friends anyway are good examples for us. A little more acceptance helps make the neighborhood better for everyone. The sweet treats being produced at the bakery are truly appetite stimulation! Rest,Relax, Run for Your Life is mildly faith-based. Profanity, vulgarity and erotica are all missing. Yet, readers can recognize and enjoy a variety of relationships from friends to sweethearts.
Human Trafficking Speaks Up
Using the Cozy Mystery platform to bring up the topic of human trafficking was a high point in making this story and the rest of the series more than a mere pleasure read. The Sandy Beach congregation has taken action steps toward the victims of trafficking, abuse and grief. An interview reveals that three of Piper’s elementary school classmates were kidnapped while on a school trip. Piper’s feelings of guilt and pain for her friends don’t go away.
The Author Has More to Offer
Katherine Brown has written several books to keep readers happily entertained. Samantha and Piper with the Ooey Gooey Goodness Bakery are featured in more Cozy Mystery novels. My experience with Rest, Relax, Run for Your Life encourages me to read more books written by Ms. Brown. And, I feel confident to recommend the books to other readers.
