Chocolate Hazelnut Torte is one of the family recipes included in Ellie Alexander's book "Meet Your Baker."
Ellie Alexander doesn’t mind mixing sugar with murder.
The 40-year-old Vancouver resident is the author of a new mystery novel, “Meet Your Baker.”
The protagonist, Juliet, returns to her hometown of Ashland, Ore., and her family’s bakeshop, Torte, after working as a pastry chef on a cruise ship. The annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival is in full swing when one of Torte’s customers is found murdered in the bakeshop. The book falls in the subgenre of “cozy mysteries,” featuring amateur detectives set in small communities, with violence downplayed and an emphasis on puzzle solving.
Published by St. Martin’s Press, it’s the first of three books planned for the Bakeshop Mystery series. “Baker” will be released Dec. 30, followed by “A Batter of Life and Death” in June, and “On Thin Icing” in late December or early January 2016. “Hopefully there will be more (books),” said Alexander, “there’s plenty of stories waiting in the wings.”
Ellie Alexander is her pen name. Her publishing contract doesn’t allow her to disclose her legal name, she said.
“(The pen name) is my son’s middle name and mom’s middle name,” she said. In many ways, the series honors the passions of Alexander’s family.
Her father was a local English teacher, who shared his love of Shakespeare, with family trips down to Ashland for the festival. Baking was also a family hobby, with her mother creating cakes, pies and baked goods.
“My dad was more of a gourmet baker,” said Alexander.
Each book includes original recipes created by her father, mother and extended family. The chocolate hazelnut torte recipe was created by her dad. Other recipes are her own creation, though there were “a couple of flops” that didn’t make the cut, she said.
Her favorite recipe in this book is one by her mother for a raspberry Danish.
“As a kid I always thought the dough would take so long to rise, but now when I make it as an adult, it really only takes like 30 minutes.”
“What I’m trying to create (in the book) with Torte (is that) warm, rich family atmosphere. It becomes the place to chat, gossip, almost a therapy session for the town,” said Alexander.
Alexander is a longtime fan of mystery books.
“I remember walking down to the Vancouver library and leaving with a stack of ‘Nancy Drew,’ ” she said.
Beginning with a 30-page outline, Alexander already knows who the killer is, but she makes sure to give enough twists and doubts to her characters. She keeps a list of every single secret a character is hiding.
“For me as a reader, I’ve read every mystery possible. The ones that really capture your attention are the ones that keep you guessing,” said Alexander. “I think that’s why the genre appeals to readers so much too, you’re right there in the action.”
The book launch party will feature treats from eight local bakeries, giveaways for cookware, aprons and a two-night stay in Ashland. The launch party is from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 8 at Cellar 55, 1812 Washington St. Admission is free, registration is encouraged. Visit www.bakeshopmystery.com.
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