Review
The First Paczek Lane Mystery
After catching her fiancé doing things that should not be done in the restaurant's walk in cooler with the sous chef Lena Mazur buys a one way ticket to Poland to settle her late grandmother's estate. Though her mother wants her to sell the bakery and return home Lena has other plans. As she works to reopen her babcia's bakery she learns there's more to Miłosław than meets the eye.
A DEADLY PACZEK is filled with delightful characters, scrumptious food, and a well plotted mystery. I truly enjoyed each page. Lena is smart and, like most bakers, methodical in her approach, both to making pączki and to solving the murder. I like how she lays out each clue and her own thoughts so readers can easily follow along. I also appreciated the fact that one of the motives for the murder was based on the upheaval that happened after fall of communism. The secondary characters are great too. I'm especially fond of Hania, Bożenka, Pan Zyga, and Father Tomasz. Oh, and Inspektor and Pyza, after all what's a cozy without cats?
I love how the first Paczek Lane Mystery blends a starting over story, with just a hint of romance on the horizon with a murder mystery. I love how Lena is slowly learning the secrets of Miłosław, a town that's slightly darker than your usual cozy village. I also love how she's reopening the bakery, channeling her babcia's recipes while still making it her own.
One of my favorite aspects about A DEADLY PACZEK, and what drew me to the book to begin with, is that it is set in Poland. I am a Polish-American who is quite proud of her heritage and has had the pleasure of visiting family in Poland. Reading the about the town, envisioning the baked treats, even reading the Polish names felt like a homecoming for me. There's a great description about pączki, including interesting facts and a recipe at the end of the book and while I was familiar with the other Polish desserts and names, perhaps a glossary would be helpful for readers unfamiliar with Polish. That being said, you certainly don't have to be Polish to enjoy this wonderful debut.
A delectable new mystery A DEADLY PACZEK combines complicated characters, delicious food, and murder all with a Polish twist. Grab some pączki and maybe a Tyskie or a cup of tea and settle in for a great read!
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