Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Éclair and Present Danger
    Éclair and Present Danger
    Éclair and Present Danger
    Audiobook8 hours

    Éclair and Present Danger

    Written by Laura Bradford

    Narrated by Vanessa Daniels

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow's hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude's late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery-a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.

    To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods-and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she's not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart's killer-before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 17, 2017
    ISBN9781541485440
    Éclair and Present Danger
    Author

    Laura Bradford

    Laura Bradford has spent much of her life moving around. After stints in New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri, she's finally settled in a quiet suburb of New York City with her daughters. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Laura worked as a newspaper reporter and freelance business writer before delving head first into her first love--fiction. Today, Laura writes both romance and mysteries.

    More audiobooks from Laura Bradford

    Related to Éclair and Present Danger

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Cozy Mysteries For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The silent TREATMENT

      Jan 11, 2023

      The silent TREATMENT
      6 min read

    • Article

      Meeting Eve Babitz

      Jan 7, 2019

      Meeting Eve Babitz
      7 min read

    • Article

      Someone To Watch OVER ME

      Jun 8, 2022

      Someone To Watch OVER ME
      9 min read

    • Article

      THE CYBER Saviour

      Feb 10, 2021

      THE CYBER Saviour
      3 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Sep 1, 2022

      First prize 10 and under Tang Li, age 9 Palmetto Bay, FL My name is Anisa. I was in Hawaii on vacation. I enjoyed sipping refreshing drinks, overlooking the turquoise ocean, and dancing with others, before I overheard that the priceless Fire Ring wa

      10 min read

    • Article

      Abandoned

      May 24, 2022

      Abandoned
      5 min read

    • Article

      Begin Again

      Jun 14, 2022

      My grandfather came to live with me. There was nowhere else for him to go. What had happened to all his children? Death, decay, exile—I hardly know. My own parents died of pain. But I must not be too gloomy, at the beginning, or you will leave me, an

      6 min read

    • Article

      Our Year With Penny

      Dec 24, 2019

      Our Year With Penny
      5 min read

    • Article

      Parakeet

      May 29, 2020

      Parakeet
      11 min read

    • Article

      The Way Things TURN OUT

      Jun 3, 2020

      The Way Things TURN OUT
      7 min read

    • Article

      Missing MARY

      Dec 8, 2021

      Missing MARY
      3 min read

    • Article

      Abandoned

      Jun 3, 2021

      Abandoned
      5 min read

    • Article

      Forging AHEAD

      Jul 1, 2020

      Forging AHEAD
      6 min read

    • Article

      Someone To Watch OVER ME

      May 25, 2022

      Someone To Watch OVER ME
      9 min read

    • Article

      Iain’s little SECRET

      Jun 21, 2023

      We must start, I suppose, with a quick reminder of what happened last week. Walking through the woods with my friend Wendy and our dogs, I was suddenly – and rather reluctantly – thrust into the role of agony aunt. Here, then, are the main points of

      3 min read

    • Article

      Witness

      Jun 9, 2020

      My sister threw open the door so that it banged against the little console table she kept by the entrance. “Silas,” she said breathlessly, before even removing her coat, “I have to tell you something.” Which was enough to make me feel trapped, as tho

      25 min read

    • Article

      The DATING GAME

      Apr 2, 2024

      The DATING GAME
      8 min read

    • Article

      The DATING GAME

      Aug 3, 2022

      The DATING GAME
      8 min read

    • Article

      POISON ON Pink Paper

      Jan 2, 2020

      POISON ON Pink Paper
      8 min read

    • Article

      STEPPING Out

      Mar 4, 2020

      STEPPING Out
      9 min read

    • Article

      Neighbourhood WATCH

      Apr 26, 2022

      Neighbourhood WATCH
      6 min read

    • Article

      Not My Cat

      Aug 21, 2023

      The rise and fall of fur, sunlight rippling across his perfectly groomed coat – it’s enchanting, hard to look away. For 30 minutes, she’s watched the cat sleeping on three blankets, folded and piled on top of one another. She’s cold, but can’t bring

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Nose For Trouble

      Apr 12, 2022

      A Nose For Trouble
      6 min read

    • Article

      O Fortuna, Velut Luna

      Sep 15, 2018

      What is Miss Treece’s trouble, according to a popular notion? The man A has failed to show up. Arousing herself at the restaurant, she fixes her lipstick when her solo supper concludes and takes herself down the stairs situated behind the bar. There,

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Gnome

      Oct 1, 2019

      The Gnome
      5 min read

    • Article

      Make A Stand

      Jan 17, 2024

      Make A Stand
      6 min read

    • Article

      Nancy Mitford, Queen of the Adriatic

      Mar 6, 2024

      In 1957, Gill Johnson, 25, left London for a Venetian palazzo to teach English to the children of the Brandolini family. One day, at the Venice Lido, she spotted a familiar figure… She seemed unattached and sitting in pointed isolation, as if the tid

      8 min read

    • Article

      Turn Out The Lights

      Sep 1, 2023

      Turn Out The Lights
      21 min read

    • Article

      Once Upon a HALLOWEEN

      Oct 25, 2023

      Once Upon a HALLOWEEN
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Éclair and Present Danger

    4/5

    34 ratings5 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      First and foremost, the Emergency Dessert Squad concept and the names of Winnie's desserts are an absolute stroke of genius. I loved reading about putting Winnie's new business together and the brain-storming sessions for dessert names every bit as much as I enjoyed the mystery.Winnie Johnson is a fabulous character as is the secondary cast of-- mainly-- senior citizens. Winnie tends to surround herself with older people, and she has a good reason for doing so. There are so many things to like about Éclair and Present Danger, and one of them is the sense of community and of caring Winnie and her "old folks" have.Winnie-- like several other heroines in cozy mysteries-- has captured the attention of two very handsome and available men, but she deals with both of them very honestly. I certainly appreciated the fact that there was no real dithering back and forth between Greg and Jay. Romantic triangles have become a bit of a cliché and tend to bore me to insensibility.The mystery of Bart's death is pretty much kept on the back burner until almost the end of the book, but the solution is very satisfying. Bart had no real part in the book, but I was left wishing that I'd known him better-- a testament to Bradford's writing in that she took just as much care in developing a character who "had no future" as she did with her returning cast. With such a satisfying mystery, a wonderful cast, and a brilliant concept, is it any wonder that I'm eagerly awaiting the second book in the series?
    • 3/5
      Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford is the first Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery. Winnie Johnson is thirty-four years old and has inherited a vintage (1960) ambulance along with Lovey (the cat) from Gertie Redenbacher. Winnie was hoping to inherit some money that would help her keep her bakery, Delectable Delights, open. Her landlord has decided that Silver Lake is the next big thing and has raised the rents on all his properties. Luckily, Winnie comes up with the idea to use the ambulance to deliver desserts and call it Emergency Dessert Squad (clever idea). Renee Ballentine (her friend and employee) will be the “dispatcher” for the business. Winnie will make and deliver her delicious treats (with a rescue theme). Winnie and Renee work to outfit the ambulance and come up with unique desserts that work with the new theme. If her venture does not succeed, Winnie can always sell the ambulance to Greg Stevens (who they dubbed Master Sergeant Hottie) the new EMT in town. Business is slow at first but then it starts to take off. Winnie goes over to Bart Wagner’s house to deliver his peach pie (Winnie promised his wife, Edith—before she passed away—to continue to make Bart’s favorite pie every week). When Bart does not answer, Winnie goes inside and finds Bart deceased. Winnie lives on Serenity Lane which houses many senior citizens and Winnie loves it. She has found a family in the wonderful people on this street. Poor Bart was murdered. Winnie is determined to find out who hurt her friend. Winnie will be busy with her new business, investigating the murder, and a new love interest. You will just have to read Éclair and Present Danger to find out what happens!The premise for Éclair and Present Danger is cute, but the novel does not live up to the title (or synopsis). The dialogue is awkward and the focus of the book was not on the mystery. I found the majority of the novel dedicated to Winnie’s new romance, her elderly neighbors, starting up her new business venture, and that awful cat, Lovey. The mystery definitely took a backseat. I found the pace to be slow. I liked Winnie’s bakery concept, but it seemed unbelievable that she could have her new business up and running within a few days. I know it is fiction, but there has to be some reality (like health inspections, permits, business plan). You cannot run a business (especially a food related business) without a health inspector and a business license (even in a fictional town) especially with Winnie baking the desserts in her apartment (and she has a cat in the kitchen which is not allowed). I got tired of the neighbor Mr. Parker and his hearing aids quickly (he turns them off and misunderstands what people are saying to him). Once or twice is funny. After that it is plain annoying. The same with the cat, Lovey (who dislikes Winnie). It seems to “escape” frequently and does not like Winnie (which was mentioned way too many times). I had a hard time liking Winnie. She would get distracted by a cute guy or thinking about a guy, and then say “focus focus” (yes, this happened multiple times). I thought that the mystery was a cinch to solve (more time is devoted to the dessert descriptions than the mystery). I give Éclair and Present Danger 3 out of 5 stars. I just expected more from Laura Bradford. Will I try the next book in the series? Yes. I will check it out to see if there is improvement.I received a complimentary copy of Éclair and Present Danger from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
    • 4/5
      Winnie Johnson's bakery is closing up and hopes of an inheritance from an elderly neighbor lead to the puzzling ownership of a vintage ambulance and a cat that seems to hate Winnie. Obviously, neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher thought Winnie would be a good steward of these items. Living on a street named Serenity, Winnie's area of Silver Lake skews elderly, as do most of her close friends, including downstairs neighbor Mr. Nelson and nearby Bridget.. When a newly widowed neighbor appears to be suffocated, Winnie's street, named Serenity, takes on a new cast. Mr. Nelson and Bridget are her biggest cheerleaders as her idea to deliver desserts, made in her home kitchen, in emergency situations via ambulance. With former employee Renee at her side, they figure out how to rig up the ambulance and create clever names for the desserts. It grows quickly into a fun business model that actually begins to take off like crazy in the book. The mystery is hinted at all along, but not necessarily the main focus of the book until the end, when everything comes together. I really liked the beginning of what I hope will be a long running series.
    • 5/5
      This is the first book in an exciting series that is sure to be a hit with all cozy mystery readers. The characters are funny, resourceful and downright a blast to read about. I really enjoyed the book and the concept. I also want to mention that I love the cover. It is definitely an eye catcher and compliments the book. We are introduced to Winnie who is a baker that has hit on hard times. She finds herself not being able to continue paying rent on her beloved bakery. What is a person to do? Well there is an ambulance that she just inherited that could be used for something. I had to laugh as I read that. Who leaves an ambulance to someone in a will? I thought how brilliant and creative the author was with this concept. I knew I was in for a great ride as I read the story. Yes the pun was intended . The book is just so well written . The Emergency Dessert Squad has officially become a business for Winnie. I would love to have her come to my neighborhood. I am always having dessert problems. Wouldn't it be a great business to have? Winnie is sure it will become profitable . Now there does seem to be a little problem with her elderly neighbors that has her concerned . When she finds one of her dear neighbors is dead she knows that trouble is around the corner . Who is killing her neighbors? You are in for a treat with this wonderful start to a very interesting series. The characters are wonderful and an added plus is the recipes that are included in the book. I cannot wait for the next in the series to hit the shelves. Be sure and grab your copy of Eclair and Present Danger and be ready to laugh and enjoy a great mystery. I received a copy of this book from Great Escape Book Tours for an honest review .
    • 3/5
      This is the first book in the new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series. I enjoyed the clever new twist it gives to bakery-themed cozies, though I'm left with mixed feelings overall.The main character, Winnie, is very close to her neighbors, many of whom are elderly. When one friend passes away, Winnie inherits a cool vintage ambulance, and soon her new bakery business is born -- emergency desserts delivered right to your door. Winnie discovers the body of a widower on her block while delivering a peach pie, and she and her friends are devastated. The characters are real and likable, though Winnie seems rather sensitive when folks make comments about her hanging with an elderly crowd. This book focuses on Winnie building up her dessert business, and also on possible romances. Unfortunately the mystery part gets lost in all that, which is my main complaint. There wasn't a lot of true investigating until the last quarter of the book. I did have to laugh, though, at the antics of Lovey, the temperamental kitty she inherits with the ambulance.Recipes are included at the end of the book, including "Worry No s'More Bars" and "You Are One Smart Cookie," which are two of the fun emergency desserts Winnie offers.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.