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Ellie Alexander | Author-Reader Match: THE PUMPKIN VICE CAFE

September 28, 2026

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Ellie Alexander!

 Ellie Alexander Writes:

The long-running Bakeshop Mysteries feature a romantic pastry chef, Juliet Montague Capshaw (but please call her Jules), who returns home to her charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, to heal her broken heart and run her family bakeshop, Torte. THE PUMPKIN VICE CAFE is the 23rd book in the series, which finds Jules preparing a bevy of delectable fall bakes when she stumbles upon a body in Ashland Creek and is suddenly wrapped up in a murder investigation. 

Meet Ellie: 

I’m a voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. I believe stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over forty-five published novels and counting, my goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding. 

I love inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and am passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. My books have been translated into Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Slovakian, French, and Japanese, reaching readers worldwide. I’m also the founder of the annual Ashland Mystery Festival, a fully immersive cozy weekend of sleuthing fun! 

My ideal reader match for my latest book, THE PUMPKIN VICE CAFE, must love…

  • Baking, baking, and more baking.
  • Autumnal vibes.
  • The Gilmore Girls with a side of murder.
  • Charming small towns.  
  • A touch of Shakespeare and theatrics.
  • Warm, cozy reads featuring an eclectic cast of characters who feel like family.
  •  Page-turning plots with a long list of nefarious suspects and a clever puzzle to solve. 
  • Oh, last but certainly not least, pumpkins!

What to expect if we’re compatible:

If we’re a match, I recommend that you pour yourself a steaming cup of spicy chai, a creamy mug of hot chocolate, or a strong espresso. You’ll want to find a cozy reading nook with a blanket, pillows, and perhaps a cat for your lap. Light a pumpkin spice candle or a crackling fire and curl up with your new read. Oh, and don’t forget: this book absolutely demands that you have something delicious on hand. Do not read on an empty stomach! Might I suggest a slice of pumpkin coffee cake or gooey pumpkin cinnamon rolls slathered with vanilla buttercream? 

And if you’re still hungry for more once you’ve figured out whodunit, come join other cozy culinary readers and me on my Patreon, where we chat about all things books and baking! https://www.patreon.com/c/EllieAlexander

THE PUMPKIN VICE CAFE by Ellie Alexander

Narrator: Emily Durante

Bakeshop Mystery #23

the pumpkin vice cafe cover image

Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!

As autumn settles over the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, ushering in cool, crisp breezes and a stunning show of color, everyone at Torte is keeping warm by whipping up a bevy of fall treats and spicy lattes. Jules is nearing her due date, and the whole town is abuzz—placing bets on when the twins will make their grand debut. Helen and the team are working on a secret surprise baby shower, complete with cupcakes, cookies, and a feast fit for royalty, or maybe just a mother-to-be.

Meanwhile, Lance and Arlo are busy planning their nuptials in what is sure to be as close to a royal wedding as Ashland has ever seen. But when the high-end wedding planner they hired is found dead in the frigid waters of Ashland Creek, what looks like a tragic accident, a slip on an icy bridge, quickly reveals itself as something much more sinister. Jules knows at once—this was no mishap. A killer is loose in Ashland, and they may be ready to strike again.

Mystery Cozy | Mystery Culinary | Mystery Amateur Sleuth [ St. Martin’s Press, On Sale: September 29, 2026, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250461896 / eISBN: 9781250410054 ]

Buy THE PUMPKIN VICE CAFE: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Audible | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR

About Ellie Alexander

Ellie Alexander

Ellie Alexander is a voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over twenty-five published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding. 

Bakeshop Mystery | Sloan Krause

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