This is the engaging first entry in a brand new series, designed to cater to those who, like this reviewer, are keen on the popular hobby of soapmaking. There are tips galore to take in as Ben teaches class, and even if you think that melt and pour sounds like the latest cake mix it doesn't matter. There is an enjoyable detective story in here to sink into, the daily doings of the large and loving Perkins clan to smile at and plenty that has nothing to do with having to get out into the kitchen and making soap. I enjoy the kind of book that lets me ride the hobbyhorse if it is something I am into, but if it isn't - or if I just don't understand the jargon - then it becomes like cracking a code. A novel shouldn't be that way and this one isn't, for narrator Ben starts at the beginning and explains it all in a way that makes it sound fun, and with the minimum of soapmaking argot. I'd read another in this series - as light and frothy as a soap bubble and just as fun to wallow in as a good deep bath.