A Yummy Little Mystery!
933029
This is such a cute and fun mystery series and the recipes sound really yummy as well.  This is the second book in the Hannah Swenson series following Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder which was also a wonderful read.
4370071
I'd recommend this book to mystery lovers that like suspense mixed in with a little romance!  The subplots were great!
3177913
This is the first one of Peg Cochran's books I have read but it will not be the last! I savored the story and the recipes look yummy! The mystery was well written, I had no idea "whodunit" up until the very end! I will be reading more of this talented author's work.
4211202
This might be the second book in the Strawberry Top Short Mystery series, but even if you start here you won't have to worry about missing out on anything. Sure, you'll get to know the characters more deeply if you start with Grammy's Secret Recipe, but the characters are well-rounded and well-written enough so you can dive right in.

And every page (or bite) is a luxurious treat. In this volume we learn more about her friend Bobby Jo and can find out how black sheep family members are often treated in the South. The mystery is interesting, and the food to die for.
597643
A consummate mystery, a leading character who is as warm as comfort food. It was extremely easy to slip into this mystery. Kelly, the owner, is very likeable and as an owner of a coffee shop it is understandable how she can get people and suspects to open up when she stops by with  a coffee cake. The book is  a wonderful two hour non-stop mystery with some insight into how forgiveness can change people's lives.
I also liked surprise at the end.
618985
Excellent little mystery! Lucy, the main character, constantly goes above and beyond, even to the point of making it personal, to find and catch the bad guys. I enjoyed this book.
843010
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

A delightful, quick cozy mystery read; the first I have read by author Grace Lemmon. Ida Noe is a unique amateur sleuth. At 62 years young, she runs her own fudge shop in town. She gets her maple syrup from Sweeneys Sugar Bush.

While at Sweenys Sugar Bush, the body of Mr. Snellbottom is discovered. All indications point to it being a murder and Maura, the of Sweeneys Sugar Bush and longtime friend of Ida is the main suspect.

All the characters are unique in their own way. And of course Smudge, her dog is a fun addition to the story.  Ida goes nowhere without her trusty sidekick Smudge. Eldon is a retired 40-year veteran of the Cider Island police force and a budding romantic interest for Ida. Eldon is also a sounding board for Idas thoughts with respect to the murder. Ida must solve the murder as she is convinced that Maura is not the killer.

I found the story contained humor (of course  with a protagonist named Ida Noe), a wee bit of romance, and the usual amateur sleuth activities involved in solving a murder. I was kept in the dark as to whodunit until the end. Additionally, there was a side storyline which certainly muddied the waters but it was what added to the mystery and mayhem.

Maple Syrup Murder was an enjoyable, quick cozy mystery. Great when you have an hour to read and want something light and cute. I would definitely read more by this Canadian author.
3145254
Nikki is easy to relate to and there are just enough plot twists to thicken your quest for some more syrupy plots!
There is also a special extra that you were only able to access via e-book... (but it is now out in paperback!) The prequel to this lovely sticky mystery. I admit to reading the prequel first, but I loved the story so much I finished it, and the prequel, in one day and bought the second e-book. I can hardly wait to sink my teeth into this delectable new series!
3909992
Oh my goodnesswhat a fun read! The mystery is everything you could want in a good book with twists and turns, and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. But its the characters that keep me coming back for more! Sally seems like an average gal who is finally over her cheating ex-husband and is ready to move on with fianc Mike Donovan. She still has the scars from her miserable first marriage that make her feel insecure but shes willing to give love a chance. However, its Sallys family and friends surrounding her that push and pull Sally out of the average zone which makes the Cookies and Chance Mystery series such a fun read.

Her parents are perpetually embarrassing Sally and her sister. Her father wants to open a mortuary in his home while her mother (who acts and looks like a teen) prances around in bikinis while preparing for a beauty contest. Neither of her parents are good for her cookie business, but whats a girl to do? Her best friend and baker, Josie, is sassy with a sarcastic edge and challenges Sally to step out of her comfort zone. Her Grandma Rosa is the stability to the family and has the very cute idiosyncrasy of mixing up words for everyday clich sayings. Even with the quirkiness of the characters, there is still a fundamental close and caring bond between them which has helped create Sallys compassionate personality. I think thats what strikes me with this series, no matter what shenanigans are going on Sally is very tenderhearted person which adds depth to the story.

Of course a book about a cookie bakery must have cookie recipes. I tried the author's recipe for Oatmeal Crme Pie Cookies which are reminiscent of Little Debbies (remember those?) but these are so much yummier!

I was provided a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced.
4624976
Just finished this delightful book. Ms. Bruns enticed me with the title and, I admit it, I ate it up. A murder in a small town, throw in a couple of handsome men, your best friend and some interesting fortune cookies... can make for some interesting reading.  If you are looking for a nice, easy, fun read... this book will surely satisfy your appetite and it is worth the calories :-)
2485716
I enjoyed this third book in the series - a light, easy cozy mystery read.  I am getting to know the characters better and the laid back island setting is vividly described by the author so that you feel you are actually there on a relaxing vacation.  Relaxing except for the murder mystery however - who killed the pyrotechnics tech?  Who is setting the fires?  Who is targeting Allie and poor little Mal?  All keep the reader in suspense throughout the story.  And don't forget the fudge recipes that are included - yum, yum!
4230777
CAKE AND PUNISHMENT, the first book in the Southern Cake Baker Mystery series, is a quick read, as fluffy as the finest buttercream frosting.

Here we meet head pastry chef Sophia Cummings as she comes home to lick her wounds after discovering that her chef boyfriend Noah has been cheating and she is apparently the last to know.  She keeps telling herself that she is only going to stay for a couple of weeks but is more than willing to step up and bake her childhood friends wedding cake after the original baker cancels.  Things run awry when Emile, the country clubs chef is found dead in the clubs kitchen.

Maymee Bells breezy, conversational writing style makes the pages fly by and is enormously entertaining.  Bell writes what she knows best, small southern towns with quirky residents and even quirkier vernacular.  The characters here are likable, if not very deep, and Sophia makes a competent amateur sleuth.  The mystery is a tad predictable, but there are a few twists thrown in to keep it interesting.  As one might expect, there are plenty of descriptions of delicious sounding baked goods, and the recipes included at the back of the book are appealing.

Overall, CAKE AND PUNISHMENT is a good start to the new series that fans of culinary cozy mysteries will want to seek out.

I received an ARC of this title from the author/publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
3194905
This is a very well written little mystery. I very much enjoyed the way the author juxtaposed the scenes in relation to what each character is up to at the same time as another character. The plot is very well thought out and the story moves along at a nice pace. I read the book in one sitting, it was that enjoyable.
1220944
Another story about sisters Bernie and Libby and their business "A Little Taste of Heaven." Known for solving mysteries with assistance from their father, Sean, a former policeman, and boyfriends Brandon and Marvin, the girls were more on their own in this book. One reason why is because Sean is seeing a younger woman (Michelle) who not only is romantically interested in their father, but she is opening a competitive bakery and is trying to wangle information and recipes from the sister's shop. Libby is furious and detests Michelle. Bernie does too, but hides it better. She believes in the more flies with honey theory, and tries to convince Libby as well.

Meanwhile the shop has been hired to cater a local theater production of Alice in Wonderland by a wealthy man who wants to feature a two million dollar tea pot in the production, but ends up dead before opening night is finished. Libby and Bernie take over solving the murder when the police dismiss it as an accident at first and then grab the first person they can make fit the crime when they decide it is murder. Lucky for him Bernie is his friend and he talks her into helping.

The long and involved sleuthing that finally gets results is a bit confusing at time. People are lying left and right. Many of the suspects are Russian and cousins to boot. Bernie and Libby are crankier than usual (it must be the heat.) Nothing is what it seems, including the murder victim. So many twists and turns! And so much wonderful discussion about foods. Teamwork, good back-up, and willingness to ask questions result in a book suitable for all mystery lovers. Just make sure you have snacks ready as you read!
1166172
It's not clear to me how many murder mysteries can take place in
one small town in Michigan, but that's the only possible drawback I can see
to a long successful run to this new series, just started.  All of the
ingredients are there: an blonde ex-trophy wife trying to restart her life,
an aunt who owns a chocolate shop in a resort town along the Lake Michigan
shore, assorted townspeople of various ages, character and temperament, and
of course I mentioned chocolate, didn't I?

  Smoothly written and adeptly plotted, the book is a pleasure to
read, with just enough suspects to make the mystery interesting, if not
challenging.  There's a hint of romance by book's end as well, not
unexpectedly.  Those of you who are primarily hard-boiled private eye fans
will find the nourishment here mighty thin, but enthusiasts for cozies (you
know who you are) will eat this one right up.
2230075
If you're a mystery buff and enjoy a bit of the yent, youll love Long in the Sleuth. Its pure pleasure to read. To quote Hercule Poirot, you use your grey cells. At the same time, you enjoy the humor (which abounds), the well crafted plot and all the characters that jump out of the pages. In short, with this debut Cozy Mystery, author Carol Novis proves that she has the recipe for an engaging read. BTW: recipes included! I can't wait for the next book in this series.
273947
One of the areas where most amateur sleuth books fall apart is how much time the main character spends sleuthing when they supposedly have a business to run.  Do I care?  No, because if it were real life, Id get bored very quickly.  But Susannah Hardy has a wonderful solution to this problem in A Killer Kebab.

You see, this book is set in November, and it is the slow season in northern New York because all the tourists have gone home.  Bonaparte House has closed for the season, leaving Georgie Nikolopatos with not much to do, especially since her family is out of time.  She has some friends recipes to go through and has hired a contractor to redo the restaurants bathrooms.

But before she can get too settled into the peace and quiet of winter, she finds the body of Jim MacNamara, her divorce lawyer, in one of the demolished bathrooms.  The police are quick to arrest Russ, a former employee of the restaurant and son of their head cook.  Russ is currently out on parole for lesser crimes and not a very nice man, but Georgie has a hard time believing that hes a killer.  But who might have wanted the lawyer dead?

Obviously, with the restaurant closed and so many of Georgies family and even some friends out of the area, she has plenty of time to sleuth.  And what a fun trail of clues she follows here to reach the satisfying solution.  Oh, there are some red herrings and other distractions along the way, but there were plenty of twists that kept me glued to the page wanting to find out what happens next.  I do have a couple of niggles with the story, but they are minor overall.

Unfortunately, with everyone out of the picture, we don't see that much of the series regulars.  Instead, a minor character from previous books steps into the sidekick role.  That wasn't too much of an issue since I really liked getting to know Brenda better.  Georgie herself is still a strong, fun, and resourceful main character.

And weve got four new recipes.  Theres a recipe for Thousand Island dressing (which is named after the region where the series is set, something I didn't know), Maple Walnut sandies, a Greek cheese pie, and Greek seasonings.  They all sound delicious.

There is an on-going story in this series that is part of this book again, so it is best to read these books in order.  They are so much fun, that this isn't a big issue at all.

So take a trip to New York to visit Georgie.  Youll enjoy A Killer Kebab.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.