Murder Is a Piece of Cake - (Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns (Paperback)
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Book Synopsis
In this feisty new culinary cozy mystery series from Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author Valerie Burns, social media #influencer Maddy Montgomery is adjusting to her new life after moving to small-town Michigan to run a bakery and take care of a gigantic English mastiff--all while solving the murder of a rival bakery owner. Can young entrepreneur and social media influencer Maddy Montgomery run a bakery, care for a 250-poud English mastiff, and cultivate a picture-perfect relationship--all while exposing a murderer? With small town New Bison's Spring Festival just around the corner, the pressure is on Maddy to continue her late great-aunt Octavia's legacy. That means scoring the top prize and transforming Baby Cakes into Southwest Michigan's must-visit bakery, even though her inexperience in the kitchen brings nightmares of humiliating tagged photos and scathing reviews. There's another reason for lost beauty sleep. A second bakery is opening in town under the ownership of CJ Davenport, a shrewd investor with a reputation for sabotaging anyone who gets in his way. And savvy, flashy Maddy tops his list. It's a sticky spot to be in--more so when Davenport turns up dead with a Baby Cakes's knife stuck in his back. Maddy's whole life just went from #thriving to barely surviving. Now, supported by the crafty Baker Street Irregulars and her new boyfriend, she must find the courage to face off against a killer who could very well get her name trending for the first and last time . . .Review Quotes
Praise for Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns: "Snappy dialogue, a well-drawn supporting cast and an irresistible canine companion all add delicious flavor. Gulp this book down or savor it, but consuming it will guarantee a sustained sugar high." --The New York Times Book Review "Everyone is a suspect in Valerie Burns's entertaining new mystery, filled with surprising twists, suspicious characters and a mastiff named Baby who will win your heart. Top that off with humor and delicious recipes and you have a delight of a cozy." --Valerie Wilson Wesley, author of A Fatal Glow "A sweet read." --Criminal Element
"A great start to a series that is part poignant, part humorous, and part suspenseful while introducing a wonderful, new, African American heroine." --First Clue Newsletter
"All you need to read is the first chapter, and you will be enamored with Maddy Madison and the #hilarity that ensues. From this first chapter until the end, I could not put this book down, quickly becoming a page-turner as I had to know who was doing what to whom. This well-written and fast-paced whodunit kept me immersed in every minute detail in the reading of this drama." --Dru's Book Musings
"If readers have never read one of Ms. Burns' books before, they should run and grab this one, along with all the others written by this tremendously talented author. This story is in time with today's society, but with a touch of old-world charm. I can't wait to see how Maddy and her mastiff, Baby get along and she matures as a person and becomes a hard-working bakery owner who will bake her way into readers' hearts." --The Cozy Review
About the Author
Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.Dimensions (Overall): 8.25 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W)
Weight: .81
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Series Title: Baker Street Mystery
Sub-Genre: Mystery & Detective
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Number of Pages: 272
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Format: Paperback
Author: Valerie Burns
Theme: Cozy, Culinary
Language: English
Street Date: June 27, 2023
TCIN: 87766918
UPC: 9781496738233
Item Number (DPCI): 059-04-4538
Origin: Made in the USA
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.25 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.81 pounds
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4.0 out of 5 stars with 2 reviews
100% would recommend
2 recommendations
A lighthearted cozy mystery!
3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
- 2 years ago
Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns is the second book in A Baker Street Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone for those who did not read Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder. We return to New Bison, Michigan where Maddy is getting ready to reopen Baby Cakes, the bakery she inherited from her great aunt, Octavia. Maddy wants the opening to coincide with New Bison’s Spring Festival. Maddy is still S to see. Maddy likes to take pictures (of food, events, etc.) and post them online with hashtags. I quickly tired of the hashtags (there were too many). The first half of the book deals with the setup. It was obvious who would die. The victim was not a nice guy. Maddy and her friends work to solve the mystery. Maddy is determined to find the guilty party which will clear her friends. The killer can easily be identified along with the why (there might as well have been a neon sign over the killer’s head). The reveal felt rushed. I was left with some lingering questions. I have a feeling that residents of New Bison have more secrets that will come to light in the future. I wonder, though, how many murders can occur in one small town (soon the tourists will stay away in droves). Maddy seemed a touch more grounded in this book than in the first. She has made some good changes to the bakery and, hopefully, it will get to open to the public soon. I like the discovery they made concerning the bakery (sorry, but it is a spoiler). I love Maddy’s dog, Baby (I like big dogs). Baby is the highlight of the story. Murder is a Piece of Cake is a lighthearted cozy mystery with whipped egg whites, a horrible husband, a lovesick mastiff, a setup sheriff, copious hashtags, and a probing baker.
A must read!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
KeBo - 2 years ago
I literally read this book in 2 days! It's such a page turner with you gasping with every page you turn!!