Murder Is A Piece Of Cake

Acclaimed author Valerie Burns returns to her fresh, new culinary cozy series set in a charming small-town and featuring Madison Montgomery, a social media expert turned bakery owner and sleuth. This light, fast-paced mystery will appeal to fans of Joanne Fluke, Laura Childs, Ellery Adams, and Ellie Alexander. 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 . . . Praise for Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder “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.” —New York Times Book Review

Mystery shopper Josie Marcus is thrilled to be getting married. But when a deranged bride meets a grim end, Josie will have to catch a murderer before she tosses the bouquet… As a bride-to-be, Josie’s latest assignment is absolutely fitting—investigating wedding flowers and wedding cakes. Josie can’t wait to pick out the details to make her own wedding perfect, even as her fiancé Ted’s outrageous mother has plans to turn the celebration into an over-the-top extravaganza. Still, the pistol-packing Lenore does come in handy when she draws her gun on Molly—a homicidal bridezilla who threatens to kill Ted unless he agrees to marry her—and saves the day. Josie thinks the worst pre-wedding disaster is behind her—until Molly is shot and Lenore becomes the prime suspect. With her mother-in-law behind bars and her wedding on hold, Josie’s about to become fully engaged in finding the bridezilla killer and getting her own wedding back on track…

Before mystery shopper Josie Marcus can say “I do” she must solve a matrimonial murder to keep her in-law from becoming an inmate... As a bride-to-be, Josie’s latest assignment is a gift—mystery shopping flower and cake vendors for a popular St. Louis wedding website. She even meets another bride, Molly Deaver, at the local florist. Turns out, Josie and Molly have a lot in common, including the groom! Molly has been stalking Dr. Ted for months, but after his high-maintenance mother, Lenore, confronts the faux fiancée, everyone believes Molly is history. Instead, she’s murdered and Ted’s pistol-packing mama is cuffed for the crime. While it’s tempting to leave her future mother-in-law behind bars, Josie knows she and Ted can’t get married until Lenore is freed. It’s up to Josie and her amateur sleuthing skills to unwrap this case, clear Lenore’s name, and unveil the real killer...or her wedding bells could soon become death knells.

’Tis the season for celebrating when Gia Morelli’s holidays include both a wedding and yuletide festivities. Until someone naughty delivers a most unwanted Christmas gift—murder. . . For a native New Yorker, palm trees and warm temperatures don’t equal winter, much less Christmastime. Nevertheless, Gia Morelli’s friends have decked the halls and trimmed the trees to truly welcome her into their “family” with an old-fashioned Boggy Creek, Florida holiday season. Even more joyous, Savannah Mills is getting married on Christmas Eve—the greatest gift Gia could ever wish for her best friend. But when Gia and Savannah stop by the caterer for a final tasting a week before the wedding, they overhear another bride arguing with her son about her husband-to-be. Moments later, the woman is sampling a piece of wedding cake—gorgeously decorated with mistletoe frosting—then suddenly dies. Now Gia’s caterer friends are the prime suspects in what appears to be murder by poisoning. To clear their names and ensure Savannah has a merry matrimony will require Gia to conjure up a Christmas miracle . . . Includes recipes from the All-Day Breakfast Café! Praise for Lena Gregory “As breezy and salty as a gust of wind off the chilly bay waters.” —Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchcraft Mysteries on Death at First Sight “An intriguing opening to a fun new series.” —E. J. Copperman, national bestselling author of the Haunted Guesthouse Mysteries on Death at First Sight “Hold on to your plates for this fast-paced mystery that will leave you hungering for more!” —J.C. Eaton, author of the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, on Scone Cold Killer “It’s fast paced, [Gregory] never misses a beat. There’s mystery mixed with just a small hint of romance and paranormal activity. It’s the perfect blend for cozy mystery fans. I’m hoping to read more in this captivating series.” —Socrates Book Review on Occult and Battery

2 years after separating from Philippe Renier, Rita Lucero is still trying to get him to sign divorce papers. Exasperated, Rita visits his New Orleans shop and discovers Philippe dead with a knife in his chest. Now she is the prime suspect.

New in the national bestselling Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper series, from the Agatha and Anthony Award-winning author of the Dead End Job Mystery series. Mystery shopper Josie Marcus is getting the dirt on doggy day-care centers, and discovers that one dog-loving local celebrity is really bad to the bone. Josie has been asked to investigate Uncle Bob’s Doggy Day Camp, known for its commercials featuring Uncle Bob liking dogs so much that he acts like one. But Josie soon learns how Uncle Bob acts when the cameras are off. Her mother’s new tenant, Franklin, who works for Uncle Bob, plans to quit after seeing the man’s true nature. But before he gets the chance, Bob is murdered, and Franklin goes from the doghouse to the big house. Now it’s up to Josie to clear Franklin’s name. Her investigation reveals that Bob was more of a dog than anyone knew—and had been kicked out of his house for bad behavior. As she digs up new clues, Josie will have to catch the killer quickly, before any more trouble is unleashed. Includes Shopping Tips!

USA Today Bestseller: A minister, a mynah bird, and a murder keep a sleuthing baker busy in this “fabulous” mystery with “mouthwatering recipes” (Publishers Weekly). Hannah Swensen has to admit life is pretty sweet. Things are going well in the romance department, and her bakery’s delectable confections are selling as fast as she can make them. Even her good friend Claire is head over heels with her new husband, Reverend Bob Knudson. If only they could find time to take their honeymoon! When Bob’s childhood friend, Matthew Walters, comes to town, it seems like divine intervention. Matthew, like Bob, is a Lutheran minister with a stubborn sweet tooth. Since he’s on sabbatical, Matthew is happy to fill in for Bob while he and Claire take that long-awaited honeymoon. It sounds like the perfect plan—until Hannah finds Matthew facedown in a plate of Devil’s Food Cake, a single bullet in his head. And the only witness is a bird who squawks “The wages of sin is death.” It will take some sleuthing for Hannah to sift out the killer… Features cookie and dessert recipes from The Cookie Jar, including Red Devil’s Food Cake and Carrot Oatmeal Muffins! “Fans will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.”—Booklist

The patrol car swerved, came to a halt; Ron Webber opened his eyes and looked about dazedly: "Where are we?" "Municipal Hospital," the officer said. The ceremony was brief: the sheet was raised, and Webber glanced and nodded: "It's him. It's Frank..." Webber performs background checks for insurance companies, alongside his best friend, Frank Milford. Now Frank's dead, and so's the young woman whom he was investigating. Ron wants to know why, and teams up with Homicide Lieut. Robert Hendricks to search for answers. But Ron's father, Chief of Police in Carter City, objects to his son playing detective. As the body count mounts, Ron suddenly realizes he's on his own! A thrilling mystery novel by a first-rate storyteller--now published for the very first time!