What do you think?
Rate this book
Cupcake Bakery Mystery #1
Sprinkle with Murder
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are finally living out their dream as the proud owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. But their first big client is a nightmare. She's a bridezilla who wants 500 custom cupcakes for her wedding.
When Mel stumbles upon the bride-to-be dead-by-cupcake, she becomes the prime suspect. To save themselves and their business, the ladies need to find the real murderer, before the cupcake killer ices someone else.
When Mel stumbles upon the bride-to-be dead-by-cupcake, she becomes the prime suspect. To save themselves and their business, the ladies need to find the real murderer, before the cupcake killer ices someone else.
222 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 2, 2010
636 people are currently reading
11156 people want to read
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
63 books5,152 followersJenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,184 reviews
June 28, 2017
3+ stars to Jenn McKinlay's Sprinkle with Murder, the first book in the "Cupcake Bakery" cozy mystery series. I'm a fan of Ms. McKinlay, as I enjoy both her "Hat Shop" and "Library Lovers" mystery series, which pushed me to try this one. It was a fun read that took me about two hours on a train to/from Long Island to see family for the day, and I will continue to read the series.
Story
Mel and Angie have been best friends since an incident with a chocolate bar and a bully in the sixth grade. Almost 25 years later, they co-own a cupcake bakery together in their Scottsdale, Arizona hometown. When their third best friend Tate ask them to design his wedding cake for the upcoming nuptials, they are a little leery (give he is their silent partner in the business) and they aren't very keen on his bridezilla. Christie Stevens was a famous designer who seemed to make it big by stealing from others and being a general nasty businesswoman. When she ends up dead after taste-testing one of the cupcakes Mel made, the press suspects foul play, claiming Mel had long-buried feelings for Tate. In order to save her reputation, and the bakery, Mel investigates Christie's life and comes up with a few suspects. While trying to save themselves from the murder, someone else falls prey to the killer, and a rival bakeshop owner takes advantage of the situation. In the end, the stories collide for a bit and Mel almost bites the dust. Luckily, her new crush, Angie's brother, comes to her rescue.
Strengths
1. McKinlay's writing is direct, funny and charming. She's consistent in her tone and story, finds good red herrings and creates strong interest in the cast and story.
2. The characters are likable, and they have some longevity. The rivalry will turn out to be a fun one to follow, as will the different love interests.
Suggestions
1. In the beginning, McKinlay is clear to call out that Tate isn't gay although he was teased about it as a child. What's wrong with making a supporting character gay? Perhaps because in this case it was his bride-to-be who was murdered, him being gay wouldn't have turned out too well... especially when there are already strong hints that he has feelings for either Mel or Angie, and Angie has secret feelings for him. I think it would have been a better and stronger story if he was gay and there weren't any romantic feelings between the 3 friends.
2. The book is over 7 years old, so it may have been one of the first, but there are at least 10 of these types of series where the protagonist gives up a day job to own a bakery and then solves murder mysteries. Love the concept. Perhaps it was the trend setter. But... something needs to stand out to make it different than the rest. I've only read a few series, and just the first one of this series... so I'll hold judgment until I get through a few more. Make it stand out, Jenn... I know you can do it!
Final Thoughts
A fun read, definitely worth giving it a chance. But challenge yourself. Find 5 or 6 of these series where they revolve around bakeries and decide which has the best chance to survive! McKinlay's definitely at the top of the list in my book and if the series pushes a bit more in the next book, I'm sure it'll get a 4 of 5 stars from me.
Story
Mel and Angie have been best friends since an incident with a chocolate bar and a bully in the sixth grade. Almost 25 years later, they co-own a cupcake bakery together in their Scottsdale, Arizona hometown. When their third best friend Tate ask them to design his wedding cake for the upcoming nuptials, they are a little leery (give he is their silent partner in the business) and they aren't very keen on his bridezilla. Christie Stevens was a famous designer who seemed to make it big by stealing from others and being a general nasty businesswoman. When she ends up dead after taste-testing one of the cupcakes Mel made, the press suspects foul play, claiming Mel had long-buried feelings for Tate. In order to save her reputation, and the bakery, Mel investigates Christie's life and comes up with a few suspects. While trying to save themselves from the murder, someone else falls prey to the killer, and a rival bakeshop owner takes advantage of the situation. In the end, the stories collide for a bit and Mel almost bites the dust. Luckily, her new crush, Angie's brother, comes to her rescue.
Strengths
1. McKinlay's writing is direct, funny and charming. She's consistent in her tone and story, finds good red herrings and creates strong interest in the cast and story.
2. The characters are likable, and they have some longevity. The rivalry will turn out to be a fun one to follow, as will the different love interests.
Suggestions
1. In the beginning, McKinlay is clear to call out that Tate isn't gay although he was teased about it as a child. What's wrong with making a supporting character gay? Perhaps because in this case it was his bride-to-be who was murdered, him being gay wouldn't have turned out too well... especially when there are already strong hints that he has feelings for either Mel or Angie, and Angie has secret feelings for him. I think it would have been a better and stronger story if he was gay and there weren't any romantic feelings between the 3 friends.
2. The book is over 7 years old, so it may have been one of the first, but there are at least 10 of these types of series where the protagonist gives up a day job to own a bakery and then solves murder mysteries. Love the concept. Perhaps it was the trend setter. But... something needs to stand out to make it different than the rest. I've only read a few series, and just the first one of this series... so I'll hold judgment until I get through a few more. Make it stand out, Jenn... I know you can do it!
Final Thoughts
A fun read, definitely worth giving it a chance. But challenge yourself. Find 5 or 6 of these series where they revolve around bakeries and decide which has the best chance to survive! McKinlay's definitely at the top of the list in my book and if the series pushes a bit more in the next book, I'm sure it'll get a 4 of 5 stars from me.
March 5, 2020
I wish I was an avid moviegoer. Then I would have a quote apt for the occasion. That's one of the things that the three friends in the book, Tate, Angie and Mel do.
It's the first time I've read a Kill Bill quote in a book. It has been a long time since I figured the culprit in a mystery novel, but then I had a tip - not a real spoiler - from another reader.
I liked the pacing in the book. I can't get enough of these culinary mysteries for the moment and though it might not last forever, it will be later rather than sooner before I'm ready to move on.
It's the first time I've read a Kill Bill quote in a book. It has been a long time since I figured the culprit in a mystery novel, but then I had a tip - not a real spoiler - from another reader.
I liked the pacing in the book. I can't get enough of these culinary mysteries for the moment and though it might not last forever, it will be later rather than sooner before I'm ready to move on.
July 27, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I enjoyed this fun cozy mystery. I recently read Jenn McKinlay's contemporary romance, About a Dog, and loved it so I started looking at some of her other works. When I saw this series set in a cupcake shop, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Who doesn't like a little mystery with their cupcakes? This audiobook ended up being a really quick listen for me because I found myself wanting to listen to it for hours at a time.
Mel and Angie have been best friends for a very long time and are now working together at the cupcake shop. They are also best friends with Tate who is soon to be married. Tate's fiance is rather difficult and when she shows up to the shop to decide on cupcakes for the wedding, she proves how difficult she can really be. They also have a rival bakery owner hanging outside of their store at all hours. It was obvious early on that Mel and Angie would have a few challenges.
When I read a cozy mystery, I like to try to figure out who is going to be the one to die before it is revealed so I didn't really read the summary before jumping in to the book. Once Mel discovers the body, I had a guess about who the murderer was right away but I really had no idea how things would play out. This story did take a few turns that I never expected and did me guessing and entertained to the end.
This was the first time that I have ever listed to a book narrated by Susan Boyce but I thought she did a fantastic job. She handled a large number of characters very well in this story and used a very distinct voice for each one. I always knew who was speaking during conversations. I thought she also did a great job of portraying the character's emotions. I always felts like I knew how the character was feeling.
I would recommend this book to cozy mystery fans. It was a really entertaining story filled with wonderful characters. I look forward to continuing with this series very soon.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media, LLC via Audiobook Jukebox.
Initial Thoughts
This was a really quick listen for me. The characters were great and I loved the little cupcake shop. I had a pretty good idea who the culprit would be as soon as the character was introduced but I had a lot of fun seeing how everything would play out.
I enjoyed this fun cozy mystery. I recently read Jenn McKinlay's contemporary romance, About a Dog, and loved it so I started looking at some of her other works. When I saw this series set in a cupcake shop, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Who doesn't like a little mystery with their cupcakes? This audiobook ended up being a really quick listen for me because I found myself wanting to listen to it for hours at a time.
Mel and Angie have been best friends for a very long time and are now working together at the cupcake shop. They are also best friends with Tate who is soon to be married. Tate's fiance is rather difficult and when she shows up to the shop to decide on cupcakes for the wedding, she proves how difficult she can really be. They also have a rival bakery owner hanging outside of their store at all hours. It was obvious early on that Mel and Angie would have a few challenges.
When I read a cozy mystery, I like to try to figure out who is going to be the one to die before it is revealed so I didn't really read the summary before jumping in to the book. Once Mel discovers the body, I had a guess about who the murderer was right away but I really had no idea how things would play out. This story did take a few turns that I never expected and did me guessing and entertained to the end.
This was the first time that I have ever listed to a book narrated by Susan Boyce but I thought she did a fantastic job. She handled a large number of characters very well in this story and used a very distinct voice for each one. I always knew who was speaking during conversations. I thought she also did a great job of portraying the character's emotions. I always felts like I knew how the character was feeling.
I would recommend this book to cozy mystery fans. It was a really entertaining story filled with wonderful characters. I look forward to continuing with this series very soon.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media, LLC via Audiobook Jukebox.
Initial Thoughts
This was a really quick listen for me. The characters were great and I loved the little cupcake shop. I had a pretty good idea who the culprit would be as soon as the character was introduced but I had a lot of fun seeing how everything would play out.
January 17, 2015
Melanie Cooper and Angela DeLaura own a cupcake bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Their third best friend, Tate, is a partner there and he is getting married soon.
His fiancée is a caricature of bridezilla. She is not just obsessed with the wedding. She wants to own everything connected to it: photographs, special flavour of cupcakes and probably many other things as well. And she ends up dead. The prime suspect is Mel.
The rest follows the well known cozy mystery pattern. Mel investigates Christie and finds the murderer.
There is an attempt to hide the culprit behind many red herrings. Everyone, and I mean everyone had a reason to hate Christie and want her dead. Her character goes beyond over the top ruthless fashion designer. There was something seriously wrong with her. In the end, there was no great surprise.
As for Mel being the prime suspect, that was really annoying. Not because you know she didn't do it, but because of her behaviour. She overreacts to everything. The second thing is that you aren't given any real believable reason why she would be. Christie's father wanting a murderer caught is hardly a reason.
And almost everyone around her believe her capable of it.
Characters are not deep. They were given one of two character traits and that seems to be it. For example, Angie has seven brothers and they are overbearing and overprotective. Mel has a crush on one of Angie's brothers, Joe. He gets a bit more space in the book since he is an assistant DA and with him you get that romantic touch every cozy mystery I've read so far has. He gets to be handsome too.
In the end, the more I think about it, the more I am annoyed by some of the unresolved or at least unmentioned issues. Christie's father does something he should be punished for and it is not mentioned.
Unless it gets more attention in later books and gets resolved, Angie's secret was unnecessary and a bit depressing.
If you are looking for depth, you won't find it here. What you are going to find, though, is a cute light story that will probably make you hungry in the end (if you like cupcakes). There is a lot of dialogue, so it makes it a very fast read.
Considering the way most people rate the books, I always feel I have to explain my rating even though it follows the Goodreads rating system. That makes this one an ok story that didn't have any surprises. I would recommend it after some depressing or dark book and if you want something light and fast.
August 24, 2012
I picked up this book because I liked the theme (yummy cupcakes!), the cover (so fun looking!) and the idea that the book revolves around the death of a bridezilla to be. Sadly, reading the book wasn't as fun as looking at its cover.
The book definitely has its moments, and there is some good writing in here. But, with that being said, I could have filled most pages with red ink correcting editing mistakes and ridiculously awkward and confusing sentences (ex: "If everyone was looking at her, then they weren't looking at whoever really did it. And if they weren't going to, then someone had to, and since it was her neck in the noose, it looked like it was going to be her.")
I've never really read a book before where I was constantly distracted by the writing, and wanting so badly to change it, and it was very annoying to say the least. The story is only 215 pages so it should have been a very quick read, but it felt much longer than that.
To sum it up: fun idea, good theme, and a good general story line and mystery are bogged down with errors and a NUMBER of awkwardly worded sentences, making the book difficult to get through. Hopefully the next book in the series, "Buttercream Bump Off," will be much, much better, since the whole theme of this series and the characters presented have so much promise.
The book definitely has its moments, and there is some good writing in here. But, with that being said, I could have filled most pages with red ink correcting editing mistakes and ridiculously awkward and confusing sentences (ex: "If everyone was looking at her, then they weren't looking at whoever really did it. And if they weren't going to, then someone had to, and since it was her neck in the noose, it looked like it was going to be her.")
I've never really read a book before where I was constantly distracted by the writing, and wanting so badly to change it, and it was very annoying to say the least. The story is only 215 pages so it should have been a very quick read, but it felt much longer than that.
To sum it up: fun idea, good theme, and a good general story line and mystery are bogged down with errors and a NUMBER of awkwardly worded sentences, making the book difficult to get through. Hopefully the next book in the series, "Buttercream Bump Off," will be much, much better, since the whole theme of this series and the characters presented have so much promise.
March 8, 2021
I'm very new to Cozy Mysteries, so I was super excited to read this one about a Cupcake Bakery. Love the cover and the title as always, they are just the best! I thought this one was really good! I figured out who the killer was pretty easily, but it didn't take away from the story at all to me. It does include all the delicious cupcake recipes at the end. I will definitely continue on with this series!
May 23, 2020
Did I figure out the murder by the 4th chapter? Yes. Did it make me want a cupcake? Also, yes. Was I entertained enough to want to read the next book the series? Maybe. Probably. We’ll see.
April 18, 2018
Melanie, Angie and Tate have been best friends for years and now Tate was getting married to fashion designer, Christie Stevens. The 3 friends co-own Fairy Tale Cupcakes who of course got the order for the reception. Christie was such a bridezilla though that she wanted to own the flavors. When Mel took over the samples, she found Christie dead in her studio and soon became the prime suspect. Of course with half the town thinking she did it as well as the police and the press, Mel was determined to clear her name and Tate's, who somehow got dragged in and depicted as Mel's old boyfriend by the press. Mel's arch nemesis Olivia, who owns a rival bakery in another part of town would probably be thrilled if Fairy Tale Cupcakes went poof! Mel had to get answers fast before she ended up in jail.
This was such an awesome group of main characters! I loved the idea of three childhood friends meeting every week and watching old movies like these three did. Uncle Stan who was a detective seemed like a teddy bear and just the best person to have around. I could really relate to what Mel said about seeing her father's face every time she looked at Stan. I have two uncles left that make me think of my sweet dad every time I see them. I loved how protective of Angie all her brothers were. I never had a big brother so even though to her it was a pain, I thought it was kind of sweet how they looked out for her, well maybe a little extreme at times! ;)
The only character I didn't like one little bit was the rival baker, Olivia. She was just plain mean spirited and awful! Am I bad person for wishing she was out of the way or becomes out of the way in a future book?
I sure thought I had the killer picked out but what a cool twist at the end. The take down was exciting and actually kind of funny because I could picture it happening in a movie. Things got wrapped up and the killer was hauled off to jail. The story ending after the killer was dealt with was very sweet but I won't give any of it away. I can't wait to read the next book!
This was such an awesome group of main characters! I loved the idea of three childhood friends meeting every week and watching old movies like these three did. Uncle Stan who was a detective seemed like a teddy bear and just the best person to have around. I could really relate to what Mel said about seeing her father's face every time she looked at Stan. I have two uncles left that make me think of my sweet dad every time I see them. I loved how protective of Angie all her brothers were. I never had a big brother so even though to her it was a pain, I thought it was kind of sweet how they looked out for her, well maybe a little extreme at times! ;)
The only character I didn't like one little bit was the rival baker, Olivia. She was just plain mean spirited and awful! Am I bad person for wishing she was out of the way or becomes out of the way in a future book?
I sure thought I had the killer picked out but what a cool twist at the end. The take down was exciting and actually kind of funny because I could picture it happening in a movie. Things got wrapped up and the killer was hauled off to jail. The story ending after the killer was dealt with was very sweet but I won't give any of it away. I can't wait to read the next book!
December 29, 2014
★★★★½ Just loved it - and I've dived into the next one right away. I just discovered this author this month and I love her writing.
April 17, 2023
Although I figured out who did it very easily this was a fun book to read!
January 7, 2024
Source: Borrowed from the library via Libby ebook
I decided to give this series a shot as I liked the 2 Hat Shop mysteries I have read by this author. I enjoy the culinary cozies and while this made me crave cupcakes, I thankfully had a Costco gingerbread flavored one on hand as I read.
This seems pretty similar to the Hat Shop -- 2 close female long time friends (here)/cousins (Hat Shop) run a shop together with a handsome and rich guy/potential love interest involved with the business's finances. Although I guess maybe it's the other way around as this series was written first. Both have been good so far for light, entertaining reads, though a bit light on the mystery/clue aspect. The unsympathetic characters are a bit on the caricature side, though that seems common in cozy mysteries. I really liked the idea of the 3 friends all just staying platonic friends but I kinda doubt that is what is going to happen. I don't really like love triangles... (would love for one to resolve in a happy polycule but have not seen that happen.)
I guessed the murderer right away on this one (a case of )
The characters are movie buffs and like to drop in appropriate quotes. I'm not enough into movies to recognize them, but if you are, that could be a fun bonus.
Diversity: Angie, one of the 2 cupcake shop owners, comes from a large Italian family. Most characters are white except for a few minor ones. Weight is discussed, but I didn't find it too problematic in this one. Unfortunately, there was what felt like a slight homophobic/transphobic tinge to me (no gay characters except for Tate being teased about it when he was younger; Terry, the fashion designer, having rumors about being a crossdresser, which makes Mel uncomfortable, but he has an explanation for how it's just a publicity ploy).
Will probably continue with the series, because I do generally like the banter and the theme. I would like to see a crossover between this and the Hat Shop. (There is at least one reference that they are in the same world.)
I decided to give this series a shot as I liked the 2 Hat Shop mysteries I have read by this author. I enjoy the culinary cozies and while this made me crave cupcakes, I thankfully had a Costco gingerbread flavored one on hand as I read.
This seems pretty similar to the Hat Shop -- 2 close female long time friends (here)/cousins (Hat Shop) run a shop together with a handsome and rich guy/potential love interest involved with the business's finances. Although I guess maybe it's the other way around as this series was written first. Both have been good so far for light, entertaining reads, though a bit light on the mystery/clue aspect. The unsympathetic characters are a bit on the caricature side, though that seems common in cozy mysteries. I really liked the idea of the 3 friends all just staying platonic friends but I kinda doubt that is what is going to happen. I don't really like love triangles... (would love for one to resolve in a happy polycule but have not seen that happen.)
I guessed the murderer right away on this one (a case of )
The characters are movie buffs and like to drop in appropriate quotes. I'm not enough into movies to recognize them, but if you are, that could be a fun bonus.
Diversity: Angie, one of the 2 cupcake shop owners, comes from a large Italian family. Most characters are white except for a few minor ones. Weight is discussed, but I didn't find it too problematic in this one. Unfortunately, there was what felt like a slight homophobic/transphobic tinge to me (no gay characters except for Tate being teased about it when he was younger; Terry, the fashion designer, having rumors about being a crossdresser, which makes Mel uncomfortable, but he has an explanation for how it's just a publicity ploy).
Will probably continue with the series, because I do generally like the banter and the theme. I would like to see a crossover between this and the Hat Shop. (There is at least one reference that they are in the same world.)
June 9, 2024
This book was just really disappointing. I felt the writing was just super lacking and the characters were just not interesting to me.
October 1, 2017
I was seriously craving a cupcake throughout this entire book....
This was a fun start to the series, that I will definitely be continuing....Mel and Angie were both very likable, girls you would love to hang out and have a cupcake with... I like both of their love interests, and I’m looking forward to those relationships developing..... The mystery was interesting and it took me a while to figure it out.... wondering if Olivia will continue to be a nemesis???
*** narrator:Susan Boyce did a very good job, I think she voiced all the characters very well...
This was a fun start to the series, that I will definitely be continuing....Mel and Angie were both very likable, girls you would love to hang out and have a cupcake with... I like both of their love interests, and I’m looking forward to those relationships developing..... The mystery was interesting and it took me a while to figure it out.... wondering if Olivia will continue to be a nemesis???
*** narrator:Susan Boyce did a very good job, I think she voiced all the characters very well...
January 27, 2024
An excellent start to a great series. I love the characters, especially Melanie, Angie and Tate. I love the petty rivalry between the two bakeries. Overall, an entertaining book.
September 1, 2016
Huh, surprised I finished this already. I like that while a quick read, it was kind of enjoyable in a way. Maybe it had to do with the number of pages or the writing style. Either way, this was a good start. Didn't love it but still like it. Near the end couldn't help but smile.
Throughout, I been thinking, hmm, suddenly I want a cupcake. Anyway, this was good, the characters I kind of like, at first anyway. Then as the story went along and you get to know them, I like them a little bit more. Especially Angie, Tate and Mel's friendship. Joe included.
Been wanting to read more cozy mysteries and the different themes, either a bookish or food theme. Plus I like the covers for these. Already want to read the next one.
Throughout, I been thinking, hmm, suddenly I want a cupcake. Anyway, this was good, the characters I kind of like, at first anyway. Then as the story went along and you get to know them, I like them a little bit more. Especially Angie, Tate and Mel's friendship. Joe included.
Been wanting to read more cozy mysteries and the different themes, either a bookish or food theme. Plus I like the covers for these. Already want to read the next one.
September 12, 2018
Book 1 of my own 24 hour cozy mystery readathon is complete.
Best friends partner up to open a bakery cupcakes. But once bridezilla the bride to Tate is murdered Mel is the prime suspect which puts her new business in jeopardy.
Mel and her friend Angie determined to find out who killed Tate's bride by all means.
Enjoyable quick cozy mystery read.
Best friends partner up to open a bakery cupcakes. But once bridezilla the bride to Tate is murdered Mel is the prime suspect which puts her new business in jeopardy.
Mel and her friend Angie determined to find out who killed Tate's bride by all means.
Enjoyable quick cozy mystery read.
April 11, 2020
3.75 stars! This was a really cute start to a new cozy series! I enjoyed the main characters and am excited to continue on with the series 😊
January 14, 2020
This was really awkward to read, it's full of grammar mistakes and horrible punctuation with such an extended use of nicknames it makes you forget who's who. Hard to get into the story and care about the characters.
I thought it was meant to be about adults leading normal adult lives and having a job (who just happen to get involved in a murder case), which it is but it also gives you a very high school feel of teenage crushes, insecurities, overbearing family members and secrets.
The character descriptions were incredibly mysoginistic and one sided, I would have liked the victim to have at least one good or vulnerable aspect (or, like, everybody else).
One of the scenes that put me off the most is when Mel describes Joe's friend, sure it might have been a date and maybe he was a superficial guy but she had no right to judge her capabilities by her looks. She just sounded bitter and extremely jealous, for a guy she actually never made any serious move for, had lost contact with for years and admittedly (but apparently lying) doesn't really care for romantically.
This is dangerous because most people don't have the kind of model look she criticize on others and could be convinced to agree with her against them, or to believe they should look like that to be seen as attractive which is possibly worse. There is one part of this book where Mel says she won't let them ruin her self esteem, but during the rest of it she's so bitter she actually sounds like she wants to be them.
Also I was particularly offended by the portrayal of Alma. Most real goths are actually pretty funny, open and friendly people, the apparent gloom is only an aesthetic and it doesn't equal to permanent depression.
Later Mel also describes how surprising it is that a big guy full of piercings and tattoos is actually a nice person.
The investigation wasn't particularly realistic. She was obviously persecuted, harshly and without any solid reason by the police and basically everyone else in the town as well. This is fiction and it may be ok to an extent, but a mystery novel should still sound plausible.
I thought it was meant to be about adults leading normal adult lives and having a job (who just happen to get involved in a murder case), which it is but it also gives you a very high school feel of teenage crushes, insecurities, overbearing family members and secrets.
The character descriptions were incredibly mysoginistic and one sided, I would have liked the victim to have at least one good or vulnerable aspect (or, like, everybody else).
One of the scenes that put me off the most is when Mel describes Joe's friend, sure it might have been a date and maybe he was a superficial guy but she had no right to judge her capabilities by her looks. She just sounded bitter and extremely jealous, for a guy she actually never made any serious move for, had lost contact with for years and admittedly (but apparently lying) doesn't really care for romantically.
This is dangerous because most people don't have the kind of model look she criticize on others and could be convinced to agree with her against them, or to believe they should look like that to be seen as attractive which is possibly worse. There is one part of this book where Mel says she won't let them ruin her self esteem, but during the rest of it she's so bitter she actually sounds like she wants to be them.
Also I was particularly offended by the portrayal of Alma. Most real goths are actually pretty funny, open and friendly people, the apparent gloom is only an aesthetic and it doesn't equal to permanent depression.
Later Mel also describes how surprising it is that a big guy full of piercings and tattoos is actually a nice person.
The investigation wasn't particularly realistic. She was obviously persecuted, harshly and without any solid reason by the police and basically everyone else in the town as well. This is fiction and it may be ok to an extent, but a mystery novel should still sound plausible.
February 11, 2021
Cute, set in Phoenix. Cozy mystery.
July 7, 2010
A fun, quick read. I liked the characters and see lots of room for growth. There doesn't seem to be a love triangle which makes me very happy. The cupcakes sound amazing during the story, I was a bit disappointed not all the ones mentioned had a recipe, but maybe they will show up in future books. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
April 28, 2015
A lot of fun! Best friends that one could relate to!
May 18, 2018
A couple of inconsistencies/confusing entries but otherwise quite a good mystery. Plan to try next in series to see how things go.
April 25, 2020
Awesome book! I get so drawn in, it is like watching a movie. Can't wait to read the next one.
** Just read it for a second time, I think I love it even more now!! **
** Just read it for a second time, I think I love it even more now!! **
June 3, 2021
My next venture into cozy mysteries sees my delving into this book, where friends and business partners Mel and Angie own and run Fairy Tale Cupcakes, and are tasked to bake cupcakes for the wedding of their friend Tate. But when Mel finds the hateful bridezilla fiancé of her friend dead, she finds herself as the prime suspect and must try finding out the true culprit.
Unfortunately, this book was a huge fail for me in just about every aspect. While the cupcake shop sounds quaint and welcoming, and there's cupcake recipes at the end of the book, none of that helped save the many, many negatives here. There's the mystery itself, which is very bare bones, pretty underwhelming in general, and easy to figure out even with the red herrings and overall lack of clues. I just didn't feel invested in the mystery, but that was also in part because I didn't care about the characters, because it's the characters that made this a bad book for me.
The characters in this book are just awful. Most of them get about one or two traits and that's about it for them. The victim, a fashion designer, is a horrible person with absolutely zero redeeming qualities. One of the designers is a goth woman who is always angry and nothing else. The mother of main character Mel is a very annoying and idiotic person who has never been able to get it through her head that her daughter has no romantic interest in her best friend Tate, and she keeps insisting, in increasingly embarrassing ways, that they become a couple. Best friend Angie's sole character trait was having a hair-trigger temper, that's about all that can be said for her, she was completely uninteresting and unlikable. Other best friend Tate is a nice guy, but also a spineless idiot who gets easily pushed around; and the fact that these three best friends would constantly throw movie quotes at one another for each other to guess, even in serious moments that didn't warrant it, became irritating overtime. Angie's seven brothers are portrayed as extremely controlling, from spying on their sister and following her around town, to constantly insisting that she return to her old job; it was genuinely disturbing and even gross. The fact that so many characters, including her own mother, instantly believed that Mel had murdered the victim was outrageous and infuriating, it made me feel that this would be a terrible town to live in, and this was not helped by the fact that the cops were completely useless. The only genuinely likable characters were very minor ones who made little to no impact in the plot.
However, the worst part of this book is the main character, Mel. This is easily the absolute worst main character I have read in any book in the last twenty years. In a cozy mystery, the protagonist is supposed to be likable and relatable, but Mel was the complete opposite, because this business owner in her early 30's acted like a vapid teenager drunk on junior high power. Mel was very impulsive in a bad way, she just jumped head-first into things with too much overconfidence and without a clue. As far as amateur sleuths go, Mel was terrible, she had no clue what she was doing and stumbled across answers by sheer dumb luck, and then she's still overconfident enough to think she can handle the whole situation of trying to find a murderer all by herself, sometimes actively refusing help from others even when it's offered. Her immaturity shows clearly with Angie's district attorney brother, Joe, who Mel had a crush on when she was a kid and, after years of not seeing him, finds that still does, but it's to the point that every time she sees him, she loses all rational thought, behaving like a complete child with absolutely no self control. And more than once in the story she enters private property, including faking her identity to do so, which I'm pretty sure it's very illegal and can lead to an arrest, but the book treats it as something Mel is justified in doing, basically saying that rules and laws don't apply to her. Plus, the first time she fakes her identity to enter private property had nothing to do with investigating or solving the murder.
But what is easily the worst thing about Mel is how mean-spirited she is, mainly due to how she's so judgmental and has impossibly high standards. Her investigation means she must interact with people in the world of fashion, and she shows disgust towards models in general, as well as showing disgust when an older man and a young woman who work together show professional affection with a simple hug of greeting. When she sees her crush Joe with another woman who is stated to be a colleague, Mel instantly thinks of the woman as vapid, stupid and incompetent, who only attracts men with her looks and nothing else, once again displaying immaturity with such petty jealousy. Then there's her blatant and disgusting fat-shaming (made even worse by the fact that Mel used to be chubby herself and got fat-shamed by bullies), with these examples: she describes a heavy-set woman as a "hook-nosed, bulbous-eyed toad"; she refers to another woman (who's not been described as heavy-set in any way throughout the book) as a "walrus"; when meeting a man who she hasn't seen in years, who was her deceased father's friend, he's described as short and pudgy, and Mel's instant reaction is "ew". I just genuinely can't fathom that the reader is supposed to be rooting for this nasty woman. What was the author thinking?
When I post a negative review of a book, I try my best to be polite about it, but I simply cannot be polite here. It's one thing for a book to be boring, but it's an entirely different thing for a book to make me angry as I read it, and this book made me very angry. This is a cozy mystery, emphasis on "cozy". It's supposed to be a pleasant, relaxing read, something that makes me feel at ease and put a smile on my face, but this book did the complete opposite and had me in a constant foul mood. This literary cupcake left a rotten taste in my mouth and I am absolutely not coming back for any more bites from this or any other of this author's other series, as this book was the worst possible first impression I could have gotten.
Unfortunately, this book was a huge fail for me in just about every aspect. While the cupcake shop sounds quaint and welcoming, and there's cupcake recipes at the end of the book, none of that helped save the many, many negatives here. There's the mystery itself, which is very bare bones, pretty underwhelming in general, and easy to figure out even with the red herrings and overall lack of clues. I just didn't feel invested in the mystery, but that was also in part because I didn't care about the characters, because it's the characters that made this a bad book for me.
The characters in this book are just awful. Most of them get about one or two traits and that's about it for them. The victim, a fashion designer, is a horrible person with absolutely zero redeeming qualities. One of the designers is a goth woman who is always angry and nothing else. The mother of main character Mel is a very annoying and idiotic person who has never been able to get it through her head that her daughter has no romantic interest in her best friend Tate, and she keeps insisting, in increasingly embarrassing ways, that they become a couple. Best friend Angie's sole character trait was having a hair-trigger temper, that's about all that can be said for her, she was completely uninteresting and unlikable. Other best friend Tate is a nice guy, but also a spineless idiot who gets easily pushed around; and the fact that these three best friends would constantly throw movie quotes at one another for each other to guess, even in serious moments that didn't warrant it, became irritating overtime. Angie's seven brothers are portrayed as extremely controlling, from spying on their sister and following her around town, to constantly insisting that she return to her old job; it was genuinely disturbing and even gross. The fact that so many characters, including her own mother, instantly believed that Mel had murdered the victim was outrageous and infuriating, it made me feel that this would be a terrible town to live in, and this was not helped by the fact that the cops were completely useless. The only genuinely likable characters were very minor ones who made little to no impact in the plot.
However, the worst part of this book is the main character, Mel. This is easily the absolute worst main character I have read in any book in the last twenty years. In a cozy mystery, the protagonist is supposed to be likable and relatable, but Mel was the complete opposite, because this business owner in her early 30's acted like a vapid teenager drunk on junior high power. Mel was very impulsive in a bad way, she just jumped head-first into things with too much overconfidence and without a clue. As far as amateur sleuths go, Mel was terrible, she had no clue what she was doing and stumbled across answers by sheer dumb luck, and then she's still overconfident enough to think she can handle the whole situation of trying to find a murderer all by herself, sometimes actively refusing help from others even when it's offered. Her immaturity shows clearly with Angie's district attorney brother, Joe, who Mel had a crush on when she was a kid and, after years of not seeing him, finds that still does, but it's to the point that every time she sees him, she loses all rational thought, behaving like a complete child with absolutely no self control. And more than once in the story she enters private property, including faking her identity to do so, which I'm pretty sure it's very illegal and can lead to an arrest, but the book treats it as something Mel is justified in doing, basically saying that rules and laws don't apply to her. Plus, the first time she fakes her identity to enter private property had nothing to do with investigating or solving the murder.
But what is easily the worst thing about Mel is how mean-spirited she is, mainly due to how she's so judgmental and has impossibly high standards. Her investigation means she must interact with people in the world of fashion, and she shows disgust towards models in general, as well as showing disgust when an older man and a young woman who work together show professional affection with a simple hug of greeting. When she sees her crush Joe with another woman who is stated to be a colleague, Mel instantly thinks of the woman as vapid, stupid and incompetent, who only attracts men with her looks and nothing else, once again displaying immaturity with such petty jealousy. Then there's her blatant and disgusting fat-shaming (made even worse by the fact that Mel used to be chubby herself and got fat-shamed by bullies), with these examples: she describes a heavy-set woman as a "hook-nosed, bulbous-eyed toad"; she refers to another woman (who's not been described as heavy-set in any way throughout the book) as a "walrus"; when meeting a man who she hasn't seen in years, who was her deceased father's friend, he's described as short and pudgy, and Mel's instant reaction is "ew". I just genuinely can't fathom that the reader is supposed to be rooting for this nasty woman. What was the author thinking?
When I post a negative review of a book, I try my best to be polite about it, but I simply cannot be polite here. It's one thing for a book to be boring, but it's an entirely different thing for a book to make me angry as I read it, and this book made me very angry. This is a cozy mystery, emphasis on "cozy". It's supposed to be a pleasant, relaxing read, something that makes me feel at ease and put a smile on my face, but this book did the complete opposite and had me in a constant foul mood. This literary cupcake left a rotten taste in my mouth and I am absolutely not coming back for any more bites from this or any other of this author's other series, as this book was the worst possible first impression I could have gotten.
January 2, 2019
This series has been on my TBR pile for way to long and I can't believe I waited so long to get around to reading it. This is a good start to the series. The characters are all fun, engaging, and relatable. I love the friendship dynamics between Mel, Angie and Tate. The each have something different they bring to the friendship and it works. I also love the old movie lines peppered throughout the book and how they try to stump one another. These are characters that I really enjoyed and I can't wait to get more books in this series.
This was an easy, entertaining read. I was able to finish it in one day. The mystery was solid and the author did a good job of setting up the story so there there were several suspects each with good motives which made them great candidates to be the murder. There is a nice twist that I did not see coming and so I was surprised by the identity of the killer when revealed.
This is fun series that is well written and has terrific characters. I will definitely be picking up the next few books in the series.
This was an easy, entertaining read. I was able to finish it in one day. The mystery was solid and the author did a good job of setting up the story so there there were several suspects each with good motives which made them great candidates to be the murder. There is a nice twist that I did not see coming and so I was surprised by the identity of the killer when revealed.
This is fun series that is well written and has terrific characters. I will definitely be picking up the next few books in the series.
November 5, 2021
I was looking for my first cozy, and I thought I would start with an author I am familiar with. I adore McKinlay's contemporaries and found that same warmth and humor here. Cupcakes, murder, and mystery were combined in an entertaining way, and obviously, I loved the little touch of romance.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
April 13, 2019
I haven't read many cozy mysteries, but this one would be a great intro for anyone new to the genre and I plan on reading the next one and maybe the one after that. This has great characters, a fast paced story, and just enough twists to keep me interested. Cupcakes and mystery. What’s not to love. I would definitely recommend this terrific cozy.
November 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this cute cozy mystery where a group of three friends are dealing with the marriage of one of them to someone no-one really seems to like. She's a bridezilla, and is demanding that her cupcakes become her property and that the owner can no longer make those types of cupcakes for anyone else. After sending the cupcakes over with her two assistants, the next morning the woman is found dead in her fashion boutique. Mel (the cupcake owner) is one of the prime suspects...can her friends and family help her figure out who the real killer is before it's too late? Read and see...
April 14, 2019
2.5 stars
Meh. Too many love triangles and romances and the mystery was tepid.
Meh. Too many love triangles and romances and the mystery was tepid.
December 19, 2020
A real quick read. I had a little bit of starting trouble with this book but once the story started, I didn't realise the time pass by. The chemistry between Mel, Angie and Tate is great and their backstory of how they met and became friends was good. The mystery was okay, figured out the whodunnit pretty quick. But I'll definitely be reading the second book because I want to know how a certain relationship pans out 😃
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,184 reviews