Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder is the first book in Valerie Burns‘ Baker Street Mystery series. This cozy mystery checked all the boxes for me — fun small town, fun characters, and a super-fun bakery setting. There are recipes involved! This book was a great whodunit that kept me turning the pages. Recommended.
When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand—as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great-aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 250-pound English mastiff named Baby.
Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka the Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is, until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife . . .
Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions, too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation—and her life.
Valerie (V. M.) Burns was born and raised in the Midwestern United States. She currently resides in the warmer region of the country with her two poodles, Kenzie and Chloe. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Dog Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime. Valerie is also a mentor in the Writing Popular Fiction MFA program at Seton Hill University. As V.M. Burns, she writes the Next Generation Indie Finalist, RJ Franklin Mysteries, Dog Club Mysteries, and Agatha award-nominated, Mystery Bookshop Mysteries. She is also an Edgar award-nominated short story author.
My Impressions:
I love a cozy mystery! And I am so glad that I have found a new must-read author in the genre. Valerie Burns’ novel, Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder, checked all the boxes for me. I loved the small town setting of New Bison, a town on the shores of Lake Michigan, the colorful characters including influencer main character Maddie and a very drool-y, very huge dog, and a twisty mystery that kept me guessing. And with all the baking going on in the book, I was torn between reading and pulling out my Kitchenaid. 😉 Maddy is a fun character — a social media influencer who is determined to prove that she has a purpose and a plan. Inheriting a bakery from an aunt she barely knew, Maddie is challenged from day one. But with her knowledge of literary sleuthing and clues left from her deceased aunt, she is a formidable, if amatuer, detective. A light and easy read, this book was the perfect choice for a busy holiday season. I smiled and laughed and kept turning the pages as fast as I could. Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder is the first in a series — there are currently two more books available. I look forward to the murder, mayhem, and pastry delights ahead!
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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