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Jan 20, 2012

Bev rated it:

Oh my...what a lightweight! This is the first of the "Daphne Reynolds Cake Mysteries" and was more a lesson in cake decorating than a murdery mystery. Daphne has returned home to a small town where it seems that everybody knows everything about everybody and they are all eager to share it with a total stranger. Delivery of a cake to Yodel Watson's house (doesn't then name scream "Mayberry"?) she finds the customer dead. Investigation shows that she was murdered and ever More...

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Jan 20, 2012

Bev rated it:

Oh my...what a lightweight! This is the first of the "Daphne Reynolds Cake Mysteries" and was more a lesson in cake decorating than a murdery mystery. Daphne has returned home to a small town where it seems that everybody knows everything about everybody and they are all eager to share it with a total stranger. Delivery of a cake to Yodel Watson's house (doesn't then name scream "Mayberry"?) she finds the customer dead. Investigation shows that she was murdered and ever More...

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Apr 16, 2011

Patty rated it:

This is a "cozy" mystery so while there are dead people there is no gore. There is much to be said for a easy to read murder mystery now and again. This book combines one of my big loves, baking with murder.

Hmmm.

Daphne Martin has just moved back to her home town and opened a cake decorating business. She's left her husband after he tried to shoot her. Her mother feels that she should have stayed with this guy - he didn't actually KILL her after all. Obviou More...

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Apr 10, 2011

drey rated it:

Daphne Martin returns to her hometown after putting an abusive husband in jail for trying to shoot her. As she tries to rebuild her life, she's dragged into a police investigation when she finds a customer dead. Not by her hand (or cake), no matter what the local gossips say! After all, she was only trying to deliver a cake...

Yes, Daphne bakes. And the descriptions of her cakes are so scrumptious I wanted to run out and get one to eat. Unfortunately, I was traveling when I read this, s More...

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Mar 27, 2011

Cheryl rated it:

Daphne Martin has recently moved back home to southwest Virginia. Daphne has opened Daphne’s Delectable Cakes. Daphne’s first client is Yodel Watson. Yodel has a reputation in town for being a town gossip. She is also not a very liked person. So when Yodel is found murdered. There is no love lost. The million dollar question is…Who didn’t want Yodel dead?

Murder Takes the Cake is the first Daphne Martin Cake Decorating mystery novel. This book is a re-release with some added, new mate More...

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Apr 17, 2010

Heather rated it:

I'm a big fan of murder mysteries, but I'm getting a little tired of the books where an unsuspecting, decidedly non-professional female detective finds herself in the middle of a hot mystery. This book falls deeply into that category, but unfortunately I can't even rate it as one of the better examples of this genre.

This book wasn't particularly well-written, the storyline felt old and used, and although I believe the author was trying to lend an air of authenticity to her protagoni More...

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Mar 24, 2011

Loves FAB Romance rated it:

Daphne Martin is back in her hometown to start a new life; after her husband tried to kill her, she moved back to the little town to start a cake business. She's delivering a cake to her first customer, Yodel Watson, but when Daphne gets there, Yodel is dead! (<-- yes, that's her name, lol, it's explained later in the story) Now, even though the cake never left the box, the neighbors are blaming her cake for the death! Daphne soon learns that just about everyone in the town had a reason to di More...

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Mar 31, 2011

Shonda rated it:

At the age of 40, Daphne Martin is beginning a new chapter in her life. She has relocated from Tennessee to her Virgina hometown after divorcing her abusive husband Todd (who is currently serving time in prison). She's trying to make a fresh start by turning her passion for baking cakes into her own business: Daphne's Delectable Cakes.

Unfortunately for Daphne her first client, Yodel Watson, is ornery and the town's gossip. Ms. Watson is quite difficult (to put it mildly) and has Daphne More...

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Mar 27, 2011

Maria rated it:

What I can Tell You:

Honestly, I am so not the mystery murder type chick but the last two mystery murder books I have read have been awesome. I think it is because they are chick lit which means for me, no courtroom dialogue that is way above my head and wordy. You guys know that is why I call myself the Amateur Book Reviewer. Reading heavy dialogue just kills me. What I loved about this is that Gayle takes us on a journey with characters that I can relate to. Daphne is just droppi More...

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Mar 28, 2011

Heidi rated it:

Can a cake kill? That’s what the townspeople of Brea Ridge are wondering in Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent. Daphne Martin, returns to her small hometown to start her new business, Daphne’s Delectable Cakes. When she delivers a cake to her very first customer she steps right into a mess of trouble. Her first customer, Yodel Watson is dead and the rumor is that the cake killed her. But there is a long list of reasons to murder the town gossip, including Yodel’s tell-all journal. Daphn More...

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Mar 30, 2011

Melissa rated it:

Okay, get ready to faint... this is the second time I have read a book in order. That's right! This is the first in the Daphne Martin Cake Mysteries. Smelling salts anyone? Okay, now that you are comfortable on the floor, I'd have to say this was a fun easy and quick read. Usually, I don't always like these type of mysteries since they can quickly become more about stories of gossip. I don't care for gossip stories. However, this one didn't bother me. Yes, it involves gossip, but it is set in a More...

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Mar 31, 2011

Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it:

This was a fun cozy mystery to read. It is the typical small town where everybody knows everybody else's business - or at least they think they do. And the more you learn, the more secrets are uncovered. Daphne is a fun character and has a good sense of humor. She tends to plunge into situations without thinking too much about the repercussions - which is, of course, what is necessary in a cozy mystery! Otherwise how would the crime ever be solved? :) This is a revised edition as the ori More...

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Mar 30, 2011

Molly rated it:

I LOVE baking, I LOVE mystery, and I LOVE Gayle Trent's work! This is a new to me author and her work is FANTABULOUSLY done. From page one, I was pulled in, and stayed hooked until the mystery was solved. From baking, to delivering said baked to her clients, to strange happenings that end in a murder, this first Daphne Martin Cake Mystery novel is a home run hit with this new fan!

Daphne Martin is back in her hometown in Virginia and opens her bakery. That's all she thinks she'll be do More...

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Mar 30, 2011

Kari rated it:

Murder takes the cake is a re-release paperback with some added content. In the back of the book, the author provides a few cake recipes and tips on decorating cakes. I thought that was a nice addition to the book. Murder Takes the Cake involves Daphne Martin, a 40 year old Divorcee who returns to her home town to start a new life and a new cake baking business. While delivering a cake to a client, she stumbles into a murder mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the story. What I e More...

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Jan 16, 2010

Michele rated it:

Cozy mysteries always seem to be the perfect read in these dreary winter months. Stuck in bed with the flu? A cozy mystery fits the bill nicely....short reads, nothing too deep or philosophical to tax a Sudafed-laden brain.

The new Daphne Martin Mystery series by author Gayle Trent is a particular treat (pun intended) for those readers who also love to bake. Wholesome (nary a bedroom scene to be found) and light-hearted, these short mysteries eschew deep character analysis, instead More...

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Mar 29, 2011

Julie rated it:

This review first appeared on my blog: http://www.knittingandsundries.com/2011/...

One of the best cozy mysteries I've ever read, Murder Takes the Cake, like all cozy mysteries, has it's main emphasis on the characters; however, the mysteries here are pretty darn good, too.

We meet Daphne Martin, 40 years old, who has recently moved from Tennessee (where her ex-husband Todd is in prison for 7 years for trying to shoot her), back to the small town in southwestern Virginia wh More...

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Mar 31, 2011

Diana rated it:

Reviewed at Book of Secrets:

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Murder Takes the Cake is the first book in Gayle Trent's Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series. Daphne has recently returned to her childhood home in a small Virginia town. She's recently divorced from an abusive husband who is serving prison time for trying to shoot her. Her fresh start in life is opening her own cake decorating business, Daphne's Delectable Cakes. Unfortunately for Daphne, she discovers one of her first c More...

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Jan 12, 2010

Caitlin rated it:

This beautiful addictive Cake mystery will leave you BEGGING for more. It was excellently written around a bunch of great tasty sounding cake recipes, and this is the book to make your sweet tooth fall on the floor in a pile of drool, oh yes. It's perfect for teens since there's no sex or making out in it, I loved the verison of words of dating the character had. Damn, I loved the character all together! I had just got done with a sucky book, and my mother said this was the book to cuddle up wit More...

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Feb 09, 2010

Kari rated it:

I read this book because it was available as a free download for my Kindle. I like murder, I like cake, what more could I ask for?

It was a very quick read, and as several have described here, very cozy. To be honest, I was probably more interested in Daphne's baking scenes than in her amateur detective adventures. While the main thing I should have been concerned about was "whodunit?", I was more concerned about what the heck Daphne would make for a guinea pig's birthday pa More...

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Jan 12, 2010

Judy rated it:

Unless you're snowed in and can't leave your house and you have nothing else to read, I would not recommend that you move this book to the top of your list. While the basic premise as a cozy was good, how many times can you read about how a 40-yr-old divorced woman cannot believe her mother had an affair 30 years ago. Over and over you read about how her mother doesn't like/respect/appreciate the character. On top of that, I really didn't want to know every nuance of decorating a cake. I don't c More...

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Feb 26, 2010

Christine rated it:

If you're looking for a layer cake, this is not the cake for you. A simple sheet cake with vanilla frosting, delightful..but nothing truly special. I was pleased to get this on my Kindle for a quick, mindless read, but that was definately all it was. With little to no attachment to the main character who was practically useless, an empty affair that was barely resolved at all, a mystery that was bland and involved more unlikeable characters and page after page of empty cake decorating blather, I More...

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Nov 23, 2008

Maddie rated it:

Delightful and intriguing at the same time. Well written!

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Mar 25, 2011

Melissa rated it:

Cute! This was a really cute story. I enjoyed it very much! This is the first real "cozy" mystery that I enjoyed thoroughly. It's not a life changing book, but it is entertaining and fun! I thought Daphne was a great character and loved reading about her adventure. I wasn't even bothered by the cooking schtick that ran through this story!

It's apparently a part of a series, but that didn't keep me from being able to go with the flow and know what is going on. All in all I say More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 18, 2010

Julieasmith rated it:

I am on a "popcorn" run. I am reading "Cozies". I started out as a Bobbsey Twins addict and never outgrew it.
Murder takes the cake is a first effort for Trent. She is slow in developing her characters and her dialog is choppy. You can feel her picking up steam in the final pages, so I think I will give her second book a try.
I do appreciate that Daphne, the lead character can stand on her own two feet and does not wait for the charming new man in her life to rescue More...

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Jan 30, 2010

Fittytiff rated it:

okay I would actually give this a 2.5. It was okay. yet I did like it. It was not your typical cozy mystery. You do have your divorced baker. this time cakes (as I have followed the cookie baker and candy backer. Now I am adding cakes) So the divorce backer has moved back to her "home Town and a customer dies and she is a suspect? But to me she did not start truly doing any detective work till the last 8th of the book. So that is where it lost me. But hey it was a free book thanks to Amazon More...

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Nov 14, 2008

Kaye rated it:

In this delightful new series by Gayle Trent, we are introduced to Daphne Martin, now returned to her Virginia hometown and trying to establish her new business as a free lance cake decorator. When Daphne is delivering a spice cake to one of her more difficult customers, Yodel Watson, she finds her reclining on the sofa in her bathrobe. Except for one thing, she is not just resting, she is dead! As Daphne explains to the police over and over after Yodel’s death is declared suspicious , More...

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May 07, 2011

Maureen rated it:

I liked this book. I confess, I like her embroidery shop mysteries a little better. Daphne Martin is a sweet, likeable character. The flaws and tensions and excitements in her relationships ring true to me. I also like that her life isn't perfect and she struggles with all aspects of her life. But the great thing is that she isn't beaten down. In addition to that, the mystery is a good one and told from the first person it allows you to figure it out as she picks up clues and questions people. I More...

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Apr 07, 2011

Marilou rated it:

Cozy murder mystery. When the meanest gossip in Brea Ridge dies mysteriously, suspicions turn to cake decorator Daphne Martin. But all Daphne did was deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting--and find Yodel's body. Now Daphne's got to help solve the murder and clear her good name. Problem is, her Virginia hometown is brimming with people who had good reason to kill Yodel, and Daphne's whole family is among them. It's an interesting murder story.

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Mar 15, 2010

Mike rated it:

How to open others' wallets:

Write a mystery novel based on some sort of series, like the alphabet, the periodic table of the elements, the integers, the states of the union, or various kinds of cake. If it's successful, you're set! Just dash off the rest of the series!

Oh, and, in the case of cakes, you can fluff up the word-count with descriptions of cake-baking, ingredients, icing designs, and so-on. Cool!

Still, a good read.

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Nov 24, 2011

Crystie rated it:

It was a cozy murder mystery and I did enjoy it. The author spent waaaaaaay too much time going into the details for cake decorating - those paragraphs were boring and just got in the way of the actual mystery. It's okay that I know that the main character is a cake decorator and that she is making roses for a cake. I do not need to know which tips, sizes, bags, etc. she is using to create the roses. *rolls eyes*

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