Sugar and Sliced

Maple Lane #0.5

by C.A. Phipps

From USA Today Bestselling author C. A. Phipps, comes The Maple Lane Mysteries Prequel

Did she fall or was she pushed?

A world away from small town Maple Falls where she grew up, Madeline Flynn is working in a bakery in Manhattan. Baking is her dream come true—but not everyone is happy for her.

When a body lands at her feet, Maddie is suddenly thrown into the investigation. The death is literally too close to home and things don't add up with the crime. With his uncanny sense of who is good and who isn't, even Big Red, her larger-than-life Maine coon, is seeing things in the shadows.

Will she be the next victim? And what does an angry contestant have to do with a kidnapping? If you love Murder, She Wrote, you’ll enjoy Maddie’s style because she’s not taking no for an answer either. The Maple Lane Mysteries are light, cozy mysteries featuring a quirky cat-loving bakery owner who discovers she’s a talented amateur sleuth. Each book contains an easy recipe!

5* "This story was a quick, easy read with a good pace, crime with a taciturn police detective trying to hold Maddie in check, and a baking competition that turns triumph to terror!

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fiction, Christmas, Cozy, Romance, Novella

184 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2022

About the author

C. A. Phipps is a USA Today best-selling author from beautiful New Zealand. Cheryl lives in a quiet suburb with her wonderful husband of more than four decades.

With a large family to keep her busy when she's not writing, there is just enough space for a crazy mixed breed dog who stole her heart!

She enjoys family times, baking, rambling walks, and her quest for the perfect latte.

You can find her at www.caphipps.com

C. A. Phipps also writes romance as Cheryl Phipps at www.cherylphipps.com.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddie and her cat Big Red are living in an apartment in New York. Maddie is starting a new career and decides to participate in a baking competition. Maddie likes most of her fellow competitors but one is a diva and makes everyone uncomfortable when they are around. After the competition one of the crew goes missing and Maddie gets pulled into this investigation as well as a suspicious death of one of her neighbors. On top of the police investigations Big Red keeps getting out of the apartment and Maddie is worried something will happen to him.

I enjoyed getting to know more about the beginning of Maddie’s career in baking. It was nice to learn more about her time outside of Maple Falls, her relationships and adventures, and how it molded her into the person she is when she returns home. The mysteries are well-plotted and kept me guessing if the were connected and who was behind them if not. I recommend this book to fans of the series as well as anyone looking to start a new series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

[hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

just fine & quick

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar and Sliced was an enjoyable cozy mystery. Maddie is likable. Big Red is adorable and a good judge of character. There were plenty of twists and turns to hold my attention. I couldn't give it 5 stars because I found it odd that Dani called Maddie instead of the police and that Maddie went to get her instead of calling the police. I don't care for that kind of foolish, reckless behavior. Overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more books by CA Phipps.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is great to read Sugar and Sliced and learn more about Maddie's background in New York. I liked learning about Maddie's adopted family and to know she had Big Red with her in New York. This well plotted mystery has all the twists and turns the reader has come to expect in a Maple Lane mystery. I like Dalton even less than I did before! If you have read any of the Maple Lane mysteries, do not miss this one!

[Kristina Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute, quick, cozy (feel good, if that’s possible for murder mysteries) read that I needed to mix in between my more serious/emotional books. I enjoy Maddie and her cat’s life and look forward to eventually reading the rest of the series!

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

bro what is this.. Maddie finds herself almost getting crushed by her upstairs neighbor as their dead body is thrown out of their window and onto the streets. She is trying to figure out what happened and is entering detective mode while an actual detective is trying to figure out what happened. Her boyfriend/ex is obviously sketchy.. you just dont know why until the epilogue. Then she goes to enter a baking competition and the friend she makes on her way there works for the competition and her new friend ends up getting kidnapped by the loser of the competition. And that loser ends up being connected back to her bf/ex. And when her new friend gets hold of a phone, she immediately calls Maddie instead of the police and is so adamant on Maddie not hanging up to call the cops? also with how Maddie was trying to be ljke a detective and all these things happening around her, how is she never a suspect? also who tf is Chloe black? Because we know the neighbors name is Cleo Black - bc thats how shes introduced and talked about for like 80% of the book. Then like 70% into the book, the name Chloe Black appears and theyre talking about her like shes the neighbor. So like are they the same person? How did no one catch that?

[Sagexox · Rating 2 out of 5]

The word Melodramatic popped into my head many (Many) times. i'll just let the Detective sum it up for me: He rolled his eyes. "I don't want to hear any more of your thoughts or those of your cat." Also, it didn't feel like Christmas at all.

[Amanda Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, easy read. Characters are all enjoyable especially Big Red, the cat. A little bit of mystery and a lot of friendship. Well written.

[Mrs Moa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ stalking ✨ kidnapping ✨ murder ✨ cheating✨
all wrapped up in this cozy mystery .

Maddie is an unsuspecting young baker who becomes entangled in not just one investigation, but two.

With the murder of her neighbour and the kidnapping of an acquaintance, she finds herself trying to solve these crimes as an amateur sleuth alongside her maine coon cat, Big Red, as her sidekick.

🥧 found family
🥧 douche bag boyfriend
🥧 flirtation with the detective

A great wee novel. Despite the appearance of the book, this isn’t really a Christmas read but it still provide the perfect sweet tooth kick.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the other books in the series, and here we have the chance to learn what happened to Maddie BEFORE she moved back to Maple Lane. We also have guest appearances from a favorite celebrity chef. Drama and danger ensue as Maddie finds herself caught in a murder mystery and kidnapping. Will she and Big Red solve the crime or become a victim? And will her grandmother convince her to give up the big city and come back home? Reading Sugar and Sliced makes me want to read the whole series again.

[Gaby ✦ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ✨

This wasn’t bad at all, but based on the cover I was expecting this to be more Christmassy. The plot and “mystery” were cute, predictable. One-dimensional characters. Still had a few questions at the end. It was a short and quick read!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
0☀️
Man konnte nicht wirklich reinkommen weil die Geschichte an sich nichtmal 150 Seiten hatte. Dennoch kam der Aspekt vom ,Crime‘ und auch von der Bäckerei durch was ich ganz gut fand

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy murder-mystery perfect for sleepless nights and rainy days.
Thankfully no unnecessary romance (a rarity!), but great cake recipes instead 😋

[Kayleigh Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This prequel to the Maple Lane series fits in perfectly with the rest of the series and gives us so much more detail about what happened back in New York before Maddie decided to move back home.

It was nice to meet her New York found family and I really loved seeing how supportive everyone was of her there. The exception was Dalton, who is even worse than the other books have alluded to.

I received and advance review copy of the book and stayed up all night reading it instead of sleeping, so I'd say there's plenty of suspense in spite of being a prequel. All in all, this is another strong entry in the Maple Lane series and helps flesh out Maddie's backstory.

[Shira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for my review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

First of all, I would like to apologize for my *very* late review, as a lot has happened to me in the past year.

I like the name Big Red for a cat, it made me think of a really big cat. The book is a pleasant read, and I like that it is set in NYC and that the MC is a baker. A really good prequel!

[Amy H (thisbibliophagist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute & quick read! I loved the pace of the story. Of course, Big Red is a favorite.

[Raksha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read featuring the lovable Big Red ginger fluffball of a cat and the sweet aspiring chef Maddie.
This book had me hooked right from the start and I'd love to see more.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my own review.

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit slow

I enjoyed the thought process of this book. Unfortunately, it didn't hold my attention, and I would constantly stop reading.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great book. It tells the story of Maddie and Big Red her very large main coon cat. The cat is Maddie’s protector. Maddie’s jerk of a boyfriend puts her through a lot of anguish.
There’s a lot of action between a murder and kidnapping.
Maddie works in a bakery and enters a cooking competition judged by her idol.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddie has had one terrible awful no good day. It just gets worse. A great mystery as well as some life changing events. Dalton oh my he is worse than I thought (have read other books in the series). Great prequel.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Red & his intrepid human in the Big Apple: excitement aplenty🐱

4-4.5🌟 stars
Classic cozy mystery in style, this is where Maddie and Big Red's adventures in crime stopping begin before their move to Maple Falls. I've followed the whole Maple Lane series and I liked getting a glimpse into Maddie's early days as a bakery chef in Manhattan, complete with her jerk for a boyfriend and the friendly, family-run bakery where she is perfecting her skills. I also liked reading about how Maddie's New York story ties into that of Phipps' other cozy mystery lead, Lyra St. Claire.

This story was a quick, easy read with a good pace, crime with a taciturn police detective trying to hold Maddie in check, and a baking competition that turns triumph to terror!😥 Big Red, Maddie's Maine Coon cat companion, is a mighty protector prowling the streets of NYC and a key player. I love a cozy with a sassy pet.😊

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved meeting Maddie, Big Red and her "New York family."

[Celeste Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s no one’s business but yours, sweetheart. The people who care about you know you’ve been unhappy, and they only want what’s best for you in the future, so pay the busybodies and troublemakers no mind.”

Cozy mysteries - very interesting concept. On one page you have a girl talking to her cat about a baking competition, the next you are hearing about petechial hemorrhaging. I'm on the fence about whether I jive with this sub-genre. The book was a great change of pace from a lot of gorey and thrilling books nowadays but still has the mystery aspect that keeps you going.
My issue is that the plotlines and character traits seemed very juvenile at times. I think this is more of a critique of the genre as a whole and not the author. Because you don't have the bite that most mystery thrillers have the book can sway to the cheesy side easily.

Baking is a large part of this book and I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of Maddie's cooking. I had not read a book with that before and I found it very entertaining. Probably one of my favorite elements of the whole book.

I am not sure how old Maddie is but this book reads like she's 18/19, which I have a feeling she is not. She makes some really dumb choices in this book. Like REALLY dumb. Also, the boyfriend plotline was pull your hair out frustrating. There is a possible love interest introduced in the book and then it just never gets brought up again after that chapter. This could have been left open-ended because it is a series, I'm not sure. Maddie gets swept up simultaneously in two completely unrelated crimes and that's a lot for a ~150-page book. That and the ending was really all over the place. Phipps was trying to connect everything and tie it with a bow when it had no business being connected in the first place.

Since this was a prequel to a series that I have not read, and the prequel was released more than 3 years after the first book I have a feeling I am missing some context so please take my review with a grain of salt. I purchased this book on "Stuff Your Kindle Day" on Amazon and did not realize it was a prequel. I plan on continuing the series as the first half of the book was genuinely very good, it just lost me in the last half.

PS
For all my Christmas book lovers, I would not consider the a "Christmas book". It is set near Christmas and the holiday is brought up in the epilogue, but that is it.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madeline Flynn is chasing her dream in a Manhattan bakery, far from her small-town roots in Maple Falls. But when a body suddenly lands at her feet, Maddie finds herself caught up in a mystery that hits far too close to home. With her Maine Coon cat, Big Red, by her side and a host of suspicious characters around her, Maddie begins to uncover secrets and connections that do not quite add up. Was it an accident, or something more sinister? In true cosy mystery fashion, Maddie is not one to take no for an answer

Sugar and Sliced was SO good. I cannot wait to dive into the rest of the series. It is a cosy mystery through and through, and it definitely delivered on the cosy vibes. I absolutely adored Big Red. He was such a fun addition to the story, and his instincts as a judge of character made him feel like a little sleuth in his own right

The mystery itself was packed with twists and turns that kept me hooked all the way through. I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters, especially the subtle found family dynamic that added warmth to the story. Some scenes did have me shaking my head as characters made questionable choices, but it did not take away too much from the enjoyment overall

The recipes at the end were a delightful bonus. They sound delicious and were a lovely way to tie in Maddie’s baking passion. As a prequel, this was a great introduction to the Maple Lane Mysteries, and I am really excited to continue on with the series. Cosy, quirky, and full of charm

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sugar and Sliced

Maddie Flynn loves baking so much that she works at the New York bakery owned by her BFF Camille's family. No one understands her as much as her BFF and her ginger Maine coon cat Big Red. After being shot down by her selfish, self-absorbed boyfriend for receiving a well-deserved raise at the bakery, Maddie goes for a walk with Big Red to air out her frustration. Then a ton a bricks fall ... well, almost. Maddie's upstairs neighbor falls from the third floor of their building almost on top of her and a police officer passing by - a homicide.

Meanwhile, with confidence in her exceptional baking skills, Maddie enters a cooking competition. Her will to excel in the competition peaks when celebrity chef Lyra, her inspiration, is a substitute judge. Maddie makes friends and enemies during the contest. When the winner is announced, a petulant and rude contestant believe they are the rightful winner and kidnaps one of the production staff.

Maddie finds herself caught up with both a murder and kidnapping which include lots of twists and turns. Not having read the other books in this series, I enjoyed this prequel immensely and look forward to reading about Maddie in the current day.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I received the ebook from the author for purposes of my unbiased review.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. They was a lot going on with two mysteries to solve, although our heroine didn't really solve either and just got caught up in them. One murder happens in the first couple of pages and then seems to get forgotten as Maddie enters into a baking competition but things get tied up nicely at the end. I liked the characters and can see why they go on to star in another series, especially the loveable and clever cat Big Red. As I said the mystery wasn't really investigated by asking questions but more with a nosy cat finding clues and being in the wrong place at the wrong time but I actually enjoyed it this. It is a fun easy cozy mystery that Just unfolds as you read it.
Maddie is shocked when a neighbour falls at her feet. Literally if her cat hadn't warned her then the dead neighbour might have landed on top of her. Unsure what happened, whether it was deliberate murder or an accident after a fight, Maddie doesn't have long to ponder the problem or the lack of concern from her boyfriend before she is entering into a baking competition. When one of the contestants isn't happy with the way the results went, Maddie and her new friend finds themselves the centre of his rage. Can Maddie live long enough to catch a killer and break up with her boyfriend?

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madeline Flynn moved from her small hometown to Manhattan looking for excitement. Little did she know it would arrive via a falling body. Though Maddie didn't know the dead woman, she felt compelled to discover the cause of this terrible fate. With her cat, Big Red, and her keen perception, Maddie might solve the case before something worse happens.

What a heroine - Maddie is an amazing main character. The girl has moxie! And, not only is she intelligent, but also her grandfather trained her in the art of detection. As a sleuth, Maddie makes sense - she has the knowledge that many other amateur detectives lack. It made me smile when I realised that Maddie is still hometown friendly in the big city. Maddie oozes positivity in a non-sickly sort of way.

Sugar and Sliced kept me hooked until the very last page. This introduction to the Maple Lane Cozy Mysteries worked its magic and I can't wait to read more in the series.

[Teereth Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a cute mystery book. I needed a pallette cleanser and this gave me just that. I just wanted to read something that doesn't require me to think a lot and this have me just that.

3.5🌟. Maddie is a baker who has to deal with her boyfriend who is unsupportive and always criticises her based on her job. She was out on a walk to rethink about her relationship when a dead body(of her neighbour) falls from the 3rd floor of her apartment. By 50% of the book I guessed who was the killer but I just didn't know why?Overall it was a good book and I definitely want to continue the series.

I would recommend this book if you are looking to have something different and light that doesn't require you to think so much!

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, easy read. The baking contest is fun and there's more than one crime to investigate. Though one of Maddie's neighbors is killed right away in the story, it takes a while to find out why. The subject gets dropped a bit while Maddie competes and then another crime is committed. I love Big Red. This is the first book I've read from this series so I absolutely can't understand why Maddie keeps Dalton around, or even started up with him in the first place. Would have benefited from knowing some background on the others as well. The food described in the baking scenes sounds great, luckily there's a raspberry muffin recipe provided at the back that I want to try.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pass on this one

I was hoping this would be one of those under rated surprise finds. It was not. There is no connection to the characters, no relationship building, the story is rushed so fast that you can’t even get excited about anything. The main character is annoying, and not in a charming way, but in a crazy cat lady way that doesn’t even make sense… because none of the relationships were built up and again, there’s no anticipation because it’s rushed. When the story does start solving the “mystery” it’s so disappointing that I just wanted to hurry up and finish the book. So happy I got this for free and didn’t pay for it.