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Muffins & Murder

(A Sweet Bites Mystery #3)

Heather Justesen (Goodreads Author)

4.17 · Rating details · 213 ratings · 26 reviews

Halloween carnivals are supposed to be all fun and games, but when one of the school teachers is found strangled by a quilted table runner at the end of the night, Tess, bakery owner and amateur sleuth, is on the case.

Between stalkers, small business rivals and neighbors whose hobbies clash with the victim’s, there is no shortage of suspects. Tess’s social life finally st ...more

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ebook, 1, 220 pages

Published July 6th 2013 by Jelly Bean Press

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· 213 ratings · 26 reviews

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Sep 01, 2019 QNPoohBear rated it liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery, clean-romance, kisses-only

3.5 stars

Fall is in the air and the children are excited for Halloween. Tess Crawford, baker and adoring "aunt" to her best friend Honey's kids, volunteered to help out at the kids' school carnival. Tess enjoys seeing the excited children devour her cupcakes and run around in costume. Even the adults get in on the costume fun. The one thing Tess never expected from the school carnival was to discover another dead body of Francine Clark, a beloved teacher. The whole community is upset by Francine 3.5 stars

Fall is in the air and the children are excited for Halloween. Tess Crawford, baker and adoring "aunt" to her best friend Honey's kids, volunteered to help out at the kids' school carnival. Tess enjoys seeing the excited children devour her cupcakes and run around in costume. Even the adults get in on the costume fun. The one thing Tess never expected from the school carnival was to discover another dead body of Francine Clark, a beloved teacher. The whole community is upset by Francine's death and doubts Detective Tingey's ability to solve the crime. Honey's son begs his Auntie Tess to investigate and who is she to resist the pleas of a small boy? Tess soon learns than Francine was not universally loved. She was involved in a quilt block pattern feud with Mary Ellen, another member of the quilting guild. Detective Tingey zeroes in on Mary Ellen as the killer but Tess's instincts say Mary Ellen is too nice to kill even if she did have a falling out with Francine. Tess has her hands full with this investigation which seems to lead nowhere and she has to help her assistant Lenny deal with pre-wedding preparations and pre-wedding jitters all while trying to revive her own love life!

I really like the world the stories are set in. The cozy charm of the bakery and the town is done quite well. I skipped the second book in the series and felt a little lost as to who some of the characters were and how Tess grew her business so quickly. I really can't stand children and would prefer Tess not to be so gung-ho about them but everything else I like. I love the baking portions of the novels and the recipes sound delicious! Coming in second for my favorite part is the slow burn relationship between Tess and Jack. I was not thrilled the love triangle was reintroduced late in the novel.

Mystery wise, the story fell a little short for me. I figured out who the killer was really early. It was kind of obvious and I would have expected Tess to figure it out sooner. She makes a stupid business blunder that anyone could have made but the scenario sent my senses tingling that something was going to happen. At least she did think to call the detective when she realized who it was.

The characters are pretty standard for this type of novel. Tess doesn't have a lot of personality. I like her but she isn't memorable. Jack is a sweetheart. I like that he's shy and takes his time getting to know Tess. He's a great dad although he spoils his daughter with treats as an excuse to see Tess. Sadie is kind of bratty. Honey is a fun sidekick. She's devoted to her family but is also devoted to Tess. She knows how to balance her life so she can have a little fun. I don't approve of her way of getting information about the victim. Lenny has some past issues he's dealing with. He is rough around the edges and difficult to get to know. He seems to love Tess like a sister. They tease each other a lot. We're told he's devoted to his fiance, Kat, but we don't see them together often enough. She is hardly in the story. Kat seems nice but I don't know her at all. As much as I love Jack, I do not love Shawn. Something about his personality turns me off. His arrogant, abrasive and determined. He comes on too strong and competitive for me.

Mary Ellen is the chief suspect for murderer. The weapon points right to her but Tess thinks Mary Ellen is not a killer because she's nice and likes children. I don't find her all that warm. She's proud and a bit stiff but I find her sympathetic. Like Tess, I don't think she is the killer, mainly because the killer could not have been stupid enough to leave a clue pointing back to herself like that. Brenda Joseph is Francine's nosy neighbor. She is a crazy cat lady and a terrible gossip. I really can't stand nosy gossips. Tess seems to like the woman but I find her crazy. I wouldn't put it past her to kill Francine in revenge for supposedly killing Brenda's "babies."

New characters are introduced that help further the mystery. Cole, a former high school football star, is a sad sack. He revels in retelling the story of his glory days and relishes being a hometown hero but still dreams of the big time. It's obvious he won't ever make it to the pros after 10 years stuck in his hometown. He's rather a tragic character because he lives a fantasy life in his own head. I find him creepy. Connie Larabee is also creepy, in a different way. She's a pushy stage mother who thinks her daughter is the best at EVERYTHING and ignores her daughter's happiness and well-being focusing instead on her daughter's fantastic future as a dancer/musician. She's rude to other mothers/aunts and insults their kids. I'm surprised she wasn't murdered! Tess thinks Connie might be so obsessed with the school pageant she may have murdered Francine over it. Ben, the mailman, seems to like Tess and can't take a hint. I find him a bit creepy but everyone else seems not to find his perky cheerfulness and friendly manner. Francine's unknown stalker is the most creepy man of them all. Why on earth the police couldn't figure it out I don't know.

Kat's family is awful! The men are chauvinistic pigs who claim to love their sister/daughter but don't love her enough to accept the man she's chosen to spend the rest of her life with. The women in the family are too meek for me. Melissa, Kat's mother, seems to rule the family silently with a velvet glove but I would rather see her call out the men for their disgusting comments and rude behavior.

I plan to read the next book in the series and hope Tess chooses Jack. I also plan to copy down some of the recipes! ...more

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Sep 18, 2013 Rachelle rated it really liked it

Great read for the mystery lover. Fun setting, great characters. A cozy mystery with a fine romance angle too!

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Oct 18, 2019 Pam rated it really liked it

I’m really loving this series by Heather Justesen. The plots move quickly & have enough twists & turns to keep you interested. There is enough romance with Tess being torn between Jack & Shawn to make things more light hearted. The relationship between Honey, Lenny, Kat & Tess make it clear they’ve become a family at heart. I really enjoyed the interactions with Kat’s family & the way Tess stood up for Lenny when they put him down. I really can’t wait for the next story to see what happens next!

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Oct 12, 2018 Jzcotter03 rated it really liked it

When Tess finds yet another dead body she can't help but play junior sleuth and try to catch the killer. Of course tracking a killer can be dangerous and she does encounter a couple of close encounters. This third book in the Sweet Bites Mystery series is full of action and romance. There's an interesting love triangle that develops in this book so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a quick read with suspense and yummy recipes. ...more

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Mar 24, 2021 Kristin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, kindle-unlimited, 2021-fiction

This series is one I always enjoy. For the most part, the stakes feel low (except when Tess finds herself confronting a murderer unexpectedly). It’s all about the pushing the solution out, except when it’s about Tess’ bakery or her employee or her live life.

This isn’t the series to come to for really working your brain out: it’sa relaxing small town cozy centered around a baker. A fun read when you want a story to occupy your attention

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May 26, 2020 Marlene Taylor rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Am loving this series of books 📚Never read any by this author before but am now hooked. Now on book 4. Can't wait to see which Man Tess will choose. Am hoping the series will be long as I love the stories. Have got pictures in my head of what the characters look like and feel as though they are friends. ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 Maureen Hetzel rated it really liked it

Third in a series involving a bakery chef in Arizona. Recipes included but wish they would all be in an appendix as it is disconcerting to turn the page for the next plot point and discover three pages of recipes. And the " de ions" about which of her two suitors she will select has gotten old. Make a decision!! ...more

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Dec 01, 2018 Kathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery, suspense, romance

I love this series. It is the perfect blend of romance and suspense. The writing is well done. The plot moves quickly and steadily. I love the characters. I love the romance developing between Tess and both Jack and Shawn. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see who she chooses. ...more

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Jan 01, 2019 Heath rated it liked it

These are getting sillier. I guessed the murderer fairly early, and Tess is just starting to seem like a dope for not backing off investigating. Also, the romance subplot is so tame and wholesome and goofy.

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May 27, 2018 LaDawn Maerin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I found myself laughing out loud.

Between murder and mayhem Tess tries to discover a murderer and straighten out her love life. Things just get started with Jack on a possible serious note when guess who shows back up. Would not want to be in her shoes.

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Feb 24, 2020 Patricia Maierson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another fun and interesting adventure. Unfortunately I read this out of order to the other books, but it all worked out and cleared up some questions I had after reading the 4th book.

Character development just keeps getting better and more well rounded. Just an enjoyable book all round.

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Oct 04, 2017 Donna Campbell rated it it was amazing

This was a great story and one that makes me want to read the next in the series. I really loved Jack and would like to see the outcome. This was a fun murder mystery with some clean romance. I love all of the recipes.

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Jan 04, 2020 Melissa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Light-hearted fun, but predictable

These books are light-hearted, fun and easy reads. So far I’ve enjoyed them. This one however, was just to easy. I had the killer pegged when they made their first appearance.

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Mar 24, 2019 Cynthia Haskins rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another good one

This series is consistently good. I like the character development and it's not too predictable. I do think I'm gaining weight though because I crave all the delicious treats Tess makes! ...more

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Apr 21, 2018 Paula rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Love this series!

Interesting characters, intriguing plots and good old-fashioned romance make this a "don't miss" series!! Please keep them coming. Can't wait to read the next book. ...more

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Nov 22, 2019 Angela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Cute!

Another excellent installment in the Sweet Bites series! I love the mystery and the laughs. The love triangle is is an interesting plot twist the I enjoy!

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Jun 30, 2020 Diana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have really enjoyed this author’s mysteries!

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Oct 25, 2017 Leslie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another good one

I am truly enjoying this series. Just ordered book four so that I can read what happens next. You will like the series .

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Jan 01, 2019 jeanann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Juustesen does it again!

What a delightful cozy mystery. Tess gets into trouble just by standing next to it. Nice love triangle. I can't wait to see how it works out. ...more

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May 05, 2020 Sara Brannen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ok

Love the the recipes.

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Jul 19, 2019 Suzzie rated it it was amazing

What a fun mystery! Love the cast of characters.

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Oct 23, 2018 Pat rated it it was amazing

This intriguing book was a real page turner from the very first page! The great character and storyline development kept me totally hooked until I finished reading this book in one evening!

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Jul 07, 2017 Paula Kellogg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I love these books! They are so sweet and fun. I love the development between Shawn and Jack with Tess, though I won't give anything away. ...more

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Jun 13, 2014 April rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014, 2014-audio-book-challenge, amazon-review-posted, audiobook, blogged, mystery-detective-suspense, review-copy, reviewed

I am pretty sure Tess suffers from "Jessica Fletcher Syndrome", cause she can't go anywhere without finding a dead body. Seriously, every event she attends!

This is a very entertaining and engaging series, despite reality issues. If you can suspend disbelief you will really enjoy the whole thing! I love Tess and her quirky gang of curious troublemakers. The family feel of this whole series.

The love triangle is going to annoy me, I hate when they have to choose between two great guys!! I read too ...more

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Jul 02, 2014 Teressa rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook-reviews

"Yum. Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes."
I wasn't very impressed with this Muffins and Murder book. It wasn't at all what I expected. I was hoping for more of a fun listen with a character I could better identify with. I'm glad I had the opportunity to check it out though. I've read similar books to this one in the past. The physical book. But I think with the audio version of this book the recipes should have been an optional listen at the end of the story as an author's note. I would have liked m ...more

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Sep 25, 2013 Glenda rated it really liked it

Book 3 in the sweet bites mystery series. These are best read in order. I like them all and await the next book in the series Eggnog & Extortion coming this fall. I checked amazon and it's not available for pre-order. ...more

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