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Cupcake Bakery Mystery #6
Sugar and Iced
Sugar and spice and murderous vice.
That’s what pageants are made of…
Normally Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura wouldn’t be caught dead at a beauty pageant, but when Mel’s mom asks them to provide cupcakes for the seventy-fifth annual Sweet Tiara contest as a favor for her best friend, they can’t say no. Plus, between cooking up a daily display for the three-day event and sponsoring a cupcake creation challenge for the participants, Fairy Tale Cupcakes will get great publicity.
But the world of pageants is even hotter than Mel’s kitchen. A high-strung judge and a pushy stage mom target Lupe, a young friend of Mel and Angie’s, at the competition and aim to take her out—by any means necessary. When the same judge shows up dead underneath Mel and Angie’s cupcake display, Lupe is crowned the lead suspect. Now Mel and Angie will have to find the real killer quickly or Lupe may be strutting the catwalk in prison pinstripes…
That’s what pageants are made of…
Normally Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura wouldn’t be caught dead at a beauty pageant, but when Mel’s mom asks them to provide cupcakes for the seventy-fifth annual Sweet Tiara contest as a favor for her best friend, they can’t say no. Plus, between cooking up a daily display for the three-day event and sponsoring a cupcake creation challenge for the participants, Fairy Tale Cupcakes will get great publicity.
But the world of pageants is even hotter than Mel’s kitchen. A high-strung judge and a pushy stage mom target Lupe, a young friend of Mel and Angie’s, at the competition and aim to take her out—by any means necessary. When the same judge shows up dead underneath Mel and Angie’s cupcake display, Lupe is crowned the lead suspect. Now Mel and Angie will have to find the real killer quickly or Lupe may be strutting the catwalk in prison pinstripes…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
224 people are currently reading
2365 people want to read
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
68 books5,158 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
April 1, 2025
Beauty pageants are the central theme of the 6th book in Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery Mysteries, Sugar and Iced. That and Mel's romantic escapades involving 3 different love interest who collectively now refer to themselves as Number 1, 2 and 3. Wow, a bit funny but she needs to make a decision or stop being so fickle. I'm all for dating a few people to figure it out but there's a lot of drama here. And the pageant is great fun, especially to see Lupe and Oz taking bigger roles in the story again. McKinlay made me laugh, and I'm well on my way toward the middle of the series now.
June 26, 2017
I love this series and this book was no exception! Mel and Angie are doing cupcakes for a beauty pageant and murder and mayhem ensue. The mystery was good and I love the characters. You get everything with this book - I laughed, I cried (ok so I didn't really cry until this morning thinking about it), I was cheering for the characters and yelling at them. So good!
September 3, 2021
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February 11, 2018
Mel and Angie agree to bake cupcakes for a beauty pageant in which Mel's mom is involved. Angie discovers a pageant judge's corpse when she bends down to pick up a fallen cupcake. Most persons, including Mel and Angie's helper Oz's girlfriend Lupe, found reasons to dislike the woman, providing a variety of motives. Lupe becomes chief suspect because of words spoken and heard by others. Mel, of course, can't resist a chance to assist her police detective uncle and want-to-be boyfriend Manny with the investigation.
I'm rather tired of the love triangle that became a quadrangle in this series. When will publishers learn cozy mystery readers care more about the crime than love life. If they wanted to read romance, they'd purchase Harlequins and Silhouettes instead. The setting did nothing for me, and the cupcake design contest really was stretching it as a reason to put Mel and Angie in the center of things. I wish I'd skipped this installment. The ending sets this one up for more of the lame romance story with Mel but perhaps sets it up for a conclusion for Angie.
I'm rather tired of the love triangle that became a quadrangle in this series. When will publishers learn cozy mystery readers care more about the crime than love life. If they wanted to read romance, they'd purchase Harlequins and Silhouettes instead. The setting did nothing for me, and the cupcake design contest really was stretching it as a reason to put Mel and Angie in the center of things. I wish I'd skipped this installment. The ending sets this one up for more of the lame romance story with Mel but perhaps sets it up for a conclusion for Angie.
February 8, 2020
⭐⭐⭐
An OK read, the mystery itself was just alright it seemed that Mel had a lot more to do in the book then investigate the murder. The ultimate solution
The love quadrangle was especially annoying, only worsened by the ending.
Cozies Reading Challenge
An OK read, the mystery itself was just alright it seemed that Mel had a lot more to do in the book then investigate the murder. The ultimate solution
The love quadrangle was especially annoying, only worsened by the ending.
Cozies Reading Challenge
January 13, 2019
This series is so easy and fun to read that I've been reading them in a day (on the weekends) and sometimes two. The characters, both main and secondary, are well written and I just connect with their friendships as well as the shenanigans. This series is very character driven and focused so often the mysteries tend to take a backseat to the personal lives of the characters. I tend to like a more balanced book, but these characters have just stolen my heart and frankly I just want to find out what is going to happen. I think the author does a good job of winding up one story but leaving the reader with a cliffhanger so that they will come back for the next book. Lucky for me my library had them all for me to check out so I don't have to wait to see what happens (yet), I can just pick up the next book.
January 16, 2016
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are back in this sixth cupcake mystery and their cupcakes are donning tiaras! As a favor to her mom Mel agrees to provide cupcakes for the seventy-fifth annual Sweet Tiara Beauty Pageant. It is great publicity for Fairy Tale Cupcakes and when their young friend Lupe decides to enter the pageant Mel’s mother is smiling ear to ear. She takes Lupe under her wing to help her prepare for the competition.
Not everyone is thrilled with this new face on the pageant circuit. One high strung judge scores her very low on the first day. When that judge ends up dead, fingers are quickly pointed at Lupe as the prime suspect. The whole Fairy Tale Cupcake crew comes together to prove her innocence so she can continue in the competition and not end up behind bars before she gets to strut her stuff.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Jenn McKinlay has whipped up another great story with SPRINKLES on top!!!!
I love this series and I love these characters!!
Mel and Angie are best friends, as close as sisters and may actually be related in the not too distant future, unless something goes terribly wrong. She now has three man in her “man club” Joe is #1, Manny is #2 and Steve is #3 and each man knows and understands their rating but that doesn’t stop them from trying to win her over to their side. They all also try to keep her out of trouble. Tate is also part of team that makes up Fairy Tale Cupcakes and he is very interested in another part of the team, he just needs to get out of his funk and do something about it.
Oz and Marty round out the crew and are a different as night and day but they part of the reason this series is so great. They really add the humor!!! We get to know Lupe, Oz’s skateboarding friend, and Oz finally sees her as a girl instead of just his buddy. I absolutely loved it!!!!
I was in a pageant eons ago, first runner-up, thank you very much, and the girls and their mothers could be a bit catty but killing a judge, oh my!! What a splendid idea for a mystery! There are plenty of suspects with means, motive and opportunity.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it left us hanging about a very important person and I have to wait until the next book comes out to find out more. Next year? That is just too long!! :)
Not everyone is thrilled with this new face on the pageant circuit. One high strung judge scores her very low on the first day. When that judge ends up dead, fingers are quickly pointed at Lupe as the prime suspect. The whole Fairy Tale Cupcake crew comes together to prove her innocence so she can continue in the competition and not end up behind bars before she gets to strut her stuff.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Jenn McKinlay has whipped up another great story with SPRINKLES on top!!!!
I love this series and I love these characters!!
Mel and Angie are best friends, as close as sisters and may actually be related in the not too distant future, unless something goes terribly wrong. She now has three man in her “man club” Joe is #1, Manny is #2 and Steve is #3 and each man knows and understands their rating but that doesn’t stop them from trying to win her over to their side. They all also try to keep her out of trouble. Tate is also part of team that makes up Fairy Tale Cupcakes and he is very interested in another part of the team, he just needs to get out of his funk and do something about it.
Oz and Marty round out the crew and are a different as night and day but they part of the reason this series is so great. They really add the humor!!! We get to know Lupe, Oz’s skateboarding friend, and Oz finally sees her as a girl instead of just his buddy. I absolutely loved it!!!!
I was in a pageant eons ago, first runner-up, thank you very much, and the girls and their mothers could be a bit catty but killing a judge, oh my!! What a splendid idea for a mystery! There are plenty of suspects with means, motive and opportunity.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it left us hanging about a very important person and I have to wait until the next book comes out to find out more. Next year? That is just too long!! :)
December 22, 2015
Much to Mel’s dismay, Fairytale Cupcakes has gotten roped into providing cupcakes for the Sweet Tiara pageant. But when their friend Lupe is accused of murdering the head judge after a very public fight with the woman on the first day, Mel and Angie must figure out whose outward beauty is hiding a very ugly heart.
I hadn’t planned to pick up this book so fast, but after the cliffhanger that ended the previous book, I had to know what was going to happen next. We get those updates early on in the book, and I found the romantic relationships to continue to delight, even providing some great laughs. The characters are as strong as ever, and I like seeing how they are growing and their relationships are changing. I do feel that the mystery was overshadowed by the characters and the pageant, but I still loved every page of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I hadn’t planned to pick up this book so fast, but after the cliffhanger that ended the previous book, I had to know what was going to happen next. We get those updates early on in the book, and I found the romantic relationships to continue to delight, even providing some great laughs. The characters are as strong as ever, and I like seeing how they are growing and their relationships are changing. I do feel that the mystery was overshadowed by the characters and the pageant, but I still loved every page of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
June 3, 2023
I love this series but there was too much drama in the book. So much stupid romance stuff that didn’t need to be there. It’s a cozy mystery not a romance!! But I still love the characters which saved the rating and will keep me reading the series!!
April 20, 2018
IDK....I'm really rooting for Manny but I am getting tired of this whole love triangle as it seems to be dominating the story instead of the actual mystery. I'm hoping it takes a back seat to the next in the series.
April 18, 2019
Cliff hangers and love triangles SUCK. That is all.
Oh. That actually isn't all.
Pettiness between a Mom and a Daughter over a G U Y is stupid, lazy writing and unworthy of the characters.
NOW, that is all.
Oh. That actually isn't all.
Pettiness between a Mom and a Daughter over a G U Y is stupid, lazy writing and unworthy of the characters.
NOW, that is all.
August 2, 2020
This is the third book of Jenn McKinlay's I have read and I have to say her writing is beginning to grow on me. At first I wasn't too thrilled with her writing style. It just didn't seem to be my cup of tea. But with each book I read I find myself enjoying the clever/witty banter between Angie and Mel especially. I LOVE the movie references! And the chemistry between Mel and Joe is so sincere and heartfelt. They truly are each others #1s . I could do without the sexual innuendos here and there and the swearing, but it isn't so bad that it ruins the story for me. I most admire the 'through thick and thin' friendship between Mel and Angie. Now...onto #7 in the series!
April 3, 2014
Really enjoy reading Jenn McKinlay's books, there always very fun to read and the cast of characters are always a lot of fun to spend some time with.
This is the sixth book, in the Cupcake Bakery mystery series, and its a great book in the series. The story was a lot fun to read. I've never been a big fan of beauty pageants, so it was really interesting to see the characters in that environment. In each book, there is a character that stands out to me as my favorite, and in this one, it was Marty. He made me laughing out loud, during many of his scenes in the story.
I am looking forward to seeing what is going to happen to Mel and Angie in the next book.
This is the sixth book, in the Cupcake Bakery mystery series, and its a great book in the series. The story was a lot fun to read. I've never been a big fan of beauty pageants, so it was really interesting to see the characters in that environment. In each book, there is a character that stands out to me as my favorite, and in this one, it was Marty. He made me laughing out loud, during many of his scenes in the story.
I am looking forward to seeing what is going to happen to Mel and Angie in the next book.
October 18, 2021
Cupcakes & beauty pageants, interesting combination.
I'm not sure how I feel about Melanie's love life.
I really like Oz & Marty and think their romances are sweet.
I'm not sure how I feel about Melanie's love life.
I really like Oz & Marty and think their romances are sweet.
August 17, 2024
I like this series.
I listened to this book on audio.
I listened to this book on audio.
August 12, 2016
The feels near the end, concerning Mel and Joe. Just got to say, are you serious book? Really how could you? Fine, make it interesting and wanting me to read the next book why don't you.
Anyway Mel, Angie and co find themselves with their cupcakes at a beauty pageant.
Wow, almost caught up with this series. And loving every moment with these characters. In this, I think the ones that shine are Tate and especially Marty. You could tell here the character development really showed. Even Olivia was okay. It was nice that we got to see more of Mel's brother and Angie's brothers as well. Also Lupe and Oz, adorable!
The direction in the series, I wasn't sure of, especially near the end of the last book, but throughout this I was kind of surprised and liked the characters were trying to talk sense into Mel and her dilemma. I was like, thank you finally someone is saying it.
This series really is one of my new favorites right now. After an ending like that, you bet I'll read the next one.
Anyway Mel, Angie and co find themselves with their cupcakes at a beauty pageant.
Wow, almost caught up with this series. And loving every moment with these characters. In this, I think the ones that shine are Tate and especially Marty. You could tell here the character development really showed. Even Olivia was okay. It was nice that we got to see more of Mel's brother and Angie's brothers as well. Also Lupe and Oz, adorable!
The direction in the series, I wasn't sure of, especially near the end of the last book, but throughout this I was kind of surprised and liked the characters were trying to talk sense into Mel and her dilemma. I was like, thank you finally someone is saying it.
This series really is one of my new favorites right now. After an ending like that, you bet I'll read the next one.
August 5, 2018
Mel’s intern, Oz, helps his friend enter a beauty pageant, not for the glory of being called Miss Sweet Tiara, but for the college scholarship that comes with winning it. Mel and her crew are providing cupcakes for the affair, and they all are on board with doing everything they can to help Lupe win. But it’s not all sweetness and delight at the pageant. There is much back stabbing among the contestants and their mothers, and one judge takes it in the neck. Literally. Some evidence points to Lupe as a person of interest in the crime, even though no one believes she could have done it. There is more going on than just the pageant, though, and while some characters are busy falling in love, others are falling apart. And everyone is baking cupcakes, because the show, that is, the pageant must go on. This is a delightful cozy with some real substance and works as a standalone, but to get the most from series, you should really read it from the beginning to understand the backstories of the characters.
March 31, 2016
Another great read in my favourite cozy mystery series!
Mel and Angie are back in trouble when a beauty pageant judge is found dead under their cupcake table. The lead suspect is Oz's friend who entered into the pageant and who was caught threatening the judge before she died.
I enjoyed how Mel and Angie were focused on solving the murder instead of their love lives. I love the friendship between them and Tate.
I didn't love how the novel ended with a huge cliffhanger, but thankfully I have the next novel ready!
Mel and Angie are back in trouble when a beauty pageant judge is found dead under their cupcake table. The lead suspect is Oz's friend who entered into the pageant and who was caught threatening the judge before she died.
I enjoyed how Mel and Angie were focused on solving the murder instead of their love lives. I love the friendship between them and Tate.
I didn't love how the novel ended with a huge cliffhanger, but thankfully I have the next novel ready!
October 29, 2015
More like 4.25.
But I'm honestly getting a little annoyed at Mel at times. But I enjoyed how the guys played along with it, calling themselves by numbers now.
Great ending. I'll definitely need to read the next one.
But I'm honestly getting a little annoyed at Mel at times. But I enjoyed how the guys played along with it, calling themselves by numbers now.
Great ending. I'll definitely need to read the next one.
July 2, 2017
In Sugar and Iced, the employees of the Fairy Tale Cupcake Shop find themselves working at the 75th Miss Sweet Tiara beauty pageant. While Angie is thrilled at the prospect, Mel thinks beauty pageants are ridiculous and doesn't want to participate. But visiting the location of the pageant, Mel gets caught up in the excitement and agrees to supply cupcakes every day and also bake the recipes that each contestant has created uniquely, with one including Velveeta cheese mixed with spaghetti-Os and another using Red Bull instead of milk in the batter. Part of their incentive for helping with the pageant is that Oz’s female friend, Lupe, has decided to participate because the prize is a full scholarship to college. She has been accepted to Stanford and wants to go to medical school but doesn't have the money, so this pageant is a big determiner of Lupe’s future.
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
September 9, 2016
I really enjoy this series and have been looking forward to this installment as the last one left you hanging on the relationship between Mel and Joe. I find the books delightful and especially enjoy the cupcake recipes. This latest installment has Mel and Angie baking for a beauty pageant(scholarship contest). The evil judge gets hers and deservedly so. There is also an underlying mystery that doesn't play out until the last chapter that is a grabber! I also didn't figure out the killer though looking back it should have been obvious. I like the charachters more than the mystery part of this and the banter between Angie, Tate and Mel is wonderful; especially their movie quotes. I anxiously await the next installment.
July 12, 2014
Glad to see some things finally heading in the right direction, although I really didn't like the ending cliffhanger.
Mel finally gets it together after much intervention from friends and family (and really, it was ridiculous that she needed that much).
The mystery seemed incidental to all the personal relationship issues going on and the villain was pretty pitful .
Mel finally gets it together after much intervention from friends and family (and really, it was ridiculous that she needed that much).
The mystery seemed incidental to all the personal relationship issues going on and the villain was pretty pitful .
May 11, 2014
2.5
better than the last book THANK GOD, and the recipes in this look AMAZING
BUT:
better than the last book THANK GOD, and the recipes in this look AMAZING
BUT:
April 5, 2014
I thought "Sugar and Iced" by Jenn McKinlay was already a good story, but the fact that she added an Oasis song to the story line just made this a great book (I'm completely obsessed with Oasis)!!! She is now officially one of my favorite authors!! Seriously, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I just want Mel and Joe to work everything out and be happy!
April 3, 2017
The mystery was solid and I liked the progress Mel made with her love life.
April 26, 2017
What do cupcakes, beauty pageants and murder have in common? Read this book and find out.
September 8, 2018
Jenn McKinlay has never failed to hold my interest from the first page to the last. Her story lines are an enjoyable and a fast read. Can't wait for the next one
January 3, 2024
I cannot get enough of this series! I am so glad that I found it when I did because it means I can keep reading and reading! I have taken all the characters to heart. Love them!
July 21, 2023
This one is a bit "out there" ... hopefully people in a beauty pageant would be a bit better behaved ... and I am getting tired of the on and off romance ... but I am still enjoying the series and can't wait to start the next book.
January 3, 2019
The sweetness of cupcakes and spiciness of a mystery makes this series a perfect recipe in cozy mystery. Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura along with Tate, Joe and other, especially Captain Jack Sparrow, the cat makes the stories believable along with being fun and interesting. Somewhere down the series, the story makes you start living their lives with them. Every dip in anyone mood makes the reader feels terribly sad and any happy moment makes it a teary moment while reading.
In this part of the Cupcake Bakery Mystery, the group handles the murder of a beauty pagent judge at a beauty pagent where they are participating for making cupcakes as a part of one of the tests for the pagent finalists.
There is never a dull moment in this series. I would recommend it to all. A must read series, waiting to welcome you into their fun family.
In this part of the Cupcake Bakery Mystery, the group handles the murder of a beauty pagent judge at a beauty pagent where they are participating for making cupcakes as a part of one of the tests for the pagent finalists.
There is never a dull moment in this series. I would recommend it to all. A must read series, waiting to welcome you into their fun family.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews