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A Recipe For Disaster Cozy Mystery #3
Murder At The Bake Off
A romantic comedy baking celebrity mystery...
Lizzie Carter would love nothing more than to enter and win the Grand Bake-Off competition at this year’s Delamere Baking Festival, setting her on the way towards fulfilling her secret and special quest, but there’s just one problem—she’s a mediocre baker at best.
If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, this year’s celebrity judge, Cherry Bakewell, is found dead with a poisoned cupcake in her hand before the festival even kicks off. Even worse, Lizzie’s fiancé Jack, a private investigator and appointed security consultant for the festival, was the one who found Cherry dead, and the police are treating him as a suspect.
As if her life wasn’t crazy enough before, juggling two jobs and organising her wedding, now Lizzie, determined to clear Jack’s name, has to add tracking down a murderer to her To-Do list, as well.
Will the police haul Jack in for further questioning, leaving Lizzie to tackle the case all on her own? Can she hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Should Lizzie just ditch her ridiculous baking dreams right now before her dreadful cakes become the laughing stock of the festival?
Grab your copy of Murder At The Bake Off to find out…
From the reviews for the Celebrity Mystery series:
"Murder on the Menu is a light and easy read with a little bit of romance and a lot of sleuthing! I love a good cozy mystery now and again and this book certainly quenched my need for it. Zanna Mackenzie clearly has a knack for writing this type of book because she left me intrigued in the beginning and needing more in the end! I truly loved this book and I cannot wait to see where the characters take us in the next book. This series is going to the top of my Cozy Mysteries MUST READ list!"
"A fast and easy read, the story line moved along quickly and had me changing my thought on who done it several times. I look forward to reading more about these two sleuths."
"This is the second of Zanna's books I've read and I really did enjoy it. Jack & Lizzie's relationship seemed real and it was fun to follow them in their sleuthing to find the real murderer before Lizzie ended up in jail. Of course there's a happy ending, just not the one that you're expecting and I think you'll like this one as much as I did."
"I love the Lizzie and Jack series! I enjoyed Murder on the Menu, and this one was just plain fun. I had no idea "whodunit" until it was revealed. I can't wait for the next adventure in this series!"
"This is a really cute book. I absolutely loved it."
Lizzie Carter would love nothing more than to enter and win the Grand Bake-Off competition at this year’s Delamere Baking Festival, setting her on the way towards fulfilling her secret and special quest, but there’s just one problem—she’s a mediocre baker at best.
If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, this year’s celebrity judge, Cherry Bakewell, is found dead with a poisoned cupcake in her hand before the festival even kicks off. Even worse, Lizzie’s fiancé Jack, a private investigator and appointed security consultant for the festival, was the one who found Cherry dead, and the police are treating him as a suspect.
As if her life wasn’t crazy enough before, juggling two jobs and organising her wedding, now Lizzie, determined to clear Jack’s name, has to add tracking down a murderer to her To-Do list, as well.
Will the police haul Jack in for further questioning, leaving Lizzie to tackle the case all on her own? Can she hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Should Lizzie just ditch her ridiculous baking dreams right now before her dreadful cakes become the laughing stock of the festival?
Grab your copy of Murder At The Bake Off to find out…
From the reviews for the Celebrity Mystery series:
"Murder on the Menu is a light and easy read with a little bit of romance and a lot of sleuthing! I love a good cozy mystery now and again and this book certainly quenched my need for it. Zanna Mackenzie clearly has a knack for writing this type of book because she left me intrigued in the beginning and needing more in the end! I truly loved this book and I cannot wait to see where the characters take us in the next book. This series is going to the top of my Cozy Mysteries MUST READ list!"
"A fast and easy read, the story line moved along quickly and had me changing my thought on who done it several times. I look forward to reading more about these two sleuths."
"This is the second of Zanna's books I've read and I really did enjoy it. Jack & Lizzie's relationship seemed real and it was fun to follow them in their sleuthing to find the real murderer before Lizzie ended up in jail. Of course there's a happy ending, just not the one that you're expecting and I think you'll like this one as much as I did."
"I love the Lizzie and Jack series! I enjoyed Murder on the Menu, and this one was just plain fun. I had no idea "whodunit" until it was revealed. I can't wait for the next adventure in this series!"
"This is a really cute book. I absolutely loved it."
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 28, 2016
221 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Zanna Mackenzie
40 books153 followersZanna Mackenzie lives in the UK with her husband, 3 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 18, 2018
Murder at the Bake Off - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Cherry Bakewell's the Mary Berry equivalent, in Zanna Mackenzie's third book of the Celebrity Mystery Series, which tells of amateur chef and sleuth Lizzie Carter and PI and, in this case,security consultant, Jack Mathis and their hunt for the perpetrator who's assassinated Cherry with a poisoned cup-cake that is found (before the competition begins), still in her corpse's hand by none other than our hero, Jack.
He, for some bizarre reason becomes the police's no.1 suspect, despite there being no witnesses nor evidence to suggest, let alone prove any motive for such a thing. In fact it's more likely to be (but it's not, of course), Lizzie who's guilty, with her awful baking results making her the least likely to win the Celebrity Bake Off at the Delamare Baking Festival where (the foul deed occurs and), she's is one of the contestants.
Needless to say it all ends well, though with an unexpected killer and HEA for our lovers. Well done (apart from more careful editing being much-needed), Ms Mackenzie, this is a great novel for cozy mystery and romance stories fans, who should rush out and buy the whole series...you'll love them!
Cherry Bakewell's the Mary Berry equivalent, in Zanna Mackenzie's third book of the Celebrity Mystery Series, which tells of amateur chef and sleuth Lizzie Carter and PI and, in this case,security consultant, Jack Mathis and their hunt for the perpetrator who's assassinated Cherry with a poisoned cup-cake that is found (before the competition begins), still in her corpse's hand by none other than our hero, Jack.
He, for some bizarre reason becomes the police's no.1 suspect, despite there being no witnesses nor evidence to suggest, let alone prove any motive for such a thing. In fact it's more likely to be (but it's not, of course), Lizzie who's guilty, with her awful baking results making her the least likely to win the Celebrity Bake Off at the Delamare Baking Festival where (the foul deed occurs and), she's is one of the contestants.
Needless to say it all ends well, though with an unexpected killer and HEA for our lovers. Well done (apart from more careful editing being much-needed), Ms Mackenzie, this is a great novel for cozy mystery and romance stories fans, who should rush out and buy the whole series...you'll love them!
June 16, 2019
Murder at the Bake Off is the third book in the fun Recipe for Disaster cozy mystery series. The Delamere Food Festival's Bake Off is coming up and Lizzie Carter wants to enter a cake. She is hoping to get good enough at baking so she can bake the cake for her upcoming wedding to Jake Mathis. Jake meanwhile, is the unofficial body guard for Cherry Bakewell, the "Queen of Baking". When Jack and Lizzie go to see Cherry at at the Roseby, they find her in her room with a half eaten cupcake on the floor next to her hand. She has been poisoned to death! Since Jack was the person who found her, he becomes a primary suspect. Jack and Lizzie get to work trying to solve the case before the Bake Off. They even travel to London and Lizzie takes a workshop at Cherry's daughter Maggie's bakery--Bakewells, The Celebrity Bakery. The stories in this cozy series are consistently good. Jack and Lizzie are likable characters and there are always lots of possible suspects to weed through!
October 23, 2018
4 Stars
I purchased a copy of the novel Murder At The Bake Off: A Humorous Romantic Cozy Mystery (A Recipe For Disaster Mystery Book 3) by Zanna Mackenzie and this review was given freely.
Lizzie needs to clear Jack of murdering one of his clients while she is planning their wedding and frantically but unsuccessfully learning to bake. This ironic murder mystery floes easily, is action packed, complexed and has multiple twists and turns.
I purchased a copy of the novel Murder At The Bake Off: A Humorous Romantic Cozy Mystery (A Recipe For Disaster Mystery Book 3) by Zanna Mackenzie and this review was given freely.
Lizzie needs to clear Jack of murdering one of his clients while she is planning their wedding and frantically but unsuccessfully learning to bake. This ironic murder mystery floes easily, is action packed, complexed and has multiple twists and turns.
March 8, 2021
Great cozy mystery
A wedding to plan, learning to bake, an ex-boyfriend journalist to avoid, a PI fiance to help, and a farm to care for. How will Lizzie accomplish all of this?? To add to the stress and chaos, the popular Queen of Baking is poisoned just before the big bake off contest. Puzzle and Jack are scheduled to have tea with her and instead walk into before room to find her dead. A great story! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
A wedding to plan, learning to bake, an ex-boyfriend journalist to avoid, a PI fiance to help, and a farm to care for. How will Lizzie accomplish all of this?? To add to the stress and chaos, the popular Queen of Baking is poisoned just before the big bake off contest. Puzzle and Jack are scheduled to have tea with her and instead walk into before room to find her dead. A great story! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
September 2, 2018
This is the third in the series. The main characters are Lizzie and her fiancee Jack. Jack is hired as security for a bake off and when the judge of the competition is murdered. They are thrown into a mad dash for clues to solve this murder before the judging begins. Loved this one and can't wait to read more.
March 14, 2019
Before You Bake
Lizzie is doing better on the farm and Jack has done well getting his company up and running,then tragedy happens Jack is accused of murder. Time is running out they figure out who did it before Jack is put in to the clanker lets hope so. Pick up a copy and start enjoying Murder At the Bake Off.
Lizzie is doing better on the farm and Jack has done well getting his company up and running,then tragedy happens Jack is accused of murder. Time is running out they figure out who did it before Jack is put in to the clanker lets hope so. Pick up a copy and start enjoying Murder At the Bake Off.
April 6, 2021
Murder At The Bake Off
jack and Lizzie discover the dead body of Cherry Bakewell, the famous baker, that was to be the judge of a bake off competition. Jack was assigned to be in charge of security for the competition and is now trying to find the murderer of Cherry before someone else is killed , or he is charged with her murder. Another great read by Zanna Mackenzie.
jack and Lizzie discover the dead body of Cherry Bakewell, the famous baker, that was to be the judge of a bake off competition. Jack was assigned to be in charge of security for the competition and is now trying to find the murderer of Cherry before someone else is killed , or he is charged with her murder. Another great read by Zanna Mackenzie.
September 17, 2018
Murder at the Bake Off
A delightful romantic murder mystery with some very humorous situations. Zanna MacKenzie has a delightful way with words that puts you in the middle of the actions and has you trying to figure out the motive--revenge, jealousy, love, money. A great read.
A delightful romantic murder mystery with some very humorous situations. Zanna MacKenzie has a delightful way with words that puts you in the middle of the actions and has you trying to figure out the motive--revenge, jealousy, love, money. A great read.
September 24, 2018
A delicious addition
In this latest mystery, we really see Lizzie grow as a character. She comes to terms with her past while facing her future in the midst of the current murder. All in all a fantastic read!
In this latest mystery, we really see Lizzie grow as a character. She comes to terms with her past while facing her future in the midst of the current murder. All in all a fantastic read!
September 25, 2018
Good Read.
This is a mystery full of twists and fun. Lizzie and Jack are an amazing couple who truly enjoy being together and investigating. Lizzie wants to follow in her aunt's footsteps as a baker but first she needs to learn to bake.
This is a mystery full of twists and fun. Lizzie and Jack are an amazing couple who truly enjoy being together and investigating. Lizzie wants to follow in her aunt's footsteps as a baker but first she needs to learn to bake.
December 5, 2018
Another great mystery!
I couldn’t put it down! Does a good job of carrying the story correctly from one book to the next! I enjoyed Lizzie and Jack’s interactions. Looking forward to more of Lizzie’s antics.
I couldn’t put it down! Does a good job of carrying the story correctly from one book to the next! I enjoyed Lizzie and Jack’s interactions. Looking forward to more of Lizzie’s antics.
April 20, 2019
Ok read with many twists and turns. The characters were interesting , but I felt like I was behind not knowing the main character’s history. Probably would have been better if I had read the first book in the series.
April 23, 2020
Lizzie and Jack are great together!
I love the team of Lizzie and Jack. They have the best chemistry. They are respectful of one another and work together to solve another murder mystery.
This is a clean, fun, light, and easy read.
I love the team of Lizzie and Jack. They have the best chemistry. They are respectful of one another and work together to solve another murder mystery.
This is a clean, fun, light, and easy read.
June 26, 2020
Mystery and Mayhem
Interesting tale of a bake-off queen and her subsequent murder. A private eye and his girlfriend try to stop another murder while solving the murder of the bake-off queen.
Interesting tale of a bake-off queen and her subsequent murder. A private eye and his girlfriend try to stop another murder while solving the murder of the bake-off queen.
April 7, 2018
Another win
Zanna MacKenzie's books are incredible. Funny and intriguing, every book is really enjoyable. Loved the story and characters. Another win
Zanna MacKenzie's books are incredible. Funny and intriguing, every book is really enjoyable. Loved the story and characters. Another win
August 20, 2018
A delightful cozy that grabs the attention.
Liz has only one thought in mind.....baking her own wedding cake!
Problem is she will have to help Jack find a murderer and learn to bake!
Good story line.
Liz has only one thought in mind.....baking her own wedding cake!
Problem is she will have to help Jack find a murderer and learn to bake!
Good story line.
August 27, 2018
I enjoyed the characters, and the story line. It was nice that everything kept flowing and I didn’t have to skip any in the book. Good job.
September 3, 2018
Murder At The Bake Off
This is a great cozy mystery. Plenty of action,mystery and even some love! I recommend this book to all who love cozy mysteries.
This is a great cozy mystery. Plenty of action,mystery and even some love! I recommend this book to all who love cozy mysteries.
October 4, 2018
Hm. Not that great.
April 14, 2019
All baking is tricky as far as I’m concerned. I knew there had to be a reason. This guy is not just a murderer, he’s seriously unhinged. I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.
June 25, 2019
Excellent can't wait for the next one
April 15, 2020
...except the murder happened before the bake off could even begin!
cute story nevertheless.
cute story nevertheless.
August 6, 2020
Baking and a murdered baker
Jack and Lizzie find the murdered baker and Jack is a suspect. Who wanted her gone and why. Is the replacement Baker in danger?
Jack and Lizzie find the murdered baker and Jack is a suspect. Who wanted her gone and why. Is the replacement Baker in danger?
January 13, 2021
Not my cup of tea.
April 22, 2016
4 Stars
Lizzie Carter dreams one day of being a good cook and baking her and Jack's wedding cake. But first she needs to do one important thing... learn how to cook. The Delamere Baking Festival Grand Bake-off has Lizzie wondering if she was up to such a challenge. Jack Mathis ends up getting the job as security for the bake-off but when he ends up finding the dead body of famous celebrity baker Cherry Bakewell, he becomes suspect number one.
Lizzie ends up juggling two jobs and now wants to help clear Jack's name on top of her growing stack of things to do. Her to-do list is getting longer and longer by the minute.
I thought this was a good representation of what Zanna Mackenzie does best, plotting out a great story. It kept me interested throughout even though I did not have a lot of time to devote to reading it due to my busy schedule. Thank goodness for lunch time cram sessions to get my Zanna Mackenzie fix.
The first book in the celebrity crimes mystery series featured a lot more of her fiancee Jack Mathis and I think I would have liked to see a bit more of him in this book. Due to the fact that he was the main suspect, he wasn't actually on the canvas of the novel as much and did a lot of things "off camera.
If you love a good cozy mystery, you won't be disappointed in Zanna Mackenzie's Celebrity Mystery series. Also check out her wildly popular Amber Reed Celebrity Crimes mysteries as well.
I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the author and I thank her for allowing me to read this novel in return for an honest review.
Lizzie Carter dreams one day of being a good cook and baking her and Jack's wedding cake. But first she needs to do one important thing... learn how to cook. The Delamere Baking Festival Grand Bake-off has Lizzie wondering if she was up to such a challenge. Jack Mathis ends up getting the job as security for the bake-off but when he ends up finding the dead body of famous celebrity baker Cherry Bakewell, he becomes suspect number one.
Lizzie ends up juggling two jobs and now wants to help clear Jack's name on top of her growing stack of things to do. Her to-do list is getting longer and longer by the minute.
I thought this was a good representation of what Zanna Mackenzie does best, plotting out a great story. It kept me interested throughout even though I did not have a lot of time to devote to reading it due to my busy schedule. Thank goodness for lunch time cram sessions to get my Zanna Mackenzie fix.
The first book in the celebrity crimes mystery series featured a lot more of her fiancee Jack Mathis and I think I would have liked to see a bit more of him in this book. Due to the fact that he was the main suspect, he wasn't actually on the canvas of the novel as much and did a lot of things "off camera.
If you love a good cozy mystery, you won't be disappointed in Zanna Mackenzie's Celebrity Mystery series. Also check out her wildly popular Amber Reed Celebrity Crimes mysteries as well.
I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the author and I thank her for allowing me to read this novel in return for an honest review.
December 25, 2020
Another good read by Ms Mackenzie
Jack and Lizzie are back in action with the murder of the famous baker, Cherry Bakewell-great name, right!-at the Rosebe. Of course, one of them makes the top of the suspect list and rush to solve the murder before they get arrested.
Meet the cast of this book as the investigation continues. The writing is continued as expected, fast paced enough to keep your attention but with enough everyday life included to allow the reader to fit pieces of the puzzle together. It's also nice to watch Jack and Lizzie get closer as a couple without it degrading into just sex. Sweet and heartwarming.
The ending is tidy and with enough of a twist to be interesting.
On to the next adventure.
Jack and Lizzie are back in action with the murder of the famous baker, Cherry Bakewell-great name, right!-at the Rosebe. Of course, one of them makes the top of the suspect list and rush to solve the murder before they get arrested.
Meet the cast of this book as the investigation continues. The writing is continued as expected, fast paced enough to keep your attention but with enough everyday life included to allow the reader to fit pieces of the puzzle together. It's also nice to watch Jack and Lizzie get closer as a couple without it degrading into just sex. Sweet and heartwarming.
The ending is tidy and with enough of a twist to be interesting.
On to the next adventure.
April 8, 2016
I'm so happy to see Lizzie and Jack back at it again! I enjoyed Murder on the Menu immensely, and the follow-up to it certainly doesn't disappoint. Lizzie is trying to shape up her terrible baking skills enough to enter a local competition, which is being judged by her celebrity baking idol. She never expects to be caught up in the woman's murder, though. This time, her fiance Jack is a person of interest, and the sleuthing duo have to work fast to catch the real killer before there are any more victims. It's a fast, super fun read. I thought I had the killer all figured out, but I was very surprised with the ending!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews