Sprinkle with Murder (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Apr 19, 2010 Kimberly rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery

Great start to a new series. I really enjoyed the relationships in this book. Specifically the friendship between 3 of the main characters and the relationship of the DeLaura siblings. I even liked the rivalry between the two bakeries. I figured out the culprit towards the end, but thoroughly enjoyed the story. The recipes sounds delightful too!! Looking forward to the next book.

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Melissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, mystery-suspense-thriller, kindle-books, fav-series, series, cozy-mystery, read-2012, new-authors-i-like

4/2016: I Still love this series! It's fun going back to the beginning and starting over!

It was a really light, fluffy, breazy book. I chewed through this very quickly (no pun intended!). I thought the main characters were done very well. It's hard not to like a character named Mel (my nickname!). I love the conflict between Mel and her rival Olivia. That really made me laugh. I thought the mystery part was pretty simple...I figured out who did it about halfway through. But, I enjoyed getting to ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 18, 2018 Mary Ann rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, kindle-e-books

Sprinkle with Murder This is book one in the series and I used the audio to get it started and to finish (I am knitting socks) and I really wanted to read, but I needed to work on the socks and drive my kids to different things.

It was a fun read/listen. Mel and Angie have opened a cupcake bakery (why cupcakes? Because you feel better about buying a cupcake over a whole cake) and have run into some issues.

1. Their competition keeps driving by the store and doing things to try and ruin their b Sprinkle with Murder This is book one in the series and I used the audio to get it started and to finish (I am knitting socks) and I really wanted to read, but I needed to work on the socks and drive my kids to different things.

It was a fun read/listen. Mel and Angie have opened a cupcake bakery (why cupcakes? Because you feel better about buying a cupcake over a whole cake) and have run into some issues.

1. Their competition keeps driving by the store and doing things to try and ruin their business. Olivia runs her own bakery selling cakes, cookies, and cupcakes and she spends the day driving back and forth past the shop. When their friend and financier's fiancee is found murdered by Mel, she uses it to help push her own business forward.

2. Their friend, Tate, is a wealthy man who is engaged to an evil, pushy woman who makes everyone unhappy. Mel and Angie don't like her at all, but Tate wants them to make the "cake" or cupcakes for the wedding. But she wants a contract that won't allow them to use anything that has been made before and cannot be used ever again. It seems she has done this to all the people working on her wedding (the dress and the photographs). She claims other people's work as her own and makes them sign contracts that are unfair and hard to break.

3. Tate's fiancee is found by Mel the morning after her cupcakes are delivered by two of her assistants (not Mel's assistants). Mel was ordered to arrive early to discuss changes and does not respond to the calls and knocking of Mel. Mel is originally looked at as the suspect because she made the cupcakes and arsenic was found in a cupcake, but none in the bridezilla. Then it is believed that Tate murdered her. Mel feels that she needs to find the truth and get the real murderer arrested.

The story was fun and there were recipes at the end. I think the only thing I found was that I knew by the middle of the book who had murdered the bridezilla and that at one point I think I heard that she used oil instead of butter to make her cupcakes moist, but then the recipes use butter over oil (keep in mind I listened and read at same time) and I didn't have time to go back and look to see if that was the way it was written.

...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 14, 2012 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: mini-books

Originally posted at http://kathrynsbooknook.wordpress.com...

This was like many cozy mystery novels... interesting mystery that you figure out almost immediately, but the journey sure is interesting. I really like to read cozy mysteries, especially in winter... it is just so gosh darn cozy. hehehe. Okay, that was way lame.

In this series, we are introduced to Melanie Cooper, a marketing guru turned cupcake maker. After five years in the fast lane of competitive marketing, Mel realized that she wa Originally posted at http://kathrynsbooknook.wordpress.com...

This was like many cozy mystery novels... interesting mystery that you figure out almost immediately, but the journey sure is interesting. I really like to read cozy mysteries, especially in winter... it is just so gosh darn cozy. hehehe. Okay, that was way lame.

In this series, we are introduced to Melanie Cooper, a marketing guru turned cupcake maker. After five years in the fast lane of competitive marketing, Mel realized that she wasn't happy and decided to help make the world a happier place through cupcakes. I wish that she had her shop in my town because I could really use some yummy cupcakes!

Fast foward to her mid-thirties and Mel is finally about to realize her dream. With the financial help of her best friend, Tate Harper, and the shop help of Angie DeLaura, Mel opens up Faery Tale Cupcakes. So when Tate Harper plans to marry local celebrity, Christie, and asks that Mel do their wedding cupcakes, she eagerly accepts so that she can get some much needed publicity.

But when Christie dies, clutching one of Mel's cupcakes, and Tate and Mel become the main suspects, Mel knows that she has to find out who really murdered Christie before she lost everything important to her. And thus ensues an entertaining story with an amusing cast of characters.

Angie DeLaura is the only girl with seven older brothers. They are constantly interferring in her life, chasing away any potential suitors. Then there is Angie's brother, Joe, who is an assistant DA and Mel has been crushing on him for about 20 years. And Alma, one of Christie's assistants who dresses all in black and is rather depressing for a fashion designer. And finally, in the list of amusing cast members, there is Olivia, the local competition that just might be mental. She stalks the shop and constantly tries to steal Mel's business.

Melanie Cooper is perhaps the only annoying character in the book. She is extremely self-conceited and doesn't like to let other people into her schemes. She is the quintessential "strong female lead" and many times I find these leading ladies to be a turn off. Luckily for this series, there are enough other interesting characters that makes reading this book a pleasure instead of a punishment.

The mystery itself was rather easily solved and I was fairly certain who the murderer was right away, although that might be because I have read a few too many mysteries and I usually know who to rule out and who to keep on the suspect list. Perhaps one of the best things about this series is the cupcake recipes in them. Last night I made Tinkerbells (lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting). They were delicious. This book was worth it if for nothing else than the recipe to these delicious cupcakes!

All that said, the next book in this series is waiting for me at the library and I am eagerly looking forward to reading it. Hopefully there will be more delicious recipes in this book!

Rating: 3/5 ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2013 Roxann rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery

In the first Cupcake Bakery Mystery novel series, the author presents quirky cast of characters with a charming and sweet and not too predictable plot. The series takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona. It’s an enjoyable cozy mystery. I found myself reading this book quickly. It took me awhile to figure out who was the killer.
In this book Mel, Angie and Tate have been friends for a long time. They also have the bakery together. Tate is engaged to Christie who becomes the murder victim. Tate has a g ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 23, 2011 Nell rated it really liked it

Shelves: z2011

Quick satisfying read. I really like the main characters, 3 friends from childhood. The story line and the mystery are well-developed, especially for a debut. I picked a character I didn't like as the murderer then kept reading to see if I was right and to find out how and why. Colorful secondary characters add room for growth and future mysteries. Eager to read the 2nd one to see how the relationships develop. Also eager to try some of the cupcake recipes at the end.

...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2024 Marla rated it liked it

Shelves: challenged, series, 2024, mystery, adult, mixed-reviews

. Melanie "Mel" Cooper and Angela "Angie" Marie DeLaura are partners with their other childhood friend, Tate Harper in their new Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. Tate's bridezilla is unreasonable in her wedding cupcake order and then is found dead. Mel and Tate are the primary suspects.

My family is big on movie quotes, but we are not old movie buffs, so I didn't really like all the quotes. I did like the recipes in the back of the book. I am not a cupcake fan, but if I was, some of Mel's creations so ...more

Like · see review

Mar 12, 2010 Suzanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mysteries

A delightful debut in a new cozy mystery series. I loved the friendship between Mel, Angie, and Tate and also loved all the cupcake / baking descriptions. I also enjoyed the classic movie bantering. The mystery was solid even though I guessed the killer about a third of the way through. I very much look forward to reading the next in this series when it is released.

Like · see review