How the Murder Crumbles
About How the Murder Crumbles
How the Murder Crumbles (A Cookie Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series Setting - Connecticut
Crooked Lane Books (June 20, 2023)
Hardcover : 304 pages
Debra Sennefelder whips up cookies and crime in a delicious new cozy series, perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Peg Cochran.
Wingate, Connecticut, is famed as one of the top ten shopping destinations in the state, and home to Mallory Monroe’s beloved Cookie Shop—a place where patrons are greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked cookies that are as beautifully decorated as they are insanely delicious.
But things aren’t going so smoothly for Mallory. Her two employees are a disaster in the kitchen, she catches her boyfriend with another woman, and she’s seen having a fierce argument with food blogger Beatrice Wright, who accuses Mallory of stealing her cookie recipe. Then Beatrice turns up dead in her kitchen, flour outlining her body and a bloodied marble rolling pin nearby. Mallory immediately becomes suspect number one, her sales plummet, and she desperately tries to clear her name—but that’s not the only murder the killer is baking up.
Debra Sennefelder has cooked up a perfect recipe—endearing characters, a picture-perfect evocation of small-town life, and a quaint sweets shop. And just when things get a little too comfy, there’s always a murder or two for good measure.
About Debra Sennefelder
Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series, the Resale Boutique Mystery series, and the Cookie Shop mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie, and Billy.
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My Thoughts
How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder is a lighthearted cozy mystery. Mallory Monroe enjoys baking and decorating cookies. She has traded in the big city for a small town. Mallory has fond memories of summers spent in Wingate, especially the summer she received her first kiss. The cookie descriptions will have your mouth watering. There are recipes for a couple of them at the end including the controversial Almond Meltaways. The mystery has the unpleasant Beatrice Wright ending up dead and Mallory finding her body. Beatrice was a disagreeable woman who managed to annoy the majority of the town’s residents. This leads to a lengthy suspect list. It can be confusing trying to keep all the suspects straight. The guilty party can easily be identified and with the reason why long before the reveal. Mallory runs around town asking questions in a not-so-subtle manner. I thought someone who had worked in advertising would be a better schmoozer. Mallory manages to anger several people during her investigation (not good for a fledgling business). There are a couple of incidents along the way, but they do not deter Mallory. Personally, I kept hoping Mallory’s cantankerous employee, Claudia, would find herself in the killer’s crosshairs (there is always the next installment). The mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end.
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| Almond Meltaways |
There is some romance in the story. Mallory breaks up with one fellow and soon has feelings for another. I thought it was a little quick. I liked Mallory’s cat, Agatha. Mallory’s best friend, Kip, is a friendly, upbeat individual as well as a good baker. He is a good friend and there for Mallory in her time of need. How the Murder Crumbles was just okay for me (as you can tell). How the Murder Crumbles is a cookie centric cozy with a mean Queen Bea, a cookie controversy, a lethal rolling pin, an unkind cousin, a two-timing suitor, a cuddly cat, an attractive detective, and a probing baker.
How the Murder Crumbles is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Other retailers. You can find Debra Sennefelder's other novels here. As part of the tour, Debra Sennefelder is giving away two (2) $15 Amazon Gift Cards. You can enter via the Rafflecopter form below or click here to enter. Leave a comment on my blog for an extra entry. Good Luck! Thank you for stopping by today. I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. I am off to install more hooks for my windchimes. I acquired some new ones recently (I like how they sound on a windy day). I hope the person that moves into the new house next door likes windchimes. I hope that you have a joyful day. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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Thank you for your review on "How the Murder Crumbles" by Debra Sennefelder and for being part of the book tour.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list. Great sounding story and great cover!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Sounds good. I like the cover.
ReplyDelete