Sugar and Iced
Cupcake Bakery Mystery, Book #6
By Jenn McKinlay
ISBN# 9780425258927
Author’s Website: http://www.jennmckinlay.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
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
Review:
This a truly enjoyable new read in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series. This is number Six and it seems the characters are fully developed. The interaction of them is fun, pleasant and at times intense. This one is dealing with the cut throat world of pageants. The 75th Sweet Tiara contest is going to have a cupcake creation contest as well as your normal talent, bathing suit, and evening gown events. Melanie (Mel) and Angie are not only baking some of the entries but also supplying a cupcake display for every day of the event. All done as a favor to Mel’s mom. Mel thinks this will be the perfect way to get back in good graces with her mother.
Lupe (the friend of Oz they all thought was a boy for the first 6 months they knew her) has been dragged into the Sweet Tiara contest by Mel’s mom. Who knew underneath those long green bangs was this natural beauty. The DeLaura clan also plays a large part in this one. Mel has broken things off with her childhood love Joe, which has cause a bit of friction. There is the seemingly required cozy reads love triangle. At least Mel is not dating any of the three Joe, Manny or Steve. However, all three are needed to clear Lupe and save Mel and her friends.
Along with the action involved with solving who strangled the vindictive and paid for judge, the gang is dealing with personal relationships, family tensions and the future of the Bakery. Tate (the money behind the store) wants to expand, while Mel is protective of her creations. The three best friends (Mel, Angie and Tate) have to work through the many ideas and directions the bakery can go.
I would recommend this to any lover of cozies. This series is among the best. The characters are fun and intelligent. Their storylines are fully developed and believable. Although I doubt many of us would be troubled/graced with three amazing men fighting over us, we can dream. There is a wonderful cliffhanger that should prove exciting. It definitely has me waiting for the next one – SOON!
