The Cakes of Monte Cristo
A Piece of Cake Mystery, Book #6
By Jacklyn Brady
ISBN 9780425258266
Author’s website: www.jacklynbrady.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Rita Lucero, co-owner of New Orleans’s Zydeco Cakes, is thrilled to be catering an annual ball held at the Monte Cristo Hotel. Designing the high-end desserts is her priority—until she stumbles upon a mystery long-buried at her shop. It’s an ornate ruby necklace, hidden underneath her staircase and rumored to be cursed.
After the gem’s appraiser suddenly drops dead and Rita herself is targeted by a menacing stranger, she’s no longer laughing at local superstition. Now with five cakes on order and an investigation into the necklace’s past revealing layers of unsettling clues, Rita has reason to keep looking over her shoulder while she’s frosting. Because any way you slice it, the next victim of the legendary curse could be her.
Review:
The Cakes of Monte Cristo is a wild romp through New Orleans as Rita tries to keep one step ahead of a killer…or a curse, depending on one’s perspective. Rita is part owner and manager of Zydeco Cakes; her mother-in-law, Miss Frankie, is also part owner as Rita’s husband died unexpectedly when she was filing for divorce. Miss Frankie is a sweet, proper Southern lady who looked at Rita as if her daughter, high praise from this southern lady!
Rita’s best friend, Simone, is the daughter of Evangeline Delahunt; mother and daughter could not be more different. Zydeco Cakes has the honor of gaining the contract to cater and provide elaborate cakes – masterpieces – for the annual ball for the Vintage Clothing Society at the Monte Cristo Hotel that Evangeline coordinated. They were elbow-deep in planning and working on the cakes a midst their usual orders when they had to hire yet another receptionist. Edie, the queen of the office, was due to return soon from maternity leave but they needed interim help. Long-time employee Estelle offered to have her niece Zoey interview for the temporary position. On the young woman’s first day at work, while accidentally losing hold of boxes from the 2nd to the 1st floor of the business, found a hidden treasure, literally, in the steps.
Miss Frankie wanted nothing to do with this treasure! She recognized the very expensive settings and gems to be lost since the late 1800’s. The heritage and lore behind the jewels indicated that a curse had been placed on them, as people seemed to die while the gems were in their possession. Pooh-poohing the idea of a curse, Rita took the jewelry to an appraiser. That night the appraiser died; it appeared that during a break-in at her shop, she had a heart attack and died clutching the necklace.
One would think New Orleans to be a very small town the way the rumors began to fly about the jewelry. Of course, Zoey wanted to be in the local newspaper article as one of the finders of the treasure of mixed value. Rita wanted to find the family who truly would own the jewelry and return it to the heirs of the original owner – and of course, one of the more prominent ladies in the Society claimed to be the rightful owner. Oh, how to get five cakes complete with both cake and decorating surrounding the tall dress form atop each cake to look like elegant couture of earlier generations, plus keep the staff focused, keep the jewelry hunters away and oh, try to avoid being killed by someone who was stalking her. Piece of…I won’t say it.
It is easy to warm up to Rita and Miss Frankie, the best of the best in the mystery, to me. Edie, the new mom, definitely had my sympathy! Rita was among the best defined characters, as well as Simone. The rest, including much of her staff, were enigmas, yet each was unique in their talents and are seen primarily through their actions and conversations. Miss Frankie was somewhat discreet, and Ox was definitely tight-lipped, someone that I don’t know if I could have trusted. Some of the society ladies seemed to be simply shells with too much money and not enough motivation to help others become better.
The Cakes of Monte Cristo is the sixth offering in the A Piece of Cake Mystery series; it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone or as part of the series. I would enjoy reading the earlier cozies to feel more familiar with Rita, her potential suitors, and Edie, and watch them grow the business. To me, there was often a much more serious air than in many other cozy mysteries, and realistic in the respect of concern for the bills, the staff, or not offending potential clients. The mystery was very well designed and perfectly executed, with red herrings and plot twists that keeps the reader on their toes. I highly recommend The Cakes of Monte Cristo. Foodies will appreciate the challenges faced by Rita and her staff; and those who like well-written mysteries or enjoyed earlier books in the series.
