Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder

Baker Mysteries, Book 1

By: Valerie Burns

Narrated by: Jasmin Walker

In this delectable new cozy mystery series, social media maven Maddy Montgomery’s perfectly ’grammable life has come undone, and she’s #StartingOver in a tiny town with one giant problem—a killer on the loose …

When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand—as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great-aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 250-pound English mastiff named Baby.

Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka the Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is, until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife …

Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions, too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation—and her life.

©2022 Valerie Burns (P)2022 Recorded Books

Too much hash tag

Liked the premise, but disliked the constant insertion of hash tags. Distracted from the story and was irritating. There was more marketing,social media and romance than mystery.

Very Enjoyable Characters and Read

I enjoyed this first in series from Valerie Burns. Spoiled but likable daughter of a Navy Admiral, Maddy Montgomery finds escape after her groom was a no-show at their very public live-streamed wedding, when her late great aunt leaves her a lake front home and bakery in Michigan, along with a 250 lb. English Mastiff named Baby. While Maddy is an expert on social media and designer shoes, baking and pets are not in her wheelhouse. Thankfully, Great Aunt Octavia also left her a community of friends, along with a few scoundrels, and Maddy surprises everyone, including herself, with her newfound skillsets. The characters are fresh, fun, and relatable. Baby is a delightful addition to the story, and the dialogue flows, with just enough wit. The mystery is interesting, but not everything is wrapped up quite as tightly as I like. Whether or not that was by design, as a cliffhanger of sorts for the next book, remains to be seen. I am looking forward to finding out.

Excellent Easy,Breezy, Beautiful FUN!!!

So delighted with this book!!!!! It is hard to find a good listen with diverse characters that are relatable, culturally diverse, and NOT stereotypes, with strong female leads. The story is also NOT mired down in a hapless search for romance and a search for the "perfect man." The lead character is treated like a whole and complete person & her relationships are just secondary and not her entire existence. To the author, PLEASE KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING...treating women of color as REAL, WHOLE HUMAN BEINGS. This is what makes this book a true delight!!!! Keep them coming & I will be a fangirl for life. I appreciate it!!!!!!!! Other authors, please take note!!!!

Awesome Debut

I'm writing this review even though I haven't finished the book. Valerie Burns has done it again. The characters are well developed and the story is well written. I was drawn into the story earlier on and only put it down when I had to go to work. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Good but needed more research

Raw eggs are not good for dogs salmonella bacterial load poisoning is dangerous for dogs.

so cute

this was too cute. I loved how she ended up embracing baking and living there and running the shop. can't wait to read this authors other books.

Lots of fun!

I figured it would be like every other cozy who dunn it but it was alot fun listening. No magic, just a gathering of odd but fun characters. It’s shows as book 1, hope 2 will be soon.

An amusing and inventive mystery.

Overall kept my interest, although a bit too many social media references for my taste.

The reader was excellent.

Delightful☺

A delightful story with humour, values, fun along with who done it, enjoyed everything about. it

Very Enjoyable book

I listened to this book in one day. I very much enjoyed the breezy story telling style and the narration was excellent. It was exactly what I needed during my Sunday hike.