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    Sprinkle with Murder
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    Sprinkle with Murder
    Unavailable
    Sprinkle with Murder
    Ebook256 pages3 hours

    Sprinkle with Murder

    By Jenn McKinlay

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are finally living out their dream as the proud owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. But their first big client is a nightmare. She's a bridezilla who wants 500 custom cupcakes for her wedding.

    When Mel stumbles upon the bride-to-be dead-by-cupcake, she becomes the prime suspect. To save themselves and their business, the ladies need to find the real murderer, before the cupcake killer ices someone else.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Group
    Release dateMar 2, 2010
    ISBN9781101185483
    Unavailable
    Sprinkle with Murder
    Author

    Jenn McKinlay

    Jenn McKinlay is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Good Buy Girls series and the Decoupage Mystery series, which she wrote under the pseudonyms Josie Belle and Lucy Lawrence. A former librarian, she studied English literature and library science at Southern Connecticut State University before moving to Arizona, where she lives in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars. For more information, visit her at www.jennmckinlay.com.

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    Reviews for Sprinkle with Murder

    3.5/5

    175 ratings22 reviews

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    • 3/5
      More like a 3.5 actually. I've read other cozy mysteries by the author & figured I'd give another a go (they had the first two available at the library and that's what really motivated me to pick this one up). Like her other series, these are quick reads and easy to follow. I will say that I found this opener stronger than the Hat Shoppe series and that was nice. I'd definitely recommend this for fans of cozies looking for a new series or fans of the author.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this fun cozy mystery. I recently read Jenn McKinlay's contemporary romance, About a Dog, and loved it so I started looking at some of her other works. When I saw this series set in a cupcake shop, I knew I wanted to give it a try. Who doesn't like a little mystery with their cupcakes? This audiobook ended up being a really quick listen for me because I found myself wanting to listen to it for hours at a time. Mel and Angie have been best friends for a very long time and are now working together at the cupcake shop. They are also best friends with Tate who is soon to be married. Tate's fiance is rather difficult and when she shows up to the shop to decide on cupcakes for the wedding, she proves how difficult she can really be. They also have a rival bakery owner hanging outside of their store at all hours. It was obvious early on that Mel and Angie would have a few challenges.When I read a cozy mystery, I like to try to figure out who is going to be the one to die before it is revealed so I didn't really read the summary before jumping in to the book. Once Mel discovers the body, I had a guess about who the murderer was right away but I really had no idea how things would play out. This story did take a few turns that I never expected and did me guessing and entertained to the end. This was the first time that I have ever listed to a book narrated by Susan Boyce but I thought she did a fantastic job. She handled a large number of characters very well in this story and used a very distinct voice for each one. I always knew who was speaking during conversations. I thought she also did a great job of portraying the character's emotions. I always felts like I knew how the character was feeling. I would recommend this book to cozy mystery fans. It was a really entertaining story filled with wonderful characters. I look forward to continuing with this series very soon.I received a review copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media, LLC via Audiobook Jukebox.
    • 4/5
      Decent start to a new series. Enjoy this author-read another of her series. will read more.
    • 4/5
      Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay is the first book in the Cupcake Bakery series, and, although I don’t usually read cozy mysteries, I quite enjoyed this one. I listened to the audio version about two friends, Mel and Angela, who run a cupcake bakery business and get involved in the murder of the fiancee of their mutual friend and business partner, Tate.While Mel suffers through being the police’s number one suspect in the case, the friends also slowly work towards finding love, with Mel being very attracted to Angie’s brother, Joe and Angie finally admitting to having feelings for Tate. Although pretty much everyone in the book had a strong reason for hating the fiancee and wishing her dead, I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was. This was a light, lively and fun read guaranteed to make your mouth water from all the descriptions of delicious cupcakes.
    • 4/5
      Melanie and Angie have been friends since grade school, and are now, at last, partners in a cupcake bakery, backed by another friend, Tate. When Tate’s fiancée is found dead, the friends become suspects. But so many people have reasons to hate this bridezilla, it’s hard to narrow down the list. Interesting characters and a somewhat twisty plot make for entertaining reading and a good beginning to this series.
    • 3/5
      I don't usually read cooking mysteries but after reading Books Can Be Deceiving also by Jenn McKinlay and no second volume in the Library series yet, I figured I'd give it a try. This was a fast paced story with genuinely likeable characters. Mel the heroine of the tale is a former fat kid, who shed the weight and learns to like herself while also learning that she still loves to eat. I'll be reading the next volume in this series as soon as I can get a copy.
    • 5/5
      Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura own and operate Fairy tale cupcake bakery. Tate is their silent business partner. Their first big order is for five hundred cupcakes for Tate's Fiance who is a fashion designer. She insists on all original recipes for her cupcakes. She is a real Bridezilla. When Mel finds her dead after eating a cupcake she becomes the prime suspect. To save herself and their business the ladies must find the killer before they strike again. I highly recommend if you enjoy food based murder mysteries.
    • 3/5
      I checked out Sprinkle With Murder because I had enjoyed one of the author's Library Lover's Mysteries. Our heroine, Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura, owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, come equipped with the kind of relatives that brighten cozies. Mel's brother and his family may live some miles away, but she's her widowed mother's favorite hobby. Mel can't convince Joyce that she is not and never has been in love with wealthy Tate Harper, who has been the third musketeer to Mel and Angie since middle school. He's also their major investor. Angie not only has a mother who checks up on her grown children in a way that makes me hope they're all very sound sleepers, she has SEVEN older brothers. The middle one, handsome Joe DeLaura, makes Mel's heart beat faster. Neither Mel nor Angie can figure out why nice guy Tate is marrying Christie Stevens, a bridezilla's bridezilla, but it's pretty obvious that Christie intends to break up their happy trio. It would be time to break out the party hats and sing 'Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead' when Christie is murdered if Mel hadn't been the one to find her body -- after she'd been a little too free with her opinion of Christie in front of her homicide detective uncle and his new partner.The more we learn about the murdered woman, the more it seems that the only persons who knew her and didn't hate her were Tate and her parents. Which of the haters killed her? (I had two suspects early on and one of them was correct.)Throw in the obsessive owner of a rival bakery who hasn't sense enough to decide to leave cupcakes to Mel and Angie while her Confections continues to sell cakes, cookies, and other goodies; and you have a good cozy. The cupcake recipes included at the end of this book are: Blonde Bombshell (almond flavored with toasted almonds on top), vanilla buttercream frosting, Tinkerbells (lemon flavored rolled in pink decorator's sugar), raspberry buttercream frosting, Mojito (lime and mint flavored), rum buttercream frosting, and Death by Chocolate (chocolate with chocolate chips), and dark chocolate ganache.
    • 4/5
      Two old friends team up with a third as financial backer to open a bakery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Melanie “Mel” Cooper and Angie DeLaura operate Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Their latest customer is Christie Stevens, fiancée of Tate Harper, their good buddy and financier. To say Christie Stevens is a difficult customer is incredible understatement. She owns a design firm and rides employees and contractors hard. Her competitors hate her. Mel and Angie the her, too, and can’t figure out why Tate ever proposed. As I’m reading along, I know (from the book blurb) that Christie Stevens is going to die. But if I hadn’t know that, I would have hoped (ala Agatha Christie) that the most obnoxious and obvious person would be the victim. The method of death is unclear, but it seems as if the cupcake Christie had in her hands when she died is the cause of death. And that came from Fairy Tale Cupcakes. With Mel being the person who created the cupcakes and who found Christie’s body, police make her #1 on the suspect list. When an unscrupulous competitor takes advantage of that by spreading the word Mel is a suspect, business falls off to a dramatic degree. That makes finding the real perpetrator Mel and Laura’s top priority. A grieving Tate is also on board. Sprinkle with Murder, published in 2010, had been on my shelf for a long time before I picked it up a few days ago. After finishing it, I was hoping there were more in the series and when I looked to see, there are – GOOD NEWS – six more. Sprinkle with Murder is not literary fiction. It’s not even the world’s best mystery. But it’s lighthearted and fun, with great characters -- enough reasons to put the series on my to-be-read list.
    • 3/5
      I wish I was an avid moviegoer. Then I would have a quote apt for the occasion. That's one of the things that the three friends in the book, Tate, Angie and Mel do. It's the first time I've read a Kill Bill quote in a book. It has been a long time since I fingered the culprit in a mystery novel, but then I had a tip - not a real spoiler - from another reader. I liked the pacing in the book. I can't get enough of these culinary mysteries for the moment and though it might not last forever, it will be later rather than sooner before I'm ready to move on.
    • 4/5
      Whether or not you will like 'Sprinkle With Murder" (A Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #1) by Jenn McKinlay all depends on what you read a cozy for. This one is high in predictability but has great characters. So if you don’t mind figuring out who the murderer is earlier on and want to relax with a trio of friends, then you will love this book. Friends Melanie Cooper, Angie De Laura and Tate Harper are partners in the Fairy Tale Cupcakes shop. Melanie and Angie are the bakers and Tate supplied a good deal of the money for starting it up. This is the first of a series. In the back of the book are delicious recipes for cupcakes. I have to watch my sugar but I can image how great that they are.Tate Harper’s sweetheart, Christie Stevens, is not so sweet. In fact is she is obnoxious. She and her two assistants are people you want to avoid. Melanie has unwisely agreed to make the wedding cupcakes. Christie insists that Melanie come up with new flavors for the cupcakes and sign long agreement to never use them again.Humor abounds in this cozy, especially close to the ending when an unusual item is used for self-defense. You will definitely be laughing.I recommend this cozy for all foodie cozy lovers.
    • 4/5
      Mel and Angie and Tate, three good friends have become involved with the police. Mel is suspected of murder. With the help of her two friends and with plenty of reference to the cupcakes she and Angie bake in their shop, they solve the crime. Angie has a secret love and Mel has a crush on one of Angie's brothers...so romance and crime go hand-in-hand in this warm and toasty mystery novel.
    • 5/5
      This is a fun cozy mystery. I live in Phoenix so I loved the references to places that I knew. Well developed characters and easy to read. It was a fun read.
    • 5/5
      Another fun read that I couldn't seem to put down. The characters are fun and likable.In this book, Mel and Stephanie are just beginning their business, with backing from their childhood friend, Tate. Tate is about to marry Christie and Fairy Tale Cupcakes will provide cupcakes instead of the traditional cake. Mel is not happy that Bridezilla wants cupcakes that have never been served before and produces a 10 page legal document saying that the recipe will become the property of the newlyweds. Angie is devastated by Tate's engagement but won't admit it. When Christie is found dead the girls may have to bake their cupcakes from behind bars.
    • 4/5
      Fairy Tale Cupcakes - just the name of the business for the main characters of this new cozy series makes my mouth water and long to taste the scrumptious-sounding confections this minute. But that's not the best part. The best part of this book is that the mystery is well-written, the central characters are believable and the secondary characters are humorous and entertaining.Melanie and Angie have been friends since grade school and with the help of their friend Tate, they open their dream - the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery. Tate is engaged to Christie Stevens and he has persuaded her to have the girls make cupcakes rather than a regular wedding cake. Neither Mel or Angie are "fond" of Christie but because of their friendship/partnership, they make all efforts to appease this bridezilla. But 'tragedy' occurs and Melanie is the one to find Christie dead with a sample cupcake in her hand.To prevent the repercussions on their business, Melanie and Angie have to find out who really did kill Christie before their customers are all scared away.I loved it. I have Buttercream Bump off, the next in the series sitting on the shelf so I'm set to continue this funny and yummy series. Thanks to Linda P for the recommendation.
    • 5/5
      I read SPRINKLE WITH MURDER as part of a readalong with the Cozy Mysteries group on Goodreads. I hadn't heard of this series or author before, but I'm always keen to read more cozy mysteries so I thought I'd give it a go. SPRINKLE WITH MURDER centers around the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, run by best friends Melanie and Angie. The third muskateer (so to speak), is their best friend, Tate, who is also the financial backer of their business. Tate's fiancee is found dead and all fingers point to Melanie, since the bride-to-be was holding a cupcake when found. Traditionally I love my cozy mysteries with a side of libraries/bookstores and cats, however SPRINKLE WITH MURDER screamed out to my sweet tooth. I loved learning the backstory on how Melanie, Angie and Tate became friends, and oh the cupcakes! Luckily for the reader the back of the book contains some awesome cupcake recipes to try yourself! I will definitely be trying some on the weekend!! The mystery itself was pretty good. I did successfully pick the murderer about halfway through the book (which I have to confess is something that never happens - I never guess right!). Still it was a fun murder mystery, and these delightful characters will have me back for a second helping. BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF is the second book in this series and luckily I borrowed this book from the library yesterday and will be reading it straight away. I need more cupcakes, and more mystery fun from this trio!
    • 5/5
      Melanie Cooper, with the help of friends Angie DeLaura and Tate Harper, is finally living out her dream as owner of Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Business is doing well and she is thrilled to be asked to make 500 cupcakes for Tate’s wedding even though she isn’t fond of his fiancée Christie. When Christie turns up dead with one of Mel’s cupcakes nearby, the police seem to think that either Mel or Tate killed her. It is up to Mel to find the real killer before the police send the wrong person to jail.“Sprinkle with Murder” is the nicely done first book in Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery cozy mystery series. Sometimes first books in a cozy mystery series are a bit iffy as the author is trying to establish the characters and setting but McKinlay does an excellent job and the series already feels well established. I love the friendship between Mel, Angie, and Tate – you can tell the three really care for each other (although the movie quote thing got old, fast). Just when you are wondering why in the world someone as smart as Tate would get engaged to someone as obnoxious as Christie, McKinlay comes up with a logical explanation – I love it when an author anticipates her reader’s thoughts. The cupcake bakery is a nice setting (there are recipes at the back of the book) and there is a nice little rivalry between Fairy Tale Cupcakes and a nearby bakery that not only adds a lot of humor to this book but plays an important part in the plot. The mystery is well plotted with a number of suspects and I figured out who the killer was at the same time as Mel (if this was a movie I would have been yelling at the screen telling Mel to watch out!). I like the fact that Mel had a legit reason for investigating the murder – she wasn’t just being nosy, she was in real danger of being arrested for the crime. If I have one complaint, it is that the three main characters seem a bit too old to all be single, yes, McKinlay does a good job of setting up love interests, but still…“Sprinkle with Murder” is a good cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more books in the series.
    • 5/5
      Ooooooo....the recipes in the back of the book...Mojito, Death by Chocolate, Tinkerbells, and, my favorite, Blonde Bombshell....if only for the recipes, get the book! What's even better is that it's a fab-ly written mystery with splendiferous characters. I love feisty Mel and even feistier Angie. The surrounding characters are nifty, too, especially the cupcake girls' best friend Tate, fiance (sorry, can't figure out the accent thingee for fiance) of the bridezilla fashion designer biotch Christie who (YAY!) bites it. I really wanted to reach inside the book and do a smack down on her. That's a well written bitch...just sayin'....I was kind of leaning towards who I thought dunnit, veered away, came back, was right and was dandy with it. There's a pretty neat-o twist to the tale that was cool. Read it and find out..... This book made being the passenger of last week's roadtrip way pleasant and highly bearable, didn't even look for the signs for the next rest stop on I-90, I was so into the tale. That's a good book and you'd know that if you've ever traveled with me.Five nope don't need to stop it's that good beans.......
    • 5/5
      Sprinkle With Murder is a delicious addition to the food themed cozy mystery genre. Melanie Cooper, along with her two best friends, Angie DeLaura and Tate Harper has just opened up Fairy Tale Cupcakes. All is sweet until Tate’s egomaniac fiancée, fashion designer Christie Stevens; demands Melanie create five unique cupcake flavors for the wedding. Did I mention that she also demands the sole rights to Melanie’s creation? Of course, it’s no surprise when Christie ends up dead with one of Melanie’s cupcakes nearby. Despite having an uncle on the police force, Melanie becomes the top suspect along with her friend Tate. Determined to clear herself and Tate as well as save her business, Melanie embarks on a long trail of suspects who had no love for Christie.Though I figured out the culprit rather early (I pride myself on being an armchair sleuth and it’s rare when I don’t figure it out early – so why can’t I win at those murder mystery games? Sorry off topic.) I did enjoy watching Melanie work her way through the clues. I also found the rivalry between her and fellow baker Olivia Puckett comical. We all have at least one person in our life that irritates us beyond belief. It looks like Olivia is that person for Melanie and Angie. Olivia’s antics added comic relief to the plot. McKinlay has created a sweet read. She even included recipes of some her delicious concoctions. My waistline will not thank her for that, but my taste buds will. Looking forward to the next installment.
    • 3/5
      Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura own a cupcake bakery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Their friend Tate Harper helped them by investing in the business. Now Tate is getting married to a very controlling designer, and Mel is asked to make the cupcakes for the wedding. When the designer turns up dead with one of Mel's samples in hand, suspicion falls to her. It's up to Mel to find the real killer before she ends up in jail herself.This is a fairly predictable cozy mystery. There are several persons that had reason to want the designer dead, and there are enough red herrings to make most readers turn from one suspect to another. I had the killer pegged fairly early on. This is a promising new series, but I'm not completely hooked. I find cozies most enjoyable when I "connect" with the sleuth. Although I love baking and cooking, I never connected with Mel.
    • 4/5
      Not bad for the first cozy I've ever read. Light and fun. Good beach read. Looking forward to the second in the series coming out in January.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed Sprinkle With Murder, the first in the cupcake bakery series. McKinlay has written a wonderful freshman tale. There were great characters, a fast paced story, and just enough twists to keep me guessing. I was drawn to the vivid descriptions of the Fairy Tale Bakery, with it's 50's pink and grey decor and location near the tourist area of Scottsdale. Owners Melanie and Angie have known each other since sixth grade. When their business partner Tate (and just as old a friend) asks Melanie to cater the cupcakes for his upcoming wedding, she agrees. Many things go awry, with Melanie (and her business) being wrongly accused of murder. Melanie's mother and Angie's many brothers made several appearances, hopefully they will all make return in future stories. As with any good cozy that involves food, there were some delicious sounding recipes at the end. I will be eager to read the next in the series, Buttercream Bump Off.