Sprinkle with Murder (Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series #1)

Cupcakes galore!

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.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Sprinkle with murder By Jenn McKinlay

I thought she wrote a good book. I feel as she continues to write this series they will get better. I"m looking forward for her next book. It was a quick read which I like. It was easy to get into. IT has nice recipes I may even like to try out. It has a nice ending - doesn't leave you hanging why the person murder the person in the book like some books i read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

I+loved+this+book

It+was+a+perfect+mix+of+baking%2C+romance%2C+and+mystery.+I+can%27t+wait+to+read+the+next+one.%0A%0A

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Good culinary mystery and great cupcake recipes!

This is a good book for rainy days with a cupcake and a cup of coffee. Good characters and plot but not heavy and just a fun, quick beach type of read! Great recipes...try them at the end of the book!!!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

SPRINKLE WITH MURDER by Jenn McKinlay

This first book in this new series gives us a fresh baked "who-dun-it" that will have you craving for cupcakes from the first page to the last.
A cupcake bakery, "Fairy Tale Cupcakes", is a dream come true for Mel Cooper and Angie DeLaura. They are excited about their first big order of 500 cupcakes for a wedding until Mel sits down with the bride. She puts any "bridezilla" you have ever seen on television to shame. When Mel goes for a follow up meeting she finds the bride dead with a one of her cupcakes in her hand, she then becomes the number one suspect. Mel knows she didn't do it and she has to find out who did, to keep herself from being arrested and to save their business.
Add into this mixture Angie's seven brothers, a crazy competitor, and their best friend Tate, who happens to be the groom and you have the recipe for a great cozy mystery.


The book is set to be released on Mar 2, 2010

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Mal

It was a verygood book and very detail.

Fun series, good read

Really enjoying this series. Fun reads, enjoying the characters and looking forward to the next in the series coming out.

I am always looking for new authors to read, especially with mys

I am always looking for new authors to read, especially with mysterys. I happen to come by this book at the Barnes and Noble store. I liked the cover and it reminds me of Jessica Beck's books. I read this book in 1 day. It's an easy read and you will adore the characters. You can tell from this first book in the series that Ms. McKinlay will have many options on developing their future. Also, if you love cupcakes like I do, you will get wonderful idea based on their creations. Enjoy the Read!! Book 2 is also out and the 3rd installment comes out in the summer 2012

Loved it

I have enjoyed reading these books so much. While honeymooning in Arizona I had to visit Scottsdale. It was beautiful. Thanks Jenn for the books and a great vacation destination.

Sprinkle

OK. Nothing special.

Do you like a little food with your mysteries?

If you enjoy books from Joanna Fluke (Hannah Swenson mysteries), Jessica Beck (donut shop mysteries) or Diane Mott Davidson (Goldy Bear Caterer mysteries), then you will enjoy the Cupcake Mystery Series from Jenn McKinlay.

Ms McKinlay has created a core group of characters that you can't help but care about by the end of the book. Sprinkled liberally with the cupcake recipes, this book is a winner.

Sprinkle with Murder is the first in the series. I would classify these ase a lighthearted mystery.. not as intense as other murder mysteries.

Oh and yes, once I finished Sprinkle with Murder, I bought books 2 and 3, and am looking forward to book 4.

Enjoyed this new mystery series

I found this new series to be exciting. It kept my interest going and couldn't wait to get back to reading it.

A Scrumptious Start to a New Mystery Series

In a nutshell, if you like a good who did it, with believable characters in believable situations, with a tasty culinary background, then this is the book for you.

Melanie Cooper and her best friend Angie DeLaura are the owners and operators of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, a cupcake bakery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Business is good and the two young women couldn't be happier. They are joined in this business venture by Tate Harper, their friend since grade school.

It's Tate's upcoming nuptials that start the cupcake crumbling, when his caustic fashion designer bride to be, Christie Stevens, wants to contract Melanie to create 5 original cupcake flavors for their wedding.
When I say contract, I mean contract, as in, the cupcakes become the bride's property and Melanie may not make them for sale in her shop. As it turns out, Bridezilla has extended the contract business to her gown designer and photographer.
Understandably, this has all the creative types fuming, yet they are reluctant to take Christie on, as her name can mean bigger and better things to their futures. Who wants to go on record as turning down her business?

Melanie creates the 5 flavors and they're picked up by Christie's assistants.
The next morning, Melanie has an appointment at the crack of dawn to meet with Christie to see if her creations past muster. She arrives at Christie's design studio to find it quiet...too quiet...and discovers Christie's dead body, with one of Melanie's cupcakes at hand.

Thus begins Melanie's efforts to clear herself and find out who did Christie in and why.
There are numerous suspects, all with an ax to grind, and some clever hey-I-bet-it's-this-guy moments, that may or may not prove to be true.

Jenn McKinlay deftly weaves a compelling tale, combining realistic dialogue and character actions that were very refreshing. I hate it when characters don't sound convincing and do dumb things, most especially in a mystery.
Melanie, Angie and Tate form a great triad of friendship that obviously has stood the test of time and is put to the real test with Christie's murder.
Supporting characters are well drawn and come and go as needed, including Melanie's mother and Angie's over-protective brothers.

Have I mentioned the cupcakes?
Oh, the cupcakes!
4 recipes are included at the end of the book that sound divine.

This is a brilliant start to a continuing series.
The second book in the series, Buttercream Bump Off is available now. (And I went out and bought it as soon as I finished Sprinkle), with #3, Death By The Dozen due in October 2011.

Question

What does 'cozy'mean as applied to this book? Ive seen it written for other books too. Is this some new catagory or something? I do hope someone can clue me in. Thx.

If you like cupcakes and murder, you have to read this book.

Sprinkle with Murder
By: Jenn McKinlay
Berkley Prime Crime - March 2010

Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura her BFF are finally living out their dreams. With the help of another friend (and silent partner) they are the owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery.


Their first gig is a big one, but bridezilla not only wants custom colors on her cupcakes but also the original recipes also. This isn't looking like an easy job. When Mel stumbles over the bride to be apparently killed by eating a cupcake she becomes the prime suspect. Mel and Angie put on their Sherlock Holmes hats and do everything they can to prove that their cupcakes and themselves are innocent of any crime.


The trick of course is to find out who hated the bride enough to want her dead, and frame Mel at the same time.
Along the way we begin to meet the other people who share their lives and the world they live in.


This is the first book in Jenn McKinlay's new Cupcake Bakery Mystery series and she does it with a bang.


FTC Full Disclosure - This book was borrowed from the library specifically for the purpose of reviewing it.

Treat yourself to this book.

Sprinkled with Murder is deliciously delightful and without the calories. The author did a spendid job of portraying characters that we might know in real life. I enjoyed the spunky characters, the possible romance, the storyline, and just the overall flow of the book. I like culinary cozy mysteries and I found this book to be a favorite. It usually takes me a little while to get through a book, but I could not put this book down. When I had no choice to put it down (life gets in the way), my mind kept thinking about what is going to happen next and trying to figure out when I can get back to the book. When I finished the book, I immediately looked for the next one in the series. Not only is the book a treat, but the author includes recipes also.

Great cozy

Great story and characters. A fast read and a ,lot of laughs! Can't wait to start the next one

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

Very good read. Interesting characters, moves along quickly. Some really good recipes at the end too!

Highly Recommended

Great book, I never saw the ending comming.

Good read

mystery solved with a love story in the making.