It’s all candy cane cupcakes and peppermint coffee until you find a dead elf on your doorstep. Only the elf wasn’t a real elf, because elves don’t actually exist – not even at Christmas time. A college student dressed like an elf decided taking a nap in sub-zero winter temps was a good idea. It wasn’t. Anna, the pink-haired baker extraordinaire of Callie’s Cakes, is convinced the student’s death … student’s death was not an accident. She drags Callie and Kristie along with her as she attempts to discover who killed the elf … um… student.
Will the gals of Callie’s Cakes find the killer before Christmas is ruined?
Cupcakes not included, although you’ll find recipes for all the delicious Christmas cupcakes Anna baked.
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Callie, Anna and Kristie are back for a yummy holiday cozy mystery. When the ladies discover a dead man dressed as an elf on the front stoop of Callie’s Cakes, Anna’s ready to dive into the sleuthing. Callie, not so much. Between teaching and running her own business, she’s spent. Add the mysterious actions of her boyfriend and Callie is ready to throw in the towel. But Anna’s enthusiasm won’t be quenched, no matter how much booze she sneaks into her cupcakes, so Callie and Kristie tag along. Soon, they’re framed for murder and these ladies will stop at nothing to unwrap the killer, no matter what their law-enforcement and fire department boyfriends say.
Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper is my Christmas wish come true. D.E. Haggerty has mixed cozy comedy with cozy mystery within a snow globe of antics by three of my favorite literary characters. There’s a true whodunit shaken with plenty of humorous lines and a dizzying array of baked treats. It’s light, fun and perfect for the holidays. There’s a bit of serious talk dealing with frat boys and date rape which was really well done. The plot moves at a quick pace and the unveiling of the murderer shocked me. I never expected it.
If you’re looking for a holiday cozy mystery to curl up to, pick this up right away. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
The three ladies at Callie’s Cakes find a dead elf on their doorstep, what could possibly go wrong?
It isn’t enough that the dead guy is found propped against the front of their store, it turns out to a student from the university that each of the ladies knows in some way. When it turns out to be a homicide, Anna is full speed ahead on solving it. Her sleuthing tool of choice is, of course, cupcakes. Ooey gooey Christmas flavored cupcakes that have blown my diet just from reading about them. When the murdered student’s unsavory reputation comes to light Kristy feels the need to join in the investigation and it is all Callie can do to keep their enthusiasm for the hunt reigned in. Add to that end of term papers to grade, the Christmas rush at the bakery, and uncertainty about her relationship with Ben. Does it need to be said that Callie is having a rough couple of days?
A label on the cover promises laugh out loud fun and for a story that is a little over 100 pages with three spunky heroines, it definitely makes good on that guarantee. I snorted my tea when the friends were referred to as Lucy and Ethyl. The description so fits. Of course, as always, the author had me at the chapter titles. Santa will be tugging his beard over this one.
Everyone knows my sincere dislike for short stories. I understand why a novella format was chosen for this story, and though the pages more than deliver on Cozy goodness with a nice little twist, I am naturally going to say that 100 pages just isn’t long enough to spend with these characters. I am once again waiting for the next installment. Luckily I have the recipes for Anna’s cupcakes to keep me busy in the meantime. With the snow falling outside, Hot Chocolate cupcakes sound heavenly.
If you are looking for a cozy mystery then this book is for you. It has a wonderful set of characters, whom interact well with one another. I love how Kristie, Anna and Callie have such a strong friendship. Kristie and Anna fight like crazy and Callie is their referee. It is hilarious.
This book starts off when the girls’ discover a dead elf on the front steps of their bakery Callie’s Cakes. With a new murder mystery thrown on their doorsteps, the girls have no choice but to investigate. But that is not the only mystery Callie is dealing with. Callie’s hot cop boyfriend Ben is being super secretive. Has the shine faded off their new relationship?
This was the first book in the series that I have read, but I really felt that you could read it as a standalone. It would be more fun if you read them from the beginning. That was you could see how the girls met their extremely hot sexy men. A gang task force cop, a regular detective and a hot firefighter. Ohh la la! What a dangerous combination. Don’t worry this is a PG read and there are no dirty romps in the hay.
If you love fun and laughter, then this book is for you. It is a steady paced mystery of who done it, that will have you guessing wrong from the very beginning. So put on those comfy pj’s and grab a glass of wine, because it is time to chill and read a fun mystery.
Christmas Cupcakes & A Caper is the fourth book in the Death By Cupcake series written by D. E. Haggerty. This is also the first book by this author that I have read. This is a fun, quick read (a novella).
Right on the first page my interest was grabbed:
“I moan as the taste of chocolate and fluffy cream combine to create heaven in my mouth but then the heavenly cream melts and a burn replaces it. My eyes water and I start to cough. “What the heck did you put in these? I somehow manage to ask.”
I was pleasantly surprised that the “whodunit” was a surprise until the very end… just the way I like my mysteries.
I chuckled when I realized that Anna used her scrumptious baking to get information – very smart lady!
While this is the fourth book in the series, I was not at a total loss following the storyline. A bit more background on the people would have helped but it was not a huge problem – just would have added to my understanding of the characters and grabbing enough interest to read the beginning of the series.
I must say that I loved the cover art and the recipes! And the humour. Guess I will need to go back and read books 1 – 3.
*I would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Callie and the girls are back! This time, they investigate the murder of an elf found dead on their doorstep.
This is a quick, fun read, perfect for getting in the mood for Christmas. It comes complete with seven delicious cupcake recipes as made by Anna in the book. I can’t wait to try them!
This is the first holiday novella in the “Death by Cupcake” series. I look forwarding to spending more holidays with these girls.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2019/11/christmas-cupcakes-and-a-caper-by-d-e-haggerty.html
An Elf in the doorway of Callie’s Cakes….a
dead Elf none the less….What a way to start
the day!!!
Turns out the murdered Elf was actually one
of Callie’s students. He volunteered at the
community center that Kristie funds plus he
was a regular buyer of Anna’s cupcakes.
The murdered Elf was placed in the doorway
on purpose. Why was he placed at Callie’s
Cakes? Why and where was he murdered?
Will this murder ruin the Christmas holiday
and Christmas spirit?
The three girls from Callie’s Cakes….Anna,
Kristie and Callie start their own investigation.
Intriguing, well plotted book with characters
that are believable involved in a puzzling
situation. Add humor, edge and plenty of
cupcakes for a delicious, well written story.
I volunteered to read Christmas Cupcakes and
Caper. Thanks to the author via The Cozy
Mystery Review Crew for the opportunity. My
opinion is voluntary and my own.
The festive holiday spirit came to a halt when a dead elf is found in front of Callie’s Cakes. This is a serious problem! Callie and her friends need to find the killer and learn why the body was placed at the bakery. I knew they would get to the truth. These ladies are resourceful. They know how to follow the clues. Callie is a professor at the college so she can keep track of all the gossip. Anna, the baker, uses her scrumptious cupcakes as a bribe to get information. Kristie is passionate about helping people. She uses that drive to find answers. She won’t give up. These three are great detectives. They have spunk and spirit and they made me smile at their escapades. The dialogue is sharp and sassy. An added bonus is their romantic interests. It added to my enjoyment of Christmas cupcakes and a Caper. I can’t wait for their next adventure. I enjoy this storyline. It’s fast paced and filled with humor and unexpected surprises. I loved seeing them try to save the holiday season. This is a perfect Christmas treat. I enjoyed D.E. Haggerty’s writing style.
This is a cute Christmas cozy mystery, the 4th in the Death by Cupcake series. It works well as a stand-alone and it certainly got me in the mood for Christmas! I haven’t read previous books in this book, but I wasn’t lost at all. It’s a quick, easy read and quite humorous. The main characters are likable, the mystery is intriguing and the resolution satisfying. I recommend this book. I was provided a free copy of this book, but these opinions are my own.
When I saw Dena had written a Christmas book I couldn’t wait to read it! Especially when it was with the ladies from Callie’s Cakes. I love them!
A dead elf on the shop’s doorstep was not good for business. Turned out, they knew the young man and he had been murdered! The police were investigating the murder but the women wanted to figure out who killed the elf and why. As well as why was he was left on their doorstep? During their search, they found out the man had not been well-liked so they had lots of suspects. Callie was having a hard time concentrating on the investigation because she was worried about her boyfriend. He was acting strangely. Another mystery for her to solve.
Investigating a murder is serious work but there are always lots of laughs when these women get together. It was a complete surprise to find out who the murderer was and why the elf was killed.
I was so glad to receive a complimentary copy of Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper and I am happy to share my thoughts. I recommend this book to romantic suspense fans who like some laughs in their mysteries. I enjoyed this book just as much the second time I read it.
It’s always so fun to revisit the cupcake crew, you never know what these gals will be getting mixed up in next! Well, other than murder and mayhem! And that’s definitely what we got with Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper. When the ladies find a dead college student on the doorstep of their bakery, they can’t help but want to find out why- why he was murdered and why he was left there.
Okay, it might be Anna who really wants to figure out the whys, but as usual, she’s able to rope Callie and Kristy into her shenanigans. And lucky for us, we get to go along for the ride! I swear I wish I was friends with these gals, it really is never a dull moment with them. And throw in some super hunky boyfriends, what’s not to love?!?
In addition to the questions surrounding the death of the college student, Callie’s dealing with her own little mystery, when it comes to Ben and why he’s been so secretive lately. She’s feeling some kind of way and wants to get to the bottom of things, even if it means going on a stake-out with her best girls.
Christmas Cupcakes and a Caper is another entertaining addition to the Death by Cupcake series. Murder aside, there are plenty of laughs and crazy antics, and cupcakes galore!
I don’t think I have read anything by this author that I didn’t enjoy! This book is humorous and kept me engaged from the first page to the last. I liked that it was a shorter read, it was just the right length to read before I went to sleep.
This series centers around three women that are good friends, they have hunky men that adore them and there is a cupcake shop involved with mouth-watering sweet treats. All is going well until an elf shows up dead on the shop’s doorsteps. It is then off to the races to find out who killed the elf and why. The answer was a bit surprising to me and I truly didn’t suspect the killer. Along with finding the killer, Callie is trying to figure out what is going on with her boyfriend Ben. The answer is sweet but that is all I will say, you will have to read the book yourself to find out the answer.
Anna cracks me up – she is petite but a force of nature. Let’s just say you shouldn’t mess with her.
This is the fourth book in the series and I didn’t read the first three but I don’t think that would keep anyone from enjoying this book, you just miss out on the character development. I will have to go back and read the first three at some point to see what I missed.
Overall it was a great book and we give it 5 paws up.
Having previously being involved in investigating crimes together, and now all dating men who run towards danger in the course of their professions, it is no surprise that when a body is literally delivered to their doorstep these three curious and adventurous women are not going to sit idly on the sidelines.
Each chapter begins with an appeal to Santa for help or understanding and includes a delicious (if not intoxicating) cupcake. Having a cupcake shop not far from campus, it is no surprise that many students have a connection. One of our protagonists is also a professor while another funds a youth center. When rumors fly that the deceased “elf” has been harassing (or worse) students, the three best friends decide to take matters into their own hands.
As a side plot, Ben, the detective boyfriend of one, is also acting distant and strange. If they have time, the ladies are going to get to the bottom of his odd behavior.
Filled with witty banter, colorful phrases and misdirections, can the women avoid the men attempting to protect them while they get to the bottom of a dead elf delivered to the cupcake shop.
Favorite Quotes:
“An elf died on our doorstep,” Anna repeats. He does a slow blink before shaking his head. “You know, a few months ago, I would have been shocked by those words coming out of anyone’s mouth. Now?” He shrugs.
He chuckles and waves as he walks out the door. I may be annoyed with him, but nothing can stop me from watching him walk away. The view is too fantastic to pass up.
I could easily push her out of the way. I’m a half a foot taller than her and weigh substantially more than her. How much more? I’m not saying. No way.
I hear a collective sigh from the group of women and smirk. I can’t blame their fangirling. With his height of around six feet, fit body, and dark blue eyes, Tyler is a catch. Add in the fire department t-shirt straining against his muscles underneath his apron and it’s a miracle no one has deliberately started a fire to see him in action.
My Review:
D.E. Haggerty can’t go wrong with her humorous cozy mystery series featuring a quirky cast of characters, unusual murder victims, mouth-watering cupcakes, a pink-haired pixie-sized baker, and an entertaining and original premise. The characters are relatable, the storylines are humorous and easy to follow and the mystery has a bit of bite to it. It was a quick, fun, and lively read, but a challenge to my diet plan.