In the picturesque tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas, Tally Holt has opened a new candy store with a vintage twist . . .but there’s no sugar-coating a nasty case of murder . . . Tally Holt has poured her heart, soul, and bank account into Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, specializing in her grandmother’s delicious recipes. Tally’s homemade Mallomars, Twinkies, fudges, and taffy are a hit with … are a hit with visiting tourists—and with Yolanda Bella, the flamboyant owner of Bella’s Baskets next door. But both shops encounter a sour surprise when local handyman Gene Faust is found dead in Tally’s kitchen, stabbed with Yolanda’s scissors.
The mayor’s adopted son, Gene was a handsome Casanova with a bad habit of borrowing money from the women he wooed. It’s a sticky situation for Yolanda, who was one of his marks. There are plenty of other likely culprits among Fredericksburg’s female population, and even among Gene’s family. But unless Tally can figure out who finally had their fill of Gene’s sweet-talking ways, Yolanda—and both their fledgling businesses—may be destined for a bitter end . . .
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
Newly opened Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets in Fredericksburg, Texas is a popular place. The vintage shop uses Tally’s grandmother’s recipes to make treats from the past like Mallomars, Clark Bars, and Twinkies along with taffy and fudges. Her friend Yolanda Bella owns Bella’s Baskets right next door. They are in and out of each other’s shops several times each day. Tally has two part-time workers Mart and Andrea who tend to customers while Tally creates her delicious goodies. When the women need and handyman, Gene Faust is the man they call. Gene is the adopted son of the mayor. He is a real ladies’ man who has a penchant for borrowing money his girlfriends, usually right before he dumps them.
Tally left Gene repairing her refrigeration unit in the kitchen while she served customers at the front of the store. When she closed up and went into the kitchen she found Gene dead on the floor from an apparent stabbing. She’s confused because several people went through the kitchen before she did. There is no way they missed his body. Could one of them be the killer or did the murderer come and go through the back door without her knowing? Yolanda, Andrea, and Mart all seemed to have their issues with Gene, but she can’t believe they would kill him. How many other women has Gene hurt? Or could it be someone else he pushed too far?
The cover of this book grabbed me as soon as I saw it. I love the vintage candy store theme. It is always so much fun to visit one. The author has a nice descriptive writing style so it was very easy to visualize everything, especially Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets Shop and all the yummy treats.
Ms. George introduces a vast cast of characters. It was easy to keep everyone straight but we don’t get to know them well enough to truly get invested in them. Gene had quite a checkered past and by the end, it was pretty fleshed out but the rest of the characters are still one-dimensional for me. Since this is a series, I know we will learn more in future stories but wished they were more developed in this story. One character I did fall hard for is a big Maine Coon cat named Nigel. I do have a soft spot for those big kitties.
The mystery was well-plotted with plenty of suspects. I did hone in on the culprit early but the motive wasn’t clear until the end. I did enjoy that the story swapped points-of-view between Yolanda and Tally. Sometimes it was confusing because it switches mid-chapter, but I think my problem may be attributed to the digital advanced copy I was reading. I am hoping in the finished book there was better spacing without the paragraphs running together.
I was excited that the Twinkie recipe was included at the end of the story.
Ms. George has laid a nice foundation for her series in Revenge Is Sweet. I am looking to Deadly Sweet Tooth, which will be released on June 2, 2020.
In the lovely little tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas, Tally Holt has opened a vintage candy store, Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets next door to Bella’s Baskets owned by her best friend, Yolanda Bella. When Gene Faust, the mayor’s adopted son and notorious womanizer, is found murdered in Tally’s shop with Yolanda’s scissors, the two friends immediately become suspects. Can they find the killer before one of them is arrested for the crime?
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a promising start to a new series. With the author’s vivid description, I instantly fell in love with the charming little town of Fredericksburg, and the candy shop setting with all the delectable sweets. I found Tally and Yolanda to be likable and relatable characters and their friendship felt realistic to me. The murder mystery was intriguing and had plenty of suspects to choose from. It wasn’t too difficult to figure out the identity of the culprit and their motive for the murders, but I still enjoyed watching the mystery unravel. This was a fun and delightful cozy that drew me in right from the start and kept me hooked until the last page. I will definitely be reading the second book. A delicious recipe for homemade twinkies is included at the end.
I received an ARC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Tally Holt has just opened a vintage sweets shop next to the basket shop operated by her best friend, Yolanda Bella, in the town of Fredericksburg, Texas. Tally’s opened in time for tourist season, and she’s hoping that will give her new business a boost. However, things get derailed when she finds a body in her kitchen. The victim was Gene Faust, the mayor’s adopted son. Gene didn’t have a good reputation, dating multiple women and borrowing money from all of them. Yolanda was one of his victims, and her scissors are the murder weapon. Can Tally and Yolanda figure out what really happened before one of them is arrested for the crime?
This book gets off to a good start, with several strong suspects before Gene even dies. From there, we have fun watching Tally and Yolanda try to figure out who actually committed the crime. The clues are woven into the story well, but one aspect of the plot is never fully explained. Who killed Gene and why is solved, however. The book is written third person from both Tally and Yolanda’s points of view. These switches definitely help tell the story and are always easy to follow. The characters could have been stronger at the beginning of the book, but we do get some development by the time the book is over. This is the first in the series, and I’m sure the characters will get stronger as the series progresses. There is a recipe at the end for one of Tally’s specialties – homemade Twinkies. This is an entertaining debut in what could turn into a series as addicting as Tally’s sweets.
Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George is the debut novel in The Vintage Sweets Mysteries. Tally Holt has opened Old Tyme Sweets next door to Bella’s Baskets owned by Tally’s best friend, Yolanda Bella. When the local Romeo handyman, Gene ends up dead in her kitchen, Yolanda finds herself the prime suspect. Tally searches for the killer so she can clear Yolanda from suspicion. I enjoyed the descriptions of Fredericksburg, Texas and the charming shops in the tourist town. I also liked the delectable descriptions of Tally’s sweet confections. I was put off, though, by the point-of-view being split between Tally and Yolanda. It was confusing because both characters seemed similar. Plus, it took me out of the story as I adjusted to the new speaker. The characters felt flat and lacked development. They never came to life for me. I thought the mystery was too simple. I was able to identify the guilty party immediately (there might as well have been a giant neon arrow over the killer’s head). Tally questions people as does Yolanda. They are both obvious and abrupt when talking to people (the way they questioned people made it sound like accusations). There is a lot of personal drama happening for various characters in Revenge is Sweet. Tally has her brother visiting town and he brought his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Nigel (my favorite character in the book). Nigel is a large Maine Coon cat with a sweet personality. You can tell the brother is trying to unload Nigel on Tally. Yolanda has financial trouble and issues with her father. She also has terrible taste in men and lacks business acumen. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I also found some conflicting details. I also thought it was gross when Tally failed to hire a crime scene clean up crew for her kitchen after the first body was removed. I do not believe the local health inspector would be happy with the do-it-yourself job. I know it is fiction, but little details are important for a believable story. Romance is in the air for our two main characters. There are two potential suitors for Tally (unfortunately). Revenge is Sweet needed another round of rewrites and editing in my opinion. There is a recipe for twinkies at the end (homemade version) and a preview of Deadly Sweet Tooth which is the second book in the series. Revenge is Sweet is a new cozy mystery with tempting treats, sharp scissors, money misfortunes, fridge on the fritz, proof of pilfering and multiple murders.
A good start to a sweet new cozy series taking place in the cozy tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas. Two friends split the role of protagonist (IMO)—Tally Holt, owner of Olde Tyme Sweets, and Yolanda Bella, owner of Bella’s Baskets. Both are hard workers intent on operating successful businesses on their own. Missing money from the cash drawer and a murder in Tally’s kitchen create unwanted havoc in their shops and on their nerves.
I enjoyed the charming setting, and the Maine coon cat, Nigel. The murder mystery was intriguing and following along as it unfolded was nice and relaxing. However, the main female characters were continually weak and fell flat for me. The killer reveal was surprising and the author offered several suspicious culprits. My actual rating is 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Underground. Thank you.
Keeps you guessing as to who dun it.
The Fredericksburg, Texas, setting is appealing, and the business the main character runs is delectable. I would pay a visit in a heartbeat. Tally is an interesting character in this first book of the series, and I am intrigued to follow her growth through the series. But the showstopper is her brother’s (soon to be hers, I’m sure) Maine Coon cat, Nigel. I want one! Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Kept me hooked. Couldn’t wait to find out the ending. I want more!!!
This new series from Kaye George is off to a great start. The setting is the small tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas and the main characters are best friends Tally Holt and Yolanda Bella. Each runs her own business – Tally has a candy shop named Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets were she sells candy from her grandmother’s recipes. Yolanda had a basket shop named Bella’s Baskets. Together they are trying to find a killer before one of the ends up in jail for murder.
Gene was famous for being a lady’s man and he left a trail of broken hearts and bank accounts all over town.He was bad news to almost every woman in town. as the local handyman, who is also the mayor’s adopted son, he is in and out of lots of places, including Tally’s shop to work on a plumbing problem. When Tally and Yolanda find him dead in Tally’s shop, well, that’s bad for Tally and her business. On top of that? The murder weapon is a pair of scissors belonging to Yolanda. Both ladies had crossed paths with Gene but did either one of them hate him enough to do him in? Let the sleuthing begin.
I enjoyed everything about this new series. The setting and both Tally and Yolanda were well drawn and the mystery was very satisfying. I usually shy away from books written from multiple points of view because I find it confusing. Not at all an issue here. It was always easy to know who was speaking (and snooping) and it gave their sleuthing a wider range. The clues were there but I still didn’t guess who dunnit and, for this reader, that’s a good thing. I’m saving a place on my TBR list for the next book.
My thanks to the publisher Lyrical Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I love books set in Texas, and this one is set in Fredericksburg, in the hill country. It took me a bit to really get into it but I’m glad I kept reading. It’s an interesting story with a lot of twists. The characters are believable and the dialog is natural. I think you’ll enjoy it!
I received an advance copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Revenge Is Sweet is the first book in the Vintage Sweets Mystery series.
Tally Holt and Yolanda Bella have been friends since childhood. Tally has recently moved back to Fredericksburg, TX and has opened a vintage candy store next door to Yolanda’s Bella’s Baskets.
Gene Faust is a handyman that Tally and Yolanda use from time to time. Gene is the adoptive son of the Mayor and his wife, in his youth, he was the local “bad boy”, now he is a womanizer who dated many of females in town and has borrowed money from many of them, most of which has never been repaid. Yolanda is one of the women who has dated and loaned him money. Yolanda has been trying to get Gene to pay her back, but all she gets are promises.
When a refrigeration unit at Tally’s, she asks to see if he can get it up and running. The next day when she goes to see if the refrigerator is working she finds the dead body of Gene on the floor, having been stabbed in the back. When the police find the scissors that were used to kill Gene, they learn that they belong to Yolanda. When the police learn of the argument that Yolanda had concerning the loan she becomes the prime suspect.
Tally wants to believe in Yolanda’s innocence and begins to investigate on her own. Gene’s adoptive parents show little remorse over his death, or maybe one of the many women he has been seeing has gotten tired of his two-timing.
I enjoyed the story and it moves at an even pace and had interesting characters.
This is the first book in a new series by Author Kaye George, who is an author I have not previously read. I was looking forward to this debut in the series as it sounded intriguing. The setting was charming and the mystery unfolded at a nice pace throughout the book. However, where it fell flat for me was with the characters. I found it difficult to have the story told from the dual point of view of both protagonists. I found it a bit confusing at some points in the book. I also didn’t really connect with the characters, which a problem for me as a reader. Overall, the writing was good, the mystery was interesting and the setting charming, but if I don’t care about the characters, the odds are I won’t continue with a series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
I enjoy books that are set in small cozy towns. And the small touristy shops are a plus. I love those types of towns and the people who live there. The mystery was handled well by the author. However, the dual POV was confusing. The main characters, Tally and Yolanda, were not that well developed. That prevented me from connecting well with them.
I really enjoyed the delicious items from Tally’s shop. Yum! Yum!
Thank you to NetGalley and Lyrical Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
A new culinary/candy cozy series “Vintage Sweets Mysteries” from Kensington Books, Revenge Is Sweet by author Kaye George hits stores this week.
It is always thrilling to read the first book in a series, and culinary or candy cozy’s are among my favorites. They usually have great recipes and mouth-watering descriptions. I understand that new series need time to develop, and character growth is spread out over several books. I know this going in but… I do expect when a new series is being written by a veteran writer that the time allowed for character and story development shouldn’t be as long or as hard to achieve. Unfortunately, I do not feel that any of this was attained in this new book.
Tally and Yolanda are in their mid 30’s, but they have the emotional maturity of 15-year olds. They do not treat each other as best friends, but more like rivals in high school. In fact, I couldn’t find any character in this book that I liked even a little bit. The two main characters in this candy cozy are supposed to be business owners, Tally owned and ran a thriving bakery previously. Yet, she does not seem capable of hiring her staff or balancing the business accounting books. She gets her advice from Yolanda, who depends on her father’s money to keep her business afloat.
The murder(s) is unique but not exciting. The investigation is not believable. Tally would have been detained immediately, and anyone who was in the shop at the time of the first killing, not to mention the second, would most likely have been taken in for questioning as well. Every inch of the shop would have been searched, and it would have been closed until the police investigation concluded. The fact that the writer has everyone just going home after speaking briefly, if at all with the police, and living their normal lives makes the premise hard to swallow. The resolution and unmasking of the killer is no surprise what-so-ever; even the motive was easily known immediately. There is no mystery or real investigation. Although this book is a candy cozy, in other words, based in a candy shop, the candy part seems irrelevant. The setting could have been any retail shop of any type.
I can only hope that the second book in this series will show growth and a real mystery. Revenge Is Sweet is not a book I would recommend to anyone who loves a mystery.
Revenge is Sweet by Kaye George is the first in the Vintage Sweets Mysteries. This was the first book by this author for me.
I was excited to read this from the description, as the vintage candy theme caught my attention. I did enjoy that part of the story. I also liked Nigel, the Maine coon cat.
The downfall for me was the story has two main characters and the story jumped back and forth without a warning.
I enjoyed the setting and the additional characters are promising for the next book. I had figured out who had done it a little off half way through. There is a bit of history and a hint of romance.
I am planning to read book two.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.