Sugar and spice and murderous vice.That’s what pageants are made of… sponsoring a cupcake creation challenge for the participants, Fairy Tale Cupcakes will get great publicity.
But the world of pageants is even hotter than Mel’s kitchen. A high-strung judge and a pushy stage mom target Lupe, a young friend of Mel and Angie’s, at the competition and aim to take her out—by any means necessary. When the same judge shows up dead underneath Mel and Angie’s cupcake display, Lupe is crowned the lead suspect. Now Mel and Angie will have to find the real killer quickly or Lupe may be strutting the catwalk in prison pinstripes…
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Much to Mel’s dismay, Fairytale Cupcakes has gotten roped into providing cupcakes for the Sweet Tiara pageant. But when their friend Lupe is accused of murdering the head judge after a very public fight with the woman on the first day, Mel and Angie must figure out whose outward beauty is hiding a very ugly heart.
I hadn’t planned to pick up this book so fast, but after the cliffhanger that ended the previous book, I had to know what was going to happen next. We get those updates early on in the book, and I found the romantic relationships to continue to delight, even providing some great laughs. The characters are as strong as ever, and I like seeing how they are growing and their relationships are changing. I do feel that the mystery was overshadowed by the characters and the pageant, but I still loved every page of this book.
Mel Cooper and Angie DeLaura own Fairy Tale Cupcakes and have been asked to provide cupcakes for a local beauty pageant. Since they could use the publicity, they decide to do it despite their view on pageants. Then Mel’s mother and her best friend, Ginny, decide to sponsor Lupe, a young friend of Mel’s in the pageant. But things aren’t all nice as a judge and some mean girls decide Lupe has to go. When that judge is found murdered, Lupe becomes a prime suspect so Mel sets out to find the real killer.
I really enjoyed this book which is sixth in the series. I’m a fan of the author’s Library Lover’s series so decided to try this one and I’m glad I did as I’m loving the books so far. The book’s well-written with wonderful characters and it drew me in from the beginning. The mystery will definitely keep you guessing throughout. I’m looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
Like a cartoon snowball rolling down a hill, the further I got into this book, the faster I found myself reading. This series, after a somewhat awkward start and a little bit of a hiccup recently, has finally figured out what it is, and I couldn’t be more delighted.
What I liked about “Sugar and Iced”:
The conversational tone – It reads comfortably, which means when I reach a point where the pages start to turn themselves, it’s so easy to keep up because this author writes the way I think — the vocabulary, the cadence of the words. It runs through my brain with a very natural feel. That’s a rare find for me.
Joe DeLaura – Easily one of my top book-character crushes, ranking right up there with Derek Stone (from the Bibliophile Mysteries) and Jamie Fraser (of the Outlander series). Swoon.
Finally, a movie quote that someone had to think about! – It’s no secret that quoting movie lines and naming them is a tradition for this quirky group. But no one ever misses a beat! Until now. Maybe it seems silly, but it made the characters feel more real to me as a result.
Mel’s romantic struggles – I am typically not a fan of drawn out love triangles (in books or tv shows) but I can really appreciate *why* Mel is stuck and I like that we got right to understanding where her mind is on this. There’s a valid reason for her hesitation and given her history, it feels right that it’s giving her pause.
Chapter endings – I kind of like that each chapter feels like it ends in a mini cliffhanger. It gives me an excuse for why I need to read “just one more chapter.”
What I didn’t care for:
The actual case – Sure the Lupe story was predictable, but would I expect any less? Of course not. But the actual case involving the murder felt as though it could have been anyone so I never got a sense of whodunnit. It wasn’t even that I was off track. It just seemed as though it could have been anyone and I had no guesses whatsoever. Odd, for me, with this genre. I’m not always right about who or why, but to have no suspicions or ability to narrow the wide field? Odd.
I truly enjoy this series. I might even put it in my top three cozy mystery series. (Please don’t make me actually choose!) I am so disappointed by the final scene (I don’t want to elaborate for fear of spoilers) but I am hopeful that maybe we’ll sort it out in the next book or two? I know I’ll be there to find out!
Any book by Jenn McKinlay is sure to be great. They are always fast paced and fun with a little bit of a twist, but not twisted.