From #1 bestselling culinary cozy mystery author Catherine Bruns comes the next delightfully delicious Cookies & Chance Mystery…
Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality … popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who’s looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful ex-inlaws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?
Recipes Included!
The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:
Tastes Like Murder (book #1)
Baked to Death (book #2)
A Spot of Murder (short story in the “Killer Beach Reads” collection)
What critics are saying:
“Catherine Bruns dishes up a deliciously devilish mystery with this feisty suspense story. This is a highly entertaining cozy mystery that would appeal to anyone who likes a little zaniness with their suspense. ”
—Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick!
“I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!”
—Fresh Fiction
“The delightful whodunit kept me guessing until the end, and the tasty treats had my mouthwatering from start to finish! A fantastic culinary mystery in the vein of Joanne Fluke and Diane Mott Davidson!”
—Gemma Halliday, New York Times & USA Today bestselling mystery author
“Catherine Bruns has found a winning recipe for an exciting mystery mixed with a dash of humor and a heap of danger. Add in a little romance for spice, and you get one sweet reading treat.”
—Mary Marks, bestselling author of the Quilting Mystery series.
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Baked To Death
Cookies & Chance Mystery, Book #2
Catherine Bruns
5+ Stars
Synopsis:
From #1 bestselling culinary cozy mystery author Catherine Bruns comes the next delightfully delicious Cookies & Chance Mystery…
Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who’s looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful ex-inlaws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?
**Recipes Included!**
The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:
Tastes Like Murder (book #1)
Baked to Death (book #2)
A Spot of Murder (short story in the “Killer Beach Reads” collection) (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I love getting to spend time Sally and her family and friends. Her parents crack me up, their antics are very funny. I enjoy reading about the relationship between Sally, her sister Gianna and her best friend Josie. Gianna and Sally have a special bond because of their crazy parents, and Josie and Sally will do anything for each other. And her grandmother is a wise old woman and tells it like it is. All of the characters add so much to the book and it is so much fun getting to spend time with them.
The writing style flows smoothly and it defined the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author takes the written word and develops a story full of descriptions, humor, intrigue and love. I really enjoy the inclusion of the fortune cookies, it is a clever way to add humor and teases the reader, who wonders if the fortune will come true.
The mystery was well plotted and was carried on well throughout the entire story. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through and I did not figure it out until the reveal at the end, which makes me happy.
I would highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Give it a try and I am sure you will be happy that you did.
This series comes highly recommended if you like a crazy, chuckle-worth Italian family combined with a solid mystery full of red herrings.
Grandma Rosa is a wonderful character, full of good advice, patience and love for family and friends, I wish she was my grandmother.
Sal and Josie attending a cookie baking competition in Florida was not just a fun event but also perfectly embedded into the mystery.
I enjoyed this second installment even more than the first one.
It can be read as a stand alone but for the sake of the background story it is best to read the books in order.
Since I love baking and really enjoy cozy mysteries, I figured I might like BAKED TO DEATH by Catherine Bruns. Catherine was a new author to me so I had to find out for myself if her writing could keep me interested and wanting more. She more than delivered!
You can’t help but fell in love with the town of Colwestern and it diverse group of inhabitants. Sally “Sal” Muccio reminded me of myself at times – always needing to find out the answers that, somehow or other, always seem to place one in a pickle from time to time. Added to mix, an ex-husband that she finds out was nothing like she thought. After he was killed, he leaving large debts that have mob like men after Sally to collect. Sal must prove to the cops and everyone else that her man didn’t commit this crime. During all the hair raising, page turning chapters, she keeps you guessing whodunit and pulling for Sally to win the cookie competition while under so much stress.
If you enjoy reading a good book that is full of mystery, suspense, excitement, romance, and leaves you wanting more, then I suggest you read BAKED TO DEATH. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone book. However, like me, after reading it, you will be searching for the other books in this series!
Sally’s life is going good until here ex shows up and ends up dead and the police are looking at her boyfriend as the suspect.
I enjoyed this book, the characters are likable and believable, I love Grandma Rosa. The mystery was good and led you along nicely with the clues. I will continue on with this series.
As a bonus there are some great sounding recipes in the back.
I love this series. Sally’s family would drive a sane person nuts! Love them all – especially Grandma Rosa! This time I guessed the murderer early, but still had to wait to see how all the characters played out their stories. I am starting book 3 as soon as I hit submit!
Death Returns to the Cookie Shop…Delicious!
Catherine Bruns takes us on another enjoyable ride. Sally’s difficulties with the death of her ex and dealing with her former in-laws were written so well, I really felt bad…where’s Karma hiding from book 1? The drama at the baking competition was exactly how I thought it would be since I am a Food Network fan: behind-the-scenes, Sally and Josie partnership, and the drama among the other competitors. We are again treated to wonderful recipes, not just Catherine’s favorites, but actual recipes connected to the story. In this book we have Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Frosting which are the perfect holiday treat, along with the Cookie Crusades entries for Josie’s Jelly Cookies, Coconut Macaroons, and Brownie Biscotti.
1/27/19 Updated
“Baked to Death”earns 5/5 Award Winning Cookies…Totally Engaging Fun!
This story is well worth a second helping! Catherine’s Bruns’s work is always the main force, but Siobhan O’Day’s narration enhanced my “redo” with a very pleasant voice for Sally’s “I” perspective. Her voice artistry goes well beyond the traditional reading making entertaining changes in tone, emotion, and varied dialects and accents to illustrate the different characters. Josie’s “New Yawk” twang was so delightful! The Italian accent for Grandma Rosa and her nemesis Mrs Gavelli were different and spot on. All female narrators have the challenge to mimic a male voice, and Siobhan’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed. I was really looking forward to hearing her artistry with the different generations. The differences between a youthful or aged tone is important, and Siobhan was great! My only complaint is that you miss out on the recipes…so I make sure to pick up the eBook for those!