Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She¿s not there a minute before she¿s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte¿s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile¿s body is discovered, … sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by.
With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it¿s not Emile¿s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile¿s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
When I first saw the cover of this book I didn’t know the author was a pseudonym for Tonya Kappes, but as soon as I read the first page, I knew I was reading a book by Tonya Kappes. She has a distinctive writing style and her characters are so much fun.
This new cozy series introduces us to Sophia Cummings, a pastry chef at a top Manhattan restaurant. That is until she finds her boyfriend, also a chef at the same restaurant, cheating on her. She decides to head home to Rumford, Kentucky to get a break. She quickly runs into a friend from high school and finds herself making her wedding cake. The reception is being held at the Rumford Country Club where Sophia used to work. She knows she will have everything she needs there to create the wedding cake of her friend’s dreams. Unfortunately, when she arrives she finds the club’s head chef, Emile, dead on the floor with a cast iron skillet nearby. She notices something about the pan and informs Sheriff Carter. The next thing she knows she has accepted the job as an interim chef for the club. Maybe while working there she can find out who clobbered the chef, but her main concern is that her friend’s wedding goes on without any more interruptions or dead bodies.
This series is off to a divine start. Sophia is a talented chef with a huge heart. She loves creating desserts that make people happy. She couldn’t say “no” to anyone, which is why she ends up committed to baking things even after the date she plans to return to Manhattan. Her mother, on the other hand, is demanding, bossy, and you know a mom that really loves her daughter. She is also not beyond a little matchmaking. Her father does his best to keep the peace and has a strong bond with his daughter. It was great to meet all of Sophia’s high school friends, even the one she doesn’t recognize. These characters are so well developed already in this first book. I am excited to see the beyond high school relationships grow and evolve. Their Southern charm shines throughout the whole story.
The author has filled these pages with a great whodunit too with plenty of suspects and twists galore. So well-plotted and full of clues and just the perfect amount of humor.
Ms. Bell’s descriptive talents set the scene perfectly. She has created this wonderful little town of Rumford and I escaped away right into it.
Southern charm, mystery, great characters, fantastic dialogue, and a bit of comedy make Cake and Punishment a must read! The talk of sweet treats will also have your mouth watering.
Sophia Cummings has come back to her hometown of Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky to take a much needed breather from her everyday life. She found out that the man she was seeing was cheating on her and needed to get away, not only do they work together but they live together too. While in town her friend asks her to make her wedding cake, you see Sophia is a very talented pastry chef and she immediately says yes. The kitchen at the local Country Club has agreed to let Sophia make the cake there and she can’t wait to get started but when she finds the body of the chef she doesn’t know what to do. It looks like the man has been knocked over the head with a frying pan, but who would do such a thing and why? Sophia decides she must find out and before her friends wedding, she doesn’t want anything to overshadow that day. Join in as Sophia asks questions to find out who had something against the chef that would cause them to commit murder. Along the way she is asked by several people to provide pastries for different occasions, that has her wondering does she want to return to her life or start anew in her home town. This was an amusing read that had me laughing throughout. Sophia is a truly wonderful character filled with plenty of spark and determination. I loved the relationship between her and her parents, the southern style made me think of parts of my own upbringing. I can’t wait for the author to write the next chapter in Sophia’s life!!!
Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor.
With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?
Series: A Southern Cake Baker Mystery
Author: Maymee Bell (Tonya Kappes)
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Culinary
Publisher: Crooked Lane Book
Publishing Date: May 8, 2018
Cake and Punishment from Maymee Bell (aka Tonya Kappes) is a wonderful new series. The characters are outrageous enough to make readers laugh and serious enough to give them a moment’s pause. Sophia may have a broken heart and no intention of stay in Rumford, but everyone is making it almost impossible for her to go back to the city and her job of a lifetime or would be if it weren’t for her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her and ruined her happiness.
The characters in this book are wonderfully simple and complex all at the same time. They have flaws and quirks that endear them and at the same time can make them a bit irritating. Or in other words, normal. They are hard to forget, and readers will enjoy getting to know them as new books in the series roll out.
Sophia is heartbroken and yet determined to reclaim her dream job and forget her ex-cheating boyfriend. Her old friends gather around and do everything they can to keep her in Rumford; even her mother is determined to keep her around. She even finds that she is attracted to the local police detective, carter.
As the story unfolds, it doesn’t take long for the reader to know what Sophia’s fate will be when it comes to Rumford or her dream job. As for the murder, that is a bit more complex, and many readers will not figure out who-done-it until the end.
This new series with the debut of Cake and Punishment is certain to appeal to anyone who enjoys Tonya Kappes other series as well as anyone who loves good cooking and especially baked goods. The recipes in the back are divine and mouthwateringly delicious. This book is highly recommended to all cozy readers.
This was a charming first book in the Southern Cake Baker series. It has the right amount of southern charm, laughter, romance, and of course a dead body. Looking forward to reading more about this charming town and the people in it.
Sophia Cummings left the hustle and bustle of New York City for much slower paced Rumford, Kentucky. Her relationship is in ruins, and resulted in her being fired from her job as a successful pastry chef. Sophia agrees to help bake pastries for several local events although she only plans to stay about a week longer. When Chef Emile at the country club is apparently murdered in cold blood; gossip says he had affairs with several of the club members, with or without their husbands’ knowledge. The number of people who disliked Emile is enormous and the suspect list is long. When Sophia casually starts snooping and asking questions, her life is threatened. Can the handsome Police Chief Carter pinpoint a killer and keep Sophia safe from harm?
I found this story a scrumptious debut cozy from Maymee Bell (aka Tonya Kappes). It’s a well written and polished Southern cozy and I felt right at home and immediately immersed in the dialogue and scenes. The pacing is steady and held my interest at all times. I like when the protagonist finds what they’ve been looking for right in front of their eyes. I believe readers who are fans of culinary Cozies will love Cake and Punishment! I look forward to reading book two. The author includes some delicious sounding, down-home recipes!
Southern cozy at it’s finest, author Maymee Bell has penned what is sure to be one of the top new cozy mysteries of 2018.
As a lover of culinary cozies, I had been looking forward to CAKE & PUNISHMENT since I first heard about it. Starting a new series can be a bit dicey. You’re never sure if it will live up to your expectations. I’m happy to say, this book did that and more!
CAKE & PUNISHMENT drew me in immediately. Great characters, southern charm, detailed descriptions that made me feel like I was part of the story, and a truly wonderful murder mystery all kept me turning page after page until I was blindsided by the clever reveal.
If you have to be choosy about what books you can buy, make sure CAKE & PUNISHMENT is one of the ones you choose. Seriously, a fabulous mystery, and tasty recipes, you won’t go wrong with this one!
Cake and Punishment
A Southern Cake Baker Mystery, Book #1
Tonya Kappes
5 Stars
Synopsis:
In the first of a delectable new Southern-set baking cozy series, Sophia Cummings, pastry chef extraordinaire, must craft the perfect cake for an old friend’s wedding while sifting through the suspects in a murder.
Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by.
With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?
Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and JoAnna Carl, Cake and Punishment―with authentic Southern recipes!―will satisfy your sweet tooth. (Goodreads)
Review:
When reading anything written by this author, there are a few things you can be certain of: exceptional characters, a homey setting, humor and a great mystery. And of course all of those things are found in this book.
Sophia is a hardworking, honest, funny woman. She is a great pastry chef and when she makes creations that others enjoy, that makes her very happy. She has returned home from Manhattan after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her to try and heal her heart and head. She is not planning on staying, only visiting. But somehow she finds herself agreeing to making the wedding cake for one of her highschool friends. Then she finds herself agreeing to help out her old boss by being the chef for the country club until they can find a replacement. The regular chef has been murdered. As if that is not enough on her plate, she decides that she has to figure out who the murderer is.
The characters are well developed and well rounded. I enjoyed getting to know Sophia and her family and friends. Her mother is a real piece of work, bossy and meddling, but she sure does love Sophia. Sophia enjoys spending time with some of her friends from highschool, and the longer she visits, the more she realizes that she misses her hometown.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. Although there is a lot of action in this book, it is as much character and dialogue driven as it is action driven. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and she knows how to create the perfect Southern small town, with the traditions and the nosiness and the helpfulness of neighbors.
The mystery was well plotted and well paced. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through and that made this mystery difficult to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I think this author has another great series to add to her name.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I really enjoyed this small town cozy mystery. There were several suspects to consider and I had fun trying to solve the murder. I look forward to the next novel in this series to see where the flirty relationship between Sophia and Sheriff Carter is headed.
The recipes that are included in the book sound delicious. I can’t wait to try them, especially the Banana Pudding Cupcakes!
Pastry Chef Sophia Cummings is visiting her home town of Rumford, Kentucky to recover from the shock of finding her live-in boyfriend, Chef Noah, in the arms of another woman. She soon finds herself not only baking an old friend’s wedding cake but also being the fill in chef at the local country club after the chef was murdered.
This mystery is well written with lots of descriptions to help the reader feel involved in the story. Add to that a dose of southern charm, a budding romance and some great food (recipes included) and you get the quintessential cozy mystery. First in a new series, Cake and Punishment is a great mixture of mystery and romance.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Being from the south I love a good southern mystery. Sophia has come home but isn’t planning on staying. A baker and a crime solver all rolled up into one. Great chemistry between her and Carter. This one kept me on my toes, I usually can figure out who done it pretty quickly. Loved the small town atmosphere. Gotta love a meddling mother.
This is a very witty and charming story. What do you do when your boyfriend who you live and work with at your dream job is caught in a compromising position with a co-worker? You head on home to lick your wounds and re-group. What you don’t want to do is get involved in a murder mystery with the hot sheriff. Or do you? Who would believe that something like this would get your priorities set and realize there is no place like home. I received a complimentary copy and I am giving a voluntary review.
In this new series it oozes with southern charm and characters that jump off the pages. The author is amazing in her writing technique. She gives readers the perfect story that captures your attention right away. Sophia is a delightful woman who finds herself moving back home to Kentucky. It sounds so beautiful there that it has been added to my bucket list. Sophia had her life planned out. She was a pastry chef at a very prestigious place. She was in love and the world was perfect. You know how you think you have the perfect life and then reality hits you in the face? That happened to Sophia and now she finds herself back home.
Her visit home takes a detour when she finds herself making a wedding cake for her old friend. It seems that someone has decided to murder the chef that was helping with the wedding. I loved the reference to the iron skillet. Everyone knows it has to be seasoned before you can use it. Not everyone knew because a brand new skillet laying beside a dead body spells murder weapon to me. It’s a shame when someone dies, people start saying how much they were disliked. What would chef Emile think if he heard the nasty things said about him?
With sayings like, “That woman doesn’t have all her chairs in the parlor, ” the book is fun and full of southern talk that makes you feel right at home. There are several suspects that look promising for the murder. Will the wedding take place? I know the bride is worried about her perfect day being ruined but really a murder kinda takes a bit more importance . Poor Charlotte sees her dream wedding falling apart and I felt sorry for her. I have to say Bitsy who is Sophia’s mother is wacky. She made me laugh more than any other character. She is the perfect southern woman with etiquette dripping off her. I think I would enjoy watching her work a room. You can’t help but like her even though she is a bit dramatic at times.
I enjoyed the story very much and wait till you find out who the killer is. Big surprises await readers in this first in a new series. The author is amazing and writes stories that always entertains and leaves readers anxious for more.
I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. The review is my own opinion.
A delicious start to a new series full of southern spunk and sass.
After a broken heart sends Sophia Cummings running home to her Bitsy, her mama, she reconnects with friends from high school and agrees to bake the most spectacular wedding cake the small town of Rumford, Kentucky has ever tasted. An unfortunate occurence of wrong time and place have Sophia at the discovery of a body and her old employer set up to take the fall for murder. To add insult to the batter and sour her home visit, the man who caused Sophia’s heartbreak arrives to replace the dead chef!
Delightful characters, delectible southern banter, I guarantee you’ll pick up a few new phrases for your own use, and an unpredictable future for Sophia are all on the menu. Will the wedding go on as planned or is it truly cursed? Can you go home again and survive?
Included in the reading and at the end are amazing recipes you must try yourself and share with family and friends. This is a full five star read and taste!
Theme: Week #1: Celebrate – Cookies/Pies/Cakes:
Book:
Pages: 311
Qualifies: Bookshelf for Caked
Finished: 02/07/2021
Rating: 4
Review:
What a delicious, mouthwatering read!!!
Sophia Cummings, the head pastry chef for a
popular New York restaurant returns home to
Rumford, Kentucky. Sophia discovered her
boyfriend, Noah the chef, cheating on her
and needs a break away from New York.
Sophia connects with her old high school
friends. One who was getting married soon
and had the wedding cake baker pull out so
Sophia ends up volunteering to make the
cake. What she doesn’t expect is to be at
the Rumford Country Club when their head
chef is found dead in the club’s kitchen.
Intrigue Sophia finds herself in the midst of
a murder investigation plus she needs to
prove the manager innocent.
The characters are well defined with amazing
interaction between them.
The details took me right into the small Southern
setting of Rumford. I felt that the characters
included me into their activities.
Recipes for Rev Velvet Crunchies, Surprise Puffs,
Southern Skillet Apple Pie, Banana Pudding
Cupcakes, Kentucky Butter Cupcakes and
Kentucky Derby Pie included after the books end.
I am not sure which one to try first!!
There is an empty bakery in Rumford, will Sophia
stay there to open her own or go back to the
prestigious restaurant in New York?
A cozy mystery wrapped in southern charm and humor! What’s a girl to do when she gets her heart broken, why visit her hometown of course! However, as with most journey’s this one opens up a crossroads in the life journey for the main character especially after finding a dead body may mean disrupting a friend’s happily ever after! Characters full of wit, charm and interest to keep you connected to the plot and entertained for hours this is definitely a new series that I can’t wait to read more of!
Cake and Punishment is a cozy mystery that will keep you turning pages and guessing until the last pages. This book has a great plot and characters. I also loved that it had recipes in the back of the book. The recipes were talked about often in the story and my mouth was watering because they sounded sooooo goood. It was great to know that the special treats were there to be made by the reader!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it. I received it as a gift and I always review every book that I read.
This is a fun book. I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
Cake and Punishment by Maymee Bell (Tonya Kappes) was a lovely new beginning to a new cozy series. I loved Ms. Kappes’ writing voice because her descriptions of small town life in Kentucky always make me feel as if I’ve been invited into a friend’s home. I feel comfortable and welcome as I meet the characters and get to know them while the story progresses. With a fast paced plot, several suspects and enough twists to keep me on the edge of my seat, I was rooting for Sophia to solve the murder and finish the perfect wedding cake. I look forward to more adventures with Sophia in her hometown.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my review.
This is a wonder start to a new series! Sophia Cummings comes home to Rumford, Kentucky to nurse a broken heart. She’s just “visiting”, but gets talked into doing her friend’s wedding cake. When the elite Rumford Country Club Chef Emile’s body is found, Sophia agrees to be a fill-in Chef, just until a permanent replacement can be found.
When Sheriff Carter is looking at Evelyn, another friend of Sophia’s as the main suspect. Rumor has it that Evelyn and Emile did not get along. Rumor has it that Emile didn’t get along with anyone. Sophia decides to do some sleuthing of her own to save her high school friends’ wedding and Evelyn. Along the way, she is threatened, has a growing list of suspects, an unwanted surprise and there’s the attraction to Carter that she’s not quite sure what to do about. She’s just visiting.
Love the small town atmosphere of Rumford, and the gossip travels faster than lightning! I found myself laughing out loud reading several phrases. There are some yummy recipes included! Entertaining read!
CAKE AND PUNISHMENT, the first book in the Southern Cake Baker Mystery series, is a quick read, as fluffy as the finest buttercream frosting.
Here we meet head pastry chef Sophia Cummings as she comes home to lick her wounds after discovering that her chef boyfriend Noah has been cheating and she is apparently the last to know. She keeps telling herself that she is only going to stay for a couple of weeks but is more than willing to step up and bake her childhood friend’s wedding cake after the original baker cancels. Things run awry when Emile, the country club’s chef is found dead in the club’s kitchen.
Maymee Bell’s breezy, conversational writing style makes the pages fly by and is enormously entertaining. Bell writes what she knows best, small southern towns with quirky residents and even quirkier vernacular. The characters here are likable, if not very deep, and Sophia makes a competent amateur sleuth. The mystery is a tad predictable, but there are a few twists thrown in to keep it interesting. As one might expect, there are plenty of descriptions of delicious sounding baked goods, and the recipes included at the back of the book are appealing.
Overall, CAKE AND PUNISHMENT is a good start to the new series that fans of culinary cozy mysteries will want to seek out.
I received an ARC of this title from the author/publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.