From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes the next humorous romantic Cookies & Chance mystery!Full-time baker and sometime sleuth Sally Muccio finally has everything she’s always wanted-a beautiful baby, loving husband, and a thriving business. Now that she’s a mother, Sal has vowed she’ll stay out of future murder investigations. But when her eccentric father’s friend, … mortician Eddie Phibbins, is found dead in one of his own caskets, Sal’s father begs her to help find the killer. With their famous coffins cookies in hand, Sal and her best friend Josie “undertake” the process of questioning mourners and employees at the funeral home, hoping for a lead to Eddie’s killer. Between a recently fired hearse driver, resentful family members and a wacky, love-struck makeup artist there’s no shortage of suspects. Once again, Sal’s snooping has attracted the attention of a killer, and her good intentions may have only succeeded in digging herself an early grave? Recipes Included!
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Icing On The Casket
Cookies & Chance Mystery, Book #9
Catherine Bruns
5 Stars
Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes the next humorous romantic Cookies & Chance mystery!
Full-time baker and sometime sleuth Sally Muccio finally has everything she’s always wanted—a beautiful baby, loving husband, and a thriving business. Now that she’s a mother, Sal has vowed she’ll stay out of future murder investigations. But when her eccentric father’s friend, mortician Eddie Phibbins, is found dead in one of his own caskets, Sal’s father begs her to help find the killer.
With their famous coffins cookies in hand, Sal and her best friend Josie “undertake” the process of questioning mourners and employees at the funeral home, hoping for a lead to Eddie’s killer. Between a recently fired hearse driver, resentful family members and a wacky, love-struck makeup artist there’s no shortage of suspects. Once again, Sal’s snooping has attracted the attention of a killer, and her good intentions may have only succeeded in digging herself an early grave…
*Recipes Included!* (Goodreads)
Review:
I really like this series, it has everything I look for in a cozy mystery: engaging characters, humorous situations and an intriguing mystery.
The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. I really enjoyed reading about the struggles of Sally and her husband and their baby, it really showed what it is like to be a new parent. I love the relationship between Sally and Josie, you can tell how much they care about each other. I also enjoy Sal’s family, they are crazy and lovable, and they create some humorous situations.
The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions kept me engaged in the book from the beginning. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I was not completely convinced of the culprit until it was revealed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. You cannot go wrong reading any of this author’s books.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.
Very cute series. Love the mysteries and the characters. I look forward to reading more.
Icing on the Casket earns 5/5 Pine Boxes…Deliciously Entertaining!
Catherine Bruns…a favorite author. Cookie and Chance…favorite series. I am greatly entertained by this ninth book with its clever mystery, motives, suspects, and always a challenge to figure out before the ending. Sally and Mike are having a bit of the baby blues, but there’s a whole family of willing babysitters to volunteer since they both are overstretched at work. However, Sally’s dad Domenic is adding to their stress pushing Sal to look into the death of his friend. Eddie Phibbins, director of Phibbins Mortuary, had been missing for forty-eight hours, until found hidden in one of the funeral home’s coffins: dead, embalmed, and all ready for his final send off! Domenic touts Sally’s detective skill, essentially volunteering her skill to the widow. So, she’s got a new born baby to care for, a business to run, several Easter cookie orders to fill, and a murder mystery to solve. Lots of suspects and rumors painting Ed and the business in a bad light. Add her father’s intrusive manner, and it’s just another day in the life of Sally Muccii-Donovan.
After nine books, it’s still fresh and engaging with personal peril, again, and justice for all. But, the victim seemed so nice, helpful, who would want him dead? The obvious avenues of interest were included, but misdirection and “I didn’t see that coming” make it quite the page turner. Catherine likes to leave you guessing. Along with the entertaining drama, Catherine’s characters are realistically illustrated in description and dialogue. The Muccio/Donovan/Sullivan families, neighbors, and customers seem reflective of friends and family. Ok, if anyone really knows a “cringe-worthy” Nicoletta Gavelli…I’m sorry. Anyone with a grandmother like Rose? Raise your hand. Of course, life goes on in between the questions, spying, and troublemaking, there’s taking care of the bakery, lots of baking, family dinners, keeping marriages healthy, and taking care of an infant, toddler, and four others. Loved it! BONUS! Catherine adds to several easy-to-follow recipes: Cappuccino Crinkle Cookies, Spiced Apple Sugar Cookies, No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, and Sprinkled Lemonade Cookies. I love it all! Is there a Cookies & Chance cookbook in the future? Let’s see what the fortune cookie says…
Here’s yet another great cozy in a loveable series, that will keep you up past your bedtime to read “just one more chapter.” No spoilers in my review, but here’s what you need to know: Does well as a standalone but you will want to go back and read the others for the backstory, this cozy is full of wonderful characters that can’t help themselves when it comes to getting involved in finding a body and helping to solve the murder. There is some humor for a laugh out loud moment or two or three, twists and turns and situations that you just don’t see coming, and each time you think you’ve solved the mystery, alas, the reader is taken in a completely different direction. And don’t forget the recipes included. Catherine Bruns certainly delivers to meet the expectations of every cozy lover out there. This book was an ARC and I am delighted to leave my honest review. I can hardly wait for the next in the series!
Icing on the Casket is a wonderful mix of mystery, family, and humor. I love the Cookies & Chance mysteries. What happens after the murder is solved is absolutely perfect for this crazy family. The characters are so well done that they have become like family for me. Sally’s dad is insisting she help with the case of his missing friend – despite Sally’s promise to Mike to stay out of things. There are lots of clues and several suspects in this well paced mystery. I could not put it down.
Sally thought she could give up investigating now that she is happily married and has a baby, but after a mortician friend of her father is found dead in one of his own caskets, she has to help. So many suspects. Lots of twists and turns in this fun cozy mystery! I loved this book!
When her father’s friend, mortician Eddie Phibbins, goes missing and is later found dead, Sally’s father enlists her help to solve the case.
Sally, who has a newborn and is suffering with sleep deprivation, has marital issues and has her own business to run, very reluctantly agrees to help. How can she say no to family?
This was another fun addition to the series, with all the usual characters – a few more quirky than others! A great read!
Icing on the Casket is the ninth book in Catherine Bruns’ awesome Cookies & Chance Mystery series. The storyline is well plotted and flows smoothly in this steadily paced cozy whodunit. The three-dimensional characters are affable, the mystery is interesting, and there’s a perfect mix of mystery, family, friendship, romance, and humor. There are plenty of twists and turns, red herrings, and suspects to keep the reader engaged. Ms. Bruns’ is very talented in descriptive writing and draws the reader in, making them feel like they are participating in the action. I recommend this delightful series to readers who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries.
Sally “Sal” Donovan and her husband, Mike, who owns a small construction company, are the proud parents of a four-month-old daughter, Corinne, who they’ve nicknamed Cookie. They’re still adjusting to life with an infant and wondering if they’ll ever have a full night’s sleep or time for each other. Sal is the owner of Sally’s Samples in Colwestern, New York, and Josie Sullivan, her best friend since childhood, is the shop’s talented baker. Sal’s younger sister, Gianna-Gavelli, a successful attorney, and her husband, Johnny, a history teacher, have a one-year-old son named Alex. Grandma Rosa lives with Sal’s parents, Domenic and Maria, and has the adorable habit of mixing up the words in everyday clichés.
Domenic’s been worried about his friend and funeral home owner, Eddie Phibbins, whose wife reported him as missing. When he finds Eddie’s embalmed body in one of his own coffins, he wants Sal to figure out who murdered his friend. Sal tries to tell him that she promised Mike she wouldn’t get involved with murders and investigations now that they were parents, but her dad turns a deaf ear and keeps drawing her in. Mike isn’t at all happy, and neither is Officer Brian Jenkins, but neither of them is surprised when she finds herself deeply involved in the investigation and in harm’s way once again.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.