In the latest from the national bestselling author of Much Ado About Muffin, newlywed baker Merry Wynter has some unwanted guests looking for ghosts at Wynter Castle… Merry’s home, Wynter Castle. Merry soon discovers that not only is the crew out of sync, there are so many feuds and squabbles, it’s a miracle they get a show produced at all.
It all goes from bad to worse when the show’s psychics claim to have contact with people murdered on Merry’s property. When two cast members are found dead, Merry and Virgil must figure out who’s picking off the Haunt Hunt team before their hard-earned happily ever after is cut short.
INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES!
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Muffin to Fear is the 5th book in Victoria Hamilton’s ‘Merry Muffin Mysteries’ series. It takes place in Autumn Vale, New York, an upstate town with its very own Wynter Castle, Merry’s home after her great-uncle left it to her in his will. She’s been renovating it since moving to the small town, and now she just married the former sheriff. As a ~40ish former stylist from NYC, Merry’s enjoying a more relaxed life, except it’s not relaxed… bodies keep showing up!
This time, when she returns from her honeymoon, Pish (her late first husband’s gay best friend) has rented the castle out to a team of paranormal investigators who have a show on TV. They search for ghosts and hold seances. Two of the crew are killed. Who had it in for them? And was there some sort of other worldly interference? Doubtful, murder’s usually achieved (not really a goal I suppose) by someone quite angry or hurt. In this case, both! Merry solves the case with Virgil’s help as she earns the favor of the new sheriff. My favorite character is her friend at the library who always arrives at the last minute with all the answers. Then Lizzie… a somewhat troubled teen wise beyond her years. Will she be okay? It’s getting scary how close she is with a killer sometimes.
This is a great series. I love the supporting characters, but Merry is a true heroine. Sometimes flawed, occasionally a buddinski (sp?), but always on top of her game. Between the extensive cast of crew and paranormal investigators, she has her work cut out for her here. The best part: complexity in how all the team fit together. The not-so-great part: Too many characters to play detective. It got confusing way more than it needed to, and in the end, it was a 20 page explanation of ‘why’ the person was killed. Too much for one book.
But I’m a fan and I will be sticking with this series. I’m even more excited now that I’ve confirmed a 6th book is in the works for late spring. Now my weekend is complete… well okay… it’s a lot better!
I have enjoyed the entire series.
Muffin to Fear book 5 in the Merry Muffin Mystery Series by Victoria Hamilton. Merry and Virgil return from their Honeymoon to unexpected chaos. Pish has agreed to let Haunt Hunt television show come to Wynter Castle to do a paranormal investigation. He hopes they will gone before Merry and Virgil arrive home but no such luck. Virgil is called away on a job almost immediately leaving Merry to deal with another surprise invasion of her home. With cast and crew every where she turns Merry tries to keep herself and her cat Becket in the kitchen where she feels is her safe haven. From almost the beginning you can see there are secrets among the Haunt Hunt crew and more than once tempers flare and have to be put out by the show’s producer. Will the show strengthen Wynter Castle’s reputation for murders? Can the cast and crew finish this investigation without killing one another? Will Merry forgive Pish for once again surprising her with unannounced chaos? Is Wynter Castle really hunted?
Another great book! I was surprised by Merry and Virgil’s short engagement and marriage, but unlike the surprise Merry has, this was a happy surprise. Merry and Virgil make a great couple. I love Merry’s cat Becket, Mrs. Hamilton really paints a true picture of a cat. He is a stubborn but lovable feline and I laughed out loud and grimace at the same time when he presented Merry with her welcome home gift. This book was a little different than the other books in the series with all the paranormal hunters, psychics, mediums, and ghost talk. Even will all the new characters we still manage to see most of our beloved series characters. I can only imagine that this would be how things might been when you have a lot of big personalities and egos working on one television show. I really did dislike several of the characters but the characters were written to be disliked.
I would recommend this book to cozy lovers, and Victoria Hamilton fans. There are some delicious sounding recipes included in the book. True to cozy nature no bad language, no graphic violence or no graphic sex. Well written storyline that keeps you guessing until the end.