Baker Katie Lightfoot is crafting her own magical wedding cake and tracking down a malicious murderer in the newest installment of this New York Times bestselling series. Katie will be marrying firefighter Declan McCarthy in less than a week, and she’s still finding time to run the Honeybee Bakery, where she infuses sweets and treats with special spells and cheerful charms. But her hope … cheerful charms. But her hope of getting hitched without a hitch is short-lived. When Declan’s family shows up early to enjoy a few extra days in Savannah, his youngest sister finds an unsavory surprise: her ex-husband, dead in a hotel room hours after they argued.
The ex was scam artist with a lot of enemies, but the argument puts Declan’s sister under suspicion. Between dress fittings and dough-kneading, Katie—along with her witchy friends in the spellbook club—will really have to work some magic to figure out who killed the con man…or there may not be a wedding.
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Witches and Wedding Cake by Bailey Cates is the 9th A Magical Bakery Mystery. I have been reading this spirited series from the very first beginning. Witches and Wedding Cake can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading this series in order. It will allow you to follow Katie on her journey from discovering she is a kitchen witch, moving to Savannah, solving mysteries, and falling in love with Declan McCarthy. Katie has had a busy two and half years. I thought Witches and Wedding Cake was well-written with developed characters. The author captures the beauty of Savannah, Georgia with her word imagery. Katie Lightfoot is the perfect protagonist for this series. She is friendly, smart, creative, and relatable. There is a great cast of characters from Lucy, Ben, and Declan to the ladies of the spellbook club. I just love Mungo, Katie’s familiar with his adorable “yip”. The mystery was fun to solve. There are multiple suspects that slowly get whittled down. One little detail can provide the solution. Katie has a full plate in this book, but she found time to help Declan. Connor, the spirit who had attached himself to Declan, is missing. Declan misses the Irish spirit. I look forward to seeing how they find him. The special part of this book is Katie and Declan’s wedding. Katie must deal with an interfering soon-to-be sister-in-law and a lack of an officiant. I enjoyed reading Witches and Wedding Cake. It is one of those books that puts a smile on your face. Witches and Wedding Cake is an enchanting cozy mystery with a twitchy troglodyte, distinct dragonflies, a cupcake wedding cake, a mystifying music box, a stray spirit, and a magical marriage ceremony.
I have been happily reading the Magical Bakeshop Mystery series since the first book and have loved each and every one. This one is special because Katie and Declan are finally getting married. I love how the author has taken us on a journey with Katie Lightfoot, from the discovery that she is a hedgewitch, to the bonding and friendship with the Book Spell group, to her flourishing relationship with Declan. These characters are like old friends and it is fun to catch up and see what is happening in their lives, and what trouble finds Katie.
The mystery in this book was well done. The victim is the ex-husband of Katie’s future sister in law, and when she becomes a suspect Katie vows to help. The victim was a con man so there were plenty of people to suspect. The author does narrow down the pool to about 4 or viable suspects. I did not guess the identity of the killer, but Katie solves this mystery with enough time to make it to her wedding.
I am hoping there are more books to come in this series because they are so much fun to read.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through Edelweiss Books.
Book 176 towards my goal of 290! 4/5 stars for this witchy cozy mystery. I’m so sad to be caught up in this series! I’d been able to binge it and now I have to wait for the next one. Absolutely love this cast of characters! If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I cannot recommend this series enough. Loved the cover. Narration was great.
Planning a wedding and tracking down a murder suspect keeps Katie Lightfoot very busy. We continue to see Katie and her coven work together to solve a mystery in their town. There is humor and fast paced events which keep you moving towards whodunit. I can never figure it out before it is revealed. I am saddened that I have caught up in books for this series because I have been enjoying all of the characters and the storylines. I am eagerly anticipating the next one!
Katie, who owns and runs Honeybee Bakery with her aunt and uncle, is marrying firefighter Declan McCarthy in less than a week and all seems to be going well. That is, until Declan’s sister discovers her ex-husband dead in a motel room hours after they argued. While she is a suspect, there are others because the ex was a scam artist and had a lot of enemies. Can Katie help find the killer and make it to her wedding?
I absolutely love this series and this book is no exception. Full of action, this book captured me from the beginning and I read it in one sitting. The characters are wonderful and the various relationships are done well. I’m eager for the next book. I highly recommend this book and the series which I suggest you read in order.
Witches And Wedding Cake is the ninth book in the Magical Bakery Mystery series.
Katie and Declan’s wedding is just days away and things are going nicely. Construction at the carriage house is completed and ready to move into. The only problem is that the judge that was going to officiate, has been called out of town. The wedding is just going to consist of family and friends. Declan’s mother and his two sisters have just arrived at their rental house and Katie stops by to visit with them. When she arrives she knows it’s not going to be a completely enjoyable meeting, as there are a group of dragonflies, her totem, flying around her. Declan’s sister Rori answers the door and soon his sister, Eliza, joins them. The first thing Eliza wants to do is to make changes to the wedding.
Before long, Rori’s ex shows and tries to convince her to give him a second chance. Rori finally convinces him to leave, but before leaving he says he has a gift for her. The gift turns out to be a small ceramic birdhouse. The next day she decides to go to his motel room to return the birdhouse and, once again, tell him not to contact her again. When she arrives at his room she finds his lifeless body on the floor and turns around and leaves. When the police learn that Rori had shown up at his room she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her ex-husband.
The victim is a well-known con, so Katie is sure that are many people who would like his life ended. She will call on Declan and her spell book club from the bakery to help her to clear Rori’s name and hopefully before her wedding.
This is another well-written and told story for Ms. Cates. The book contains well-developed and interesting characters. I especially love Mungo, Katie’s Cairn terrier familiar.
Recipes are also included in the book.
I will be watching for the next book in this delicious series.
Just when I’m certain that I have found my favorite book in this wonderful cozy series, the next one is published and I change my mind – I have a new favorite. Here we are with the 9th in the series and Katie and Declan are getting married. Into this happy time comes a killer. the ex husband of one of Declan’s sisters is murdered and, due to the fact that he was a con man, the list of possible suspects is long and it includes Declan’s sister. Katie is juggling a lot in her life right now – she and her Aunt Lucy run a magical bakery, The Honey Bee and both of them are hedgewitches. Katie is putting the finishing touches on her wedding plans but when the ex is found dead in a hotel room after arguing with Declan’s sister and Katie is certain that magic played some part in the dead man’s life – well Katie sets out to find the killer and make it to her wedding at the appointed hour.
This will work fine as a stand alone but to get the very best out of the series, read them in order after you have enjoyed this entry. The mystery is complex, the characters are well developed and I guessed wrong several times as to the killer’s identity.
My thanks to the publisher Berkley and to Edelweiss for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.