“Have you met Kizzy Cutler?” My grandmother Birdie pursued me around my bedroom the same way her cat Banshee stalked a mouse. “Is she as pretty as the picture on her cupcake boxes?”
“The Cupcake Weekend committee had dinner with her last night at the Golden Dragon.” I turned my back on Gran, always dangerous, but I was busy getting ready for work. My dime store didn’t open until nine, but I liked to get there early to work on my sideline—personalized gift baskets. I couldn’t exactly create the naughty ones while I had customers in the store. “And she is extremely beautiful.”
“What did she have on?” Gran perched on the side of my bed “You know she only wears 1950s clothing.” As the owner of her own assortment of vintage outfits, Birdie appeared to be sure of her facts.
From the minute the Cutler Cupcake’s had announced they were holding their cupcake contest in my hometown Shadow Bend, had been abuzz with the excitement. The Cupcake Queen had grown up in the rural community, but moved away right after high school, and everyone was excited to see how she’d turned out.
“A light blue voile shirtwaist dress with a full circle skirt,” I answered when Gran popped off the mattress and poked me in the shoulder.
I knew the contest would rev up the town, but I hadn’t expected it to be quite so crazy. A serious error on my part. From the moment that I’d agreed to allow Kizzy’s company to remodel the empty second floor of my store, it had been one annoyance after another. It seemed as if everyone in Shadow Bend wanted something and they all were hell bent on tracking me down and lobbying for their requests.
“Why didn’t you take me to dinner with you?” Birdie complained. “I wanted to meet Kizzy and tell her about my prize winning cupcake recipe. Maybe she’d be interested in buying it for her company.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.” I was beginning to worry that my grandmother would track down the Cupcake Queen and demand an audience. “This contest she’s holding is one thing, but I pretty sure her other varieties are her own creation.”
“Have you heard from Jake?” Gran turned her attention to the next thing on her to-nag list.
“Not since the last time you asked,” I said.
Jake Del Vecchio was one of the two guys that I was dating. He was a U.S. Marshal and contact with him when he was on the job was sporadic. His current case—tracking down a serial killer called the Doll Maker who had kidnapped Jake’s ex-wife Meg—was even more intense than his usual assignments so days went by without hearing from him.
“How about Noah?” She countered. Gran was not fond of the second man on my dance card.
“Not since he left for Haiti with Disaster Doctors.”
Noah was the town doctor and he’d recently volunteered to spend a week with a charitable organization. Which was admirable, but with both men out of town my quest to figure out which guy I was really in love with had suffered a severe setback.
“He’ll never put you first.” Gran crossed her arms as she lobbied against Noah. “It will always be his practice or his mother. You’ll be a distant third.”
“The same goes for Jake.” I countered.
“Once he retires and comes back to manage his uncle’s ranch, he will.”
Gran had dated Jake’s great-uncle before she married my grandfather and was determined to see me marry into that family. Jake was hotter than a branding iron and the chemistry between us sizzled so I sure wasn’t ruling him out. But I had a history with Noah that pulled me in his direction.
“Let’s forget about my love life.” I tied my tennis shoes and headed toward the front door. “The cupcake contest could really put my store in the black so let’s concentrate on that.”
“What I’m really nervous about is the town’s recent spate of homicides.” Gran wrinkled her brow. She was a rabid CSI fan and had been obsessed with the last couple of murders that I’d unfortunately been forced to solve. “As long as no one dies during the weekend, the rest will probably be okay.”
“At last, something we both agree on.” I hugged Gran and shook my head. She was such a worrywart. The odds that someone would be killed the weekend of the contest had to be astronomical. I frowned. Or were they? Had she just jinxed us?
You can read more about the cupcake contest in Dying for a Cupcake, the 4th book in the “Devereaux’s Dime Store” series, published by Obsidian and debuted March 3rd. The first book in the series is Little Shop of Homicide.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 p.m. eastern on March 13 for the chance to win a signed copy of Dying for a Cupcake or an audible download–winner’s choice. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your SPAM folder.
About the author
Denise Swanson is the New York Times Bestselling author of seventeen books in her Scumble River series and four books in her Devereaux’s Dime Store series both from Penguin. After Dying for a (March 3, 2015) comes the next Scumble River book, Murder of an Open Book (Sept. 2015)
Sounds wonderful. And now I have a craving for a cupcake! Lol. Thanks for the opportunity!
I can’t wait to read this book. Thank you for the chance to win it.
This book sounds like a wonderful addition to the series. On my TBR wish list. servedogmom@yahoo.com
Love the two men in her life. Need this next in the life of Deveraux.
Really looking forward to reading this one! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win
I would love to win a signed copy of Dying for a Cupcake because it sounds like a fun and yummy read! Now I am craving cupcakes. Thank you for a chance to win. 🙂
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
Looking forward to reading this one.
Denise’s new series is as intriguing as the first one. Hope there are many more of both.
This series sounds really good, and I love audiobooks ! Thanks for the giveaway !
LOL!! This just reminded me that I have a very belated birthday cupcake waiting for me!!!
Thank you for the giveaway!!
Love to have a signed copy for my collection. Sounds like a really great book to read. I love the name Banshee for a cat. So cool. 😀
This would be a great addition to my collection of books (I still need to read) Not enough time and a lot of great books to go thru 😉
So another murder in a small town…..eerie.
I totally enjoy all of Denise Swanson’s awesome books and this one sure looks good too! Who doesn’t like cupcakes…although I don’t think I would go as far as to die for a cupcake…lol! Can’t wait to read this book!!! Thanks!
Love the story line of this book; thanks for the chance to win 🙂
This sounds great. Never heard of the series, but plan to start it. Love a good cozy! Thanks.
Wow sounds great. Can’t wait to read this one. Thanks sp much!
This is a fun series, thank you for the chance to win the next book in this series
Looks like great cozy mystery.
xzjh04@gmail.com
Did someone say cupcake? Nothing like a good cozy and a tasty treat! This book sounds like it fits the bill (cozy and “tasty”)!!!
Sounds like a great read!! Thanks for the opportunity to win it!
What could be better than a mystery and cupcakes. Thanks for the giveaway.
I love this series and I can not wait to read this one. Thanks for the chance to win 🙂
Thanks for inviting my characters to blog, Dru Ann! Good luck everyone!
What a wonderful “taste” of the newest book in this series! Sounds like another winner! Thanks to both Denise and Dru for the chance to win a copy!
Sounds like a great read, it is now on my TRL
I can’t wait to read this book…I love Devereaux and her friends! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
Love this series of books. Looking forward to reading this book.
Can’t wait to read this!
Can’t wait to read the latest in this series. Love them.
Looking forward to reading my Kindle edition. Would love to have the real book.
I enjoy Denise Swanson’s writing and would love to own this book.
This is one of my fave series!! No need to enter me in the drawing, I LOVE Denise’s books.
Cupcakes, you’ve got me…but then again I love this series anyway. Congrats on your release.
Sounds like a great book and now I want a cupcake! Thank you for the review ad contest!
Denise Swanson has written a great series that much like cupcakes makes you want one more. Can’t wait to get a copy of her newest release.
I haven’t read any of this series yet. But I enjoy Denise Swanson’s other series. Would love to read this one!
I would love to win
I love this series and can’t wait to read the next installment. I might even eat a cupcake of two while I’m doing it!
Would love to win. So enjoy finding new authors. Thanks.
You had me at cupcakes. Any book that revolves around cupcakes is a great book to me!! Would love to win this.
Thank you for the chance to win a copy! The cover had me before I even read ‘in the day of’!
I’ve been looking forward to this one. Thank you for the chance. lisaksbookreview @ aol dot com
I am attracted all books with Cupcake in the title. Would like to read about Jake who is “hotter than a branding iron”. LOL
One of my favorite authors!
A great feature and giveaway.
Sounds great, I can’t wait to read it.
Definitely want to read this! Also definitely wish I had a cupcake right now!
The first three books in this series were great and I’ve been looking forward to #4 for months. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the chance to win it.
This sounds like a great addition to the series and so funny. It makes you think of cupcakes and hope to win so i can also review would be so fun.
Thanks for the opportunity to win Dying for a Cupcake!
Really like this series and have been looking forward to reading the newest release. Thanks so much for the giveaway opportunity!
I have to have this. Am going to check Amazon now for the rest of the series.
Love Denise’s books! Thanks for this chance!
Fan of both the Scumble River and Dime Store series. Am looking forward to reading this latest in Devereaux’s capers.
I have read book 1 in this series and found it a fun story with enjoyable characters. I would very much like to continue. Thank you so much for that chance.
Love to read this title
This sounds like a wonderful book with mystery and humor. What more could one ask for?
The classic jinx
Hello Dru, Denise Swanson has two exciting cozy mystery series. I like the way she describes the dime store and also the zany characters in her newest series featuring Dev. Thanks for the review
Condition of my life always
I love reading your reviews. Now, I really would love to read this book. It’s a new series for me, so it would be like finding a new friend 🙂
I just started a diet—DARN I want a cupcake NOW!
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Love cupcakes… I may be five pounds fatter when I finish this Book but I love the sound of it…
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Having just binge read the Scumble River Series, I want to get going on this one!
This is an enjoyable series.
Love the Scumble River books but haven’t read the Dime Store series yet. Thanks for the chance. I enjoyed the except.
Sounds great!
“Dying for a Cupcake” sounds delicious! I am thrilled to have a new book in this series to read. Thank you!
I always love a book that combines dessert with mystery
I would love to read this – have not started the series yet but have the first book in my tbr stack. Would love to see Kizzy win the contest and find the bad guys! jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com
I love reading your books
Love this series. And yes, today I would kill for a cupcake. LOL
One of my favorite authors. Such good recipes also.
Cupcakes! Enough said!!
This one is definitely on my TBR list.
Love everything Ms. Swanson writes. Would love to win a signed copy of this book. Thanks for the opportunity!
Looking forward to #4 in the series. Besides loving cupcakes, l ENJOY the interplay between the characters..
I can’t wait to read this book…I love Devereaux and her friends! Also love the Scumble River books.
Bet I can’t read just one. I miss those dime stores. Looking to get the others in this series.
would love to win and I love cupcakes also thanks for having the giveaway
I LOVE the title and cover! This sounds like a terrific read! Thank you for the chance to win a copy!
Thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds like fun! Thanks for the giveaway!
You had me at cupcake! Thank you for the giveaway.
I love cupcakes and reading so Dying for a Cupcake sounds like the perfect read.
Thanks for the chance to win
Love this series. Happy to see a new one.
I would love to win Dying for a Cupcake. Thank you for this giveaway opportunity.
contest is closed.