Hi, I’m Mallory Monroe. I’m the owner of The Cookie Shop in Wingate, Connecticut. My days are so much different now than when I was an advertising account executive. Today I’m going to give you a glimpse of a typical day-in-the-life of this cookie baker.

Rise and shine, that’s the motto of bakers everywhere. It’s a good thing my cell phone cost a small fortune because if it didn’t, I’d toss it across the room at the unspeakable hour it wakes me every morning. As much as I try, I haven’t gotten used to getting up so early and neither has my cat, Agatha. When I finally get out of bed, I stumble into the bathroom where I take a shower, apply a minimal amount of makeup just to make me look alive and then get dressed. My uniform is basically jeans and a black t-shirt. Downstairs, I feed Agatha, grab my backpack and out the door I go.

If the weather is good, I ride my bicycle to the bakery. If not, I drive my Jetta. By the time I reach Main Street, I’m more awake and ready to take on the day. My day comprises baking and decorating cookies, ordering supplies, stocking inventory, taking orders, networking, delivering local orders, and bookkeeping.

Besides baking and all the administrative tasks, I manage two employees, Kip and Claudia. It’s a challenge since they have such distinct personalities. I’m sure they’ll work it out…hopefully soon. While I spent most of my time in the back of the bakery, I get out to the sales counter to visit with customers. It’s one of the best parts of my job.

My days are full and there’s never a dull moment. By the time I’m locking up the bakery, I’m exhausted, but in the best possible way. I’m living my dream and I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, except for being a murder suspect, but that’s a whole other story.

How the Murder Crumbles, A Cookie Shop Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 2023
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Debra Sennefelder whips up cookies and crime in a delicious new cozy series, perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Peg Cochran.

Wingate, Connecticut, is famed as one of the top ten shopping destinations in the state, and home to Mallory Monroe’s beloved Cookie Shop—a place where patrons are greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked cookies that are as beautifully decorated as they are insanely delicious.

But things aren’t going so smoothly for Mallory. Her two employees are a disaster in the kitchen, she catches her boyfriend with another woman, and she’s seen having a fierce argument with food blogger Beatrice Wright, who accuses Mallory of stealing her cookie recipe. Then Beatrice turns up dead in her kitchen, flour outlining her body and a bloodied marble rolling pin nearby. Mallory immediately becomes suspect number one, her sales plummet, and she desperately tries to clear her name—but that’s not the only murder the killer is baking up.

Debra Sennefelder has cooked up a perfect recipe—endearing characters, a picture-perfect evocation of small-town life, and a quaint sweets shop. And just when things get a little too comfy, there’s always a murder or two for good measure.

About the author
Debra Sennefelder is the acclaimed author of the Food Blogger Mysteries, the Resale Boutique Mystery Series and the upcoming Cookie Shop Mystery series. Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzu, Connie.

All comments are welcomed.