How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder

Series Name: Cookie Shop Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 20, 2023
Format: Print, Digital, Audio

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.

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Dru’s Short Musing:
I enjoy the work of this author and it shines in her latest mystery. Being accused of murder is not a good cookie moment, what else is she to do, but find the killer, but the question is, is Mallory up to the task?

This was a fast-paced read with a solidly baked plot that quickly became a page-turner as I had to know who was doing what to whom. The writing style is crisp with a comfortable tone, making it easy to read. The recipe to this whodunit had all the right ingredients: murder, suspects, motives, clues, and a few strategically placed red herrings, and once you put it all together, you have the apprehension of the killer. I enjoyed how the mystery was staged and grabbed my attention from beginning to end. I like how everything unfolded to keep me in the game with a wonderful and eclectic cast of characters, engaging dialogue, a small-town atmosphere, and the perfect backdrop of a cookie shop- yes, I can smell the deliciousness. Cookie recipes are included. This book/series is a welcome addition to the cozy genre, and I can’t wait to see what Mallory bakes up next with her friends.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher.