It’s amazing how much of a difference twenty-four hours can make. Yesterday life couldn’t have been more perfect. But today my world resembles a brown slush pile like the one the snowplow just pushed past my bakery.
My name is Sally Muccio. The last name is pronounced Mooch-EE-o. Now, I don’t mean to complain. I have a very supportive albeit cuckoo family. My father is obsessed with death and drives a hearse for a local funeral home. I love my mother dearly but she’s like a middle aged woman trapped in a Barbie doll’s body. Sometimes I think Mom and I should have starred in the Freaky Friday movie. She’s been talking about entering the local Hotties over Fifty pageant. If she does my sister Gianna may start drinking. . .heavily. Last night she downed three glasses of wine in record time over dinner. Gianna’s busy cramming for her bar exam next week and close to having a nervous breakdown.
The sanest one in the family is my Grandma Rosa. She has always been my rock. Grandma gives sound advice plus she makes the world’s best cheesecake. A win-win situation for me.
The sad part is, their worlds are normal when compared to mine.
Life isn’t all bad. I’m in love with a terrific guy. I know he’s the one but I just went through a painful divorce a few months ago and the “M” word he’s been hinting at lately is starting to freak me out. I need to take things slow and fortunately, he understands that.
My new bakery, Sally’s Samples, is doing fantastic despite the fact that the holiday season is over. Josie Sullivan, my best friend and partner, just received the most thrilling news. We’ve been selected to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades! Omg, I’m so excited. We’ll be flying down to Orlando later this week. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect. I mean, who wants to be stuck in New York during the month of January, you know? Like I don’t have enough to be depressed about already.
Boy, do I need to get away. I’m sitting here with my fifth cup of coffee and it isn’t even noon yet. I should stop. Or switch over to espresso. At least then I could add whipped cream…
I blame the fortune cookies. Really, I do. I never should have used them as the theme for my bakery. You see, patrons get a free homemade one whenever they buy something. And from the beginning, the messages have been downright eerie. And strangely foreboding. Just like the one I got right before my ex-husband, Colin, came into the bakery yesterday.
I’m not sure what’s happened to Colin. Maybe it’s drugs or booze or perhaps both. We were married for five years but when I caught him cheating on me with an old high school rival it quickly became apparent that I didn’t know him at all. Now he’s found out about the success of my bakery and is trying to cash in on the dough. . .yeah, slight pun intended there.
Although I didn’t want to, I had to share the news with my boyfriend. He’s very protective of me. Unfortunately, they ran into each other last night at the local tavern and had words. Okay, not exactly words. My boyfriend beat him up. But the fight wasn’t his fault—Colin started it.
Afterward, my boyfriend said that if Colin comes near me again, he’ll kill him.
Yep, here it comes. . .
Shortly after their fight, Colin was murdered. And now my boyfriend has been arrested for the crime. They even found his fingerprints at the scene.
I’m never going to read another fortune cookie again.
Baked to Death is the second book in the Cookies & Chance mystery series, published by Gemma Halliday Publishing, January 2016.
About Baked to Death
Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who’s looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful ex-inlaws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?
Recipes included!
# # # # # # # # # # #
All comments are welcomed.
About the author
Catherine is the #1 best-selling cozy mystery author of Tastes Like Murder. She lives in a male dominated household that consists of her very patient husband, three sons, and assorted cats and dogs. Catherine holds a B.A. and dual major in English/Performing Arts and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. She writes both the Cookies & Chance and the Cindy York mysteries. Her next release, Priced to Kill, is scheduled for spring 2016.
You can visit Catherine atwww.catherinebruns.net, on Facebook and on Twitter
Giveaway: Leave comment below for your chance to win either a print (US entries only, please) or a digital version (open to everyone) of Baked To Death. The giveaway will end January 27 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!
It need to be on TBR list
I love this author and can’t wait to read this series. Thanks for the chance to win.
Yes please Dru, I’d like to be entered in the giveaway. This looks like the kind of book that will keep me interested instead of reading in spurts.
Thank you for a chance to win the giveaway! I would love to read this book.
On my to read list! Thank you for the chance!
I love Catherine Bruns’ books! I’m looking forward to reading Baked to Death and Priced to Kill. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of Baked to Death. 🙂
Definitely want to read! Thank you for the chance and fingers crossed!
Sounds tasty! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
What a delightful and fascinating giveaway. Thanks.
Sounds like a great book to add to my cozy challenge list. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
Awesome concept! My “to read” list just got longer!
Yea another great giveaway for another great cozy! Thank you.
wfnren at aol dot com
Interesting, very interesting. I think I have a crazy family and life but Sally’s life makes mine look calm. Thanks for the review and the chance to enter your giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great read.
Love reading Catherine’s. The grandma cracks me up.
Sounds like a fun series…
I love cozies and this one sounds so interesting!
Gotta read this one.
Oops, that’s a bit of a pickle for a baker to be in, and what baker really needs a lot of pickles? Sounds like fun, thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Oh, this sound like such a fun series! I love foodie mysteries.
I just recently started reading Catherine’s books and they are delightful reading, Thanks Dru and Catherine.
I’d love to read a few of those fortune cookies and get to know Sally and her family!
This does sound like a good read.
Sounds like a great new series!
This sounds so good that I just went and bought the first one to the series. Thanks for the chance to win this one.
I love books with recipes. It somehow makes them more wholesome.
I am so glad book 2 is out. I’ve been waiting!
Going to read the 1st in series and hope I win this one, ty for the chance
I would love to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway Dru!
This sounds like a really great read, definitely on my TBR list. Can’t wait to read.
Sounds like a great book with recipes! Thank you for the chance to win.
I have been looking forward to the release of this book; thanks for the opportunity to win it. Definitely on my TBR list.
This series sounds fantastic. I have added it to my TBR list.
Just picked up Tastes Like Murder – thanks for the chance to win book 2 in the series.
I would very much like to be considered for a copy of this book as it sounds like a fun read. I am always up for a book that can make me smile and making me laugh is a bonus, which this book may just do. Any books about food are right up my alley too. Sounds perfect and thank you so much. Very interesting blog about this book and author. Thank you so much.
Cynthia
Thanks so much, Dru, for hosting Sally today!
Okay, this book sounds HILARIOUS!! I had a grandma named Rosa who was the best grandma ever too!! This is definitely going on my TBR list.
I am guessing she did not choose the cop? Can’t wait to read this one, loved the first. It is amazing that she and Gia are sane but their parents are hilarious! Love Grandma Rosa!
I loved the first one. Looking forword to this new one.
Sounds like a lighthearted escapist tale. I would like to read this series.
Can’t wait to read this one! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Baked to Death.
How did I miss this series?!?!
Got me with the cookie on the cover!!! LOL!!!
Thank you for the giveaway….
Baked to Death looks like a most intriguing read. It brings back memories. In the blurb it said that her ex found out she was successful and tried to case in? Has actually happened. A few years ago a guy decided he didn’t want the responsibility of a family so he took off leaving his wife and 3 kids with a pile of bills and a cleaned out bank account. She worked hard built up a successful business. Got the bills paid. 10 years later he finds out she’s successful. He demands half of what she has. He got it. The judge let him have it.Her boyfriend found out the hard way that words spoken in haste often come back to haunt you