Vanquishing the villain who vitiated a village vintner vexes vaunted pastry chef Sophia Cummings in this sweetly sinister second Southern Cake Baker mystery.
Sophia Cummings may be unlucky in love, but she knows that the way to a man's heart is through his sweet tooth. This evening, she plans to use that knowledge—and her skills as a New York City-trained pastry chef—to open the hearts and wallets of Rumford, Kentucky’s richest men. Sophia, proprietress of For Goodness Cakes, has been commissioned to cater the Heart of the Town Library charity fundraiser at Grape Valley Winery. She’s spent all her dough to make this a successful event, raise her profile, and win more plum catering jobs.
At first, the going is as smooth as an elegant chocolate ganache. After nibbling Sophia’s tasty treats, Ray Peel, the winery’s landlord, announces he will pay off Rumford’s library loan. But the evening soon turns decidedly frosty when Ray is murdered—before he can make good on his promise, and before he can pay Sophia for her catering services.
For Goodness Cakes will collapse if Sophia can’t collect what she’s owed. So Sophia once again puts on her sleuthing apron to figure out who iced Ray. A glass of your favorite red or white is the perfect accompaniment to Maymee Bell’s scrumptious Batter Off Dead―with authentic Southern recipes! (Summary via Goodreads)
When you find a book that is so good that you cannot put it down there is a love/hate feeling wrestling inside you. You love that the story is so captivating that you cannot put it down. You are so lost in the story that you become the story..... And then there is that bad feeling when you finish the book so quickly because it's over before you know it. And you hate that you have to close the book, go back to your regular life, and wait for what seem like forever until the next installment of that series....that is providing the book is a part of a series and there will be more......
Well you don't have to worry after you finish reading Batter Off Dead by Maymee Bell. This is the second book in her Southern Cake Baker Mystery series and as with books in a series, they only get better !!! I fell in love with Cake and Punishment, the first book in this series (I even made one of the recipes featured in the story.....) and could not wait for the next one. When I got my hands on Batter Off Dead, you better believe that my life stopped while I read it !!!
There is so much to love with these books..... The main character, Sophia, returns to her very Southern hometown and instantly decides to stay even though she stumbles across dead bodies !! She resumes friendships like there was no gap in time, you will just love her mother, Bitsy, and the way they all talk, and the way that there are committees and groups for everything, and the FOOD !! We cannot forget about the food. In the first book, Cake and Punishment, it was all about the sweets and treats but in Batter Off Dead there is an italian restaurant that gets talked about and there is no lacking in describing the food !!!
And we cannot forget about the murders !!! And of course Sophia's boyfriend, Carter, the town sheriff. Even though he constantly warns Sophia to stay out of the investigation, her momma and her friends cannot help but drag her into it....who can resist when they hand her a glass of wine ?? You have to be southernly after all.....
I love love love this series and even though I read the books quickly, the story stays with me until the next book and I pick it up and get right back into things like I never even left town. You will thorough enjoy these books !!! I will warn you however.....make sure you have a glass of wine, cup of coffee or tea and something to eat and a comfy spot to sit because you will be there for a while......
Review by Missi S.
Love Maymee Bell`s southern sass!
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