This cozy mystery was a nice start to a new series. Mel Cooper and her best friend Angie DeLaura have opened a cupcake bakery with the help of their best friend Tate. They've been buddies since middle school despite having all attended different colleges and having vastly different careers.

Now, Tate is set to marry a real bridezilla. She wants Mel to prepare 500 unique flavors of cupcakes for her wedding. She has also had Mel sign a contract saying that the bride will own the cupcake flavors and that Mel can't make them again for her store.

When Mel goes to the bride's dress design business to talk about the cupcakes, she finds the bride dead on the floor. Then Mel finds herself the chief suspect in the woman's death.

Meanwhile, another local baker is harassing Mel and Angie and wants to force them out of business. If Mel and Angie want to save their new business, they will have to find the real murderer.

First published in 2010, the story is a little dated. Mentions of Blackberrys are the first clue. The biggest clue comes in the form of the murder weapon. Fentanyl is much more on everyone's radar than it was in 2010.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and liked the main characters. I wasn't very fond of Mel's mother who just didn't seem to listen to her daughter even if her heart was in the right place. I liked the romance aspects of the story though one big one was unresolved. Luckily, this is the first book of a sixteen-book series. ( )

I don't usually read cooking mysteries but after reading Books Can Be Deceiving also by Jenn McKinlay and no second volume in the Library series yet, I figured I'd give it a try. This was a fast paced story with genuinely likeable characters. Mel the heroine of the tale is a former fat kid, who shed the weight and learns to like herself while also learning that she still loves to eat. I'll be reading the next volume in this series as soon as I can get a copy. ( )

Just as enjoyable, light and sweet as the Library Lover’s Mystery series. ( )

Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay is the first book in the Cupcake Bakery series, and, although I don’t usually read cozy mysteries, I quite enjoyed this one. I listened to the audio version about two friends, Mel and Angela, who run a cupcake bakery business and get involved in the murder of the fiancee of their mutual friend and business partner, Tate.

While Mel suffers through being the police’s number one suspect in the case, the friends also slowly work towards finding love, with Mel being very attracted to Angie’s brother, Joe and Angie finally admitting to having feelings for Tate. Although pretty much everyone in the book had a strong reason for hating the fiancee and wishing her dead, I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was.

This was a light, lively and fun read guaranteed to make your mouth water from all the descriptions of delicious cupcakes. ( )

Two reasons this book got a 4/5:

1. I figured the killer out immediately...As soon as this person showed up in the book.
2. There is a certain part that got B movie extra-cheesy.

The reason I'm not saying which part is because I don't want to give away any kind of spoiler, so I will leave it there.

Other than those two reasons up there, the book was really good. It flowed well and was an easy read. I loved the characters.

It seems to me that any cozy I read and get into is centered around food. hmm...lol...But, I can't say I have read enough to really say I have a favorite yet. I've had a couple that had food themes that I I couldn't get into at the time but I may give them another try later. I think this book was just meant to be read and not the others at this moment.

This was a total cover buy for me and when I read the synopsis, yes, that made it even easier to pick up. I am glad I enjoyed it as much as I had hoped I would. I put the second book on hold at my library, hopefully I will be able to get up there and get it soon. If not, I might just wait and buy it. :-)

Now, off to my next adventure. :)
( )