Sprinkle with Murder: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery by Jenn McKinlay

             When I like one series from an author, I have a tendency to try others they have written.  Sometimes I like these other series, sometimes I don’t.  With the first book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series, I found I liked it.

                It hasn’t been long since Melanie “Mel” Cooper and Angie DeLaura opened their cupcake bakery.  While things are going well, they are still in the early days of their business and need as much work and publicity as they can get.  That’s why Mel agrees to make cupcakes for her best friend and business partner, Tate Harper.  It is for his wedding.  Even though Mel completely dislikes the bride, she knows making the cupcakes for the wedding will help the business and be a good deed for a friend.               

                Tate’s fiancée, Christie Stevens, is an absolute terror, and not just about things having to do with her wedding.  A local fashion designer, Christie makes enemies at every turn.  About to be Tate’s wife, though, Mel does whatever she can to get along.

                That is why when Christie demands an early morning meeting to discuss the cupcakes, Mel agrees.  When she arrives, Mel is anything but surprised to find Christie will not answer the door.  Needing to keep the appointment, Mel is forced to find an alternate way to get into the studio.  Eventually she is able to, and what she finds is Christie, dead.

                Since Mel is the one who found Christie, Christie’s body was found with one of Mel’s cupcakes, and Mel was photographed hugging Tate, Mel and Tate become the main suspects in the murder.  Mel knows they are both innocent, but even her own mother believes she is guilty.  With so many people believing the worst, Mel knows it’s going to be up to her to clear both of their names.

                This was a really fun, short mystery.  I like the main characters (I’m including Angie’s brother Joe in that category), but there are some characters I can do without.  One is Mel’s mother.  Joyce is very obtrusive, and insists her daughter is in love with Tate when she is not.  I really hope Joyce gets toned down in further books, and becomes a support instead of an annoyance in Mel’s life.

                The other person I can do without is rival baker Olivia.  She gets up to so many antics trying to intimidate Mel and Angie.  Every time Olivia is on the page, things get really obnoxious.  That is why I hope the feud gets settled or for some reason Olivia goes away.  Either case would make for much more pleasant books.

                Even with these two annoying characters, I look forward to the next book in the series.  There are romances happening and mysteries to solve.  With mostly good characters, I’m greatly interested to see what happens next.