Death by the Dozen: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery by Jenn McKinlay

              I’m 100% serious about this.  The character Olivia Puckett can go away.  Far, far away, and never be seen again.  She is that obnoxious.

                The funny thing is, Olivia is less obnoxious in this book than she is in the last one.  Since I want to get rid of the character when she’s behaving better, you know how bad she really is.

Cupcake/Artwork by Kate Dorsey

                Cupcake bakery owners Melanie “Mel” Cooper and Angie DeLaura have entered a chefs competition at the Scottsdale Food Festival.  They are determined to beat their rival baker, Olivia Puckett, and get publicity for their bakery, Fairy Tale Cupcakes.  This competition will also give Mel the opportunity to show her old culinary professor, Vic Mazzotta, what she can do.

                Vic is one of the judges of the competition, and he expects not only excellence but perfection from Mel.  Unfortunately, he does not get to see Mel accomplish either of those things because he is killed before the competition begins.

                Mel is devastated by Vic’s death.  It is made even worse by the fact she was there when his body was found in the freezer trailer.  Then Angie gets poisoned, and Mel suspects she herself may be a target as well.  With her and her friends’ lives on the line, Mel becomes even more determined to figure out who Vic’s killer is.  She has to do it before she gets killed herself.

                While Mel investigates, there are other things going on at Fairy Tale Cupcakes.  One of the big things is the hiring of a new employee.  Technically Oz is an intern, but he is still a great addition to the bakery.  He has interesting ideas for cupcakes and is willing to stand up to Olivia.  I suspect Olivia is actually scared of Oz.  He acts and dresses a bit on the dark side (two characteristics I really love about him), but has a really good heart.  In so many ways Oz fits right in with Angie’s overprotective brothers.  It’s going to be really interesting watching Oz grow.

                Then there is Tate.  Poor Tate.  He has newly discovered his love for Angie, but she’s with someone else now.  Their relationship is to the point she may move away to be with him.  Mel keeps trying to get Tate to tell Angie his feelings, but he won’t.  As frustrating as this is for Mel, I understand why he doesn’t.  Angie is happy now.  Tate doesn’t want to be the one to put that happiness in jeopardy.  That is how much he loves her.

                I have to say, because I have read the Library Lover’s mystery series as far as I have, I do know the fate of some of the characters.  How they get to those fates is what I do not know.  I will have to keep reading the rest of this series to find out.