Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire (Piece of Cake, Bk 1) on + 707 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Rita Lucero has waited two years for her divorce, all she needs is for her almost ex Philippe Renier to sign on the proper line. He has been avoided her phone calls and emails so she decides to go directly to him, to his high end cake shop in New Orleans, and sit in the office until he faces her and signs the papers.
Rita arrives just a few minutes too late or at the perfect time if you are a killer. Rita discovers her husband dead with a chef's knife in his chest. Because their divorce was not final she is still his legal heir and inherits part ownership of the fancy cake shop, Zydeco Cakes. This inheritance also makes her the prime suspect in Philippe's murder. Her mother-in-law believes she had nothing to do with his death and begs her to stay in New Orleans and take over operations at Zydeco and to find out who really killed her son. A lot of Zydeco's employees are friends she had when she was with Philippe and they don't know if they can trust her. But more importantly she doesn't know who she can trust because there is a killer out there and she does not want to be sliced and served as the next victim.
Word of warning: You are going to be craving cake the entire time you are reading this book!
A perfectly mixed cozy mystery. The theme is scrumptious, the characters are well blended, the plot is well written and tasty. Plenty of swirls and twirls that make you think you know whodunit and then realize nope, it's someone else and then maybe you were right the first time. The humor, oh the humor. This author made shopping for caskets hysterical. The whole story was as smooth a fondant but with a little edge of pulled sugar. This is definitely a book you want to eat, I mean read!!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Rita arrives just a few minutes too late or at the perfect time if you are a killer. Rita discovers her husband dead with a chef's knife in his chest. Because their divorce was not final she is still his legal heir and inherits part ownership of the fancy cake shop, Zydeco Cakes. This inheritance also makes her the prime suspect in Philippe's murder. Her mother-in-law believes she had nothing to do with his death and begs her to stay in New Orleans and take over operations at Zydeco and to find out who really killed her son. A lot of Zydeco's employees are friends she had when she was with Philippe and they don't know if they can trust her. But more importantly she doesn't know who she can trust because there is a killer out there and she does not want to be sliced and served as the next victim.
Word of warning: You are going to be craving cake the entire time you are reading this book!
A perfectly mixed cozy mystery. The theme is scrumptious, the characters are well blended, the plot is well written and tasty. Plenty of swirls and twirls that make you think you know whodunit and then realize nope, it's someone else and then maybe you were right the first time. The humor, oh the humor. This author made shopping for caskets hysterical. The whole story was as smooth a fondant but with a little edge of pulled sugar. This is definitely a book you want to eat, I mean read!!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Heather F. (AZmom875) -
Helpful Score: 1
I liked our main character, and the whole mystery story line right away. I read it in one day.
My complaint was that all the clues didnt really point to the murderer's identity in any way. There are just lots of clues and the murder shows up. Our character doesnt really solve the mystery. Cake decorating also does not lead to the ah hah momment either.
There are some yummy recipes in the back.
So on to book 2 and we hopefully will meet the cake baking staff again. Many of the staff were distinguishable and ones I want to see again.
My complaint was that all the clues didnt really point to the murderer's identity in any way. There are just lots of clues and the murder shows up. Our character doesnt really solve the mystery. Cake decorating also does not lead to the ah hah momment either.
There are some yummy recipes in the back.
So on to book 2 and we hopefully will meet the cake baking staff again. Many of the staff were distinguishable and ones I want to see again.
Nancy C. (circakona) reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire (Piece of Cake, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a decent first novel in a series, but I wouldn't say it was 'great'. For a novel set in the cake decorating business, we saw surprisingly little of the business side of actual cake decorating. The authors bio claims she has been 'multipublished in both mystery and romance'. This book doesn't have the feel of a fully realized author, so hopefully the next in this series will blossom. Not a bad read, but not as engaging or enticing as I would like.
Update: Did some digging and found her other mystery author name is Sherry Lewis. She published 6 titles in the SENIOR SLEUTH FRED VICKERY MYSTERY Series between 1995-99.
Update: Did some digging and found her other mystery author name is Sherry Lewis. She published 6 titles in the SENIOR SLEUTH FRED VICKERY MYSTERY Series between 1995-99.
Patti I. (craftypatti) reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire (Piece of Cake, Bk 1) on + 146 more book reviews
First in a series. It was ok - it took me a lot longer to get through then other 'cozies.' But I will read the next one.
The story just didn't grab me and keep me interested so I put it down all the time.
The story just didn't grab me and keep me interested so I put it down all the time.
Cheryl C. (moondance120) reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire (Piece of Cake, Bk 1) on + 422 more book reviews
I must admit that I started this book months ago and put it down because it didn't catch my interest. However. I picked it up today and finished it in one sitting. What was the difference? I'm not sure, but this time around it made more sense to me. Rita comes to New Orleans to get her husband, Philippe to finally sign their divorce papers. Unfortunately, she walks into a murder investigation as he is found dead soon after her arrival. As his legal heir, the bakery, his house and his accounts go to Rita. Good character development that I look forward to following in the next book. 3 stars
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
This is the first in the Piece of Cake series featuring Rita Lucero. Rita arrives in New Orleans to confront her estranged Phillippe and get him to sign the divorce papers that he's been avoiding.
Rita arrives to find Phillippe dead in the garden of his cake business Zydeco. There a quite a few characters and clues in the cozy but nothing really jumps out to point at who the culprit is - the murderer just sort of appears at the end.
I did find myself putting the book down quite a few times instead of breezing right through like I do with most cozies. I have the second in the series already so I will continue with that one and hope that the series improves with time.
Rita arrives to find Phillippe dead in the garden of his cake business Zydeco. There a quite a few characters and clues in the cozy but nothing really jumps out to point at who the culprit is - the murderer just sort of appears at the end.
I did find myself putting the book down quite a few times instead of breezing right through like I do with most cozies. I have the second in the series already so I will continue with that one and hope that the series improves with time.
Darilee P. (cozysleuth) reviewed A Sheetcake Named Desire (Piece of Cake, Bk 1) on + 153 more book reviews
A good new series set in New Orleans. Humor and sadness plus surprises. Rita is a professional cake baker plus amateur sleuth.
