Carole J. (PianoLady357) reviewed on 6/16/2018 + 157 more book reviews

Cake & Punishment, book #1 in Maymee Bell's new series, is a delightfully satisfying cozy mystery. The âcity girl returning to her small hometownâ theme that works so well for Hallmark works here also. It's easy to feel Sophia's uncertainty ⦠go back to her job at The Manhattan in NYC job or put down roots in Rumford, Kentucky? The setting and community are so appealing that I'd love to visit and eat one of Sophia's Red Velvet Crunchies.

There's also plenty of southern charm and humor to go around. Sophia's mom, Bitsy, is one of my favorite characters, for she embodies the warmth, charm, and traditions of a true southern lady. I'm pretty sure that, like my own mom, she would have put away her white shoes and handbag on Labor Day and dutifully brought them out again on Easter.

Friendships with ladies like Charlotte and Madison also play a big part in this story, as they lend a sense of bonding and community. Some good chemistry between Sophia and Sheriff Carter suggests that a relationship might be developing for them.

And then there's the murder mystery itself. Rarely do I pick up on hints the author might scatter here or there, but I did notice one little thing that caused me to wonder about halfway through. However, I was actually more interested in whether or not Charlotte's wedding took place than the whodunit part â but let me quickly say that this is a well-crafted mystery.

The only thing I didn't care for was the occasional use of profanity.

I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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