Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns is book #2 in the Baker Street Mysteries series. Strange happenings in New Bison, Michigan! At least one of the residents has something to hide. Sheriff April's husband Clayton Davenport comes to town and havoc ensues. I really like the main characters in this series. Baby Cakes bakery owner and major influencer, Maddy Montgomery is smart, caring and prone to get herself into dangerous situations. Her boyfriend, local veterinarian Michael Portman is protective and very supportive of Maddy. The Baker Street Irregulars are a fun group and instrumental in helping Maddy solve murders. Then there's Baby, Maddy 250 pound English Mastiff. I just love him! I really enjoyed this book. It's full of action and suspense.

This is my second book by Valerie Burns in this series and I really loved it. I think the last half was a bit slow for me but quickly picked up at the end.

Murder is a Piece of Cake is as awesome as Two Parts Sugar! I have loved every book Valerie Burns has published and the second book in the Baker Street Mystery series is one of my favorites. A wonderful cast of characters supports Maddy in discovering her new life away from the city and money she is used to. When one of her friends is suspected of murder, Maddie, and the group who have welcomed her so warmly, dig in once again. The number of other possible suspects include a couple of other special people making the investigation especially difficult.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Cozies for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Murder is a Piece of Cake. I was thrilled to be approved to read this second book in the fantastic Baker Street Mystery series by one of my favorite authors, Valerie Burns. The first book became so popular that I didn't think I had a chance of getting an ARC. Murder is a Piece of Cake was great! All my friends have heard or will be hearing about how much I enjoyed it. They are probably getting tired of hearing how much I loved Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder but if it gets them to read these books, I will keep shouting.
#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #MurderIsaPieceofCake #BakerStreetMystery #ValerieBurns

How wonderful to be able to read Valerie Burns’ second installment in the Baker Street Mysteries. This book is the CONTINUATION of the first book ONE PART SUGAR, ONE PART MURDER, so I would suggest you stop and buy the first book and enjoy reading it first. It is just as brilliantly written and easy read as it this second book, but it will allow you to get to know the protagonist and the charming cast of characters who live in New Bison, Michigan, so you won’t be surprised at some of the references to happenings in the first book.

This series is fun and funny, and there is an English mastiff, lots of strong characters, lots of baking and sleuthing. It can’t get any better. I was laughing from the start at some of the funny expressions used, and some of the funny situations…a delightful compliment to the first book.

I like that Valerie writes short chapters, so it is easy to take a pause and then continue from a new chapter. After each chapter, most of the time you feel better, and have a deeper connection to your new friends in New Bison.

I highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for a third book.

Thank you Net Galley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and write anhonest review of MURDER IS A PIECE OF CAKE!

This book was just ok. I didn't find it great, I didn't find it bad. As the second book in this series, I expected the characters to grow on me more. It was a quick read and rather light considering there are murders that occur.

It was a delight to be back in New Bison, Michigan!

This is the second book in the Baker Street Mystery series and while the mystery in this book is mostly standalone there are some elements that come into play from book one. Book one is also great so I'd recommend reading them in order.

I hope there are many more books in this series! I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when the Admiral comes to town!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Kensington Books.

The author did a great job in presenting this whodunit with a great supporting cast, crisp and expertly written narrative, engaging dialogue and a feel-good small town atmosphere. It was fun following along with what the author intended and when I thought I had a handle on the murderer, there was a slight twist that kept me in the game until all was said and done. I simply adore this series and anytime I get to spend with Maddy Montgomery is a delight. With laugh out loud moments, you’ll relish in reading about #adventures of Maddy and her friends. Definitely looking forward to the next book in this entertaining series.

Been sick, so this book and others kept me entertained during recovery. An enjoyable follow up to the first book, Baby the Mastiff is always a delight, along with the deliciousness that Maddie turns out while solving mysteries.

In this second Baker Street mystery, Maddy is almost ready to reopen her Baby Cakes Bakery after a fire, though she has kept the business running from her home with help from her friends. Unfortunately, she faces a challenge from an outsider who wants to open up a French bakery across the street from her -- wealthy businessman Clayton Jefferson Davenport, who also happens to be the estranged husband of her friend and tenant April Johnson (the sheriff). When Davenport turns up dead soon after his arrival in town, and both Maddy and April appear to be suspects, Maddy rallies her so-called Baker Street Irregulars to help her solve the murder.

This entertaining cozy mystery gives the reader more insight into some of the regular characters, especially April and head baker Leroy. Some of the plot threads from the first book carry through here (and appear to have enough momentum for a third book in future), so it feels like Maddy has more than one mystery to solve. (And given the abrupt ending, I don't think she has completely solved either of them.)

Fast paced and fun. 3.5 stars rounded up (especially for Baby the mastiff).

Thank you, Kensington and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

I got this ARC from Netgalley and here’s my honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the series and I know there will be a third. I am not convinced that Maddy’s troubles are actually going to be over after what happened at the end of this book.

This whudunit story continues and this time someone new to New Bison,but also has a past connected to it, will be the source of all the trouble in the small town.

I rated this 3.5 since it was still an enjoyable read for me and I am still entertained by the murder mystery aspect of the story but the end felt rushed for me, like all the things that needed to happen was suddenly all there. I was actually surprised I was already at the last page.

The hashtags are also getting to me, I know I mentioned this on my review for the 1st book but the continuation of it on this book was bordering overkill for me.

I haven't read book 1 in this series, but I think you can pick it up as a stand-alone with no problem. I really like baker-but-not-really Maddy and her dog, Baby. Usually, social media people are pretty irritating, but Maddy's got a good sense of humor about life. (Although her very convenient and very annoying habit of talking too much when she's nervous is relied on too heavily in the plot, in my opinion.) Her determination to succeed with her great aunt's bake shop and her love for her dog make me enjoy spending time with her.

The resolution of the mystery feels way over the top, and the idea that Maddy would risk her bakery with a bet on a baking competition doesn't seem consistent with her character. The few things I've mentioned would bring my rating to 3.5 stars. But Maddy's kick-ass defense of her dog and the smooth writing overall still make this a fun read. I'll have to go back and check out book 1.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A deliciously entertaining culinary/bakery cozy mystery that has endearing main characters, an amazing pet, humor, and a captivating murder mystery. Small town charm, great twists and turns, and a strong protagonist all held my attention from start to finish. One feature I really love is that nobody, and I mean nobody—puts Baby in the corner! I highly recommend this story to cozy mystery readers.

I honestly reviewed an unedited digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Another lovely cozy mystery starring Maddy Montgomery and Baby! Once again somehow someone ends up with a Baby Cakes knife in their back framing Maddy as the killer. This time, the victim was about to own a rival bakery.

What I liked about this one:
-The mystery was more complex than the first one!
-Seeing Maddy progress as a baker and come up with her own recipes like the Peanut Butter Dream Cake (which sounds good, I just don’t like chocolate cake!)
-Little tidbits about what small town life is like, for example the stoplights in fictional New Bison stop working at 11pm and flash yellow in all directions due to the lack of traffic
-The way this book portrays the magic and comfort of baking through metaphors and imagery.
-The friendship between Maddy and April!
-The cute, old-timey idioms like “he could talk the cherries right off the tree”

What I didn’t like:
-Maddy’s hashtags. As someone who runs a minuscule Bookstagram blog, I know you can’t have dashes and @ anyone in a hashtag. The way Maddy comes up with Hashtags boggle my brain! For example “NotAsPrettyAs@PieLadyBooks” wouldn’t work at all. I wish Burns focused more on Maddy’s social media captions instead of the hashtags that break my immersion.

Neither here nor there:
-Either I need to brush up on my pop curatorial his is very personal but some of the references seem pretty dated for a book about someone Maddy’s age (she seems to me to be mid to late 20s) What’s a Clarence Darrow attorney? Who’s Hank Aaron?
Maybe I’m just not the target audience for this book. Hey publishers, black Zillenials read cozy mysteries too!

Final thoughts:
Overall it was a fun read, perfect for unwinding before bed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good. A perfect cosy mystery, the dog, the relationships, the baking, the murder. Everything that is needed to make you feel right at home. The start of the book had a good but quick some up of what had happened in the previous book. One of my favourite things about this book is that its not predictable, i can make guesses as to who did it but im pretty much never right. I never know what’s going to happen next so i was hooked reading it for every minute, i just wanted to know what was happening. I love all the relationships of the characters, they’re so wholesome and safe, this book proved that they would do anything for each other. I cant wait to attempt to make one of the recipes that we were given at the end of the book. And i cant wait for the next book, i will be patiently waiting,

Title: Murder is a Piece of Cake (A Baker Street Mystery Book 2)
Author: Valerie Burns
Publication Date: 06/27/2023 •COMING SOON•
Publisher: Kensington Books
Pages: -
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Format: Kindle
Amazon Rating: -
Goodreads Rating: 4.59 ⭐️
My Rating: 4.0 ⭐️

Baby, sweet baby! I had high hopes for book two in the Baker Street Mystery series and it surpassed my expectations! I just finished book one a couple days ago and knew that book two doesn’t release until July so when the opportunity presented itself to read the ARC I jumped on it!!

Right where book one ended, book two picked up. The transition was perfect. New characters were introduced alongside your favorites you grew to love from book one.

Shortly after Maddy inherited her great aunts bakery, home in New Bison, Michigan and 250 pound mastiff, Baby, bodies began to drop. She and her best friends, the Baker Street Irregulars had a twisty murder mystery on their hands. Do all the pieces fit together? Can they figure it out?

Thank you Valerie Burns, NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

••••••

With small town New Bison’s Spring Festival just around the corner, the pressure is on Maddy to continue her late great-aunt Octavia’s legacy. That means scoring the top prize and transforming Baby Cakes into Southwest Michigan’s must-visit bakery, even though her inexperience in the kitchen brings nightmares of humiliating tagged photos and scathing reviews.
 
There’s another reason for lost beauty sleep. A second bakery is opening in town under the ownership of CJ Davenport, a shrewd investor with a reputation for sabotaging anyone who gets in his way. And savvy, flashy Maddy tops his list. It’s a sticky spot to be in—more so when Davenport turns up dead with a Baby Cakes’s knife stuck in his back.
 
Maddy’s whole life just went from #thriving to barely surviving. Now, supported by the crafty Baker Street Irregulars and her new boyfriend, she must find the courage to face off against a killer who could very well get her name trending for the first and last time . . .

Maddie relocated from LA to a small town in Michigan when her great Aunt Octavia left her a bakery and a 250 pound mastiff named Baby. Her friend's obnoxious ex comes to town, and threatens to open a rival bakery with a Belgian pastry chef. Then he's murdered, and of course Maddie is a suspect. She wants to investigate some suspicious events and people, and she's assisted by her friends in town, her employees, and her veterinarian boyfriend, Michael. Likable characters, the small-town ambiance, recipes, and of course, Baby, make this series one that I will look forward to following. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.

I was so happy to see the second book in what I had hoped would be a series! Recommend this title to your readers who enjoy culinary cozies -- with the plus that this one features a Black protagonist. Maddy, a fun, glamorous former social media influencer, finds herself running her late aunt's bakery in a small lakeside town in Southwest Michigan. Of course, there are murders to solve, and Maddy, along with a very appealing cast of sidekicks, is up to the task. This is a fun, lighthearted cozy with enough going on to keep you reading (and guessing) the entire way.

This is not something I normally read but it sounded good. I didn't realize though that this is the 2nd book in the series so I don't know if that makes a difference or not. I probably won't go back and read the 1st book because I had a hard time maintaining focus on this book.

Murder is a Piece of Cake is the second book in the Baker Street Mystery series. Maddie and the gang are back along with a few new characters serving Thumbprint cookies, Chocolate Soul cake and murder. Once again she and the gang finds themselves trying to solve the mystery to get a friend out of jail and save her bakery.

Maddy a young entrepreneur and influencer along with her 250 pound English mastiff she inherited after the death of her aunt, finds family and love in New Bison, Michigan. Much like a book club discussion Maddy, Baby (the Mastiff) and her friends sit around the table trying to make sense out of the murders. A culinary cozy set in a small town rich with characters you absolutely love and some you dislike because they are messing with an otherwise quiet town and good people.

Burns does a great job managing the personalities of each character and how she leaves the door open to develop additional characters like the Admiral who last we heard was on his way to New Bison. I’m ready for Book 3.

In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a galley copy from the publisher.

Good follow up to first book. I enjoyed the banter and look forward to the next book.

****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****