An enjoyable murder mystery which includes cats and cupcakes. Recommend for anybody interested in a light read on the weekend

Great idea for a book and really well executed. A thoroughly good read. Highly recommended. .

Sexy, humorous and brilliant! How could you go wrong with such a protagonist?

The Cupcake Caper is the first installment in the cozy mystery Undercover Cat series by Kelle Z. Riley, following Dr. Bree Watson.

Bree has earned a PhD in chemistry and is a full time chemist in a company. But, when one of her coworkers dies unexpectedly and all the clues seem to incriminate her, what is she going to do? She sure isn't willing to leave everything to luck or to the hot detective that is suspecting her, thus soon launching her own undercover investigation.

I love cozy mysteries, because they contain the element of mystery, but also humor and steaminess are unmistakably present.

This novel was such an accurate example of a cozy mystery, and I loved it for that!
It was fast paced, kept you guessing and being all starry-eyed along with the heroine.

To top it all of? Bree was so clever and such an accomplished professional, making you love her all that much more.
I prefer a clever, capable heroine over a damsel in distress, any day and in any gender!

This novel was such a spectacular journey.

A very nicely written cozy mystery with a dash of romance. Perfect way to fill in a few hours escaping from reality. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Kelle Z. Riley has created a unique series, she calls Undercover Cat Series, and in the first installment, The Cupcake Caper, protagonist, Dr. Bree Watson, who is a chemist, finds her boss’ body; he has been poisoned, and she is one of the leading suspects. Of course, she wants to prove her innocence, and begins to investigate the details of the murder to clear her name. Unfortunately, one of her prime suspects is a sexy co-worker who seems to be too involved in things that aren’t relevant to his job description. He also shows up a few times away from work to get her out of trouble, and with her scientific mind, Bree isn’t sure she is safe around him. One of the other things on her agenda is to find the perfect recipe for some cupcakes she’s been craving, and her chemist background is the perfect thing to help her achieve that goal.

While most of us would expect a scientist to be a bit boring and an unacceptable character, Bree is quite charming and makes this series a fun read. And while it is a cozy, even a culinary mystery, it has plenty of suspense, and during one part of the novel, it looks like Bree might not even survive. Bree knows nothing about cats, but her human side kicks in when her boss’ cat will be taken to the pound if she doesn’t take it. In a way, her new cat helps solve the murder, or at least gives her ideas, and makes the book even more fun. Riley is a good storyteller, and even though most of us don’t have the scientific mind of a chemist, she makes it interesting and develops Bree into a viable main character.

Readers who enjoy the lighter side of suspense will want to pick upThe Cupcake Caper, and will want to read the subsequent novels in the series. A bonus is that there is a recipe for Killer Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes – Yum!

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

With a heroine you can't help but relate to, and a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes, you'll find yourself swept up in this wonderfully written story.

Solid mystery but the mail reason I loved the book my female protagonist was a scientist not a bakery, fashion designer, knitter etc. This was just a different mystery with a charming female lead. Thank you

A book titled The Cupcake Caper that cleverly uses the image of a cat for the “A” in “Caper”…How much cozier could a whodunit get, right? This clever little puzzler isn’t always so comfy, however, as it involves some real danger to humans, as well as a few animals. I wasn’t hooked right from the get-go, as the first chapter registered a bit high on my snooze meter, but I quickly awoke when Bree, a Ph.D. for Chemical Industries Corporation, finds her boss dead and not surprisingly, becomes one of the chief suspects. To be fair, I glanced over the beginning chapter again after finishing the book and now give it higher marks.

Gabriella Catherine Mayfield-Watson, known as Bree, is a different kind of amateur detective. She’s not a busybody old lady or someone’s neighbor or even a minister. She’s an intelligent, educated woman who understands how to solve problems using science. Science, it should be pointed out, is often quite useful in solving crimes. Bree, therefore, puts her problem-solving skills to work and attempts to figure out who would want Buckminster “Buckster” Davis dead, and who would want to frame her for the murder. As for the former, there are plenty of people who disliked Buckster and aren’t sorry he’s gone, but would any of them be backhanded enough to try to frame Bree? Worse yet, if she continues to poke around playing detective, despite the warnings of the police, will she become a victim herself?

In the process of all of this, she gains a cat. He’s not just any cat. No, this cat once belonged to Buckster, and he’s sort of a wild child. He’s also a curious boy, so she decides to call him Sherlock. (Hint, hint.) I loved the evolution of their relationship. Ms. Riley obviously knows a thing or two about cats and is obviously an animal lover, as evidenced by the inclusion of other animal scenes in the book. But Sherlock became one of my favorite characters, as he indirectly had a role in solving this case.

This little gem has a lot going for it, including cupcakes! I had incredible cravings by the time I finished this book, and there are recipes includes at the end for those who love to bake. With murder, some interesting characters, an engaging plot, humor, and hints of romance, this recipe has all the ingredients for a delicious treat. If you’re looking for a different kind of diversion, The Cupcake Caper might be next on the menu for you. Thanks to NetGalley, Curtis Brown Unlimited, and the author for making this review copy available.

4 stars

This book just wasn't for me. The protagonist is rather bland, the male characters are all awful and patronizing, and the police detectives are either unprofessional or incompetent. The whole book had a weirdly sexist undertone, with the female characters all being either catty, preoccupied with their weight or worried about ending up alone. Also, the murderer was pretty obvious from the start and after hearing every couple of pages about how smart Bree is, it was rather frustrating for her not figure it out until the end.
I definitely wouldn't recommend this novel. The only saving grace is that the novel is easy to read.

A good book. Great to start off a new series, but I felt like it got bogged down a little with her baking and scientific sleuthing that wasn't leading anywhere. I figured out the who-done-it a lot earlier than she did and I'm not nearly as clever or accomplished as our heroine, Bree. Still, it was enjoyable and I probably would read additional books in the series.

The Cupcake Caper is a cute cake lit, cozy mystery.that I read in a single sitting. The story follows scientist Bree Watson, who is quietly going about her life until she finds the body of her murdered colleague and, to free herself from suspicion, is pulled into investigating. She uses her scientific powers of deduction (along with her knowledge of cooking, which come surprisingly handy) to get herself both in and out of trouble along the way!

Bree is quite an endearing character, with her love of cooking, the sciences, and desire to rescue cats - despite being a dog person! And there's quite a busy cast of both suspicious and also endearing characters, from her colleagues to her family.

I'm never good at working out mysteries, so I won't tell you if it's predictable or not - I didn't work it out though! And there are some nice twists and turns as Bree investigates.

This a great book for just tuning out for a for a little while, if you don't want to get bogged down in anything heavy, but still want some mystery to keep you wondering. It reminded me a lot of the vibe of the Heather Well's mysteries, such as Size 12 is not Fat by Meg Cabot, which I absolutely adore. As in those, you can't call it a romance, because there's no happily ever after or even a happy for now with any love interest, but there are love interests (and a bit of a love triangle) to keep the romance addicts amongst us happy - and eager to read more of the series to see which way Bree goes!

A fun little addition to the book is that we also get some of Bree's recipes at the end!

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries with a touch of science and cake on the side.

A mystery, a possible romance, some serious sleuthing.. are you ready? Dr. Bree entertains us with her love for science, her love of baking, and her detective skills all wrapped into one during this exciting adventure. You think you have it all figured out, and then there is a twist. Who could it be? Will she figure it out? Is she in danger? Your going to have to read it to find all the answers.
I was quite surprised by this book. I was expecting a cozy little, predictable mystery. Right from the beginning I knew I was in for more than a quick read. There is "grit" to this adventure, the characters are complex. I enjoyed getting to know Dr. Bree and go on this adventure of mystery and intrigue with her.

This was a great start to a fun series. Bree is the lady who has it all....almost. She is brilliant, and considerate, spunky, and she cooks or rather creates marvelous sweets. I love a cozy mystery and it is even better when supplied with a recipe or two. Bree is a great character who uses her analytical mind to figure out the "who done it at work, " especially since the clues are leading to her as a prime suspect. The only thing she is lacking is a love interest but that may be just over the horizon with not one but maybe even two men but they will have to realize that she will stop at nothing to get to the truth because every good hypothesis needs to be tested.

For the first book in a series, it was quite entertaining, with delightful characters...and one feisty cat...a believable mystery/murder plot, and a heroine who was smart, gutsy, and tenacious. I enjoyed how the story unfolded, methodically and based more on logic than emotions. I look forward as the series continues, Bre and hopefully Sherlock will have many more adventures to come.

This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Bree is a chemist who comes back from a company trip to find her boss dead from poison and herself as the main suspect. It's always made sense that a character would have a stake in solving the mystery quickly if they are a suspect, so this is the most obvious setup (plot-wise) ever.

It's interesting to have a protagonist who is a scientist (yay for women in STEM!) and perfectly capable of solving chemistry problems as long as it's not the romantic type. Nothing actually happened except maybe setting the path for a future love triangle.

However, it will have to proceed without me since this book didn't really do anything for me. It was nice to read but not in a "cancel all my appointments and sleep" way. The recipes at the end were a nice touch.

Fancy a whodunnit with a girly twist? The Cupcake Caper is an entertaining novel where you’ll try and solve along with Bree a mysterious murder. The intrigue unfolds in a company specialised in chemical substances. So, you can count on the presence of poisonous substances and a vast array of potential culprits from the different corporate departments. Who would benefit the most from the crime? Who really has means, opportunity and motive? You will surely love to play along and try to piece everything together.

Can science and its logical, rational reasoning help Bree solve the case and catch the villain who is also trying to frame her for the crime? Who can Bree really trust around her? Will the good-looking detective O’Neil become a source of assistance and, icing on the cake, a real love interest?

If you want to channel your inner Nancy Drew and do some sleuthing, following a trail of clues to find out who the murderer really is, The Cupcake Caper will most certainly meet your expectations.

It is nicely written, fast-paced and intriguing. You’ll find yourself unwilling to put it down until the killer in uncovered.

This is the Book 1 of the Undercover Cat Series. It only makes sense that I am now looking forward to the sequels.

Clever cozy mystery. Nice to have a smart protagonist. Fun potential for future romance, mysteries, and animals. Pleasant, intelligent reading.. I look forward to the next one in this series. There are even recipes included.

Fantastic Read! I am now Kelle Z. Riley's biggest fan!

The Cupcake Caper by Kelle Z. Riley was a great cozy mystery and what I hope is the beginning of a new series. Ms. Riley is a "new to me" author but this book sold me on this series.

Dr. Bree Mayfield-Watson is a very likable young woman. Her career in the corporate world with her doctorate in chemistry as been fulfilling up until recently when she has been traveling. She longs for days in the lab again but that is not to be when she finds her boss dead. This woman is smart and analytical which often leaves her a little clueless when it comes to understanding people. There are two handsome men who seem to be interested in her which flusters her whenever they are around (this made me laugh).

I found the plot to be smoothly written, the clues were there along with many twists that kept me guessing as Bree felt compelled to solve the murder. There is also humor, a cat that Bree named Sherlock and cupcake recipes that sound delicious.