Last Licks
(A Lickety Splits Mystery #3)
by Cynthia Baxter

Hardcover, 256 pages
Expected publication: December 31st 2019 by Kensington Publishing Corporation



Goodreads synopsis:
It's autumn in the Hudson Valley, and Kate McKay has some tricks up her sleeve for a deliciously spooky season at her Lickety Splits Ice Cream Shoppe. But with a cold-blooded murderer thrown into the mix, the scares are about to become a little too real . . .

Kate receives the shock of a lifetime when she's blindsided by an offer she can't refuse. An assistant movie director desperately wants to shoot a key scene at Lickety Splits and she's willing to pay big bucks to sweeten the last-minute deal. All Kate has to do is tolerate a bustling film crew for a few hours and provide one important prop--a scoop of handmade ice cream . . .

But when up-and-coming actress Savannah Crane drops dead after spooning down some chocolate almond fudge, Kate's first taste of Hollywood might be her last. Someone poisoned the leading lady, and with Lickety Splits draped in yellow crime scene tape, detectives are ready to cast Kate as the leading suspect . . .

Determined to clear her name, Kate finds herself churning through a long list of unsavory characters to catch the real killer lurking around town. As she uncovers the truth about the jealous rivals and obsessive stalkers who haunted Savannah's life, Kate soon realizes that tangling with the late starlet's "fans" could make this her most terrifying fall yet . . .

***

4.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Lickety Splits mystery series by Cynthia Baxter. I am not certain why the publication dates is December 31st for this particular title since it would have been a perfect late September release. There are all things fall and cozy in this story and the ice cream shoppe is all decked out for Halloween too.

This mystery was fascinating and they paired the problems Kate has in her love life alongside the mystery making it so hard to look away or put the book down. Also, a movie company comes to the shoppe and wants to film an important scene.It was cool reading about all the tv stuff and that led quickly to the murdered Hollywood starlet who was just catching her rising stardom. Kate becomes suspect number once since the police believe the victim was poisoned using the bowl Kate had personally chosen.

Kate’s niece Emma and her mother are quite stellar in this too. Loved how they were crafted into the story. That big twist at the end was surely nice and shocking too! Always love when an author can surprise us with the wow factor. Never saw that one coming!

Definitely loving this ice cream shoppe series. You should check it out if you love bakery mysteries, this would be right up your alley. Take a big bite out of this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

What better compliment them having the Hollywood film people wanting to use your shop for a new film.
Unfortunately, when a taste of ice cream ends the life of the leading actress, it might be lights out for everyone involved.

I found this to be pretty bland. It's the third book in a series that I haven't read, and I think you need to read the other two books.

This is the 3rd installment of the Lickety Splits Mystery series. Kate McKay runs the Lickety Splits Ice Cream shop and she is decorating her shop for Halloween when a director from a Hollywood movie that is shooting in the area wants to use her shop for a scene. All Kate has to do is prepare some homemade ice cream and put up the with film crew. It is only one scene so what could possibly go wrong. Well the actress Savannah Crane drops dead after eating the ice cream the shop is under suspicion as is Kate. Kate has to clear her name and find the real killer. This was a fun fast paced mystery and a good addition to this series. Really enjoyed.

This book was cute and fun to read. Kate is decorating her sweet little ice cream shop with some boo worthy decorations for the upcoming season. They want
to shoot a scene in her shop and pay big money to do so but after taking a spoonful of a delectable frozen treat, the actress Savannah drops dead. The plot has some twists in it and the story was well written. The characters were charming and witty. I really enjoyed reading this book.

A delicious scoop of a story. While the setting and title are always cute, the mystery is a page turner. You cannot help but to get immersed in the characters and really become invested. A delightful series.

Ice cream and movies, what a yummy combination except when you mix in murder in this entertaining read.

Cynthia Baxter’s Last Licks is a great and fast-paced cosy. I really liked this mystery filled with delicious ice-cream, good sleuthing, and some Halloween fun. However, I would have liked Kate’s romance to be more developed. I haven’t read the earlier books in this series but I had no problem understanding everything. The book works well as a standalone.

Kate McKay, owner of Lickety Splits Ice Cream Shoppe, is preparing for Halloween. But, she gets an offer from Hollywood that she can’t refuse! An assistant movie director offers Kate a substantial sum to film an important scene in the shop. However, beautiful and well-loved upcoming actress Savannah Crane drops dead during filming…after eating Kate’s ice-cream. Savannah has been poisoned and detectives cast Kate as the main suspect! Kate must clear her name and delve into Savannah’s life to find the real killer.

The fast-paced mystery has surprising twists and viable suspects. I couldn’t guess the killer’s identity and motives until almost the very end. The plot has a great blend of action and character development. I particularly like how well the subplots came together. I loved reading about all the yummy ice cream! I also like the glimpse into Hollywood lives. But, I was a little confused about certain aspects of Savannah’s relationships although this didn’t really ruin my reading experience.

The characters are memorable, entertaining, and well-written. Kate is a great, smart, and relatable protagonist. Her niece, artsy Emma and sweet Grams are also lovely.

The romance subplot is well-done. At first, I didn’t like the possible love triangle that was developing because love triangles always derail a perfectly good book. However, I really like how Baxter deals with it and how Kate’s relationship with outdoorsy Brody meaningfully contributes to the plot. The relationship between Kate and old high-school love Jake is cute. But, I would have liked more development of their romance and I also struggled to connect with Jake.

I like the included recipes although I really would have liked some more. I also like the fun little ice cream facts included at the beginning of each chapter.

Last Licks is a quick and entertaining cosy with a well-written mystery, great characters, and a lovely setting. This is the first book in the series that I’ve read and I cannot wait to check out the others!



🍨🍨🍨🍨 ½ ice creams out of 5!

This third helping in the series is the best yet!
Let me give you the scoop-this is a delightfully delicious book.
The characters as always were entertaining. The whodunit was well written and kept me guessing with possibilities.
I was entertained from start to finish and look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

A cute and cozy murder about a murder in an ice cream shop. A likable main character and amusing sidekicks keep the story a light and quick read. This isn't my usual kind of book but it was enjoyable and I can recommend it to anyone who likes cozies involving food....there are recipes! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Perfect Halloween treat! Not so scary but fun murder mystery that hits all the right marks. 5/5 stars

One of my favorite series. Kate owns a ice cream shop. Someone comes in and asks if they can use her shop to film a movie. There is a murder that happens. Kate sets out to catch the killer before they can murder again

Kate is thrilled when a movie director wants to use her ice cream parlor, Lickety Splits, in a movie. All Kate has to do is provide some of her homemade ice cream. But when the film’s star actress keels over dead after tasting Kate’s ice cream, police look to Kate as their prime suspect. This is a delightful small town cozy mystery set in autumn, the perfect time for a not too gruesome murder and the accompanying hi-jinks