Pastries and Pirates or is it Casanovas and a Corpse? It all started with a garden and Oliver the labradoodle finding a skeleton. The locals of Crystal Cay were excited thinking that the boot wearing skeleton was Gentleman George Bly or maybe one of his crew, only to learn that it wasn't that old, in fact it was in the ground, the sandy ground 4 feet deep for under a year's time. Out come the treasure hunters and phanatics for Pirate gold. Cate is hot on the trail of the unknown pirate while delving into Bly family history. All of this while doing her part as the 49% owner/baker of the Cookie Shop and holding a cookie of the day contest. Who would have ever guessed how time consuming a pecan praline sandie cookie could be or getting to the bottom of this mystery. Of course it doesn't help Kate one bit that her cheating EX-fiance is is town and offering the resources of his families foundation to further the research into Gentleman George Bly or that he is going around telling everyone that he is back to win Kate over. Maxi is more than happy to do her friend a solid and "swat that mosquito" and does her best to run interference for Kate. Kate has a solid group of friends in Coral Cay and in such a short time, since she escaped there from Manhattan to enjoy a new start after the failed engagement and hectic lifestyle of a big city chef. No wonder Oliver the town pup has picked her to be his home base when he isn't out visiting the various businesses and families of Coral Cay. This story offers all the ingredients that a cozy mystery needs to bake up an excellant plot with twists and turns that are like frosting on a cake or a large gingerbread doghouse. Did I mention that the new vet is available?

Title: Sugar and Vice
Author: Eve Calder
Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

OUT OF THE OVEN

Lately, Kate has a lot on her dessert plate. She’s launching a cookie-of-the-day challenge in the heart of Coral Cay, providing sweet treats for the reception of the town’s handsome new veterinarian—not to mention dealing with tourists in town for a pirate festival and the surprise arrival of her former fiancé, Evan, who seems determined to win her back.

AND INTO THE FIRE

And if that’s not enough, a skeleton has been found—in the backyard behind her best friend Maxi’s floral shop. Kate knows Maxi could never hurt a fly. Maybe the remains belong to Sir George Bly, a long-dead pirate whose name has become urban legend—until now? It’s time for Kate to use every trick in the recipe book to prove Maxi’s innocence, and find the truth about the skeleton, before the last of the cookies crumble…

This was such a fun read! I love the small-town setting with beach vibes. It may not be a good reading choice if you’re trying to give up sugar—because the descriptions of the cookies were making me hungry! I haven’t read the first book in the series, but that didn’t matter.

Maxi and Kate’s friendship was wonderful, and I loved how vibrant Maxi and her family were. Add in two mysteries, a persistent ex, and a cute new veterinarian, and this amounted to a lot of fun!

Eve Calder is from Florida. Sugar and Vice is her newest novel, the second book in The Cookie House Mysteries series.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder is a wonderful cozy mystery with unique characters and realistic subplots. Kate McQuire has recently moved to Coral Cay, Florida and is the proud half-owner of a bakery which previously had only baked bread items, but with her arrival, had begun to branch out. He friend, the florist next door, was Maxi Mas-Buchanan, a lovely young Cuban woman married to a young lawyer. They had three kids, upon whom they doted. Kate was the proud owner of Oliver, a dog-about-town who mostly lived with her. They were digging in the back yard of Maxi's shop in preparation for planting vegetables with which she planned to expand her business when Oliver dug up a leather boot. It seemed to be attached to a leg so the women wisely decided to call the police and some local archeologists. The story was that Coral Cay had been a haven for pirates in the day and many, along with their treasures, were buried here.

This book was a hoot! These two women were perfect friends, each with their own unique personalities and issues. Kate had an ex-fiance who turns up and gets under foot. He was good for a few laughs. Maxi's husband was acting squirrelly: she could always tell when he was hiding something. The people of Coral Cay and many outside, were enthralled with the possibility of a pirate. Pirates were a theme in their town and a real one would be fabulous. All of this makes for a highly entertaining book with several real mysteries to be found in its pages. This is a lovely setting and cleverly written characters. Any cozy fan will love it. I recommend it. Can't wait to go back and read the first one.

I received a free ARC of Sugar and Vice from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I would not have read this book had I not been contacted by the publisher. Thank you Stephen Erickson! All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #sugarandvice

This is the second book in this series by Eve Calder. The story proved to be an interesting and exciting one. Pastry Chef Kate McGuire and her best friend Flower shop owner Maxi become involved in solving the mystery behind the skeleton Kate’s dog Oliver digs up behind the flower shop. Could it be the corpse of the legendary pirate Sir George Bly, long a legend in the town of Coral Cay? This presumption is dashed when an archaeologist determines that the body is that of someone who died within the last ten years. Now, Kate needs to prove her friend Maxi had nothing to do with the death and figure out whose corpse it is. In the middle of all this, Kate’s ex, Evan, has come to town to try to win her back.

This is a pretty well-done mystery. The chunking of the story into chapters, none of which are very long, does detract a bit, though not enough to keep you from being pulled into the story from the get-go, as I was. The author has managed to present a great cast of interesting and well-done characters, set in a nice little town, who engage and interact well in a cozy, spirited, colorful and easy-going manner. In this book, I found a myriad of clues and twists and turns to keep me guessing. As one reviewer wrote, the downside were the delicious sounding cookies Kate bakes, which left my mouth watering. Unfortunately, there were no recipes included. I think this is a great cozy series, which will appeal to most readers who enjoy this sort of mystery. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Sugar and Vice is the second book in the A Cookie House Mystery series.

Kate is settling in nicely in Coral Cay and is part owner of the cookie shop where she works. Her cookies have brought the shop back to being the bakery to shop at.

Her friend Maxi has a flower shop next door and they are busy putting in a raised beds in the yard behind the flower shop while discussing the upcoming Pirate Festival that is coming up soon. Oliver, who likes to spread his doggy adorableness around town, starts digging where they are working and they soon find that he has unearthed a human skeleton. Also found were some apparel items that suggest this might be the body of a pirate. Maxi is sure they have found the body of Gentlemen George, a legendary pirate of Coral Cay, who was reportedly buried with his share of the treasure they had accumulated. Soon it will be confirmed that it isn’t Gentleman George and Kate and Maxi will set off to try and determine who the skeleton was.

I am enjoying this new series. The story is well-told and plotted. The community of Coral Cay has very believable and interesting characters. The cookie store has some very delicious sounding products, no wonder the business is doing well. My least favorite character is Kate’s ex-fiance, Evan. He needs to wake up and smell the roses. He’s been told no way are they getting back, yet he continues to stalker her. I hope he will soon get the message. My favorite character is Oliver, who thinks he is the “town dog” going about town visiting everyone. He seems to have found a home with Kate, but then he realizes the comfort he brings by being close to Kate.

I will be watching for the next book in this yummy series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sugar and Vice, by Eve Calder, is available at booksellers on 4-28-2020. Sugar is book 2 in Ms Calder's A Cookie House Mystery series. It's my 1st experience with this author and I like the way she writes. There's a nice style and flow to the story. The characters are fleshed out, secondary characters have a little substance too, which makes them interesting. Although book 2 in a series Sugar and Vice works just fine as a stand-alone. There are references to the 1st mystery but not enough to be a bother and cause confusion.

The plot of finding a skeleton and thinking it's ancient is a nice way of bringing an island lore into the story, mixing an old story with a current crime scene. One investigation blends with the other and both are eventually solved. The food all sounds delicious and I'd have liked a recipe or 2, my mouth watered at the description of the cookies. In my humble opinion the best and most interesting character is Oliver, the dog. He's absolutely perfect.

#EveCalder #SugarAndVice #ACookieHouseMystery #Netgalley #StMartin'sPaperbacks #cullinarymystery

Cookie House pastry chef Kate McGuire is adjusting to her new life in Coral Cay. When her friend Maxi finds a skeleton buried in her floral shop's backyard, the Coral Cay locals speculate that it belongs to Sir George Bly. If it is Bly, this would be another great tourist draw to a town that already has a pirate festival to celebrate this historical legacy.

But the forensics quickly determine that the skeleton is not 100s of years ago. This recent victim was buried less than a year ago. So how did the killer know when Maxi and her family would be away to bury the body? When the police start focusing on Maxi and her husband as prime suspects, Kate needs to find the truth about the skeleton to clear her friends.

On the personal front, Kate is surprised when her former New York city fiance, Evan, arrives in town and tries to woo her back into his life.

This was a fun and quick, light read and another enjoyable book in the Cookie House cozy mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

#SugarandVice

This series quickly earned its place on my must be read as soon as possible mystery series list. It was easy to give the first, And Then There Were Crumbs, five stars and this has earned its own five stars.
Kate moved away from New York as fast as she could, headed for Florida with no plans for her future - just get away from her finance and start fresh. Luck was on her side and she landed on her feet, meeting some of the nicest characters ever. Now, in the second mystery, she has new friends, a good job (how could baking cookies ever be a bad job?) and she is fully in the swing of things, getting ready for the Pirate Festival. The entire town has pirate fever and it all heats up when Kate and her friend Maxi decide to build new planters in Maxi's backyard. What could be exciting about that? Well, sweet pup, Oliver, goes and digs up a body, that's what. Dressed in full pirate attire, word soon spreads that a long lost pirate and maybe even clues to his treasure are lying in Maxi's yard. Experts arrive and soon declare that the body is way too recent to be the long lost pirate. Fine but who is the body, who buried it....lots of questions and Kate, Maxi and their friends are on the case. If trying to figure out the mystery of the body in Maxi's yard wasn't enough for Kate to deal with, her ex-fiance shows up and makes it clear that he isn't ready to let her go.
The mystery is full of twists and turns and the writing flows very well. When Kate and her circle of friends undertake their investigation it moves effortlessly and naturally. They just ask their questions, listen and don't think that they can do a better job than the police. It was the perfect reading escape for my days of social isolation.

Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder is the 2nd book in A Cookie House Mystery series, and another great addition. Kate McGuire recently moved to Coral Cay, Florida for a fresh start. She is the owner of the cookie house bakery, and her best friend, Maxi, owns the flower shop next door. Kate and Maxi are all excited about the Pirate Festival the town is having. Unfortunately when Kate is helping Maxi in her back yard, Oliver, the dog, digs up human bones in a pirate outfit. Maxi because the prime suspect, and the sleuthing begins. I really enjoyed this book, it's a perfect escape when stuck at home. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, please keep them coming. I highly recommend this book/series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The pirate festival is almost ready to begin in Coral Cay. Kate, her sidekick a fun goldendoodle named Oliver and her best friend Maxi are getting ready for the fun to begin when Oliver digs up a dead body in Maxi’s back yard. Could it be the long lost pirate Sir George? With the festival approaching and visitors starting to arrive, things start to get dicey as word spreads and people start wanting to dig up Maxi’s yard. When the dead body turns out to be a recent burial, the town folk get together to find out not only who was buried, but where was the pirate and his long lost treasure buried as well. When Kate’s ex fiancé shows up in town, things get even more complicated. Can the residents of Coral Cay solve the mystery?

I loved this story by Eve Calder. Even though this was the second book in the Cookie House Mystery series, I had no problem catching up with Kate’s story and I loved meeting all the residents in the small town. I love how the author Eve Calder shared the lives as well as the mystery. We get to read about Kate and Sam’s bakery along with Maxi’s flower shop. The reader feels like you are right in the story uncovering clues and yearning for those cookies Kate bakes. The only downside was I had to put the book down and go bake some cookies! Thank you so much to Eve Calder, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review.

This was a new cozy series for me, and although it would have been helpful for me to have read the first book in the series beforehand, it’s not necessary. A lovely small town Florida beach location filled with likable locals and obligatory baking, combined with an interesting mystery! Cozy readers will find this book entertaining, a welcome escape from the fear and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sugar and Vice is the second in the A Cookie House Mystery series by Eve Calder. This was the first for me and I had no problem in getting up to date.
This is an easy to read cozy that has great main characters, delightful setting, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end.
It's the start of Pirate Week in Coral Cay when Oliver, Kate's adorable pooch, digs up a skeleton in her best friend's backyard. On top of it, the skeleton is dressed in pirate garb. Could it be a true pirate from the past....
Kate knows she has her plate full for the week, having a cookie contest, hosting the dinners for the locals, and dealing with her ex. By the way, who invited him to the island and why. She adds finding out just who is the skeleton and who buried him.
The only problem with this story is you will want cookies, all kinds of cookies!
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and St Martin's Paperbacks for an honest review.

What a fun series to read! Great setting, likable characters, delightful pastry treats, and an interesting mystery to unravel. Kate McGuire is settling into small town life in Coral Cay, in South Florida, where she is a junior partner in the Cookie House Bakery with Sam Hepplewhite, owner. She and her new best friend, Maxi, owner of a florist next door have each other's backs. They are working in the backyard of the florist digging new flower beds when the town dog, Oliver, discovers a grave. The two become involved in solving what turns out to be a murder and they investigation leads them to friends, unfortunately. It is also Pirates Festival Week, an activity that most coastal towns in Florida enjoy. Kate's ex-fiance' shows up without warning and adds a kink to Kate's life.
Food, fun, and murder in a beautiful small town setting and great characters/friends make this another winner in the Cookie House Mystery series.
I received a complimentary ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.
This is one of my favorite new cozy series ! I loved the first in series and was pleased to receive this for review from the publisher. Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder is the second book in Ms. Calder's Cookie House cozy series . Ms. Calder has created a series that is such fun, so engaging and has all the right cozy elements that cozy readers love. The first book I read cover to cover as i did this second in series.

Kate is preparing for Pirate Days in Coral Cay with baking preparations . This is a exciting event that Kate is glad to be a part of now that she is part owner of the bakery and living upstairs. The descriptions by the author of the lovely bakery are such a fun part of this series. Kate is a talented baker and is enjoying her new life and running the bakery. Her curmudgeon boss has given her more responsibility now that he trusts her.

Her friend Maxi has a shop next door. Maxi and Kate have become close friends. When a skeleton has been found behind Maxi's store it could be the corpse of the long dead pirate, Sir George Bly, a real pirate legend in their town. Alas the skeleton upon examination is found to be more recent then Sir Bly . Kate has to investigate to prove her friend's innocence in the death. In the meantime she is distressed to find out her ex fiance has arrive in town and wants her back. She wants nothing to do with him and has moved on with her life.

This was such a well crafted mystery that I did not guess the ending. The author has included many twist and turns to keep her readers guessing. The charcters are all engaging and add to the plot. I enjoyed every aspect of this fun second in series and look forward to the next book. Very well done to the author !

Sugar and Vice is an entertaining cozy mystery. Great plot, quirky characters and beautiful Florida setting. Cozy mystery fans will enjoy this book. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

This was a charming cozy mystery set in a bakery in a small coastal Florida town. Kate McGuire is now co-owner of The Cookie House and her new best friend Maxi is next door with her flower shop. Both are getting ready for spring and the annual Pirate Days; Maxi has been digging planting beds in her back yard when Kate's dog Oliver decides to help out and uncovers what everyone hopes is the town's long lost pirate himself! But it is not to be; it is too recent, and it is murder. Murder in Maxi's backyard, and that means Kate needs to clear her friend's name, while still finding the time to bake for all the tourists there for Pirate Days. There is lots of small town character interaction and secrets, loads of mouthwatering cookie descriptions (there were no recipes in the ARC, perhaps in the final book?), lots of local color, some sensible sleuthing and good plotting. A very enjoyable read. I missed the first in the series, but had no trouble following the who, what and when. I look forward to the next in the series. My copy was an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Cookies, pirates and a dead body….. oh my. Sugar and Vice is the highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable second book of the Cookie House Mystery series.

The town of Coral Cay is in full preparation for the annual pirate festival. Kate and Maxi, along with our furry friend Oliver, uncover a body that has been buried in the flower shop yard. When the body found is dressed like a pirate, it is if the town's local legend is more than just a legend. However things are not that easy and now Maxi is a suspect of a murder that she couldn’t have possibly committed. Kate breaks out new cookies and sets her nose to the ground to prove her friend's innocence, discover the identity of the murdered person and get some answers surrounding the town's local history.

I absolutely adored Sugar and Vice. Kate is an amazing lead character with tons of personality. Her ability to seek out your favorite cookie without asking is truly a talent. She is friendly and has a charming personality that allows her to befriend people easily and has an excellent way of getting things out of people that others might not normally be able to. The Cookie House is a wonderful setting that is welcome and warm. Even if Sam is a little rough around the edges. The town of Coral Cay is like a mini paradise and the residence within the town adds so much to the story.

Eve Calder weaves a mystery unlike anyone I have read before. The way she twists her plot and keeps the reader guessing at who done it, is pretty exceptional. From the personalities of the characters to the amazing cookies that Kate is constantly baking to the way she sets little clues that one doesn't think are clues until the end when all the discoveries are made. Sugar and Vice is an excellent follow-up to the first book in the series, Then There Were Crumbs. Ms.Calder truly has something special with her Cookie House Mystery series.

It was great discovering the cookie house - the only drawback is now I want cookies - lots of cookies! Kate and her friend Maxi are digging a flowerbed when the dog discovers a skeleton. Could it be George Bly - the pirate founder of the town? It's also Pirate Days, with the chaos of tourists - and did I mention lots of cookies? Yes I did! I really liked the town, I liked the people and animals, and I thought the mystery was good. Also, the main characters were never stupidly going into danger - yay! I'm going to look for more books from this author!

I was so pleased to receive this e-arc. I read and LOVED book one in this series, so I was thrilled to have access to book 2! This has quickly become a new favorite series of mine. I love cozy mysteries and am always looking for new series to try!

SUGAR AND VICE is book 2 in the Cookie House Mystery series out later this month. Kate McGuire moved to Coral Cay, FL for a fresh start. In book 1 she left behind her ex-fiance and a dead end job. Now she's part owner of the Cookie House bakery in this small, quaint town. Coral Cay is busy preparing for the annual Pirate Festival, and Kate is helping her friend Maxi, who owns the flower shop next door, prepare some new gardens in her yard when they uncover a skeleton in pirate garb! However, they soon determine that it's not the skeleton of a pirate from hundreds of years ago, but a body that was buried less than a year ago! Kate and Maxi don their sleuthing caps once again to determine WHO the body is and WHO put it there in Maxi's yard!

Like I said, this is one of my new favorite series! I love the characters. Kate is a fantastic MC, and the case of supporting characters is so strong. I adore Maxi and curmudgeonly Sam, Kate's boss. The descriptions of the goodies Kate whips up in the bakery are positively mouth-watering. Fair warning that you will crave dessert when reading this! I also love the meals Maxi serves her family, who never fail to entertain! And of course there's Oliver, town dog who has taken a shine to Kate. He's so adorable and adds that delightful something extra to the story.

I can't wait for book 3 in this wonderful series! I highly recommend for fans of cozy mysteries who enjoy that lighter read with fun, likable characters and setting.

Kate McGuire moved to Coral Cay, Florida for a fresh start. She is now the co-owner of the Cookie House bakery and is looking forward to the town's annual Pirate Festival. She's helping her new friend Maxi, who owns the flower shop next door to the bakery, install a raised garden when her dog Oliver starts to dig and uncovers a skeleton wearing what appears to be a pirate outfit. Everyone assumes that the remains belong to Sir George Bly, a pirate from the 16th century who was rumored to have been buried with his treasures. But the investigation reveals that the body has been buried less than a year ago. Kate and Maxi work together to uncover the truth about the skeleton.

This is a delightful cozy mystery, with a wonderful setting, mouthwatering descriptions of cookies, and two intriguing mysteries. This was my first visit to Coral Cay, and I am absolutely smitten. I loved the small tight-knit community feeling and the friendship between Kate and Maxi. Kate is a character that readers will find easy to like. She's kind, caring, and passionate about her job. The town's history is weaved effortlessly with the present-day mystery. There were plenty of clues and twists along the way to keep me guessing, and the conclusion of both mysteries was a surprise to me.
I look forward to the third book in this charming series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.