What a great start to a new series. I did have the murderer figured out fairly early on but it was still a great story. Fun characters and secondary characters as well. Great recipes included at the end of the book. Can't wait for the next book. Highly recommend!

"Murder Most Sweet" is the first in the new Bookish Baker Mystery series, and it's off to a good start with this book! Theodora St. John (Teddie) is a breast cancer survivor who decides after her recovery to do what she has always wanted to do, and write a novel, becoming a well-known mystery writer in her small hometown of Lake Potowatami, Wisconsin. Teddie is also an avid baker, especially of treats that showcase her Scandinavian heritage. In this first book, murder strikes at the town's local bookstore during a book signing by famous British mystery writer Tavish Bentley. When Tavish's ex-fiancée is found murdered behind the bookshop, strangled with one of Teddie's scarves, she must clear her name as the prime suspect. Things get even dicier for Teddie when a second murder occurs, a woman named Annabelle who is a stalker of Tavish and who threatens, and later attacks Teddie after Annabelle sees Teddie and Tavish having dinner together. Teddie and Tavish, among a few others, become suspects, and Teddie knows that she must do what she can to clear her name and save her reputation as a writer. Thrown in with the mystery is a little romance between Teddie and Tavish.

The series premier was enjoyable, and I loved the close relationships between Teddie and her bet friends, Cher and Char (affectionately known as The Three Amigos), as well as that between Teddie and Char's boyfriend, Sheriff Brady Wells, who is also a childhood friends of Teddie's . Throw in Teddie's mom, who couldn't be more different from Teddie, and who is worried about her being able to get a man (especially given Teddie's double mastectomy and her bohemian fashion style). And I loved the relationship between Teddie and her dog Gracie.

And if you like to bake, there are numerous recipes included after the story that were referenced throughout, including a few Scandinavian treats!

Thanks to NeTGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "Murder Most Sweet" is set to be released on August 11, 2020.

I really enjoyed this mystery a lot. There are tons of suspects and they all seem a little too obvious. My mind went in a different direction but I was wrong. The plot is fast paced enough to have kept me reading up to the 40% mark but I didn't feel an overwhelming desire to wake up really early and read. I happily finished the book the next night. My only real complaints is that all the suspects plus a romantic subplot make the story feel a little too long. That and there's too much of the dog has to go out each morning. It's the same thing-over and over. We know. Dogs do usually have to go out. While Gracie is adorable, it's a little too repetitive. I got a little tiny bit confused because everyone keeps referring to Tavish as a big New York author yet he lives in LA. I don't understand why he has dogs in Britain and New York if he lives somewhere else. There was one other little inconsistency that stood out to me. When Ted comes home to find a dramatic scene and Brady arrives to help, Char seems to be there. I'm not sure how she got there. Then later Char has been filled in so it sounds like she wasn't there. These are just minor quibbles. I award bonus points for frequent Harry Potter Series Box Set references and also Jane Austen references and quote from Sense and Sensibility.

Lake Potowatomi, Wisconsin is the town where the story is set. It seems to be closer to Indiana and Illinois than the rest of Wisconsin. Chicago is a day trip away. This town doesn't have a lot of charm yet. There is one super nosy old lady who loves to spread nasty gossip. This town seems to be populated by elderly people and when Tavish Bentley comes to town, he brings the LA stereotypes trailing after him. I hope there are future books so the town can be developed better. I have news for Wisconsinites-you aren't the only ones to say "yous guys." It's spelled "youse guys" and is similar to "De boatayuz" meaning more than one person. We also use the word bubblah the way Ted uses bubbler for a public drinking fountain.

I really like Ted. We have a lot in common so I'm glad I picked this book to read. I don't usually read about 40-something heroines because they're usually married, divorced and/or have children. I'm not in that space right now in spite of my age so I prefer reading about younger heroines starting out in adulthood. I'm happy to have made an exception for Ted. The one big thing you need to know about her is that she is a breast cancer survivor. This is not incidental to the story. It's a huge part of who Ted is. She chose to have a double mastectomy and no reconstruction. She is happy being flat if it means being alive. This causes tension with her mother who is not happy with her daughter's choice because "men like breasts." Ted is cheerful, optimistic and a great mom to Gracie, the American Eskimo dog. She even puts up with her mother. Ted's sleuthing has a purpose and isn't completely stupid. I was surprised she didn't figure out what I did that finally led me to a conclusion about who did it. I think Ted sounds like she's the author's alter ego so it's a little funny to read a cozy mystery about a cozy mystery writer. (Not ALL cozy mystery lovers are little old ladies).

Secondary characters abound in this novel. Most importantly is Gracie, Ted's dog daughter. Ted is a real dog lover and Gracie is her child. While I do think Gracie's morning ritual is repetitive, she plays an important role in the story because of it. I appreciate the love and care Ted gives Gracie and really felt her love in one particular scene. I don't know what I'd do in that situation! Ted's mother is yet another "high class" disapproving, you need a man mother. Why do all these cozy mystery heroines have the same mother? LOL! I warmed up to her by the end when Ted revealed a private conversation between her parents she overheard. Ted has three best pals. Her gal pals, Char and Sharon, are basically alike. They've been friends forever and encourage Ted in her adventures. Sharon is happily married and Char, a librarian turned bookstore owner, is in an on-again, off-again relationship with Sheriff Brady Wells. Brady is a good guy. He's in over his head with his first murder AND his best friend is involved (don't question why he's investigating when he's close to the suspect) but he knows how to play by the book. He isn't incompetent or stupid. He's also a good friend who worries about Ted because she's a friend. Tavish, a Colin Firth lookalike British mystery author who can quote Jane Austen at the drop of a hat! I don't blame Teddie for being attracted. They actually do have a lot in common. I was surprised and actually pleased by the way their relationship developed. He seems kind and funny. He loves dogs an Gracie likes him so I don't think he's a murderer. Tavish brings along his assistant, Melody, an intense, black clad young woman who takes her job a little too seriously. I think she has a crush on Tavish.

The locals include Augie Jorgensen (my cousin?), the deputy. He is Sharon's "little" brother. He comes across as young and eager but not too intelligent. Bea Andersson at the bakery has a crush on Tavish. She behaves very unprofessionally asking him to sign her book. Fred Matson, an elderly man who frequents the local bakery and enjoys the drama of the mystery unfolding before him. The elderly population of the town doesn't seem to have anything to do. Wilma Sorensen is a horrid old woman, going out of her way to spy on people and spread nasty gossip. Her walking friend Barbara Christensen is a little nicer to Ted but puts up with Wilma.

Tavish's fiance, or ex-fiance, as it turns out, Kristi was a stereotypical blond, fake boobed, bimbo (Ted is an expert at spotting silicone implants since her own encounter with them after cancer surgery). Kristi sounds like a gold digger and after Tavish because he's handsome, clever and RICH. What on earth does he see in her? Kristi's pal aka Boobsey Twin, is a Kristi clone. She's quick to accuse Ted of murder and is just not a nice person at all. I think she could be the killer. There are tons of suspects. Tom, Kristi's abusive ex, claims he loves her and is distraught at her death. He's clearly a no-good, alcoholic bum. He belongs in jail. Then there's Annabelle, Tavish's crazy stalker fan who is in love with him. She's totally crazy and delusional but once we meet her family, I began to feel super sorry for her. The Grubbs shoot to the top of the weird possible suspects list. Darlene is clinging to lost youth and puts up with a slob of a husband and a cretin son-in-law. Harley Cooke is a disgusting pig. He's a lazy slob, a womanizer and completely heartless. Ted and I would both like him to be the killer. Tavish had a type and his ex-wife Lucinda seems to look the part but is actually a cutthroat realtor. She's vindictive and selfish. Jewel, a young woman who works in a coffee shop could be another crazy Tavish Bentley fan who may have killed a rival. She certainly isn't very pleasant. Finally, Ronald Simms, a disgruntled writer who holds a grudge against Tavish for supposedly stealing Ronald's ideas even though the court ruled otherwise. Ronald is super weird and creepy. His books sound terrible and nothing like Tavish's. This guy sounds like a whiny loser who blames everyone else for his problems. He makes my skin crawl.

There are recipes! OMG I love Scandinavian pastry and I have Scandinavian pastry cookbooks so why have I never heard of fattigaman bakkles or Danish Butter Cake? (I have seen recipes of the cookies and the cake seems to be a midwestern thing). I want to try the cake with a slight adaptation and remove the almond flavor. It sounds like Victoria Sponge with a custard layer. No wonder Tavish loves it so much.

I highly recommend this mystery to cozy mystery fans

Murder Most Sweet is only my second Cozy Mystery and I'm really liking this genre. This book is actually better that my first since I didn't have to contend with a library ghost.

Set in a small town called Lake Potawatomi, WI, it is the perfect warm and comfortable setting for the story to take place. The protagonist is not only an accomplished writer, she is also an accomplished baker (hence the bookish baker mystery.) The protagonist has an Eskie (American Eskimo dog) and what a delight that is. You dog lovers will really enjoy the relational aspect between dog and human. It just adds to the storyline.

Murder Most Sweet has a great combination of light mystery and light romance. However, I thought there was an abruptness to uncovering the perpetrator. Maybe that was just me.

Overall, a good read. An added bonus -- real recipes you can use at the end of the book. I'll need to try some -- especially the Oatmeal Raisin cookie recipe.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Bookish Bakery
Author Teddie St. John not only deals with editors and deadlines, she's still dealing with the aftershocks of her breast cancer diagnosis, and the fact her mother is not dealing with it as well as she is. When she feels off balance, much to her friends' delight she deals with it by baking.
A member of a close trio, their own version of the 'Three Musketeers,' her friends Sharon and Char are her support system, along with her American eskimo pup, Gracie. Shaoron runs a B&B while char runs a book store.
When a favorite author is having a book signing at the store, his ex-girlfriend is strangled..with Teddie's scarf, and Teddie is the one to find the body, while returning to the book store after leaving to deal with a hot flash, making her look suspicious.
Shady things happen and another body makes her look guiltier still while she's running around trying hard to solve it and the author Tavish Bently is enamored with her, which doesn't get either on off the suspect list.
This tale is spun with intrigue, humor, family interaction, good friends and deals practically with the after effects of Teddie's big life change.
I requested and received a NetGalley Arc to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

I adore this book! Usually I can figure out who the murderer is within the first few chapters, but not this time. Although I suspected, I was thrown off by the other possibilities frequently. This one kept me on my toes. My one criticism is that the main character’s inner monologue wasn’t clarified as such in 3/4 of they way through the book. I wasn’t sure if she was talking to herself, her book’s main character, or maybe her father. The climactic scene could have been slightly more dramatic. I also LOVE that the recipes are included (where’s the peanut butter cookie one?) as the sweets in this book sounded delicious! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!!

Very enjoyable read! Loved the sense of family and friends that Ted has. Great mystery, the ending was a surprise, although I did suspect the killer initially. Fun book! Looking forward to more adventures with Ted and her friends.

Book one in a new series.

"I miss my breasts." I really could not get into this one. That first sentence of the book kind of set my mood and I just wasn't inclined to change it. I didn't like Teddie, I didn't like her mother. I didn't have a problem with Teddie being a breast cancer survivor, I just had a problem with her attitude.

This was an interesting debut for a cozy mystery. We are introduced to Teddie and her friends as they become involved in a murder at a book sigining. It was a different approach to see a character dealing with aftereffects of a life changing illness like breast cancer. Sometimes it was a bit too personal and blunt. I would have like a little bit more background on Teddie herself, not just her recovery. The book moves well with interesting characters that fit together. The murderer is a bit predictable, but there is enough other action to compensate for it.

post-mastectomy, dogs, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, author, cozy-mystery, small-town, family-dynamics, friendship, Wisconsin

Retired from government cubicles after defeating breast cancer twice and becoming disgusted with cosmetic implants, forty something Teddy skips the fakes and wears fancy scarves or Knitted Knockers (TM) and bakes for stress relief and writes cozy mysteries.
The local bookstore is happy to have a famous British mystery author have an unplanned book signing until his fiancee is found in the alley strangled with Teddy's scarf. And that's only the first murder! It's also a first for the town. Great characters and lots of misdirections, plot twists, and red herrings. I loved it! Well done!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

What a fun cozy mystery! I particularly enjoyed how the author showcased the lead character Teddie's battle with breast cancer, her hysterectomy and how that experience has shaped her and her relationships. Teddie is a cozy mystery writer herself, meets a fellow writer, falls for him only to discover his ex fiancee dead of strangulation. The murder weapon? Teddie's scarf!

Would love to read more from this author!

A very cosy mystery that is worth a read, the characters are quite interesting and the way the murderer was revealed very funny indeed

Worth a look if you want a break from the more gruesome murder mysteries out there

A good start to a new mystery series. Teddie, a survivor of a double mastectomy, is also a mystery writer in their small town in Wisconsin. With her friends, mother and her adorable dog, she finds herself being set up when the murder of a couple of women, with links to the visiting British writer, are found with Teddie's scarfs. A good story, and one I would like to read more about. A bit less on the health issue, while interesting it could be scaled back a bit, and also I had figured out the killer early on. These two issues cost a star, otherwise I highly recommend this book and author.

Teddie St. John is a good, strong character who shines in Murder Most Sweet, by Laura Jensen Walker.
While attending a book signing for a well known author, Teddie finds herself swallowed up in a murder investigation. Teddie is known for writing her own mysteries, so finding herself on the suspect list throws her into investigative mode.

I found this book to be very entertaining and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

This book was interesting but slow in the middle. The leads that Theodore and her friends investigated felt ridiculous, far-fetched, and unlikely. I feel like the story had great promise but didn't like up to it. The reveal of the killer was interesting, The author did a great job depicting the craziness of Melainie. I liked the characters in the book they were interesting and enjoyable. #MurderMostSweet #NetGalley