It was August and that meant it was time for the annual Lake Potawatomi WI Bake Off. Les Morris, less affectionately known as Lester-the-molester by most of the women around town, was the head judge and the president of the chamber of commerce. The first round of competition had been completed with Les only briefly misbehaving. However. on the morning of the second-round of competition, Lester Morris was found on the floor of the competition’s venue, face down with his nose stuck in the middle of a coconut cream pie, dead.

Any number of suspects present themselves - relatives, competitors, the pole dancer from Racine WI. It was the job of Brady Wells, town Sheriff, to find the murderer. But Teddie St. John had a habit of getting involved in these investigations - and she would do it again.

Two secondary stories made the book stand out. First, was the underlying story of Teddie St. John’s breast cancer survival and the occasional discussion of her feelings and decisions related to those events. The cancer did not define her, but it did play a part in her daily life. Second, was the collection of not-so-healthy dessert recipes in the back of the book. I am looking forward to trying the “Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies (aka Sinkers)” using my favorite bag of trail mix.

Deadly Delights presents small town Wisconsin at its best and at its worst. Having lived in Southern Wisconsin, I recognized many of Lake Potawatomi’s inhabitants and surroundings. The book presented a fun recollection of my past. The final result is a nice, but not great, cozy mystery. I give Deadly Delights four stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Teddy is one of my favorite mystery characters, a woman . who is comfortable with herself and her life. She has moved back home and is now a successful mystery writer. She has found love with another writer but it is a long distance one for now. Besides writing she has a talent for baking and that is the focus in this, the second of the series. Teddy has entered the very popular local baking contest but hadn't imagined that another murder would be part of the event. On top of that not only is her young neighbor, Sophie, a prime suspect but Teddy becomes one, too. The slimy, lecherous old man who is one of the judges is found with his face planted in Sophie's coconut cream pie and Teddy's rolling pin is next to him decorated in blood. It's time to get her friends together to track down the real killer. One thing is certain, there are lots and lots of suspects as Les Morris was a lech 24/7/365.
The mystery was very entertaining and sprinkled with good humor. Teddy's mother irritated me often but I think they are on their way to understanding each other a bit better. Her former classmates, dubbed the three musketeers by their teacher, have her back and are on board to catch the killer. My only quibble with this series is the strong repetition of Teddy's cancer and double mastectomy. I would like to have that toned down some. Even so, it's not enough to dock this series a star. It earns five stars.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Deadly Delights is the second in the Bookish Baker Mystery series but I read it as a stand alone book as I haven't read the previous title (yet). I thought this book was fantastic. It was a light, fun, cozy mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed and I look forward to reading the previous book in the series and hopefully there will be further books to come in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my ARC,

Teddi is participating in the her town’s annual baking competition when one of the judges, Les Morris, gets up to his old tricks of being a bit too friendly. The next day Teddi finds him dead inside the baking competition tent.
Teddi and Char investigate. There are likely and unlikely suspects. The murder seems to wrap up but there are too many pages left. The author provides some nice twists to bring us to the true culprit.
Teddi, Char and Sharon are fun “musketeers” who center the story and keep it rolling forward.
Brady might have been a little over the top in some of his reactions for the book. Teddi and her mom will either completely destroy their relationship or finally reach understanding. Tavish is only available by phone for this book.
The flow of this second book was better than book one. Maybe part of it is the introduction to characters and the town has been taken care of. This book briefly re-introduces but moves into action more quickly. Although, Teddi is a writer we mostly see her as a baker in this book.
Deadly Delights is a fun cozy mystery, give it a try.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book prior to publication.

Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker (A Bookish Baker Mystery #2) 5 stars

Teddie St. John, cozy mystery writer, enters a local baking contest. However, a small dispute with one of the judges ends up with Teddie as the main suspect when her distinctive rolling pin is found at the murder scene covered with blood. The dead man, Les Morris, was well known for harassing women and for being an all around jerk. Although the dead man's wife accuses Teddie of murder, the suspect list is a long one and Teddie is going to have to winnow through a lot of suspects to find the culprit.

I loved this mystery and I hope that Ms. Walker will be writing this series for a long time. Teddie St, John is a great character that uses her logic and observation skills to great advantage. The supporting characters add a great deal of fun to the story. I especially liked all the parts that featured, Gracie, Teddie's canine daughter, they were very cute. I was a little disappointed that Tavish, Teddie's boyfriend was present only on Skype calls,. But I have high hopes that the next book will have Teddie visiting Tavish in England. The ending was a big surprise and action packed. I can't wait for the next one in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

This was a pretty good cozy. I wasn't a huge fan of book 1, but I wanted to give the author a second chance. The mystery did keep me guessing, and the book had some funny moments. However, the writing got a bit irritating with the inserted thoughts of the protagonist's dog and the extremely repetitive mentions of the protagonist's double mastectomy. I'm probably not going to continue with this series.

This is book 2 in the Bookish Baker Mystery series and can be read as a stand alone. Set in Lake Potawatomi, Wisconsin, it's summer and time for their version of the Great British Bake-off. Teddie is entering the contest this year after a 5 year absence due to cancer and job commitments. When a judge is found dead with her rolling pin as the weapon she is a main suspect. The recipes are yummy sounding and I can't wait to try them. I enjoyed Teddie and her friends and look forward to the next book in the series. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Gotta love a cozy that has a cozy writer as the heroine! Teddy St John has settled in in Wisconsin and feels confident enough in her baking skills to enter a contest. Unfortunately, it looks like her rolling pin was used to kill Lester. Sheriff Brady Wells, who is boyfriend of her BFF, knows she didn't do it and both of them are pretty sure young Sophie didn't do it either. Lester, it seems, was a walking Me Too moment. There's going to be more bad stuff but know that our intrepid Teddy will figure things out. I like that she's a mature cancer survivor who has taken a look at her life and made interesting choices. The mystery is just twisty enough to keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I liked the first book but know that this second is perfectly fine as an introduction to what I hope will be a longer series.

Fun read that left me hungry and my husband enjoyed the end results. Fun characters that the reader will like and a well plotted mystery combine for an easy, enjoyable afternoon read.

This turned out to be just an okay cosy mystery. I have to admit to not liking the main character very much and the section about her suspecting her mother of having a relationship with a man was cringe worthy. I admire the author's attempt to include the subjects of cancer, breast removal and menopause in a sympathetic manner but I was never quite sure that such serious issues actually belong in this kind of book.

There is an interesting mystery with many false leads and a surprise ending, but it takes a very long time to get there. I wish I could have liked it more.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Deadly Delights is the 2nd book in the Bookish Bakery series.

This installment picks up with Teddie St. John getting ready for her local take on the Great British Bake Show. However, before they could get to the pie category, the head judge ends up face down in a coconut cream pie, bashed in the back of the head by Teddie's rolling pin!

The head judge is a complete womanizing sleeze that NO ONE will miss; however, the who-dun-it is a list a mile long. A lot of people had a reason to end this sleezeball's life.

The book wanders through the list and when you find out who did it, you will be surprised.

I am hoping this series will continue. I really enjoy the story lines and how the author entangles the lines.

This was a delightful cozy mystery and made for a great afternoon read. Teddy and her friends are charming characters and this book was a great addition to the series. The mystery was good and kept me engaged.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

2nd book in this mystery series

The annual baking contest in Lake Potawatomi, WIsconsin, think
The Great British Baking Show. Is a big draw in August. And Teddie St. John turn mystery writer has a pie in the ring. The day after Teddie hits the head judge with her grandmother’s rolling pin, she finds him with his head bashed in a friends pie with her rolling pin on the ground beside the table.

Les Morris may have been older but he hadn’t outgrown his reputation for lechery. And it looks like Teddie is in hot seat again for murder.

So with the help you friends she tracks down all the suspects and there are many including his wife, son and ex mistresses. And after what looks like a suicidal mishap and another death with a confession it should be over. But with another death and another confession who is the real killer. You need to read to find out!!

Another great read. I loved this series. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.

This is a well-written book. I first met the characters in the first book in the series. I like the characters, especially mystery writer Teddie St. John and the rest of the Three Musketeers, Char and Sharon. I like how they support each other. This story didn't work for me though. I just couldn't get into it.

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I loved it! Teddie is such a fun character. Her friends are a hoot. I love that she is comfortable in being herself. She is participating in a Bake contest when the head judge is murdered. His wife is certain it was teddy since he was killed with her rolling pin. Her friends help her in finding the real killer and clearing her name.
#DeadlyDelights #NetGalley

Teddie has the worst luck always walking into a dead body and being accused of murder, but being the sassy and gong ho woman she was, she went searching for the real killer. This one had a bit of twist and some family moment which was touching. The overall book was interesting with a little bit of intrigue, making it an entertaining cozy nonetheless.

This second Bookish Baker mystery, set in southeast Wisconsin, is a fantastic addition to the collection. Teddie, a baker, and cozy mystery author is entered into the small town's baking contest, and there's a dead body, of course.
Teddie and some other women are threatened by the local masher, Les Morriss while competing in a local bake-off. Teddie and her next-door neighbor Sophie are also irritated by the inappropriate conduct. Les is discovered dead the next day in the coemption tent, next to Teddies rolling pin and face down in Sophie's lemon meringue pie. Both of them have been marked as primary suspects.
Teddie is eager to solve the case and clear her identity, as well as the names of her neighbors. The mystery takes a number of unexpected turns. Teddie is a cancer survivor who has come to terms with the changes her body has undergone as a result of the disease. Her double mastectomy has been the subject of many sources and inquiries. It is handled in a straightforward and caring way.
Teddy's dual careers and the lovely characters fascinate me. It's entertaining to read about a friendly writer. The supporting characters are interesting, and the sleuth was a pleasant surprise at the end.

Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker is the 2nd book in A Bookish Baker Mystery series, and another fun book. Teddie St. John is a mystery writer and excellent baker who lives in Potawatomi, Wisconsin. It's August and that means the annual baking contest, which Teddie has entered. When a judge is murdered, Teddie become the prime suspect, when her rolling pin is determined to be the murder weapon. Teddie has had a double mastectomy, and has chosen not to get reconstructive surgery. I really admire that she is OK with not having breasts, and doesn't let it define her. Teddie can even joke about it, hats off to Ms. Walker. I can not wait for the next book in the series, please keep them coming. I highly recommend this book to all cozy mystery book lovers like me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When you agree to take part in your local equivalent of The Great British Bake Off you don’t expect to find a dead judge face down in your friend's offering even if he is a serial sleazebag. That is the scene which greets Teddie St John when she arrives to set up her table and even worse the murder weapon seems to belong to her!

Teddie clearly needs to restore her good name especially as she is continually faced with demands for her arrest by the hysterical, accusatory newly widowed wife! At the same time her mother is creeping off at all hours for something she refuses to discuss or even admit to meaning Teddie's life is complicated to say the least.

Deadly Delights is my first book by this author and the second in this series. I enjoyed it very much and was a country mile away from solving the case before Teddie or the local police chief. Added to the main storyline are Teddie's concerns about her mother but I don't think anyone will guess exactly what her secret is. Teddie is an original main protagonist, her backstory is fascinating and weaves through everything she does. There are also some very yummy recipes at the end of the book which are definitely worth trying. I hope there will be more in this series soon as it is great.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a great read and a pleasant surprise in many ways.

Oh I like this one. The characters are interesting and have good interactions. The desserts sound wonderful. The mystery is a good one. The Wisconsin jargon was fun. The whole mother daughter drama had a good ending too. This was a good fun cozy mystery.