Halloween Cupcake Murder is a great book of short cozy mysteries. I only read the stories by Liz Ireland and Carol J. Perry as I don't read the series by Carlene O'Connor. The two stories I did read were very cleverly written and kept me stumped until the killer was revealed. My only complaint is I do feel like the ending of Carol J. Perry's story was a bit rushed to get all of the information in about what happened with the killer. Other than that, both stories were great additions to their respective series. Highly recommend.

These are a great group of authors and stories. This was a fun Halloween cozy mystery anthology. I would highly recommend.

This was a fun Halloween cozy mystery anthology. I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

A perfect Halloween or anytime mystery! I'm a fan of Carol J. Perry but hadn't read any of Carlene Carter or Liz Ireland's books. Now they're on my "to be read" list!

The opinions expressed in this review are my own and I received an ARC from NetGalley.

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry contains three Halloween novellas. Cupcakes are the common thread between the stories (the thread may be looser in some than in others). Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor is book 2.5 in A Home to Ireland Mysteries. I was able to read it as a standalone. I did not find the story engaging. I thought the story was slow in places which made the story feel long (I was beginning to think it would never end). Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland is book 3.5 in the Mrs. Claus Mysteries. I ended up skimming through this short story which seemed geared towards a younger audience. The final book is A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry. It is A Witchy City Mystery novella. It can be read as a standalone since the necessary background information is provided. I like the author’s writing style which makes the story easy to read. I enjoyed the Halloween atmosphere in Salem. I like the supernatural element and how it is incorporated into the mystery. The whodunit suited the length of the story. I did feel that the ending was rushed. I felt that Halloween Cupcake Murder was like receiving raisins when trick or treating instead of a candy bar.

This is a fun collection of Halloween-themed short stories from authors I was unfamiliar with at the time. I will check out their series.

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor. The cover looked very enticing that is why I picked it to read. I don't usually read shot stories. They were all in all good reads. They kept me going with the interesting ideas with the different types of Halloweens parties besides the murders. This is the first book i have read from O'Conner I will look at her other books. Thank You Net galley for the book to read.

From Galway, Ireland to Salem, Massachusetts, all the way up to the North Pole, a trio of Halloween mysteries from authors Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry prove that the spookiest season knows no international borders–and neither do cupcakes! A fun collection of short stories but really are more novellas and just the perfect length. All 3 were entertaining and definitely got me in the Halloween spirit!

Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O’Connor

The Galway Halloween Mystery Tour is a few days away. Tara Meecham is on the hunt for spooky, weird items to either use as décor or to resell in her shop, Renewals, an architectural salvage shop. You might think Halloween is an American tradition but the city of Galway disagrees. It’s lit up orange with all the spooky trimmings. One of the items she finds is a small painting titled Cave of the Cats. When the seller wraps the painting, he also offers a postcard from Galway Bakes Grand Opening—Free Cupcake! She’s told to email the address on the card and in the body of the email, put the number of her postcard—thirteen.

It’s just a chance to get a free cupcake until someone tells her on Halloween that the Cave of the Cats is a portal into the Underworld.

With murder and mayhem, strange people who want the painting, the puzzling cupcake, and mysterious meetings, Tara is getting more than she bargained for this Halloween.

O’Connor writes the Irish Village mysteries (9, reviewed here in KRL), Christmas Cocoa Murder with Maddie Day and Alex Erickson, Christmas Scarf Murder with Maddie Day and Peggy Ehrhart, Home to Ireland books (2), and A Kerry County Mystery (2).

Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland

Have you ever wondered what Santa’s helpers do in the off season? One headliner story in the Herald was an elf who found a potato shaped like a walrus in his greenhouse. A robbery is big news. What was stolen? Candy corn, a large shipment of it.

Mrs. Claus is from the States and is introducing new activities for Santaland. Some work out better than others. Rumors ran rampant with talk of shady characters offering candy corn in the protective darkness of alleyways. Shop owners tried to replicate the candy corn but had no concept of the triangular tricolored sweets. Dash, owner of Dash’s Candy and Nut Shoppe, made his candy corn look like tiny ears of corn.

Wink Jollyflake used to work at the Silver Bell Bakery but made a sudden switch to Chestnut’s Cake Emporium, to the shock of everyone. When Wink turns up dead, Chestnut is a suspect along with Bell, owner of the Silver Bell. Mrs. Claus has to find the killer and get the Halloween festivities back on track. After all, her reputation, and Santa’s, rests on its success.

Liz Ireland is the author of four Mrs. Claus mysteries, Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings reviewed here in KRL. For a mystery combined with spooky goings on and a lot of humor, this will have you laughing and reaching for tiny candies.

A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry

You can expect chaos in the town of Salem, Massachusetts when Halloween rolls around. Lee Barrett is a program director and sometimes field reporter for WICH-TV, the local cable channel. During October, it can be bumper to bumper traffic with parking at a premium, so she’s glad to live close enough to the station that she can walk to work.

When Patrick Duncan, owner of Pretty Party Bakery, goes missing during this busy season, it sets off alarm bells. Who knew an “on the scene” live feed about a cat in a tree could be a clue to finding the missing man? Aliens and orange goo only add to the mystery

Will Lee, with the assistance of a reporter friend and her beau, police detective Pete, find the missing man in time to save Halloween? The cat knows more than she’s telling.

The recipe for Patrick Duncan’s triple layer Halloween cupcakes is included. Be sure to buy extra orange and chocolate Reese’s Pieces—some for the cupcakes and some to snack on while they bake!

Perry also writes the Haunted Haven mysteries (2) and Witch City series (12).

****
With three stories, about a hundred pages each, readers will find a healthy dose of Halloween spirit. Be sure to check out their full length books for more good reads.

This was a fun collection of short stories.
I loved Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor and I am glad I read this story, I think I would have been really confused when the next book in the Home to Ireland series is released.

I have only read one other story in the Mrs. Claus series by Liz Ireland and this one was a short story about candy corn, blech, also known as the worst Halloween candy. The elves were very creative when trying to replace the stolen candy corn, I think I would have enjoyed some of their creations.

I like that A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry takes place in Salem, it was the perfect backdrop for a Halloween story.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of this collection that I received for free in exchange for my honest review.

The first novella in this collection is part of a series and is named Halloween Cupcake Murder (Irish Village Mystery, #9.5) written by Carlene O'Connor.  Tara Meehan owns an architectural salvage yard and in search of new products for her store.  When she receives a cupcake and a cryptic message from a stranger, Tara becomes entwined with an ancient mystery tied to Samhain.  I found this story to be intriguing but a little hard to follow at times, but all in all, I really enjoyed this novella.  It was suspenseful without being scary, and I loved that their was a secret society involved.  It made me want to re-watch the movie The Skulls.  Four out of five stars.

The second novella is also part of a series and is entitled Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper written by Liz Ireland.  Mrs. Claus has introduced the holiday of Halloween to Christmastown, and the locals are planning a huge celebration that includes a candy corn themed bake off.  When an employee is found dead at the newest bakery in town, Mrs. Claus is determined to save the holiday by find out who would be so awful to kill.  I loved the concept of this novella because I love both Halloween and Christmas, but the story seemed to be targeted more towards tweens and teens instead of adults.  For that reason, I had a hard time connecting with this tale.  However, I am will to read other stories written by this author.  Three out of five stars.

The third novella is called A Triple Layer Halloween Murder written by Carol J. Perry and is part of a series as well.  The town of Salem, Massachusetts is amping up for its month long celebration of Halloween, and Lee Barrett is looking forward to covering all the festivities for the local news station.  However, when a local bakery owner goes missing, and Lee's security system captures the bakery owner catching a ride in front of her house, she knows she has to help solve this mystery.  This story was somewhat predictable, but I absolutely loved the fact it took place in Salem, which is one of my favorite places to visit.  The author did a fantastic job of keeping me engaged in the plot and wanting to know what happened next.  I definitely want to read more books in this series.  Four out of five stars.

If you, like me, love seasonal mysteries filled with fall imagery, Halloween hi-jinks, and festive food-this book is for you!

There are three short, easy-to-read cozy mysteries included in this book. Each story has its own feel. The book also includes a recipe for Triple Layer Halloween Cupcakes which is a selling feature for me.

Halloween Cupcake Murder is a cute story centered around the Samhain Festival in Ireland and the Samhain Six- a secret society that goes back hundreds of years. This book has a spooky, creepy feeling to it while Tara and Danny work together to solve the mystery behind the poisoned cupcakes showing up around town. It was a perfect read for Halloween. I really enjoyed the characters and all the secrets to be solved in the book. It was sometimes confusing and hard to follow, but I enjoyed it nonetheless

Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper is another easy, fun read. The writing is ok and a bit cheesy at times. I'm not sold on Santaland celebrating Halloween and there wasn't much to the story so I skipped through most of it to find out how it ended.

A Triple Layer Halloween Murder was my favorite of the three stories. I'm usually not a fan of paranormal stories, but this one worked well with the Halloween theme. It had great writing, good dialogue, relatable characters, and more depth to the storyline and characters than the other books. I really enjoyed Lee's alter ego of being Nancy Drew. It brought a fun twist to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

<b>IT'S ME, HI, I'M THE PROBLEM, IT'S ME!!!!!!!</b> Halloween Cupcake Murder is a cozy mystery novella with three short stories written by Carlene O'Connor, Carol J. Perry, and Liz Ireland. It took me way too long to read this novella, I'm not sure what it was, but I just couldn't get into the stories, I often found myself falling asleep every ten seconds. The title truly grabbed my attention along with the cover, I so badly wanted to love this Halloween themed novella, but unfortunately it wasn't for me. I tried to take a few days away from this book, but every time I went back in, it just felt like it wasn't meant for me. I'm so stunned to give this book a one star rating after seeing a few raving reviews. I have read other novellas by these authors before, and I adored them, so it was disappointing this one wasn't working for me. Despite Halloween Cupcake Murder being a part of a series, you <b>CAN READ THIS NOVELLA AS A STANDALONE.</b> Please don't let this review stop you from reading this book, these are just my thoughts and opinions on how I felt while reading this book. Please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book immediately. If anyone does decide to read this, I hope you have much better luck than I did and I look forward to your thoughts.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND KENSINGTON BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

Halloween Cupcake Murder- Carlene O'Connor- Tara Meehan is a proud business owner. With Galway's Halloween Mystery Tour just a few short days away, Tara is on a mission scouring the town's curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists attention to her shop. When a stranger appears in Tara's shop with a cryptic cupcake and an ominous message, Tara suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots, but with very deadly consequences.

Mrs. Claus and The Candy Corn Caper- Liz Ireland- Christmastown is pulling all their tricks and treats for their Halloween celebration, planning a huge carnival with rides, games, and a candy corn themed bake off, HOW EXCITING! The sweet theme stokes a bit of rivalries amongst the elves until tragedy strikes at Santaland's newest bakery. The only clue to the tragedy? A CUPCAKE!

A Triple Layer Halloween Murder- Carol J. Perry- Every October, Salem Oregon plunges into a month long Halloween celebration. And TV reporter, Lee Barrett can't wait to start covering the Halloween festivities. Rumors start swirling after a wealthy bakery owner goes missing and his beloved cat, Cupcake is found. As a reporter, Lee must find clues to reveal the missing millionaire bakery owner or the truth about his disappearance.

Book Review: Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor (Author), Liz Ireland (Author), Carol J. Perry (Author) 📚🎃

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars

🇮🇪 In Galway, Tara Meehan prepares for the Halloween Mystery Tour. But when a stranger brings a cryptic cupcake and ominous message to her shop, Tara is plunged into a deadly mystery with ancient Gaelic roots.

👻 Review: Halloween Cupcake Murder by Carlene O'Connor is an entertaining Halloween-themed cozy mystery that stands out as my favorite among the three stories in this book. The writing is engaging, the pacing is fast, and the characters are likable. The Halloween theme is all throughout the narrative, creating a spooky atmosphere that perfectly complements the well-crafted plot. The mystery keeps readers guessing until the end. With its likable characters and storyline, Halloween Cupcake Murder is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts craving a delightful and suspenseful Halloween mystery.

MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars

✨🎅 Christmastown's Halloween carnival takes a bitter turn when rivalries among the elves escalate. Tragedy strikes at the new bakery, leaving only a cupcake and a puddle of water as a clue. Mrs. Claus takes on the task of unmasking the killer, leading readers on a suspenseful journey.

🎄 Review: Liz Ireland's "Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper'' is a super cute and well-written story that combines the magic of Christmas with a Halloween mystery. Set in Christmastown, this enchanting tale follows Mrs. Claus as she unravels a Halloween murderer's plot that threatens their celebrations. Despite its Halloween-themed setting, the Christmas spirit shines throughout, creating a delightful twist. Ireland's writing is engaging, with a well-paced mystery that kept me guessing. The festive setting of Christmastown, with Mr. & Mrs. Claus, elves, and talking snowmen, adds to the charm. "Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper" is a delightful and enjoyable read that will transport you to a world where holidays collide.

A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY – ⭐⭐ Stars

🔮 A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J. Perry is the latest addition to the "Witch City Mysteries" series. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the story follows Lee Barrett, a reporter for WICH-TV, as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of a bakery owner and his cat during the town's Halloween festivities.

🧙‍♀️ Review: As an avid fan of the "Witch City Mysteries" series, I had high expectations for A Triple Layer Halloween Murder. However, I found this particular installment to be somewhat underwhelming. One of my main disappointments was the lack of festivity throughout the story. Given that it is advertised as a holiday cozy mystery, I expected a more vibrant and Halloween-centric setting. Unfortunately, there is a noticeable absence of Halloween elements in the narrative, which left me longing for the atmospheric charm that usually characterizes this series.

Moreover, the mystery itself failed to captivate me as much as previous installments. While Carol J. Perry is known for crafting intricate and engaging mysteries, I found this particular plotline to be somewhat lackluster. That said, there is one aspect of A Triple Layer Halloween Murder that deserves brownie points. It is the only story in the series that includes a recipe at the end. This unexpected addition was a pleasant surprise and provided a delightful bonus to an otherwise lackluster reading experience.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Princess Fuzzypants here: I do enjoy these anthologies of well loved authors contributing short stories to a mystery book with a common theme. This time the stories begin in Ireland, journey to the North Pole and then end up in Salem. They are entertaining tales but they also serve another purpose. The authors may not be ones with whom you are acquainted and it gives the opportunity to see if their style and content is to your liking.

The theme this time is Halloween cupcakes and in two of the three stories, it is the murder weapon. Yummy, innocent cupcakes. Do not let looks deceive you. These are deadly confections that are keys in heinous crimes that only our intrepid heroines can solve. The book also has an added bonus of O’Ryan, suave gentleman cat with uncanny talents.

It is a fun read and very timely in the lead up to Halloween. Four purrs and two paws up.

Three stories in one! All related to Halloween and specifically candy corn. Of course we have Three stories in one! All related to Halloween and specifically candy corn. Of course we have murder in all three! These three are great authors. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this in advance. Loved them all!! in all three! These three are great authors. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this in advance. Loved them all!!

Kensington Book’s latest trio of cozy seasonal novellas features murders all over the world, from Salem, Massachusetts to Galway, Ireland and all the way to the North Pole!

Carlene O’Connor’s opening story gives the collection its title, and follows the exploits of architectural salvage shop owner Tara Meehan. The American expat is looking to score a bargain at a Galway curiosity shop, particularly in terms of items she can use to spruce up her own store as the Halloween season descends on Ireland. Val Sharkey, the curiosity shop’s owner, is an enigmatic character who’s more than willing to help the niece of his good friend Johnny, not only pointing out specialty items but also signing her up for a free cupcake from a local bakery. Only the bakery doesn’t exist, and soon neither does Val, as a killer gives the older man a ghastly send-off into the underworld.

As one of the last known people to see Val, Tara ends up being a suspect in his murder. Her efforts to clear her name lead her to a secret society known as the Samhain Six. They have an outsized interest in a unique painting she bought from Val, but surely none of them would kill to possess it?

Liz Ireland’s novella Mrs Claus And The Candy Corn Caper combines the Christmas-themed hijinks of her Mrs Claus series with Halloween spookiness. Our heroine April Claus finds herself taken aback by the sheer enthusiasm with which Christmastown has thrown itself into adopting a new holiday. One of the most eagerly embraced aspects is candy corn, which April decided would be the theme of the holiday baking contest. But with thefts and shortages hitting the local candy corn supply, April already has a headache trying to figure out who’s stealing what little they can import, even before a baker working on his contest entry is murdered. Does his death have anything to do with the candy, or was it motivated by something else entirely?

The final novella in the book is A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J Perry. It’s October in the historic town of Salem, with the town’s favorite holiday already having a firm grip on the collective imagination. Our heroine Lee Barrett is still a little wistful at having given up her field reporter lifestyle in favor of working as her cable channel’s program director instead. So when she’s given the opportunity to go back in the field for a human interest story about a cat stuck in a tree, she jumps at the chance. Turns out, though, that the cat belongs to a baker who recently went missing from his own store. With the help of her cat familiar O’Ryan and her own powers of second sight, will Lee be able to help find the missing man before greater tragedy strikes their town?

All three novellas are perfect for spooky season, with the Christmastown tale being one of the few acceptable comminglings of both holidays, in my opinion. I was delighted to be introduced to Tara Meehan, the heroine of Ms O’Connor’s Home To Ireland series, having only been familiar with her Irish Village Mystery novels prior to this. And it’s always a pleasure to spend time with both April Claus and Lee Barrett as they navigate their paranormal-tinged worlds.

There was only one recipe in this volume, accompanying Ms Perry’s entry:

QUOTE
Aunt Ibby’s Recipe Hack of Pat Duncan’s Triple-Layer Halloween Cupcakes

1 package of yellow or white cake mix
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
Tow ¼ oz. squares of baking chocolate, melted
1 can of creamy white frosting
Orange and chocolate Reese’s Pieces

Prepare cake mix according to directions. Put about one cup of batter into each of two small bowls. In one of them, mix in the orange marmalade. In the other mix in the melted chocolate. Line muffin tin with twelve paper liners. Put a rounded tablespoonful of chocolate batter into each cup. Follow with a spoonful of orange marmalade batter. Finish with plain batter. Cups should be about three quarters full. Bake according to cake mix package directions. Cool cupcakes on wire rack, then frost with creamy vanilla frosting and decorate with Reese’s Pieces.
END QUOTE

I feel like I should have perhaps used more marmalade in this recipe, as there really didn’t seem to be much difference between the vanilla and orange layers I baked. The chocolate layer was delicious though, and provided a lovely base for the rest of the cupcake. My kids were more interested in the Reese’s Pieces on top than in anything else – I think they were a little disappointed that the cupcakes themselves had marmalade instead of peanut butter – but more sophisticated palates enjoyed the cupcake as is. If anything, I actually removed the candies from the top of mine so I could better enjoy the rest of the dessert!

Next week, we whip up a different cupcake for a different festive season while investigating the untimely death of an entertainment manager. Do join me!

This book is a wonderful way to get into the Halloween mood/spirit! I enjoy Kensington Publishing's holiday collections, and this one doesn't disappoint. Each story is unique and adds their own charm/spin to the book.

I definitely recommend this book to readers! My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review.

This is a group of three fun Halloween stories by three separate author’s the first by Carleen O’Connor where Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists into her archival age store. When a stranger appears in her shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and ominous message she suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots. can Tara solve the mysteries before the Galloway Mystery tour without anymore deadly consequences.
Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper by Liz Ireland
Christmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration planning a huge carnival rides games and a candy corn themed bake off. Until the the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries among the elves and tragedy strikes Santalands newest bakery. This leaves Mrs. claus to sort through the tricks and treats as she races to unmask a Halloween fiend.
A Triple Layer Halloween Murder by Carol J Perry
Rumors swirl when a wealthy bakery owner goes missing and his beloved cat Cupcake is found under mysterious circumstances. Now amid Salems wicked rivalry Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire or the truth about his disappearance. All fun enjoyable stories everyone would like.