This was a very nice cozy mystery. I enjoyed it and really liked the narrator. I would listen to more like this.

Big Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

'Body at the Bakery' is the tenth book in the 'Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries'.

Just like in the rest of the books, the story is short but sweet, with all the well-known characters appearing and contributing to solving the mystery, as well as progressing with their own stories, which are also interesting.

The narration of the audiobook and its production were both great as well.

The writing was, in addition, upbeat and light and the mystery well constructed.

I found this book to be a quick read, and the narrator, Petrea Burchard, does an amazing job of keeping you listening. I tend not to read Paranormal novels, and I missed that in the description. I also didn't realize this was the 10th book in a series, and I had not read any of the books before this one. This didn't create a problem, as the book was fine as a stand-alone book.
If you like Paranormal, then be sure not to miss this book, and if you don't know if you would like a paranormal book, then this series would be a great starting set.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the advanced audio copy.

I had such a blast returning back to Nightmare, Arizona. There's greedy business owners, pretentious buyers, a murder mystery, and will Baxter ever return to us? Several unsolved mysteries that finally get resolved in this book. Olivia is on the case and somehow she just manages to be at the right spot at the right time. I loved going through the rabbit holes and solving the investigations with Olivia and her friends. The ghosts are always fun to see how they come to life in this series. They always make me giggle. The narrator, Petrea Burchard does a wonderful job portraying Olivia and her friends. The tones and inflections were spot on. I was hooked from the very first chapter. Mostly everything was wrapped up nicely. This is a great conclusion to the series.

A very special thanks to Netgalley + Tantor Audio for the gifted ALC.

Book Title: Body at the Bakery

Author: Beth Dolgner

Narrator: Petrea Burchard

Series: A Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Book 10

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I received a free audiobook copy from Tantor Audio and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Introduction

✨ If you're a fan of paranormal cozy mysteries, you'll know that settling into a new book in a beloved series feels like a warm hug. But what if you're a newcomer, jumping into the tenth installment of a series you've never heard of? As a standalone, Body at the Bakery proves to be a perfectly charming and intriguing entry point into the world of Nightmare, Arizona, filled with friendly ghosts, a mysterious Phoenix, and a murder to solve. It’s an easy and delightful listen that will whisk you away on a short, paranormal road trip.

Source: GoodReads

Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)

📖 A despised and greedy landlord is found dead inside the town's beloved bakery, and everyone is a suspect. Amateur detective Olivia Kendrick, along with her friend Mama Dalton, finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation filled with old grudges and secret back-alley meetings. As if that wasn’t enough, a fiery arsonist is setting historic buildings ablaze, threatening the very fabric of the town. With a runtime of only six hours, this tenth book in the series weaves together a murder mystery, an arson subplot, and a heartwarming quest to find a missing mother, keeping the story moving at a quick and engaging pace.

Narration and Performance

🎧 The star of this audiobook is undoubtedly Petrea Burchard. As the narrator, she has a calm, inviting voice that makes the paranormal antics feel completely natural. Burchard's performance is excellent and a major reason to pick up this audiobook. Her soothing tone and ability to bring the many characters to life make the listening experience effortless. She flawlessly navigates the quirky cast of characters—both human and supernatural—ensuring you’re never lost, even if this is your first visit to Nightmare, Arizona.

Overall Thoughts

💭 Body at the Bakery is the perfect audiobook for a long drive or a cozy afternoon at home. The story is light, easy to follow, and the short length makes it incredibly digestible. While some long-time fans might find the ending a little open-ended for a tenth-book finale, it’s a non-issue for new listeners. The book provides enough background on the characters and their unique paranormal society to prevent you from feeling lost. It's a sweet, low-stakes mystery that serves as a fun and quick escape, proving that a book doesn't need to be an epic to be enjoyable.

Conclusion & Final Rating

✅ If you're looking for a quick and cute paranormal cozy mystery with a delightful narrator, Body at the Bakery is an excellent choice. It’s an ideal book for anyone who wants to dive into a series without the long-term commitment. It delivers a solid mystery, endearing characters, and a warm, inviting atmosphere that will leave you with a smile.

Final Rating: ★★★☆☆

Book Tropes:

Cozy Mystery: A low-stakes murder mystery with a gentle tone and minimal violence.

Amateur Sleuth: A non-professional character solves a crime.

Found Family: Characters who are not related but form a strong, supportive bond.

Small Town Charm: A tight-knit community with quirky and endearing residents.

Paranormal Elements: A world where magical beings, like gargoyles and phoenixes, are commonplace.

Stand-Alone in a Series: A book that can be read without having prior knowledge of the series.

The Body at the Bakery by Beth Dolgner
A Nightmare Arizona Paranormal Cozy, book 10
Narrator, Petrea Burchard
The extended part of the title is almost as long as the book. Just kidding but is an approximately five hour audiobook as are most of the other books in the series. This is the last book according to other reviewers although there was no big conclusion as to what happens in the characters lives after this. Since is the only book in the series that I have read I wasn’t very invested in the characters but some longtime readers might care more.
It was a cute paranormal story with mild romance and a minor mystery with a lot of paranormal beings. It was interesting enough to while away an afternoon but not sure I would go back to read earlier books.
Narration by Petrea Burchard was excellent as always. I have to say that she was the main reason I requested this audiobook because I am familiar with her from the Mrs. Plansky books Spencer Quinn and I really like her work.
Overall an okay book which longtime readers of this series would probably appreciate more.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

eth Dolgner writes the fun Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Series, and the 10th installment, Body at the Bakery is a good addition to the series. A disliked and greedy landlord. Jack Wiley, in the town of Nightmare, Arizona is planning to raise the rent of many of the business owners, and they are furious. Unfortunately, he is found dead in the town bakery which is run by Wiley’s ex-wife, Chelsea. Olivia Kendrick, the town’s amateur sleuth gets involved as buildings owned by Wiley are being burned by an arsonist. A wealthy real estate tycoon comes to town and throws his weight around, making the town citizens (both human and paranormal such as a Phoenix and gargoyle) uncomfortable; he is a bit pretentious and no one wants him to buy up their property, since it would be forcing them to move to another location.

The story moves along quickly (this is quite a short novel), and is easy to follow. There are lots of characters, some believable, and some not; Olivia, and the other main characters are well developed and likeable. It is sometimes difficult to keep so many clearly in the mind, but it is still a cute novel. The audio version is excellent; the narrator is very good, and the book can be completed in just part of a day.

All told, this is cute and fun. It is suitable for all ages, and the only thing left out is recipes; there are dozens of food references to bakery items that would be nice to make at home.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Super quick, cozy, and cute listen. This book is perfect if you are looking for some fun reading that isn’t heavy. The narrator is great and really helps to make the story. I will say I hadn’t realized when I started the book that it was part of a series. I think as a standalone it provided enough to not feel lost. I do think that I would have enjoyed it more had I listened to/ read the previous books though!

Body at the Bakery was such a cute read. This paranormal mystery starts off with everyone watching a phoenix egg waiting for it to hatch. After a body is found in the bakery, Olivia steps up to solve the mystery of who did it. I did not realize this was book 10 of a series when I requested the audiobook on NetGalley, but Beth Dolgner does a good job at providing background information on the other paranormal characters/stories from the other books.
This was a fun quick read. It is perfect for someone looking for a low angst cozy paranormal mystery. Petrea Burchard did a wonderful job with the narration of the story. Thank you Tantor Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy! I loved this book but at the same time it is with a heavy heart that I write this review. This is the final book in this uniquely entertaining series, one that has been so much fun, that I have read all the books and also got the audio book versions, so I can enjoy the stories again and again.
We finally get the happy ending everybody has been rooting for and greatly deserves. All the small side stories that have been running throughout the series get wrapped up nicely, leaving a big hole that is going to be hard to fill but I am sure this author is up to the challenge with another great series coming very soon. The characters are what made this such a pleasure to read. There friendship, banter and love for each other was what made it so entertaining, especially as we learn not to judge a book by its cover or a supernatural by its undeserved reputation. The haunted house and the reason for the characters was such a great idea and it ment the author could let her imagination run. The mysteries were also good and unique. In this case with a murder and an arsonist in town things certainly heated up for our favourite supernatural characters. I could easily see this playing out on tv but until then I guess I will just have to enjoy the audio book again.

Having rescued Baxter, the nightmare residents are on tender hooks waiting for him to rise from the ashes but before he does Olivia and the gang have another murder to investigate. This time Mama Dalton asks Olivia for her help, when an old friend's ex husband is found dead. She is afraid her friend will be accused of his death, especially when he is found in her bakery. Finding a killer is bad enough but then somebody starts setting fires to some of the historic building and everybody in nightmare is afraid. Where will the arsonist strike next? And can Olivia and her friends find both culprits?
I like the narrator. She does such an amazing job of bringing the characters to life, that I wouldn't be surprised to find out she has her own special gift or power.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

3.75/5

Book 10 of Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries. I did not realize it was book 10 when I requested this audio but it did not ruin the story. I do recommend reading the first books to have more background information but if you're like me it is okay to read out of order.

The story starts out with everyone taking turns at watching the phoenix egg, but after some weird encounters with an out of town man. A body shows up in the bakery. And that person just so happens to have made a lot of people angry. This makes Oliva, Baxter and mama looking into the murder (not as official police but as people who want to know what happened).

You also get some more background information on other paranormal happenings throughout town and how this relates to humans. Perfect series for YA audience looking for a fun paranormal story.

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Petrea Burchard did an amazing job narrating this audiobook.

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dude I was so excited to see this pop up in my approved requests. I recently discovered this series and had just finished the previous book so this was perfect. this series is just so cute. the spooky supernatural family, the mysteries, the character development. I think this is the last installment and it ended well, but my fingers are crossed for more.

When I started this book I hadn’t realized it was book 10, but it didn’t matter too much. I might have been confused by a few things but it was a good story and I think I’ll have to pick up the other 9.