Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Review: Brownies And Broomsticks By Bailey Cates

Series: A Magical Bakery Mystery Book #1
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Signet; Original edition
Release Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN-10: 0451236637
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Brownies and Broomsticks (A Magical Bakery Mystery #1)
Book Description:
Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees.

While working at the Honeybee Bakery—named after Lucy's cat—Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty—Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!

When a curmudgeonly customer is murdered outside the Honeybee Bakery, Uncle Ben becomes the prime suspect. With the help of handsome journalist Steve Dawes, charming firefighter Declan McCarthy, and a few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben's name and find the real killer..

My Review:
With endearing characters and a well-developed plot, this debut novel in Bailey Cate's new Magical Bakery Mystery series is sure to delight cozy mystery fans! Katie Lightfoot has spent her entire life feeling as though she never truly belonged....anywhere. Following a break-up and a need for a fresh start, Katie leaves behind her bakery job in Akron, Ohio to join her aunt and uncle in a Savannah, Georgia where they establish the Honeybee Bakery. Just as Katie begins to feel a sense of belonging not only is a town's prominent figure murdered outside the Honeybee prior to its grand opening, but also Katie's Aunt proceeds to explain that Katie is a descendent of a long line of witches...really? With assistance from her Aunt's "Book Club" members, Katie sets out to uncover the true identity of the murderer and clear her Uncle of any further suspicion. Filled with twists and turns, and a wide array of possible suspects, Brownies and Broomsticks, was such a fun read! The characters were very well-developed and I just love the Book Club members, particularly Mimsy and her array of colors! And, the unpredictability of the plot itself kept me reading in anticipation of the next page. Very well done and I easily give this a FIVE! I'm now looking forward to reading the second book in this new series, Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti.

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