A Killer Cupcake (Beachfront Bakery #1)
Allison Sweet, 34, a sous chef in Los Angeles, has had it up to here with demeaning customers, her demanding boss, and her failed love life. After a shocking incident, she realizes the time has come to start life fresh and follow her lifelong dream of moving to a small town and opening a bakery of her own.
When Allison spots a charming, vacant storefront on the boardwalk near Venice, she wonders if she could really start life anew. Feeling like it’s a sign, and a time to take a chance in life, she goes for it.
Yet Allison did not anticipate the wild ride ahead of her: the boardwalk, filled with fun and outrageous characters, is pulsing with life, from the Italian pizzeria owners on either side of her who vie for her affection, to the fortune tellers and scheming rival bakery owner nearby. Allison yearns to just focus on her delicious new pastry recipes and keep her struggling bakery afloat-but when a murder occurs right near her shop, everything changes.
Implicated, her entire future at stake, Allison has no choice but to investigate to clear her name. As an orphaned dog wanders into her life, a devoted new sidekick with a knack for solving mysteries, she starts her search.
Will they find the killer? And can her struggling bakery survive?
A hilarious cozy mystery series, packed with twists, turns, romance, travel, food and unexpected adventure, the Beachfront Bakery series will keep you laughing and turning pages late into the night as you fall in love with an endearing new character who will capture your heart.
About Author
Debut author Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series which includes MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book #1), DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2) and CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3). Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.
Book Review: A Killer Cupcake by Fiona Grace
Sweet Beginnings and Bakery Dreams
What a find!
I was on the hunt for inspiration, dabbling with the idea of exploring new genres—romantic suspense or cozy mysteries—and this book seemed to fit the bill. Enter A Killer Cupcake, a charming, cozy mystery that serves up all the treats and twists with a cherry on top. The story follows Allison Sweet, a fed-up sous chef from LA who decides to chuck her toxic work life and go all in on her dream: running a bakery in a quaint little boardwalk town near Venice. She’s just settling into her new life when things take a murderous turn, quite literally, outside her shop.
Plot: Cozy, Compelling, and Just Enough Suspense
Allison’s journey to open her own bakery is about more than the perfect cupcake recipe—it’s about finding herself, navigating quirky new neighbors, and yes, proving her innocence in a murder investigation. The storefront, her dream business, a couple of charmingly over-the-top Italian pizzeria owners vying for her attention, and a mischievous orphaned dog make her new world pretty colorful. And with a murder on her doorstep, Allison soon finds herself tangled in a whodunit. But despite her impromptu detective work, Allison’s “nosing around” somehow doesn’t veer into overly dramatic territory. Fiona Grace manages to keep Allison’s amateur sleuthing grounded in the context of her story, making it feel believable and adding to the suspense without pushing it too far.
Characters and Cozy Charm
The book is populated with a delightful cast, from her Italian neighbors to rival business owners and fortune tellers, all who bring flavor and fun to the plot. Allison, while driven and a bit impulsive, is also refreshingly real, handling her new life’s curveballs with resilience and a hint of caution. And I have to give a shout-out to her trusty four-legged sidekick; the pup adds an extra dash of charm, sniffing out clues and sticking by Allison as she untangles the mystery.
Verdict: A Sweet Treat with Just the Right Mystery Dash
The best part? That final reveal—so satisfying! The ending neatly ties up the mystery, hitting that sweet spot without making you feel cheated or needing more explanation. Though I might not be venturing into writing romantic suspense or cozy mysteries just yet, A Killer Cupcake has me more than convinced to keep reading them. It’s a story that balances charm, light mystery, and fun characters, making it an ideal cozy mystery treat.
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more. And speaking of that, I’m taking recommendations! Let’s keep this cozy train rolling.
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You can buy A Killer Cupcake on Amazon.in.
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Until next time, happy reading!
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Shabana Mukhtar