Book Review: BURNED TO A CRISP (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 3) by Catherine Bruns

Synopsis

Just when things appear to be going well for baker and sometime sleuth, Sally Muccio, life turns up the heat again.

It’s summertime, and the living is easy for the Muccio clan. Sal’s wedding to her beloved fiancé is rapidly approaching, Mom’s won a beauty contest, and sister Gianna is now a licensed public defender. But when the bakery Sal’s worked so hard for goes up in smoke—along with her dreams!—she’s not sure how much more she can stand. Even worse, the man found dead in the bakery’s back room is none other than Gianna’s latest client, Bernardo Napoli.

The dough really hits the fan for Sal and Josie when they’re forced to temporarily relocate their bakery to the crazy Muccio home. Trouble is quickly stirred up as the best friend team must now contend with Sal’s father and his new mortuary business “undertakings,” a middle aged mother parading around customers in bikinis, and an Italian family hell bent on revenge. For Sal, several questions demand answers. Where has Gianna disappeared to? What role did she play in Bernardo’s death? What secret is Sal’s fiancé hiding from her? Sal is determined to find answers...before she gets burned once again!

Review

When the bakery burns down with Bernado Napoli dead, Sally and Josie have to come up with a way to meet the orders they have, and Sally is forced to move home with her parents. Aside from the murder, Sally’s sister, Gianna is missing and a suspect. Sally’s parents, not to mention the neighbor lady and her obsession with the fortune cookies, are unique and add humor to the story. The characters are well rounded and well developed. There is drama, humor, romance, and mystery.

The story is well-paced and flows smoothly; the book is a quick easy read.  Although 3rd in a series of 6 in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series, this was easily read as a stand alone. If you like cozy mysteries, I'd recommend this book - as always, it's probably a good idea to start at the beginning of the series though.

AMAZON


Tastes Like Murder (Book 1)
Baked to Death (Book 2)