Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Murder Takes The Cake by Gayle Trent Hits Shelves March 29th


MURDER TAKES THE CAKE, a delectable cozy mystery from author Gayle Trent, was a bestseller when it debuted as an eBook, and Gallery Books is delighted to publish a revised edition in trade paperback format. In MURDER TAKES THE CAKE (Gallery Books; March 29, 2011; $15.00) cake decorator and amateur sleuth Daphne Martin gets her hands dirty trying to clear her good name after a routine cake delivery ends with the discovery of a dead body.

Since she moved back to her hometown in southern Virginia, Daphne has been having a hard time getting her new cake decorating business, Daphne’s Delectable Cakes, off the ground. It doesn’t inspire much confidence—or new orders—when Daphne sets out to deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting decorated with orange and red satin ribbons and a red apple—and finds her client dead.

The town is abuzz with news of Yodel Watson’s mysterious death. It seems everyone had reason to poison the town gossip. Was she murdered by the philandering pet shop owner, her church potluck nemesis, or the Save-A-Buck’s cranky produce manager-turned-bagger—or even the new cake decorator?

To help prove she’s no confectionary killer, Daphne recruits her old flame, Ben Jacobs, editor of the local newspaper,and quickly stirs up a long-hidden family scandal that just might hold the secret ingredient she needs to solve the case. But she has to act fast, before the real culprit decides that taking sweet revenge on Daphne would be icing on the cake.

MURDER TAKES THE CAKE includes mouth-watering recipes for cakes, cupcakes, and frosting.

What I can Tell You:
Honestly, I am so not the mystery murder type chick but the last two mystery murder books I have read have been awesome. I think it is because they are chick lit which means for me, no courtroom dialogue that is way above my head and wordy. You guys know that is why I call myself the Amateur Book Reviewer. Reading heavy dialogue just kills me. What I loved about this is that Gayle takes us on a journey with characters that I can relate to. Daphne is just dropping off a cake when she finds herself in the midst of a murder and a potential victim herself.

Although Yodel is literally dead when we first meet her in the book, I loved her! She would have been a wonderful character to get to know. She was a spicy chick.  Reading her diary entries cracked me up.

Daphne is likeable and strong and the story light and bright considering the theme.
 
Murder mystery and cake decorating tips all rolled up into one, how can you go wrong?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gayle Trent is a writer and editor who also pens mysteries under the pseudonym Amanda Lee. She lives in southwest Virginia with her family. Visit http://www.gayletrent.com/ and follow @GayleTrent on Twitter.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon and Schuster for my honest opinion.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for the terrific review, Maria! I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I too am a mom of two, so I can certainly identify with you there. In fact, one of the reasons I started working from home and then writing full time was so I could spend more time with my children. They'll be 15 next month--Yikes! What I wonder is how they got older and I didn't? :)

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