Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns is the second book in A Baker Street Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone for those who did not read Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder. We return to New Bison, Michigan where Maddy is getting ready to reopen Baby Cakes, the bakery she inherited from her great aunt, Octavia. Maddy wants the opening to coincide with New Bison’s Spring Festival. Maddy is still S to see. Maddy likes to take pictures (of food, events, etc.) and post them online with hashtags. I quickly tired of the hashtags (there were too many). The first half of the book deals with the setup. It was obvious who would die. The victim was not a nice guy. Maddy and her friends work to solve the mystery. Maddy is determined to find the guilty party which will clear her friends. The killer can easily be identified along with the why (there might as well have been a neon sign over the killer’s head). The reveal felt rushed. I was left with some lingering questions. I have a feeling that residents of New Bison have more secrets that will come to light in the future. I wonder, though, how many murders can occur in one small town (soon the tourists will stay away in droves). Maddy seemed a touch more grounded in this book than in the first. She has made some good changes to the bakery and, hopefully, it will get to open to the public soon. I like the discovery they made concerning the bakery (sorry, but it is a spoiler). I love Maddy’s dog, Baby (I like big dogs). Baby is the highlight of the story. Murder is a Piece of Cake is a lighthearted cozy mystery with whipped egg whites, a horrible husband, a lovesick mastiff, a setup sheriff, copious hashtags, and a probing baker. ( )

Cute continuation of the series.
These mysteries are light and fun, but do have their share of murder! In this installment, Maddy is challenged to win a baking contest at the Spring Festival in town. She is trying to make sure that her Aunt Octavia's reputation as an award winner continues, and that the bakery Baby Cakes survives!
Another bakery is going to open and the owner is not a nice man. He ends up dead, with a Baby Cakes knife!
Along with her mastiff, her boyfriend, her unlikely group of friends, she is attempting to stay out of jail while solving the murder. She gets the nickname Nancy Drew, which she doesn't like, but it doesn't stop her! Lots of surprises come to light! ( )

Murder Is A Piece Of Cake is the second book in the Baker Street Mystery series by Valerie Burns.

Maddie is far from being called a gourmet pastry chef but doing far better than when she started. She is looking forward to the opening of the remodeled Baby Cakes bakery. But a ruthless wealthy businessman, C. J. Davenport, who recently arrived in New Bison, plans to put her out of business by opening a gourmet patissier shop across the street. But before he can open his store, he is found dead in Baby Cakes, stabbed with a Baby Cakes knife. Maddie will come under suspicion for his murder. Making matters worse, April, the police chief and Maddie’s friend, has been removed from the case when it is learned that she is married to Davenport, even though they have been estranged for years. A good-old-boy state trooper is assigned to investigate, and he doesn’t want to hear any of Maddie’s theories. But she will soon win him over a little when she supplies his teenage daughter with a cake and cookies, at the last minute, for a party she is having for friends. In addition to clearing her name, Maddie must also clear April’s. Maddie, her veterinarian boyfriend, and the Baker Street Irregulars will begin their investigation.

They soon discover no shortage of suspects. Candy, the widow of the former mayor, learns that the mayor was allegedly never divorced, and she will lose the building where she will have a coffee shop. Another lady enters the picture to claim she is the former wife and others.

The book is well-written, well-plotted, and it gave me many chuckles. The characters are well-developed and very enjoyable. I would love to spend time with them. There were enough twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was,

Maddie’s romantic interest in Baby’s vet continues to grow. Even Baby now has a romantic interest in Daisy, a young Mastiff.

Delicious-sounding recipes are also included in the book.

I am anxious;y awaiting the next book in this wonderful series. ( )

A pleasantly surprising contemporary cozy mystery that's well-written, fun, and trendy. This novel is the second book in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. It took a couple chapters to get a feel for the MC, but I'm not sure if it's because I hadn't read the previous book or because the MC isn't your typical cozy mystery lead. She's a city girl in a small town, a bakery owner who doesn't bake, at least not what the reader may expect, a fashionista, and a 20-something amateur sleuth. The author has molded a hodgepodge of unlikely characteristics into a intriguing MC. Lots of fun and endearing supporting characters as well. This book is a cozy mystery for those readers who want something a little different.

Net Galley Feedback ( )

multigenerational, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, Mitten-State, small-business, small-town, bakery, situational-humor, verbal-humor, wealthy, influencer, pet-dog, English-Mastiff, inheritance, surprises, veterinarian, ex-military, law-enforcement, friendship, family-by-choice, recipes*****

She's got an overindulgent father who is a USN Admiral, a loving veterinarian boyfriend, and a big baby (and that's his name, too) of a protective English Mastiff who weighs 250 pounds. She inherited the dog along with the Baby Cakes Bakery when her aunt died and has made more real friends than ever. But now there's another murdered body in the bakery and she is one of the prime suspects. Let the sleuthing begin! Great fun! Fine whodunit! Loved it!
This can't be an unbiased review as I loved the first in series, too!
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )