I love a good cozy mystery and I love NOLA! Aside from the smattering of internalized misogyny (oh 2011, how far we've come) and the conflation of creole and cajun (no, they aren't the same), I really enjoyed this book. The descriptions of food were great, it really made my mouth water.

Not an overt spoiler, but I discuss the ending below.
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I docked two stars because of the ending, no spoilers!! I feel like the line between a good plot twist and the author making it impossible to figure out the mystery is a little thin in this book, leaning towards the latter. I was disappointed in the end not because my theories were wrong, but because I felt like I just didn't have all the cards on the table to begin with. ( )

It took me a while to get into this cozy mystery. At first I didn't care about the characters or the business, but both grew on me. ( )

Sheetcake is the first in the A Piece Of Cake Mystery series.

This is a very interesting story with a good mix of characters. Brady provides the reader with characters they will love to hate and some that they will just love.

Phillipe Renier is the owner of Zydeco Cakes in New Orleans, an upscale cake bakery. His wife, Rita Lucero, a trained French Pastry chef, has been living in Albuquerque and working in her aunts and uncle's Mexican restaurant for two years. She has been trying to get Phillipe to sign their divorce papers, but to no avail. She heads for New Orleans to just appear at Zydeco and get the divorce papes signed when he shows up. While she is waiting in the reception area, a ruckus is heard coming from out back. Following everyone out she pass the delivery van with damaged cake that was about to be delivered. Off to the side Rita finds Ox who has head injuries and under some bushes she the finds the dead body of Phillipe. Rita and Ox end up being prime suspects. But there are other employees who might like to see their boss dead. Then there's the current girlfriend whose not what she appears to be. Plus the owner of Zydeco's main competitor wants to buy it.

Still being legally married, Rita inherits half of the business. Her mother in law, who owns the other half, pleads with Rita to hang around and take over the business and find the killer of her son. Rita has mixed emotions about leaving her aunt and uncle, who had raised her and sent her off to a French Pastry school. But then there is the satisfaction from finding the killer and running a succesful business. So Rita sets off to find the killer, with the detective assigned to the case keeping a watchful eye on her.

Very much looking forward to the next book in the series, ( )

A great first in what hopefully will be a great series! New Orleans is a wonderful setting and the characters are easy to like right off the bat. Very clever plot with just a few cake decorating details to set the scene. I'm really looking forward to reading the next one. ( )

Sheetcake is the first in the A Piece Of Cake Mystery series.

This is a very interesting story with a good mix of characters. Brady provides the reader with characters they will love to hate and some that they will just love.

Phillipe Renier is the owner of Zydeco Cakes in New Orleans, an upscale cake bakery. His wife, Rita Lucero, a trained French Pastry chef, has been living in Albuquerque and working in her aunts and uncle's Mexican restaurant for two years. She has been trying to get Phillipe to sign their divorce papers, but to no avail. She heads for New Orleans to just appear at Zydeco and get the divorce papes signed when he shows up. While she is waiting in the reception area, a ruckus is heard coming from out back. Following everyone out she pass the delivery van with damaged cake that was about to be delivered. Off to the side Rita finds Ox who has head injuries and under some bushes she the finds the dead body of Phillipe. Rita and Ox end up being prime suspects. But there are other employees who might like to see their boss dead. Then there's the current girlfriend whose not what she appears to be. Plus the owner of Zydeco's main competitor wants to buy it.

Still being legally married, Rita inherits half of the business. Her mother in law, who owns the other half, pleads with Rita to hang around and take over the business and find the killer of her son. Rita has mixed emotions about leaving her aunt and uncle, who had raised her and sent her off to a French Pastry school. But then there is the satisfaction from finding the killer and running a succesful business. So Rita sets off to find the killer, with the detective assigned to the case keeping a watchful eye on her.

Very much looking forward to the next book in the series, ( )