Review - Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent

TITLE:    Murder Takes the Cake
AUTHOR:    Gayle Trent
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 252 pages
PUBLISHED:   Gallery, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:    Cozy murder mystery. When the meanest gossip in Brea Ridge dies mysteriously, suspicions turn to cake decorator Daphne Martin. But all Daphne did was deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting--and find Yodel's body. Now Daphne's got to help solve the murder and clear her good name. Problem is, her Virginia hometown is brimming with people who had good reason to kill Yodel, and Daphne's whole family is among them.

MY TAKE:    This is a quick read that would be perfect for a day at the beach or when in the mood for something light and quirky.  I have recently found that cozy mysteries is a genre that I am enjoying quite a bit.  This one was no exception.

I liked the character of Daphne and a few of her rather eccentric neighbors and friends. Daphne comes across as someone who I would enjoy having as a friend.  Her family had some major issues and I felt sorry for Daphne at times.  The story progressed nicely and kept you wondering who the murderer was until pretty close to the end.  I enjoyed the hint of romance between Daphne and her old high-school beau, Ben.  It holds promise for future books in this series as well as the building of relationships with neighbors Myra and China.

While this was a fun read, there was one issue that I had with the way it was written.  The author gets very in-depth regarding decorating cakes.  I found myself skimming many parts of the book because I really don't care what size tips to use to make certain flowers and designs.  There were some great tips regarding freezing cakes for future use and also a fabulous section at the end with recipes. I learned a couple of handy tricks, but I just felt that the pain-staking decorating details detracted from the mystery itself.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries and a quick afternoon read.  I am also looking forward to the next story in the series "Killer Sweet Tooth" due out later this year. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon and The Book Depository

 
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.