Dying for Devil's Food

This was a terrific installment of the Cupcake Bakery series! Unlike Mel, I enjoy my class reunions and activities. Thankfully, none of mine have come with a murder!!

This series has great characters that are well-rounded and while some have their own quirks, everyone's mostly likeable. This particular book introduced us to some of the people in Mel's past and was well-done. Even the new characters had plausible back stories on how they fit into Mel's life in high school.

I did figure out who the villain was before the end, but not much before the end. And I like how some of the new characters ended up being great people and some relationships changed for the better.

It’s that dreaded time in everyone’s life: the high school class reunion. Melanie sees no point in going. Her classmates, with the exception of her two best friends, were mostly indifferent to her or downright mean. Bur Angie talks, really tricks, her into going. It was mostly what Mel expected, some of her classmates still bullied her, and yet, she stood up for herself and got some closure. Right up until her worst enemy was found dead in the ladies room. Now to clear her name and remove herself from suspicion in her classmates eyes, Mel must find the killer. This series just keeps getting and better and better. The mysteries are alway intriguing, but the real pleasure is the interaction between the characters. If you haven’t show more read the previous books, you’ll want to start at the beginning of the series. You undoubtedly will binge read your way through them - they are that good. show less

Mel Cooper does not want to attend her fifteenth year high school reunion – she still has memories of being bullied – but her best friend Angie DeLaura insists they go saying this is a perfect opportunity for Mel to show how she has made a success of her life through her bakery Fairy Tale Cupcakes and her engagement to Angie’s brother Joe. Unfortunately, Mel discovers that some people, like Cassidy Havers, never outgrew bullying. So, when Cassidy is murdered, Mel finds she is on top of the list of suspects. Now Mel has to clear her name before she is jailed for a crime she did not commit.

“Dying for Devil’s Food” is the nicely done eleventh book in Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery cozy mystery series. This has always been a show more light, fun series and this book is no exception. I love the main characters – Mel, Angie, Tate, Joe, Ozzy, and Marty – and they are especially good in this book. The series may be light but the characters have grown throughout the series, especially Mel who has been haunted by the teasing she received in high school. The school reunion setting is nice but I hope that people in real life are more mature than some in this book who seem to have never left high school! The school reunion does provide a perfect set up for the murder and gives plenty of suspects. As for the mystery – it is well done with lots of twists and turns and a very real surprise as the killer and motive were revealed.

“Dying for Devil’s Food” is a nicely done cozy mystery. show less

Mel revisits her high school doubts and insecurities before catering her high school reunion. Mean Girl Cassidy seems to be keeping up with her Mean Girl ways, right up until she's murdered. Of course, Mel is implicated in the crime so the Bakery Crew have no choice but to find the real murderer to save Mel. This is a trope that's been done to death but we keep reading these books because they keep us entertained. This one included. Read it. You'll like it.

Perhaps not enough of Marty & Oz, but well focused and as delicious as ever.

For my thoughts, go to: Bridget's Book Ramblings (yes, keep making changes to the name..I just can't seem to make up my mind on what I want it to be! lol)