Death by the Dozen (Cupcake Bakery Mystery Book 3)

I enjoyed reading about the cooking competition and the different strange ingredients. Kind of like Chopped with the mystery box ingredients in dessert form. HOWEVER...as someone who grew up in Scottsdale and still lives/works there, the author really needs to work on her locations. For the most part, specific places aren't mentioned, but the locations given aren't always possible. Like, when Mel took Angie to her doctor's appointment. It said the doctor's office was at Hayden and Shea, but then a bit later says the office was located in a group of buildings that skirt Scottsdale Healthcare's Shea Hospital and that's not possible. The two locations are several miles apart. I work near Hayden and Shea and I've been to the hospital at 90th St and Shea. And the Loop 101 freeway they drove on to get there is hardly considered the middle of farm country. It borders "some" cotton farming (although not anymore), but isn't in the middle of it.Also, when the two of them went to the Hotel Valley Ho to talk to Dutch, it says they "climbed" inside the elevator. How do you climb into an elevator? hahaha.Other than that, though, I enjoyed it.

What a delightful series this is. Take two baker friends(Melanie and Angie)one longtime male who has loved one of them from the age of 12, two boyfriends, and family and one competitive nutter and you have the basic ingredients for this third installment of the Cupcake Mystery Series. When Melanie's mentor from Culinary School is one of the judges in a local Scottsdale Food Festival, Vic meets an untimely end...we are off to the races with relationships, and who dunnit' s and now that I have a boyfriend do I really want a relationship kind of dramas. Lots of filling between the cake here with all these characters who all come with a past and are perfectly capable of doing the deed. I just ordered 3 more in the series ..does that tell you how much I enjoy this series???? Oh did I mention the adorable kitty that comes to live in the series?

This series is one I am so comfortable with that I know the next in the series will be equally as good. Yummy cupcake/dessert recipes are a bonus to an delectable murder mystery crime.In "Death by the Dozen," we move to the streets of Old Town Scottsdale, where Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura, enter a yearly competition for the Scottsdale Food Festival. It is one of those competitions by where a 'mystery ingredient' is introduced daily as the competitors dwindle down until there is the 'Best of...'Melanie is thrilled when she learns her mentor, Vic and his wife, Grace will be judging. Then she learns that several of her fellow former culinary school classmates will also attend. The Ladies' financial partner/investor, Tate, and Melanie's boyfriend, Joe try to help by training them for three weeks by trying to test the girls with everything from parsnips on.Ms. McKinlay gives us glimpses and for me, memories of Old Scottsdale by mentioning sites, streets, and activities that are found there in reality. It adds realism to her books.There is a crime and Melanie is devastated. Angie supports her and they find the culprit, but, not without pain and sorrow.This was a very good book. Now to wait for the next one.

Death by The Dozen continues the story of the owners of Fairy Tale Cupcakes, Melanie, Angie, and Tate. Melanie is the main character and sleuth. She is dating Angie's brother Joe. Angie is her cupcake baking partner who dates a famous rock star, while Tate provides the financial backing (and is secretly in love with Angie). In this entry in the series, Melanie and Angie enter a contest at the local food festival. They are competing with other chefs from the area including their arch rival, Olivia. Each day of the competition, a mystery ingredient is revealed and they must make something delicious from it. The ingredients are odd, but things go well for the duo. That is, until one of the judges is murdered and someone tries to poison Mel and Angie. Of course Mel begins to investigate, with a little help from Uncle Stan.This is another stellar entry into the series. A couple new characters are introduced and some tension arises within relationships. The recipes are little more 'out there' because of the odd ingredients, but would be fun to try. McKinlay has kept my interest and I look forward to the next Cupcake Bakery Mystery.

This is the third book in the Cupcake Bakery mystery series and has bakers Melanie and Angie entering a cooking competition with a secret ingredient in each round. They have been practicing by having Tate give them an ingredient to work with, the weirder, the better. The two are competing against their arch-rival, Olivia. Mel is surprised to find out that two of the judges are former teachers from her culinary school, now Food Network stars, one of whom was a mentor to her. When one of the judges ends up dead, Mel is determined to help find out who did this, and in doing so, puts their own lives in danger. Adding to the story line is a new apprentice from a local high school, Oz, who looks scary, but has great cooking chops, and the ongoing relationship issues between Angie and Tate, along with a competition host that could be a dead ringer for Guy Fieri. The characters are really developing nicely, and as usual the book includes recipes discussed during the book.

This book is the 3rd in the series and I throughly enjoyed it - am looking forward to the next one!Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are determined to win the challenge to the chefs at this year's Scottsdale Food Festival. Taking home first prize will be great publicity for their Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery - and beating rival Olivia Puckett will be cherry on the top.Mel's mentor from culinary school, Vic Mazzotta - now a Food Channel celebrity chef - is one of the judges, but Mel and Angie will have to win fair and square by shipping up delicious cupcakes with a mystery ingredient.Though the real mystery is who put Vic Mazzotta on ice. literally when his dead body is found inside a freezer truck. Mel and Angie will need to use their best judgement to find the cold blooded killer who iced Vic, or they may lose more than the contest - they may lose their lives.....I would recommend this book as it is a cozy read full of warm and likable characters featuring a spirited heroine and her friends, luscious cupcakes and a clever murder.

good book enjoyed it from start to finish would recommend it

Es ist toll, wie man in einer Cupcake Bäckerei immer wieder neue Fälle finden kann und über Mord fällt. Ganz toll geschrieben und richtig erholsam. Ich mag diese Reihe!It is impressive how you find murder and other crimes in a cupcake bakery. A great story and the author has wonderful ideas. I love these books and it is really vacation to fall into one!

Very nice book and recipes