Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. With an expected release date of August 30 by Kensington Books, Two Parts Sugar takes readers to New Bison, Michigan. It introduces readers to Madison Montgomery and an English Mastiff named Baby. After being left at the altar, Madison finds herself on her way to Michigan to lick her wounds and to receive an inheritance from a family member she barely knew. But with something funny going on, who can she trust other than a giant dog?
I want to thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand—as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great Aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 200-pound English Mastiff named Baby.
Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly, and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka The Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife.
Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation—and her life.
Positives
A super easy read! Also a fun one.
The nods to Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, and Hercule Poirot.
Maddy has some personal growth throughout the book.
Negatives
Maddy uses a lot of hashtags throughout the book, as she has a solid social media presence. Every image she posts has hashtags that are mentioned in the book. Honestly, I could have done without all of them.
April does a few things that I question as being proper police procedure. Like suggesting Maddy bribe someone with a chocolate cake to get information over waiting for a subpoena.
My Opinions
Two Parts Sugar is a super easy read, which is what one expects with a cozy mystery. What I mean is that this book is easy to sink into and devour. Along the way, you want to solve the mystery as well. Want to try some of the treats mentioned in the book as you read? Guess what? You’re in luck; there are a few recipes at the end of the book.
When the mayor is stabbed, you instantly have multiple suspects. But you can probably figure out who the guilty party is. That said, it doesn’t take away from the experience; doubts are sprinkled throughout as you read, which is a sign of a good cozy.
The cast of characters, especially the Baker Street Irregulars (yes, just like Sherlock Holmes), is fantastic. There’s Leroy, the baker at Baby Cakes; April, the sheriff; Hannah, Miss Octavia’s best friend; and Tyler, the knitting shop owner. Even Michael, Hannah’s grandson and Baby’s vet is a fun character to meet.
If you enjoy reading food-based cozy mysteries, you will enjoy reading Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder. I, for one, am looking forward to returning to New Bison in the future!
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
This sounds so cute. I love the big dog on the cover, and I love books with food in them!
Baby (the dog) is so adorable! And plays a pretty important role too.
This sounds really amusing! Food themes do seem to fit perfectly for cozy mysteries.