by Cynthia Chow & Sandra Murphy

This week we have reviews of 3 more fun cozy food mysteries for your end of summer feast-Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns, Tea with Jam and Dread: A Tea by the Sea Mystery by Vicki Delany, and Sour Crime Donuts by Ginger Bolton. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win copies of all 3 books and links to purchase them from Amazon at the end of each review.

Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns
Review by Cynthia Chow

Despite having made her late great-aunt’s Baby Cakes Bakery a complete success, Madison Montgomery finds herself spiraling and completely indecisive when attempting to make any decision regarding her upcoming wedding. Her first engagement to the wrong man became an epic disaster when he failed to show up for a live-streamed ceremony, so Maddy is determined to have her wedding to veterinarian Dr. Michael Portman be perfect. That explains why – without telling Michael – she has entered a reality show competition to win a bridal expo’s Serafina Dream Wedding. The prize of an all-expense-paid ceremony designed by the celebrity wedding planner Serafina would eliminate Maddy’s fears of choosing the “wrong” linens or chairs, not to mention any arguments with Michael over her Navy admiral father paying for her wedding dress. It unfortunately doesn’t take long for Maddy and the rest of the contestants to realize that Serafina’s plans include humiliating the brides to gain followers and ratings, as well as abusing her own staff. Serafina being murdered by a Baby Cakes cake skewer would normally make Maddy a primary suspect, but it turns out that there’s no shortage of those with reason to want the wedding diva dead.

Maddy’s experience with solving murders in the small town of New Bison, Michigan has her as determined to solve the murder as she is to attain her ideal wedding. Unexpected complications arise when one of the main suspects happens to be Dr. Alliyah Howard, Michael’s ex-girlfriend who also happens to be dating Serafina’s husband. Baby Cakes Bakery’s participation in the bridal expo not only allows them to promote their delicious specialty creations, it gives Maddy access to disgruntled assistants, angry exes, and the contestants who saw their dreams and relationships go up in smoke due to Seraphina’s manipulations. Maddy is often accompanied by her 250-pound adorable mastiff Baby, whose untimely interaction with Serafina made him one of the first to feel her wrath.

This fourth in the series has Maddy adjusting her dreams to meet a reality that is much different than the younger version of her envisioned. Maddy still hashtags and posts about her bakery and her life, but she no longer needs to be a (medical) Doctor’s Wife and Daddy’s Girl. Maddy has even upped her game in the bakery kitchen, and while she can’t rival the apple-themed cakes baked by her pastry chef, the recipes included at the end will have readers tempted to try them out in the kitchens too. The bridal expo makes for a fun setting, as does the competition that is geared more towards creating drama than it is a happy marriage. Michael continues to be a supportive, very patient fiancé, especially when the investigating trooper repeatedly warns Maddy away from the murder and his witnesses. The well-written characters are why readers will return to this series, as the author excels at crafting relatable heroines who grow even stronger and wittier with every new entry.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Tea with Jam and Dread: A Tea by the Sea Mystery by Vicki Delany
Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s been nearly 70 years since Lily Roberts’ grandmother Rose worked as a maid in England’s Thornecroft Castle, leaving for America at the age of 22 to marry a young American man. Rose has been invited back to attend the 100th birthday of Lady Elizabeth Crawford, Dowager Countess of Frockmorton, who is celebrating the event at what is now the Thornecroft Castle and Hotel. Even though the family was forced to convert the castle into a hotel to stay afloat, the Thornecrofts and Frockmorton relatives are already planning for what remains of their inheritances.

Rose herself shows no sign of slowing down and continues her exuberant, abundantly accessorized fashion sense, but her granddaughter Lily and Lily’s friend Bernadette Murphy have been invited along as guests to assist in the long trip over. The chance for the Tea by the Sea tea shop owner to sample authentic English tea and treats may have been a teeny factor as well, with Lily even taking the opportunity to jump in and help when the Thornecroft Castle kitchen is overwhelmed with demands. It seems that some of the (very) distant royals maintain their aristocratic attitudes, looking down upon the peasantry and upstart Americans. So when the birthday dowager’s grandson drops dead after lamenting the costs of her big celebration, it doesn’t take long for the detective inspectors to suspect a class-motivated murder. The theft of jewels worth millions casts even more suspicion upon Lily and her friends, leading her to once again delve into a criminal case to clear her name and ensure a safe trip home.

Despite this being the sixth in the series, the new location makes it the perfect entry for new readers. While fans may miss the New England setting, enough of the Cape Cod’s residents are along for the ride to please longtime readers of this series. Bernie continues her rather scattered attempt to write a historical novel, as the trip has her now contemplating the addition of an English element. Initially there is an abundance of Thornecroft Castle guests and staff characters to sort out, but it doesn’t take long for them to be as familiar as those back in the States.

The writing flows smoothly and readers will be caught up in the family dramas and their attempt to hold onto their aristocratic status. As modern as some of them may be, there is still a reluctance to give up the upstairs versus downstairs mentality. Fun for readers as well will be Lily’s and Rose’s enjoyment of traditional English meals, although Bernie may soon realize that blood pudding is not an actual dessert. Lily herself is faced with making a decision of her own with Simon, as she’s not sure whether she can commit to a long-distance relationship or admit that she needs more. The reliable and always entertaining author continues to engage readers with a cozy setting and very complicated, compelling characters. This is another winning entry in the tastiest of series.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Sour Crime Donuts by Ginger Bolton
Review by Sandra Murphy

It all started when a voice from the past walked into the donut shop. Years ago, Emily met Izzy, a young girl, at a campground and spent the day with her. Now she’s here and plans to stay. In fact, her plans are pretty big. She wants to build a series of greenhouses to provide the area with organic fruits and vegetables. The plan is complete in her head and she’s ready to move forward with it.

Unfortunately, someone else says her contract to buy the property she wants isn’t binding and he’s going to buy it out from under her. There’s also a group of environmentalists who are protesting that she’ll cut down some trees to make room for the greenhouses. Their theory is, one tree cut down is too many. Izzy’s sure she can overcome.

A mysterious man pops up too frequently to be a coincidence, a body turns up on the land Izzy wants, peachy sour cream donuts are a clue, and Emily’s marriage to Brent is everything she’s wanted—except a child. I look forward to that development in the next book or two. Emily and her donut crew are people you want to know—I mean, donuts! The donut shop is a good place to hang out and hear all the news. Just ask the retired men who hold down one table or the women who take over another. I expect Izzy to be around in the next book as well. And there’s always Dep. A glassed-in office lets Dep, the office cat, supervise without violating food safety requirements. Her only gripe is being crated in the car. Walking to work is much more enjoyable.

This is book 10 in the series. I hope we’ll see more to come. Be prepared with donuts and a beverage, then settle in for a good read.

Recipes include: baked peachy sour cream donuts, peachy sour cream frosting, spice-tea baked donuts, chilled sour cream peach soup, peach and pinto bean salad, and broiled peaches with sour cream.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copies of all 3 books, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “summer cozy feast” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 6, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s the editor for the upcoming Yeet Me in St Louis, an anthology with stories from twelve St. Louis writers. Her own short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, and anthologies such as The Perp Wore Pumpkin and I (Almost) Died in Your Arms. ‘Lucy’s Tree’, published in The Eyes of Texas, won a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society. She lives in St. Louis with Ozzie the Westie Impersonator and his sidekick in crime, Louie the Cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.