Red Velvet Revenge
Jenn McKinlay


ISBN-10:
0425251381
ISBN-13: 978-0425251386
Publisher: Penguin Group
Line: Berkley
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Pages: 304
Retail Price: 7.99




Genre:
Mystery
Rating:

It may be summertime, but sales at Fairy Tale Cupcakes are below zero--and owners Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are willing to try anything to heat things up. So when local legend Slim Hazard offers them the chance to sell cupcakes at the annual Juniper Pass rodeo, they're determined to rope in a pretty payday!

But not everyone at the Juniper Pass is as sweet for Fairy Tale Cupcakes as Slim--including star bull-rider Ty Stokes. Mel and Angie try to steer clear of the cowboy's short fuse, but when his dead body is found face down in the hay, it's a whole different rodeo.

With a vengeful murderer on the loose, the ladies are quickly realizing that while they came to save their business, they may have to save themselves--and that's no bull.

Review

Best friends Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura own the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. An extended heat wave has both tourists and regulars taking refuge indoors. Since business is almost non-existent, the young women jump at the chance to go on the road and sell their delicious cupcakes at the annual Juniper Pass Rodeo. Melanie, Angie, their business partner and childhood friend Tate, and their employees Marty and Oz hop in their newly remodeled cupcake delivery van and go on a road trip to the more moderate temperatures of Northern Arizona.

Everyone is enjoying the change of pace and the chance to make new friends and gain new customers. However, the excitement of the rodeo pales when the star of the rodeo, bull-rider Ty Stokes is murdered. The next thing you know, one of their own is a prime suspect, so Mel and Angie start investigation in between batches of cupcakes to protect their friend and their business.

This book has all the right ingredients for a fun read:  an interesting mystery with a lot of humor and a little romance mixed in. I like the Scottsdale setting of the prior books, but it’s an interesting change to see Melanie and Angie outside the comfort of their shop and into an entirely unfamiliar situation. The book gives an interesting glimpse into the world of large-scale baking as well as the rodeo scene. For me, a side benefit of the change in location is that Melanie and Angie’s cupcake rival Olivia Puckett makes only a brief appearance. Mel and Angie do end up making a bet with a couple of barbequing cowboys from the booth next to theirs at the rodeo over who will have the most sales.  Although it’s not always a friendly rivalry, it is thankfully free from the slapstick silliness that goes on whenever Olivia is on the scene.

Melanie does a good job balancing baking with sleuthing and the result is an entertaining culinary mystery. Even though Melanie’s boyfriend Joe, who is Angie’s brother, remains in Scottsdale for most of the book, things seem to be looking up in the romance department for both Melanie and Angie. It’s great for fans of this series to see some progression to these storylines and builds suspense for future books.

Fans of Joanne Pence or Jessica Beck will want to give this series a try. With the mixture of likeable characters, mouth-watering recipes, and an interesting storyline, Red Velvet Revenge is the perfect book for a day at the pool. This series has been a bit uneven, but the newest installment is up to par with the series debut, Sprinkle With Murder. However, don’t be surprised if by the end of the book, you find yourself longing for cupcakes, as well as the next installment of this fun series.

Reviewed by Christine K.


READERS COMMENTS