Death by the Dozen: 07/21/21

Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay is the third in the Cupcake Bakery mystery series. Mel and Angie are participating in the Challenge to the Chef event. Mel is friends with a number of the judges from her time in culinary school. Then after the first round, her mentor Vic is found dead in a portable freezer.

Straightaway I knew who had murdered Vic. Figuring something out early can break the enjoyment of a mystery. Here, it didn't. McKinlay includes enough interesting details on planning recipes for a contest where there will be an unknown by required ingredient that I was fully engrossed with the overall story.

That Mel and Angie took longer to see the obvious is understandable. First there's of course the competition. There's the shock of the mentor's death. Angie meanwhile is concerned about her traveling boyfriend. Finally, the murder goes after Mel and Angie directly.

As I expected after the close of Buttercream Bump Off, the old man who helped with the previous investigation is now working part time for them. Now in book three, a new employee joins the force in the form of a Goth intern. Oz reminds me of Trixie from the Book Town mystery series by Lorna Barrett. I hope he is a recurring character.

The fourth book is Red Velvet Revenge (2012).

Five stars

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