On Flashback Fridays I will share with you
the books I was not able to review
when they were first released that have been screaming at me
from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.
Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Michigan
Publisher : Kensington (February 23, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496731727
ISBN-13 : 978-1496731722
Kindle ASIN : B089NBKLW8
After catching her celebrity chef fiancé sizzling in the arms of another woman, Lindsey Bakewell left big city Wall Street for small town Beacon Harbor, Michigan to pursue her own passion as a pastry baker—and gets mixed up in someone’s sweet taste of revenge . . .
More interested in kneading dough than adding it up, Lindsey’s breakup inspired her to set up the shop she always wanted in a place that always made her happy. She’d spent many childhood summers near this beach community and converting the old run-down lighthouse into a bakery café and home offers a perfect fresh start for Lindsey and her devoted Newfoundland dog, Wellington.
But not everyone in town has a sweet tooth. The preservation society won’t have the lighthouse’s history sugar coated by lattes and cakes—and a protest group crashes Lindsey’s Memorial Day opening. Then her ex-fiancé Jeffrey Plank and his girlfriend Mia Long arrive to trash the place. In the ensuing chaos Mia chokes on a donut and dies.
An autopsy reveals cyanide in Mia’s bloodstream and Lindsey is the police’s prime suspect. To clear her name, she’s going to need to combine ingredients found in the town’s checkered past to uncover the identity of a desperate killer . . .
Includes Delicious Recipes!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Lindsey Bakewell had spent the summers of her childhood youth in Beacon Harbor, Michigan so when she finds her celebrity chef fiancé cheating on her she decides to leave her job on Wall Street and get a fresh start following her dream to open a bakery there. She couldn’t believe the old lighthouse was for sale. It is the perfect location for The Beacon Bakeshop and Cafe and her home with her loveable Newfoundland dog, Wellington.
Unfortunately, not everyone in Beacon Harbor is happy about Lindsey’s plans. Fiona Dickel wants the lighthouse to be preserved as a historical landmark. She even shows up with the other 6 members of the Beacon Point Lighthouse Preservation Society to protest at the bakeshop’s grand opening. As if that wasn’t enough chaos, Lindsey’s ex-fiancé Jeffrey Plank, his girlfriend Mia Long, and a bunch of her friends show up to cause havoc and have to be escorted out. Shortly thereafter, Mia chokes on a donut and dies.
Stunned Lindsey is the police’s main suspect. She gets even more confused when cyanide is found in Mia’s bloodstream. How would she poison just that one particular donut and serve it to someone she didn’t even know was going to be there? She wastes no time in trying to find who the real killer is, why the woman was killed, and how in the heck did cyanide get into something at her cafe?
This book was released while I was dealing with the aftermath of my breast cancer treatments and I am upset with myself for taking so long to jump into this book and this series.
Lindsey Bakewell is a fabulous protagonist. She knows what she wants and has the money and spunk to get it. She could have wallowed about the implosion of her relationship but instead, she has moved on. She left her best friend, Kennedy Kapoor back in the city but the distance didn’t stop Kennedy from using her talents to create a “buzz” about Lindsey’s lighthouse bakery and also come to Michigan to help with the grand opening. There is never a dull moment when she is around. We also meet Rory Campbell who lives near the lighthouse. He meets Lindsey’s dog Wellington before he meets Lindsay though. All three become fast friends even though Lindsey knows there may be more to Rory than meets the eye. We also meet other residents of Beacon Harbor as Lindsey works to open her bakery and snoops around to catch a killer. All the characters were well-crafted and felt true to life.
The author wrapped her characters in a complex mystery that twisted off in surprising directions. There was a slow build as clues were cleverly dropped throughout the story. Lindsey does have a knack for sleuthing. I enjoyed following along as she tried to make sense of the crimes that caused the major upheaval in her life. Both of us missed some major clues though. When all was revealed we were both taken aback but then the clues rapidly made sense but there were still things to be explained. I was hanging onto every word. Then the coolest thing happened, an awesome takedown. Loved it, but I can’t say more. No spoilers here.
I love the lighthouse theme. Like Eva Gates Lighthouse Library Mysteries, Darci Hannah’s stories have given new life to an old run-down lighthouse. Both have great histories and may have some lingering guests.
Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop has set this series off to a marvelous start. With unique characters and a tantalizing mystery, I enjoyed my time in Beacon Harbor, Michigan very much and am eager to return to see what Christmas brings to The Beacon Bakeshop and Cafe, Lindsey, Welly, and their friends.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About the authorCozy mystery author, Darci Hannah, is a native of the Midwest and currently lives in a small town in Michigan. Darci is a lifelong lover of the Great Lakes, a natural wonder that inspires many of her stories. When Darci isn’t baking for family and friends, hiking with her furry pals, Ripley and Finn, or concocting her next cozy mystery, she can be found wandering around picturesque lakeside villages with her hubby, sampling baked goods, and breaking for coffee more often than she should.
You can learn more about Darci and her books at www.darcihannah.com
Connect with Darci on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDarciHannah
The Rest of the Series
Also written by Darci Hannah
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
