(Copies provided by the ever-gracious Catherine Brun herself.)
TASTES LIKE MURDER
Sally Muccio’s had her crosses to bear: a cheating ex-boyfriend, crazy Italian parents, and an unfaithful husband, just to name a few. After her divorce, she returns to her hometown to start a novelty cookie shop whose specialties include original fortune cookies, served with a sprinkle of foreshadowing. But there’s no warning when her ex-husband’s mistress drops dead on Sal's porch, and police confirm it’s a homicide. Determined to stop her life from becoming a recipe for disaster, Sal takes matters into her own hands. With two very different men vying for her affection, dead bodies piling up, and a reputation hanging by an apron string, Sal finds herself in a race against time to save both her business and life—before the last cookie crumbles.
BAKED TO DEATH
Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio, has finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who's looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful former in-laws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?Gotta say, Catherine Bruns can turn out a pleasant read. These cozies are unassuming and hit their paces right on target. I spent most of a day reading these books, happily curled up in my wingback chair, drawn in by Catherine's writing. Sally is a modest character--she is not a take-charge vigilante, but quietly determined to make things right. It drove me nuts when she would cave to everyone's demands--I could easily see why she stayed with her awful ex-husband as long as she did--but things seemed to work out for her anyway, and in a believable fashion. So it made sense when her sweet personality drew people in, especially the men who wanted to protect her and keep her safe. I also love the balance her gentleness brought to her friendship with the fiery Josie. But the real mystery is the fortunes in the fortune cookies--they seem to have a predictive magic all their own and the speculative-fiction lover in me wants to know where it comes from!
Anyway, the next time you're looking for a quick read with great writing and a perfectly structured plot, give Cookies and Chance a try. You won't be sorry.
Gentle Reader Alert:There are some swears in the books, but nothing beyond a PG-13 level.
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