Cookies, Crumbs and Crime: A Small Town Cozy Mystery

by Maisy Marple, Wendy Winchester

In the charming town of Brentwood Falls, books and baked goods are a recipe for murder.

Lucy Blackstone loves three her job as town librarian, her collection of mystery novels, and the melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies from Sweet Delight Bakery. But when beloved baker Winnie Baxter is found dead beside a shattered cookie jar, Lucy's passion for puzzles pulls her into a real-life whodunit.

Everyone loved Winnie's cookies—but someone wanted her secret recipe badly enough to kill for it. Was it her assistant Sadie, set to inherit the bakery? Her estranged sister Marnie, suddenly back in town with claims to the business? Or Earl Lattimore, whose competing café was losing customers to Winnie's delectable treats?

As Lucy investigates, she uncovers a recipe laced with blackmail, stolen formulas, and decades-old grudges. With the skeptical Sheriff Hank Pritchard reluctantly accepting her help, Lucy must sift through a town full of suspects before the killer strikes again.

Armed with her librarian's research skills and an insatiable curiosity, Lucy proves that in Brentwood Falls, the most dangerous ingredients aren't found in the kitchen—they're the secrets people will do anything to keep hidden.

Cookies, Crumbs, and Crime is the first deliciously entertaining Lucy Blackstone Mystery, perfect for fans of culinary cozies and book-loving sleuths. Pull up a chair, pour a cup of tea, and satisfy your craving for a small-town mystery where the stakes are sweet but the motives are deadly.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

125 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2025

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Lucy , the town librarian. When Winnie owner of the bakery is murdered, Lucy can't help but look into it. The sheriff isn't happy about it but she does find out things he might never. She feels she is getting close but can she figure it out in time?

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to know Lucy and her sleuth buddies for this mystery, Trudy and Sadie. When the town’s nicest baker was killed, it was more than just a tragedy and it sure opened a can of secrets from several people’s pasts. But Lucy sleuthed it out and confronted a killer. This was a change of pace as far as the main character just coming to town and starting to sleuth. Apparently Lucy already had a reputation for following mysteries. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

[Pat Cray-Hollis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice start of a series. Definitely starting book 2.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book but big on thrills

This was definitely a page turner. Don't let the small amount of pages make you think it's an easy resolution to a simple mystery. This was concise but creative in its plot twists and red herrings. This author could easily sell a course on how to plot well in a short amount of pages. I was really impressed. The cast was well rounded and they made me want to delve into book two ASAP. If you love a good cozy mystery, check this one out.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Blackstone is a librarian who loves mystery novels and shortbread cookies from Sweet Delight Bakery. Baker Winnie Baxter is found dead beside a shattered cookie jar in the alley outside the bakery. Lucy decides to do her own investigation. There are several suspects, and a missing family recipe book.
This was an interesting book with a number of possible suspects. The characters, especially Lucy, are believable. I enjoyed the book.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Intriguing Read

When Winnie Higgins a well loved baker is found dead Lucy the librarian is curious. There was a lot going on with secrets,blackmail,betrayal and greed being the main factors for this crime. A captivating read. I enjoyed this read and recommend it to others.

[Diana Hershberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy????

Any would be investigator would love this book. Even more so if you are A nosy librarian. There are more suspects than there are murders, But everyone had his hand in the cookie jar!

[Tammy Fritts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Librarians know the right questions

Great story. Lucy is a librarian who questions a murder in her small town. She is able to put all the pieces together and help the sheriff solve the murder.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent start to a new series

Lucy is the librarian in a small town and close friends with Winnie who runs the bakery in town. When Winnie turns up dead Lucy jumps in to investigate. A fun read.

[Peggy Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way the murder crumbles

I really enjoyed this book because of my love for baking and reading. Lucy the librarian was able to solve Winnies murder and keep her friend out of jail.

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the town's favorite baker is found dead, Lucy the librarian and her friends Trudy and Sadie start investigating. They are determined to find the killer and bring justice for Winnie. There are twists and turns with secrets, betrayal, blackmail and greed being the main factors in the crime. Well-written with realistic characters.

[DONNA FOSS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
I read it sitting outside on my deck on a beautiful summer day in New England.
I will start the next one today.

[gloria marquardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay book.

It wasn't a bad book my main complaint is that I wasn't overly a fond of the main character. She had too much of an "attitude" for me.

[Darlene Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

secret Cookie ingredients

I could hardly put this read down. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it for others to read. I hope there are more Lucy Blackstone series.

[Joy Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Miss Marple still and the foodie connections.

[Donnamarie Marbet-Eckhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice start to the series. Nice cozy and fast read. Will move on to read the next book.

[daniel w riffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by dan

I love cozy mysteries, and this book held much interest from start to finish. Heading out to read the next one.