Half Baked

A Juli Butler Mystery #3

by Barbara Witek

In the quaint town of New Hope, the Fall Festival finds Juli Butler torn between her favorite lawman and his faithful deputy while tensions rise as Misty Shepard’s showcase event at the Sunflower Inn is threatened by her old rival, Liza Blake. Amidst the pumpkin spice and festivities, a sinister plot unfolds when Liza is found dead under suspicious circumstances.

All eyes turn to Misty as the prime suspect. With the town’s trust wavering, Juli teams up with Sheriff Chase Hargrave to unravel the mystery and clear Misty’s name. As they delve deeper, they uncover a twisted scheme that threatens the very heart of New Hope. Will they be able to save the beloved Sunflower Inn and restore peace to their town?

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

I live in New York with my husband and 2 rambunctious black labs (Max & Marley) There is never a dull moment in our world.

When I'm not writing, I'm enjoying empty-nester life in the cul-de-sac. I also enjoy cross-country skiing and skating, hiking, anything crafty, and competitive game nights with family and friends!

I'm a firm believer in love at first sight and finding lost loves.

Reviews

[Joyffree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell into this series with Half Baked, and even though I had no issues following the complete chaos that is Juli Butler's life, I highly recommend starting from the beginning.

This was a blast to read.
There is some romance drama going on in the background, but the mystery and the whodunit are front and center.
Floved the cast!
Especially the mischievous squaking bird and the ever fluffy sheep dog who, in my opinion, helped immensely to solve the case ...
They were also cute as Hades!

The town meanie Liza drops dead after tasting Misty's scrumptious carnival offerings.
As all eyes fall on Misty as the culprit, Juli steps up to defend her friend and find the real killer, against Chase's requests, obviously.

Secrets and subplots abound within this town.
It seems there is more to Liza's untimely death than just jealousy.
And while Juli is trying to untangle the clues before someone else gets hurt or her bestie ends up in the slammer.
The sudden appearance of an unknown adds a bit more to Juli's to-do list
As if relationship woes and murder were not enough

If you are looking for small-town drama.
Twisty mystery with all kinds of misdirection.
Light romance.
Lots of humor
Solid storyline with a fabulously written cast of characters, then this is for you

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m giving it 3.5/5 stars. It’s not bad but it’s not great either. There’s all this build up about secrets and talks and relationships and then by the end nothing has changed and it’s frustrating. This feels like a romance where a mystery got in the way. But at the same time it’s an ok mystery with too much focus on romance. I’ve read books two and three in this series and I hoped that I would know more than just hints about a murky past and why two people keep hunting at getting together and then don’t but I don’t know anything more than when I started and I don’t think I care enough to try and make it through another book. Not trying to be mean just expressing my frustration. Anyways that’s my two cents your mileage may vary.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Poisoned the Poisonous Viper?
Liza and Misty might be rivals, but Liza made plenty of enemies. Her tongue wasn’t just sharp—it had fangs, and they were venomous. Who else did she hurt, and who besides Misty wanted her dead? The evidence points squarely at Misty, but Juli isn’t convinced. She joins forces with Sheriff Chase to find the truth. There’s romance simmering, too—Juli and Chase have unresolved history, and his deputy isn’t exactly subtle about his interest in her either. Meanwhile, a mysterious statue surfaces, hinting at secrets from Juli’s past.
If you like your murder mysteries cozy, your romance complicated, and your suspects plentiful, Half Baked might be your next escape.

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

They have an unresolved past and present. They have secrets they are not sharing and this investigation she is still not sharing her discoveries with him. Resolving someone else's mystery is easier than her own.

[E'Who'Reads'a'Thousand'Mysteries]

Good storytelling

This high quality cozy mystery is loaded with interesting suspense, a compelling backstory, and a wide assortment of characters to keep it exciting.