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Bread & Batter Mystery #1
Bun for Your Life
Two bakery owners get mixed up with murder in the first adventure in the all-new Bread and Batter Mystery series...
As the co-owners of Bread and Batter Bakery in Destiny, New York, Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams have plenty on their plates. Molly is recently divorced and looking for a place to live, but they’re also both preparing for Destiny’s annual Apple Harvest Fair. The bakery has a booth where they’ll be selling not only delicious cupcakes and cider doughnuts, but also tote bags and t-shirts emblazoned with the bakery’s logo.
Tensions rise at the fair when local orchard owner Calista Danforth discovers organizers have assigned her usual booth to Bread and Batter. Although a heated argument ensues between her and Molly, the bakery manages to rake in lots of dough. But when Calista is found strangled to death with one of their t-shirts, Molly is named the prime suspect. Now these two friends must whip up some answers quickly before the future of their business crumbles...
As the co-owners of Bread and Batter Bakery in Destiny, New York, Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams have plenty on their plates. Molly is recently divorced and looking for a place to live, but they’re also both preparing for Destiny’s annual Apple Harvest Fair. The bakery has a booth where they’ll be selling not only delicious cupcakes and cider doughnuts, but also tote bags and t-shirts emblazoned with the bakery’s logo.
Tensions rise at the fair when local orchard owner Calista Danforth discovers organizers have assigned her usual booth to Bread and Batter. Although a heated argument ensues between her and Molly, the bakery manages to rake in lots of dough. But when Calista is found strangled to death with one of their t-shirts, Molly is named the prime suspect. Now these two friends must whip up some answers quickly before the future of their business crumbles...
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2015
26 people are currently reading
674 people want to read
About the author
Karoline Barrett
8 books124 followersI write romance and mysteries, although romance writing has taken a back seat to my mysteries! The first book in my Bread & Batter cozy mystery series, Bun For Your Life came out November 2015, and the 2nd book, Raisin The Dead was released April 2016. Both from Penguin/Intermix. The 3rd book, It Cannoli Be Murder, came out on October 17th! It's published by Summer Prescott Books.
I’ve live in lots of different places during my life. At the moment, I’m in a small Connecticut town with my husband. When I’m not writing, I’m either reading, spending time by the water, traveling, indulging in social media, accompanying above-mentioned husband to New York Yankees games, or doing anything that does not involve math.
I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them!
I’ve live in lots of different places during my life. At the moment, I’m in a small Connecticut town with my husband. When I’m not writing, I’m either reading, spending time by the water, traveling, indulging in social media, accompanying above-mentioned husband to New York Yankees games, or doing anything that does not involve math.
I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 9, 2016
4.5 stars. A really good start to a new series. A likeable cast of characters. Story is set in a small town in NY state. A local orchard owner is murdered with a t-shirt from the local bakery co-owned by friends Molly and Olivia. Molly had been in an argument with the dead woman not long before the murder. The argument was observed by the new local detective. Molly becomes a person of interest and starts trying to clear herself.
November 19, 2015
Review by Booth Talks Books
I was shaking my head during this entire book. Oh Molly, you are such a trouble maker and I like it. From the beginning, Molly Tyler of the small town of Destiny New York was determined to do her own thing in her nervous, hyperactive way.
Bun For your Life by Karoline Barrett was a fast-paced romp through the life of baker and co-owner of "Bread and Batter", Molly Tyler as she tries to solve the murder of the town's wealthy apple orchard heiress. With her own involvement in the murder being questioned by the new detective in down, Sean Corsino, Molly sets out on her own quest to find the killer while putting her and the people around her in danger.
This book was not only entertaining and fun to read, but the characters were well-rounded and the humour thrown in was fantastic. Molly is witty even if she doesn't mean to be and that is what makes this main character so fantastic. With that being said, her reactions are often times over the top and campy. As they say, they broke the mold when they made that gal.
I would recommend "Bun For Your Life" to anyone who likes trying to solve a murder, but also doesn't want something heavy and gruesome. There are plenty of chuckles and quite the twist at the end of the book that no one sees coming. I was happily surprised by the book's ending and how the "bad guy" was found out. Genius! I look forward to visiting Destiny in the next book and seeing Molly and the gang again. There is no telling what that lady will get in to next time.
I was shaking my head during this entire book. Oh Molly, you are such a trouble maker and I like it. From the beginning, Molly Tyler of the small town of Destiny New York was determined to do her own thing in her nervous, hyperactive way.
Bun For your Life by Karoline Barrett was a fast-paced romp through the life of baker and co-owner of "Bread and Batter", Molly Tyler as she tries to solve the murder of the town's wealthy apple orchard heiress. With her own involvement in the murder being questioned by the new detective in down, Sean Corsino, Molly sets out on her own quest to find the killer while putting her and the people around her in danger.
This book was not only entertaining and fun to read, but the characters were well-rounded and the humour thrown in was fantastic. Molly is witty even if she doesn't mean to be and that is what makes this main character so fantastic. With that being said, her reactions are often times over the top and campy. As they say, they broke the mold when they made that gal.
I would recommend "Bun For Your Life" to anyone who likes trying to solve a murder, but also doesn't want something heavy and gruesome. There are plenty of chuckles and quite the twist at the end of the book that no one sees coming. I was happily surprised by the book's ending and how the "bad guy" was found out. Genius! I look forward to visiting Destiny in the next book and seeing Molly and the gang again. There is no telling what that lady will get in to next time.
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This series is off to a spectacular start!
Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams own and operate the Bread and Batter Bakery. It is time for Destiny, New York’s, Apple Harvest Fair and the girls are excited to have a prime spot for their booth. They had no idea the spot had always belonged to Calista Danforth. Calista was in quite a tizzy when she learned she would not be premiering her new Calista Sugar Pink apple in her usual space. She and Molly have quite an argument that happens to be witnessed by the wrong person. It isn’t until after Calista’s body is found strangled by a Bread and Batter t-shirt that Molly learns he is Detective Sean Corsino and he has just been hired by the Destiny Police Department, She also learns she is his prime suspect.
The characters are fleshed out and real. Molly and her ex are still friends, in fact they have moments when they still love each other except not at the same time, and he already has a new girlfriend. Molly is still close with his family. Olivia holds things together at the Bakery while Molly blazes a trail to find the killer. Detective Sean Corsino knows she’s investigating and tries to keep her out of trouble but when he needs to leave town for a few days things go to hell in a hand basket and a very unsuspected person saves the day. Sean also has an adorable basset hound named Beau.
This story was action from start to finish. I easily read it all in one sitting. There were many suspects, not just Molly, which the good detective soon realized. The final twist was so great. Love, Love, Loved it! A perfect recipe for a cozy mystery – picturesque small town, entertaining characters, and doughnuts!
Bun for Your Life was truly a fun read. A “dramedy” with just a little romantic tension. I can’t wait for book #2.
This series is off to a spectacular start!
Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams own and operate the Bread and Batter Bakery. It is time for Destiny, New York’s, Apple Harvest Fair and the girls are excited to have a prime spot for their booth. They had no idea the spot had always belonged to Calista Danforth. Calista was in quite a tizzy when she learned she would not be premiering her new Calista Sugar Pink apple in her usual space. She and Molly have quite an argument that happens to be witnessed by the wrong person. It isn’t until after Calista’s body is found strangled by a Bread and Batter t-shirt that Molly learns he is Detective Sean Corsino and he has just been hired by the Destiny Police Department, She also learns she is his prime suspect.
The characters are fleshed out and real. Molly and her ex are still friends, in fact they have moments when they still love each other except not at the same time, and he already has a new girlfriend. Molly is still close with his family. Olivia holds things together at the Bakery while Molly blazes a trail to find the killer. Detective Sean Corsino knows she’s investigating and tries to keep her out of trouble but when he needs to leave town for a few days things go to hell in a hand basket and a very unsuspected person saves the day. Sean also has an adorable basset hound named Beau.
This story was action from start to finish. I easily read it all in one sitting. There were many suspects, not just Molly, which the good detective soon realized. The final twist was so great. Love, Love, Loved it! A perfect recipe for a cozy mystery – picturesque small town, entertaining characters, and doughnuts!
Bun for Your Life was truly a fun read. A “dramedy” with just a little romantic tension. I can’t wait for book #2.
November 20, 2015
A new cozy series that is sorta set in a bakery (the protagonist owns one but not a ton of time is spent in the shop) and they make donuts, yum, among other things! All is well in town until Calista is found dead, after releasing a new variety of apple. She is found dead with a donut from said bakery and one of their t-shirts wrapped around her neck. Enter the new detective in town, he of course questions Molly since the items came from her shop, but I don't think he really thinks she did it. Of course Molly decides to take matters into her own hands and find the killer for the detective.
Overall this was a good book. I did find Molly irritating at times when she was so insistent on sticking her nose into it despite texting with the Detective (while he was out of town) and demanding to know who the suspects were.
I really liked Jane, who is Molly's ex grandmother in law. She is suffering from dementia but is on meds that give her some better days. She is the one that gives Molly some clues to dig up and pinpoint who the killer might be.
While they try to point the finger at a few of the ex-boyfriends of Calista, my sights were on someone else but for no reason other than this character seemed strange, or at least some of their actions.
I did find one spot where there was some inconsistency - but i was reading an ARC so hopefully it was caught in editing!
I'm not sure I liked all the texting back and forth - yes it was how Molly and Sean needed to communicate while he was out of town, but seemed like too much to me. Oh and Molly would turn her phone off after texting him? There are jokes about how she has a cell phone but doesn't use it like most people - which is good and bad!
I would give this 3 1/2 - 4 stars.
Overall this was a good book. I did find Molly irritating at times when she was so insistent on sticking her nose into it despite texting with the Detective (while he was out of town) and demanding to know who the suspects were.
I really liked Jane, who is Molly's ex grandmother in law. She is suffering from dementia but is on meds that give her some better days. She is the one that gives Molly some clues to dig up and pinpoint who the killer might be.
While they try to point the finger at a few of the ex-boyfriends of Calista, my sights were on someone else but for no reason other than this character seemed strange, or at least some of their actions.
I did find one spot where there was some inconsistency - but i was reading an ARC so hopefully it was caught in editing!
I'm not sure I liked all the texting back and forth - yes it was how Molly and Sean needed to communicate while he was out of town, but seemed like too much to me. Oh and Molly would turn her phone off after texting him? There are jokes about how she has a cell phone but doesn't use it like most people - which is good and bad!
I would give this 3 1/2 - 4 stars.
June 13, 2016
I really wanted to like this more. But there were too many issues for me to ignore.
And by issues, I mean Molly.
* She suffers from diarrhea of the mouth - seriously she mentions she still has feelings for her ex to the cop asking her about a murder.
* If she can't even figure out why she is investigating (she spends several paragraphs going over possible reasons) how am I supposed understand?
* She is genuinely upset and doesn't understand why the cop doesn't want her help on the murder. As he says, he doesn't show up at her bakery wanting to bake so why is she trying to do his job?
* She brings the dog she is dog-sitting into work (she owns a bakery) - since when does the health department allow that?
* And she is totally TSTL. .
* And then we have insta-love
I did really like Dottie and Ed and Jane - so the senior citizens were all cool. The rest of the characters didn't really get much of a personality.
And by issues, I mean Molly.
* She suffers from diarrhea of the mouth - seriously she mentions she still has feelings for her ex to the cop asking her about a murder.
* If she can't even figure out why she is investigating (she spends several paragraphs going over possible reasons) how am I supposed understand?
* She is genuinely upset and doesn't understand why the cop doesn't want her help on the murder. As he says, he doesn't show up at her bakery wanting to bake so why is she trying to do his job?
* She brings the dog she is dog-sitting into work (she owns a bakery) - since when does the health department allow that?
* And she is totally TSTL. .
* And then we have insta-love
I did really like Dottie and Ed and Jane - so the senior citizens were all cool. The rest of the characters didn't really get much of a personality.
December 4, 2015
I always love getting in on the ground floor of a new cozy series. This is the first book in the Bread and Batter Mystery Series.
The main character, Molly Tyler, is wonderfully written. She’s strong, a good friend, and perhaps a bit too nosey for her own good, but aren’t all amateur sleuths? LOL In this instance, I can understand her nosiness since she somehow became the number one suspect in the murder of a local heiress. Not to mention that it’s negatively effecting her bakery business. I can totally understand her need to find the real killer before she’s arrested and her business sinks.
The supporting characters are well written, as well. They are a motley cast and each one is portrayed to perfection. It’s unusual to find so many lively characters in the first book of a series. Often the characters are stiff until you get to know them. Not the case this time. They are well rounded right from the start.
The story is filled with humor, mystery and more than a little romance – but not too much. It’s sweet and light – a great relaxing way to spend a winter’s afternoon. I'm looking forward to the next entry into this series.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
The main character, Molly Tyler, is wonderfully written. She’s strong, a good friend, and perhaps a bit too nosey for her own good, but aren’t all amateur sleuths? LOL In this instance, I can understand her nosiness since she somehow became the number one suspect in the murder of a local heiress. Not to mention that it’s negatively effecting her bakery business. I can totally understand her need to find the real killer before she’s arrested and her business sinks.
The supporting characters are well written, as well. They are a motley cast and each one is portrayed to perfection. It’s unusual to find so many lively characters in the first book of a series. Often the characters are stiff until you get to know them. Not the case this time. They are well rounded right from the start.
The story is filled with humor, mystery and more than a little romance – but not too much. It’s sweet and light – a great relaxing way to spend a winter’s afternoon. I'm looking forward to the next entry into this series.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 18, 2015
In the pleasant setting of Destiny, NY; amidst farms, apple orchards, vineyards, and a small Amish community, tourists flock in, and business is great at the Bread and Batter Bakery owned by best friends, Molly Addair, and Olivia Williams. A favorite hangout for visitors is the local bookstore, too. In this cozy, Molly meets a handsome detective, Sean Corsino, when a local apple orchard owner is murdered with a Bread and Batter T-shirt. Two of the local apple orchard families have a long-time feud going about the rightful ownership of a new Apple breed. When Molly's natural curiosity and sleuthing put her in danger, can she decipher past history and pair it with present before time runs out for her? An intricate and interesting plot held my interest from the beginning. Snappy dialogue, laugh-out-loud humor, a lovable basset hound, and great characters make this story a tasty debut!
January 7, 2016
A tasty treat! The Bread & Batter mysteries have a permanent place on my must read list!
Author Karoline Barrett has penned a fantastic story! BUN FOR YOUR LIFE has all the elements that make up a great mystery.
A wonderful cast of characters that include Molly and Olivia, best friends and business partners in the Bread and Batter Bakery, Molly’s ex-husband, a new guy in town, Sean, and more, have me wanting to move to Destiny and work at the Bread and Batter.
Extremely well written, the descriptions became solid scenes in my mind making me feel a part of the story. With twists getting twistier, and the intrigue as hot as cupcake in an oven, I was breathless by the time of the reveal.
If you’re looking for a great mystery, and/or want to start a new series, BUN FOR YOUR LIFE is a must have!
April 2016 can’t get here fast enough with Book two in the series, RAISIN THE DEAD!
Author Karoline Barrett has penned a fantastic story! BUN FOR YOUR LIFE has all the elements that make up a great mystery.
A wonderful cast of characters that include Molly and Olivia, best friends and business partners in the Bread and Batter Bakery, Molly’s ex-husband, a new guy in town, Sean, and more, have me wanting to move to Destiny and work at the Bread and Batter.
Extremely well written, the descriptions became solid scenes in my mind making me feel a part of the story. With twists getting twistier, and the intrigue as hot as cupcake in an oven, I was breathless by the time of the reveal.
If you’re looking for a great mystery, and/or want to start a new series, BUN FOR YOUR LIFE is a must have!
April 2016 can’t get here fast enough with Book two in the series, RAISIN THE DEAD!
April 21, 2020
This is the first book in the Bread and Batter series and I really liked the book and already bought
#2. I would have given it a 5 star but I thought the romance went too fast. One minute they are
yelling at each other and can't stand each other and next they are sitting on the steps holding hands. But that is just me. On to the mystery. Great mystery, very well written, fun characters. Molly and Olivia own the Bread and Batter bakery and things are looking good until Calista barges in to their bakery demanding they give her their booth space at the upcoming Apple Festival Fair. After arguing with her that the fair committee gave them the spot, Calista grabs one of their store T-shirts and leaves still yelling at them. Molly follows her out the door yelling at her and calling her a thief. When Calista is found dead later with one of their store t-shirts wrapped around her neck, Molly is the main suspect since there were several witnesses to her fight with Calista. Even though she did not like Calista, Molly wants to find out who killed her and why especially since it wasn't her and she felt like the police department was not doing their job. After talking with several people about Calista, Molly starts receiving threatening notes left on her car and at the bakery. Great read and the ending is awesome.
#2. I would have given it a 5 star but I thought the romance went too fast. One minute they are
yelling at each other and can't stand each other and next they are sitting on the steps holding hands. But that is just me. On to the mystery. Great mystery, very well written, fun characters. Molly and Olivia own the Bread and Batter bakery and things are looking good until Calista barges in to their bakery demanding they give her their booth space at the upcoming Apple Festival Fair. After arguing with her that the fair committee gave them the spot, Calista grabs one of their store T-shirts and leaves still yelling at them. Molly follows her out the door yelling at her and calling her a thief. When Calista is found dead later with one of their store t-shirts wrapped around her neck, Molly is the main suspect since there were several witnesses to her fight with Calista. Even though she did not like Calista, Molly wants to find out who killed her and why especially since it wasn't her and she felt like the police department was not doing their job. After talking with several people about Calista, Molly starts receiving threatening notes left on her car and at the bakery. Great read and the ending is awesome.
October 20, 2017
This is the first book in A Bread and Batter Mystery. Molly Tyler and Olivia Williams are the owners of the Bread and Batter Bakery, located in Destiny, New York. The author takes us to an Apple Harvest Fair, author signing and readings and introduces us to the new detective in town just before a murder is committed. When the police department doesn't seem to be solving the murder quickly enough for her tastes, Molly decides to step up to bat. This is a very good book and I am so glad I read it!
August 5, 2020
Bun for Your Life by Karoline Barrett is just what I needed. It’s light reading with a little humor and great characters.
Molly Tyler has her hands full between her business, ex-husband and the death of Calista Danforth, Unfortunately, there are clues (like a t-shirt with the Bread and Batter logo on it) that point to Molly as a suspect.
Is there a budding romance in the story, too?
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys mystery, entertainment and a little romance.
Molly Tyler has her hands full between her business, ex-husband and the death of Calista Danforth, Unfortunately, there are clues (like a t-shirt with the Bread and Batter logo on it) that point to Molly as a suspect.
Is there a budding romance in the story, too?
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys mystery, entertainment and a little romance.
March 27, 2017
Loved it! For anyone who has not had the opportunity to read Bun for Your Life, it is a must. A wonderful book! Ten stars ⭐️
November 30, 2015
This carb-loving reader simply could not refuse an opportunity to read a new cozy mystery set in a small town bakery! Bun for Your Life introduces a feisty and engaging new heroine in Molly; she's a breath of fresh air, truly.
Molly and her business partner, Olivia, find themselves unhappily involved in a murder investigation when a wealthy orchard heiress is found murdered. There's a bag from the Bread and Batter Bakery at the scene, as well as one of the bakery's t-shirts, leading the new-in-town detective to question the bakers. Despite the fear of being a person of interest, Molly can't help but notice the handsome newcomer in town. When her friends Olivia and Emily bid on a date with Sean, the detective, for Molly at a bachelor auction to benefit the library where her mother works, Molly finds ample opportunity to plead her case - and maybe even fall in love.
A fan of Nancy Drew, Molly looks to help Sean investigate who really killed Calista, picking up the reins of the investigation when Sean is sent out of town for a time. But her nosing around leads to Molly herself becoming a target. First threatening notes, then a tracking device on her car, and, finally, an attack on her landlady, a sweet motherly woman. With the help of her former grandmother-in-law, Molly may just unmask a killer . . . but she might just become the next victim, as well.
Bun for Your Life is a delicious debut from Karoline Barrett. And, honestly, who can refuse the allure of baked goods, orchards, small town life, and basset hounds? This quick-reading cozy mystery was a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All of the opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
Molly and her business partner, Olivia, find themselves unhappily involved in a murder investigation when a wealthy orchard heiress is found murdered. There's a bag from the Bread and Batter Bakery at the scene, as well as one of the bakery's t-shirts, leading the new-in-town detective to question the bakers. Despite the fear of being a person of interest, Molly can't help but notice the handsome newcomer in town. When her friends Olivia and Emily bid on a date with Sean, the detective, for Molly at a bachelor auction to benefit the library where her mother works, Molly finds ample opportunity to plead her case - and maybe even fall in love.
A fan of Nancy Drew, Molly looks to help Sean investigate who really killed Calista, picking up the reins of the investigation when Sean is sent out of town for a time. But her nosing around leads to Molly herself becoming a target. First threatening notes, then a tracking device on her car, and, finally, an attack on her landlady, a sweet motherly woman. With the help of her former grandmother-in-law, Molly may just unmask a killer . . . but she might just become the next victim, as well.
Bun for Your Life is a delicious debut from Karoline Barrett. And, honestly, who can refuse the allure of baked goods, orchards, small town life, and basset hounds? This quick-reading cozy mystery was a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All of the opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
December 2, 2015
Bun for Your Life by Karoline Barrett
The First Bread and Batter Mystery
Molly Tyler and her best friend, Olivia Williams, own the Bread and Batter Bakery in central New York. Molly gets into an argument with local orchard owner Calista Danforth over booth location for the local apple festival; a nasty argument witnessed by a good looking newcomer to town. When Calista is later found murdered, strangled with a Bread and Batter t-shirt, the good looking newcomer comes back. Turns out he's the town's new homicide detective! Molly is determined to "help" the detective. Whether she's getting involved to save herself from a murder charge or distract herself from her ex-husband's actions, remains to be seen.
Bun for Your Life is a lighthearted mystery set in a wonderful locale. Molly starts the series with more thoughts to the past than the future. Through the book she grows and realizes the past is just that, nice, but the past and there's much more to Molly's life. The search to clear her name of the murder charge leads Molly to much more, including relationships, new and old, history, and above all, new beginnings.
Filled with humor, Barrett creates a pleasurable first entry in a promising new series.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The First Bread and Batter Mystery
Molly Tyler and her best friend, Olivia Williams, own the Bread and Batter Bakery in central New York. Molly gets into an argument with local orchard owner Calista Danforth over booth location for the local apple festival; a nasty argument witnessed by a good looking newcomer to town. When Calista is later found murdered, strangled with a Bread and Batter t-shirt, the good looking newcomer comes back. Turns out he's the town's new homicide detective! Molly is determined to "help" the detective. Whether she's getting involved to save herself from a murder charge or distract herself from her ex-husband's actions, remains to be seen.
Bun for Your Life is a lighthearted mystery set in a wonderful locale. Molly starts the series with more thoughts to the past than the future. Through the book she grows and realizes the past is just that, nice, but the past and there's much more to Molly's life. The search to clear her name of the murder charge leads Molly to much more, including relationships, new and old, history, and above all, new beginnings.
Filled with humor, Barrett creates a pleasurable first entry in a promising new series.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
June 19, 2016
I had this cozy on my Kindle. Definitely an impulse buy as I hadn’t heard anything about it. It is the first in a new series. The protagaonist is Molly, she owns a bakery with her best friend. She is divorced but still friendly with her ex. She has a disagreement with another business owner who then ends up dead. From there on out Molly finds herself in the the thick of the investigation. There are hints of historical crime and bad blood between families. Molly’s investigation really steps into high gear when the local police force is left as a skeleton crew due to an out of town training. Will Molly’s Nancy Drew tendencies put her in the killer’s sights?
This was a fun, fast paced cozy with a light hint of romantic subplot. Even though the theme was bakery related, it was not overdone. I suspect the author realizes that there are many bakery themed cozies and so baking needed to be just a backdrop, not a major piece of the storyline and it worked really well. I enjoyed it and would get another in the series.
This was a fun, fast paced cozy with a light hint of romantic subplot. Even though the theme was bakery related, it was not overdone. I suspect the author realizes that there are many bakery themed cozies and so baking needed to be just a backdrop, not a major piece of the storyline and it worked really well. I enjoyed it and would get another in the series.
December 2, 2015
This is the debut novel in a new cozy mystery series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Molly and her friend Olivia are fun characters. They own a bakery, but we don't really see them spending much time there in this book. Most of the time, they are out and about, trying to solve a murder mystery.
I love Molly's humor--especially when she is witty without actually trying to be so. She can be a little over the top, but not to a point where it is annoying.
The book is fast-paced, and there's never a dull moment. There is a twist at the end of the book that you will never see coming. The reveal of the murderer was great!
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, this is a fabulous series to begin. I can hardly wait for Raisin The Dead next year, to see what the girls get into next.
I love Molly's humor--especially when she is witty without actually trying to be so. She can be a little over the top, but not to a point where it is annoying.
The book is fast-paced, and there's never a dull moment. There is a twist at the end of the book that you will never see coming. The reveal of the murderer was great!
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, this is a fabulous series to begin. I can hardly wait for Raisin The Dead next year, to see what the girls get into next.
January 28, 2016
New to me
A .new book series I found on Amazon that sounded interesting and since it was first in the series I thought I would give it a try. The story line was good and held my interest . The murder of a wealthy woman whose family has run the town for decades, a new cop in town,and a bakery owner who can't get over her ex husband. The only problem was I didn't get to meet the main characters and get to know them. For me more time was spent on the secondary characters. Hope I get to meet Molly and the others in the next book.
A .new book series I found on Amazon that sounded interesting and since it was first in the series I thought I would give it a try. The story line was good and held my interest . The murder of a wealthy woman whose family has run the town for decades, a new cop in town,and a bakery owner who can't get over her ex husband. The only problem was I didn't get to meet the main characters and get to know them. For me more time was spent on the secondary characters. Hope I get to meet Molly and the others in the next book.
December 8, 2015
I Liked It!!
Bun for Your Life is a wonderful light cozy mystery that delights at every turn. Molly, the main character, is quite quirky. She does tend to ramble on & on with whatever is going through her mind at the moment. While some may find that off putting, I found it endearing. This book was just plain fun to read! Looking forward to book #2.
Bun for Your Life is a wonderful light cozy mystery that delights at every turn. Molly, the main character, is quite quirky. She does tend to ramble on & on with whatever is going through her mind at the moment. While some may find that off putting, I found it endearing. This book was just plain fun to read! Looking forward to book #2.
April 27, 2016
I loved this! Being a lover of basset hounds, that's what caught my eye on the cover. Lots of smiles at the end!!! Can't wait to read the next book.
December 6, 2015
I truly enjoyed this book and I am so excited that there's a second book coming! The storyline is great, the end is very satisfying, and the book is a fun and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
February 24, 2016
Great new series.
The story drew me in from the very beginning. Kept me on edge at times. And now has me wanting me to read more.
The story drew me in from the very beginning. Kept me on edge at times. And now has me wanting me to read more.
December 4, 2015
Great start to a new series.
June 20, 2019
Not what I expected- in a bad way. I admit, I made a classic cozy mistake by being drawn in by the cover animal. I love basset hounds and had some as family pets. I also love cozy mysteries. However, this book has reminded me to be more cautious with my book choices in the future.
This reads like an inexperienced author who either didn't do enough research or didn't have a good editing team ready to fact-check. Anyone else whose done their fair share of food service would also pause in disbelief at a bakery owner willing to bring an animal into their kitchen not long after being threatened with a call to the health inspectors. Also, though I liked Molly and Jane's relationship, most of the depiction of dementia was pretty inaccurate. Even with good medication, Jane's binary way of flipping from perfect memory to poor is just not realistic. As this element became a major feature of the novel, I grew pretty irritated by the author's ignorance in favor of their preferred plot line.
Also, I think it's fair to say the author doesn't quite know how to create good distance for themselves from their writing. By this, I mean, Barrett seems to view the drama/romance factor as more interesting than the actual mystery- even when scenes like Brian talking to Molly about his jealousy just takes away from the momentum in the story. The development of the characters seem a little too off. Molly claims to like country music, and Sean just so happens to be the image of a country boy (pickup truck and basset hound included) even though he's a guy from NYC who like's rock music? It makes my think Sean was either developed to be like Molly's dream guy or the author's at least.
Finally, I just didn't like Molly as a protagonist. She seemed REALLY stupid. She kept accusing the same guy for the murder even though there was nothing to tie him to the crime. There also didn't seem to be a reason for her to investigate except for being nosy. Sean was way more capable than she was. Usually, in the case of a good police investigator, the author will have the protagonist offer something else to help them like private information they personally know or help to soften up the locals if it's an outside detective, but Molly just keeps making mistakes and causing actual trouble. As much as she would like to be, she's definitely not Nancy Drew.
This reads like an inexperienced author who either didn't do enough research or didn't have a good editing team ready to fact-check. Anyone else whose done their fair share of food service would also pause in disbelief at a bakery owner willing to bring an animal into their kitchen not long after being threatened with a call to the health inspectors. Also, though I liked Molly and Jane's relationship, most of the depiction of dementia was pretty inaccurate. Even with good medication, Jane's binary way of flipping from perfect memory to poor is just not realistic. As this element became a major feature of the novel, I grew pretty irritated by the author's ignorance in favor of their preferred plot line.
Also, I think it's fair to say the author doesn't quite know how to create good distance for themselves from their writing. By this, I mean, Barrett seems to view the drama/romance factor as more interesting than the actual mystery- even when scenes like Brian talking to Molly about his jealousy just takes away from the momentum in the story. The development of the characters seem a little too off. Molly claims to like country music, and Sean just so happens to be the image of a country boy (pickup truck and basset hound included) even though he's a guy from NYC who like's rock music? It makes my think Sean was either developed to be like Molly's dream guy or the author's at least.
Finally, I just didn't like Molly as a protagonist. She seemed REALLY stupid. She kept accusing the same guy for the murder even though there was nothing to tie him to the crime. There also didn't seem to be a reason for her to investigate except for being nosy. Sean was way more capable than she was. Usually, in the case of a good police investigator, the author will have the protagonist offer something else to help them like private information they personally know or help to soften up the locals if it's an outside detective, but Molly just keeps making mistakes and causing actual trouble. As much as she would like to be, she's definitely not Nancy Drew.
May 10, 2019
This was my first encounter with the American "Cozy Mystery" genre. I found it an easy read - although I had to Google one or two terms (CPA, for example) but that didn't detract from my understanding of the book as a whole. The book is written in the first person, which I don't usually like, but I could see the advantages of using this approach in that the author is able to add an extra layer of uncertainty for the reader who cannot be sure that the narrator is portraying a true picture and not merely her perception of what is going on.
What I liked best about this book is that the mystery is solved through an elderly woman with dementia remembering events from the distant past (while being unable to recall what went on only a few hours or minutes before). It demonstrates that sometimes our disabilities may sometimes be our most important abilities.
What I liked best about this book is that the mystery is solved through an elderly woman with dementia remembering events from the distant past (while being unable to recall what went on only a few hours or minutes before). It demonstrates that sometimes our disabilities may sometimes be our most important abilities.
July 10, 2019
What a great mystery with a murder, a romance, and great plot
This was one of my most enjoyable books to read. By no means am I a prude. I can cuss with the best of them, but it was so refreshing to have no cussing in this book. The characters were smart, kind with a few bad eggs thrown into the picture, but it wasn’t dirty, horrifying violence that I usually see in certain authors books. It was a refreshing read, with touches of humor thrown in but smart type of humor, not puns or that kind. I loved the description of the setting for the town, characters backgrounds. I highly recommend this most enjoyable book, mine was on Kindle,
This was one of my most enjoyable books to read. By no means am I a prude. I can cuss with the best of them, but it was so refreshing to have no cussing in this book. The characters were smart, kind with a few bad eggs thrown into the picture, but it wasn’t dirty, horrifying violence that I usually see in certain authors books. It was a refreshing read, with touches of humor thrown in but smart type of humor, not puns or that kind. I loved the description of the setting for the town, characters backgrounds. I highly recommend this most enjoyable book, mine was on Kindle,
May 22, 2017
Bakery sleuthing
Best friends own and run a bakery. A murder of a woman who owns apple orchards, the development of a brand new apple, with someone saying she stole the new apple variety from them, a young girl getting pregnant by a much older man, married, that same young girls fathers newest as yet unpublished book, being stollen by the same older man, and more twists and turns than a corkscrew road. A delightful read, can't wait to start the next one, tomorrow. The
Best friends own and run a bakery. A murder of a woman who owns apple orchards, the development of a brand new apple, with someone saying she stole the new apple variety from them, a young girl getting pregnant by a much older man, married, that same young girls fathers newest as yet unpublished book, being stollen by the same older man, and more twists and turns than a corkscrew road. A delightful read, can't wait to start the next one, tomorrow. The
June 17, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written with some humor and a very good mystery that I wasn't able to figure out till the end. A lot of the cozy mysteries are rather cheesy, but this one is NOT. I highly recommend this clean mystery to everyone. A thoroughly good read that I wanted to continue to read rather than doing housework!! I can't wait to start the next one, Raisin the Dead.
August 1, 2017
Loved every minute
This is the first book I have read by Karoline. I have heard such good things about book 3 that will be released soon I had to get books 1&2 so I could get them read before it comes out. She really kept me guessing as to who the killer was. I am looking forward to book 2.
This is the first book I have read by Karoline. I have heard such good things about book 3 that will be released soon I had to get books 1&2 so I could get them read before it comes out. She really kept me guessing as to who the killer was. I am looking forward to book 2.
December 22, 2018
This is a fantastic start to a new series. I love the characters and the small town charm. I love all the side stories as well of course the murder of a famous writer. Molly as a lead is very likeable. She is not perfect but she is caring, fun loving and loves a good mystery. All in all a great start to a new series I can't wait to snuggle up with the next book and go back to visit.
July 27, 2020
Last night, I finished reading "Bun for your Life," the first Bread and Batter mystery, by Karoline Barrett. And I absolutely loved it! The characters, the plot, the setting - all of it. Which is why my next stop on Amazon is to order the second book in the series, which I'll start to read tonight.
I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend this book!
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