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Holly Hart #1
Footprints in the Frosting
Introducing the Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series!!
Cheesecake, Love, and Murder!
It’s the Grand Opening for Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake. When footprints in the frosting lead to a body facedown in one of her cheesecakes, Holly becomes a prime suspect.
With her opening day delayed, Holly deals with a nosy no-good reporter and the local cop, the handsome Officer Trinket, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name. With the help of her dog, Muffins, she needs to find the real murderer, before the killer looks to frost someone else.
Cheesecake, Love, and Murder!
It’s the Grand Opening for Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake. When footprints in the frosting lead to a body facedown in one of her cheesecakes, Holly becomes a prime suspect.
With her opening day delayed, Holly deals with a nosy no-good reporter and the local cop, the handsome Officer Trinket, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name. With the help of her dog, Muffins, she needs to find the real murderer, before the killer looks to frost someone else.
200 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2015
1063 people are currently reading
1185 people want to read
About the author
Laura Pauling
49 books279 followersLaura writes about spies, murder, and mystery. She’s the author of the exciting Circle of Spies Series, the Prom Impossible Series, and the Heist time travel mystery series. She’s a former elementary teacher and currently lives in New England. After spending time reading books to her kids and loving a good plot turn, she put her fingers to the keyboard. Don’t ask her about the unfinished quilts and scrapbooks. Stories are way more exciting.
She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and to be able to work in her jammies and slippers.
The Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series releases starting in May 2015!
She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and to be able to work in her jammies and slippers.
The Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series releases starting in May 2015!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
December 31, 2019
Needs work
Another slapped-together cozy that looks as if the author spun out a first draft and immediately declared it ready for public consumption, instead of putting in the necessary work and time. The sentences are trite and have little imagination. How many times in the first 2 pages can Holly think, "That dog!" about her escape artist dog, Muffins? (No, that's not a typo. Muffins, plural, not Muffin.) At least there is some semblance of characterization. I found myself liking the town cat lady, Charlene. However, the situations involving Holly and her brand-New arch-nemesis Millicent are completely unbelievable. A food fight at Charlene's house? Come on! What age is the target audience - 12?
The yellow journalism practiced by Millicent when she hurls allegations about Holly in print, with no proof, is an invitation for a lawsuit. Millicent needs more of a hook to her father, the baker who is the direct competitor to Holly's cheesecakes, in order to make Holly a suspect. I would have liked to see more interaction between Millicent and her father. Maybe they have some opposing views that would give just the teeniest bit of doubt that Millicent believed in her dad's innocence.
The pros don't outweigh the cons in my opinion, so I will not read this series any further.
Another slapped-together cozy that looks as if the author spun out a first draft and immediately declared it ready for public consumption, instead of putting in the necessary work and time. The sentences are trite and have little imagination. How many times in the first 2 pages can Holly think, "That dog!" about her escape artist dog, Muffins? (No, that's not a typo. Muffins, plural, not Muffin.) At least there is some semblance of characterization. I found myself liking the town cat lady, Charlene. However, the situations involving Holly and her brand-New arch-nemesis Millicent are completely unbelievable. A food fight at Charlene's house? Come on! What age is the target audience - 12?
The yellow journalism practiced by Millicent when she hurls allegations about Holly in print, with no proof, is an invitation for a lawsuit. Millicent needs more of a hook to her father, the baker who is the direct competitor to Holly's cheesecakes, in order to make Holly a suspect. I would have liked to see more interaction between Millicent and her father. Maybe they have some opposing views that would give just the teeniest bit of doubt that Millicent believed in her dad's innocence.
The pros don't outweigh the cons in my opinion, so I will not read this series any further.
April 19, 2018
This book is the first in the Holly Hart cozy mystery series. It stars Holly Hart, who has just moved to a new town and is planning to open her own cheesecake business. A day before the opening, her dog runs away, and she ends up finding him in her new shop, right next to a dead body that is lying face down in one of her cheesecakes! A local businesswoman and competitor tries to pin the murder on Holly, so she does some investigating of her own to try to find the killer. Along the way she becomes acquainted with some local ladies in a mystery book club, a well-off member of the town's most prominent family, and a cute cop who Holly suspects may be corrupt. This was a fun read and I'll definitely be reading more in this series!
March 15, 2021
Not all friends are friends
A cute fast paced mystery with several false starts and wondering who is friend and who is foe.
The characters are fun and the case confusing.
A cute fast paced mystery with several false starts and wondering who is friend and who is foe.
The characters are fun and the case confusing.
July 7, 2015
I love the vibrant and fun cover of Laura Pauling’s Footprint in the Frosting, so I will follow the Footprints…to the conclusion.
Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake opens with a dead body in her dessert. With the help of her faithful companion, Muffins, she decides they must investigate the murder themselves. Right off the bat, I am smiling.
Her scruffy dog, Muffins, has a habit of leading her to the rich, hunky Mason Carlton. First he catches her in her pajamas and they share a cup of coffee, then he catches her lurking around his mansion. Muffin has good instincts about people, but why does he keep leading her to Mason? I think it’s too obvious for him to be the killer.
There is a lawyer who could be Santa Claus.
Charlene is the small town’s crazy cat lady. At first I don’t know whether to hate her or love her, but she kinda grew on me. She is quite the character. Will she become a friend or foe? I think we both know. Did she hide her smarts under a crazy layer? I couldn’t help but chuckle when Charlene talks about old people diapers. I will leave it to you to discover for yourself. It is worth your time.
The writing caused me to burst out in laughter now and then. Even the cop has a great sense of humor. The dialogue was sharp, snarky and witty, especially Holly’s part.
I left my Footprints, in my walk through Fairview’s cast of characters, as Holly investigates the murders. There are more than enough suspects, but none of them appear to be the real one…even Millicent. And how about a mystery book club? Holly will have a little more help now.
Food fight – a little cheesecake here, a little jello there.
Footprints in the Frosting is a fun and light summer beach read that will brighten your mood and keep you entertained. I hope the people around you don’t think you’re crazy when you break out in laughter.
I received Footprints in the Frosting by Laura Pauling in return for an honest review.
To see more, visit me at: http://www.fundinmental.com
Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake opens with a dead body in her dessert. With the help of her faithful companion, Muffins, she decides they must investigate the murder themselves. Right off the bat, I am smiling.
Her scruffy dog, Muffins, has a habit of leading her to the rich, hunky Mason Carlton. First he catches her in her pajamas and they share a cup of coffee, then he catches her lurking around his mansion. Muffin has good instincts about people, but why does he keep leading her to Mason? I think it’s too obvious for him to be the killer.
There is a lawyer who could be Santa Claus.
Charlene is the small town’s crazy cat lady. At first I don’t know whether to hate her or love her, but she kinda grew on me. She is quite the character. Will she become a friend or foe? I think we both know. Did she hide her smarts under a crazy layer? I couldn’t help but chuckle when Charlene talks about old people diapers. I will leave it to you to discover for yourself. It is worth your time.
The writing caused me to burst out in laughter now and then. Even the cop has a great sense of humor. The dialogue was sharp, snarky and witty, especially Holly’s part.
I left my Footprints, in my walk through Fairview’s cast of characters, as Holly investigates the murders. There are more than enough suspects, but none of them appear to be the real one…even Millicent. And how about a mystery book club? Holly will have a little more help now.
Food fight – a little cheesecake here, a little jello there.
Footprints in the Frosting is a fun and light summer beach read that will brighten your mood and keep you entertained. I hope the people around you don’t think you’re crazy when you break out in laughter.
I received Footprints in the Frosting by Laura Pauling in return for an honest review.
To see more, visit me at: http://www.fundinmental.com
September 24, 2022
Maybe it's confirmation bias, as I did read this for a challenge where I needed a book another team member rated 2 stars or below, but this was trash.
Holly Hart may be the most ditzy, overall stupid cozy mystery MC I've read, and that includes Bizzy Baker the insecure telepath and Chelsea Thomas the high school cringe self-insert. It was all, "Oh, my poor business that I didn't even bother to research the location of" and when it wasn't about that, it was about accusing all the wrong people and making wild unsubstantiated claims, but way beyond a generic cozy mystery suspects way. And then the romance... "OMG, Mason's so hot but I can't fall in love with him because I know what that's like, OMG I can call Trent by his first name now because he's Charlene's son and I locked him in my bathroom" yes she locked him in her freakin bathroom so he wouldn't intervene with her intervening in the case. And yet the cop is all over her... honestly they deserve each other.
The one slightly redeeming point was Charlene. You could tell from the start she'd be comic relief, and this book desperately needed that.
I won't be continuing with this series.
Holly Hart may be the most ditzy, overall stupid cozy mystery MC I've read, and that includes Bizzy Baker the insecure telepath and Chelsea Thomas the high school cringe self-insert. It was all, "Oh, my poor business that I didn't even bother to research the location of" and when it wasn't about that, it was about accusing all the wrong people and making wild unsubstantiated claims, but way beyond a generic cozy mystery suspects way. And then the romance... "OMG, Mason's so hot but I can't fall in love with him because I know what that's like, OMG I can call Trent by his first name now because he's Charlene's son and I locked him in my bathroom" yes she locked him in her freakin bathroom so he wouldn't intervene with her intervening in the case. And yet the cop is all over her... honestly they deserve each other.
The one slightly redeeming point was Charlene. You could tell from the start she'd be comic relief, and this book desperately needed that.
I won't be continuing with this series.
January 20, 2020
Kindle freebie at time of download
Holly Hart is eager to start her life fresh opening a cheesecake bakery in the tiny town of Fairview. Before she can hold her grand opening, her little dog Muffins leads her on a chase through town, a meeting with a handsome stranger and directly to a dead body in her bakery face down in her buttercream. Holly becomes the chief suspect in the murder in the eyes of the townspeople thanks to a malicious reporter. Holly fears the local bakery is determined to frame her in order to ice the competition. Holly is not about to let that happen. There's plenty of room for a cheesecake bakery and a regular bakery.
This mystery is exactly what I wanted to kill time while waiting for someone without a book. Thank goodness I had the tablet with cellular data and the Kindle app. A search for free cozy mysteries turned up this one I hadn't read before. If you are looking for realism, look elsewhere. This book is pure escapism. I enjoyed the fun, frothy plot and trying to guess whodunit. I only suspected right before Holly suspected that person. I wish there was more baking and some recipes included.
I like Holly. She's young, inexperienced at business but sincere. She has a good heart and wants to get along with her new neighbors, including the other bakery. It's unclear from this book why she automatically suspects Mason of being a slimeball because he appears wealthy. She has a negative attitude towards wealth and privilege and I gather that is because she comes from that world and found it stifling but her background is still a bit of a mystery. I love Muffins, the naughty little dog. How on earth does he keep escaping Holly's locked apartment and getting into mischief? His penchant for finding clues is rather implausible but charming.
The first person Holly meets in town is Mason Carlton, a handsome, well-dressed stranger. I don't like how Holly makes assumptions about him without even knowing him. I also don't like how he invites a stranger, searching for her dog in her pajamas for coffee. Doesn't she have more important things to do like find her missing dog?! That would be an automatic NO answer from me. Other than that, Mason seems OK. There's not much character depth but he seems to like Holly. The townspeople are certainly very quirky, especially Charlene, a rubber boot wearing, mystery-loving crazy cat lady. I don't really care for her myself. She talks too much and is quick to accuse Holly and talk AT her instead of to her. She delights in being eccentric so why be so rude? Her frequent comments about the policeman being hot are a little creepy too. Charlene's friends are all a bit unusual. Officer Trent Trinket seems nice enough. It's difficult for him to do his job with Holly nosing around and Charlene adding her two cents and Millicent Munroe causing trouble. Millicent is completely awful! I understand her motive but her methods are completely out of line and uncalled for. As a reporter, she shouldn't stoop to underhanded tricks. Plus her grammar is appalling. Did she actually go to journalism school? The Carltons' lawyer, Walter Huffy, looks like Santa Claus. He doesn't appear much in the story but Mason trusts him. He doesn't remember Holly's name so that's a black mark against him in her book but is he actually guilty of anything except being a lawyer to wealthy businesspeople?
The murder victim seems to have been an upstanding member of the community. Why was he killed then? What secrets did he have? There isn't much to go on and the motive seems very thin. Then Holly finds another dead body and there seems to be a connection but still not much of a motive. As a mystery novel, this story is a little weak but I like the cute, cozy factor a lot.
I signed up for the author's newsletter to read the prequel story and hopefully more about Holly.
Holly Hart is eager to start her life fresh opening a cheesecake bakery in the tiny town of Fairview. Before she can hold her grand opening, her little dog Muffins leads her on a chase through town, a meeting with a handsome stranger and directly to a dead body in her bakery face down in her buttercream. Holly becomes the chief suspect in the murder in the eyes of the townspeople thanks to a malicious reporter. Holly fears the local bakery is determined to frame her in order to ice the competition. Holly is not about to let that happen. There's plenty of room for a cheesecake bakery and a regular bakery.
This mystery is exactly what I wanted to kill time while waiting for someone without a book. Thank goodness I had the tablet with cellular data and the Kindle app. A search for free cozy mysteries turned up this one I hadn't read before. If you are looking for realism, look elsewhere. This book is pure escapism. I enjoyed the fun, frothy plot and trying to guess whodunit. I only suspected right before Holly suspected that person. I wish there was more baking and some recipes included.
I like Holly. She's young, inexperienced at business but sincere. She has a good heart and wants to get along with her new neighbors, including the other bakery. It's unclear from this book why she automatically suspects Mason of being a slimeball because he appears wealthy. She has a negative attitude towards wealth and privilege and I gather that is because she comes from that world and found it stifling but her background is still a bit of a mystery. I love Muffins, the naughty little dog. How on earth does he keep escaping Holly's locked apartment and getting into mischief? His penchant for finding clues is rather implausible but charming.
The first person Holly meets in town is Mason Carlton, a handsome, well-dressed stranger. I don't like how Holly makes assumptions about him without even knowing him. I also don't like how he invites a stranger, searching for her dog in her pajamas for coffee. Doesn't she have more important things to do like find her missing dog?! That would be an automatic NO answer from me. Other than that, Mason seems OK. There's not much character depth but he seems to like Holly. The townspeople are certainly very quirky, especially Charlene, a rubber boot wearing, mystery-loving crazy cat lady. I don't really care for her myself. She talks too much and is quick to accuse Holly and talk AT her instead of to her. She delights in being eccentric so why be so rude? Her frequent comments about the policeman being hot are a little creepy too. Charlene's friends are all a bit unusual. Officer Trent Trinket seems nice enough. It's difficult for him to do his job with Holly nosing around and Charlene adding her two cents and Millicent Munroe causing trouble. Millicent is completely awful! I understand her motive but her methods are completely out of line and uncalled for. As a reporter, she shouldn't stoop to underhanded tricks. Plus her grammar is appalling. Did she actually go to journalism school? The Carltons' lawyer, Walter Huffy, looks like Santa Claus. He doesn't appear much in the story but Mason trusts him. He doesn't remember Holly's name so that's a black mark against him in her book but is he actually guilty of anything except being a lawyer to wealthy businesspeople?
The murder victim seems to have been an upstanding member of the community. Why was he killed then? What secrets did he have? There isn't much to go on and the motive seems very thin. Then Holly finds another dead body and there seems to be a connection but still not much of a motive. As a mystery novel, this story is a little weak but I like the cute, cozy factor a lot.
I signed up for the author's newsletter to read the prequel story and hopefully more about Holly.
February 4, 2023
Love this new series! I'm having so much fun with these characters! The first one is available now!!!
December 20, 2017
Ok
Didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the other cozy mysteries.I found it kind of slow going.Going back to authors I know.
Didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the other cozy mysteries.I found it kind of slow going.Going back to authors I know.
October 8, 2018
DNF. Some of the worst character development I've ever seen. I made it 1/4 through the book and couldn't bear how unrealistic and shallow everyone was...even for a cozy mystery!
May 3, 2019
An over the top cozy mystery. Holly is hard to take in. Maybe she will improve as the series progresses but I couldn’t warm to her.
March 8, 2021
Opening day of not?
Holly is ready to open Just Cheesecake,but Muffins has other ideas. Murder, not one but two to solve before grand opening.
Holly is ready to open Just Cheesecake,but Muffins has other ideas. Murder, not one but two to solve before grand opening.
April 27, 2022
A quick read which lacked character development in it's rush to finish the case.
April 7, 2022
This was a quick read, which turned out to be a good thing. The ending was predictable and I found myself frequently annoyed by the main character.
June 29, 2015
I received a free copy for review on Brooke Blogs. This did not influence my opinion.
In this story, Holly finally feels like she is getting ready to live her dream. It is almost time for the grand opening of her new shop, Just Cheesecake. But things don't work out as planned when she finds a dead body face down in a cheesecake on opening day. Being new in town, she is painted as a suspect by a local news reporter. Holly takes it upon herself (along with the help of her dog, Muffins) to try to flush out the suspect and solve the case.
I really liked this book. Holly is a character that you just like right away. I enjoyed the mystery build up in this story. Charlene is a kooky and fun addition to the story. Officer Trent Trinket is one of the good guys and sounds adorable. :) Footprints in the Frosting by Laura Pauling is a fun start to an enjoyable cozy series. I will be reading more to come in this series.
In this story, Holly finally feels like she is getting ready to live her dream. It is almost time for the grand opening of her new shop, Just Cheesecake. But things don't work out as planned when she finds a dead body face down in a cheesecake on opening day. Being new in town, she is painted as a suspect by a local news reporter. Holly takes it upon herself (along with the help of her dog, Muffins) to try to flush out the suspect and solve the case.
I really liked this book. Holly is a character that you just like right away. I enjoyed the mystery build up in this story. Charlene is a kooky and fun addition to the story. Officer Trent Trinket is one of the good guys and sounds adorable. :) Footprints in the Frosting by Laura Pauling is a fun start to an enjoyable cozy series. I will be reading more to come in this series.
July 22, 2019
2.5/5 Stars
I'm having a lot of mixed feelings about this novel.
Holly is a baker who just moved to a new town to open her new shop Just Cheesecake. However, on opening day she finds a dead body in her shop and she becomes the prime suspect. Queue her becoming an amatuer sleuth and solving the murder!
This isnt a bad concept. I've read similar novels before. But sadly, this novel does not really establish her sleuthing nature very well. It's more of "oh, my dog ran off and just happens to go to this place that has to do with things!"
Plus I just couldn't really enjoy Holly herself. All the other characters at least were getting semi fleshed out while Holly was just... there I guess?
The end also seemed like it was very rushed to finish the book. I felt like it needed about another 50ish pages to fully complete it. But maybe that's just me.
I'm having a lot of mixed feelings about this novel.
Holly is a baker who just moved to a new town to open her new shop Just Cheesecake. However, on opening day she finds a dead body in her shop and she becomes the prime suspect. Queue her becoming an amatuer sleuth and solving the murder!
This isnt a bad concept. I've read similar novels before. But sadly, this novel does not really establish her sleuthing nature very well. It's more of "oh, my dog ran off and just happens to go to this place that has to do with things!"
Plus I just couldn't really enjoy Holly herself. All the other characters at least were getting semi fleshed out while Holly was just... there I guess?
The end also seemed like it was very rushed to finish the book. I felt like it needed about another 50ish pages to fully complete it. But maybe that's just me.
June 30, 2015
The action hit the ground running in this first book in the Holly Hart Cozy Mystery series. The moment lead character Holly for out of bed on the first page, things really did take off for her and the reader.
Author Laura Pauling seems to have a solid protagonist in Holly Hart. She doesn’t come across as perfect, and that’s refreshing. There is a great supporting cast of characters, including Charlene who is a real force of nature . . . like a tornado. And for pet lovers, there is Muffins a pup that is more than a handful.
For FOOTPRINTS IN THE FROSTING to be book 1 in a series, Ms. Pauling did a wonderful job of writing an intriguing and engaging mystery, which led to a surprise ending.
I really look forward to reading more books in this series!
Author Laura Pauling seems to have a solid protagonist in Holly Hart. She doesn’t come across as perfect, and that’s refreshing. There is a great supporting cast of characters, including Charlene who is a real force of nature . . . like a tornado. And for pet lovers, there is Muffins a pup that is more than a handful.
For FOOTPRINTS IN THE FROSTING to be book 1 in a series, Ms. Pauling did a wonderful job of writing an intriguing and engaging mystery, which led to a surprise ending.
I really look forward to reading more books in this series!
December 29, 2017
Gooey And Sweet
Another one of those books which grabs you by talking about food, dogs, etc., but really is not much of anything. Junior High intellectual level. Murder and romance.
Another one of those books which grabs you by talking about food, dogs, etc., but really is not much of anything. Junior High intellectual level. Murder and romance.
April 26, 2018
Not a bad story. The main Character Holly is young but mentions several times about all the things she has seen in her life which is weird cause she's not that old. Half-way through the book and still know idea of any of the life experiences that she has had.
October 28, 2016
Inane drivel.
October 9, 2018
I wanted to like it after reading the prequel but didn't. I found the story undeveloped.
June 22, 2019
This offering in the series fell flat for me. Who opens a bakery without researching the town? Also, many of Holly's actions seem half-baked. I hope for more in subsequent books in this series.
January 26, 2020
Poorly plotted and juvenile, but still entertaining light reading. 2.5 stars
May 2, 2021
Fun but contrived
Cute premise, but totally unrealistic. If you like escape reads and don’t care about realism, you’ll enjoy this romantic romp through a cheesecake bakery.
Cute premise, but totally unrealistic. If you like escape reads and don’t care about realism, you’ll enjoy this romantic romp through a cheesecake bakery.
February 15, 2022
Simplistic.
May 10, 2022
It's the day of the grand opening of Just Cheesecake - Holly Hart's new business in her new town - and already things are going wrong. First, her pup Muffins goes missing, then she finds a dead guy in her bakery, then the local "most eligible bachelor" catches her wandering around town in her PJs. What's next - being named as a suspect by a super cute police officer?
After finishing this book, I've come to the conclusion that it's aimed at a much younger age level than I am. The characters are quite shallow and I didn't really gel with any of them. I really disliked the zany cat lady; she was unnecessarily abrasive and rude. The rich guy was full of himself. Likewise, the officer . I don't think we were supposed to like the reporter - and I didn't. Holly herself was particularly feather-headed. She didn't have a business plan beyond selling her cheesecakes for top dollar even though there already was a bakery in town that sold excellent cheesecakes and lots of other treats. She needed help readying the bakery though she hadn't thought to hire employees. She did nothing special to prepare for her grand opening - IANAB (I am not a baker) but I'm pretty sure they are normally working in their kitchens well before morning's light in order to prep for a regular day nevermind an opening. Whew. Let's assume most of the characters rubbed me the wrong way with special emphasis on the main character. It felt like no one had a redeeming feature to their name. Not even the dog.
After finishing this book, I've come to the conclusion that it's aimed at a much younger age level than I am. The characters are quite shallow and I didn't really gel with any of them. I really disliked the zany cat lady; she was unnecessarily abrasive and rude. The rich guy was full of himself. Likewise, the officer . I don't think we were supposed to like the reporter - and I didn't. Holly herself was particularly feather-headed. She didn't have a business plan beyond selling her cheesecakes for top dollar even though there already was a bakery in town that sold excellent cheesecakes and lots of other treats. She needed help readying the bakery though she hadn't thought to hire employees. She did nothing special to prepare for her grand opening - IANAB (I am not a baker) but I'm pretty sure they are normally working in their kitchens well before morning's light in order to prep for a regular day nevermind an opening. Whew. Let's assume most of the characters rubbed me the wrong way with special emphasis on the main character. It felt like no one had a redeeming feature to their name. Not even the dog.
January 23, 2019
Title: Footprints in the Frosting
by Laura Pauling
Series: Holly Hart #1
Genre: cozy mystery
pages:196
book synopsis
Introducing the Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series!!
Cheesecake, Love, and Murder!
It’s the Grand Opening for Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake. When footprints in the frosting lead to a body facedown in one of her cheesecakes, Holly becomes a prime suspect.
With her opening day delayed, Holly deals with a nosy no-good reporter and the local cop, the handsome Officer Trinket, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name. With the help of her dog, Muffins, she needs to find the real murderer, before the killer looks to frost someone else.
My thoughts
rating: 5
would I recommend it : yes
will I be going on with this series : yes
I was laughing my head off at the times that Holly got in to stuff , either because of her little dog or herself . And the other characters where just as funny . What can i say its a cozy mystery that will make you laugh , and fell in love with the characters .
by Laura Pauling
Series: Holly Hart #1
Genre: cozy mystery
pages:196
book synopsis
Introducing the Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series!!
Cheesecake, Love, and Murder!
It’s the Grand Opening for Holly Hart’s new business, Just Cheesecake. When footprints in the frosting lead to a body facedown in one of her cheesecakes, Holly becomes a prime suspect.
With her opening day delayed, Holly deals with a nosy no-good reporter and the local cop, the handsome Officer Trinket, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name. With the help of her dog, Muffins, she needs to find the real murderer, before the killer looks to frost someone else.
My thoughts
rating: 5
would I recommend it : yes
will I be going on with this series : yes
I was laughing my head off at the times that Holly got in to stuff , either because of her little dog or herself . And the other characters where just as funny . What can i say its a cozy mystery that will make you laugh , and fell in love with the characters .
July 28, 2019
Being and aficionado of crime novels I have heard of someone being “Iced” but never “frosted” …….that is until I read Laura Pauling’s FOOTSTEPS IN THE FROSTING.
Holly Hart is about to launch her new business ,JUST CHEESECAKE, when the discovery of a dead body lying facedown in one of her cheesecakes puts a temporary halt to her grand plan. In addition to becoming the principal suspect in the case she also has to contend with her wandering dog, Muffin, a handsome millionaire named Mason, a sneaky female reporter with an agenda that is quite personal, the attractive town cop, and finally a nosy cat lady named Charlene and her book club filled with senior citizens who all see themselves as investigative crime solvers.
Holly, too, has some secrets in her past that are alluded to but never quite revealed (guess we have to wait for the next chapter in this series). All in all, while not a contender for any literary awards, it is a fun romp for cozy fans looking to fill a couple of hours on a hot summer afternoon.
Holly Hart is about to launch her new business ,JUST CHEESECAKE, when the discovery of a dead body lying facedown in one of her cheesecakes puts a temporary halt to her grand plan. In addition to becoming the principal suspect in the case she also has to contend with her wandering dog, Muffin, a handsome millionaire named Mason, a sneaky female reporter with an agenda that is quite personal, the attractive town cop, and finally a nosy cat lady named Charlene and her book club filled with senior citizens who all see themselves as investigative crime solvers.
Holly, too, has some secrets in her past that are alluded to but never quite revealed (guess we have to wait for the next chapter in this series). All in all, while not a contender for any literary awards, it is a fun romp for cozy fans looking to fill a couple of hours on a hot summer afternoon.
May 13, 2019
I am on the fence post on this series, mainly as I want to slap the living daylights out of main character, Holly Hart; but at the same time like a mystery that keeps me guessing whodunnit. I am disappointed that the author did not include any cheesecake recipe(s) at the end? Why tease with neverending descriptions about cheesecake, and not one recipe given to the reader!?!
Holly Hart makes me wonder though where her mind set truly is. She moves to a small town, knowing no one, doesn't check out the area businesses, and decides to open a specialty store dealing only in cheesecake. Is life, in general, risque for her?
Yes, definitely on the fence post with this series.
Holly Hart makes me wonder though where her mind set truly is. She moves to a small town, knowing no one, doesn't check out the area businesses, and decides to open a specialty store dealing only in cheesecake. Is life, in general, risque for her?
Yes, definitely on the fence post with this series.
February 18, 2021
Footprints in the Frosting (Holly Hart, #1) by Laura Pauling
Holly is opening Just Cheesecake. She is new to town, wants a nice life, then she finds a dead body. She becomes the prime suspect. She begins investigating to solve the mystery and clear her name. She is also dealing with a disruptive reporter, the local police office, and a nosy neighbor.
A fast paced fun cozy murder/mystery. Holly is very likable as well as her dog Muffins. There are some twists and turns and several suspects. A classic "who-done-it" that had me hooked from the first page. I highly recommend Footprints in the Frosting to those who love a good cozy murder/mystery.
Holly is opening Just Cheesecake. She is new to town, wants a nice life, then she finds a dead body. She becomes the prime suspect. She begins investigating to solve the mystery and clear her name. She is also dealing with a disruptive reporter, the local police office, and a nosy neighbor.
A fast paced fun cozy murder/mystery. Holly is very likable as well as her dog Muffins. There are some twists and turns and several suspects. A classic "who-done-it" that had me hooked from the first page. I highly recommend Footprints in the Frosting to those who love a good cozy murder/mystery.
June 1, 2022
This is a really fun read! I couldn't find the next book available to purchase and was seriously disappointed. I plan to grab it when I can. I really think the "Murder Mystery Book Club" should have its own series! I certainly can't wait to read more about Charlene and Muffins, as well as our main character Holly.
The writing is technically quite good. It was a pleasure to read. While not everyone in town was given a fully formed character sketch, many of them were - enough that you couldn't be sure of the murderer. It's always a pleasure NOT to figure it out from the beginning.
The writing is technically quite good. It was a pleasure to read. While not everyone in town was given a fully formed character sketch, many of them were - enough that you couldn't be sure of the murderer. It's always a pleasure NOT to figure it out from the beginning.
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