A local baking competition. One of the “friendly” competitors winds up dead. Who said Christmas in a small town was going to be relaxing? A new cozy mystery from #1 Best Selling author Danielle Collins
Margot takes time out during the busy holiday season to visit family in Oregon. When a friend needs help in her bakery, Margot is quick to answer the call. But when a local baking competition turns deadly, another relaxing vacation turns into a murder investigation. Can Margot catch the killer and clear her friend’s name?
Bakeries and Bodies is part of the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery series. If you like fun cozy mysteries, you are going to love Margot Durand Cozy Mysteries.
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Margot and Adam are going to spend Christmas across the country in his hometown of Sister, OR but first she has to make sure that her two employees will run her bakery for her without turning it into a disaster. Turns out Dexter really likes his co-worker Julia enough to ask her out so at least Margot can leave them without feeling like she needs to constantly check up on them.
Arriving in Sisters, Margot feels the Christmas spirit right away, in fact the only thing that would make it better would be some snow. She hadn't really counted on a murder being part of her vacation plans but since the prime suspect was the woman she was supposed to help in the annual bake-off, she felt like she needed to look into it. The local detective in charge wasn't very personable and downright grumpy at times so Margot proceeded alone so he wouldn't complain to Adam's bosses that Adam was interfering in his case.
I think this was my favorite book of the series yet! The last book left one little thing hanging so I was sure it would be handled in this book. The murder mystery was a little simpler to figure out but I wasn't completely sure till almost the reveal. I'm never sure about the reasoning even if I do guess! I liked that it wasn't terribly complicated but still challenging. Also I was glad that for once, Margot didn't appear to be in any danger while investigating.
It was fun meeting Adam's parents and siblings. Margot fit right in and as always was kind and patient even when Adam knew his mom was being a little demanding in having Margot be in the bake-off with the local baker, Fran.
Once the murder was solved, the actual book ending was the absolute best. Just the perfect thing to happen during Christmas! Read it and you'll find out!
Wow, I had to finish this book in a single reading! So many red-herrings and surprises it is a must read!
I Loved this 8th book in the series! There were so many twists, turns and surprises you just can't put this book down once you begin! I know I couldn't! Margot, invited by her boyfriend Adam to his home town at Christmas couldn't wait for a relaxing fun Christmas break and of course to meet Adam's family. At the same time, one of the traditions, A Christmas Eve bake-off for the residents would be fun to watch. Plans were upended when, after being asked by Adam's mother to help Fran one of the bakeshop competitors to once again win against her "nemesis" Simon Huxley a rival baker with a bake shop down the street. Well, where you find Margot, you find a dead body. This is true here too when going to Fran's shop to help her bake, she and Adam run into a dead body on the floor and Fran hiding while holding a fry pan in her pantry, very disoriented. When Fran is arrested for the murder, Louise, Adam's mother and Fran's best friend begs them to find the real murderer and clear Fran. Although Adam can't interfere, Margot (with help from Adam behind the scenes), does some investigating on her own. A fast paced storyline with lots of twists and turns and big surprises at the end. A must read! I received and ARC of this book, but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own!
8. Book 8 Bakeries and Bodies 4 stars I purchased a copy of the cozy mystery Bakeries and Bodies in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 – 12 by Danielle Collins and this review was given freely. An easy-flowing Christmas time murder mystery based on greed that contains some poignant moments and has a heartwarming ending. Love is in the bloom of this sequel where Margot goes home with Adam to meet his family in Sister, Oregon leaving her bakery and her two assistants, Dexter and Julia, who have a hate/love relationship, under the care of Mama Rosie. The vacation is less than relaxing when on day one, Margot learns she is volunteered to bake for the yearly Christmas bake-off and, her partner Fran is accused of killing the biggest rival. May be read as a standalone but is best if read in series order.
9. Book 9 A Deadly Engagement 4 stars I purchased a copy of the North Bank, Virginia set cozy mystery A Deadly Engagement in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 – 12 by Danielle Collins, and this review was given freely. An easy-to-follow, drama-packed, and at times suspenseful story that occurs around Valentine’s Day. A story based on greed with a profession of love. While love continues to grow for the couples at the Bakery, this is not a carefree Holiday romance. Shortly after Bentley enlists Margot’s help to unravel the meaning of the cryptic letter, he received from his recently deceased first wife, Margot has an odd encounter with Felix Lynch posing as a staff member, has a car following her, and someone with Bentley’s name is found burning in a car. May be read as a standalone but is best if read in series order.
10. Book 10 A Killer Cover Up 4 stars I purchased a copy of the cozy mystery A Killer Cover Up in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 – 12 by Danielle Collins and this review was given freely. An easy-flowing story of police corruption and wedding preparation stress. As Margot approaches the last months before her wedding, a reporter from the past offers to provide Margot with new information regarding Julian’s murder only for him to be found dead at their meeting spot. May be read as a standalone but is best if read in series order.
11. Book 11 Catering and Crime 4 stars I purchased a copy of the cozy mystery Catering and Crime in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 – 12 by Danielle Collins, and this review was given freely. Margot takes a break from wedding planning stress to solve a murder and capture a jewelry-thieving ring that are connected to her reception caterer. Contains cameos with Bentley and his son Ben. May be read as a standalone but is best if read in series order.
12. Book 12 Murder and Matrimony 4 stars I purchased a copy of the cozy mystery Murder and Matrimony in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 – 12 by Danielle Collins and this review was given freely. A fitting conclusion that is full of drama. When Adam’s “Secret Life” threatens to change their wedding plans, Margot must rely on her friends for help to clear Adam, finish the wedding planning, and protect herself from the violent stalker who is trying to stop her before she stops him. Two weeks before the wedding, Margot thinks her main stressor is the lack of a wedding cake until Adam is arrested for murder. May be read as a standalone but is best if read in series order.
I really enjoy the Margot Durand series and this no exception.
Margot is spending Christmas with Adam's family in Sisters, Oregon, hoping for a romantic relaxing white Christmas, sleigh rides, cuddles by the fireside, log cabins, and she maged to get all that, and more than she bargained for, which is a dead body as well. For several years now, there has been a bake-off competition in Sisters, started because of 2 rival bakeries who refused to concede to the other being the better baker. So each year, they produce their best and compete with each other. Louise, Adam's mother had volunteered Margot's help to Fran, her baker friend, in the hope of Fran winning the competition this year. Margot turns up at Fran's bakery early in the morning only to find her rival dead on the floor, and Fran holding a large skillet, standing over the body, saying I hit him, but I did not mean to kill him.
As Fran is arrested for murder, Louise begs Margot to help find the real killer, especially as Christmas is only a few days away and Adam cannot really do very much as he is well out of his area of jurisdiction.
Another fun read from Danielle Collins, just in time for Christmas!
I'm kind of surprised… often when a series travels from its small town, I find that I enjoy it less than the books set in the series' usual hometown. But Danielle Collins did some smart things with this trip for Margot: visiting another small town, as she visited her boyfriend's family for Christmas.
Sure, Margot happens to run into an implausibly large number of murders in this series, but that's the nature of the genre (and really, until that happens, a murder mystery rarely feels like the book's actually started).
This is one case where… it felt like Margot's involvement was kind of natural. The few connections she had to this town all seemed to cross the case. And it was good to see her have to negotiate her way into information without her boyfriend's job being as key.
And… I also have to say how relieved I am to see this book's ending. But I'll say no more for those (like me) who would prefer not to be spoiled before they read the book for themselves! And glad to see that there is more of this series for me to read. They are short little books, but they are very enjoyable!
Too cute to not leave it five starred. I enjoy reading books where the setting takes place during Christmas and this one delivered the holiday spirit.
I have an extra star not only for the season, but also because the love at the end. Christmas kisses.
Didn’t Adam propose before he and Margot even said their I love you’s? I think so. I don’t remember them ever expressing I love you directly. I suppose it was implied.
Christmas and crime aren’t supposed to go together, but Collins nailed it! Lolz. Sad that poor Fran had to lose her true love though. I feel bad for her. Luckily this is just fiction.
There are only a few more books in this series. Will Margot solve the crime of who killed her father by the twelfth and last book? Guess we’ll see soon!
Next book is A Deadly Engagement (Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Book 9). A Deadly engagement? Aren’t Adam and Margot already engaged? Looks like another murder is on the horizon (obviously. I mean, this series does revolve around murders, after all). Hopefully Bentley isn’t a victim.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Bakeries and Bodies, book 8 of 8 in Danielle Collins' Margot Durand cozy mystery series, did not disappoint in any way! Loved, loved, loved the book!
Collins' ability to define, shape and describe to her readers the personalities and other traits of each character that lies behind the written words is astounding. The relationships and interactions between the characters is a key reason I adore this series!
Obviously, books in this genre will without a doubt include some sort of mysterious whodunnit. That's the point of picking the book up in the first place. With Collins' Margot Durand series the circumstances surrounding the crime are entirely believable and relevant to the story. This is what I believe keeps The Margot Durand Mystery series at the top of my "must read" list!
Bakeries and Bodies can be read on its own however for full enjoyment I reccomend reading the entire series in order. Highly reccomend.
I really love this series and the writing style. It flows nicely, and though Margot is doing all of the investigating in this book, there was still some suggestions from Adam in this book.
We got to learn a lot more about Adam and where he grew up in Oregon. We meet his family and their significant others. I enjoyed the relationship that Adam has with his family, it’s almost nice to see the main character who isn’t at odds with their family.
The mystery was fun and not terribly difficult. I almost felt like the only hard part was the local investigator being so focused on certain people due to knowing their pasts.
Oh my‼️ Tissue time! If you can call a murder mystery “sweet and romantic” then this is it folks. Margot and Adam were spending a week at Christmas time with his parents and the rest of his family in Oregon. Margot said she would help bake with Fran at her bakery but didn’t realize it was the next morning after the jet-lag trip. As they entered the back of the bakery very early in the morning Margot stumbled over a ….body….on the floor. From then on it was detective time!. After finding the true person responsible for the murder, the Christmas Eve Bake-off could go on. And then the sweet and romantic finish is tissue time. Ahhhh, sweet love.
A soothing Christmas away to relax and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the season. That was what Margot and Adam wanted; it was not what they experienced. Murder is spoiling their visit to the winter wonderland town called Sisters. The characters in this book are fantastic and well fleshed out. The multitude of suspects are so plausible, that each one looks guilty. You will totally enjoy this series and cheer Margot and Adam onward through their adventures. I highly recommend this book and series to all cozy mystery lovers.
Just in time for Christmas! While visiting family in Oregon, a friend asks Margot for help in her bakery. There is a baking competition going on, but when one of the competitors end up dead, you can throw "friendly competition" out the window. But when Margot's friend is the main suspect in the murder, Margot knows she has to put on her detective hat and find the real killer. I voluntarily reviewed this book and the review is my own opinion.
I thoroughly enjoy this series of cosy mysteries, and this book maintains the standard. It is rather nice that the action takes place away from Margot's home town. The plot is clever, and as usual there are lots of potential suspects and each has their own motive. The story is set at Christmas and despite the murder has a nice festive feel to it, with a bit of romance mixed in to lighten things up. I received an advance copy of this book, but this honest review is based on my ownopinion.
Margot and Adam take time off during the busy holiday season to visit Adam's family in Oregon and this will be the first time Margot meets Adam's family since they have been dating. Adam's mother volunteers Margot to help her friend Fran help in her bakery for a Christmas Bake off. Margot is quick to answer the call but when a local baking competition turns deadly, another relaxing vacation turns into a murder investigation. The ending has a nice romantic surprise.
This story takes place at Christmas and contains elements that are significant in the progression of the series. The scenario that had Margot going solo with the detective work was weak, and the book suffered from the lack of proofreading to which I have grown accustomed with this series. I was surprised that no reviews I saw commented on a character’s not being notified of his parent’s death in a timely manner. That flaw in the storyline was enough to drop my rating down a star.
Margot has hired an assistant but continues to hope Derek will return. Adam asks Margot to go with him to his parents for Christmas. Shortly after they arrive Louise, Adam’s Mother, admits she told Fran, one of two local bakers, Margot would help Fran with this year’s Christmas Eve baking competition. Adam takes Margot to Fran’s bakery the next morning to introduce the two ladies and there the murder mystery begins….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Margot goes out of town for the holiday to meet her boyfriend's family. Asked to help our his mom's friend with some baking, she goes to the bakery and finds a dead man on the floor. Of course, she has to help to find the real killer, with some help from her police officer boyfriend. This is another fun book in this series. Haven't read one yet that I didn't really like.
Murder follows Margot Durand everywhere she goes.I bet anything that when Adam invited Margot to Oregon to meet his family he wasn't expecting a murder. But a murder they got. Adams mother's best friend Fran is accused in this murder and Margot must find out who the real killer is. I just love these books. They do keep me guessing. I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review
Danielle I love your writing. It just gets better and better. Margot is awesome. I loved her and her interplay with Adams mother Louise. Margot is an awesome character and she is developing into a well rounded person. Thank you Danielle. I can't wait for the next one.
Margot en Adam gaan kerst vieren bij zijn familie, die Margot dan voor het eerst gaat ontmoeten. Natuurlijk treffen ze weer ergens een lijk aan. En natuurlijk mogen ze zich niet bemoeien met het onderzoek. Niet nodig om te zeggen, dat vooral Margot zich daar niet aan kan houden. Leuke aflevering van de serie.
Dead man owned a bakery down the street, but now laying on floor of Fran’s bakery, in which Adam and Margot found him. His mother wanted the details, then feeling relieved saying you two will clear her name. So much for a vacation for these two, and the holidays.
The series is really starting to lose steam. Suddenly Margot is this amazing detective who suddenly just remembers/recognizes things that she 'missed' at an earlier point in the investigation. I may give up the series if there are too many more three-star reads.
Margot and Adam are on holidays for Christmas, with Adam's family. A white Christmas is looking good to Margot. Until she is roped into baking, they find a body and are threatened by the local detective. The challenge is on to find the killer before Christmas. Good read.
Another great read! Home for the holidays with family is always the best. Except when you find a dead body. Of course Margot has to get invilved, again. Will another proposal come just in time for Christmas?!?
I really like Margot! She is smart and funny and talented. She is also very observant! I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery!
Margaret takes a vacation to visit her boyfriend 's family. She gets drafted to help out the local bakers shop for a baking contest . Then all help breaks out. Good read.