Marshmallow Murder

Cupcake Crimes #2

by Molly Maple

Harboring resentment only leads to chaos.

Charlotte McKay is new to Sweetwater Falls, but that doesn’t mean she's about to look the other way when everyone’s least favorite miser goes missing. Following her dream of selling her cupcakes at a bakery is put on hold as she follows a trail of clues, each more strange than the last. Nearly every person in Sweetwater Falls has a grudge against Amos, who was known more for his penny-pinching than his benevolence.

Everyone's mourning looks more like griping over how much the cheapskate still owes the people he swindled. Only Charlotte and Marianne know the tender heart Amos truly had beneath his prickly exterior. When it becomes clear that Amos' murder might go uninvestigated, Charlotte sets out to expose his killer once and for all.

"Marshmallow Murder" is filled with layered clues and cozy moments, written by Molly Maple, which is a pen name for a USA Today bestselling author.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Fiction, Ebooks, Amazon

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Molly Maple believes in the magic of hot tea and the romance of rainy days.

She is a fan of all desserts, but cupcakes have a special place in her heart. She spends her days searching for fresh air, and her evenings reading in front of a fireplace.

Molly Maple is a pen name for USA Today bestselling fantasy author, Mary E. Twomey. Visit her online at www.MollyMapleMysteries.com.

Reviews

[Cat Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet book (metaphorically and literally). It’s exactly what you would expect from a cozy Murder book. A fairly linear mystery but the characters are relatable and I enjoy how the author describes the setting. I would recommended to anyone who is looking for a quirky, quick read.

[❅ Karen ❅ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book was not much different. Super cute and fun. It was a quick read.
Only thing that got better was the romance.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy mysteries are the hardest to rate. They are hard for me to rate five stars most of the time unless they are just shocking or the writing is that beautiful. This was a fun read and gave me the vibes I needed. I did not read the first one, so I might go back and read that one and continue the series. I really enjoyed it. I liked the romance that is getting started and how she became a blubbering mess around him and clumsy. It made me laugh out loud. Overall, a fun yummy time with a good mystery.

[Keo Naidoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marshmallow Murder by Molly Maple

Format : ebook || Kindle via Kindle unlimited
Rating : 3.3 stars
Light spoilers

Returning to the cute little town of Sweetwater, we’re back too following the adventures of baking and sleuthing with Charlotte and the gang.

In marshmallow murder we get more time with with Charlotte and Marianne. Personally enjoyed this a lot more. I do like the little glimpses we got of the Live Forever club, and I think when seen sparingly it works best.

The murder mystery this time around was better than in the previous book. With the death of Amos, you had a little more attachment because we met him in the previous book and I think it worked to the books advantage.
The killer did feel a bit obvious, especially with that first conversation Charlotte overheard from the kitchen when she dropped off the first batch of cupcakes. However the reveal and events after add to a great payoff at the end. The villain absolutely felt real.

With this book it definitely felt more comfortable as I would imagine Charlotte would too just as she is getting comfortable with the town so are we as the reader and I love that! This little universe has definitely become a little comfort zone for me.

Things I liked :-
>The friendship of Charlotte and Marianne
>Charlottes and Fishers newly found friendship
>Charlotte starting to understand her worth
>The new recipes at the end


Things I didn’t like :-
> When the girls discovered the body, it confused me when they said it looked liked he’d been dead for days but obviously he just called in. Definitely think that the phrasing could have been a little better
> Charlotte still being clumsy around Logan
> How did Logan know about Marianne getting all the money before the townsfolk, I’m not sure if I missed but I didn’t see it explicitly being said that she informed him

Overall this book is definitely an improvement from the first! Really loving this world. Looking forward to the third

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Charlotte is starting to feel at home at Sweetwater Falls, she becomes more invested in the lives of those around her. So when the town miser is found dead in his own home, her new best friend Marianne is devastated being one of the only ones in town who actually liked him. When she's not baking cupcakes for the Snuggle Inn or tripping over her feet over handsome officer Logan, she is determined to find out who put an end to Amos life.

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

[Gabrielle L · Rating 1 out of 5]

cute town setting that is unfortunately the only good part of this read. Went in hoping for a cute cozy mystery, but was left unfulfilled. The lack of depth in the characters, the super predictable storyline and the grown woman who becomes overly clumsy and lost for words when a man with zero personality is in her presence really made this a hard read.

[Wendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a cozy mystery is just what you need. Add in a tasty treat and you can't go wrong. While the WHO DONE IT is a bit predictable, the getting there is still fun. The bonus recipes at the end of these stories are the perfect ending to look forward to, a literal taste of the story to add in the experience.

[Kelsey Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was just a little too tooth-rottenly sweet for me, but if you're looking for a small-town cozy mystery that won't stress you out or scare you, this is for you. I did enjoy that there was a recipe at the end of the book, and I did get a thirst for lemonade towards the end.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

good enough

Come on, Logan is not that “pretty” 😑 MFC needs to grow a backbone (as everyone is recommending) so she can have a viable business. Overall not a bad book, typical cozy.

[Kyle Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good! It was very easy to guess as a mystery but as a cozy book it was very great and made me happy to read

[Peenchy The Goblin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of murder in a small town.

[Vickie Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story.

[Lara Grossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good if you're in a reading slump. Cozy read, a quickly solved mystery + very sweet characters.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Kara Carmean · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute quirky read! It was easy to figure out the murderer but I still enjoyed the story!

[Leena Aluru · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an extremely sweet, goody goody book. DIABETICS BE WARNED! KEEP YOUR INSULIN SHOT AT HAND 😉😛

Its the second book in the Sweetheart Falls series so the characters are carried through, but it's a standalone murder mystery. Charlotte is an exceptional baker who has relocated from Chicago, where she was working in a restaurant prepping up.for the chef. Unfortunately, in Sweetheart Falls, she hasn't gotten the right platform to sell her cupcakes and is a waitress at the local diner. This book given her the required entrepreneurial platform and also a murder to solve

She's extremely shy and is a bumbling mess around her crush,Logan. All the characters are extremely nice and really decent guys, looking out for each other and having each others back.

The murder is simple and I like how Charlotte ,Marianne and Logan work out the mystery. Its retained its small town charm.with incidents like the Lemonade Festival etc.

Its a really quick read and can be squeezed in as a refreshing breather between heavy intense books. And what's not to like about basic human kindness,a trait that's slowly becoming very rare. And all those yummy,mouthwatering cupcakes .... 😋

Recommended: 👍

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

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep saying one of these days I'm simply not going to read books where the author doesn't know common English homonyms. Not far in to this one, we learn Maple doesn't understand the difference between "pores" and "pours", or "pole" and "poll". Punctuation is mediocre, at best. Worse, a key question of the first chapter goes unanswered -- how can Amos call in a delivery order when he's been dead for days?

Add a main character who is so incapable that she becomes a bumbling idiot when the local cop is around, and the premise becomes somewhat less than believable.

Yet it could be good. Both Charlotte and Marianne could be great characters, and the cliched Live Forever Club could do something besides act as teenagers in grey hair.

I think this is a book 2. It's clear enough that not having read book 1 didn't hurt my comprehension, but not compelling enough that I want to go read any of the others.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cosy mystery has everything you need – a dead man, a selection of possible suspects, a small town community, quirky characters, delicious cupcakes & a loyal friend.
The storyline is simple, and the solution is a bit predictable but it’s a fun journey to get to the end.
In fact this book has all the ingredients to make a great cosy mystery … unfortunately we also have the silly, simpering female protagonist who goes drippy whenever the local, very handsome, sheriff is on the scene. If it had happened once, it could be adorable but she is an adult woman not a 9 yr old giggly girl and it is no longer “cute”, it’s absolutely ridiculous. I am getting fed up of this portrayal of females & I cannot recommend it for this reason.

I do like the addition of the recipes at the end to allow you to literally get a taste of Charlotte’s cupcakes!

[Jeanetta Hardy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous main character

Oh please, I can't read another page. Why the author made Charlotte act so stupid around Logan is the question? It turned me off fast. Fictional stories need to be believable to be interesting.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte McKay is new to Sweetwater Falls, but she is enjoying the slower pace. She’s waitressing at Bill’s Diner to earn the money for her bills, but she hasn’t forgotten her dream of baking and selling cupcakes. When her head librarian friend, Marianne, comes in, Charlotte takes a break to chat with her since the diner is empty. Marianne told her there are not enough funds for the library and no money to buy new books. Without new books, no one is interested in spending time there. Since Bill has only one waitress working, he sends Charlotte for the delivery order Amos Vandermuth called in and Marianne goes along to keep Charlotte company. When they get there, a terrible smell is coming from the house; but that’s not unusual since Amos, a miserly cranky scrooge type, doesn’t empty his garbage often. Charlotte continues to the kitchen, thinking the refrigerator is malfunctioning, and finds Amos’ dead body, his head tilted to the left and a look of horror on his face.

Charlotte left the house before Logan Flowers, the sheriff’s son and one of the officers of Sweetwater Falls, arrives. She has been trying to avoid him because she turns clumsy whenever he is around. Winifred told Charlotte that people are complaining, not that Amos is dead, but that they will not get repaid for what he owes them. Only Charlotte and Marianne seemed to like the man and knew he could be kind. When Charlotte answers a knock at the door, Logan is standing there and she slams the door in his face, saying, “I’m not home!” But police are not that easily fooled, so he knocked again. Repeating his questions because she can’t pay attention, he eventually tells her there was a strange pair of shoes near Amos’ door and they didn’t belong to Amos. Were these the killer’s shoes left behind? Charlotte jumps into the investigation, determined to expose Amos’ killer. He deserves justice!

I like the characters of the town and enjoyed the story. But I kept waiting for an explanation for Amos calling in a burger delivery, yet when Charlotte arrives with his order -- one can assume not that long after the phone call -- his body has already been dead for a few DAYS! It distracted me as I waited to have someone ask who called in the order since that question begged an answer. It was also uncomfortable to observe Charlotte’s behavior around Logan. She is an adult, not a teen. He is no longer a stranger and she wastes much of his time with zoning out and not hearing him, despite his presence at Winifred’s house on official police business. Get a grip, girl! At her age, this is funny only one time. Grab your copy and see if Charlotte can get justice for Amos.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a reader of all books, but an area I am not too familiar with is cozy mysteries. Well, that's not true, I guess Agatha Christie falls under that genre and I've read almost all her books, but the style is different since the books are almost 100 years old. So let me rephrased, I'm not familiar with contemporary cozy mysteries.

Here's what I do know, cozy mysteries have the following features:
1. Usually the protagonist is not trained in crime-solving or detection, but usually has some kind of job allowing them to gather town gossip. The protagonist might be on good terms with law enforcement.
2. In Agatha Christie books it was always some quaint English borough or a very singular location (like a train)
3. The crimes are not bloody or gruesome (in the written word) and the bodies are usually found by the protagonist

They are always fun to try and solve, of course. This book was well written and it was enjoyable. The only issue I had with the protagonist is that she is...weirdly awkward. Which, if you are into a protagonist that is like that, not a problem.

The awkwardness really shined when her love interest appeared on the scene. It was kind of funny and cute, but it happened EVERY time. So, I found it annoying after the third go around.

Other than that, the case was interesting to solve and the author did a great job setting up the location.

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

[Judy R · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 2nd installment of Charlotte’s adventures in her new home of Sweetwater Falls, she’s still dreaming of baking cupcakes versus waitressing. Her friend Marianne is hoping to make some money for the library and two come up with the idea to have a bake sale. Charlotte plans on selling cupcakes and comes up with new versions, one being a cupcake similar to a s’more. During the bake sale, the owner of the Bed and Breakfast, Snuggle Inn taste the cupcakes and suggests Charlotte bring a sample to the Inn for a taste test.

In the mean time, one of the town’s old timers who Marianne is always visiting and helping around his home is found dead, by Marianne and Charlotte. Days later, the lawyer for Amos meets with Marianne to let her know that she’s been left money from his estate to fix up her library. It seems even thought Amos appeared to be a penny pincher and owned many people money, he had a considerable amount of funds.

You need to read more about how Logan, a police officer and someone who has an interest in Charlotte, along with her friend Marianne work together to bake the cupcakes for the Inn and determine who is the killer.

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

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun cozy with cupcakes!

This is the second book in this small town cozy series and it does a great job with the key elements of the genre…small town, quirky cast of characters, heroine with a hook (in this case she’s a cupcake baker), best friend to help with the sleuthing, and a handsome potential romantic interest.

Charlotte is enjoying her decision to relocate from big city Chicago to small town Sweetwater Falls. If only she could realize her dream of owning a cupcake bakery. Instead she’s working as a waitress at the town diner and baking cupcakes on the side. Oh, and discovering dead bodies.

With yet another murder she feels the need to solve, Charlotte and Marianne look into who might have wanted Amos, the town skin flint, dead. The story arc moves well and most readers will figure out the villain before our heroine does but it’s still a fun journey. The details in the crisis point are a bit vague and we never get a definitive “yes, that’s what happened.” There are a couple of other weak spots that a good editor should have picked up on (no spoilers) and encouraged the author to enhance or clarify.

It it’s still an entertaining read and I am thoroughly charmed by this cozy mystery series.

[Tracie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book like I would one of Charlottes cupcakes. Adorable cast of characters living in a family friendly little town called Sweetwater Falls. Trust me, you will love this book.
Charlotte dreams of being able to sell enough of her cupcakes to make a living, but until then she works a dead end waitressing job while living with her lovable Aunt Winifred.
Charlotte discovers the dead body of a man with more enemies than friends. It seams his only friend is Marianne, the local librarian and Charlottes best friend. The girls start looking into the murder with the help of local police officer Logan who is also the love interest of Charlotte, even though whenever Aunt Winifred and Marianne try to get them together Charlotte turns into a clumsy goofball because she finds Logan so attractive. It makes for many humorous moments throughout the story. Just when you think the killer will never be found, the author weaves it all together into a perfect cozy mystery ending.

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

[Debbie Orazi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! These cozies have just the right amount of mystery, romance and laughter. The characters are sweetly quirky and the stories are attention grabbing from the first page to the last.

This story has Charlotte and Marianne finding town miser Amos' body when they go to his home to deliver a burger order. The suspect list is long, nearly everyone in Sweetwater Falls is owed money by Amos. While looking into his murder, Charlotte gets an offer to make cupcakes for Amos' daughter Gretchen who owns the local bed & breakfast, The Snuggle Inn. Marianne and Logan help her make the cupcakes. Charlotte is still ridiculously clumsy anytime Logan is near her. Marianne is left a lot of money in Amos' will to everyone's surprise and decided to pay back the money owed by Amos to the townspeople. After another murder attempt is made on Fisher, Charlotte and Logan solve the case. Highly recommend.

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

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second of a cozy mystery series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. Charlotte is new to Sweetwater Falls and working at a diner. When taking a food delivery to the most disliked man in town, she and her friend Marianne discover he's been murdered. Charlotte and Marianne set out to figure out who did it, helped along by Logan, the police officer that Charlotte has a crush on.

I found the characters enjoyable overall. Even though I didn't love how hard Charlotte was on herself and how she got so tongue tied over Logan, it didn't detract too much from the story for me. I was rooting for her, and she did it, solving the case as only she could and putting down roots in Sweetwater Falls in the process. The town and its residents felt alive and I'm looking forward to the next one to see how her life continues.

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

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was as good as the first one in the series - if not better. Characters are being developed further and the culprit was hard to determine. WEll done!


Amazon synopsis:
Charlotte McKay is new to Sweetwater Falls, but that doesn’t mean she's about to look the other way when everyone’s least favorite miser goes missing. Following her dream of selling her cupcakes at a bakery is put on hold as she follows a trail of clues, each more strange than the last. Nearly every person in Sweetwater Falls has a grudge against Amos, who was known more for his penny-pinching than his benevolence.

Everyone's mourning looks more like griping over how much the cheapskate still owes the people he swindled. Only Charlotte and Marianne know the tender heart Amos truly had beneath his prickly exterior. When it becomes clear that Amos' murder might go uninvestigated, Charlotte sets out to expose his killer once and for all.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love cosy mystery books. They're usually a nice, light read between more substantial literature.

The premise is much the same as many cozy mysteries. Big city girls move to small town and starts finding bodies. Of course, everyone is suspect and no one is safe from the amateur sleuth.

I find these characters to be fun, if a little too wholesome and sweet. I like the ageing trio and their shenanigans. I like Charlotte, even if she is a bit starry eyed and awe-struck by small-town living.

I really hope the will-they-won't-they with her and Logan is resolved soon. I can't bear the thought of more broken pickle jars and making her sound like a right buffoon in front of a (supposedly) super handsome man. This is book two in the series and so far, she's still useless when he is around. This is a trope I find annoying. I can see having a crush, but her klutzy behaviour is really grating.

Also, why was there no recipe for the peanut butter sriracha cupcakes? Disappointing......

[Beauty_Rudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars (rounded up)

This book was pretty good!

Spoilers Ahead:

Charlotte is...interesting. I like that she's settled into the town so quickly and already has a best friend there. But I don't like her characterization surrounding her crush on Logan. It's too silly. Being shy and hiding from someone you like is very normal but Charlotte's clumsy antics with Logan is borderline childish. Her issues with close contact and literal eye contact scream 13 year old girl to me, but I digress.

As for the cozy format, I think this bodes well. The murder occurs within the first two chapters and the storyline makes sense. It wraps itself up fairly nice and so I'm not left on a cliffhanger. I definitely don't feel like I needed to read the first book to enjoy this one; which is a nice change of pace for me currently.

I think if you need a nice palette cleanser between your books or just enjoy a quick read, this would be a good book to pick up.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of the series, and is just as good as the first. Charlotte and Marianne go on a food delivery for the dinner only to find another dead body. Only this time, it’s a member of Sweetwater that so many people had an issue with, leaving a slew of suspects. But once again, the “Junior” members of the Live Forever Club are determined find out who the killer is, before anymore people are killed. Charlotte and Logan are also seeing more of each other. Which is causing more embarrassing moments of klutziness to happen to poor Charlotte. This is a really cute series of books, great writing and characters in the books so far can wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out in March.

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