Cupcakes and Catastrophe

Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery #1

by Sue Hollowell

A nightmare ending to her storybook marriage. An escape to a quaint beach town. Will a mysterious murder derail a second chance at her dream?

Tilly Griffin did everything by the book. Everyone else’s book. Now it was her turn to write a new chapter, three thousand miles from her former life. Her dream of opening a bakery like her grandma Luna was now becoming a reality.

No sooner does she arrive in the charming beach town, when she and her quirky uncle are tangled up in a mysterious death. When a kite competition judge is found murdered in the bookstore next to her uncle's Checkered Past Antiques shop, Tilly questions her decision to move to Belle Harbor, and everything about her new life.

As the clues emerge, and the small-town secrets are revealed, Tilly’s uncle finds himself smack dab in the middle of the investigation, and surrounded by suspects. Will the murderer be nabbed in time for the bakery’s grand opening or will this close the book on Tilly’s dreams?

Cupcakes and Catastrophe is Book 1 in the Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery series. A light, cozy mystery in a quaint beach town with a fun loving, amateur female sleuth, her quirky uncle, and enough antiques and pastries to fill your home and your belly. No gore, swearing or cliffhangers. Can be read as a standalone.

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

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2021

About the author

Get a free cozy story at https://dl.bookfunnel.com/nn1op4cew3

Sue Hollowell is a wife and empty nester with a lot of mom left over. Finding a lot of time on her hands, and as a lover of mystery novels, she began telling the story of a character who appeared in her head.

The Chemical Bond is a book about Meredith Markette, a young woman who reluctantly enters into the field of law enforcement when her police officer father is killed in the line of duty. Her quest is to discover his murderer and in the meantime come to terms with a tragedy of her youth.

Will this book ever see the light of day? Maybe. Sue really likes the story and character. And writing that book taught her a ton about the publishing industry. Through this experience she has discovered a love of writing stories, and especially mysteries. She hopes you enjoy her books as much as she enjoys writing them.

She and her husband are on the search to adopt a dog, really missing her spaniels that passed a couple of years ago.

Get a free cozy story at https://dl.bookfunnel.com/nn1op4cew3

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery! This short story involves a murder, a kite competition, and a new bookstore opening! Tilly has moved to Belle Harbor to be close to her favorite Uncle Jack. He’s happy to allow Tilly to open a bakery business in one corner of his Checkered Past Antique store. Tilly names the bakery after her Grandma Luna—Luna’s Bakeshop. When they find a corpse in the vacant shop next door; Florence Kennedy, the seemingly rude and snooty new owner, is not pleased.

This is a light cozy mystery set in a beachy tourist area. There are lots of nifty clues for the various nefarious deeds happening in the plot. It’s a quick, delightful read that I enjoyed, and will be reading further stories in the series.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kindle freebie at time of download.

This is the weirdest cozy mystery I've ever read. The chief of police figures out the murderer on his own with clues discovered by two cats. He keeps civillians in the loop and makes an arrest in front of them without fully explaining what was going on. Color me confused. There's very little baking and even though Tillie went to culinary school, she didn't finish which fills her with self-doubts. She's very insecure but also trying to be independent. I appreciate her love for her uncle. He's quite the character and very enjoyable to read. The other characters, Tilly included, are not well-developed at all. I don't know anything about them beyond "hunky surfer type" and bar owner, coffee shop owner. There's no personalities or anything going on here. The writing is pretty bland and boring.

I downloaded a boxed set and don't feel like reading the other two.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I ran across this fun series and got to know Tilly and her grandpa. Grandpa's best friend the police chief Barney is pretty cool too. It was a good mystery, and I enjoyed reading along to see whodunit. I'm definitely going to keep borrowing this in KU!

[Charla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mystery adjacent

Eh just okay. The characters were good the story was weak and the mystery was no where to be seen. Yes there was a murder but like any normal person they let the police do there job and went on with their lives. So it was cozy but not very mystery.

[Rhona Crouthamel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy, but not a mystery

This was a pleasant, enjoyable read. The characters were fun and loveable. HOWEVER this is not a cozy MYSTERY in my opinion. Did someone get murdered in the main characters vicinity? Yes. Did it really have anything else to do with the book from that point on? No. Did the main character solve the crime or even show the slightest interest in it? No. The crime was kept completely on the periphery. It was solved by the police. Clues were not given out or talked about throughout the story. At the end, the police simply made an arrest and gave a general roundup of what happened.
So as a summary, the characters have tremendous potential, but as a mystery, it fell quite flat, I'm sorry to say.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a little confused. I liked the characters but the murder didn't make much sense. Tilly (our protagonist) didn't take part in the investigation (as usual cozy mystery protagonist do), but maybe because this was the first book in the series. I hope to see her more involved and get in trouble (that's why I read cozy mystery in the first place). There was some baking but I need more and hopefully more mystery.

[Rachel Verwulst-Groves · Rating 3 out of 5]

short read

I feel like it could have been a little longer. The ending seems like it was rushed to finish and kind of jumped things a lot. It was a good book for the most part.

[Maryann Skaritka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book in the series. I have skipped around and read out of order and the series does get more enjoyable and the sleuthing is fun to follow along with.
Newly divorced Tilly heads to live near her Uncle Jack in a cozy coastal town. He owns an antique shop and helps set up a small baking area inside to assist her in following her dream.
Who killed Wally, the local moped shop owner? He was one of the kite flying judges for the contest that day.
There are some clues but the chief of police solves the crime.
It was fun meeting all the characters and I looked forward to seeing Tilly use her sleuthing skills in future books which she does a wonderful job with.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tilly and her Uncle Jack are making room in his antique store for her new bakery. The new story neighbor just found a dead body and her uncle gets looked at as a possible suspect. The characters are quirky and fun. The storyline is well done, with plenty of surprises and twists. The mischief will keep you on the edge of your seat. Loved how the ending all came together.

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

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this first book of the series, Tilly comes to Belle Harbor to be closer to her favorite Uncle Jack for a fresh start. With plans to make her cupcakes inside his antique shop, their initial meeting of the new neighbor is a scream when a dead body is involved. Is it related to his being a judge for a kite competition or is it more personal?

Lots of potential in this new cozy series.

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

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

As soon as her divorce is finalized in Boston, Tilly hightails it to the west coast to reset her life. There, she is reunited with her Uncle Jack, and Tilly hopes to open a bakery like her grandma Luna did once upon a time. Jack clears a section of his antique shop for Tilly's bakery, but she hasn't gotten started yet when a man is found murdered in the empty store next door. It's a toss-up as to whether he was killed in conjunction with a cutthroat kite-flying competition or because of his own shady dealings. All Tilly knows is that she didn't expect to encounter a murder in such a quaint little town.

Um, yeah. This story was so lite it flirted with trite. Tilly and Jack were characterized well, but no one else was. One may expect that to change as the series progresses. The plot lacked any semblance of cohesion. It was mostly just a narrative of Tilly going about the business of opening a bakery, meeting new people, learning to ride a moped, and oh hey, there was a murder next door. There was no sleuthing at all; the police solved the crime. Actually, that was refreshing, but not one what expects when reading a cozy. The murder seemed like a subplot instead of the impetus for the main plot. Meh.

Frankly, this deserves two stars for how bland it was, but I'll give it three stars for not adhering to the overly-formulaic cozy mystery "rules".

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The basic storyline held promise but the book was simplistic with a number of holes in the plot and dialogues. That made it a bit frustrating to read. Not worth reading the second book.


Amazon synopsis:
Tilly Griffin did everything by the book. Everyone else’s book. Now it was her turn to write a new chapter, three thousand miles from her former life. Her dream of opening a bakery like her grandma Luna was now becoming a reality.

No sooner does she arrive in the charming beach town, when she and her quirky uncle are tangled up in a mysterious death. When a kite competition judge is found murdered in the bookstore next to her uncle's Checkered Past Antiques shop, Tilly questions her decision to move to Belle Harbor, and everything about her new life.

As the clues emerge, and the small-town secrets are revealed, Tilly’s uncle finds himself smack dab in the middle of the investigation, and surrounded by suspects. Will the murderer be nabbed in time for the bakery’s grand opening or will this close the book on Tilly’s dreams?

[Julie Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay this started out good and then just fizzled. Mainly because the main character didn't do anything but think about cupcakes, while in the background the police detective solved the case, and I do mean in the background, the reader wasn't privy to any of the investigation you would normal expect like questioning suspects or looking for clues. It just got solved and you never really knew why nobody liked him or his she got the kite string that killed him. The idea was there and I did like the characters but somehow it just didn't work for me. To much in cooking and setting up possible love interest. I think it the story had been longer and the main character got involved in the investigation it would have been good.
Tilly moves back home to set up a bakery in her uncle's antiques shop but things don't go to plan when a body is discovery in the newly brought shop next door. Can the murder getsolved before Tilly sells her first cupcake?

[moxieBK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cupcakes and Catastrophe (Bella Harbor Cozy Mystery # 1) — Sue Hollowell (15 chapters) Dec. 19, 2022

After a particularly icky personal experience, Tilly ends up at her Uncle Jack’s quaint town of Bella Harbor intent on opening a bakery I honor of her Grandma Luna. He gives her some space in the corner of his antique shop.

On the first day of her arrival, a person ends up dead in the store next to his and a grumpy business owner insists they are responsible.

This story was the most un-coziest story I have ever read. Tilly seems like the protagonist, but she did no sleuthing and the cozy mystery part felt like a third string plot. I’m not sure what the real plot is besides the sheriff solving the mystery. I got this a a 3 book set through Kindle Unlimited, but I am only going to read this and return the book set.

I’m a little disappointed.

Two stars.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm having a hard time deciding how to rate this book. It's a very short book, more like a short story or novella. The story was good enough, but it was so disjointed and choppy that it was hard to do Make sense of everything. The story jumped around too much. The "clues" might as well have been framed in neon for all their subtly. Tilly's brand new moped randomly breaks down, with no questioning WHY, so she takes it to the shop to get it fixed, only to find out that the woman who sold it was been fired. Oh, dear, too bad. Then back to cupcakes. It's so random and out of place that you know it has to be a clue, but not enough information is given. It's just weird.

The premise of the story is good; the characters are fun, but the execution is terrible. The 5-star reviews must have been written by the author's family and friends. I hope Ms. Hollowell's skills improve with the next one.

[Agna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newly divorced Tilly Griffin moves to a charming beach town, where she plans to open a little bakery with the help of her favorite uncle. And then a murder victim is found right next door..
Sue Hollowell is an experienced cozy mystery writer. Her Treehouse Hotel Mysteries are always highly rated. I really like the new characters in this first book of her Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery series, but unfortunately the plot is rather superficial and uncaptivating.
I received a preview copy of this book which I am voluntarily reviewing.

[Terrev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, more of a short short story to fill the time. It’s a cheap buy from Amazon of a three “book” set which are really more short stories. Cozy (silly) mysteries. But I like the beach and the stories are set in a mythical west coast town called Belle Harbor. It is a relief from the violent Hiaasen book I just finished.

I read the other two in the first box set: Muffins and Misdeeds and Birthday Cake and Burglary. Very superficial. Idiot heroine. Books didn’t improve, should probably be 1 1/2 star.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a light, breezy read but calling it a mystery is a stretch. Sure, there's a murder and a robbery, but both are so far in the background you almost forget about them.There's no investigation at all; the main characters are present when the body and clues are found, but they are merely spectators. Both cases are solved 88% of the way through, and all that's left is for the sheriff to explain the who and why of it. Hilariously, the clues found at the crime scene seemingly have no point as they're never mentioned again. Lots of telling and not showing.

[Karen Wrobel · Rating 2 out of 5]

MC moves from Boston to a small beach town in I’m assuming California to open a bakery. The only thing she seems to know how to make is cupcakes, and based on some of the descriptions of these culinary delights, I’m not sure the author has ever seen a cupcake, nevermind actually baked one. Full of huge logic jumps, assumptions and convenient coincidences, I’m not sure how it’s possible to have this many plot holes in a short story, but here we are.

[Stillgrowing · Rating 2 out of 5]

So they weren’t “tangled up” in the murder mystery. They are barely involved. The interactions with Florence, proprietor of the new shop next door are odd and don’t add to the story but maybe they are build up for the next book? Wasn’t even really a cozy mystery as it was solved on the periphery.
I got the first three but I likely wont be reading further.

[Sarah Woodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was completely charming! It has a lot of places I could see it going and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next. Just a completely adorable story. I loved it!

[Maureen Hetzel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was so sparing and the crime having
Little to do with the main characters. The book ended abruptly and only then did I realize
What the “mystery” was. A basic book at best.

[criesinsapphic · Rating 2 out of 5]

99% cozy and 1% mystery.

[Johntel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute story. The ending was rushed and didn’t explain the very confusing conclusion to the mystery.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cupcakes and Catastrophe is a cosy mystery novella by Sue Hollowell. It is the first book in the “A Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery” series. It has fifteen chapters. We begin the book by meeting Tilly and her uncle, who are working in an antique shop; he sells antiques and she has just begun a bakery business for herself. However, they come back from visiting the local kite festival, and are shocked to find out that someone has been murdered in a shop next door to the antique shop.

I felt like a lot of the character descriptions were strange. Several relatives (two uncles and a grandmother) of the main character are described as “kooky”, but one the uncles in question seems very normal. Completely the opposite of “kooky”. Even with Tilly, the main character, the author kept trying to suggest that she might be a bit strange, implying she’s like her grandmother. But she doesn’t seem weird in any way. She’s a very normal person. What’s meant to be so strange about wanting to run a bakery? The author keeps trying to imply that people, and their behaviour, are strange and “kooky”. But I just don’t understand what’s meant to be weird about so much of the behaviour that the author is pointing out…? And, to be honest, I felt like a lot of what the main character was thinking about was somewhat irrelevant to the plot. It’s okay that she thinks about such things, but it’s strange that it’s put into the plot so often. For example, there’s a lot of time spent on telling us the clothing the main character has bought, despite it being completely irrelevant to the story. Why mention her drinking/ needing coffee so often?

It wasn’t much of a mystery book, to be blunt. There was a murder, yes. But we get very little knowledge about the investigation, aside from a couple of bits of evidence and then an explanation at the end of the book. The crime had been solved by the police, which is okay. I don’t mind that. But it didn’t feel like a very good cosy mystery, because we get very little knowledge about the crime, the suspects, the evidence. For a lot of readers, such as myself, a lot of the drama and suspense from mystery books is the way we can go along with the investigation and try to solve it ourselves. However, it just wasn’t possible in this case, because there were so few clues and suspects revealed to us. Even when we do get an explanation from the police guy at the end, it seemed so flimsy and unbelievable, if I’m blunt. The book was more about the main character’s baking, the antique shop, and her constantly needing to drink coffee. And there were so many characters who had zero plot relevance, were introduced and then had no development to them or any real involvement to building the plot. With the little evidence we did get, it didn’t make sense to how the crime happened and who perpetrated the crime. While there was an explanation as to who did it, there was clearly very little thought into how it happened, and how it left the evidence that was found. Also, why was the bookstore owner allowed to have the shop cleaned and then begin setting it up so soon after the crime? It seems to me like the place would be shut and sealed off as a crime scene. Similarly, with a certain piece of evidence that was found when the group were over there the few days later, it makes me wonder, “did a forensics team even look over the scene at all? How could they have missed such a piece of evidence?”

Honestly, as a book… I felt like it was pretty muddled, in terms of genre. It felt more like a “slice of life” book about Tilly and her bakery business, rather than any kind of mystery book. If the murder stuff had been taken out, and the bakery stuff expanded on, it might have turned out to be half decent. Personally, I didn’t like her as a character very much. Mainly because it felt like the author was trying to force her into some kind of stereotype that wasn’t working out. It felt like the author wanted her to be this “kooky” and quirky girl with blue hair who starts her own baking business. But none of this quirky personality came through, despite the author trying to lead us on that path. She just seemed like a normal, kind of boring, girl who starts a bakery business. Thousands more out there like her around the world. There were so many characters that felt so stereotypical of their roles. Even with the owner of the next door bookshop, it felt like the author was writing her as some sort of stereotype.

Overall… It wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read. I think it had a few alright bits. My main problem with it is that I felt like it just needed a bunch more work to provide more mystery and suspense to the crime aspects. I think, as a reader, I would have liked to know more about the motives and evidence in the investigation. I think I might consider reading the next in the series at some point. I think there is a bit of promise to the author, and I am hoping that the next book might be a bit better. Maybe there will be better planning to the mystery aspects in the next book….? I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

[Salma · Rating 2 out of 5]

i decided to start this series after i had read book 11 and while i didn't particularly like that book, it was a bit better than this tbh which i mean makes sense considering this is the first in the series.
after having read these two, i will say that my main problem here is the mc. she's just so bland with nothing interesting to offer. she's too good and kind and thoughtful that nothing about her stands out at all.
secondly, the murder mysteries are also approached weirdly. especially in this particular book. i'm so confused as to what it's purpose is. tilly isn't directly or indirectly involved in this, she doesn't even try solving the case in fact to the point that she actually tries to ignore it even though it happened right next door. at the end it's the people around her that try to solve the case so again what was the point?? at least in mousse and mayhem it involves her best friend and so she's a little interested.
another point is that the cases are so hastely solved and i don't understand why. it's just one minute there's a murder case and then other things occur and then a blink and then connections have been made and the killer has been found. as a reader, i'm not involved enough to care about that aspect at all. it's like the concept of the murders are there to garner interest for the book but execution is so poor that it remains the most uninteresting aspect of it. this could have been a cute series about Tilly and her bakery shop without the murders and it would have been fine.

anyways...that said i might continue this series till a point. i'm curious to see how the rest of the books hold up.

[Nicole Dunton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Cupcakes and Catastrophe
Author: Sue Hollowell
Release Date: March 4th, 2021
Page Count: 92
Start Date: August 30th, 2022
Finish Date: August 31st, 2022

Review:
Story: I want to start this off by saying that I found the story very cute. It's a short and sweet read. I think the writing style itself is amazing. Me not being very fond of this book is because of my personal preferences. It is in no way stating that the book itself is bad. I just think that there are things that could have been added to. I also feel like the murder mystery was more of a back burner story than the story itself.
Characters: All of the characters in this book are so cute! I definitely get small time vibes because of all of them. I do find it a bit weird that even though the girl is new to the town to be with her uncle, she acts like she's lived there all her life.
Critiques: I feel like many parts of this story should be added to. I think this book could have a lot more "meat" to it. I love that it's a "short and sweet" book, but I'd of loved it more if a hundred or so pages were added. I also feel like there wasn't a real focus on the story. It literally felt like I was just going through the day to the life of the main character.
Final Thoughts: I really did like this book. It's just not something I could say I loved. I adored the cover. Which is probably why I impulse bought it when I did. Who knows? I think if the author were to go back and add a lot of substance to the book I would give the book another try. I'd even continue on with the series. Until something like that happens, I'll say that it's nice but it really isn't for me. I do recommend it though for anybody who wants a quick, cute, and easy story.

[SmuttySamReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Cupcakes and Catastrophe," the delightful first installment in the Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery series by Sue Hollowell, is a charming read that truly lives up to its genre. If you're looking for a mystery that's more sweet than sinister, this book is a perfect treat.

I absolutely loved diving into this cozy mystery and found myself completely engrossed from the very first page. It was one of those books you just can't put down, easily devoured in a single sitting! The author does a fantastic job of crafting an inviting atmosphere in Belle Harbor, making you wish you could stroll through its quaint streets and perhaps even sample some of the titular cupcakes.

The story follows our amateur sleuth as they navigate a local catastrophe, all while surrounded by a cast of quirky characters and, of course, delicious baked goods. Hollowell masterfully weaves together clues and red herrings, keeping you guessing without resorting to any graphic violence or overly dark themes, which is a hallmark of the cozy mystery genre.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and the satisfying resolution, I'd rate "Cupcakes and Catastrophe" a solid 3 out of 5 stars. It's a wonderfully comforting and engaging read that delivers exactly what a cozy mystery fan desires: a puzzling crime, a charming setting, and a protagonist you can't help but root for.

If you're in the mood for a lighthearted, engaging mystery that will whisk you away to a picturesque town, grab a copy of "Cupcakes and Catastrophe." You might just find yourself reading it in one sitting too!

[Rachel Boyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading cozy mysteries, but to call this a mystery would be a huge stretch. Following a divorce, Tilly moves to be close to her Uncle Jack. She will start a bakery in part of her Uncle's antique store. Next door to the antique shop, a body is found. Then the reader basically follows Tilly through her day to day life and trying to start up a bakery while the case is set on the backburner. Tilly doesn't investigate, as usual in cozy mysteries. At the end, the police solves the mystery with no insight from Tilly, and the police just explains to Tilly and her uncle what happened. There are few clues leading to anyone and there is so little information about the culprit that the couple clues were pretty pointless. Even the victim had little background and was barely mentioned. This book had potential but it was too short and lacked mention of a mystery.
Tilly was a decent main character; fresh off a divorce and needing a change. And some confidence. I definitely worry how she can have a bakery and not notice the difference between shortening and frosting though. Uncle Jack seems like the kind of family anyone would want. Supportive, kind, and fun. There are a few townspeople that also seem like they could add a lot to the story.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her marriage ends in divorce, Tilly Griffin looks to start her life over. She moves to the beach town where her uncle has an antique shop. One of Tilly’s dreams is to open her own bakery and her uncle is more than happy to make space for her in his shop.

As Tilly settles in and tries to make her bakery a success, she and her uncle discover a dead body in the bookstore next to their shop. It turns out the victim is the judge in a kite competition. The police investigate, but the investigation leads to more questions with Tilly’s uncle in the middle of it all.

This is a cute novella. It’s a short, quick read with a variety of off-beat characters. The plot moves along at a fast-pace. With various suspects to choose from, it keeps you guessing. There are no cliffhangers and the mystery is solved in this book.

I can easily see how this can be a binge-worthy series. Each one can be read in one sitting. I’m only just beginning the series, but I’m intending to make my way through the whole thing.

It’s a great start to a series.