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Wedding Cake Mysteries #1
To Have and to Kill
Piper Donovan, an actress who has been having a hard time of it living in Manhattan, has returned home to her parents’ small town in New Jersey. She’s been helping out at her mother’s bakery, which makes it perfect that Piper’s close friend, Glenna Brooks, has asked her to prepare the cake for her upcoming wedding. However, things aren’t as perfect as they seem, and when there is a murder, Piper is determined to figure out what happened and protect her friend.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2010
371 people are currently reading
1948 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Clark
41 books462 followersMary Jane Elizabeth Behrends Clark (1954-) is the author of thirteen novels, including 12 in the KEY News media thriller series, and one in her new Wedding Cake mystery series. A veteran writer and producer for CBS News, Clark worked for almost three decades at the network’s New York City headquarters. Her books are published in twenty-three languages. She lives in New Jersey and Florida.
Clark's former mother-in-law and sister-in-law are the authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, respectively.
Clark's former mother-in-law and sister-in-law are the authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, respectively.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
November 2, 2011
The book was a quick and easy read and mostly enjoyable. I was a little disappointed about several things, though. There were a lot of potential murderers, but none were really fleshed out. The eventual outing of the actual murderer felt more like a "Scooby Doo" moment to me. It also bothered me that the back of the book implies that Piper teams up with her hot FBI friend. Er, no. I saw less of him in the book than a couple of the victims. If you are going to say that they "teamed up" -- they need to be working together -- more like Beckett and Castle on the TV show Castle. Come on, they barely spoke. He seemed more like a contrived writing tool to move Piper along to her next scene. I could barely tell they were more than acquaintances. I know the author said they had been friends, but you have to do more than tell me something -- you have to show it to me in actions and scenes. I do understand that this is the first in a series, and perhaps the main characters will become more developed as time goes by, but I didn't know that going in. To me, a series doesn't mean the same main character is the main character of the next book. So, slightly disappointed. Not sure if I'll pick up the next book or not.
January 31, 2012
"To Have and to Kill" is a very fast-paced cozy mystery--yet it's not a typical cozy. Piper is curious about who is causing the murders, but she never directly tried to snoop around and find out who did it. She left that to the police. Yet she's still in the middle of everything that's going on due to her job. I liked how, just by being herself, she thwarted the murderer's plans twice.
I also liked how she didn't stupidly go into a dangerous situation (like some cozy heroines do), and she didn't need rescuing when she found herself in a dangerous situation. As for whodunit, the author provided plenty of people with a motive and opportunity. You could guess from the clues, and I did guess before the "big reveal." I was a bit surprised to read a review saying they guessed whodunit from the start, though. I'd agree more with the reviewer who said she'd dismissed whodunit because whodunit's motive didn't seem powerful enough for murder.
I found Piper, her parents, and her actress friend engaging and enjoyable to read about. The other characters were very sketchy. Her love interest, the FBI agent, didn't do much and the romance angle wasn't really developed. The details about cake decoration and the acting business were interesting. The suspense was created by the physical danger to the characters and from wondering whodunit.
There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fast-paced, upbeat mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
I also liked how she didn't stupidly go into a dangerous situation (like some cozy heroines do), and she didn't need rescuing when she found herself in a dangerous situation. As for whodunit, the author provided plenty of people with a motive and opportunity. You could guess from the clues, and I did guess before the "big reveal." I was a bit surprised to read a review saying they guessed whodunit from the start, though. I'd agree more with the reviewer who said she'd dismissed whodunit because whodunit's motive didn't seem powerful enough for murder.
I found Piper, her parents, and her actress friend engaging and enjoyable to read about. The other characters were very sketchy. Her love interest, the FBI agent, didn't do much and the romance angle wasn't really developed. The details about cake decoration and the acting business were interesting. The suspense was created by the physical danger to the characters and from wondering whodunit.
There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fast-paced, upbeat mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
March 19, 2018
This was the first book I have read by Mary Jane Clark. It was a bit more face paced than many cozy mysteries and I definitely appreciated it. I like a bit of suspense in my cozies and I don’t like to wait until a third of the way in to find it. I enjoyed the way the cast of characters were completely fleshed out. It kept me engaged. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It was an entertaining light read.
February 13, 2017
Pleasant enough, but everything was just sort of thin. It moved along quickly, but without any depth. Just sort of bouncing from event to event. Only one of the murders had any psychological oomph to it. It felt more like the author was sketching out characters for a novel... Perhaps the outlines fill in during the rest of the series, but I don't have enough invested to want to find out.
December 17, 2010
To Have and To Kill is the first novel in a new series for Mary Jane Clark. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading one of her novels before so this was a first of firsts for me, I enjoyed it. Clark definitely drew me in right away. Here is what this novel is about:
“My new character, Piper Donovan, is a struggling actress with no immediate prospects and a recently broken engagement. Reluctantly, she moves back in with her parents to take stock of her life. Piper steps tentatively into the family bakery business, and finds herself agreeing to create the wedding cake for the acclaimed star of a daytime television drama. But soon deadly things start happening around the bride-to-be and it seems that somebody is ruthlessly determined to stop the wedding.
With the help of her former neighbor, Jack, a handsome FBI agent with a soft spot for the gorgeous cake-maker, Piper moves closer to the truth. As she narrows in on a suspect, Piper realizes that it's hotter in the kitchen than she may be able to handle...”
All good stuff: bakeries, wedding cakes, FBI agents and mystery abounds. I enjoy reading this type of fun novel at the beach, or now since it is cold, while watching a good fire that I have made. To Have and To Kill was a nice introduction to Mary Jane Clark’s works for me. Her characters seemed to have the right ingredients, the right amount of proofing and they seemed to have been baked just right, with just a hint of some extra spice or spices that only she knows what it is. Piper is a character I grew to care about and I am eager to follow her coming novels. If you have the blog at all, you know that I really enjoy finding new character driven series to follow.
I am going to have to guess that I am in the minority when it comes to having read a novel by this author. It seems that Mary Jane Clark has a few novels under her belt and they are all on display at her website, plus a few other neat things. Have you signed up for her newsletter? I did. Here is here official website address: http://www.maryjaneclark.com/index.html
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Wattpad and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“My new character, Piper Donovan, is a struggling actress with no immediate prospects and a recently broken engagement. Reluctantly, she moves back in with her parents to take stock of her life. Piper steps tentatively into the family bakery business, and finds herself agreeing to create the wedding cake for the acclaimed star of a daytime television drama. But soon deadly things start happening around the bride-to-be and it seems that somebody is ruthlessly determined to stop the wedding.
With the help of her former neighbor, Jack, a handsome FBI agent with a soft spot for the gorgeous cake-maker, Piper moves closer to the truth. As she narrows in on a suspect, Piper realizes that it's hotter in the kitchen than she may be able to handle...”
All good stuff: bakeries, wedding cakes, FBI agents and mystery abounds. I enjoy reading this type of fun novel at the beach, or now since it is cold, while watching a good fire that I have made. To Have and To Kill was a nice introduction to Mary Jane Clark’s works for me. Her characters seemed to have the right ingredients, the right amount of proofing and they seemed to have been baked just right, with just a hint of some extra spice or spices that only she knows what it is. Piper is a character I grew to care about and I am eager to follow her coming novels. If you have the blog at all, you know that I really enjoy finding new character driven series to follow.
I am going to have to guess that I am in the minority when it comes to having read a novel by this author. It seems that Mary Jane Clark has a few novels under her belt and they are all on display at her website, plus a few other neat things. Have you signed up for her newsletter? I did. Here is here official website address: http://www.maryjaneclark.com/index.html
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Wattpad and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
December 4, 2013
This book was a fast read. What attracted me to it was the category "Wedding Cake Mystery".I do like me a good wedding story! Piper Donovan is an actress who is in between jobs which is forcing her do the dreaded "I'm moving back home for a while". Her mother is a successful baker but something is wrong...Piper reconnects with a friend, Glenna, who is the popular lead actress on a soap opera in which Piper played her sister. Glenna is leaving the show and is getting married and she asks Piper if her mother to make her wedding cake but Piper's mother uncharacteristically refuses...why...So Piper decides to make the cake herself since she has learned the bakery business from helping her mother. Piper is called back on said soap opera for the dream sequence of Glenna's last episode. Glenna's former husband is poisoned by cyanide at an auction...Her ex husband Philip is making an unwelcome reappearance since he learned she is getting remarried. The first victim used to be Glenna's former love. These are the opening pieces of this "whodunnit". This was such a fun book to read. Each chapter was really short and just moved you on quickly with the story. I guessed the "who" just instants before all was revealed! The language was clean. There were no uncomfortable scenes. How refreshing!! I will definitely look for more installments of this "Wedding Cake Mystery". P.S. I want some cake now...
July 11, 2021
Fun, easy, quick read with lots of red herrings that hide the true killer—so many people had possible motives. It was occasionally difficult to remember every named character, and I lost count of the number of POVs. The summary also isn’t that accurate—Piper’s “hot FBI friend” makes barely an appearance compared to other characters and I’m a sucker for a love story so I was a little disappointed there; maybe the sequels will dive more into developing their relationship. But I really liked the mixed bag of characters playing small roles but each with intriguing lives and personalities, and I loved Piper’s relationships with her parents. And I was surprised at the final reveal, which qualifies it as a good whodunit mystery for me. All in all, a good choice for a beach day or lazy afternoon.
August 27, 2022
Ok, will read next in series before deciding if I will continue
December 14, 2011
This was the first book of Mary Jane Clark that I have read. This is the first book in her new series The Wedding Cake mysteries. I really liked it and it kept me guessing all the ay to the end. I would never have thought of that person being the killer. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out in Feb.
December 11, 2018
Didn't suspect the killer at all. Overall good book; reminds me of those Hallmark movies which are always fun to watch. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy mysteries.
January 11, 2019
Author did a good job of providing lots of possible suspects and motives and not dragging it out too long.
August 22, 2022
This murder mystery was a fast and enjoyable read. The plot included a soap opera, tv stars, and a mom who owned a successful bakery because of her talents with cakes and cupcakes. Highly recommend.
October 5, 2022
This one is the start of a cozy mystery series....enjoyed it.
February 11, 2023
Great Cosy
I loved this except it has a cast of thousands. Too many to remember easily. But it was fun, and I will put book 2 on my Kindle. Good mystery and easy reading.
I loved this except it has a cast of thousands. Too many to remember easily. But it was fun, and I will put book 2 on my Kindle. Good mystery and easy reading.
April 30, 2011
After being dumped by her fiancé, Piper Donovan decides to get a fresh start. So she moves back home and works with her mother in her bakery shop called The Icing on the Cupcake. Piper used to be a daytime soap opera actor on a show called A Little Rain Must Fall. That is until her character dead.
Glenna Brooks, a fellow actor on A Little Rain Must Fall is getting married. She asks Piper to make her wedding cake. It seems that someone is not pleasured with the idea of Glenna getting married. First Glenna receives a threatening message and next people all around her are dying. It is up to Piper to save a wedding before there are no guests to attend.
To Have and To Kill is the first book in a new series, A Wedding Cake Mystery. I liked this book. It is a nice, sweet cozy mystery. Piper needed to be fleshed out a little more as a character but I could see her potential. This was a quick read. The chapters were only a few pages. There was a lot of suspects thrown in the mix but the reasons to suspect them were not that strong. In addition, I didn’t really get to know the characters that were dying, so I didn’t feel bad that they were gone. In fact, there was a lot of every man or woman for themselves attitude. The yummy recipe in the back for the Butter cream Icing is a nice bonus. I am going to make it. While there was some flaws, it was not enough to keep me from checking out the next book in this series.
Glenna Brooks, a fellow actor on A Little Rain Must Fall is getting married. She asks Piper to make her wedding cake. It seems that someone is not pleasured with the idea of Glenna getting married. First Glenna receives a threatening message and next people all around her are dying. It is up to Piper to save a wedding before there are no guests to attend.
To Have and To Kill is the first book in a new series, A Wedding Cake Mystery. I liked this book. It is a nice, sweet cozy mystery. Piper needed to be fleshed out a little more as a character but I could see her potential. This was a quick read. The chapters were only a few pages. There was a lot of suspects thrown in the mix but the reasons to suspect them were not that strong. In addition, I didn’t really get to know the characters that were dying, so I didn’t feel bad that they were gone. In fact, there was a lot of every man or woman for themselves attitude. The yummy recipe in the back for the Butter cream Icing is a nice bonus. I am going to make it. While there was some flaws, it was not enough to keep me from checking out the next book in this series.
April 18, 2013
Do you like to see an episode of ”Murder She wrote”?
Do you like to see one of the million different “cake shows”?
If you just said yes (or just nodded your head) you will probably also like this book.
It really is a ‘chick-lit’ edition of a one hour crime/mystery TV show.
The story evolves around Piper who is an ‘out-of-work’ actress. One of her friends is getting married, and suddenly people around her start dying, and oh no, its so scary!
Which would probably be the thought a somewhat ‘normal’ person has in such a situation.
But not our Piper.. no.. She’s perfect, so of course she doesn’t freak out. She wants to help, you guys!
Piper is one of those who are not only beautiful – the long blond hair with blue eyes - kind of beautiful – she’s also smart and funny. She never misses her ‘bikram’ yoga classes, she knows her karate, how to change tires, CPR, and so on.. Piper is perfect in such a way, that when she realizes her mother is going blind she doesn’t say: “Oh no, my Mom is going blind!” No, that’s not good enough.. She says: “Oh no, my mom has macular degeneration!”
Because really, who doesn’t say that? o_O
All this is why I didn’t like Piper (which may make me a bitch) but honestly, as a reader, you don’t wanna read about this perfect example of a person, while you skipped going to the gymagain..
Anywho..
There are murders and cakes.
2 stars.
Do you like to see one of the million different “cake shows”?
If you just said yes (or just nodded your head) you will probably also like this book.
It really is a ‘chick-lit’ edition of a one hour crime/mystery TV show.
The story evolves around Piper who is an ‘out-of-work’ actress. One of her friends is getting married, and suddenly people around her start dying, and oh no, its so scary!
Which would probably be the thought a somewhat ‘normal’ person has in such a situation.
But not our Piper.. no.. She’s perfect, so of course she doesn’t freak out. She wants to help, you guys!
Piper is one of those who are not only beautiful – the long blond hair with blue eyes - kind of beautiful – she’s also smart and funny. She never misses her ‘bikram’ yoga classes, she knows her karate, how to change tires, CPR, and so on.. Piper is perfect in such a way, that when she realizes her mother is going blind she doesn’t say: “Oh no, my Mom is going blind!” No, that’s not good enough.. She says: “Oh no, my mom has macular degeneration!”
Because really, who doesn’t say that? o_O
All this is why I didn’t like Piper (which may make me a bitch) but honestly, as a reader, you don’t wanna read about this perfect example of a person, while you skipped going to the gym
Anywho..
There are murders and cakes.
2 stars.
February 27, 2011
I decided to read this book because I was told this was the first in a new cozy series. Interesting.
It was a great book, a good mystery, but a lousy cozy.
Usually, cozies star an amateur P.I. who stumble into the investigative business, are accused of meddling by the actual law enforcement officials, and have non-gory, behind-the-scenes murders. So, this book did succeed in at least the last criteria.
Piper is an actress, and when her latest gig on a soap opera ends, she moves home to help her mom with her bakery business. Soon, Piper's friend Glenna announces her engagement, and she enlists Piper's help with the wedding cake. But then people associated with Glenna's wedding start dying.
As I said, this was a fun book and a good mystery, but as a cozy, it rather fails. Piper didn't really do much investigating other than pass along information to her FBI agent friend. And she solved the case in the end when she accidentally stumbled onto some information. Folks, that isn't investigative effort -- that's being a serendipitous messenger.
But since this author normally does thrillers and this was her first foray into cozies, and I DID enjoy the book on its face, I am willing to read the second book in the series to see how it goes.
It was a great book, a good mystery, but a lousy cozy.
Usually, cozies star an amateur P.I. who stumble into the investigative business, are accused of meddling by the actual law enforcement officials, and have non-gory, behind-the-scenes murders. So, this book did succeed in at least the last criteria.
Piper is an actress, and when her latest gig on a soap opera ends, she moves home to help her mom with her bakery business. Soon, Piper's friend Glenna announces her engagement, and she enlists Piper's help with the wedding cake. But then people associated with Glenna's wedding start dying.
As I said, this was a fun book and a good mystery, but as a cozy, it rather fails. Piper didn't really do much investigating other than pass along information to her FBI agent friend. And she solved the case in the end when she accidentally stumbled onto some information. Folks, that isn't investigative effort -- that's being a serendipitous messenger.
But since this author normally does thrillers and this was her first foray into cozies, and I DID enjoy the book on its face, I am willing to read the second book in the series to see how it goes.
July 10, 2017
Brief summary
Piper is an actress who is currently out of work. She moves back in with her parents and helps out at her mom's bakery. While Piper is at a charity event, a nice evening quickly turns into a crime scene. As the bodies start piling up, Piper can't help but wonder why this is happening and who is behind it all.
What I liked
I enjoyed that Piper wasn't acting like she was part of the police force and that she just let them do their job (like a lot of other cozy mysteries). Piper is an interesting character and I love that her mom owns a bakery that she helps out in. I kept thinking I knew who the killer was, but I was so wrong! I didn't see that coming.
What I didn't like
There were a lot of different POVs and sometimes it was confusing.
Brief thoughts
This is the first book I've ever read by Mary Jane Clark and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely be continuing Piper's story.
Piper is an actress who is currently out of work. She moves back in with her parents and helps out at her mom's bakery. While Piper is at a charity event, a nice evening quickly turns into a crime scene. As the bodies start piling up, Piper can't help but wonder why this is happening and who is behind it all.
What I liked
I enjoyed that Piper wasn't acting like she was part of the police force and that she just let them do their job (like a lot of other cozy mysteries). Piper is an interesting character and I love that her mom owns a bakery that she helps out in. I kept thinking I knew who the killer was, but I was so wrong! I didn't see that coming.
What I didn't like
There were a lot of different POVs and sometimes it was confusing.
Brief thoughts
This is the first book I've ever read by Mary Jane Clark and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely be continuing Piper's story.
June 6, 2011
Piper Donovan is a struggling actress with a bro9ken engagement and no immediate job prospects. She moves back home with her parents to take stock of her life. She tentatively steps into the family bakery business. Who ever imagined that decorating cakes could be so dangerous. Piper agrees to create a wedding cake for an acclaimed star of a daytime television drama. But someone close to the bride is horribly murdered. And it seems someone is ruthlessly trying to stop the wedding with the help of her former neighbor Jack an FBI agent Piper moves closer to the truth and narrows in on a suspect . She soon realizes its hotter in the kitchen than she may be able to handle.
November 17, 2010
about half way through and really enjoying it. I was not disappointed -Mary Jane kept the characters alive and interesting and as soon as I thought I had it figured out, another twist....anxiously awaiting the next "Wedding Cake Mystery"
January 5, 2013
A wonderful, light read...and I didn't figure out "whodunit" until it was almost revealed.
January 30, 2013
Cute easy read book.
February 5, 2013
Agreeing with Sue Ansell: fun little 'beach read' book. Enjoyable as a cupcake.
July 8, 2013
Very enjoyable! Quick read, interesting, fun characters.
August 19, 2017
.
It wasn't outstanding, but I liked it.
It wasn't outstanding, but I liked it.
March 27, 2021
Mary Higgins Clark gets cozy in her five-volume wedding cake series
Posted on March 27, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist
Michelle Lovato’s Book Reviews With A Twist!
Piper Donovan is a failure.
Well, not exactly. But this 26-year-old unemployed actress is smarting when she finally moves home to New Jersey, after facing the fact that her recently-broken wedding engagement and wide-open – or in other words acting jobless – calendar can’t sustain her lifestyle any longer. Home, where her heart is not, yet, But Piper licks her wounds while dabbling in the family bakery business to keep her busy.
As if losing her fiance wasn’t enough for this wilting flower, Piper’s best friend Glenna – thanks a lot honey – and fellow actress asks the talented Piper to make a wedding cake for her impending nuptials.
Problem? Of course.
Before Piper can layer icing onto Glenna’s frozen cake patties, a dead body appears out of nowhere. Who killed her best friend’s daytime drama co-star?
(Insert organ music from a ‘B’ horror film here … ) I’ve always been a fan of melodrama, as long as it’s not my own.
In this case, Travis York, Glenna’s television co-star is front-and-center at a charity auction, dead of cyanide poisoning.
Those darn actors always insist on being at the center of everything.
Glenna’s fiance is not happy when he hits the cop’s top suspect list. And Glenna is receiving threatening letters from the killer.
A cozy wouldn’t be cozy without the intrepid, spunky, loyal heroine insisting she jump into the center of this murder investigation, irritate law enforcement everywhere, and hunt down the killer. But, alas, Piper’s tubes are clogged. And the newly-minted wedding-cake artist realizes and she needs help.
Piper’s eggs get whipped when she comes across a childhood neighbor, and an irresistibly sexy FBI agent, Jack Lombardi. Perhaps Piper’s moving home wasn’t such a terrible idea after all.
Together, the smitten, but coy pair stir up a powdered sugar frenzy in their attempt to find the dastardly destructor during the days depressing her best friend’s wedding.
Perfect setup? Of course.
Mary Clark Higgins has the magic touch when it comes to giving readers exactly what they want from a murder mystery. Different from her mainstream thriller bestsellers, To Have and To Kill is the first “light” cozy mystery in her five-book Piper Donavan Wedding Cake Mystery series.
Someday, I want to read Mary Clark Higgin’s biography. This prolific wordsmith hero of mine is the real-life daughter of an FBI agent father and neighborhood cake decorating mother who worked at CBS News for decades before producing this series. Now, that’s my kind of murdering cake baker.
BoutiquePublishingService@hotmail.com
BoutiqueBooks@hotmail.com
Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2
Posted on March 27, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist
Michelle Lovato’s Book Reviews With A Twist!
Piper Donovan is a failure.
Well, not exactly. But this 26-year-old unemployed actress is smarting when she finally moves home to New Jersey, after facing the fact that her recently-broken wedding engagement and wide-open – or in other words acting jobless – calendar can’t sustain her lifestyle any longer. Home, where her heart is not, yet, But Piper licks her wounds while dabbling in the family bakery business to keep her busy.
As if losing her fiance wasn’t enough for this wilting flower, Piper’s best friend Glenna – thanks a lot honey – and fellow actress asks the talented Piper to make a wedding cake for her impending nuptials.
Problem? Of course.
Before Piper can layer icing onto Glenna’s frozen cake patties, a dead body appears out of nowhere. Who killed her best friend’s daytime drama co-star?
(Insert organ music from a ‘B’ horror film here … ) I’ve always been a fan of melodrama, as long as it’s not my own.
In this case, Travis York, Glenna’s television co-star is front-and-center at a charity auction, dead of cyanide poisoning.
Those darn actors always insist on being at the center of everything.
Glenna’s fiance is not happy when he hits the cop’s top suspect list. And Glenna is receiving threatening letters from the killer.
A cozy wouldn’t be cozy without the intrepid, spunky, loyal heroine insisting she jump into the center of this murder investigation, irritate law enforcement everywhere, and hunt down the killer. But, alas, Piper’s tubes are clogged. And the newly-minted wedding-cake artist realizes and she needs help.
Piper’s eggs get whipped when she comes across a childhood neighbor, and an irresistibly sexy FBI agent, Jack Lombardi. Perhaps Piper’s moving home wasn’t such a terrible idea after all.
Together, the smitten, but coy pair stir up a powdered sugar frenzy in their attempt to find the dastardly destructor during the days depressing her best friend’s wedding.
Perfect setup? Of course.
Mary Clark Higgins has the magic touch when it comes to giving readers exactly what they want from a murder mystery. Different from her mainstream thriller bestsellers, To Have and To Kill is the first “light” cozy mystery in her five-book Piper Donavan Wedding Cake Mystery series.
Someday, I want to read Mary Clark Higgin’s biography. This prolific wordsmith hero of mine is the real-life daughter of an FBI agent father and neighborhood cake decorating mother who worked at CBS News for decades before producing this series. Now, that’s my kind of murdering cake baker.
BoutiquePublishingService@hotmail.com
BoutiqueBooks@hotmail.com
Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2
December 1, 2020
De toute ma petite vie de lectrice, très honnêtement, des livres policiers, j’ai du en lire trois. Peut être quatre, et uniquement ceux d’Agatha Christie.
Alors, il est vrai, que lorsque j’ai attaqué ma lecture, j’avais un petit peu peur d’être larguée, d’être plongée dans une récit trop complexe, de ne pas accrocher, etc… Et même d’avoir peur , car souvent, « policier » rime avec « thriller » , et je suis une vraie flipette.
Mais là. J’ai. Adoré. J’ai adoré !
Point positif numéro un : les touts petits chapitres. La lecture est découpée en pleins de petits paragraphes, de chapitres d’une à deux pages maximum. De plus, l’auteure nous offre le point de vue d’un personnage différent à chaque page, c’est très agréable, et cela rends le rythme de lecture très rapide !
Point positif numéro deux : les petits tracas de la vie. En plus d’enquêter sur l’étrange meurtre, l’auteure nous livre des petits bouts de vie de ses personnages, et j’ai trouvé cela très sympa, car on arrive beaucoup mieux à comprendre les agissements ou les pensées des protagonistes. On se sent proche d’eux, et on découvre pour chacun de bonnes raisons d’être innocent…ou coupable !
Point positif numéro trois : pas de clichés à tour de bras. Entre une star de télé, un agent du FBI, une pâtissière, et une jeune prodige, l’auteure avait tout loisir de nous servir des personnages clich��s à souhaits.
Et elle s’en est merveilleusement bien tirée ! Tous avaient quelque chose de très « humain », cassant leur image parfaite et édulcorée.
Pour résumer, c’était une très bonne surprise ! Une petite lecture très agréable, facile à lire et qui ne m’a laissé qu’un sentiment de bonheur.
Alors, il est vrai, que lorsque j’ai attaqué ma lecture, j’avais un petit peu peur d’être larguée, d’être plongée dans une récit trop complexe, de ne pas accrocher, etc… Et même d’avoir peur , car souvent, « policier » rime avec « thriller » , et je suis une vraie flipette.
Mais là. J’ai. Adoré. J’ai adoré !
Point positif numéro un : les touts petits chapitres. La lecture est découpée en pleins de petits paragraphes, de chapitres d’une à deux pages maximum. De plus, l’auteure nous offre le point de vue d’un personnage différent à chaque page, c’est très agréable, et cela rends le rythme de lecture très rapide !
Point positif numéro deux : les petits tracas de la vie. En plus d’enquêter sur l’étrange meurtre, l’auteure nous livre des petits bouts de vie de ses personnages, et j’ai trouvé cela très sympa, car on arrive beaucoup mieux à comprendre les agissements ou les pensées des protagonistes. On se sent proche d’eux, et on découvre pour chacun de bonnes raisons d’être innocent…ou coupable !
Point positif numéro trois : pas de clichés à tour de bras. Entre une star de télé, un agent du FBI, une pâtissière, et une jeune prodige, l’auteure avait tout loisir de nous servir des personnages clich��s à souhaits.
Et elle s’en est merveilleusement bien tirée ! Tous avaient quelque chose de très « humain », cassant leur image parfaite et édulcorée.
Pour résumer, c’était une très bonne surprise ! Une petite lecture très agréable, facile à lire et qui ne m’a laissé qu’un sentiment de bonheur.
June 7, 2024
So, I’m vacillating a bit between a neutral review and a recommendation. Here’s what you need to know:
Actress Piper Donovan struggles to find work, and the New York City landlord relentlessly wants the rent. She admits she can’t pay, and she moves back home to New Jersey with Mom and Dad. Mom keeps messing up when it’s time to make the cakes sold at the family-owned bakery, and Piper eventually figures out Mom has Macular Degeneration.
Piper’s best friend and fellow actress plans to marry on Christmas Eve, and she’s asked Piper’s mom to make the wedding cake. Mom says no, believing her worsening vision won’t allow her to do a good job, so Piper agrees to make it.
Piper and her bride-to-be friend attend a charity event at a nearby school, and someone uses cyanide to poison the master of ceremonies. The problem is Piper’s friend was probably the intended target for the fatal cyanide sip of water. Before the book ends, two other people who attended the event will brutally die. In the final pages, the killer seeks to end Piper’s life.
So, why the vacillation on my part? These characters aren’t particularly strong, and I couldn’t find much of a reason to invest my heart and emotions in their success. I found myself shrugging a lot when these characters died. But the upside is I didn’t see the suspect revealed until the author did it. She writes well enough; she just doesn’t give me enough reasons to care for these characters. I may give the next book in the series a chance, but I’m even undecided on that.
Actress Piper Donovan struggles to find work, and the New York City landlord relentlessly wants the rent. She admits she can’t pay, and she moves back home to New Jersey with Mom and Dad. Mom keeps messing up when it’s time to make the cakes sold at the family-owned bakery, and Piper eventually figures out Mom has Macular Degeneration.
Piper’s best friend and fellow actress plans to marry on Christmas Eve, and she’s asked Piper’s mom to make the wedding cake. Mom says no, believing her worsening vision won’t allow her to do a good job, so Piper agrees to make it.
Piper and her bride-to-be friend attend a charity event at a nearby school, and someone uses cyanide to poison the master of ceremonies. The problem is Piper’s friend was probably the intended target for the fatal cyanide sip of water. Before the book ends, two other people who attended the event will brutally die. In the final pages, the killer seeks to end Piper’s life.
So, why the vacillation on my part? These characters aren’t particularly strong, and I couldn’t find much of a reason to invest my heart and emotions in their success. I found myself shrugging a lot when these characters died. But the upside is I didn’t see the suspect revealed until the author did it. She writes well enough; she just doesn’t give me enough reasons to care for these characters. I may give the next book in the series a chance, but I’m even undecided on that.
September 8, 2018
Une enquête de Piper Donovan - Tome 1
Piper jeune actrice new-yorkaise, a des difficultés à trouver de nouveaux rôles depuis son éviction d'une série à succès, "A little rain must fall" où elle a rencontré sa meilleure amie Glenna, la star de le la série.
Faute d'argent, Piper décide de se réinstaller chez ses parents dans la banlieue de New-York. Sa maman y tient une pâtisserie, son père ancien flic est à la retraite.
Après avoir beaucoup hésité et devant l'insistance de sa mère, Piper accepte de confectionner la pièce montée de Glenna qui se marie le 24 décembre.
La voilà mêlée à une affaire de meurtre, puis de tentative de meurtre...enfin mêlé est un grand mot, elle est là en observatrice et nous décrit ce qui se passe.
L'auteur sème le trouble dans nos esprits en nous offrant une multitude de suspects.
Aucun temps mort dans ce livre, des chapitres courts, des personnages attachants, surtout Piper et son histoire compliquée avec Jack agent du FBI, même si je trouve que l'auteur aurait dû plus développer cette relation.
Un livre sans violence, un suspens maintenu jusqu'au bout, même si rien d'hyper angoissant.
J'adore le style de l'auteur, sans prise de tête, sans longueur, même si ce n'est pas la découverte de l'année j'ai passé un agréable moment, cela m'a permit de faire une pose de mes lectures habituelles plus axées thrillers...
Petit bémol je n'ai trouvé aucun intérêt au tweet de piper on dirait une ado ...
Je lirai la suite avec plaisir !
Piper jeune actrice new-yorkaise, a des difficultés à trouver de nouveaux rôles depuis son éviction d'une série à succès, "A little rain must fall" où elle a rencontré sa meilleure amie Glenna, la star de le la série.
Faute d'argent, Piper décide de se réinstaller chez ses parents dans la banlieue de New-York. Sa maman y tient une pâtisserie, son père ancien flic est à la retraite.
Après avoir beaucoup hésité et devant l'insistance de sa mère, Piper accepte de confectionner la pièce montée de Glenna qui se marie le 24 décembre.
La voilà mêlée à une affaire de meurtre, puis de tentative de meurtre...enfin mêlé est un grand mot, elle est là en observatrice et nous décrit ce qui se passe.
L'auteur sème le trouble dans nos esprits en nous offrant une multitude de suspects.
Aucun temps mort dans ce livre, des chapitres courts, des personnages attachants, surtout Piper et son histoire compliquée avec Jack agent du FBI, même si je trouve que l'auteur aurait dû plus développer cette relation.
Un livre sans violence, un suspens maintenu jusqu'au bout, même si rien d'hyper angoissant.
J'adore le style de l'auteur, sans prise de tête, sans longueur, même si ce n'est pas la découverte de l'année j'ai passé un agréable moment, cela m'a permit de faire une pose de mes lectures habituelles plus axées thrillers...
Petit bémol je n'ai trouvé aucun intérêt au tweet de piper on dirait une ado ...
Je lirai la suite avec plaisir !
April 4, 2021
I’ve read the third one in this series and enjoyed it, and figured I’d go back and start from the beginning because why not! Mary Jane Clark definitely writes similarly to her ex-sister-in-law, Carol Higgins Clark (author of the Regan Reilly series) — they both love short chapters (this book had I think 60+ chapters? And the last Carol Higgins Clark I read had over 80 chapters for around 250 pages) and fast-paced plots. MJC writes less confusing plots though, whereas CHC’s plots are less murder-driven and more general-crime-driven (heists, burglaries, thefts, stolen identities, etc.).
But a decent story overall. I definitely want to continue in this series. Very good bedtime reading, IMO, as it’s not too tense or too bloody/gory, and is also easy to focus on.
But a decent story overall. I definitely want to continue in this series. Very good bedtime reading, IMO, as it’s not too tense or too bloody/gory, and is also easy to focus on.
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