Vangie Vale and the Murdered Macaron (The Matchbaker Mysteries Book 1)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Montana
Hummingbird Books (July 21, 2017)
Paperback: 362 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1548024437
E-Book ASIN: B073ZLKBZT

Synopsis

Small towns and gossip go together like flaky crust and sweet pastry cream. Between the police scanners, social media, and the senior center, it’s like a zombie apocalypse where the undead consume people’s secrets instead of living flesh.

But Vangie Vale wants nothing more than to stay under the radar…especially the police radar.

So when her new bakery becomes linked to a murder investigation, nothing will stop the gossip mill from connecting her to the dead body. Can’t have that.

Forced into the role of investigator, this new-in-town bakery owner has to become the very thing she hates–a nosy, small-town gossip–in order to clear her good name, and keep her face off the front page. But when a dating debacle brings her face-to-face with the Sheriff, Vangie can’t ignore the fact that one of her macarons was involved in a murder. She has to find the who-dun-it.

Book One in a cozy culinary mystery series from USA Today Bestselling Author, R.L. Syme.

Review

I think this was the first time I read a cozy set in Montana and after reading this book (and the author’s notes), I want to visit! It sounds like a calm and peaceful place to visit – assuming you don’t stumble across a murder!

Vangie is a minister that has been sent to Montana as part of a reconciliation. We really don’t know what happened in NC to get her sent to Montana or what the church council has been told. We find a little bit out at the end, but for me that just left me wanting to know more! It is hard to like Pete Mayhew from the church council because he seems to have it in for Vangie and reports her to the bishop for all these minor things – like standing on the corner of her property next to the Sheriff’s land to be able to use her cell phone. Granted the Sheriff is complaining but we don’t know why because she isn’t technically on his property. And then when her store window gets broken, Pete seems to think it is her fault some how. Like I said, not very likable and has way to much time on his hands!

Then there is the Sheriff who doesn’t like her for some reason and we never really find out why. He does seem to soften his attitude towards her in the end when she helps him solve the mystery of who killed Claire, but he doesn’t seem very happy about it! Perhaps because his beliefs were challenged especially when he was wrong.

Then there is the mystery – who killed Claire and why? The author does a great job in leading us down various paths and hinting at suspects…I was very surprised when it was all revealed because it was not a character i was suspecting…I was close but no cigar. And as with most cozies, Vangie finds herself in the middle of the investigation whether she wanted to be there or not!

I read a copy of the book that to my understanding was changed a bit – nothing too substantial but I am waiting to find out how this one incident changes the book. Either way the book was enjoyable and I liked reading the Macaron receipe at the end. I don’t know that I’ll try making any but they sure do sound yummy!

We give it 4 paws up!

About the Author

Rebecca Syme writes small town romance as Becca Boyd and cozy mystery as R.L. Syme. She is a long-time foodie and loves fancy cheese. Becca calls the mountains of Montana her home and draws inspiration from the beautiful vistas and heartwarming people. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Line of Fire series of sweet romances and part of the Chick Tales series set in Somewhere, TX. You can find her on Twitter talking #fancycheese or #Chopped, and on Facebook with her fans in Becca Nation.

Website * Facebook * Becca Nation Facebook * Twitter * GoodReads * Amazon Author Page

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