Synopsis:

Book Details:
Genre: Cozy Mystery – New Series
Published by: Berkley Prime Crime
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Number of Pages: 304

Expert muffin baker Merry Wynter is finally ready to turn her passion into a career. But when a dead body is found on her property, she’s more worried about cooking up an alibi…

Merry is making a fresh start in small-town Autumn Vale, New York, in the mansion she’s inherited from her late uncle, Melvyn. The house is run-down and someone has been digging giant holes on the grounds, but with its restaurant-quality kitchen, the place has potential for her new baking business. She even has her first client—the local retirement home.

Unfortunately, Merry soon finds that quite a few townsfolk didn’t like Uncle Mel, and she has inherited their enmity as well as his home. Local baker Binny Turner and her crazy brother, Tom, blame Melvyn for their father’s death, and Tom may be the one vandalizing her land. But when Tom turns up dead in one of the holes in her yard, Merry needs to prove she had nothing to do with his death—or her new muffin-making career may crumble before it starts…

Review:

I will admit that I love a good cozy….especially if it centers around food!  I have read several of the books in Victoria’s Vintage Kitchen series so was pretty sure this would be another winner.  And I was right!  The first thing that I love about Merry, is that she is a former plus sized model and she isn’t trying to diet and lose her curves.  She is also a widow, losing her husband of 2 years, but still in love with him.  Merry inherits a castle from her uncle and tried to sell it, but when things went south with her job, she decides to head to Autumn Vale to take matters into her own hand.  There she finds a quaint town and makes some new friends….and maybe an enemy or two.

Bran New Death is a fun read and I definitely see this turning into quite an interesting series!  There is a treasurer buried somewhere on the estate (or so the rumor goes) and that could lead into several books if they can figure out the clues.  She has a friend that followed her to Autumn Vale, and another friend that decided that he needs to stick around to gain insight for the book he is writing and the money crimes that happen in this book. I think it will be an interesting group of friends in this small town.  How will the residents like that?  Guess we will find out in the following books.

I give this book 4 1/2 paws and say this is a series to watch!

About the Author:

Victoria Hamilton, nationally bestselling author of the Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series, is the pseudonym of Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of romance and historical mystery novels.

Victoria starting reading mystery novels at the age of 12 and devoured Agatha Christie mysteries, as well as those of Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh. She still adores mysteries, especially the cozy mysteries of Janet Bolin, Krista Davis, and others.

She loves to cook, and collects teapots and teacups, as well as vintage kitchen utensils and bowls. She also enjoys crafts, especially cross-stitching and crocheting, and summer days in the garden, drinking tea or wine. Besides the Merry Muffin Mystery series (Bran New Death – September 3^rd) Victoria writes two other mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series (Book 3, Freezer I’ll Shoot, debuts November 5^th) and the Teapot Collector Mystery series which debuts with Tempest in a Teapot, June 3^rd, 2014.

Website * Facebook (author) * Facebook (book series) * Twitter * Blog

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September 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

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September 5 – Booklady’s Booknotes Review & Interview

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September 7 – Musings and Ramblings – Interview

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September 11 – Mochas, Mysteries and More  – Review & Guest Post

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a copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.