Winnie Archer knows the best recipe for murder
Kneaded to Death by Winnie Archer Kensington Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 28 Feb 2017
Review
To make good bread you have to start with the right ingredients and combine them in the right way - let the dough develop properly, and then bake. Kneaded to Death takes that idea to heart. Not only does the story center around a charming Mexican bread bakery, it has just the right mix of characters and just enough excitement and romance to keep the blend balanced.
Ivy Culpepper returned to Santa Sofia when her mother was killed by a hit and run driver. Her death hit Ivy hard, and now she is struggling to regain her inspiration. Taking a bread baking class at Yeast of Eden seems a perfect choice. Olaya’s bakery has been a home away from home; her bread a comfort. The first class goes well until a classmate is found dead in her car. Ivy’s natural inquisitiveness and her desire to protect the Dias sisters leads her to start her own investigation.
Kneaded to Death is a cute mystery that will leave you eager to bake. (I like baking bread, and since I started reading Kneaded to Death, I’ve made quite a few loaves for family and friends) The food descriptions are delectable. The characters are charming, particularly Ivy and the Dias sisters. The plot isn't without flaws, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. (Spoiler- I still can’t figure out how discovering you have a half sister leads to you running down your mother's culinary rival). There is little violence and no sex, so the book can be read by younger mystery lovers.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Kneaded to Death from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Description
Everyone swears by Yeast of Eden, the Mexican bread shop in town. But tonight, the only thing on the menu is la muerte . . . Struggling photographer Ivy Culpepper has lots of soul-searching to do since returning to seaside Santa Sofia, California. That is, until the thirty-six-year-old enters a bread making class at Yeast of Eden. Whether it’s the aroma of fresh conchas in the oven, or her instant connection with owner Olaya Solis and her sisters, Ivy just knows the missing ingredients in her life are hidden among the secrets of Olaya’s bakery . . . But Ivy’s spirits crumble when a missing classmate is suddenly discovered dead in her car, riddled with stab wounds. Even more devastating, the prime suspects are the Dias sisters themselves. Doubting the women could commit such a crime, Ivy embarks on a murder investigation of her own to prove their innocence and seize the real killer. As she follows a deadly trail of crumbs around town, Ivy must trust her gut like never before—or someone else could be toast!
