Sugar Plum Poisoned (Cupcake Bakery Mystery)

Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay takes us to Fairy Tale Cupcakes where Mel, Angie, and the gang are getting ready for the holidays. I always enjoy my visits with the bakery crew. A blast from Angie's past, Shelby Vaughn is in town to perform Christmas concerts and she wants Fairy Tale Cupcakes to provide holiday cupcakes for the VIP guest lounge. The descriptions of holiday cupcakes will have your mouth watering. Unfortunately, Shelby has a controlling manager that brings out the mama bear in Angie. When the manager ends up dead, Shelby ends up a suspect. Mel and Angie don their sleuthing caps so they can solve the crime before Santa rides into town. I was able to solve the whodunit early in the book. I did enjoy following the duo as they asked questions and searched for clues. I kept hoping, though, that there would be a twist (something unexpected to surprise me). The crime is wrapped up in time for everyone to have a happy holiday. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story. I had no idea that Marty knew how to twerk, and Ray should never be allowed near the Christmas decorations. Of course, they should have known better to involve Ray. We only get to see a smidgen of Oz. I miss him being in the bakery. There is some repetition (preparing the cupcakes, the VIP lounge each night, details regarding Shelby as well as her former manager and the dead manager's ex-wife). Of course, it would not be A Cupcake Bakery Mystery without movie quotes from Mel, Angie, and Tate. I felt bad for Mel who is going to host Christmas dinner for the family for the first time. I believe Mel understood by the end of Christmas day why her mother was willing to give up the hosting duties. Sugar Plum Poisoned is the fifteenth A Cupcake Bakery Mystery. The author provides enough background information that it can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Sugar Plum Poisoned is a sweet treat with a sociable singer, a manipulating manager, killer cupcakes, a swaying Santa, a decoration dilemma, a burgeoning dinner, and Christmas cheer.