The Pumpkin Muffin Murder (Fresh-Baked Mystery)

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder by Livia J. Washburn was a fantastic book. All of the characters are so great and feel like they are real people to me. This book is my first of not only Ms. Washburn’s but of this Fresh-Baked Mystery Series. I do have to say that this won’t be the last that I will read from this series or author. I am thinking about reading this series from the beginning.The main sleuth is Phyllis Newsom. The love interest is Sam Fletcher, and he is a senior man who is also a retired school teacher. The victim is a local business real estate guy by the name of Logan Powell.The SleuthPhyllis Newsom is an older lady maybe in her late sixties early seventies, but she is still full of life. She is a retired school teacher in Weatherford, Texas. Phyllis loves her son, daughter-in-law, and adorable four-year-old grandson by the name of Bobby. She has gained the reputation around town and in her house of being the go-to lady to solve mysteries. Especially if that person is innocent and she has a gut feeling about it. Phyllis is a pretty cool lady that I wouldn’t mind being her friend. Phyllis makes her Cranapple Breakfast Rolls for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day.What I like about Phyllis is that even though she is in a new relationship, she still misses her deceased husband. Another thing that I like about Phyllis is her love for her grandson Bobby and the way she is making sure he knows his paternal grandfather even if through memories. The last thing that I like about her is that she seems to be a great cook and baker. The only thing that I don’t like about her is that she says that she won’t get involved but still does. Classic busybody sleuth move.The Love InterestIn this series, the love interest isn’t on the police force. Instead, the love interest is a guy that is renting a room from Phyllis, and it seems to be going well. Phyllis also has two other females living there as well which makes it work very well. Sam Fletcher is a pretty good guy and loves to help Phyllis out. Let it be with a case or to help around the house.What I like about Sam is that he wants to help Phyllis out and not expect anything in return. Sam also seems like a great guy and is good with kids. The only thing I dislike about this book is that we don’t get a whole lot of Sam and Phyllis being together, but that does make sense due to this case.The VictimThe victim, this time, is Logan Powell who is in the business real estate. The reason why I am showcasing him instead of the way that he died is that he is a real jerkwad to his wife. He knows that he is ill but instead of being a good husband that cares about his health he doesn’t. Logan is just a charlatan, and I can’t say much more as I don't want to give any more away. Phyllis will uncover more things that show what a sleazeball he is. Let’s just say that you will be surprised with who killed him.Five StarsThe Pumpkin Muffin Murder by Livia J. Washburn is a superb novel, and I can’t wait to read another one of these mystery books. I love the recipes in here, and I did do one of them, Cranapple Breakfast Rolls. So, look out for that recipe going out later today. I am also in love with this series. Ms. Washburn did a fantastic job especially the mystery of who killed Logan Powell. I was utterly stumped until it was revealed at the end and it started to click in my mind. Yep, I missed the clues.I am giving this book five stars and recommending it to anyone that loves a good cozy mystery book with some bookish recipes. Some of these recipes you can try out for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you byBaroness Book Trove.If you would like to read more reviews like this one, please go to baronessbooktrove.com

Sometimes something in a book irritates me so much I lose track of the story. I have apparently lost this argument, but I present it here anyway.A Muffin is a quick bread made from an egg batter and cooked in a cup shaped tin. It is not a cupcake which is also cooked in the same kind of pan. A cupcake is made from cake batter and contains sugar and flour. The batter for a muffin is made from meal with only enough flour to keep it from falling apart. A muffin might or might not have up to a tablespoon of sugar in the batter depending on whether the meal is bitter. A muffin is a dinner roll, however, not a dessert. It is served instead of yeast bread or biscuits.The meal that goes into a muffin is often corn meal. It used to be possible to buy a meal called "muffin meal" which was several whole grains ground together. Meal has an almost gritty feel in the mouth while something made with flour turns pasty in the mouth. If you can taste the sugar in a muffin, there is too much sugar. Cut it back to no more than a teaspoon. Not all buckwheat or corn meal is bitter, and oatmeal needs no sugar at all.The name of the book should have been, "The Pumpkin Cupcake Murder." The Pumpkin Cupcake recipe sounds okay. The mystery and the characters are all right too. Not a bad cozy if you ignore the basic terminology problem.

This is a Thanksgiving cozy mystery with the amateur sleuth being a retired school teacher, Phyllis Newsome. Phyllis is taking care of her grandson, Billy,who couldn't travel to California with his mom and dad because of an ear infection. Billy is a delightful addition to the story. The townspeople are planning a festival complete with games, rides, craft displays and a cooking contest including everything that makes up a traditional Thanksgiving menu.This year Phyllis is planning on entering her pumpkin muffins in the cooking contest. Bales of hay and scarecrows decorate the park and the killer dresses the dead body as a scarecrow. Clever, huh? The deceased is a salesman and a womanizer whose wife becomes the primary suspect. Phyllis uses her investigative skills to track down the killer.

Very cute story for a holiday-themed mystery. You don't need to read the others in this series to know who the characters are or understand the plot. There are many references to the main character being an amateur sleuth and some of the mysteries she's solved in the past. I've read some holiday mysteries that are just terrible writing, with lots of open-endings or awkward transitions in the story. This one is a fun read.

I like this group of retired teachers. They live together in one teacher's home. They rent their room and share common areas; just like the teachers' lounge.The home owner is a great sleuth. She tracks down murderers. She frequently gets in trouble with her son, who is a local sheriff. A bonus is their discussion of food, baking contests, holiday foods and such. Several key recipes are included at the end of the novel.

Continues with the delightful, realistic small town vibe and a vibrant story. First annual Harvest Festival with (naturally) a baking contest. It's been more than a year since Phyllis was "involved" in a murder however when one of her own is accused, Phyllis decides once again to investigate on her won. I certainly never saw the ending coming and was quite flabbergasted by it!. I can't wait to try the recipes and see if I can find a baking contest of my own to enter- I'd love to be able to "tweak" the recipes like Phyllis does (but I'm not sure I'm that brave)

This is a good read if you just want to be entertained and not have to think too much. It probably won't be a challenge to a truly devout mystery reader, but is an easy read and a good book to read for a relaxing break.

another fantastic read from this series of cozy reads . great storyline and setting great recipes and a warm winters night read ..

Great book

Eine tolle Krimireihe! Die Charktere, die bei den sog. Cosy Mysteries ja immer wieder auftauchen, sind toll beschrieben und machen einen sehr sympathischen Eindruck. Die Geschichten sind logisch aufgebaut und man rätselt bis zum Schluß mit, wer es denn gewesen sein könnte.Je mehr Geschichten man um Phyllis und ihre Freunde liest, desto mehr wachsen sie einem ans Herz und werden zu guten Freunden! Hat man ein Buch ausgelesen, möchte man direkt zum nächsten greifen, um zu wissen, wie es weitergeht.Schön ist, dass hier nicht nur der passierte Mord im Vordergrund steht, sondern man auch Einiges über die Chraktere und deren Weiterentwicklung erfährt.Die Kapitel sind recht kurz, so dass man auch mal zwischendurch ein paar Seiten lesen kann!Auch auf Englisch ist alles super zu verstehen.

II picked up 'Murder by the Slice' a few years ago for the princely sum of $2.00, and right from the start of the book I was hooked. it has taken me a few years to get more books by Livia J. Washburn, but now that I'm able to get her books on my Kindle I am very happy.oops, almost forgot, I loved 'the Pumpkin Muffin Murder.'

Es ist schon erstaunlich auf wie viele Arten die Autoren einen Weg findet, die Hauptfigur wie auch ihre Backwaren mit Morden in Verbindung zu bringen. Es ist zwar nicht neu, aber immer ein bisschen anders und immer wieder gut zu lesen.