Review: Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Publish Date: February 26, 2016

I was given an ARC of this book from NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. 

I must have been living under a rock for years because this is the first book that I have read by this author. I have seen the 2 movies that have been based on previous books over the holidays and was eager to begin to read the series. When I saw this on NetGalley I was so excited to receive a copy! 

In this, the 19th book in the series, Hannah is competing in a national baking contest being broadcast on The Food Channel right before her wedding. Her sister, Michelle, is serving as her assistant and will be travelling to New York for the contest with her. When the network calls and informs her the competition will be taking place earlier than expected, she also learns of the added twist that the winner of the first part of the contest will have the show move to their home town for the remainder of the show. What a great advantage!  Hannah has to let her mother and sister look after the wedding plans since she now has to turn her full attention to her recipes and winning this contest.  She is the only home baker among a group of trained chefs.  Along the course of the show, one of the judges turns up murdered, and Hannah feels it is her duty to investigate and find out who the murderer is, since her sister was the one to find the body. I enjoyed the premise of this immensely since cooking and baking shows are also a favourite of mine, along with cozy mysteries, so this was the best of both worlds!  The story didn't have a lack of suspects, and all of the characters in Hannah's circle got involved in narrowing down her list of suspects.  I didn't guess the identity of the murderer at all, and really had no clue who it was until the author revealed it.  

The love triangle had me a bit confused to be honest. But again, this is the first book that I've read so it's understandable.  Hannah has left 2 men heartbroken, but they seem to be able to put their feelings aside throughout.  

I love when recipes are included in cozies, but it seemed like there are a LOT of recipes in this book, more than any cozy that I've read before.  But I have to say, I do want to try several of them! And I am looking forward to going back to the first book in the series