Malvern View Retirement Village reappears for another
shocking tale of corruption, scandal and β well, okay,
that is putting it too strongly. But there is definitely a
murder. A TAIL OF CAKES AND MURDER continues this cosy
series set in a quiet English village, where the seniors
have as much fun as anyone else.
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The retirement centre is going to hold a baking
competition for the residents. They all get together in the
cafΓ© β and on the terrace with their dogs
β to discuss how it should be run. Charity Cleveland
and her friends Dorothy, Heather, Frank, and others become
absorbed by the event. Rivalries suddenly appear. So much so
that at no point did I see a mention of what the prizes
might be for each category. They just want to win.
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Two new residents, Irene and Peter, at first join in with
the excitement. But later I can imagine them re-evaluating
the life choices that led them to reside at the centre.
Three outside judges are brought in, including celebrity
Hubert Oldham and opinionated Tallulah Beardsley, and before
the baking contest day ends, one judge is found dead. There
is no chance it was anything but murder. I might well be
asking to move out, but Malvern View seems to be a sought-
after location with private cottages, so everyone stays.
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This is a light story which may not grab those who
donβt bake. There are plenty of tips and tricks
mentioned, and tasty suggestions for trying at home.
Iβd have liked a recipe, maybe a couple of the nicest
ones just to keep everyone happy. These characters hate
being overlooked. If a summerβs evening with real
lemonade and a few iced buns is your idea of enjoyment while
you read, Lucy Emblem provides a character-filled mystery.
And dogs, of course. There are always dogs in her stories,
such as Muffin and Toffee. A TAIL OF CAKES AND MURDER may
seem extreme, but itβs just the latest in the Charity
And Muffin Cosy English Mysteries series, which thrives
on rivalries in unexpected settings.
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Instead, it's a recipe for disaster.
The residents are determined to impress the famous television baker who has agreed to visit their special bake-off type event. As rival bakers compete for attention, tempers fray, accusations fly, the celebrity judge becomes increasingly unpredictable, someone’s cake acquires tiny pawprints, and more than one contestant seems prepared to bend the rules in pursuit of victory.
But the competition takes a deadly turn when a body is discovered, and Charity Cleveland finds herself investigating yet another murder.
With suspects everywhere she turns, secrets bubbling to the surface, and Muffin proving once again that a clever dog can be worth her weight in marzipan, Charity must separate the innocent mistakes from the truly deadly ones before the killer strikes again.
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