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    Cake and Punishment
    Cake and Punishment
    Cake and Punishment
    Audiobook8 hours

    Cake and Punishment

    Written by Maymee Bell

    Narrated by Tiffany Morgan

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In the first of a delectable new southern-set baking cozy series, Sophia Cummings, pastry chef extraordinaire, must craft the perfect cake for an old friend's wedding while sifting through the suspects in a murder.

    Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky, has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She's not there a minute before she's charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte's wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile's body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by.

    With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it's not Emile's. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile's peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJun 11, 2019
    ISBN9781541406117
    Cake and Punishment

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    Reviews for Cake and Punishment

    4/5

    27 ratings6 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Sophia Cummings is a pastry chef at an upscale restaurant in New York. After catching her live-in boyfriend making whoopee with the Maitre'd at their restaurant, she took some time off and went home to visit her mother and father in small-town Rumford, Kentucky.But rest isn't about to come her way. While at a Junior League meeting at the local country club with her mother, she runs into some old friends, one of whom is about to be married. Charlotte Harrington is beside herself because her baker has bailed on her. But then she practically begs Sophia to make her wedding cakes, and Sophia reluctantly agrees. When she goes the next day to the club to meet Charlotte, Sophia heads to the kitchen to check it out, but instead discovers that the club's chef Emile has already been checked out instead, hit over the head with an iron skillet.When Sheriff Carter Kincaid arrives, she's summarily questioned and released; and even though she's not happy about having to work in the kitchen, she's even less happy when she finds out that Evelyn Moss, the director of the club, is the main suspect. She refuses to believe that Evelyn, for all her gruff exterior, could kill anyone. So when Evelyn asks her to temporarily help with meals until another chef can be found, she once again agrees, finding her vacation to be a working one, whether she wants it or not.Just when she thinks her plate can't get any fuller, even more complications arise; and when she's determined to find Emile's killer before Evelyn can be charged with the crime, she discovers that someone out there knows what she's doing, and wants her to stop...even if it means that they'll have to stop her permanently...This is the first in a new series and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It takes place in a small town in Kentucky, but that's where the similarity to many cozy mysteries end. There were no 'tried and true' clichés throughout the book: our protagonist didn't run home broke and out of a job, she merely took a leave of absence and has money in the bank; she didn't decide to start a business she couldn't afford and then struggle and hope she can eat the next month. She actually wears makeup; she doesn't just 'throw on a little lip gloss' and have everyone tell her that she's hot (not that there's anything wrong with that); and I loved the fact there was no 'evil nemesis' out to destroy Sophia and her life, nor the dreadful love triangle that permeates so many of them (rant over!).What I didn't like: she was a little invasive on people during her 'investigating', sometimes saying and doing things that weren't exactly danger-free, not even trying to hid the fact of what she was doing (however, it did show that she knew she wasn't very good at being a sleuth, which she also admits to herself) so it was to be expected that the killer would figure out sooner rather than later what she was doing. (Example: when she went investigating Patrick). She also writes out a 'suspect list' and isn't above practically bald-faced accusing people, which isn't smart and could very well alienate some from her forever.However, she was smart enough to share anything she discovered with Carter instead of keeping information to herself, and I did like that. It showed that her only goal was truly helping Evelyn, and not some misguided idea that she was better than the sheriff was at his job. An intelligent move on the part of the author.I found the mystery to be well thought out; the dialogue was witty and fun; the characters felt real as well as the friendship between Sophia, Charlotte and Madison; Sophia's mother Bitsy definitely ruled her little town, and even though Bitsy seems a bit manipulative, I never got the feeling that she was pushy or that Sophia minded one bit. I actually like Bitsy as much as the rest of the characters.When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, the reason made perfect sense, and the fact that the murderer had thought out how to frame someone else actually added to the plot because they weren't sloppy, which made it more difficult to detect who they were, and that was an added bonus. I will say that while I had my suspicions, I liked the fact that the clues never directly pointed toward that person. All in all, this was a delightful beginning to a new series, and it held my interest throughout. I think I could easily become attached to the characters in this book and look forward to the next in the series, hoping to spend time with them again. There are also some yummy-sounding recipes at the end that I will definitely be making. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor.

      With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?

      Series: A Southern Cake Baker Mystery
      Author: Maymee Bell (Tonya Kappes)
      Genre: Cozy Mystery/Culinary
      Publisher: Crooked Lane Book

      Publishing Date: May 8, 2018

      Cake and Punishment from Maymee Bell (aka Tonya Kappes) is a wonderful new series. The characters are outrageous enough to make readers laugh and serious enough to give them a moment's pause. Sophia may have a broken heart and no intention of stay in Rumford, but everyone is making it almost impossible for her to go back to the city and her job of a lifetime or would be if it weren’t for her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her and ruined her happiness.

      The characters in this book are wonderfully simple and complex all at the same time. They have flaws and quirks that endear them and at the same time can make them a bit irritating. Or in other words, normal. They are hard to forget, and readers will enjoy getting to know them as new books in the series roll out.

      Sophia is heartbroken and yet determined to reclaim her dream job and forget her ex-cheating boyfriend. Her old friends gather around and do everything they can to keep her in Rumford; even her mother is determined to keep her around. She even finds that she is attracted to the local police detective, carter.

      As the story unfolds, it doesn’t take long for the reader to know what Sophia’s fate will be when it comes to Rumford or her dream job. As for the murder, that is a bit more complex, and many readers will not figure out who-done-it until the end.

      This new series with the debut of Cake and Punishment is certain to appeal to anyone who enjoys Tonya Kappes other series as well as anyone who loves good cooking and especially baked goods. The recipes in the back are divine and mouthwateringly delicious. This book is highly recommended to all cozy readers.


    • 3/5
      Sophia Cummings is a pastry chef and her dream was to work alongside her fiancé, a chef, but those dreams were dashed when she discovered him playing around with the Maitre d' at the restaurant where they worked. She leaves and heads home to nurse her wounds. When she arrives she is persuaded my a longtime friend to make the wedding cake for the upcoming nuptials. Planning to work her magic in the Country Club kitchen, surprise, surprise, when they walk in and find the Head Chef dead. So Sophie sets out to find the murderer while doing her culinary specialties,There may have been a few too many characters in this new series to start but I liked their interaction and assume that their development will improve in future installment. It was fun.
    • 4/5
      Cake and Punishment by Maymee Bell is the first tale in A Southern Cake Baker Mystery series. Sophia Cummings, a pastry chef, has returned home for a visit to Rumford, Kentucky after finding her boyfriend, Noah in a compromising position with the maître d’ where they work. At the Rumford Country Club (RCC) she encounters her friend, Charlotte Harrington who is getting married in a few days. Charlotte’s cake baker has quit, and Sophia offers to make her a beautiful wedding cake. The next day they head to the RCC kitchen and find Chef Emile dead on the floor with a new cast iron skillet nearby. When Evelyn Moss, the RCC manager, becomes the primary suspect, Sophia sets out to prove her innocence (plus she is plain curious). To help out Evelyn and for a chance to snoop, Sophia agrees to be Emile’s replacement until a new chef can be hired (oh dear—can you see where this is heading). Emile may have been a good chef, but he was lacking in the personality department. Sheriff Carter Kincaid may wish Sophia would keep her nose out of his investigation, but he does enjoy spending time with her and Sophia does uncover some helpful information. Which one of the people Chef Emile antagonized whacked him with an iron skillet? Sophia needs to work quickly, or she will find herself the latest resident of the Rumford cemetery!Cake and Punishment is a humorous new Southern cozy mystery written by Tonya Kappes using the non de plume of Maymee Bell. It is a light-hearted story full of quirky characters and small-town charm. Gossip spreads faster than a forest fire during a dry spell in Rumford, Kentucky. Sophia’s mother, Bitsy is a force to be reckoned with. When she sets her mind upon a task, people need to watch out (especially Sophia). Sophia is a pastry chef who loves to bake and goes around with baked goods in her bag (which makes her a very popular person). It was entertaining to see her get pulled back into her hometown and the subtle hints from friends about how they would like her to stay. I thought Cake and Punishment contained good writing and a steady pace. I would like for better character development. We get to know very little about Sophia’s past and we are not given the last names of many characters. The mystery had misdirection and a few suspects. Avid mystery readers will have no problem pinning down the killer’s identity. There is flirtation and attraction between Sophia and Carter which is helped along by Bitsy Cummings. There are delectable baked good descriptions included in the book with recipes at the end. I appreciated the addition of little libraries in the story. They are a great way to get people of all ages to read. We have several in my community with one being just down in the street in my local park (I am a frequent visitor). Cake and Punishment is an entertaining story that will have you chuckling frequently.
    • 5/5
      In this new series it oozes with southern charm and characters that jump off the pages. The author is amazing in her writing technique. She gives readers the perfect story that captures your attention right away. Sophia is a delightful woman who finds herself moving back home to Kentucky. It sounds so beautiful there that it has been added to my bucket list. Sophia had her life planned out. She was a pastry chef at a very prestigious place. She was in love and the world was perfect. You know how you think you have the perfect life and then reality hits you in the face? That happened to Sophia and now she finds herself back home. Her visit home takes a detour when she finds herself making a wedding cake for her old friend. It seems that someone has decided to murder the chef that was helping with the wedding. I loved the reference to the iron skillet. Everyone knows it has to be seasoned before you can use it. Not everyone knew because a brand new skillet laying beside a dead body spells murder weapon to me. It's a shame when someone dies, people start saying how much they were disliked. What would chef Emile think if he heard the nasty things said about him?With sayings like, "That woman doesn't have all her chairs in the parlor, " the book is fun and full of southern talk that makes you feel right at home. There are several suspects that look promising for the murder. Will the wedding take place? I know the bride is worried about her perfect day being ruined but really a murder kinda takes a bit more importance . Poor Charlotte sees her dream wedding falling apart and I felt sorry for her. I have to say Bitsy who is Sophia's mother is wacky. She made me laugh more than any other character. She is the perfect southern woman with etiquette dripping off her. I think I would enjoy watching her work a room. You can't help but like her even though she is a bit dramatic at times.I enjoyed the story very much and wait till you find out who the killer is. Big surprises await readers in this first in a new series. The author is amazing and writes stories that always entertains and leaves readers anxious for more. I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. The review is my own opinion.
    • 5/5
      After ten years away, pastry chef Sophia Cummings is back home nursing a broken heart after catching her chef live-in canoodling with another employee at the restaurant where they both work. Almost the first thing that happens when she returns home is the discovery of the body of the chef at the country club where she is meeting an old friend. Since the old friend is in a panic about the loss of the baker who was making her cake and now the death of the chef doing the wedding dinner, Sophia jumps in to help. First, she'll be baking a wedding cake with only a couple of days before the wedding. Second, she needs to figure out who killed the chef and takes a temporary position as the new chef to let her investigate.This cozy has great characters. Sophia's mother Bitsy is a hoot. New sheriff Carter is a hunk and catches heart-broken Sophia's eye. There are all sorts of suspects in Chef Emile's death from the manager of the country club to the dishwasher the chef bullied to the groom who doesn't want to eat or pay for the fancy French food the chef was to prepare for the wedding. Thrown into the mix are country club members who are rumored to have had affairs with the chef. I loved the setting. I loved the descriptions (and recipes) for some of the delicious sounding treats that Sophia bakes. I thought the mystery was suspenseful and Sophia got into just as much danger as a cozy should have. I liked her realization that her dream job in New York City wasn't as fulfilling as a return to her roots would be. I liked her relationships with her old high school friends and her budding romance with Carter.