My cousin and I are having a friendly competition (the prize being bragging rights and maybe a cake or two) to see how many murder mysteries set in bakeries/cafés/cake shops etc. we can find and read before a deadline (her birthday on 12th February). There are a surprising amount so I thought I'd appeal for help. I've listed below the series/books I've tried so far, but I would love some other suggestions.

Cupcake Bakery Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay - Loved these

Coffee House Mysteries by Cleo Coyle - I've only read a few but enjoyed them

Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries by Ellery Adams - Loved these

Corinna Chapman Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood - Loved these

Magical Bakery Mysteries by Bailey Cates - just starting these

Chintz 'n China Series by Yasmine Galenorn - Loved these

The Donut Mysteries by Jessica Beck - Enjoyed them but taking a break as there are a lot of them

Lexy Baker Bakery Series by Leighann Dobbs - Not recommended as very poorly written with spelling errors, bit like reading fanfiction.

Joanne Fluke : Hannah Swenson (bakery), 16 books with the 17th book due out February 2014.

Sandra Balzo : Maggy Thorsen (gourment coffee shop), 7 books with the 8th book due out this month.

Laura Childs : Theodosia Browning (tea shop), 14 books with the 15th book due out March 2014
...................Cackleberry Club, 4 books with the 5th book due out January 2012

Thank you very much.

I vaguely remember noticing the Joanne Fluke ones, but they don't seem to be on my 'to be read' list for some reason. The other two I haven't heard of at all so will investigate.

I still welcome more suggestions, as I am a greedy person, but this should be enough to keep me going until Feb, unless I get snowed in this winter.

This series probably doesn't fit the setting requirements but I thought I would throw it out there

Diane Mott Davidson : Goldy Schulz (caterer), 17 books so far

Here are some additional suggestions:

Jenn McKinlay : Cupcake Bakery, 5 books with the 6th book due out April 2014

Ellery Adams : Pie Shop, 2 books with the 3rd book due out January 2014

Pie in the Sky was fun. I'm not sure if they ever released any books based on this television series though.

[profprofessorson]

Not bakeries per se, but these are culinary themed mysteries:

Phyllis Richman wrote 3 books where the heroine is a food critic.

I also bought some $0.99 titles by Chris Cavender that take place in a pizzeria.

Not sure about a food critic, my cousin wouldn't let me get away with some cookery school ones (there are an awful lot of food based murder mysteries aren't there!), but I think the brief could stretch to a pizzeria. I've stretched it to cover some coffee shop ones but am getting a little tired of the heroine so a Pizzeria recommendation sounds good.

Thanks
Deb

I loved pie in the sky too, I kept catching end of some of the repeats but not the whole thing. Books based on that would have been ideal.

In case anybody is interested, I won by quite a bit. Thanks for the recs,

[mrsleny]

Here are some more!

Jacklyn Brady - Piece of Cake mystery series
Virginia Lowell - Cookie Cutter Shop mystery series
Livia Washburn - Fresh Baked mystery series
Nancy J Parra - Baker's Treat mystery series (gluten free)
Gayle Trent - Daphne Martin cake mystery series
Liz Mugavero - Pawsitively organic mystery series (pet treats)