Deadly Sweet Tooth

Kaye George

Jun 2020 · Vintage Sweets Mysteries Book 2 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

Vintage sweets, a deadly surprise, and a mischievous Maine Coon cat—Deadly Sweet Tooth is the delightful cozy mystery you’ve been waiting for!
 
In a darling tourist town like Fredericksburg, Texas, a vintage sweet shop offering delicious old-fashioned favorites is a perfect fit—until someone decides to debut a recipe that’s lusciously lethal… 

With Tally’s Old Tyme Sweets finally—well, almost—turning a profit, Tally Holt is taking one busy Saturday off to host a grand party for her parents, traveling performers who spend most of their time on the road. Tally’s counting on the publicity and free treats to attract new customers. And the event is a sweet success—at least until Fran Abraham, the town’s foul-tempered theater director, drops dead after a bitter confrontation with Tally’s mother.
 
Murder was definitely not on Tally’s menu, but it’s clear that Fran’s death wasn’t natural. The list of possible culprits includes not just Tally’s mom, but her protective dad too. Relying on Yolanda Bella, her best friend and the proprietor of Bella’s Baskets next door, for help, Tally will need to unwrap the sticky pasts and unsavory presents of everyone from her own parents to her new hires before Fran’s death sours everybody on her fledgling shop….
 
Recipe included! And this one promises not to kill…

Ratings and reviews

Deadly Sweet Tooth by Kaye George has Tally Holt preparing a reception for her parents, Bob & Nancy Holt who have been performing around the world. Tally is holding the party at her shop, Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets in Fredericksburg, Texas. She has hired three ladies to help at the event and hopes they will become permanent employees for her shop. The event begins well, but then Fran Abraham confronts Nancy Holt causing a scene. The meanspirited woman collapses soon thereafter and is rushed to the local hospital. Early the next morning, Tally gets a phone call from Detective Jackson Rogers announcing Fran has died and foul play is suspected. Unfortunately, the list of suspects includes Tally’s parents. Tally works to unwrap the clues and assemble the pieces so she can present the guilty party to the police. Deadly Sweet Tooth is the 2nd book in The Vintage Sweets Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone. I had mixed feelings about this cozy mystery. It is a light story featuring Tally’s sweet shop and Yolanda’s shop, Bella’s Baskets. The two are best friends with their shops next door to each other. The point-of-view switches between both ladies which can be confusing. They are so similar that it is hard to discern between them. I wish the author had written it the story in the third person instead (or just picked one of the protagonists). I found the characters lacking depth. They need more fleshing out to give them life. Tally and her shop are puzzling. She calls it Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, but it seems to feature more baked items than candy (homemade twinkies, Mary Jane’s, whoopie pies, etc.). She seems to lack experience with employees which becomes obvious with who she hires. Tally does not even contact references. I question this because we are told she sold a flourishing bakery to return to her hometown and open the sweet shop. The mystery was straightforward. I was able to identify the killer immediately (there might as well have been a giant neon arrow pointing at the person). Tally reacts to something near the end in an unexpected way (I wish I could say more but it would be a spoiler). My mother says that I am thinking about the situation too logically. Readers will have no problem solving this whodunit. The ending was abrupt. We go from an individual in peril to a party in swing at the local winery. There was no reveal scene that would wrap up the mystery. Tally did little investigating which was disappointing because I enjoy following the amateur sleuths as they investigate the crime. Deadly Sweet Tooth is lighthearted cozy mystery with lackadaisical laborers, toxic treats, a dead director, peripatetic parents, a determined detective, and a disquieted daughter.

About the author

One of Kaye George’s quirky claims to fame is having lived in nine states, many of which begin with the letter 'M.' Though a native Californian, Kaye moved to Moline, Illinois, at the tender age of 3 months. After college at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and marriage to Cliff during finals week their senior year, she and Cliff touched upon Sumter, SC, Lompoc, CA (very briefly), and Great Falls, Montana, during his Air Force career. Kaye is also a violinist, an online mystery reviewer, an award-winning short story writer, and the author of four different mystery series with three different publishers and one self-published. She has accrued three Agatha Award nominations and one finalist position for the Silver Falchion, as well as national bestseller status with her Fat Cat series written as Janet Cantrell.