Theodosia St. John, known to her friends as Teddie, is a breast cancer survivor who rather than having reconstructive surgery, regularly goes flat wearing only scarves to hide her lack of breasts. She took early retirement and is now a mystery writer. While at a book signing for one of her favorite authors, Tavish Bentley, her scarf is stolen and found wrapped around the throat of Bentley's former fiancée. So was Teddie involved or a victim as well.

The writing as crisp, the characters need a bit more fleshing out, but for a first installment, definitely a good one! ( )

Teddie is a multi-talented person who switched careers and became a successful mystery writer. When one of her signature scarves is found knotted around the neck of a very dead woman, Teddie has explaining to do. When it happens again, she is definitely under suspicion. She seeks the help of her two best friends to do some reconnaissance work to find the real killer. This cozy has a lot going for it. Teddie is a breast cancer survivor, and her upbeat and open acknowledgement of her missing breasts is refreshing. The characters are delightful, the dialogue flows, and the plot is intriguing. Teddie comes off as a real person, not perfect but still soldiering on despite the problems in her life. Her friends are terrific, her mother is complex but likable, and a budding romance speaks of more wondrous things to come Teddie’s way. What a great start to the series! ( )

This is a sensational debut in the Bookish Baker series set in a fictional southeast Wisconsin small town (always a plus for me as so few seem to be set there). The book features breast cancer survivor, cozy mystery author, and baker, sleuth Teddie St. John.

Terrific characters, both the sleuth and the secondary characters and a wonderful plot leave me eager to read many more from this author.

Highly recommended!!

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.) ( )

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance readers copy of this story.

Murder Most Sweet, by Laura Jensen Walker, is available at booksellers on 9-8-2020. This is book 1 of 2 in Ms Walkers A Bookish Baker Mystery series. I'm afraid that this is the end of the line for me. I have had a hard time with the characters, I never managed to get involved with them. The story is ok but the mystery is buried in the leads angst. She's so hung up on having no breast after cancer that it's all she thinks about. After all this time she's still hiding behind scarves & making wisecracks that are not funny but are awkward. Her breast cancer took over the main spot in the story and I wanted more mystery. I did manage to kind of like the new British boyfriend. I'm a sucker for an accent.

#Netgalley #LauraJensenWalker #MurderMostSweet # ABookishBakerMystery #CrookedLaneBooks #Mystery #Romance ( )

Murder Most Sweet by Laura Jensen Walker is the debut novel in A Bookish Baker Mystery series. Teddie St. John is a strong female protagonist who is an author, avid baker, and breast cancer survivor. Teddie writes a cozy mystery series set in a town similar to her own of Lake Potawatomi, Wisconsin. She is a likeable and relatable protagonist who is going through early menopause (from chemo). We get to see how the breast cancer has changed Teddie’s body and life. There are some humorous moments. There are a variety of secondary characters that includes her fashionista mother, Sheriff Brady Wells, and her two close friends, Char and Sharon. Teddie has an American Eskimo dog named Gracie who is such a sweetie. Two women die in this whodunit after famous author, Tavish Bentley comes to town. Teddie becomes a suspect because she has no alibi and her scarf was used as the murder weapon. The evidence is circumstantial, but the police must follow procedure. The clues, like the killer, were obvious. I would have liked a more challenging mystery. Despite two murders, romance is in the air for Tavish and Teddie. At times, Murder Most Sweet felt more like a romance than a mystery. Teddie likes to bake and does so frequently especially when she is stressed. She whips up treats for friends and for bribes to get information. It was interesting learning about the pastries native to Teddie’s ancestry and Wisconsin like the Kringle. To my disappointment, there foul language present throughout the story (mild). I preferred it when these type of words were taboo in cozies. There is a scene involving Gracie that dog lovers will find upsetting. I loved the Lord Grantham reference. Murder Most Sweet is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a bevy of baked goods, an attractive author, modish mother, a concerning contract clause, and one worried writer. ( )