Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs

Take one part good food, one part cozy setting, one part loyal friends, add a dash of romance, mix in a helping of humor, top it off with a murder and you have the perfect recipe for a Cackleberry Club Mystery. Author Laura Childs’ latest release, STAKE & EGGS, fits the bill perfectly. 

After her husband passed away, Suzanne Dietz decided to open the Cackleberry Club café. Aided by her two partners, Toni and Petra, the café is the place to be in Kindred.

As an afternoon snowstorm covers Kindred, a sudden whack leads Suzanne to discover a crashed snowmobile in the woods behind the café. With the wreck Suzanne also finds Ben Busacker, the town’s most hated banker, beheaded by a wire strung among the trees.

Sheriff Roy Doogie begins his investigation and soon several of the café’s best customers are prime suspects. It seems a lot of the townspeople weren’t happy with the banker’s way of handling business.

Between a pushy regional bank manager and plans for the annual Fire and Ice Festival, the investigation begins to snowball. Once again Suzanne finds yourself in the middle of the murder investigation and the only way out is to find the killer before she loses her head.

Childs creates a cozy setting with a cast of zany and lovable characters that will hold you spellbound. The main protagonist and her group of friends are well-developed and realistic. The steady pace of the story will draw you in and keep you guessing till the end.

STAKE & EGGS is a charming cozy mystery that will have you wishing there was a café like the Cackleberry Club near you. Good food, good friends, intriguing murder makes for a enthralling read.

This is the fourth installment in the Cackleberry Club Mystery series, but is a stand alone read. While the books don’t have to be read in order, additional background is provided as the series progresses.

The various dishes mentioned throughout STAKE & EGGS sound tasty such as Cheggnog and Lemon Cornbread. A number of these recipes are included in the back of the book. There is also a sneak preview of Childs’ next Tea Shop Mystery, SWEET TEA REVENGE, slated for release in March 2013.

STAKE & EGGS hits the spot when searching for an enticing cozy murder mystery with small-town charm.

Author Laura Childs’ website is www.laurachilds.com

Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs, A Cackleberry Club Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2012, ISBN: 978-0425255575, Paperback, 304 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - An ARC of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. 

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