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Book Review
Reviewed: 04 January 2026

Baking Up A Murder

by: Hattie Fox

a Novel

  • Rating: full starfull starfull starstar outlinestar outline (3.0/5)

The story opens with a death - not a murder - but it sets the background for the two main characters, Madeline and Grandma Ruth. The reader is teased with Grandma Ruth’s backstory before the murder mystery begins. I say teased because some parts of their backstories are not explored and feel forgotten.

The story is set in Solvang, a Dutch based village with associated bakeries and Madeline with Grandma Ruth’s blessing and backing, reimagines the family bakery to offer French based pastries with a couple of family favorite Dutch based options.

I was attracted to this story with its baking backstory.

Enter Mallory, an odd woman that has rubbed everyone she encounters the wrong way since she moved to town. Making the reader dislike her is done well. 

The book has the “a novel” designation but reads (and ends) like the first in a series as there were some pieces underdeveloped and unresolved.

I wanted to love this story but I only got to somewhat like. I didn’t connect with Madeline and wanted more of Grandma Ruth. Police Detective Ash, a former football player for Grandma Ruth and believer in her innocence looks to be a future love interest of Madeline.

The ending felt rushed and there was at least one point unresolved for me. That being said, the story was a pleasant read with some surprises. 

Thank you #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts on this book.

Happy Reading!

Release Date: 24-March-2026
Cozy Mystery

Plot Summary

A family-owned bakery gets stirred up in trouble in this cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Ellie Alexander and Bree Baker.

When her beloved grandfather dies, pastry chef Madeline quits her high-brow job at a renowned LA restaurant to take up her grandfather’s mantle and keep his bakery running alongside his widow, her big-personality grandma Ruth. For Madeline, bringing her passion for French pastries to Solvang, California, is her biggest baking challenge yet: the town is completely Danish themed, down to the windmills.

In an effort to connect with the locals and convince them that an eclair is just as good as a spandauer, Madeline enters a local baking competition at Grandma Ruth’s urging. Despite her triumphant win, things go terribly wrong when a jilted competitor accuses Madeline of cheating and Grandma Ruth gets very publicly protective of her granddaughter. When that competitor is found dead outside the bakery with Grandma Ruth standing over the body, it’s no surprise who everyone thinks is responsible.

With the police focused on Grandma Ruth as a suspect and the gossipy locals quickly turning on Ruth and the bakery, Madeline becomes determined to prove her grandma’s innocence and save her grandfather’s legacy before the whole thing goes up in smoke.