NIGHT OF THE LIVING BREAD is the fourth book in the Sugar & Spice Mysteries by Mary Lee Ashford. This mouthwatering story is filled with sugar and spice and everything nice… until a murder happens, that is. Protagonist Sugar Calloway and her business partner, Dixie Spicer, own Sugar & Spice publishing, which puts together cookbooks for organizations and publishes them. Sugar has the enviable position of being the taste tester for Dixie’s kitchen creations, as she makes the cookbook recipes for photographing. Not only are they business partners, but they’re also best friends. I enjoyed seeing their interaction and their support of each other is heartwarming. Ms. Ashford’s strong descriptive skills bring each scene to life so that you can practically smell the baking bread, the taste of the creamy butter, or hear the sound of wheels of a skateboard roll down the sidewalk. It makes you feel like you’re a part of the story.

The author gently lulls the reader with the easy comradery of the two friends, the delectable tastes of yummy treats, and the quaint friendliness of the town, then reminds you that you’re reading a mystery by introducing the crime early on. Sugar was the second person to arrive at the murder scene of the historical society’s president, Marla, the very person Sugar was scheduled to meet with. When Marla’s best friend is accused of the deed and begs Sugar to help her, there’s not a chance she can say no. Even though Sugar and Dixie are amateur sleuths, I liked that they have a good relationship with local law enforcement and share each detail and clue they uncover, whether or not they think it’s important. With subplots of a slew of break-ins happening all over town, with nothing more than minor cash being taken, and a celebrity TV chef coming to town to feature the local diner, the plot moves at a fast pace. Clues are sprinkled throughout for the quick armchair detective to catch, and there are a few twists I didn’t see coming. The author does an admirable job bringing all the elements together into a scrumptious read that kept me turning pages.

With so many delectable mentions of bread and yummy treats on the pages, be prepared to drool! Fortunately, there are several recipes at the back of the book to try out at home. I’m partial to cookies, as you probably know, so couldn’t wait to try Dixie Spicer’s Blonde Brownies. As Sugar stated, “…have you ever had one of those crazy good blondies? Soft and decadent with butter and brown sugar and scattered chocolate chips. It’s like the best part of a chocolate chip cookie.” And I couldn’t have said it better myself after tasting these scrumptious bars!

 

 

Synopsis

Sugar Calloway and Dixie Spicer are up to their aprons in community cookbook projects, but Sugar can’t resist when the Jameson County Historical Society asks for their assistance with a cookbook featuring bread recipes. But they’ve barely begun when suddenly troubles are on the rise. Marla, the board’s president is stabbed with a bread knife, her best friend, Mame, is a suspect and some dough (of the money kind) is missing. As Sugar and Dixie try to save the cookbook project and help Mame, things take a twist with a second body. But what’s the connection? And who in St. Ignatius has been keeping secrets? And, mostly importantly, will Sugar and Dixie be able to figure out whodunnit before the killer catches up with them and they are toast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A special thanks to Mary Lee Ashford for offering a print copy of NIGHT OF THE LIVING BREAD to one lucky winner! Contest ends June 22, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.