By Maddie Briggs
From Virginia Lowell's Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery series

Wait, did I forget to introduce myself? I’m Maddie Briggs, cookie baker extraordinaire, if I must say so myself, which I must because I’m the only one in The Gingerbread House kitchen at five a.m. Livie insists I don’t sleep enough, but, as I’ve explained to her, I sleep more efficiently than ordinary mortals.
Did I mention that Livie (Olivia) Greyson is my best friend since age ten? We run The Gingerbread House together. Livie is the business brain, and I’m the cookie creator. We also add the occasional murder investigation to our busy schedules. You know how it is. You find a body on your way home from work, and suddenly your to-do list gets a lot more complicated. It happens.
Now here’s what I wanted to talk to you about: Livie and Sheriff Del Jenkins. I think they are good together, I really do, but they are moving soooo slowly. And I’m not saying that because I’m getting married in the spring. I mean, I’ve been crazy about Lucas since high school and that’s… well, it’s a lot of years ago. I don’t do math. Anyway, I understand that both Livie and Del have been through divorces, so they’re taking their time. But how much time is enough? “Tick, tick, tick,” I told Livie, “that’s the sound of your biological clock.” She didn’t take that well.
Here’s what I think is the real problem: murder. For some reason, Del gets upset when Livie and I investigate a murder in Chatterley Heights. I know, I don’t understand it, either. After all, Livie is really smart, I’m intrepid (is that the right word?), and together we make an awesome investigative team. I think so, anyway. Lucas doesn’t interfere when I join forces with Livie to solve a murder, although he isn’t ecstatically happy about it. He understands that we always have a really good reason, like saving an innocent friend from a prison sentence. But Del gets downright cranky when he thinks Livie is putting herself in danger. Livie responds by neglecting to mention certain details about her investigative activities, but Del always finds out. Chatterley Heights is, after all, a small town.
So give me your honest opinion. Should Livie and I stop getting involved in local murder investigations?
Read more about the Cookie Cutter Shop Mysteries and Virginia Lowell at:
No way should Maddie and Livie stop investigating! I love to read about all of their adventures. I also have a new appreciation for the giant bag of cookie cutters in my pantry.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I wanted to hear!
DeleteI want one of those cookies...
ReplyDeleteOnly one? Are you feeling well?
DeleteLet's take a cookie field trip to the Gingerbread House, Willow.
ReplyDeleteThat tray of cookies will be waiting. Maybe even a gingerbread house or two....
DeleteI say you gotta do what you gotta do! I have a host of people telling me to be careful, stay out of trouble, *stop finding bodies*! Especially that last part.
ReplyDeleteRight! I mean, it's not like we go looking for bodies. But we can't ignore murder in our own little town. It wouldn't be neighborly.
DeleteLove those cookies & review. Had to add to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Cozies and cookies just seem to go together.
DeleteKeep getting involved - and keep baking!
ReplyDeletekpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Thanks! I'm hoping Del lightens up over time. We'll see.
Deletethey must keep investigated! Oh you made me want cookies :)
ReplyDeleteMinDaf @Aol.com
Thanks! It's cookie season, yay!
DeleteI just moved this series to the top of my TBR pile. Can never go wrong with cookies. Sign me up for the field trip with Willow & Kath. :) Definitely keep investigating, looking forward to many more adventures. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteScouts579(at)aol(dot)com
We'll whip up an extra special batch of cookies for your field trip, and we'll try not to eat them all before you get here!
DeleteThey must keep investigating----and making cookies. Now I must go make some cookies for me.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I think investigating and making cookies are a natural fit--investigating uses up energy and cookie replenish it!
DeleteI moved this series to the top of my TBR list. You can't go wrong with cookies. :) Keep investigating, looking forward to many more adventures.
ReplyDeleteScouts579(at)aol(dot)com
I've enjoyed some of the previousCookie Cutter shop mysteries and look forward to reading this one. My book club will be reading Christmas mysteries for the December meeting, so this book looks like just the ticket to read for the meeting.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it!
DeleteI read the first in the series. Keep investigating ... you wouldn't want an innocent person to be arrested for murder. That happened in a book I read recently.
ReplyDeleteCookies are great, especially chocolate ones.
I think it's okay for Del and Livie to go slow. It never hurts to take your time.
catbooks(at)rocketmail(dot)com
That's good to hear. I want everything to work out for them, so I'll back off a bit... and go make more cookies.
Delete