Brenda H. (booksinvt) - , reviewed on 12/30/2018 + 457 more book reviews

Batter off Dead is the second installment of the A Southern Cake Baker Mystery series set in Rumford, KY and featuring bakery owner, Sophia Cummings. Sophie and best friend, Charlotte Harrington are busy at For Goodness Cakes, baking for the Heart of Rumford fundraiser to benefit the library that is being held at the Grape Valley Winery.

Local resident Ray Peeler seems to be attracting the most attention as he's promised to donate a half a million dollars towards the library expansion. But, as the ceremony approaches, Ray tells head librarian Catherine Fraxman that he's not going to donate money after all. To make matters worse he springs on the Winery owners, the Dugan Family, that he's not going to renew their lease and instead sell the winery land out from under them. Icing on the cake is when he offends Sophie's friend and realtor, Madison Ridge by telling her that she doesn't have enough of a reputation to handle the listing.

Sophie hadn't collected payment in advance for her tasty treats and knowing that she needs the hefty sum in order to keep the bakery going, she sets out to find Ray and ends up tripping over his dead body in one of the grape rows. With all of the enemies the man has made it's really no surprise that someone has finally done him in, and Sophie sets out to track down a killer.

Against the advice of her boyfriend Sheriff Carter Kincaid, Sophie teams up with her mother Bitsy, and friends to form Operation Merlot. A fast paced plot featuring series regulars offers just the right blend of mystery and laughs.

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