Sugar and Vice
A Cookie House Mystery, Book #2
Eve Calder
5 Stars

Synopsis:

OUT OF THE OVEN

Lately, Kate has a lot on her dessert plate. She’s launching a cookie-of-the-day challenge in the heart of Coral Cay, providing sweet treats for the reception of the town’s handsome new veterinarian―not to mention dealing with tourists in town for a pirate festival and the surprise arrival of her former fiancé, Evan, who seems determined to win her back.

AND INTO THE FIRE

And if that’s not enough, a skeleton has been found―in the backyard behind her best friend Maxi’s floral shop. Kate knows Maxi could never hurt a fly. Maybe the remains belong to Sir George Bly, a long-dead pirate whose name has become urban legend―until now? It’s time for Kate to use every trick in the recipe book to prove Maxi’s innocence, and find the truth about the skeleton, before the last of the cookies crumble… (Goodreads)

Review:

The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing. In my mind’s eye, I could picture the pirate festival and cookie house very clearly.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Kate and Maxi are such good friends, even though they have only known each other a short time. I think we should all have a friend like Maxi. The secondary characters added a lot to the story, and I like how everyone seemed to be one big happy family.

The mystery was well plotted and very intriguing. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through and this mystery was not easily solved, which is how I like my mysteries.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Everything in this book works, just like it did in the first book. I cannot wait to read book three.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy. It is not the first in the series, but I still understood who the characters all were and how they fit together. Kate runs a cookie shop and her best friend Maxi runs a florist shop next door. They are working on Maxi's yard at the shop when Kate's puppy digs up a corpse dressed in pirate gear. At first, it is suspected that this could be the remains of a long dead pirate, Gentleman George. Soon they find out the body is much more recent.

The characters are fun and the story is easy to read. It was fun to meet all the quirky locals. It was a nice escape. I love the puppy Oliver as well. There were lots of suspects as well as several guesses as to who the corpse really was. I was surprised by the ending. I would definitely read more by this author.

Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder has Kate McGuire and her best friend, Maxi planting some vegetable gardens behind Maxi’s flower shop in Coral Cay, Florida. Kate’s dog, Oliver suddenly begins digging frantically and uncovers a skeleton with pirate clothes. They wonder if the skeleton is Sir George Bly, the pirate who founded the town and the reason they have the annual pirate festival. Kate has enough on her plate with baking unique items for the pirate festival and the unknown skeleton. But then her ex-fiancé, Evan arrives in town with an agenda. Kate keeps herself busy (aka avoiding Evan) by investigating the legend of Sir George Bly with the book club hoping they can learn the truth about the gentleman pirate and his long-lost treasure. What happens when they learn the skeleton is more recent than a four-hundred-year-old pirate? Sugar and Vice is the second A Cookie House Mystery. It can be read on its own for those new to the series. Kate is a likeable young woman with a talent for baking. I love her dog, Oliver with his exuberance. Kate loves to bake, and she creates delicious items for the bakery. I enjoy the interactions between Maxi and Kate. I did find the chapters too short and there were too many of them (68). It made the book choppy. The mystery was simple and could easily be solved long before the reveal. But the mystery does suit the book. It is a lighthearted cozy mystery with the focus on baking and friendship than the whodunit. There are lovely descriptions of the town which has friendly residents. I could have done without the Spanish words or phrases used by Maxi. They are not explained which is frustrating (I was never able to master Spanish). I did enjoy the humor and the descriptions of Kate’s baked items. Sugar and Vice is a fun cozy mystery with a peppy pooch, tasty treats, pirate plunder, a bothersome ex-beau, and a screwy skeleton.

Sugar and Vice earns 5/5 Pirate Legends...Engaging Fun!

Cookies. Pirates. Skeleton. Legend. Murder. Eve Calder bakes up a great second book in her Cookie House Mystery series with more than one entertaining mysteries. Kate is helping her BFF Maxi build planting beds for edible flowers, herbs, and vegetables—but a skeleton? Oliver, the dog all the town seem to cherish, digs up a skeleton oddly dressed in...pirate gear. At first it is assumed to be an archeological discovery of Gentleman George, a sixteenth century pirate, who founded the Coral Cay, but forensics prove the skeleton is a much more recent demise. Is it murder? Along with an engaging mystery surrounding this twenty-first century pirate, it is the annual Pirate Festival bringing in loads of tourist including Kate’s ex-fiancé who arrives without notice, and then there’re cookies! Eve’s writing style is sensory-laden description including talk of cookies and flowers with wonderful characters, friendships, witty banter, and although the killer had been on my radar, I wavered til the surprise and satisfying ending. I started with the second book, and as a newbie, I easily joined in. Fun! But, no real recipes to enjoy.

Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder is perfect for light reading . . . and face it, many people need some light reading every now and then. In this book, I enjoyed living vicariously in a bake shop near the ocean through Kate. Descriptions of cookies and other baked goods added a lot of flavor to the story. Kate's dog, Oliver, is super cool. I just wish there had been more about the murder: particularly more clues to potentially allow the reader to solve the mystery. I also wish the book would have included a cookie recipe or two at the end. :) Overall, the story warmed me up to the characters enough so that I am willing to read the next installment when it comes out.

Sugar and Vice is the second installment in the Cookie House Mystery series. Do not let that scare you. I loved this book. The setting, the mystery and the characters are all interesting and I was thoroughly entertained.

Sugar and Vice: A Cookie House Mystery
By Eve Calder
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

After making work her priority in Manhattan while dreaming of “someday” visiting the dreamy-sounding town of Coral Cay, Kate McGuire finally embraced her fantasy by moving to South Florida and becoming the (junior) owning partner in Sam Hepplewhite’s Cookie House bakery. Now that they are again making cookies after a grief-induced hiatus, the Cookie House is preparing for the town’s annual tourist-attracting Pirate Festival. An event celebrating the pirate king Gentleman George Bly and his legendary buried treasure, assumptions are quickly made when Kate’s pup Oliver digs up a pirate boot and the skeleton still attached to it. It doesn’t take long before specialists determine that the bones in Maxi Mas-Buchanan’s flowershop backyard aren’t 400 years old, but figuring out who in town is missing and who knew when Kate’s friends would be out-of-town and able to bury it is much more of a puzzle. Things only get more chaotic when treasure hunters descend upon the town, refusing to believe in the modern-day body and determined to take the bounty for themselves. It certainly doesn’t help when Kate’s stalkery-ex-fiancé Evan Thorpe also arrives, luring in her Coral Cay Irregulars bookclub with a Thorpe Foundation-backed expedition to solve the mystery behind Sir George Bly and his mysterious missing treasure.

When not narrowing down possible candidates for the corpse or avoiding an assortment of unwanted suitors, Kate implements a Cookie-of-the-day contest of submitted family-favorite recipes. Pirate Night Dinners hosted at the Cookie House that serve as a gathering place for business owners and neighbors also highlights local delicacies and comfort-food cuisines, allowing for ample opportunities of vicarious tastings. Kate’s ex’s refusal to take no for an answer is infuriating, even if it does introduce another adorable furry member to the Coral Cay family. The mystery of the identity of the buried fake pirate continues alongside the myth of the Sir George Bly real pirate, whose reputation as being a true gentleman becomes contradicted by a newly discovered piece of evidence.

This second of the series continues to be a perfect escape for readers, whisking them away to the beachfront town full of charmingly named businesses and envious stores. Kate has softened the prickly Sam and reawakened his love of cookies, which are tantalizingly described as they stir up nostalgic memories of childhood and family. The mystery itself plays out in the background and delivers a very unexpected, but ultimately satisfying conclusion for these believable, well-rounded characters. A spark of romance could ignite in Kate’s future, although she is perfectly happy with her new life baking and surrounded by her Coral Cay friends and furry family. This is a heart-warming cozy mystery perfect for readers needing an entertaining escape into this sunny mystery that feels like a reassuring hug in uncertain times.

What do you do when you come home to find a body dressed as a pirate in your backyard. Here is the start point for Sugar and Vice. Another in the cookie house mystery series. Maxi the nursery owner thinks it may be Gentleman George a notorious pirate from long ago who reportedly stashed his booty on Coral Cay back in the day. A forensic analysis debunks this theory and the hunt is on for the real identity. Throughout the story we meet an overamorous suitor for Kate the other half of this sleuthing duo who has established a bakery in the Cay, and the descriptions had me dreaming of praline sandies and oatmeal cookies. The plot thickens with the disappearance of a local merchants relative only to prove a dead end. That’s the interesting piece in this writing you are never quite sure where the end will land. I look forward to their next caper.

This has become another go-to cozy series for me, despite Sugar and Vice being only the second book in the Cookie House Mysteries. Coral Cay is a typical (yet satisfying) cozy mystery small town with an assortment of delightful small town characters and happenings (this book features a pirate festival!). Good mystery, a heroine you are rooting for and lots of delicious baked good descriptions. Read with a cup of tea and a your favourite cookies.

This is the second book in a series, which I knew going in but it sounded good so I took a chance having not read the first. I’m really glad that I did! I was able to jump in without a problem (although I’ll definitely go back and read the first one now!). These characters were so much fun and I just love this little town the author has created. I’ll definitely read more in this series.

Sugar and Vice is the 2nd book in the Cookie House cozy mystery series. I've read books one and two in this series and enjoyed them both. The thing that I enjoy about this series is that in book one (slight spoiler although not really much of one) Kate moves to Coral Cay to get a fresh start in her life. I really enjoy that in these two books we have gotten to see her work towards that new life. I can't help rooting for her because of it. I also really enjoy all of the characters in this series! Maxi especially is a great secondary character so I liked the fact that this book focused on her and her business so much. One of the things that surprised me most about this book though was the ending. I didn't see it coming which really added to my enjoyment. I fully admit that there are many times with cozy mysteries where you can guess the ending early on (even though I find that still doesn't affect my enjoyment too often). That did not happen here as I didn't see the ending coming from a mile away! I loved how surprised I was by the ending of this one and also where the author went with it. I'll leave it at that because I don't want to spoil anything for others.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue reading more of this series with future books! This book was fun and a good way to keep my mind off of everything that has been going on in the world lately. I'm curious to see where the author goes next with this series. It should be interesting and I will definitely be there for it! I think that readers that enjoy cozy mysteries or are looking for mysteries that are on the lighter side (meaning not dark and gory) would enjoy this one. I do think that this book can be read out of order, but I would recommend reading the books in order if possible. There's only two currently so you have plenty of time before the next book releases! Recommended.
Bottom Line: A fun addition to this cozy mystery series!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery set in Coral Cay, Fla., featuring flower shop owner Maxi Mas-Buchanan and Kate McGuire, who is the co-owner of the local bakery.
Kate has become the “owner” of Oliver, the town dog, who makes an intriguing discovery in Maxi’s backyard: a skeleton buried with leather shoes with buckles. Could it be Gentleman George Bly, the pirate king, who is celebrated in Coral Cay with a festival each year?
Alas, the town is disappointed to learn that the skeleton is only around six months old, but this raises a new mystery. Who is the man and who buried him in Maxi’s backyard?
The book features a group of delightful characters, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

"Sugar and Vice" is another great cozy in The Cookie House mystery series. It has quirky characters, a good mystery and even pirates. Can't wait for the next book.

I forgot how much I enjoyed the first book in the series until I picked this one up! It was an absolute delight! I love Kate and Maxi and Oliver so it was fun to spend more time with them and with the other residents of Coral Cay. I really loved the bits of history and just what had happened to Gentleman George. There was a good balance of the historic mystery and the modern day mystery and it's hard to say which one was more compelling.



This has all the things I really enjoy in a cozy. It has a great community, main characters I want to be friends with, a location I wish was real, and an entertaining mystery. Oh and this one has cookies - amazing mouthwateringly yummy sounding cookies that almost had me baking shortbread at midnight. I didn't but it was close! I will say I wasn't shocked by the who but the whys were a surprised and I loved watching it all get exposed. I can't wait for the next book in the series - but I will make the shortbread before I start the book this time!

This book is second in a series by Eve Calder. In anticipation of reading this book, I purchased the first book through Amazon. It was enjoyable but was occasionally confusing. However, this book expanded on the characters, as well as bringing new characters along with an interesting storyline.

A number of changes have come to the town, including cookies, courtesy of Kate. They sounded delicious! All in all, a great second chapter in this new series. Now I have to wait an entire year for #3!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book!

Things were going well for Kate McGuire with a new home in beautiful Coral Cay Island with her career blooming as a junior partner and baker at the Cookie House. Then she finds herself involved in a murder when her dog Oliver uncovers a body and her ex-finance makes a very unwelcome appearance.

The history theme is so well written it had me checking to be sure it is not real. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Oliver. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

A delightful cozy mystery. Cookies galore. Yum! A wonderful dog companion. A nice variety of community characters plus an ex-fiancé stirring the plot. A quick and entertaining read. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

I can't believe how much I enjoyed this book. This is an author I was not familiar with ( Eve Calder ) but I can't wait to read again. Characters to love, location you will want to visit, and enough mystery to keep you turning pages. Two dead bodies, one ancient one resent, intertwined with enticing cookies and friendly neighbors. This is a delightful cozy mystery perfect for vacation or curling up at home. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

#SugarandVice

This is the second in the series and my first trip to Coral Cay. Eve Calder is a new to me author. The plot is about a body being found in the backyard of the flower shop. At first, everyone thinks it is Gentleman George, a founder of the town or one of his crew.


I enjoyed the theory letting us know of a way the body had been buried without anyone noticing it.I enjoyed this book but found there were too many chapters just a few pages each. I like to get rolling along and enjoy the story.

Along with the mystery of who was in the backyard grave and is there & where is the rumored treasure, there is Evan, the ex-boyfriend that is trying to get Kate to take him back. Unfortunately for him, she loves her new life.


I enjoyed knowing that Kate & crew don't think that they can do a better job than the police. I liked the characters, the story, and the quaint town of Coral Cay.

This was a good escape from COVID-19 news. I hope to be visiting Coral Cay again, real soon.

Pastries and Pirates or is it Casanovas and a Corpse? It all started with a garden and Oliver the labradoodle finding a skeleton. The locals of Crystal Cay were excited thinking that the boot wearing skeleton was Gentleman George Bly or maybe one of his crew, only to learn that it wasn't that old, in fact it was in the ground, the sandy ground 4 feet deep for under a year's time. Out come the treasure hunters and phanatics for Pirate gold. Cate is hot on the trail of the unknown pirate while delving into Bly family history. All of this while doing her part as the 49% owner/baker of the Cookie Shop and holding a cookie of the day contest. Who would have ever guessed how time consuming a pecan praline sandie cookie could be or getting to the bottom of this mystery. Of course it doesn't help Kate one bit that her cheating EX-fiance is is town and offering the resources of his families foundation to further the research into Gentleman George Bly or that he is going around telling everyone that he is back to win Kate over. Maxi is more than happy to do her friend a solid and "swat that mosquito" and does her best to run interference for Kate. Kate has a solid group of friends in Coral Cay and in such a short time, since she escaped there from Manhattan to enjoy a new start after the failed engagement and hectic lifestyle of a big city chef. No wonder Oliver the town pup has picked her to be his home base when he isn't out visiting the various businesses and families of Coral Cay. This story offers all the ingredients that a cozy mystery needs to bake up an excellant plot with twists and turns that are like frosting on a cake or a large gingerbread doghouse. Did I mention that the new vet is available?