The key characters are a likeable bunch, if perhaps just a little caracaturish for me. There were some lovely red herrings along the way that kept the interest going, but this time I worked out whodunnit. At times suspicion was cast upon the most unlikely of people which did make one think twice, hmm!. The setting for this murder mystery is lovely and the motive for the actions taken, plausible.

With thanks to Kensington Books, Netgalley and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah is a great read!

This book has all the ingredients for a fantastic book. It has well-crafted characters, as well as, a strong plot. It actually grabs you from the beginning and keeps you focused and intrigued until the very end.

If you enjoy reading cozy mysteries, then definitely pick up your copy today.

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah all of the ingredients needed to get a new cozy mystery series off to a great start:
-Main character leaves career/city behind to start over
-Small, charming town with helpful, quirky inhabitants
-New career/business
-Adorable pet

A cheating fiance/broken engagement and a lot of wine convince Lindsey Bakewell to leave her finance career in NYC, buy a historic lighthouse, and move to a small lakeside town in Michigan. She plans to renovate the lighthouse, turning it into her dream bakery and cafe. Welly, her adorable and slobbery Newfie accompanies her, always ready to sample the bacon.

Renovations complete, recipes tested, staff hired and Linds is ready for opening day. A barista with a broken arm leaves her asking her mysterious hottie neighbor for a hand. Lindsey's social media influencer and PR genius BFF, Kennedy, has done a great job and the bakery is full of customers eager to try the baked goods.

And then Lindsey's ex and his lover show up, grabbing baked goods and drinks from other customers, throwing them, and causing a scene. Terrible enough but then the lover, Mia, starts choking and dies.

Terrible enough but then Linds learns that Mia died by cyanide in her coffee. Making Linds the prime suspect in the murder investigation.

This gentle read has a light and leisurely pace including lots of descriptions, especially of food. The characters are quirky, fun, and enjoyable. Linds is well-developed - determined, smart, kindhearted, and sympathetic.

The murder mystery is well done with lots of suspects and motives. Unlike many cozies, the murderer came as a complete surprise to me.

The setting sounds perfect - a small town tourist destination on Lake Michigan, full of quaint shops which sets the scene for future books.

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke or Vivien Chien

What a great start to a new series. A cheating fiancé, a sweet drooling dog, a BFF with a cool British accent, a hunky neighbor and a new dream career as a bakery owner in a gorgeous setting. What more can one ask for?
Well, if you are Lindsey Bakewell you can ask for a smooth opening day for her new bakery set within a lighthouse. That, unfortunately, is not going to happen for her as a certain someone dies right on her lawn after taking a bite of one Lindsey's donuts along with a sip of her coffee. From there, enter Officer Cutie and hard-bitten, but soft-hearted, Detctive Murdock who close down Lindsey's newly opened bakery until a murderer is found.
I couldn't put this book down. It is well-written, fast-paced, and keeps you guessing until the very end. The characters are fun and interesting. I can't wait until the next book in this charming series. Highly recommended for mystery and cozy readers.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

I loved Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah! Set in an adorable town on the shores of Lake Michigan, former NYC finance world hotshot, Lindsey Bakewell, turns the town lighthouse into a bakery after finding her chef fiancé cheating on her with his pastry chef. As opening day approaches Lindsey meets a cute but mysterious neighbor, Rory, and learns her lighthouse might be haunted. Her best friend joins to help Lindsey promote the bakery and cheer her on! Opening day is going well until her ex and his current girlfriend along with protesters show up ending with the bakery covered in spills and donuts and a dead pastry chef. I loved seeing Lindsey sleuth around town to clear her name. This is a modern take on a cozy which will surely become a classic and beloved series. I can’t wait to see what Hannah has in store for Lindsey’s next case. In the tradition of many cozy cook themed mysteries this one includes recipes!

This book was such a wonderful start to the series! Darci Hannah has such a humorous way of writing that just draws you right in immediately. The characters were all so different and personable, and I really enjoyed reading about each of them. I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere, and the recipes have me drooling. I couldn't stop reading once I picked up the book. It kept me guessing all the way through and I thought the twists and turns were awesome. Overall, it was such a solid cozy mystery and I know I'll be reading the rest of Darci's work!

how frustrating it must be to want to start a bake shop, accomplish it, and then have opposition to it in the form of one very outspoken person who has a certain cadre of followers. Lindsey is the direct target and when her opponent is poisoned, Lindsey is the one who falls under suspicion, . I wish there were a baker like LIndsey in my town. I will be anxious to see how this series develops, as this is the first book in it., Worth the time to read

This is the quintessential cozy mystery. I thought the setting in Michigan with the lighthouse was great. The characters were also really fun, especially the amateur sleuth. Her snarky commentary on everything that was going on was really funny. At times, this book did get a little too cute for me and it did make me cringe a little, but for the most part I enjoyed it.

A first first in series that reaches out, grabs you, and doesn't let go until you must finish. A lighthouse bake shop is the icing on the cake. Looking forward to devouring more in this series.

A delightful start to a new series. I'm a sucker for baking-themed mysteries (especially when the come with recipes) and was excited to start this one. After a rough breakup, Lindsey leaves her high-powered NYC finance career behind to start a bakeshop in an old decommissioned lighthouse on the shores of Lake Michigan. But, of course, things don't go as planned when someone from her old life emerges and dies on opening day. The cast of characters was fun, with the groundwork for future books laid as Hannah introduced numerous shop owners and other locals. The mystery definitely had enough twists to keep me engaged without going over the top. The presence of an adorable dog was a plus. I'm looking forward to reading more about the cutest spooky lighthouse!

The first in a new series, Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop, by Darci Hannah, is a breath of fresh air for cozy mystery lovers. Hannah’s success can be attributed to the perfect recipe; delectable humour, unique plot and fantastic characters.

Leaving her ex-fiance and his midtown New York restaurant in her rearview mirror, Lindsey Bakewell heads off for Beacon Harbour on the shores of Lake Michigan to begin a new life. Shocked to hear that her celebrity chef fiancé, Jeffrey Plank, was having an ongoing affair with his pastry chef, Mia Wong, Lindsey decides to give up her lucrative career in investment banking to pursue a life long dream of owning a bakery. Intent on thwarting Lindsey’s plans, a local protest group, spearheaded by a bitter local, makes life difficult for her as they are unhappy that the lighthouse is moving into private hands. Apparently, the folks of Beacon Harbour don’t like change. After restoring the lighthouse and hiring a team of competent locals, Lindsey is ready for opening on busy Memorial Day. Unfortunately, it isn’t the success Lindsey imagined; her barista fails to show up and a customer chokes on a donut and dies! The Beacon Bakeshop and Café gets lots of attention, just not the kind Lindsey was planning.

The perfect mixture containing all the right ingredients, you’ll want to pick up this five-star cozy mystery on February 23, 2021. The first thing you’ll notice is Hannah’s sense of humour. I was laughing within the first few pages and instantly knew I was going to love this book. Hannah has crafted the most wonderful characters; a hunky woodsman next door, a squatchy-looking and questionable Uber driver, a busy body real estate diva, a sassy camouflage wearing bakery assistant with sinister connections, a town downer with an agenda, a YouTube influencer best friend, and a fish stealing two-year-old Newfoundland. The protagonist and sleuth is a delight to hang out with because Hannah breathes so much humour and sarcasm into her that readers eagerly follow her along as she digs up dirt on the locals in an attempt to uncover who’s murdering her customers. How ironic that Lindsey's surname is Bakewell! She does bake well, she just needs to convince the locals. In addition to a unique and well-paced plot, Hannah’s timing of murders and red herrings is perfect, making reading her story an addiction. This phenomenal mystery, first in a new series, will lock you in for the long haul. After all, we need more humour, more of the hunky woodsman, more sweet delights, and more of Captain Willy Riggs. Keep writing, Darci Hannah, the world needs more of your books!

Thank you to Darci Hannah, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this 5-star advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop is the debut of the A Beacon Bakeshop mystery series set in the small town of Beacon Harbor, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan. Lindsey Bakewell is a successful Wall Street financier with a passion for baking. When she catches her fiance, Chef Jefferey Plank in the arms of his pastry chef Mia Long, she makes the rash decision to purchase an old abandoned lighthouse online and moves with her Newfoundland, Wellington far from the city to open a bakeshop.

The pictures posted by the realtor were deceiving to say the least. The lighthouse is in shambles and Lindsey thinks she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Especially when her mysterious neighbor, Rory Campbell tells her that her new home is haunted by former lightkeeper, Captain Willy Riggs. Fortunately, Lindsey's best friend Kennedy Kapoor arrives on the scene and with the additional help of baker, Dylan Dykstra the bakery is soon ready for the grand opening. The whole town (well most of them) are excited for the new eatery but a few protestors are causing havoc and leading the pack is none other than Mia Long and Jefferey Plank, who have arrived unannounced looking to destroy Lindsey's dream before it even gets off the ground. Mia chokes to death on a cyanide laced donut and Lindsey is named the chief suspect.

A well crafted plot, delightful characters and a fun loving puppy make for an excellent read. This debut offers up everything you could want in a cozy: murder, romance, mouthwatering recipes and a spectacular setting. I can't wait to visit the Beacon Bakeshop again.

I received an advanced copy of Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

This is a great addition to the cozy mystery genre. Lindsay is a good character, she’s independent, loyal and her good attitude are excellent qualities in a protagonist.
With the opening of her own bakery in a lighthouse, Lindsay has everyone in the little community talking. Some residents are excited and some are livid, and someone is out for revenge.
A gruesome death casts a shadow over Lindsay’s grand opening, landing her directly at the top of the suspect list.
Refusing to give up, Lindsay and her friend Kennedy try to find the answers and find themselves in the killer’s path.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

This was a great start to a fun series! Lindsey and her Newfoundland Wellington are a fun pair. She leaves New York, high profile job, and cheating fiancé. On a whim and after drinking to much she bought a old light house with plans to open a bakery. Beacon Harbor was like coming to a different world from New York. Things are moving along until opening day when her past shows up to ruin her opening day. Two murders, fun characters, beautiful setting and a great ending!
#MurderattheBeaconBakeshop #NetGalley

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah is a great cozy mystery novel that is the first in a new series: A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery.

I really think this is going to be a great series.
The main character, Lindsey Bakeswell, purchases an old lighthouse online in Beacon Harbor, Michigan (where she enjoyed childhood vacations with her grandparents). She makes this split-second decision after experiencing a life-altering change. She then plans to break away from her lucrative finance career into her passion: baking.

Lindsey and her Newfoundland are fish out of water as NYC transplants into small-town Michigan. As she works to create a new life for them, renovating her lighthouse and living quarters, and getting her bakeshop up and running, she gets to meet all of the fun and quirky characters that inhabit this adorable town. Some are more pleasant then others, however. Lindsey has a few obstacles and hurdles to overcome with some of the inhabitants that are not keen on change. Unfortunately, she also ends up ensnared into a murder/mystery when her cheating ex-fiance and his new girlfriend make their uninvited visit, and the girlfriend ends up murdered. Of course Lindsey is a prime suspect and must work to eliminate herself, solve the murder, and get her dream up and running. With her newfound friends, the plot, the large amount of potential material for future books, this series really starts off well.

I love the location, Wellington, and the full cast of secondary characters. Lindsey is smart, sassy, like able, and has my vote. What I enjoyed the most was the author’s style of dialogue. There was a wonderful flow and interaction between the characters. There was sarcasm, banter, wit, and in some cases, chemistry.

A great cozy mystery for what is sure to be a great new series.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Michigan, rehabilitation, family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, neighbors, amateur-sleuth*****

Good start to a new series! Lindsey is a wealthy New Yorker who has a meltdown and decides to buy a decommissioned lighthouse near where she spent summers with her grandparents in their bakery. She is an excellent baker as well, so the plan is to open a bakery/cafe. She has excellent friends both old and new, but she also has enemies old and new. I thought that the murder victim would be the nutcase who had other ideas about the lighthouse, but it turned out to be someone from the past and Lindsey is in the frame. Together with friends and the lighthouse ghost (who was murdered years ago) she learns to sleuth. Good story!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Lindsey Bakeswell moves to her small hometown in Michigan and opens up a bakery when she catches her celebrity chef fiancé with another woman to star over. Things do not go as smoothly on opening day as the local preservation does not like her using the lighthouse for her business.

But things only seem to get better when her ex-fiance and new girlfriend crashes the opening as they plan to trash the place. There will be more than just litter to clean up when the girlfriend seemingly chokes on one of her treats and dies.

Killer treats is not her specialty as Lindsey will find who poisoned her food and why. A delightful new series to savor.

Murder at Beacon Bakeshop is a good start to a new series and an author that I have not read before.

I enjoyed getting to know these characters and the story kept me interested. I was surprised at the ending and the reveal of the murderer. I will read more from this author. The cover is super cute too!

#MurderattheBeaconBakeshop #NetGalley

This is a cozy mystery about a career oriented woman who gives up her life as she knows it. She buys a ,lighthouse where she will live and plans to start a bakery. Murder and mayhem...romance...starting over...enjoy

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books, in return for an honest review. This is the first book in a new cozy series and one I highly recommend. Lindsey Bakewell (like the English Bakewell tarts) achieved great financial success as a New York City financier. Once she finds her cheating fiancée with his pastry chef in a compromising position, she decides to make a major life change and buys a lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan. Her plan is to use her hard-earned wealth to renovate and open the Beacon Bakeshop on the shores of Lake Michigan. Things, upon arrival, aren’t quite what Lindsey anticipated. Her lighthouse doesn’t look like the photos and it might be haunted. On the plus sides, she has a handsome neighbor and her giant dog, Wellington, is very happy to be out of the city. Things move in the right direction until the day of the Beacon’s grand opening when her ex and his significant other appear, along with a local posse who are protesting the lighthouse’s sale and renovation into a commercial business. Things go horribly wrong and someone dies by poisoning, throwing suspicion on Lindsey, her staff, her neighbor, and her best friend who is visiting from New York City. Well, what’s a self-respecting, independent woman to do but solve the mystery so she can move on with her new life?
This was a fun book and a great read. The protagonist is interesting, intelligent and someone I’d like to know. The recipes sound amazing and I'm planning to make the cookies right away. The setting is well described, and the characters are all well and clearly delineated. I’m really looking forward to the next in this series.