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About the Book
Book: Home Baked Bribery (Addie Masters Mysteries Book 2)
Author: Gina Holder
Genre: Christian Cozy Mystery
Release date: March 4, 2025
The annual Rockport bake sale and competition is underway. The stakes are higher than ever for the coveted Golden Whisk Award when a high-profile celebrity chef is brought in as a surprise guest judge.
The competition takes a deadly turn when the celebrity suffers an allergic reaction. When Addie’s nemesis, Kennedy Graves is banned from the competition for using almond extract, Addie volunteers to prove Kennedy innocent. As Addie investigates the death, she learns each of the local bakers had a motive to dislike the celebrity. But did one of them kill him?
Meanwhile, hundred-year-old twins, Poppy and Marigold, keep Addie hopping, looking for their missing dogs.
Will Addie be able to uncover the truth behind the celebrity judge’s death, or will she become the next victim of the mysterious shenanigans going on in Rockport?
My Review:
This fun cozy mystery has a storyline that revolves around the 25th anniversary of the Golden Whisk Award Baking Competition. As the contestants gather to participate in the baking competition, they are appalled to find that the guest judge on the panel is Max Gordon, a celebrity judge known for his abrasive behavior and comments. As everyone gathers for the beginning of the competition, tempers flare and threats are made. When a murder occurs, every baker in the competition is a suspect. Addie Masters works diligently to discover the identity of the killer and prevent further tragedy from impacting their community.
I liked the character of Addie. She’s smart, impulsive, and a loyal friend that anyone would love to have. She was the perfect heroine for this book, and I enjoyed following along with her as she sought for clues to discover the killer. The author did a great job of creating interesting characters and a storyline that had many twists and turns that kept me guessing almost to the end of the book. There’s humor all throughout the story, and a light thread of faith that gave the story its heart. This is the first cozy mystery that I’ve read from this author, and I’ll be watching for the next book in this series.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter.
More from Gina
Choco-Banana Bliss Bars
-Mac Gordon
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed (light or dark) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (all-purpose) flour
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Allow bananas to ripen until outside is mostly black.
- Allow butter and egg to reach room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup brown sugar. Mix at a medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
- Add in 1 large egg, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract, and ½ tsp salt. Mix at a medium-low speed until combined.
- Mix in 1 cup of flour. Mix on low until just combined.
- Fold 1 cup of mashed banana into the batter until they’re fully incorporated.
- Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips. Save a few chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the glass dish. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 33-37 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, and the center is baked through.
- Place on a wire rack to fully cool. Gently remove the bars from the pan. Cut into squares.
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 25
By the Book, April 25
Vicky Sluiter, April 26
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 26
Book Looks by Lisa, April 27
She Lives To Read, April 28
Leslie’s Library Escape, April 29
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 30
Madi’s Musings, May 1
Hannahbandanarama, May 1
Texas Book-aholic, May 2
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 3
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 4
Holly’s Book Corner, May 4
Lily’s Corner, May 5
DevotedToHope, May 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 7
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, May 8
For Him and My Family, May 8
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Gina is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of books 1 and 2 of the series, Handmade Mayhem and Home Baked Bribery!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
I love cozy mysteries! This one sounds great!