This was an interesting mystery by R.L. Syne, #1 in the Matchbaker series. Matchbaker is someone who matches people to food by observing them or reading them. Since the main character, Vangie, is a minister, she has a pretty good handle on what makes people tick so she’s usually right. It wasn’t actually her idea to do the matchbaker thing. Her sister thought of it for marketing purposes in selling to tourists.
I really enjoyed reading the Afterword in this book and I think you will too. Right after the end of the book is the yummy macaron recipe but if you keep reading, you’ll see some notes and insight from the author herself, who is actually a minister. Not many books have Afterwords. This one’s is worth reading. Now onto my Goodreads review:
Vangie Vale and the Murdered Macaron by R.L. Syme
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Vangie is a part time minister who has a bakery cafe…and a secret so she needs to keep her nose clean and stay out of the news. She also lives next door to the sheriff who can’t seem to stand her because she uses one tiny little part of his property for making cell phone calls since she can’t get any coverage inside her house.
When a local murder is somehow linked to her bakery, Vangie sets out to investigate what turns out to be a fairly complicated case with lots of suspects and twists. I know I never saw it coming when I found out who the killer was.
It never came out and said what infraction Vangie had against her from her old assignment but whatever it was, she is in Saint Agnes parish in Montana on a sort of probationary period. It was imperative that this murder and any link to her bakery be kept out of the media and press.
This was a well written mystery although in some parts I was getting a little lost in details. There were a lot of interesting characters and the one that hits me as most interesting was biker Derek because it just seemed such a comical mismatch in a way to have a minister and a biker sidekick who was totally comfortable with the whole breaking and entering part of investigating. But just because he’s got a record, doesn’t mean Derek is a totally bad person. I ended up liking him quite a bit and I hope he appears in the next book.
The main murder and mysteries were solved but there was one thing left hanging so I hope it gets wrapped up in the next book. I won’t spoil it by saying what it is.
Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery 