Holly Holmes Culinary Mystery

A murder. A cafe owner accused. One determined woman and her corgi against the world. Holly Holmes never imagined her cozy village cafe would fail, or that she'd be the prime suspect in a murder investigation. When baking goes deadly wrong... Life in the charming English village of Audley St. Mary should be simple: serve tea, bake cookies, keep the cafe afloat. But Holly's struggling business is the last of her worries when she discovers a body! With the police closing in and curious about the newcomer, Holly faces the unthinkable: prison for a crime she didn't commit. An amateur sleuth is born... Refusing to let her life crumble, Holly trades her apron for a detective's notebook. With her faithful corgi Meatball by her side, providing both emotional support and surprising investigative instincts, she dives into the dark underbelly of village life. Every neighbor becomes a suspect. Every secret could be the key to her freedom. But powerful forces stand in her way... - Audley Castle's enigmatic private security team seems determined to block her investigation - A rival cafe owner watches Holly's downfall with suspicious satisfaction - Village gossip spreads faster than butter on warm scones - The real killer is still out there, and getting desperate A race against time, justice, and financial ruin... As Holly follows a dangerous trail of clues through village secrets, hidden motives, and deadly lies, she uncovers truths that some would kill to keep buried. She'll need courage, cleverness, and one very good dog to survive. The cafe might not make it, but Holly is determined to, as a free woman who gets to the truth. Perfect for fans of cozy crime mysteries, female amateur sleuths, and adorable canine companions! If you love small-town secrets, plucky heroines who refuse to give up, and heartwarming stories with bite, Cookie Crumble and Murder will keep you guessing until the very last page.

A castle full of secrets. A corpse in the woods. And a corgi who always finds trouble. Holly Holmes is thrilled to start over as a baker in the grand kitchens of Audley Castle. The job promises peace, purpose, and plenty of pastries. But her new life collapses the moment Meatball, her loyal corgi, uncovers a body hidden among the trees on the castle grounds. Within hours, Holly becomes the prime suspect. The villagers whisper. The aristocrats close ranks. And someone will do anything to keep old scandals buried. Refusing to be framed, Holly starts an investigation. Hidden grudges, jealous rivals, long-buried feuds, and secrets soon rise to the surface. Every clue brings her closer to the truth and deeper into danger, and the real killer is watching her every move. Will Holly clear her name and expose the murderer before the next victim is chosen? If you love culinary mysteries with charming English villages, lovable dogs, mouth-watering treats, and twisty clues, you'll adore Cream Caramel and Murder. Perfect for fans of British whodunits who enjoy laugh-out-loud moments and feel-good crime with heart. Recipe included.

A seven-layer cake, a body found in the beautiful Audley Castle, and an opportunity I may be unable to refuse. Who knew living in a stunning English paradise could be so deadly… When a baking emergency strikes in the middle of the night, I'm dragged from my comfy bed and given the chance to bake the cake of my life (seven layers, glitter, edible flowers – it'll be delicious and incredible.) With the crisis averted and the cake looking almost too good to eat, I relax and enjoy a few treats. But before I eat a bite of my vanilla whip slice, the loveably eccentric Lady Philippa predicts a death in the castle. Blaine Masters, a guest of the Audley family, is about to die! And when Lady Philippa makes a prediction, I need to listen. It's eerie how she seems to see the future. I'm determined to warn Blaine, but he refuses to take me seriously. In fact, he's downright rude when I try to help. Then he's found dead at the bottom of a set of stone steps in only his underwear. It doesn't take me long to learn there were plenty of people who hated Blaine. But who is hiding the truth about how far they'd go to get rid of him? Despite Blaine being entitled and mean, justice must be served, along with a side order of delicious cake. Vanilla Whip and Murder is book four in the Holly Holmes cozy culinary mystery series. It features a cast of quirky royals, an adorable dog, and a twisty plot that will leave you guessing until the end. Recipe included.

A deadly longbow shot shatters the calm at Audley Castle, and Holly Holmes is caught in the middle of the chaos. Moments before the annual longbow competition begins, Lady Philippa warns Holly that a murder is about to happen. Her predictions are usually right, which means someone's already living on borrowed time. When an arrow finds its mark and a guest dies, the cheerful event becomes a full-blown crime scene. Accident or murder? Holly doesn't buy the accident theory. Her search for the truth uncovers bitter rivalries, jealous lovers, bruised egos, and secrets that could destroy reputations. Castle security tells her to stay out of it, but Holly's never been good at following instructions. And when a second guest falls victim to the longbow killer, she's racing the clock to catch them. With Meatball the corgi at her side and more suspects than pastries at a bake sale, Holly's determined to expose the truth before another arrow flies. Perfect for fans of cozy crime mysteries, English village whodunits, laugh-out-loud moments, quirky characters, twisty clues, and sleuths who refuse to quit. Packed with desserts, chaos, puzzles, and secrets you'll be itching to solve.

A glamorous wedding fair. A poisoned florist. A determined baking sleuth. Audley Castle looks picture perfect as it hosts a prestigious wedding fair. But the sparkle vanishes when Connie Barber, a sharp-tongued florist, collapses at the event. Beautiful bouquets, sweet displays, and one dead guest! Connie had enemies everywhere. She stole clients, flirted with husbands, and collected grudges like wedding favors. When the autopsy reveals poison, Holly Holmes steps in to help Campbell, the castle's grumpy head of security. He thinks he knows who the killer is, but his prime suspect was with him at the time Connie died. Holly juggles a bridal catwalk, a surprise visitor, and more baking than any person should attempt while hunting for the truth. Clues hide behind bouquets and blueberry muffins, and someone will do anything to keep their secret. If Holly slips up, the killer walks free. Is this the case she can't whisk into submission? Perfect for fans of British cozy crime, culinary sleuths, twisty whodunits, laugh-out-loud moments, and adorable dogs. Recipe included.

A fancy party. A shocking fall. A sleuth who won't quit. Holly Holmes can't believe her luck when she's invited to a party at Marchwood Manor. Until a guest falls to his death! What looks like a tragic accident turns sinister when another partygoer dies soon after. Something dark is spreading through the once-peaceful Audley St. Mary, and Holly intends to find out what it is. Campbell Milligan, Audley Castle's grumpy head of security, wants her on the case for once, but Holly regrets helping when a mysterious man in black warns her to stop digging. Rumors swirl, conspiracies rise, and whispers of a decades-old mystery send Holly into danger. With red herrings everywhere, she battles to uncover the truth before the darkness creeping through the village is impossible to stop. Can Holly keep her head and solve the case, or will this be the mystery that pushes her luck too far? Perfect for fans of British cozy crime, clever female sleuths, laugh-out-loud scenes, and dogs who steal the show. Recipe included.

A spooky tower, a sour historian, and one messy murder. The calm at Audley Castle shatters when Bluebell Brewster, a brilliant but sharp-tongued restorer, is found dead inside the castle's supposedly haunted turret. The evidence says murder. The castle whispers say ghost. Holly says something's definitely off. Bluebell clashed with almost everyone on the restoration team, but suspicion falls squarely on mild-mannered Herbert, a man so gentle Holly can't picture him harming a cupcake, let alone a colleague. Determined to uncover the truth, Holly teams up with Campbell, the castle's head of security. Between questioning jumpy restorers, limping on an injured ankle, and wondering why Princess Alice is ignoring her, Holly has her hands full. And the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers a mess of jealousy, buried secrets, grudges, and motives stickier than a lemon drizzle glaze. With Meatball the corgi by her side and danger rising, Holly has to solve the case before the killer strikes again. And this time, the surprise waiting for her is more shocking than the murder. Perfect for fans of crime mysteries, English village whodunits, laugh-out-loud moments, and twisty clues. Recipe included.

A perfect wedding, a shocking murder, and a princess in trouble. Holly Holmes is thrilled to celebrate her gran's wedding at Audley Castle, and everything is picture-perfect. Until a guest is murdered! Princess Alice Audley, Holly's best friend, is found beside the body with no memory of what happened. The police think the case is closed. Holly knows it isn't. To make things worse, a new head of police is causing trouble, and Holly's intimidating potential in-laws have chosen the worst time to visit. With Meatball the corgi at her side, Holly must race to uncover the truth and save her best friend. A perfect read for fans of cozy crime who enjoy laugh-out-loud moments and funny, twisty English village mysteries. Recipe included.

A blizzard, a dead guest, and a castle full of suspects. Christmas at Audley Castle takes a dark turn when Delphine Augustus, Princess Alice's friend, is found dead in her room. An overdose seems likely until Holly Holmes notices cupcake smeared across the victim's face. A fierce snowstorm traps everyone inside. Phone lines are down, and Campbell Milligan is bedridden after an accident, leaving Holly in charge. As she digs into everyone's secrets, it's clear someone wanted Delphine to see her last Christmas. With Meatball the corgi and her new husband by her side, Holly must find the killer before the storm clears and they walk free. Perfect for fans of cozy Christmas crime, snowed-in whodunits, laugh-out-loud moments, and twisty clues. Recipe included.