This holiday cozy is a seasonal and suspenseful mystery spiced with some Hollywood glamour and drama set in the seaside town of Santa Sofia. It’s the 7th in the Bread Bakery series and features Ivy Culpepper who works at the tourist town’s famous bread bakery. The bakery is hired by Eliza Fox a young Hollywood star, to cater a glitzy Victorian themed Christmas party and Ivy is invited to discretely photograph the festivities. The party ends suddenly when the body of notorious tabloid reporter is discovered dead on the seaside rocky shore plunged from the backyard cliff.
The series’ characters include Ivy’s best friend from childhood, now the town sheriff, a circle of older friends called the Blackbird Ladies, her attentive and understanding restaurant owner boyfriend and the bakery staff; it’s a diverse and likeable bunch. Since it’s the Holidays everyone is in overdrive and the book’s pacing echoes the seasonal excitement with a plot quickly developing with new facts and twists and turns.
The suspects include a local wanna-be star with ties to the dead reporter who attended the party as a caterer, the star’s estranged husband who had a grudge against the reporter was also spotted at the party, and starlet, Cordelia, recently disgraced by lurid photographs taken by the murdered journalist also attended the party as an un-invitied costumed guest. Eliza’s father, long estranged from the star also makes threatening appearances demanding to see Eliza. They all have motives and opportunity, including Eliza, because the dead reporter had an upcoming expose on the ‘real Eliza Fox’ that would be damaging to her career.
There are plenty of suspects with good motives and alibis and the unmasking of the murderer should surprise. A Murder Yule Regret moves at a fast pace and is leavened with warmth, lots of recipes and yuletide cheer for a classic cozy recipe.
I rate this mystery 4 Stollen and Mulled Cider using elements from the book!
Plot: ***
Characters: ***
Setting: ***
Romance: **
Humor: **
Social themes: ***
