Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery (Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series) by Lucinda Race. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery
(Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series)
by Lucinda Race
Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery
(Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New England
Publisher : Independently Published
Publication date : January 14, 2026
Print length : 378 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 : 979-8277721698
Paperback
Print length : 218 pages
In Oak Hollow, every recipe comes with a dash of mystery…
Temperance Matthews thought opening her dream bakery in Oak Hollow—with her mini dachshund, Hank, at her heels—would be a sweet start to her new life. Instead, her shop goes up in flames, and a body is found among the ashes.
When her quiet assistant Louise shows up bruised, with twigs in her hair, and missing a shoe, Temperance’s data-analysis skills from her FBI days suddenly feel like the only hope of untangling the mystery. But the plot thickens: Jonah, the bakery’s former owner, is stabbed while trying to reach Temperance. The frosting on the cake? Louise’s boyfriend is the victim of the fire. Surveillance footage shows him entering through a locked back door—yet only three keys exist, and Louise doesn’t have one.
With threats mounting and the police closing in on a suspect, Temperance must follow a trail of half-baked clues before the real culprit turns her cozy little town into a crime scene… and who becomes the next target.
Just Desserts and Murder is book 1 in the exciting new Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series featuring Temperance Matthews. Each book can be read as a standalone.
My Interview with Lucinda Race
Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hello, and thanks for your questions.
How long have you been writing?
About 15 years in the fiction world. Before that, I wrote marketing copy in the corporate world.
Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?
I always dreamed of being an author and started writing romance books after a friend encouraged me. She said I had a great way of telling a story. After writing 20+ romance books I always wanted to write cozy and thought I had to be plot them. Plotting gives me hives. But I never was one to follow rules so I went with my discovery method and found writing cozy without a plan worked out just fine for me.
Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?
I love reading cozy, paranormal women’s fiction, women’s fiction and romance, also toss in a memoir on occasion too.
Do you have a favorite place to write?
I write in my office, with two large windows overlooking my yard. It’s peaceful and has great natural lighting.
What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?
LOL, my desk is a HOT mess. I have an open calendar under an open spiral-bound notebook. A stack of books to my left and right, a water bottle, cell phone, a bottle of aspirin and hand lotion, along with a photo of my daughters.
Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?
I’m a fan of all books. Audio for exercise, physical when I’m outside, and ebooks for all other times.
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
This might sound odd, but I love writing right where I am.
What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?
I’m always in awe of authors who write great books and are willing to share their experiences with others. Of course, I adore Agatha Christie books, my favorite being: And Then There Were None.
Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?
I belong to Sisters in Crime and Mavens of Mayhem, but for day-to-day support, I talk with two writers every day, and we have a monthly meeting to share ideas about the business of authorism and to offer support.
Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?
Right now, I’m writing book 4 in my Dress Designer Cozy Mystery Series featuring Claudia Grant, a designer, and her Uncle Herman, the resident ghost in the small town of Drakes Bay.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!
Thank you!
About Lucinda Race
Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction who fell in love with cozy mysteries and romance novels as a young girl.
Though her writing journey began with nonfiction, her passion for storytelling never wavered. She returned to her true calling—creating the beloved McKenna Family Romance series and the Paranormal Cozy Nook Bookstore Series—writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Whether she’s weaving a heartwarming romance or a cozy mystery, her fingers practically fly across the keyboard.
Lucinda lives in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts with her little dog— a shih tzu mix rescue—who is always by her side. When she’s not immersed in writing mystery, suspense, or romance, she’s wandering in her garden or curled up with a book, devouring everything she can get her hands on.
Author Links
Facebook Page Link – https://facebook.com/LucindaRaceAuthor/
Instagram Link – https:// www.instagram.com/lucindaraceauthor/
Twitter Link – https:// twitter.com/LucindaRace
TikTok Link – https:// www.tiktok.com/@lucindarace
Pinterest Link – https:// www.pinterest.com/lucindaraceauthor/
YouTube Link – https:// www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author
Amazon Author Profile Link – https:// www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM
Barnes and Noble Profile Link – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Lucinda%20Race%22?Ntk
Google Play Profile Link – https:// play.google.com/store/info/name/Lucinda_Race?id=11c1npx6xq
Kobo Profile Link – https:// www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=lucinda+race
Purchase Links
Amazon Kobo Apple Barnes & Noble Google Play Smashwords
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Just Desserts and Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 16 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
February 16 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 18 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 18 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 20 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
February 21 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
February 22 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
February 23 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 24 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 25 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 27 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
February 28 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT