Dead Men Don't Eat Cookies by Virginia Lowell

There is something so soothing about cutout cookies. Everything from making to eating them reminds me of baking with my big sister. We made cookies all year and she always let me and my niece decorate them, even though we were no artists. I just loved that Olivia and Maddie, the stars of Dead Men Don't Eat Cookies, part of the Cookie Cutter Shop mysteries by Virginia Lowell, have a cookie cutter shop!! I would be there everyday to have cookies and grab the newest cutters. 

From the back of the book:

As the national bestselling Cookie Cutter Shop mysteries return, things are heating up for Olivia Greyson, her best friend, Maddie, and the rest of the crew at The Gingerbread House—until a cold case puts their plans on ice…

Olivia’s mom, Ellie, is always cooking up new schemes, but her latest idea has Livie and Maddie especially excited. Ellie’s converting an old boarding house into an arts and crafts school—one that, of course, houses a kitchen for those interested in baking. But right as renovations start, the workers discover a pile of bones buried within the boarding house’s walls, evidence of a long forgotten crime.

A silver necklace with a cookie cutter charm is found within the remains, convincing one of the workers that the bones are the remains of her father, who’s been missing for over five years. Of course, Livie and Maddie can’t resist the allure of investigating. But they’re about to discover that digging up the secrets of the past can be deadly dangerous…

My thoughts:

Olivia and Maddie are just adorable together and I may have mentioned they make cookies, awesome cookies. I can see where Olivia gets it from too! Her mom, Ellie, is also adorable in her own quirky way. Plus, there is Del, Olivia's main man who has the same lovable qualities. There really is something magical about the way the characters interacted.

This was a cold case mystery in that the bones were just that and this case had deeper roots for some of the characters. I think it was really neat how actual cookie cutters played a role in the plot and that makes me wonder about other parts... which I would read either way ... but I thought it was a nice touch to have that tie in in this part. As you might have guessed, there is a recipe in the back but you might be surprised to know it isn't for cookies... not even desert... but it sounds delicious!! 


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