Book review of Lava Cake and Lies Nova Walsh

 When life turns up the heat, Ginny Malone is ready to whip up a new beginning...

High-powered criminal attorney Ginny Malone never expected to swap her designer suits for flour-dusted aprons, but a twist of fate sends her fleeing to the quaint coastal town of Moonstone Bay, California. With her spirited—and mischievous—cat Shortcake by her side, Ginny sets her sights on starting a bakery on the boardwalk, armed only with her grandmother's secret recipes and a dash of determination.

But Ginny's dream of sweet success crumbles when a dead body is discovered during renovations, and her gruff yet oh-so-intriguing landlord, P.I. Vince Rinaldi, becomes the prime suspect. The ovens are cold, the drywall is crumbling, and now danger is lurking behind every display case.

With the help of her hammer-wielding new BFF Lois, a sprinkle of legal know-how, and a heaping spoonful of wit, Ginny sets out to fix more than just ovens and drywall. As she digs into the case, the quirky townsfolk begin to look less neighborly and more suspect—and Vince might need as much rescuing as her broken heater.

Between perfecting her luscious lava cakes and untangling lies, Ginny must race to clear Vince's name before her fresh start becomes a recipe for disaster. Can she serve up justice and save a budding romance before the real killer strikes again?

Lava Cake and Lies is a charming and witty cozy mystery filled with heartwarming friendships, banter-filled clean romance, cat antics, and recipes you'll be dying to try. Perfect for fans of Ellie Alexander and Joanne Fluke, this book is a culinary cozy mystery that promises to be a real treat.

This copy I read is an ARC copy, meaning an author still has time to take care of some imperfections, such as grammar and other problems so, my take on this will be for what I read before the book is finalized and published.

I enjoyed the storyline and setting and the characters grew on me quickly. Were there some issues that I hoped got fixed before publication? Sure, but I don't want to share them in a review to cause spoilers, I can say they didn't bother me to the point I wanted to quit reading the book I enjoyed it so much that I looked forward to continue reading it when I came home from work. I'm looking forward to the next book to see what kind of trouble Ginny and Vince get into.

If you're looking for a quick cozy mystery read with fun characters and a mystery that will have you guessing who did it, please give this book a try.