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    Killer Cupcakes: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, #1
    Killer Cupcakes: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, #1
    Killer Cupcakes: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, #1
    Ebook116 pages1 hour

    Killer Cupcakes: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, #1

    By Leighann Dobbs

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Hilarious whodunit with quirky characters for fans of Golden Girls and Murder She Wrote. A clean, fun read. 

    The Lexy Baker series is definitely a page turner!

     

    Things are going great for Lexy Baker. She's finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriend and settled into her grandmothers house with her perky dog Sprinkles at her side.

     

    But her blissful life doesn't last long. When her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunky neighbor detective Jack Perillo.

     

    With the help of a gang of iPad toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business.

     

    As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it's a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.

     

    Will Lexy get her man?

    >> Includes the recipe for Lexy's famous cupcake tops!

    (This is book 1 in the Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, but you don't have to read them in order if you don't want too!)

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLeighann Dobbs
    Release dateOct 31, 2012
    ISBN9781498951272
    Killer Cupcakes: Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, #1

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      Book preview

      Killer Cupcakes - Leighann Dobbs

      INTRODUCTION

      Thank you for your interest in my books!

      To receive and instant download link for my exclusive Lexy Baker novella, A Partridge in a Pear Tart, sign up for my newsletter at: https://lexybakerseries.gr8.com

      CHAPTER 1

      S prinkles—no! Lexy hissed at her dog who was wriggling through the gap in the backyard fence.

      With a sigh of resignation, she padded out into the yard in her bare feet, her pink cotton pajama bottoms fluttering around her calves in the late night summer breeze. The glow of the full moon lit the yard well enough for Lexy to see where she was going without a flashlight.

      She reached the gap in the fence and turned sideways to squeeze through. Despite her slim size, she had to push to make it. Rip!

      Lexy looked down. Her favorite pajama bottoms, the ones speckled with cute images of fluffy cherry-topped cupcakes, now had a gigantic rip in the side.

      Perfect.

      She felt an uncustomary flare of irritation at her dog. Was it too much to ask for the dog to simply run out into the yard, do her business and run back inside?

      Lexy had images of running through the neighborhood in the dark, her ripped pajamas flapping behind her frantically chasing her dog while neighbors peered through their windows at the crazy lady. It wasn’t the way she had imagined meeting her new neighbors. Luckily, most of them were elderly and, since it was ten o’clock at night, hopefully, they were all in bed.

      She cleared the fence and emerged in the neighbor’s backyard just in time to see Sprinkles squatting in an impeccably groomed flower garden.

      No! She hissed again, but the dog was determined.

      Rushing over, Lexy grabbed Sprinkles by the collar and gave silent thanks she had thought to bring a poop bag. Whipping it from her pocket, she knelt down to scoop Sprinkles’ little gift into the bag, the sharp corners of the bark mulch poking into her bare feet.

      A slight movement to her right sent a jolt of panic through her. Still squatting down, she turned her head and her eyes fell on a pair of thick heavy black boots—men’s boots.

      Lexy slowly scanned her eyes upwards. Slightly faded jeans. Slim waist. Broad chest covered by a thin black tee shirt. Was this one of her elderly neighbors?

      Her eyes completed their upward journey and stopped at a ruggedly handsome face. Slightly tanned with honey-brown eyes and framed with dark, close-cut hair. Nope, definitely not elderly.

      Mr. Ruggedly Handsome, whoever he was, stared down at her with a smirk on his face. Lexy felt like a child who had been caught doing something naughty.

      Can I help you? His voice was gruff with a hint of annoyance.

      Lexy’s cheeks heated with embarrassment. Straightening her shoulders, she made an effort to stand in order to try to retain some dignity, or at least as much dignity as one could while squatting in cupcake pajamas to scoop a pile of poop.

      The bark mulch shifted under her feet and in struggling to gain control, she fell backward, her arms flapping like a bird trying to take flight. Mr. Handsome shot out an arm to steady her, but not before she crashed into the side of a large rhododendron, breaking off one of its branches. Her cheeks burned even hotter.

      Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, she sputtered, putting her index finger up to her eye to stop the annoying nervous twitch that was starting in her lower lid. My dog got out of my yard through the fence. She pointed at the gap in the fence between their yards.

      She shoved her hand out toward the man. I’m Lexy Baker.

      His eyebrows shot up. You’re Mona’s granddaughter?

      She nodded, taking his hand. It was warm and the firm handshake generated an alarming tingle up her arm.

      I’m Jack Perillo. This is my house. He gestured with his free hand to indicate the house they were standing next to. How is Mona? His forehead creased in a frown and he looked her up and down as if trying to decide if she was a suitable replacement for his backyard neighbor.

      Oh, she’s fine—she loves it over at the senior housing complex. Lexy felt a wave of uncustomary self-consciousness under Jack’s scrutiny. She looked down at herself and realized she must look a sight in her bare feet, ripped pajamas and no makeup. Who could blame him for looking at her like she was some sort of deranged criminal.

      She noticed Sprinkles had made her way over to Jack and was enthusiastically sniffing his shoes.

      This is my dog, Sprinkles, she said pointing at the small dog. Hopefully the guy wasn’t a dog hater that would be just the icing on the cake considering what Sprinkles had just done in his garden.

      Sprinkles? Jack bent down and gently stroked the dogs fur. Hi Sprinkles, I hope you don’t keep using my garden for your bathroom because I—

      Jack was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell coming from his pants pocket. He straightened up and pulled a cell phone out.

      Perillo, he barked into the phone. He listened for a few seconds, the creases on his forehead deepening. I’ll be right there.

      Jack disconnected and nodded towards Lexy. Sorry, but business calls. He held up the phone. Nice to meet you Ms. Baker.

      Turning abruptly, he set off in the direction of the driveway. And don’t forget to pick up that mess, it’s not good for the plants, he shot over his shoulder, walking away and leaving Lexy to wonder if she just made a friend or an enemy.

      The meeting must have set Sprinkles on edge too. As soon as they wriggled back through the gap in the fence, she stopped short and growled at the large oak tree on the edge of the yard.

      Lexy’s nerves pinged. Had she just seen a shadow move under the tree? She squinted into the darkness but didn’t see further movement.

      She glanced back to see if Jack was still there, but he was gone.

      There’s nothing there, Sprinkles. Just our imagination. Of course it was, their neighborhood was safe, nothing bad ever happed here. Even so, she tugged on leash and hurried to the safety of her back door.

      The killer jerked back into the shadow of the tree trunk just as Lexy looked over.

      That stupid dog better stop growling… it could ruin everything!

      The last thing the killer needed was to be discovered lurking here. That would raise suspicion and suspicion would not be good, not good at all. Unfortunately, the killer had no choice. A particular mission had to be accomplished, but that hadn’t happened tonight.

      No problem, though. It was still good to keep tabs on Lexy.

      Lexy looked so happy and innocent in her cheery pajamas with her little dog. Too bad she was unaware of what was soon going to happen to her. Her perfect little life was about to be disrupted in the most dreadful way.

      Jack couldn’t help the grin forming on his face as he

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