Just Desserts & Murder book tour is through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and includes a guest post.
Book Details
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
ISBN-10 : 1966424434
ISBN-13 : 978-1966424437
Digital
ISBN-13 : 978-1966424420
ASIN : B0FS82ZNXX
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.
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
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Guest Post
A Letter to My Readers About the Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery Series
Dear Readers,
When I first imagined Temperance Matthews, she was holding a whisk. Her previous life a
distant memory.
The life she left behind was where nothing was accidental. As an FBI data analyst, she lived in a
daily world of data, criminal patterns, late nights, and the unrelenting intensity of analyzing
details most of us would rather not know exist.
And yet, when we meet her in Just Desserts & Murder, she’s standing on the street watching her
dream turn to ash.
The Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery Series was born from a question: could I write a cozy
mystery about a woman who has spent her life studying darkness, who chooses light instead?
Temperance moves to Oak Hollow for a fresh start. She’s ready to enjoy life at a slower, sweeter
pace. She wants cinnamon, sugar, and spice, and for everything to be nice. She longs for a
simpler, kinder life.
But life, as we all know, doesn’t always cooperate.
In Just Desserts & Murder, her bakery burns down. The very symbol of her life is gone. And
when it’s revealed that someone she trusted is responsible — that betrayal cuts even deeper than
the fire itself.
Just Desserts & Murder isn’t just about solving a crime. It’s about resilience. It’s about what we
do when the thing we built with hope collapses. It’s about whether we retreat — or rebuild. It’s
about friendship and trust.
As I write of Temperance’s strength and tenacity, she is the kind of heroine I love to read about
and root for. She’s cautious and isn’t out to follow the clues for kicks; she wants to help bring the
guilty to justice. Not just for herself, but the fire has consequences far-reaching in Oak Hollow.
Her background as an FBI data analyst never fully leaves her. She sees patterns others miss. She
hears a tremor in someone’s voice when they lie. She recognizes inconsistencies like a flashing
neon sign.
To Temperance, friendship, loyalty, and community matter.
Josie Shaw, her loyal, sweets-fueled best friend, reminds her to look outside the box and pivot.
Officer Casey Butler respects her instincts. The friendship these three women forge is something
special.
Then there’s Hank, her dachshund. Even amateur sleuths need someone who simply wants a
walk and a warm lap.
When I began writing this series, I wanted to challenge myself to write a cozy without magic or
spells. The mystery had to rely on intelligent, carefully placed clues, and of course, several red
herrings. But even without paranormal elements, one thing remains constant in my writing:
strong female characters.
Cozy mysteries promise justice. That even in the smallest towns, truth will always win.
In writing this book, I made a pivot. A new chapter for my craft. Temperance’s quiet courage I
hope is a reflection of myself.
When readers tell me they stayed up too late finishing Just Desserts & Murder, or that
Temperance feels like a friend they’d like to have coffee with it makes me smile. That’s the
feeling I want to create.
The Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery Series is about the mystery, but it’s also about
friendship.
Thank you for embracing Temperance Matthew’s new adventure with me.
I believe that even when life hands us ashes, we can create something sweet.
With gratitude — and maybe a loaf of bread,
Lucinda Race
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 INTERVIEW
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
