Just Desserts and Murder virtual Book Tour: Guest Post, Review and GIVEAWAY

February 27, 20262 Comments

Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery (Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series) by Lucinda Race

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.

Lucinda Race Author Guest Post

Author Guest Post

Why did I choose to write a nonparanormal cozy mystery after writing fifteen cozy mysteries with witches, a talking familiar, and a ghost?

I’ve been asked this question a few times, and I thought—why not talk about it today?

The short answer: I love a challenge.
The long answer: I wasn’t sure I could write a cozy mystery without paranormal antics.

When you’ve spent fifteen books with witches casting spells, a talking familiar offering snarky commentary, and a new ghost, stepping into a completely nonmagical world feels a little like walking a tightrope without a net. There’s no spell to get our main characters out of danger. No magical residue shimmering at a crime scene. No broom for a quick exit.

Just clues and good old-fashioned deduction.

Honestly? That thrilled me and also terrified me.

My love of whodunits began long before I started writing. It started with a flashlight, books, and black-and-white movies.

I grew up devouring books under the covers after my mom said, “Lights out.” I read everything sandwiched between two covers—mysteries, Pride and Prejudice, romance, my brother’s books, cereal boxes, and even the encyclopedia. Basically, anything I could get my hands on. As the years went by, I became addicted to old mystery films and television shows. The Thin Man’s clever banter and Murder, She Wrote with Jessica Fletcher, calmly outsmarting everyone in Cabot Cove, just to name a few.

The humor and sharp dialogue in those stories captivated me. It wasn’t just the puzzle-solving I loved, but also the relationship between the main characters. Together, they could solve any crime or conundrum. I also loved Agatha Christie’s books, with the singular minds of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, and their fascinating stories. There’s something timeless about a mystery that unravels without special effects. If you haven’t read Death on the Nile or And Then There Were None, borrow them from your library today. You won’t be disappointed.

After writing fifteen paranormal cozies, could I tap into a similar vibe? It was hard to pivot from writing about magic and a talking cat for fun interludes. For me, this wasn’t about choosing between subgenres; I wanted to write what I love reading.

• A puzzle that keeps the reader and me guessing.
• A tinge of romance in the air.
• A small town full of quirky characters.
• A dash of humor, a sprinkle of danger, and a guarantee that the culprit is caught.

In cozy mysteries, I get to build communities readers can’t wait to revisit. Whether it’s a paranormal bookshop with witches dropping by for a chat, or a ghost lingering near the sewing machine, or a bakery filled with the heady scent of yeast and cinnamon. The essence of a cozy is the same connection we want with our friends and neighbors.

For my new series, I gave Temperance Matthews, my main character, something different—a criminal background. I wanted these books to be slightly edgier. I enjoy fish-out-of-water stories, and I adore bakery-set cozies, but adding a former FBI data analyst into a small-town setting created natural tension.

Creating the balance between her logical side and the emotions of small-town life fascinated me.

I’m what’s known as a discovery writer. That means I don’t know who the culprit is when I begin. Some cozy authors meticulously outline each chapter and identify the murderer before writing page one. I admire them greatly. That’s not me, and I swear I’d get hives if I tried.

When I start a new book, I create chapter titles in a Word document and build an Excel spreadsheet to track clues, timelines, and details. I lay breadcrumbs as I go, sometimes surprising myself when a seemingly minor detail blossoms into something critical. Excel is a great tool for knowing who did what and when.

There is a moment in every book—usually somewhere in the middle when something just clicks and I get an AH-HA moment. One of my suspects says something just slightly off or does something unexpected. The fun is about to begin. Suddenly, I’m on a roller coaster of twists and turns, racing toward the last chapter. I’m anxious to see how it ends as much as my readers are.

Writing a traditional cozy reminded me there’s magic in words and setting. In a loyal best friend who shows up with coffee or is willing to pick up a whisk. In a community that rallies when things go wrong.

The constant in my cozy series is that each book features strong female characters.

Are you wondering if this book is for you?

Do you want humor with the mystery? Suspense without darkness, overwhelming hope. Small-town charm. Loyal friendships. A thread of romance that promises something lasting. Do you want to close the book and smile?

Every email you send. Every review you post. Every comment on social media when you say, “I stayed up too late reading—I couldn’t put it down.” Every time someone tells me that Lily, Claudia, or now Temperance feels like a friend—that’s why I write.

Whether there’s a wand involved or just a whisk, justice will be served.

In the end, it’s simple. I write cozy mysteries because justice needs to be delivered with a wink.

And I write both paranormal and traditional because the creative process should be challenging and fun. It’s what makes stories worth telling. And I’m so grateful you’re here to read them.

Thank you

Lucinda

About Just Desserts and Murder

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.

Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery
(Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series)
by Lucinda Race

Temperance Matthews’ life has gone up in flames-literally. Frustrated with her life as an FBI analyst, she reinvented herself when she inherited an old home in a small town. She pivoted from clues to recipes and opened a bakery. But her dreams went up in smoke when her bakery catches fire. when the police discover a body in the bakery, Temperance can’t help, but analyze the clues. Although this is book one of the series, the author doesn’t fall into the cozy mystery trap of wasting time and pages telling the whole story of Temperance’s move and career change, before getting to the mystery. She starts the story with the crime, about a year after the big move and mentions it in the dialogue. Other than reinventing her life and starting over, there are no tropes to be found. Although this is a culinary cozy, it isn’t a typical armature sleuth trying to clear her name because the police are inept or fixated on her as the culprit. Temperance is a protagonist who is a former professional, the police are on the right track, but they recognize her as an asset to the investigation, not someone who needs to “leave it to the professionals.” The mystery is well planned and well placed, but the best part of the book is the character development. Temperance has a warm friendship with her buddy Josie and a budding friendship with officer Casey Butler. I look forward to reading the next two books which come out in March and April!