This wonderful series is set in Charm, NC, an outer banks island. The way the island is described makes me want to visit any of the Outer Banks islands. Everly’s cafe, Sun, Sand, and Tea uses family recipes that are as refreshing as they are delicious. This book highlights a Lemon Cake recipe, guaranteed to “Bolster a hero’s heart”
Will there be a happy ending for Everly and her shop Sun Sand and Tea? This is the last book of Bree Baker’s enjoyable series. She does a wonderful job tying loose ends while keeping the final mystery interesting.
Pleading the Fish by Bree Baker
Best Rich Lemon Cake from a Cozy Mystery Novel with Recipes by Bree Baker
Murder Mystery Books🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
Book Review Outline and Tone:
The time has come for Everly to plan her wedding. Everly has agreed to marry Grady as long as he agrees to help her research why her family is cursed in love. Everly is convinced the curse is real, but Grady clearly thinks it is ridiculous. While researching, the local historical expert is killed.
Grady refuses to let this deter the wedding. Everly decides to investigate this murder and then at the same time see what was dug up about the Swan family curse.
This book does an excellent job of tying loose ends and it is clear early in the story that it was written as the last entry in the series.
Everly’s great Aunts, Fern and Clara find their happiness. Everly’s best friend, Amelia, gets her happy ending too. The book is filled with pleasant catharsis. But what is best, the murder mystery still makes sense. After all, that is why we read cozy mysteries, for the mystery.
Point of View:
First person point of view told through Everly Swan.
The Best Quote:
“The scent of sunblock rose on the wind, woven with the sand and sea. Sounds of gulls and children’s laughter filled the air. My heated skin and the familiar slip of my steps in soft, dry sand slowly lowered my heart rate” (Chapter 9).
The author: Bree Baker
Julie Anne Lindsey writes as Bree Baker, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost. She writes both mystery and romance novels. As Bree Baker, she is an award winning author. Her website highlights all of her book series and even a cozy mystery reading club. Ms. Lindsey is also active on Facebook and Twitter (@julieALindsey). She is a prolific writer and even has a mystery series starring cats titled Kitty Couture Mysteries that have rave reviews on Amazon.
What is not to like?:
The only thing not to like about this book is that it is the last book in the series. I wish there were more coastal mysteries and recipes for iced tea.
The verdict:
This is a fantastic series! I enjoyed each of the 7 books in this series. I was also impressed with every recipe I tried. I listened to the audio version of each book while on my work commute. The narrator, Therese Plummer is excellent! She does such a great job, I decided to see what other books she narrated. Find a list of her work here.
Books to Read 📕📗📘📙
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
The Best Rich Lemon Cake
“To Bolster a Hero’s Heart”
Assemble the Ingredients
Easy dessert to make: 4/5 on the Easy as Pie scale 🥧🥧🥧🥧
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Rather than using typical grease and flour, I recommend using Pan Cot.
Pan Coat is a recipe from Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series. It is a shelf stable nonstick coating that works wonderfully! Simply brush it on.
Prepare the Cake:
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar, butter, and shortening.
For this recipe, it is best to use a stand mixer. The recipe make a lot of batter, and it is easier to mix the sugar and butter together. I am a solid devotee to Kitchen Aid stand mixers.
It is worth it to get the larger stand mixer. This is big enough to handle any recipe and most recipes when doubled!
Add the eggs to the wet ingredients, mixing until well blended after each egg.
Kitchen tip!
To make this easier, crack all of the eggs in to a measuring cup like this 2 cup measuring cup with a spout. Then it is easy to add one egg at a time without risking egg shells in the batter.
Easy to read measure marks on inside of cup. Dishwasher safe.
Add the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients in small batches, alternating. Beat for 4 minutes at high speed.
Mix in the lemon juice and zest. Do this by hand with a sturdy spatula.
Shown in the picture is one whisk from OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Silicone Whisk Set. Also in picture is OXO Flexible Turner.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Whoa that’s full!
True Confessions Time
I should not have put that much batter in my Bundt pan. I thought it might overflow, and it did. Fortunately for me, I placed the pan on a cookie sheet so it didn’t make a mess. If you get this much batter, get out some cupcake liners and make some cupcakes to go with the cake.
Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely. Turn out onto a plate. Poke holes throughout with a fork.
The cake was so tall that I used a carving fork to poke holes so the glaze would get deep into the cake.
Prepare the Glaze:
Heat the butter and water until the butter is melted. Add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice.
Mix and pour over the cake and apply any runoff with a basting brush until the entire contents have been absorbed.
Slice and serve.
Taste: 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dessert Recipes 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰
Best Rich Lemon Cake from a cozy mystery novel by Bree Baker
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup softened butter
- ½ cup shortening, room temperature
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Glaze
- 3 tsp butter
- 3 tsp water
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Use Pan Coat.
Prepare the Cake:
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside
- In a large bowl, cream the sugar, butter, and shortening.
- Add the eggs to the wet ingredients, mixing until well blended after each egg.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients in small batches, alternating.
- Beat for 4 minutes at high speed.
- Mix in the lemon juice and zest.
- Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Turn out onto a plate.
- Poke holes throughout with a fork.
Prepare the Glaze:
- Heat the butter and water until the butter is melted.
- Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice.
- Mix and pour over the cake and apply any runoff with a basting brush until the entire contents have been absorbed.
- Slice and serve.
What would I do differently next time?
I would fill the Bundt pan only about 2/3 full and make cupcakes out of the remaining batter.
Will I make it again?: Yes! 
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