Blueberries are my favorite fruit! Mysteries are my favorite books! If you agree with me then this is your lucky day! Haley Powell Food and Cocktail mystery series offers several fantastic recipes. The blueberry recipes in this edition are top notch. Author Lee Hollis continues to write humorous stories with lighthearted mysteries that are not easy to figure out.
This is book #12 in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. Hayley is a loveable and no longer single mom with a love for food, cocktails, and solving mysteries. Interwoven in her books are the funny, personal, food and cocktail columns that she writes for her local paper.
Death of a Blueberry Tart by Lee Hollis
Book Outline and Tone:
Hayley has recently celebrated her wedding and is looking forward to her honeymoon. While her 2 kids have grown and moved out to live their lives, Hayley still has her furry children so her mom has agreed to come up from Florida to pet sit.
Just mentioning that Hayley’s mom is in town is probably enough for anyone to think, “oh this will be interesting”. Mother-daughter relationships are challenging to say the least. Even under the best of circumstances, the relationship may just be difficult because of how alike mother and daughter are. Of course I don’t mean my relationship with my daughter. We are the exception to this rule! I am a delight and my daughter is always delighted to be in my company. Well perhaps that is just wishful thinking.
When Sheila comes to Bar Harbor, she connects with her high school best friends who just happen to be Hayley’s best friends’ moms. That’s right, 3 mother-daughter relationships in one book! Did there even have to be a murder mystery to solve? Hayley finds out that her mother is just as curious and willing to investigate as she is. The two seem to bump heads at home and in the investigation. Author Lee Hollis has a fantastic sense of humor and does a great job at making this cozy mystery an enjoyable and quick read.
The Best Quote:
It is always smarter to lull the suspect into a false sense of security, let him feel as if he is getting away with his crimes, and eventually he will let his guard down and make a mistake.
Point of View:
The novel is told in third person with the reader knowing Hayley’s thoughts.
The Author: Lee Hollis
This book was written by Lee Hollis. Well sort of… Lee Hollis is the pseudonym for the real authors, a brother and sister team, Rick Copp and Holly Simason. There is more information on Goodreads. Like their protagonist Hayley Powell, Copp and Simason are from Maine. Copp moved to Hollywood and wrote for The Golden Girls, Wings, Teen Titans and a long list of impressive television and movies. Simason is a columnist in Maine and writes a cooking column. Fortunately for us readers, they decided to combine their talents and write the Lee Hollis series, currently being published by Kensington House Publishing Corporation. The Hayley Powell series has a Facebook page. The authors are active on both Twitter and Instagram.
What is not to like?:
The only feedback I would have for author Lee Hollis is, give us more of Bruce and Hayley together!
The verdict:
First of all these blueberry cream cheese bread (or muffins) is hands down the best blueberry sweet bread I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it is the cream cheese or the 4 eggs, but trust me, you must try it!
As for the novel, I loved it. I am a big fan of the Hayley Powell series and I recommend each one!
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).
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread (Muffins)
Assemble the Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, toss the blueberries with two tablespoons flour, then set aside.
Usually in recipes like this, I use frozen berries, but this recipe specifically called for fresh berries. The outcome was amazing! The blueberries didn’t sink the the bottom or the bread or muffins and the taste was fantastic.
In a stand mixer cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar,
then and vanilla.
Add one egg at a time, beating well after each egg.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set LInk
Slowly mix it into the wet batter until combined.
Fold in your blueberries with a spatula.
Pour the batter into two greased 9 x 5 bread pans.
**Baking bonus tip!
Before baking sprinkle turbinado sugar on top to create a slightly crunchy crust. I buy packets of Sugar in the Raw because topping breads and muffins is the only time I use this type of sugar.
I decided to try out part of the batter as muffins instead of a loaf of bread. Remember to add the turbinado sugar to the muffins too.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let rest for ten minutes, then flip the bread out onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
This is always a wonderful treat in the morning with some butter and a good cup of piping-hot coffee.
***Molly’s tip!
I liked these much better as muffins than as a loaf of sweet bread. Of course they tasted the same, but I like having a muffin to grab rather than slicing off the loaf.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread (Muffins) from Death of a Blueberry Tart by Lee Hollis
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 Tbsp to mix with blueberries)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Optional: Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, toss the blueberries with two tablespoons of flour, then set aside.
- In a stand mixer cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
- Add one egg at a time, beating well after each egg.
- In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly mix it into the wet batter until combined.
- Fold in your blueberries with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into two greased 9 x 5 bread pans.
- Optional: Sprinkle top with Turbinado sugar
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let rest for ten minutes, then flip the bread out onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
What would I do differently next time?
I would use all of the batter to make muffins. They are fantastic!
Summer Corn Casserole from Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
Apple Bacon Egg Bake from Death of a Bacon Heiress by Lee Hollis
Asiago, Bacon, and Caramelized Onion Dip from Death of a Wedding Cake Baker by Lee Hollis
Sparkling Pear Champagne Cocktail by Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
