Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set Vol 2, Books 5-7

About This Audiobook

If you’ve ever wished *The Great British Bake Off* had a side of murder, Leighann Dobbs’ *Lexy Baker* series delivers—with a frosting of sharp wit and a sprinkle of small-town absurdity. This boxed set (Books 5-7) doubles down on what makes Lexy’s world addictive: a heroine whose baking skills are only outmatched by her knack for stumbling into corpses, a supporting cast of lovably eccentric locals, and mysteries that balance genuine intrigue with laugh-out-loud mishaps. The audiobook elevates the experience with Hollis McCarthy’s narration—her timing turns Lexy’s sarcastic asides and flustered monologues into standout moments, making this feel less like a book and more like a scripted comedy you can’t pause.

What sets this apart from run-of-the-mill cozies? The humor isn’t just decorative; it’s structural. Dobbs weaves Lexy’s culinary disasters (think: a wedding cake collapse mid-investigation) and her grandmother’s *very* opinionated advice into the plot, so the laughs never undercut the stakes. The mysteries themselves are cleverly plotted, with red herrings that feel organic to the setting—a rambling New England town where everyone’s hiding something, usually behind a plate of scones. McCarthy’s narration leans into the chaos, her voice shifting seamlessly from Lexy’s exasperated muttering to the over-the-top enthusiasm of a suspect who’s *definitely* lying. It’s cozy, but with teeth."

"review": "I’ll admit, I approached this series skeptical of the ‘quirk overload’ that sinks so many cozies. But *Lexy Baker* won me over by committing fully to its brand of controlled chaos—like if *Gilmore Girls* and *Clue* had a lovechild who opened a bakery. Hollis McCarthy’s narration is the secret ingredient: she doesn’t just *read* Lexy’s snarky internal monologues; she *performs* them, with a comedic timing that had me rewinding to catch lines I laughed through. The production quality is crisp, with no distracting edits, though I’d love a touch more variation in male voices (some of the secondary characters blur together).

The stories in this set—*Killer Cupcakes*, *Dying for Danish*, and *Murder Most Strawberry*—follow a reliable but satisfying formula: a body turns up, Lexy’s baked goods become improbably central to the crime, and her grandmother’s ‘help’ ranges from brilliant to disastrous. What keeps it fresh is Dobbs’ ability to escalate the absurdity without losing the plot. In *Dying for Danish*, a food truck rivalry turns deadly, and the way Lexy uses a cinnamon roll to extract a confession is *chef’s kiss* perfect. My only critique? The pacing occasionally drags in the middle acts, when Lexy’s sleuthing feels more like wheel-spinning than deduction. But the payoffs—especially the final confrontations, where McCarthy’s delivery turns even minor characters into scene-stealers—are worth it. If you love mysteries where the stakes are high but the tone stays playful, and where the narrator feels like a friend gossiping over coffee, this boxed set is a treat. Just don’t listen while baking—you *will* burn something from laughing."

"tags": [
"cozy mystery audiobook with humor