Daphne Martin Cake Mystery by Gayle Trent (1-3)

Gayle is a Southwest Virginia based author who is working on the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating Mystery series. The first book in the series, MURDER TAKES THE CAKE tells the story of Daphne Martin, a forty-year-old divorcee who returns to her fictional hometown of Brea Ridge, Virginia to start her life over.

She has left behind an ex-husband who is in prison for an attempt on Daphnes life, a dingy apartment and a stale career. She has started fresh in a new home with a new career, Daphnes Delectable Cakes, a cake-decorating company Daphne runs out of her home.

She is thrilled to be living closer to her beloved niece and nephew, although being close to other family members brings up lifelong resentments and more than a couple complications. Daphne is also reunited with childhood friend, Ben Jacobs, a full-fledged HAG (hot, available guy). Daphnes business hits a snag when her first client turns up dead.

Genre: Mystery

1. Murder Takes The Cake (2008)
When the meanest gossip in Brea Ridge dies mysteriously, suspicions turn to cake decorator Daphne Martin. But all Daphne did was deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting--and find Yodels body. Now Daphnes got to help solve the murder and clear her good name. Problem is, her Virginia hometown is brimming with people who had good reason to kill Yodel, and Daphnes whole family is among them.

2. Dead Pan (2009)
Cake decorator Daphne Martin once again finds herself and her cakes at the center of a murder mystery. Half the town gets sick following a cake event, but for poor Fred Duncan, a bout with potential food poisoning quickly turns fatal. Now its up to Daphne to sort through the likely suspects and figure out who frosted Fred.

3. Killer Sweet Tooth (2011)
Dead as a . . . dentist?

They say sugar is bad for your teeth, but can it actually kill you? The Brea Ridge police seem to think so when they find cake decorator Daphne Martin wielding an oversized plastic toothbrush over a dentists dead body. Daphne moved back to her small Virginia hometown just months ago to open her Daphnes Delectable Cakes business and already shes been mixed up in murder. Now shes got to prove her sweet innocence again.

After hours of police questioning, Daphne returns home to find Elvis Presley in her driveway. Shes certain shes hallucinating until the leather-clad hunk orders up a pink Cadillac cake for a convention of the Elvis impersonators. Daphne accepts, but her reporter-boyfriend Ben is suspicious of Elviss intentions. Does the King want to make Daphne his confectionery queen? Or is the convention a ruse for a more sinister operation? Daphnes own investigation into Dr. Bainsworths murder, meanwhile, reveals the dentist made as many enemies as he did fillings. Just about anyone could have done him in, but its up to Daphne to find the killer -- and finish Elviss cake -- before shes the one singing Jailhouse Rock.