How to Read the Lexy Baker Bakery Mysteries
If you love cozy mysteries filled with delicious pastries, a touch of romance, and a team of hilarious amateur sleuths, Leighann Dobbs' Lexy Baker series is the perfect treat. The series follows Lexy Baker, the owner of a bakery in the fictional town of Brooke Ridge Falls, who frequently finds herself solving murder cases alongside her tech-savvy grandmother, Nans, and Nans' gang of senior friends.
For the best experience, we recommend reading the Lexy Baker Bakery Mysteries in publication order. While each book features a self-contained mystery that is resolved by the final page, the characters' personal lives, relationships, and the overarching town dynamics develop continuously throughout the series.
Lexy Baker Bakery Mysteries in Publication Order
- Killer Cupcakes (2012) - The series opener, where Lexy becomes the prime suspect after her ex-boyfriend is poisoned by one of her cupcakes.
- Dying for Danish (2012) - Lexy's catering gig at a high-profile wedding turns sour when she discovers the body of a bridesmaid.
- Murder, Money & Marzipan (2013) - Lexy heads to a baking competition in Las Vegas, but a dead judge ruins the recipe.
- 3 Bodies and a Biscotti (2013) - A local antique dealer is found dead, and Nans' iPad-wielding crew helps Lexy track the killer.
- Brownies, Bodies & Bad Guys (2013) - Lexy's attempt to help a friend in trouble leads her straight into a web of local crime.
- Bake, Battle & Roll (2013) - A television baking show comes to Brooke Ridge Falls, bringing cameras, competitive tensions, and a murder.
- Wedded Blintz (2013) - Lexy is busy planning her wedding to Detective Jack Carter when a local murder threatens to ruin her big day.
- Scones, Skulls & Scams (2014) - Now married, Lexy and Jack try to enjoy domestic life, but a dead body in a local shop changes plans.
- Ice Cream Murder (2014) - Summer brings a heatwave to town, along with an ice cream vendor who gets cold-bloodedly murdered.
- Mummified Meringues (2014) - A Halloween-themed bake sale gets spooky when real skeleton remains are discovered.
- A Partridge in a Poison Pear Tart (2015) - A festive holiday novella where Lexy and Nans investigate a suspicious death at the retirement community.
- No Scone Unturned (2016) - Lexy searches for a missing person, only to uncover a much deeper mystery in Brooke Ridge Falls.
- Brutal Brûlée (2016) - Lexy takes a working vacation to help launch a bed and breakfast at an old, allegedly haunted mansion.
- Cream Puff Killer (2017) - A local health nut is poisoned, and Lexy's cream puffs are blamed, forcing her to clear her name once again.
- Never Say Pie (2018) - A baking class at Lexy's shop goes horribly wrong when one of the students ends up dead.
- Ain't Seen Muffin Yet (2020) - Lexy balances running the bakery and dealing with a new mystery that hits close to home.
- Assault and Buttercream (2022) - Tensions rise in Brooke Ridge Falls when a local developer is murdered, putting several residents under suspicion.
- Thanksgiving Turkey Tragedy (2024) - A Thanksgiving-themed novella where a turkey farmer's suspicious death sends Lexy and the senior sleuths hunting for clues.
Chronological Caveats and Order Discrepancies
While the publication list above is the most natural way to follow the series, there are a few minor details to keep in mind. The holiday novella A Partridge in a Poison Pear Tart was released in late 2015. Although it is officially numbered as book 11.5 in some lists, it is best read between Mummified Meringues (Book 10) and No Scone Unturned (Book 11/12 in various lists) to maintain the chronological timeline of Lexy's life.
Additionally, some online retailers and library catalogs list Brutal Brûlée as book 11 and No Scone Unturned as book 12, swapping their order based on initial digital release dates in 2015 and 2016. Because these two books are largely independent of one another's main plotlines, reading them in either order will not spoil major character arcs.
What to Know Before You Start
The Lexy Baker Bakery Mysteries are written in a lighthearted, breezy style typical of the culinary cozy mystery genre. One of the standout elements of Leighann Dobbs' writing is the inclusion of real, bake-at-home recipes at the end of the books, allowing readers to try their hand at making the same delicious treats that Lexy whips up in her shop.
The series is highly character-driven. The romance between Lexy and homicide detective Jack Carter provides a steady emotional anchor, moving from tentative dating in the early books to marriage in Wedded Blintz. Meanwhile, the comedic relief is provided by Nans and her spirited gang of senior citizens from the retirement home, who use modern technology (especially their iPads) and high-energy surveillance techniques to stay one step ahead of the local police department.