Their just desserts

In Badua and Dow's sequel to The Cookie Crumbles (2024), eighth-graders Laila and Lucy are back to solve another mystery. Between Laila's blossoming romance with Micah and Lucy's demanding internship with renowned journalist Ariella Wilborn, the two have been distant. But when their friend Jaden's dad is accused of stealing diamonds from a mansion serving as the set for The Holly Jolly Baking Show, Laila and Lucy are on the case. The girls are roped into joining the baking competition, but their roles are inadvertently reversed: Lucy becomes a junior cheftestant and Laila tests her journalism skills by serving as a host. Dodgy castmates, overwhelmed crew members, and intrusive mentors provide a hefty list of suspects. The high-pressure investigation and friendship tribulations are explored through chapters and journal entries from both girls. The production of a reality-television show provides a tantalizing setting for young readers, and the plot explores pertinent topics such as mentions of the utilization of deepfake AI. Delicious baking and sneaky thieves prove a perfect pairing in this cozy offering.

Two "baking and busting" besties navigate their changing friendship as they attempt to solve another crime in this follow-up to 2024'sThe Cookie Crumbles. Laila Thomas, who's cued Black, is a 13-year-old budding chef. She's looking forward to a slower pace after recently participating in a baking competition and solving a mystery with her best friend, Lucy Flores, who reads Filipino. But life feels frenzied as she's featured in magazines, works on her cooking vlog, and starts the Bakers Gotta Bake club at school. Meanwhile, Lucy is now co-editor of the school newspaper and interning with Ariella Winborn, her investigative journalist hero. Laila loathes Ariella--even more so because Lucy's time is consumed by the internship, leaving Laila missing her. And Lucy is disappointed that Ariella just seems to want her to fetch coffee and keep track of her phone. When Cal Parker, one of the fathers of their friend Jaden, is accused of stealing diamonds from the mansion where he's filming a kids' holiday baking show, Jaden asks the girls for help. They go undercover to solve the crime: Lucy fills in for a contestant who's dropped out, and Laila joins Jaden as co-host. The nuances of friendship dynamics are realistically portrayed, and the inclusion of confessionals in the narrative adds to the well-portrayed reality TV vibe. Readers will easily make themselves at home within Laila and Lucy's relatable narrative arc. A lovely cozy mystery.(Mystery. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.