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    To Have and to Kill
    To Have and to Kill
    To Have and to Kill
    Audiobook5 hours

    To Have and to Kill

    Written by Mary Jane Clark

    Narrated by Isabel Keating

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Clark has perfected the suspense novel.”
    —Booklist

    New York Times bestselling author and mystery writer par excellence, Mary Jane Clark kicks off her delicious new Wedding Cake mystery series with To Have and To Kill. A tasty departure from her thrillers featuring KEY News television anchor Eliza Blake (Dying for Mercy, It Only Takes a Moment), To Have and To Kill introduces readers to actress-turned-wedding cake decorator Piper Donovan, who discovers that the heat in the pastry kitchen can be hotter—and deadlier—that she ever imagined…and that her creative new enterprise is anything but a piece of cake. Foodies and fans of cable TV’s Amazing Wedding Cakes, as well as Faye Kellerman, Jayne Anne Krentz, and Diana Mott Davidson readers are going to eat this one up!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateDec 28, 2010
    ISBN9780062027160
    To Have and to Kill
    Author

    Mary Jane Clark

    Mary Jane Clark worked at CBS News for nearly three decades. Her twelve KEY News media thrillers were inspired by that experience. Envisioning the Piper Donovan/Wedding Cake mystery series, Mary Jane enrolled in cake-decorating classes and researched unique wedding locations. The daughter of an FBI agent and a mother who customized cakes for the neighborhood kids when she was growing up, Mary Jane has two grown children and splits her time between New Jersey and Florida.

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    Reviews for To Have and to Kill

    3.5/5

    103 ratings31 reviews

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    • 4/5
      "It could have just as easily have been your precious Glenna as Travis York last night." Page 102The murder of Travis York...a soap opera star at a charity auction caused a lot of alarm and definitely publicity. Who could have done this? Was the poisoned drink really for him or someone else? What about the letter Glenna had received before the auction? These questions and a lot more were left unanswered, but one question was definite...someone had been plotting this crime whether the correct person had become the victim or not. The crew of the soap opera as well as hundreds of other mourners attended the funeral in St. Patrick's Cathedral. As Peggy the costume girl sat in the service, she remembered the person she saw handling the poisoned water. She decided to confront that person and tell them what she had seen. Being the nice person she was, Peggy didn't want to go to the police if she really wasn't sure that person had been the murderer....she would give him/her a chance to turn himself/herself in. She would feel awful if she hadn't been correct and had ruined someone's life. But was it going to be Peggy's mistake by confronting the person? The book keeps you guessing until the end....you think you have it figured out, but then...ah ah....another clue pops up. I enjoyed the book...it was a fast-paced read with characters who had interesting lives...sort of soap opera lives...great parallel on the author's part. The mystery wasn't nail-biting, but it was enticing enough to make you curious about the outcome. My rating is a 4/5.
    • 4/5
      A very enjoyable mystery. The characters were likable and the mystery well done. I will definitely want to read the next one in this series!
    • 3/5
      Piper Donovan's dream is to be a successful actress, but when she loses her role on a soap opera she moves back home with her parents to save money. She soon finds herself working in her mother's bakery and realizing as she does so that her mother is keeping a big secret from her. As Piper begins to figure out what is wrong with her mother, she also becomes involved in another mystery when someone from her soap opera is murdered. Piper is drawn into the mystery because one of her closest friends could easily have been the victim and her friend's soon-to-be husband is a major suspect. As more victims pile up, Piper realizes she needs to solve the mystery soon or there will be no wedding."To Have and to Kill" is an interesting start to Mary Jane Clark's Wedding Cake mystery series. While it is nothing new to have a mystery centered on food, Clark kicks it up a notch by not only having Piper be a struggling actress, but the health problems her mother faces (as well as Piper's father's obsession with always being prepared for an emergency). The behind-the-scenes descriptions of both the soap opera set and the bakery are interesting. Piper is a good, strong character who wants to be an actress but is increasingly drawn to making cakes - her Twitter updates say a lot about her character. While the book is focused on Piper, Clark uses the viewpoints of several characters, including the murderer (deftly done without revealing who the killer is). This provides Clark with plenty of suspects. Unfortunately, while that is a strong point of the mystery part of the book there are a few weak links that almost throw it off course. The major weak part for me was that far too many people trust the killer to turn him/herself in after they confront the killer. This was unbelievable to me - and it happened more than once. Also, I would have liked the murder plot to be wrapped up a bit more - the motives for the murders were believable but there were some things left hanging that I would have liked to know more about (like what happened to a certain young character). All in all, the ending to the murder plot seemed to be a bit rushed."To Have and to Kill" isn't perfect, but it features some strong characters and some nice family relationships and I think the series will get better as Clark writes more books in the series.
    • 3/5
      I'm not generally a huge fan of "craft cozies," which are so popular with publishers these days. I probably wouldn't have picked this book up had I seen it in a library or bookstore. But when it was made available at a very low price for Kindle, and I read a sample page or two, I thought it was worth spending a few hours with. So if any authors out there are wondering whether this marketing device works -- it works on me!The character of Piper Donovan, a struggling actress who moves back in with her safety-conscious father and bakery-owner mother, is engaging and fun to spend time with. The plot is plenty convoluted and there are a plethora of suspects and red herrings to keep the reader guessing. If you like Diane Mott Davidson or Joanne Fluke, you'll probably like this book too.
    • 3/5
      Piper Donovan, the daughter of a cake artist and a police officer, sees her life changing since she has hit a dry spell in her acting efforts after ‘dying’ on a soap opera. Piper learns that her good friend Glenna, the star of the soap, is getting married and wants Piper’s mother to make the wedding cake. While attending a fundraiser at the school of Glenna’s future husband, Piper watches as Glenna’s costar, Travis, dies of cyanide poisoning. From there, Piper ponders ‘who done it’ while tying to figure out what is wrong with her mother and trying to make a return in a dream sequence on the soap. The story includes lots of possibilities and more murders that leave the reader guessing up until the end.Though I would not describe this book as riveting, it was fun to read and definitely had many possibilities for the murderer. The book moves quickly and is an easy and diverting read.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to try a book by this prolific New York Times bestselling author, and a mystery involving a bakery seemed right up my alley.Piper Donovan is an out-of-work actress who is helping her mom with her bakery, “The Icing on the Cupcake.” Piper, 27 and “gorgeous” has only ever wanted two things out of life: to act, and to fall in love. During high school, her role model was Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City.” [You can tell this will not be a feminist tract.]Piper used to co-star in a daytime soap opera along with her best friend Glenna Brooks, who is now quitting the series to marry a man she hardly knows, Casey Walden. She asks Piper if her mom's bakery will make the wedding cake, and Piper is thrilled, but nervous.Piper dates, but has no one steady in her life except a handsome guy ("just friends") she met at karate class, FBI Agent Jack Donovan. And it is with this relationship that the author shows why she has so many female fans. After dinner over at Jack’s apartment, Jack cleans up the table. [That alone would get my hormones in an uproar, but there’s more!]'Piper watched as Jack cleared the dishes away. The sleeves of his V-neck sweater were pushed up, revealing his muscular forearms. As he turned and carried the plates to the sink, she couldn’t help but admire his tall, trim build and broad shoulders.”The little titillation between Piper and Jack aside, dead bodies start piling up on the set of the soap opera. (Piper is on the set once more to film a dream sequence in which her former dead character appears.) Piper and Jack cogitate on who the murderer could be (when not taking stock of each other’s assets).And in a final baking frenzy, Glenna’s wedding cake is made. But will Glenna be alive to eat it? [And seriously, would a movie star eat cake ANYway?!!!]This is only the first of this series, so I have no doubt we’ll see more of Piper piping icing, and Jack fighting to maintain his trim build in spite of the constant temptation of Piper’s cookies….Evaluation: Fast and diverting read if you’re up for a cozy mystery. It includes a tempting recipe for buttercream icing suitable for 100 people. [That ought to hold me for a weekend…]
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to like this book, and in the end I did. Unfortunately, it was the "just liked" kind of like, not the enthusiastic kind.Something about the writing style didn't quite work for me. The sentences were short, without much detail. This may be a purely personal thing, but somehow it never drew me into the world of the book. Piper was an interesting character, at least on the surface. I never felt I really got to know her, even though I was told a lot about her, including her thoughts and plans. I did like the fledgling love interest with her friend, and hope that develops in future books.The mystery would have drawn me in if I'd been more attached to the characters. Unfortunately, I wasn't convinced by the motive at the end-- I'd examined the character and dismissed them as a suspect because the motive didn't seem compelling enough.I was drawn to this book due to the Wedding Cake angle. There isn't much of that world in this book, although I enjoyed what was there. Instead, I saw lots of the world inside a soap opera, which I loved! That was the best aspect of the book for me.I haven't read Mary Jane Clark before. I'm interested in picking up one of her other books, since I'd love the same look into the TV News world as I did into the world of the soaps, and I think the writing style could work more for me with a thriller than a cozy-ish mystery.
    • 3/5
      I liked the characters in this book and the story. The only thing I think is that it was kind of rushed in parts and the characters made some unrealistic choices. I would have liked to have seen a bit more common sense in these instances. I would probably read another of the series though as I really do like Clark's news series that she does.
    • 1/5
      I wanted to like this book because sometimes you just need a light mystery. Unfortunately, this one wasn't one I'd recommend to anyone. Finished it since it was a Review book, but it never captured my attention.
    • 3/5
      I decided to read this book because I was told this was the first in a new cozy series. Interesting.It was a great book, a good mystery, but a lousy cozy.Usually, cozies star an amateur P.I. who stumble into the investigative business, are accused of meddling by the actual law enforcement officials, and have non-gory, behind-the-scenes murders. So, this book did succeed in at least the last criteria.Piper is an actress, and when her latest gig on a soap opera ends, she moves home to help her mom with her bakery business. Soon, Piper's friend Glenna announces her engagement, and she enlists Piper's help with the wedding cake. But then people associated with Glenna's wedding start dying.As I said, this was a fun book and a good mystery, but as a cozy, it rather fails. Piper didn't really do much investigating other than pass along information to her FBI agent friend. And she solved the case in the end when she accidentally stumbled onto some information. Folks, that isn't investigative effort -- that's being a serendipitous messenger.But since this author normally does thrillers and this was her first foray into cozies, and I DID enjoy the book on its face, I am willing to read the second book in the series to see how it goes.
    • 4/5
      My sister got this as an Early Reviewer and then passed it on. I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more in this series, hopefully I am correct in my feeling that there will be more. The book had just enough mystery and not too much gore. It did keep me guessing for quite awhile and that is the type of mystery I prefer.
    • 4/5
      Piper Donovan is down on her luck. She was recently written out of her soap opera, A Little Rain Must Fall. Not having any callbacks from her auditions, Piper is forced to give up her Manhattan apartment. She returns home to Jersey to live with her parents. Her father is a former cop and her mother owns The Icing on the Cupcake bakery. It’s there that Piper spends most of her days when she’s not auditioning.Piper stayed in touch with the leading actress from A Little Rain Must Fall, Glenna Brooks. When the two friends meet for lunch, Glenna announces she’s getting married on Christmas Eve and asks Piper if her mother would be so kind to make her wedding cake. Piper immediately accepts on her mother’s behalf. It’s also during this lunch that Glenna discloses she has received a disturbing letter (anonymously written) about her upcoming nuptials. Piper warns Glenna to be careful.Days following their lunch, someone close to Glenna is mysteriously murdered. All clues lead back to this letter. And it’s not until another person from the soap is left for dead that Piper begins to realize someone is determined to not see Glenna walk down the aisle and will kill anyone that is in the way.To Have and To Kill is the first book in Clark’s new Wedding Cake Mystery series. I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed her previous Key News series, so I was looking forward to reading this mystery. As usual, Clark did not disappoint. She has created a likable and intelligent amateur sleuth in Piper. There’s a hint of a love interest for Piper, but it doesn’t overshadow the mystery. Piper’s parents round out the storyline as her mother is battling personal issues that may threatened her livelihood.Overall I really enjoyed To Have and To Kill. It’s a light, cozy mystery that is perfect reading for a lazy afternoon. I’m looking forward to reading future mysteries starring Piper.
    • 3/5
      An entertaining introduction to the main character of the Wedding Cake Mystery series. Piper Donovan is an actress whose soap opera character was recently killed off. With little work coming in, Piper is forced to move in with her parents, and quickly notices something is not right with her mother. The bakery owner who has never turned down decorating a wedding cake is now refusing to make the perfect cake for Piper's best friend, Glenna. She convinces Piper to do it herself. But Glenna's big day may never come - she's nearly poisoned to death and people in her circle of acquaintances keep getting murdered. Piper doesn't really act as an amateur sleuth - she calls on her male FBI friend for most things - but she ties together the dual storylines. Clark's characters are one-dimensional characters but her writing is contemporary (complete with tweets) and light without being annoying.
    • 4/5
      I started reading cozy mysteries in 2009 so, I was thrilled to receive this book to read and review.To Have and To Kill is the story of Piper Donovan, a struggling actress making ends meet by working in her family bakery.Piper is hired to make a wedding cake for her friend, Glenna. The wedding is set for Christmas eve but, a murder occurs. So, will there be a wedding?We are introduced to several characters, Piper's parents, a couple of her friends and Jack, the handsome FBI agent. I hope most of them will follow Piper into the next book of the series.If you are a fan of mysteries, amateur sleuths or cozies this one is for you. I plan to look out for book # 2 in The Wedding Cake mystery series. There is also a recipe for buttercream icing in the back of the book...yum!
    • 4/5
      TO HAVE AND TO KILL by Mary Jane ClarkPublished by Harper CollinsISBN 978-0-06-199554-5At the request of LibraryThing, an ARC TPB was sent, at no cost to me for my honest opinion. Synopsis (borrowed from back of book): The delicious first book in the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author's new Wedding Cake Mystery series. Piper Donovan never imagined that decorating wedding cakes could be so dangerous! A struggling actress with no immediate prospects and a recently broken engagement, Piper moves back in with her parents to take stock of her life. She steps tentatively into the family bakery business, and finds herself agreeing to create the wedding cake for the acclaimed star of a daytime television drama. But soon someone close to the bride-to-be is horribly murdered and it seems that somebody is ruthlessly determined to stop the wedding. With the help of her former neighbor, Jack, a handsome FBI agent with a soft spot for the gorgeous cake maker, Piper moves closer to the truth. As she narrows in on a suspect, Piper realizes that it's hot in in the kitchen that she may be able to handle....... My Thoughts and Opinion: Before I give my thoughts and opinion, I have to be quite honest with you regarding some issues. This is the first book I have ever read by this author. And if you have followed this blog in the past, you know that I mainly read a more thriller-type mystery than a cozy. And I will now admit.....I have been missing out on some good books. Ms. Clark is definitely now on my radar and I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to her books. I loved her writing style. Short chapters with tidbits of cliff hangers. Introducing characters with small hints of their personalities throughout the story line that could or would make them the prime suspect. In some cases, the reader knows what the outcome of a certain scene will be but it is still heart pounding waiting for it to happen. I would definitely put this in the category of "a couldn't put down", which I didn't. I am now an official member of the cozy mystery genre thanks to Mary Jane Clark!! Bravo!! My Rating: 4
    • 4/5
      Great new series. Loved the characters. Cozy mystery with interesting idea of a wedding cake decorator as the main character. I can't wait to see where the author takes the story next.
    • 4/5
      To Have and To Kill is the first book in Mary Jane Clark's new series Wedding Cake Mysteries. I had not read her previous series, but did enjoy this book very much. It light & fun, yet suspenseful at the same time. It will appeal to fans of the culinary cozy mystery writers such as Diane Mott Davidson & Joanne Fluke. Not only is it a murder mystery, but it has romantic suspense and family drama as well. I look forward to the next installment.
    • 4/5
      To Have and To Kill is the first installment in Mary Jane Clark's new Wedding Cake Mysteries. As a fan of Clark's first series based on a television news crew, I was really anticipating her new venture. I am happy to say that this first book is as good, if not better, than any of her previous books. It is well-written with a good, tight plot and great characters. As with all of Clarks books, To Have and To Kill is an easy, pleasant read that does not ever get too gory or sink to using foul language as more and more books in the murder mystery genre seem to do in recent years. I would recommend any of Ms. Clarks books to mystery readers. I think that fans of "cozies" will like this book, although I would not classify this as a cozy mystery, per se. (This may be due to the fact that I haven't found many cozies that I like, so I may be a little biased against them.) I eagerly anticipate the next installment to see what will happen with Piper, her mom and dad, Jack and the bakery.
    • 4/5
      Piper Donovan is an actress out of work. She can no longer afford the rent of her apartment and decides to move back home to her parents house. One of Piper's best friend is actress Glenna Brooks who she met while working on the daytime soap A Little Rain Must Fall. Glenna and Piper played sisters until Piper's character was killed off. Glenna is getting married and asks Piper if her mom would bake her wedding cake. Piper says of course and the deal is set. However, Glenna tells Piper that she received a threatening letter and shows her. Piper says she will take it to her friend Jack, who works for the FBI. Jack says he does not think it's anything to worry about. Then Glenna and her co-star Travis York emcee a fund raiser at Glenna's daughter's school, which also happens to be where her new fiance is a teacher. Travis is poisoned during the event and Jack decides that there might be more to the letter that Glenna received. As Piper tries to help find who killed Travis and attempted to murder her friend Peggy, she is also dealing with helping in her mom's bakery. Piper learns that her mother is suffering from macular degeneration. I really enjoyed this books and give kudos to Miss Clark. I have only read a couple of her books but have to say that this one is my favorite. There is a little bit of everything in it, from murder to romance to humor. Loved the characters of Piper and Jack and would have loved to see a little more interplay between them. But even so it was a very easy read and kept my interest until the end.
    • 3/5
      I received this book from the Early Reviewers and I have to say it was an easy, interesting read. I had it read in a matter of hours. The book was well written and the ending had an interesting twist. I am eagerly waiting the rest of THe Wedding Cake Mysteries. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read on a rainy day.
    • 3/5
      This was a nice light mystery! I was concerned that it would be too much like other "cooking/catering" mysteries but it was actually a nice weekend read!
    • 4/5
      I've always enjoyed Mary Jane Clark's books, and this one is no different. It drew me in from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the main character, Piper, and her family. I can't wait for the next in the series, and hope Piper and Jack become a couple!
    • 3/5
      To Have and to Kill was the first book that I have read by Mary Jane Clark. It was an easy to read, cozy mystery. It would be great for a cold day inside or a day at the beach. It was about Piper, an out of work actress and the murder of one of her friends. This wasn't the best mystery ever. There is too much stuff going on that has nothing to do with anything else. Things are described too death while the story is kind of glossed over. The author doesn't let the reader think for themselves. I like a mystery where things are implied more and you need to use your imagination more. I wouldn't recommend this book to hard core mystery buffs but it would be good for everyday, nice light reading lovers.
    • 4/5
      I thought this was a fun cozy mystery and my first reading experience with Ms. Clark. Although I did guess who the murderer was, the journey getting to the end was very enjoyable and I would certainly read more of the author's books. . Clark has conjured up some great characters in her story; ones I would be happy to read more of their adventures. Piper was an interesting and multi talented main character as was her friend Glenna. The reading is quick and easy, the characters are well drawn and the pace of the plot is very good. For cozy fans, try this one for a sweet read.
    • 4/5
      This was my first book by Mary Jane Clark. I enjoyed it. It was a fun who-dunnit that kept me guessing until the end. I thought, based on the description, that there would also be a romance between Piper, the main character, and Jack, an FBI agent. In truth, he was only a secondary character. I can only hope he will make more of an apperance in future books in this series. I hate to describe a murder mystery as "light" but this was a fun, light read. It read quickly, kept my attention, and entertained me. I can't say as I'm an instant fan of this new series, but I'm definitely going to give the next book a shot.
    • 4/5
      To Have and To Kill by Mary Jane Clark is an enjoyable quick read. I found it lighter than the Key News thrillers and while I prefer the thrillers, I would recommend this to anyone looking to spend an evening curled up in an easy chair reading. I ended the book wanting to know more about the characters. I would think that’s what every author would want!It definitely kept me reading. There was no shortage of suspects and I was kept guessing until the end. If you like this one, you should read Clark’s other books as well.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book from this author that I have read. I thought that the book was an enjoyable, quick read and a good mystery. The book did draw you into the characters and kept you guessing on who was the real bad guy or gal. I love reading series and cannot wait until the next one comes out to see what that one is like.
    • 3/5
      Piper is an out-of-work actress who decided to move back home to save a little money and to also give her mom a hand in her bakery - help that it turns out her mother needs - and her friend needs a wedding cake that Piper decides to make. It's also Christmas time - a beautiful setting for a wedding unless a murder or two tries to upset things.A nice, light read for a snowy Sunday afternoon before the fire with a glass of eggnog at your side.
    • 3/5
      Cute cozy. New series for this author. I liked the characters and it was a fast fun read. It was a nice break to read a mystery instead of a paranormal. Now I have a new series to get hooked on. Like I didn't have 30 others to keep up with. I've read all of this authors previous books as well. I like cozies, but usually they're so specific that it's hard to find one that you'd like. The mystery kept you guessing to the very end. There were a lot of suspects, but I think this is the first mystery in a long time that I didn't figure out half way through the book. I honestly had no idea until the end.This was my first win on LibraryThing and I'm so glad it was a good one!
    • 4/5
      I received this book today from the publisher as part of the LibraryThink.com Early Reviewer Program. The release date is 12/28/10.I found this book very enjoyable. It was an easy one-evening read with a lot of interest in the characters which made the time go very quickly. Mary Jane Clark writes short chapters (93) like James Patterson, so that the 301 pages is quick to read and keeps you interested.The author does a good job of making the book very current with the main character helping her mother in a cake decorating shop (like all the TV shows) and she uses her Blackberry to tweet on a regular basis. At first I thought that the tweets would enter into the story, but they didn't. It would have been neat if they had been a part of finding the killer.The development of the characters went well and had you caring for some of them throughout the book. A great job also on the suspense of who the killer was. Just enough misdirecting of clues made you think of different people at different times. I loved some of the details of New York as I had just been to some of these places.This is the first book in a new series called "Wedding Cake Mysteries". I look forward to reading future books in this series. I also like the author's style of writing that I'l be looking into reading her other series of twelve media thrillers "Key News Thrillers".I'll be passing this book on to my wife and daughters who I think will also enjoy it.