Jamie Orsini

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The Jig Is Up

Review by Jamie Orsini

The Jig Is Up takes readers to the fictional Irish-themed town of Shamrock, Massachusetts, where residents are gearing up to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—despite the recent murder of an Irish step dancer.

When single mom Kate Buckley receives a text from her younger sister, Colleen, asking for help, she packs up her two daughters and their cat to travel to Shamrock, her hometown. Colleen has a history of impetuous decision making, and Kate fears that this time, her sister is in over her head—or worse, that something’s happened to their aging parents or the bed-and-breakfast that they run. But when Kate and her daughters arrive, Colleen is tight-lipped about her problem. Hours later, Kate and Colleen discover the lifeless body of Deirdre, a champion Irish step dancer and Colleen’s best friend. Kate learns that her sister fought with Deirdre before her death, and Colleen is soon named a person of interest in the case. Believing in her sister’s innocence, Kate sets out to clear Colleen’s name and find the real killer in Shamrock—before they strike again.

The Jig Is Up is a well-crafted cozy mystery that deftly explores complicated family dynamics. Kate is the dependable oldest sibling: She’s an accountant by trade and never stops worrying about her younger siblings, her parents or the B&B. Colleen may prove to be a divisive character; she can be selfish and flighty, and often refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of her situation. Still, Kate and the other Buckleys love and support her, even when her lies threaten their livelihood. Complex relationships like this aren’t always depicted in cozy mysteries, and it’s refreshing to see. And as The Jig Is Up is the first novel in a planned series, there’s plenty of room for Kate, Colleen and the rest of the Buckley clan to grow.

Kate’s daughters, Maeve and Bliz, feature prominently in the story, too. They are authentic, relatable characters who are integral to the plot, especially as their involvement in the local Irish dance show provides Kate with several opportunities to further investigate the murder. Kate’s love for her daughters is palpable, and it underscores the message of the novel: Family is everything.

At times, the mystery of Deidre’s murder does take a back seat to exploring Kate’s relationships with her family, friends and Shamrock itself. However, future installments of the series may very well benefit from the thoughtful world building Mathews has done in this first Irish Bed & Breakfast mystery.

The Jig Is Up is a well-crafted cozy mystery that deftly explores complicated family dynamics while also transporting readers to an adorable Irish-themed town.
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Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop

Review by Jamie Orsini

A spooky celebration conjures real frights in Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop, a new cozy mystery series set in a small town with a big reputation for Halloween.

Bailey Briggs loves all things Halloween—which is good, because she lives in the year-round Halloween-themed town of Elyan Hollow, Oregon. This fall, in addition to managing Lazy Bones Books, which she just took over from her grandfather, Bailey is also running the inaugural Spooky Season Literary Festival. She’s secured help from other local shop owners; brought in several authors, including a hometown hero; and even planned extra events like a murder mystery game and an arts and crafts session. What Bailey didn’t plan on, though, was the disrespectful crew of Gone Ghouls, a ghost-hunting TV show that’s filming around Elyan Hollow. After Bailey gets into an altercation with the crew, things go from bad to worse when she discovers a body in the middle of the town’s hay bale maze. To clear her name and save her festival, Bailey decides to investigate the murder. She uncovers decades-old grievances, family secrets and rivalries that are a lot scarier—and deadlier—than some of the stories in her bookshop.

Author Emmeline Duncan previously wrote the Ground Rules cozy series, which similarly overflowed with Pacific Northwestern charm. The town of Elyan Hollow feels like its own character—quirky, warm and inviting (despite the murders). It’s easy to root for Bailey, who loves her home and friends and is hoping that her literary festival is the start of something special for Elyan Hollow. While Bailey is working around the clock to make the festival a success, she’s also navigating several challenges in her personal life, like an absent mother, an overbearing uncle and the mystery of her birth father. Like real life, not all of these issues are resolved, but Bailey learns more about herself and where she came from, and grows more confident in her professional life, too.

At times, the mystery takes a back seat as Duncan explores Bailey’s personal struggles and establishes the residents and businesses of Elyan Hollow. However, as this is the first book in a planned series, future installments may not have this impediment. Fans looking for a lighthearted cozy to get them in the Halloween spirit won’t be disappointed with Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop.

Emmeline Duncan’s cozy mystery Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop is set in a Halloween-themed small town that overflows with seasonal charm.
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It’s Elementary

Review by Jamie Orsini

Elise Bryant explores PTA politics and just how far parents will go for their children in It’s Elementary, her engaging cozy mystery debut.

Mavis Miller is juggling a lot: She’s a single mom, raising her 7-year-old daughter, Pearl, with long-distance support from her ex; she’s overworked and underappreciated at her nonprofit job; and she’s navigating living with her retired dad again after many years on her own. So when PTA President Trisha Holbrook asks Mavis to head up a new diversity, equity and inclusion committee for Knoll Elementary School, Mavis declines—repeatedly. But Trisha is tenacious and eventually convinces Mavis to join the PTA to effect real change, especially for the few children of color at the school, like Pearl.

The first meeting Mavis attends is surprisingly charged: Trisha and Thomas Smith, the new principal, butt heads over whether Knoll Elementary should become a school for “gifted students” and turn away children with lower test scores. That night, Mavis spots Trisha lugging suspiciously heavy trash bags and cleaning supplies to her minivan. When Principal Smith fails to show up to school the next day, Mavis wonders if Trisha snapped and took her position as PTA president as a license to kill. With the help of Jack, the school psychologist, Mavis sets out to find the missing principal.

Genre fans may deduce many of It’s Elementary’s twists, but it’s an ambitious and delightful read nonetheless. Bryant tackles big issues—racism, the complexities of co-parenting, gentrification, bullying and even the difficulties of making friends as an adult—with humor and heart, expertly threading these topics through an entertaining story full of genuinely funny observations.

Mavis is our relatable guide through it all: She’s generous, funny, devoted to Pearl and stretched far too thin. She’s also surrounded by a stellar cast of supporting characters, led by Jack, Pearl, and Jasmine, Mavis’ best friend. Readers will enjoy navigating PTA politics with Mavis and crew in this hilarious and energetic mystery.

Elise Bryant’s It’s Elementary is a hilarious and ambitious cozy mystery set in the emotionally charged environment of a local PTA.
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A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants

Review by Jamie Orsini

Ann Claire takes readers on a scenic cycling tour through the French countryside in A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants.

In the wake of her best friend’s death, Sadie Greene’s grief nearly overwhelmed her. But when she got the chance to turn their shared dream of running a cycling business into a reality, she took it—even if it meant quitting her job in finance and moving halfway around the world to France.

As the new owner of Oui Cycle, Sadie hopes to honor Gemma’s memory and help others find their passion for cycling. But just as she begins to settle into life as an expat, someone vandalizes and threatens Oui Cycle. Then, during a cycling tour that includes her former boss from Chicago and his family, as well as a hard-to-impress travel writer, tragedy strikes. One of her cyclists dies, and the gendarmes believe it may have been murder. To save her fledgling business and the rest of her cyclists, Sadie must figure out who’s targeting her tour—before anyone else winds up dead.

Claire’s sun-soaked southern France setting is almost another character in A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants, and readers will enjoy her in-depth descriptions of picturesque villages and droolworthy French cuisine. It’s enough to make anyone want to travel to Sadie’s new (tragically fictional) home of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer—despite the seemingly high risk of murder.

Sadie is a dynamic, multifaceted main character. Prior to Gemma’s death, she was content with her risk-averse, if boring, job. Losing Gemma—and Sadie’s guilt over not accompanying her on her ill-fated final bike ride—forces Sadie out of her comfort zone, all the way to France. When the book begins, Sadie is trying hard to become the best version of herself while also coming to terms with her grief. Claire punctuates the story with Sadie’s diary entries, which are addressed directly to Gemma. The intimate and raw messages give the mystery more emotional depth, and it’s all the stronger for it. There’s plenty of humor, too, especially from international cyclists Manfred, Philomena and Constance as they offer much-needed comic relief and support for Sadie. 

A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants is a fun, fast-paced ride through France, and readers will be left eager for a return trip to Sans-Souci-sur-Mer.

A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants is a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery set in the sun-soaked south of France.
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Close to Death

Review by Jamie Orsini

In Close to Death, the fifth installment of his meta Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery series, Anthony Horowitz delivers another diabolically complex whodunit, rife with misdirection and murder.

When an obnoxious resident of the ritzy and otherwise close-knit Riverside Close neighborhood is murdered, law enforcement officials are puzzled. The remaining residents of the luxury community immediately close ranks—they all had motive to kill the unlikable Giles Kenworthy. So London officials call on former detective-turned-private investigator Daniel Hawthorne and his partner, John Dudley, to solve the sensational crime. Within weeks, the case is closed. Five years later, writer Anthony Horowitz is getting desperate. He’s written four crime novels with Hawthorne, mostly by following the prickly detective and chronicling his work. Now though, Horowitz has a looming publishing deadline for their next book, but the pair haven’t solved a case in months. He asks Hawthorne to revisit the already-solved Kenworthy case for an easy-to-write, ready-made mystery. But Hawthorne withholds almost as much information as he shares, and Horowitz realizes there’s much more to this case.

Horowitz (the real-life writer, not the character in his books) is a master of intricately plotted and deeply satisfying mysteries, and Close to Death is no exception. This fifth installment in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series is structured very differently than the previous works: Rather than having the fictional Horowitz follow Hawthorne’s sleuthing in real time, the pair are reviewing a long-closed case. Still, Horowitz is in the dark for much of the novel, trying to make sense of Hawthorne’s brief recaps and terse explanations. Horowitz is also deeply curious about Dudley, Hawthorne’s previous assistant. Why did the pair stop working together? Did it have something to do with the Kenworthy murder? Readers will enjoy following Horowitz as he works to unravel the many mysteries that surround this particular case.

Close to Death offers a supremely engrossing and expertly plotted mystery that will challenge and delight even the most well-read mystery fans. Suspects include two former nuns, a celebrity dentist, a landscaper and a chess champion, all of whom have secrets to hide. The clues are there for readers to find, hidden in this Agatha Christie-style mystery. This installment may be the strongest book yet in the superb series.

Close to Death offers a supremely engrossing and expertly plotted whodunit that will challenge and delight even the most well-read mystery fans.
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The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties

Review by Jamie Orsini

Meddy Chan and her meddlesome family are back in The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties, Jesse Q. Sutanto’s delightful final entry in her bestselling Dial A for Aunties trilogy.

Meddy and her new husband, Nathan, are ending their extended honeymoon with a stop in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they’ll spend the Lunar New Year with Meddy’s extended family. Of course, Meddy’s mom and the Aunties have traveled from America to celebrate, too. The holiday kicks off with a visit from a special admirer of Second Aunt’s—who may or may not be a mafia lord. He brings gifts to woo Second Aunt and the Chans, but accidentally gives away something very valuable, meant for a rival crime boss. Meddy and the Aunties jump into action to retrieve the gift and wind up facing down criminals, kidnappings and rude teenagers in their wildest outing yet. 

You don’t need to read the first two Dial A for Aunties mysteries to follow all the hijinks in The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties, but fans of the series will recognize how much Meddy has grown, especially when it comes to asserting herself to her loving but domineering Aunties. They may frustrate Meddy with their headstrong opinions, but they will delight readers with their often unintentional funny moments. All of the humor is top notch, despite the threats of warring crime lords and kidnappings. It’s touching to see how each Auntie thrives during their return to Indonesia, and Meddy and Nathan’s relationship is another highlight. Nathan is as steady and supportive as ever, despite all the chaos. When the book ends, Meddy’s no longer looking back on all the troubles she and the Aunties have escaped; instead, she’s looking forward to her future with Nathan. 

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is a fun, fast-paced read and a satisfying conclusion to the popular series.

With top notch humor and endearing relationships, The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is a satisfying conclusion to Jesse Q. Sutanto’s beloved series.
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Death and Fromage

Review by Jamie Orsini

Ian Moore’s culinary cozy mystery Death and Fromage brings readers back to the picturesque Vallée de Follet in France, where murder is on the menu.

British expat Richard Ainsworth enjoys a quiet life running a bed-and-breakfast in Vallée de Follet, Moore’s peaceful stand-in for the Loire Valley. A middle-aged film scholar, Richard prefers the slow pace of the French countryside and the company of his beloved hens. But his tranquil life is challenged when a culinary scandal explodes involving feuding Michelin-starred chefs, cheese sabotage, nasty reviews and a possible murder. Valérie d’Orçay, a beautiful and mysterious return guest at the B&B, decides to investigate and asks for Richard’s help, bringing perhaps too much excitement to the expat’s life. As the bodies pile up, Valérie and Richard uncover a decades-old betrayal that’s about much more than cheese.

In the second installment of his Follet Valley series, Moore captures the beauty and drama of life in a small town. Richard is an unconventional hero: He’s unassuming and quick to deploy self-deprecating humor. Valérie, his lodger and investigation partner, fits the sleuth bill much better. She’s beautiful, brave and an exceedingly competent bounty hunter. They’re an unlikely pair, but they work well together while unraveling the many mysteries that surround them. 

Moore’s wry humor is a highpoint of Death and Fromage, as Richard’s self-deprecating British wit is often at odds with his French neighbors to great comedic effect. Secondary characters like the dogged commissaire Henri LaPierre and Richard’s estranged wife, Clare, provide both tension and laughs as they circle Richard and the investigation. Clare is a hilarious force of nature, often steamrolling Richard to get what she wants. 

The series would benefit, however, from deepening the characters of Valérie and Richard. It would be nice to see Richard come into his own, rather than following the lead of others, and while Valérie is an entertaining femme fatale, she has potential to be so much more. Hopefully, both characters will grow in future installments of this charming series.

In his second Follet Valley cozy mystery, author Ian Moore captures the beauty and drama of life in the French countryside.
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Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

Review by Jamie Orsini

Benjamin Stevenson’s fast-paced and funny mystery Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect takes readers on a deadly ride aboard a luxury train. 

After the success of his memoir about escaping a murderer in his own family, Ernest Cunningham is excited to appear as a panelist during the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society crime-writing festival aboard The Ghan, a famous luxury train. Ernest is looking forward to meeting the other panelists, all established authors, and is hoping that the trip will help end his current bout of writer’s block.

As the trip gets underway, Ernest finds that some of the writers are unhappy that he’s been invited and that the other panelists may know more about each other than they let on. When another writer suddenly dies, Ernest sets out to prove that it was murder and to unmask the killer. If not for justice, then for inspiration for his next book. Complicating his investigation, though, is the fact that all the other writers have spent years researching and writing about murder—and how to get away with it.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is a delightful locked-room mystery that is rife with references to classic detective fiction. What sets this novel apart, though, is Ernest’s unique voice and humor as he walks readers through the story. The text is Ernest’s completed manuscript that chronicles the deadly events aboard The Ghan, and he’s clear from the beginning: Someone was murdered on this trip and he’s laying out the facts as faithfully as possible. Can readers solve the case before he did? Mystery fans will find lots to love, including Ernest’s early clues (the killer’s name appears exactly 106 times in the story) and references to Ronald Knox’s 10 Commandments of Detection Fiction. You don’t have to be a genre fan to enjoy this novel, though. A consistently enjoyable narrator, Ernest is funny, self-deprecating and relatable.

This is the second installment in the Ernest Cunningham series, following Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. (Yes, the memoir that earned Ernest a spot on the writing festival is a real book.) But it’s not necessary to have read that book before diving into this one; Ernest reveals no spoilers, writing that his publisher wouldn’t be pleased with him if he did. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is a meticulously plotted and enjoyable mystery that lives up to the high standards set by Stevenson’s first mystery.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is a delightful locked-room mystery that is rife with references to classic detective fiction.
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Murder at the Book Festival

Review by Jamie Orsini

Jane Bettany takes readers back to the quaint English village of Merrywell in her charming second Violet Brewster mystery.

Merrywell is abuzz: the town is readying for its first literary festival, and bestselling author Leonie Stanwick has agreed to appear as the marquee speaker. A successful romance writer, Leonie was born and raised in Merrywell but left shortly after she turned 18.  

Former journalist Violet Brewster interviews Leonie in front of a sold-out audience to kick off the festival. But when Violet discovers a woman’s body just hours later, she realizes Leonie’s return may have stirred up dangerous memories among the Merrywell residents. Violet quietly launches her own investigation, refusing to let someone get away with murder.

Bettany’s pacing is truly perfect in Murder at the Book Festival. This cozy mystery moves fast but still hits all the right notes with unerring precision, revealing clues and surprises at ideal moments. Bettany offers up a slew of convincing suspects—Was the murder committed by a scorned family member or former friend? Jilted lover or aggrieved employee?—to keep readers guessing. The book festival provides an interesting backdrop to murder, as there’s a lot at stake for the event organizers and local businesses. Plus, it offers a large pool of suspects: All the attendees are potential killers.

Violet is an engaging heroine, too. She’s smart, compassionate and deeply relatable, especially when balancing the attention of her just-returned ex-husband and her new love interest, Matthew. Violet cares about her new home of Merrywell, and her burgeoning relationships with Matthew and Leonie are a high point of the novel.

Murder at the Book Festival is a fun, fast-paced mystery with lots for readers to enjoy.

The fun, fast-paced Murder at the Book Festival hits all the right cozy notes with unerring precision.
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Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night

Review by Jamie Orsini

Agatha Christie fans, rejoice: Sophie Hannah brings back famed detective Hercule Poirot in the riveting Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night, the latest entry in her authorized reboot of the iconic series. 

Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool (Hannah’s own invention) are taking on a new case, this time brought to them by Cynthia Catchpool, Edward’s mother. Even as she invites  them to celebrate Christmas with her, Cynthia enlists their help in solving a murder—and preventing another. Catchpool thinks his mother is only scheming to spend time with him, but Poirot senses something amiss and agrees to take on the case.

They travel to Norfolk, where a well-liked and amiable man was recently murdered in a busy hospital ward. Local officials have yet to figure out how the killer was able to escape unseen, and Cynthia’s friend Arnold is due to be admitted to that very ward. Arnold’s wife believes her husband will become the next victim, so Poirot and Catchpool are asked to unmask the killer before Arnold is admitted—and possibly murdered. When Poirot and Catchpool begin their investigation, they have high hopes for a neat solution and a quick return to London. But as they unravel the mystery, the sleuths realize there’s more than meets the eye with this case, and they may be closer than they realize to the killer.

Hannah’s biggest departure is in creating Inspector Catchpool to narrate the series while Poiroit’s traditional companion, Arthur Hastings, is presumably in Argentina. The addition of a new viewpoint character allows readers to see the Belgian detective from a fresh perspective while also allowing Hannah to establish her own voice, which she does with aplomb even as she effortlessly captures Poirot’s essence. And Catchpool is a likable narrator: intelligent; bitingly funny, especially when ruminating on his complicated relationship with his mother; and devoted to Poirot.

The mystery itself is reminiscent of Christie, too—meticulously plotted and engaging, with multiple likely suspects. Readers looking for another puzzling outing with the famed Hercule Poirot will be richly rewarded with this new installment.

Sophie Hannah’s latest bitingly funny and meticulously plotted Hercule Poirot mystery effortlessly captures the Belgian sleuth’s essence.
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The Mystery Guest

Review by Jamie Orsini

Molly the maid is ready to clean up another murderous mess in the latest offering from Nita Prose.

Molly Gray has come a long way since Prose’s bestselling debut, The Maid, where she was unfairly accused of the murder of a guest at the five-star Regency Grand Hotel. Cleared of all charges, Molly is now the head maid and blissfully in love with her boyfriend, Juan Manuel, another Grand employee. But when celebrated author J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead in the hotel tearoom moments before making a mysterious announcement about his career, Molly’s plunged into chaos once again. Grimthorpe was poisoned, and police, including Molly’s old nemesis Detective Stark, believe a hotel staff member may be the murderer.

The hotel is full of suspects such as Lily, the new maid-in-training who prepared the poisoned tea cart, and Serena, Grimthorpe’s secretary who disappears in the aftermath of his death. Detective Stark still believes Molly is capable of murder, so to protect herself and her friends, Molly puts her eye for meticulous detail to use to help solve the crime. Molly also has a mysterious connection to the reclusive writer—one that may help her crack the case.

The Mystery Guest is a delightful sophomore novel that showcases how Molly has changed since the first entry in the series: She’s as sharp and honest as ever but has grown into her roles of head maid and girlfriend. Molly’s particularly protective of Lily, and it’s a joy to see the lengths to which she’ll go to defend her friends. Molly’s co-workers, including long-serving doorman Mr. Preston and head barmaid Angela are warm and funny, and both contribute to her sleuthing success in unexpected ways. Another bright spot of the novel are the LAMBS: Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society members. A group of Grimthorpe fans who are staying at the hotel, the women are entertaining, helpful and suspicious in equal measure.

Molly’s a singular character—she’s intelligent, unfailingly honest and the epitome of a professional maid—and readers will enjoy checking in to the Regency Grand to follow her and her exploits. Fans of The Maid will miss Juan Manuel, who spends the bulk of the novel visiting family, but hopefully Prose will reunite him with Molly in the next installment of this charming series.

The Mystery Guest is a delightful sophomore mystery that welcomes readers back to the world of Nita Prose’s bestselling debut, The Maid.
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Against the Currant

Review by Jamie Orsini

Against the Currant transports readers to the Little Caribbean neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, where Lyndsay Murray is ready to open her own bakery. She just needs to clear her name first.

Lyndsay and her family have worked hard on Spice Isle Bakery. But on opening day, another local business owner, Claudio Fabrizi, visits the bakery and threatens Lindsay. He wants her store shut down before it can eat into his profits. Shaken but ready to fight for her business and family, Lyndsay kicks Claudio out. When he is found murdered the next day, police believe Lyndsay may be involved. To clear her name and ensure Spice Isle Bakery can stay open for business, Lyndsay begins investigating Claudio’s murder.

Readers will enjoy following Lyndsay as she navigates an increasingly dangerous situation. She’s smart, funny and hardworking, but it’s her dedication to her family and bakery that make her truly shine. The Murray family opened Spice Isle Bakery to celebrate their life and success in America, while also honoring their Grenadian heritage. Lyndsay knows all too well how her family poured everything they have—time, resources and money—into Spice Isle Bakery. She’s committed to clearing her name so that her parents, grandmother and brother won’t suffer. Lyndsay’s grandmother is a particularly memorable character: Fashionable Granny is equal parts wise and witty, and unconditionally supportive of her granddaughter’s dreams.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Against the Currant is how author Olivia Matthews brings Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean to life, immersing readers in the tightknit, bustling community. Matthews is a pen name for romance author Patricia Sargeant, who grew up in Little Caribbean herself and whose family history inspired Spice Isle Bakery. 

Cozy mystery fans will devour the fast-paced and exciting Against the Currant.

Cozy mystery fans will devour Against the Currant, which is set in a bakery in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood.
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The Golden Spoon

Review by Jamie Orsini

“The Great British Baking Show” meets Knives Out in The Golden Spoon, Jessa Maxwell’s delicious, atmospheric debut.

Celebrated baker Betsy Martin has hosted her popular show “Bake Week” from the grounds of Grafton, her Vermont family estate, for the past decade. This year, change is in the air: The network has foisted a new co-host on her, and Betsy had less input than ever before when selecting which six contestants would compete for the show’s coveted Golden Spoon award. Still, “America’s Grandmother,” as Betsy’s known among her fans, chooses to push ahead with the new season. When the competition gets underway, things start to go haywire. The contestants believe someone is sabotaging their bakes—and when a dead body is discovered, everyone in the baking tent becomes a murder suspect.

The Golden Spoon is impossible to put down, especially for fans of shows like “The Great British Baking Show.” Maxwell expertly unspools her mystery, switching among the perspectives of all six contestants, plus Betsy. The bakers’ voices and observations are a high point of the novel: Each character is distinct and well drawn, with their own motivations for joining the show and secrets to hide. There’s Stella, a former journalist and the most inexperienced baker; Hannah, the youngest contestant, who hails from a small town; Gerald, a rigid teacher who compares recipes to mathematical formulas; Pradyumna, a tech millionaire with nothing to prove; Lottie, a retired nurse with a special connection to Grafton; and Peter, who specializes in the reconstruction of historic buildings.

The novel begins with an eerie prologue from Betsy’s perspective before jumping back in time to when “Bake Week” first started filming. Readers know from the prologue that a gruesome discovery awaits, but most of the book—80%!—is devoted to following the characters through “Bake Week” and getting to know their motivations for competing. It’s not until the last fifth of the book that Betsy’s initial discovery is revealed, and from there, the plot quickly unfolds. Mystery genre fans may find many of the twists easy to spot, but Maxwell’s expert characterization and lyrical prose make The Golden Spoon a delight to devour.

Jessa Maxwell’s expert characterization makes her baking show-set mystery, The Golden Spoon, practically impossible to put down.

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