Description (from cover): “Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin.
The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage–sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned too high–but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.
A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night until you turn the very last page of this incredible debut.”
My Thoughts:
Six baking competition contestants descend on Grafton estate in Vermont to begin this year’s “Bake Week” contest. Betsy Martin is the main star of the show and has been for many years. She has made a name for herself writing cookbooks and now the show has launched her into a culinary legend. Now this year, the producers think that the show is becoming stale and have invited Archie Morris to help her co-host the show and Betsy is not having it. She instantly takes a dislike to Archie and lets everyone know how she feels but she plods on for the sake of the show. Each of the contestants, Hannah, Gerald, Stella, Lottie, Peter and Pradyumna have their own backgrounds and are excited to participate in the competition. The competition starts and immediately there is drama; salt is put in the sugar container, a burner is too hot and burns a contestant’s filling. Is someone there to sabotage the competition? What will they do to win?
Soon we find out. A body is found in the baking tent during a terrible storm and all the remaining contestants are shocked to learn that they are now suspects and they all have motive. Is one of them a cold-blooded killer? The twists and turns of this book is keep the reader guessing until the very end. Every chapter in this book is told through the eyes of one of the contestants and each chapter is a different contestant’s story. I loved that there were many points of view and the author did a fantastic job of weaving everyone’s stories into one fluid and engaging read. When I wasn’t able to read because I was at work, I found my mind slipping back to this book and wanting to see what would happen next.
Man oh man, was this book fabulous. I really enjoyed this book and the author did a fantastic job in this debut novel. I think Maxwell is a phenomenal writer and I hope there are more books coming from her in the future. Simply put this book is hard to put down. I really enjoyed the characters as they were well-developed and very engaging. If you like baking competitions and murder, well this is a delightful treat.
Overall Rating: 5+ stars
Author: Jessa Maxwell
Series: N/A
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
Pages: 287
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Get It: Amazon
Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.
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