Wedding bells are in the air—along with the aroma of maple syrup—in the latest Pancake House Mystery. But a series of murders threatens to spoil everyone’s appetite. . . Between tourist season, planning her beach wedding, and running her pancake house, the Flip Side, Marley McKinney is busier than ever. On top of that, one of her regulars is competing in Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games—a … Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games—a sporting event for athletes 50 and over—and Marley wants to cheer her on. Everything’s running as smooth as batter—until sports reporter Yvonne Pritchard stirs up a triple batch of trouble . . .
Yvonne has one admirer in town—Ed Herman—but she has many more enemies, from a disgruntled coach to an athlete she once shamed on social media. So when a body washes up on shore, and it’s no accident, it’s not a complete surprise Yvonne is the victim. And when Ed asks Marley to use her sleuthing skills to solve the crime, she’ll have to squeeze in time between squeezing into wedding dresses. Then a second victim turns up, and Marley will have to work at high speed to stop a killer from piling up bodies faster than she can whip up a tall stack . . .
Includes pancake recipes right from the Flip Side menu!
Praise for Sarah Fox’s Wine and Punishment
“Readers will cheer this brisk, literate addition to the world of small-town cozies.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Hits all the right notes—a unique setting, friends and family, an intriguing mystery, and even the promise of romance.”
—Sofie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of the Second Chance Cat mysteries.
“Draws readers into the fold of suspects in Shady Creek and doesn’t let go until the culprit is uncovered. There are laugh-out-loud moments, hold-your-breath moments, and moments when you’ll think you have the mystery figured out, but the surprises keep coming!”
—USA Today bestselling author Amy M. Reade
more
A blend of bananas, cinnamon & nutmeg
make delicious pancakes. Or you can have
blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon.
Or perhaps you rather Belgian waffles with
a strawberry topping, bacon , sausage or
just a scone. All are favorites at Marley
McKinneys’s The Flip Side Pancake House
in the seaside town of Wildwood Cove on
the Olympic Peninsula.
The town is hosting the Golden Oldies Game.
This is a statewide sporting event for
athletes fifty and older.
You will meet a lot of the game participants
plus members of the press and newspaper
photographers. Each presents with a different
facade and are well constructed.
Then mishaps occur….a man falls overboard
off his yacht, an unpopular reporter washes
up on shore and a dead photographer.
The book was well plotted presenting several
puzzling option for a solution.
You will meet Bentley, the dog and Flapjack,
the orange Tabby cat. You will discover
delicious recipes and mouthwatering
descriptions of foods.
You will attend a beach side wedding.
Colorful, well created main and supporting
characters.
This is book # 6 in the Pancake House Mystery
series. It can be read as a stand alone.
I volunteered to read this eBook. Thank you
to Kensington Books/ Lyrical Underground via
Net Gallery for the opportunity. My opinion is
voluntary and my own.
Much Ado About Nutmeg
Pancake House Mystery, Book #6
Sarah Fox
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Wedding bells are in the air—along with the aroma of maple syrup—in the latest Pancake House Mystery. But a series of murders threatens to spoil everyone’s appetite. . .
Between tourist season, planning her beach wedding, and running her pancake house, the Flip Side, Marley McKinney is busier than ever. On top of that, one of her regulars is competing in Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games—a sporting event for athletes 50 and over—and Marley wants to cheer her on. Everything’s running as smooth as batter—until sports reporter Yvonne Pritchard stirs up a triple batch of trouble . . .
Yvonne has one admirer in town—Ed Herman—but she has many more enemies, from a disgruntled coach to an athlete she once shamed on social media. So when a body washes up on shore, and it’s no accident, it’s not a complete surprise Yvonne is the victim. And when Ed asks Marley to use her sleuthing skills to solve the crime, she’ll have to squeeze in time between squeezing into wedding dresses. Then a second victim turns up, and Marley will have to work at high speed to stop a killer from piling up bodies faster than she can whip up a tall stack . . .
Includes pancake recipes right from the Flip Side menu!
Praise for Sarah Fox’s Wine and Punishment
“Readers will cheer this brisk, literate addition to the world of small-town cozies.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Hits all the right notes—a unique setting, friends and family, an intriguing mystery, and even the promise of romance.”
—Sofie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of the Second Chance Cat mysteries.
“Draws readers into the fold of suspects in Shady Creek and doesn’t let go until the culprit is uncovered. There are laugh-out-loud moments, hold-your-breath moments, and moments when you’ll think you have the mystery figured out, but the surprises keep coming!”
—USA Today bestselling author Amy M. Reade
Review:
The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and she makes her words come alive in my mind.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. I like the way the staff at The Flip Side treat each other like family, they are much more than coworkers. I am liking Ivan more with each book I read, he is like a gentle giant.
I really enjoyed the Golden Oldies Games and the fact that older people can still be active and compete if they want to. People in real life should remember that.
The mysteries were well plotted and moved along at a steady pace. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider and there were some red herrings thrown in just for fun. I was surprised at who the culprit was, which I think is great.
I would recommend this book. and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you have not already checked these books out, what are you waiting for?
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Much Ado About Nutmeg earns 5/5 Golden Oldies…Engaging Entertainment!
Ready! Set! Go for the Golden! Sarah Fox and her Pancake House Mystery are both big favorites. The Golden Oldies Games, a statewide sporting event for athletes fifty and over, is coming to Wildwood Cove, and everyone is anticipating crowds of athletes, coaches, and spectators. Even Marley is adding tables at The Flip Side, her pancake house, to meet the demand for tasty carbs like pancakes and crêpes. But along with competitors and spectators, there’s the media and ingratiating herself is Yvonne Pritchard, a sports reporter who has captured the attention of Ed Herman, a regular at The Flip Side and, important to note, twenty years her senior. Marley is angry overhearing Yvonne’s comment about Ed and seemingly to brag, “I figure it’s worth putting up with him for a few days since he likes to pay for my meals.” But it’s not just Ed who might be harmed by this shallow woman, she has plenty of disgruntled acquaintances in her past and an angry face off with one of the regular athletes is played out in full view. Bad to worse, reports come in that one male competitor is missing, possibly fallen overboard into the bay, but the body found on the rocks is not a man…it is Yvonne!
I am greatly entertained by Sarah Fox’s writing style with expressive dialogue and descriptive language making this mystery an engaging page-turner that kept me guessing. With an extra murder, I couldn’t put it down; my inner Sherlock was spinning with clues going one way, suspects revealed, then more, and a u-turn leading to a “What?!” conclusion. I loved it! The characters are my main draw: well defined, developing well through this six-book series, responding and acting realistically in the face of an everyday busy life and extraordinary events like murder. Through their actions and words it’s easy to determine their personalities: admirable, helpful, quirky, good, and not-so-good. Along with the murder mystery, Marley is running a popular business, available as a friend to others, and planning her wedding in which the whole town seems to be engaged. BONUS! Sarah always adds wonderful recipes and being straight from The Flip Side’s kitchen is a nice connection: Belgian Waffles with Strawberry Syrup Strawberry Syrup, Apple Cinnamon Scones with Maple Glaze, and Banana Nut Pancakes. Also enjoy a peek at An Ale of Two Cities, book two in her Literary Pub Mystery series, for which I give high praise!
“Much Ado about Nutmeg” by Sarah Fox is the 6th instalment in the “A Pancake House Mystery” series. This was the second book I have read in the series and I thoroughly enjoy them and have the complete series in my TBR.
Marley, the protagonist, is the owner of The Flip Side pancake house in Wildwood Cove, Washington. Currently she is dealing with tourist season and planning her beach wedding which is in 4 weeks time. The Golden Oldies Senior games is in town and it’s extra busy, but when a man drowns and a nasty sports reporter goes missing Marley is itchin to investigate …
The characters are well-developed. The mystery had just enough suspects, red herrings, and twists and turns to keep you guessing till the end. I found it to be a fun fast read.
Includes pancake recipes right from The Flip Side menu!
I enjoyed this book and recommend to my friends.
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley and Kensington books. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
Much Ado about Nutmeg by Sarah Fox is book six in the A Pancake House Mystery series. This was the first one I have read and I’m glad I read this easy to read Cozy.
Marley, the protagonist, is the owner of The Flip Side pancake house in Wildwood Cove, Currently she is dealing with tourist season and planning her beach wedding,. then throw in the Golden Oldies Senior games the town is hosting. Even though, she is busy, she is starting to pick up vibes on one of the reporters in town to report on the games. Is she a nice person or a cut throat reporter. One of her regulars seems to be smitten with the reporter. but Marley can’t shake the bad feeling she has.
When the reporter washes up on shore, dead from a stab wound, Ed becomes a suspect but Marley knows he couldn’t have been him. Then he asks her to investigate on her own. Marley can’t tell him no but will she regret helping him. Then when the bodies start adding up, Marley wonders if she will be next.
Fox gives plenty of suspects, likeable characters, great setting, humor, romance, friendship, family and adorable pets. You will be kept guessing until the end.
I was given an eARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Much Ado About Nothing is the 6th book in the Pancake House Mystery series by Sarah Fox. This is a fun series, guaranteed to make you crave pancakes, and is a favorite of mine, this book could be read as a stand alone should you choose to do so, but I suggest reading it as a series, for maximum enjoyment.
The mystery, as always, is well plotted, and has a plethora of characters to keep you guessing until the climatic reveal (which completely shocked me!)
One of my favorite parts about this book, was actually the sub story, I loved reading all the details of Marley and Rhett’s wedding planning, so I am already super excited to read the next book.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book
Great book!! Marley and Brett are preparing for their upcoming wedding in this latest book. It’s summertime and the Golden Oldies games have come to Wildwood Cove. One of the tennis players apparently falls overboard his yacht and is presumed dead. Following that incident, a sports reporter washes ashore and is found to be murdered. Marley investigates with a little help from Sienna and comes across a wide number of suspects. This book was very fun to read. I love the characters and the story was interesting. I had no idea who the killer was. I love the recipes in the book and can’t wait to try some of them! Excited to see what’s next for Marley and Brett now that they are married! A delightful book and one I highly recommend!!
MUCH ADO ABOUT NUTMEG by Sarah Fox
The Sixth Pancake House Mystery
The Flip Side is doing great business as tourists arrive in droves for Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games. Marley McKinney is pleased to meet many of the competitors and is happy to see that her friend Ed seems to be smitten with one of the reporters. Her delight turns to anger when she overhears the woman admit to using Ed. When Marley witnesses an argument and hears angry comments against the woman she knows that this reporter is bad news. It’s more than Ed’s broken heart that’s at stake when Ivan finds a dead body on the beach. It’s not the competitor who fell overboard his yacht and is missing, it’s the reporter. And she didn’t accidentally drown, she’s been murdered.
I was so excited to be back at the Flip Side in Wildwood Cove. Each time I’m dazzled by Ivan’s culinary skill and drool over him and his creations; banana nut pancakes, anyone? The sixth entry into the Pancake House Mystery is special in that Marley and Brett are finalizing their wedding plans. But don’t think the book is all food and romance. There is an intricate mystery featured here.
There are lots of suspects to be found at the Golden Oldies Games, athletes, journalists, and coaches, as well as friends and followers of the event. Many of these suspects have a history, which Marley needs to uncover in order to sate her curiosity and solve the mystery. While everyone has pretty much given up on getting Marley to stop her sleuthing, she finds herself understanding their dread at her inquisitive nature, as teenager Sienna has got the sleuthing bug and has Marley concerned for her welfare. I had my own theories, but found myself quite surprised at the way the mystery unfolded.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NUTMEG is a well constructed complex mystery. Characters with heart, a beautiful setting, and scrumptious food make this book even more delectable.
Summer has arrived on the Pacific Northwest coast and the beach town of Wildwood Cove is packed with tourists and people 50 and older who are participating in the Golden Oldies Games. Marley has her hands full running her pancake house, The Flip Side and putting the finishing touches on her wedding, coming up within weeks. Cutting it a bit close, she has just bought her wedding dress online and she hasn’t made arrangements for the flowers and Brett, her fiance, is working on constructing the arbor for their back yard/beach wedding. As the story progresses it turns out that more than one of her friends wants to help make her day special, starting with her wedding cake. things are going well in her life until, just as the games start, two deaths occur. One is the very unlikable woman sports reporter who has been using Marley’s friend and he has no clue that all she wants is the free meals she gets from him. He’s totally smitten and, when she turns up dead, he turns to Marley for some help. The local police, in the form of her fiance’s Uncle, take a dim view of her getting involved but know that she will be involved in some fashion no matter how much they try to stop her. Plus, she’s snooped before and helped solve the cases so what’s one more? Well, maybe a couple or so? Murder, drowning – are they connected? And who in town (the list is very long) wanted any of these folks dead?
I enjoyed the setting and the main characters, happy that I was only reading about eating at the Flip Side and not actually being there. Pancakes and waffles, oh my! I’d be there every day leading to both my budget and my belt totally busted. There were lots of red herrings and some twists, especially the ending. When the mystery began it was on the slow side but it picked up and ran to a very good finish. A very good satisfying puzzle.
Marley is the owner of the Flipside Pancake House. She’s an amateur sleuth. She’s getting married. And she just discovered there was a murder during the local Golden Oldies Games. Can she keep up with everything while also solving the murder?
A fun and interesting cozy mystery. I loved Marley, and all the other characters, and the storyline. This is book 6 in Pancacke House Mystery series, but the first I’ve read. I was able to follow along without any difficulty….although I do wish I had read the first book in the series. I plan on going back to check it out .
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor. Many thanks to Kensington/Lyrical Press and the author, Sarah Fox.
Have you visited Wildwood Cove lately? Come to the Pacific Northwest and meet Marley, owner of The Flip Side, the local pancake house. You are on time for the annual statewide Golden Oldies Games, competitions in sports from tennis to horseshoes, ages 50 and up. It’s rumored that the oldest person this year is 96; he will be in the horseshoe competition. The next oldest will be 92, at track and field. I really like the well-rounded characters in this series, getting to know them better each time, and I think you’ll like them, too!
Before the games begin, Marley meets two couples at The Flip Side; Easton and his wife Rowena will play doubles tennis. Pippa will play tennis, and her personal trainer is there to cheer her on. Ed, one of The Flip Side regulars, comes in the following morning with a woman for the first time since any of the ladies have worked there. Yvonne is probably a decade younger than Ed, a very pretty lady who is a sports reporter for the Seattle Insider, more of a gossip sheet than a newspaper.
The opening evening ceremony brings out much of Wildwood Cove, along with athletes, their coaches, families, and friends. Marley and her fiancé, Brett, enjoy the ceremony; Marley sees the tennis players she met the day before. She also sees Yvonne, talking with one of her friends about Ed, and not in a flattering way. She also sees Yvonne arguing with the favorite racewalker in her age group, Claudia. Then a man mutters under his breath when he sees Yvonne, and he was absolutely not flattering her.
The next morning on her way to the pancake house, Marley noticed what looked like a coast guard vessel running parallel to the shore. Shortly after opening, her best friend Lisa and her neighbor Joan came into the Flip Side. There was an early morning accident on the ocean. Easton and Rowena were out for an early morning ride on their yacht; while Rowena was making coffee down below, she heard a splash. When going to the deck, Easton was gone, and never came to the surface.
That night, she and Brett are out walking and see Lisa and her boyfriend (and the Flip Side’s chef) Ivan. They have just found a body, still wearing the plastic press pass. It was Yvonne, the sports reporter. When Ed found out, he pleaded with Marley to find what happened to her. She was the first woman he was interested in for years, and now she’s gone, and she didn’t have the heart to tell her the kind of woman she might have been.
For all the sadness in this story – Easton was a very well-known and loved man – there is also joy as Marley prepares for her and Brett’s wedding. Brett would never stop Marley from asking questions, but he also doesn’t want anything to happen to his bride. Plot twists and turns multiply the suspect list for Yvonne’s death when it turns out to have been murder, then someone tries to hurt Marley. Will they find the killer before the Games are over, since it could be someone who knew Yvonne before? I thought I knew who was involved with the murder, but was I wrong! Oh, was I surprised, and sad, to find whodunit and why! You can read this in order of the series, or as a standalone. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy well-executed cozy mysteries, the Pacific Northwest, and breakfast recipes!
From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NUTMEG, the sixth book in the entertaining Pancake House Mystery series, is a fun outing with protagonist Marley as she investigates the murder of a reporter in town for Wildwood Cove Golden Oldies Games. As the body count rises, she struggles to put all the pieces together but does solve the case in a climactic reveal.
The competitive games allow for many new characters to come to town, and this is where most of the suspect pool comes from. And, there are lots of suspects. I do not usually struggle with keeping characters straight, but I caught myself flipping back and forth more than once to verify the details of the characters. Each suspect has a valid motive and opportunity, but I feel like the story stalled more than once as Marley rehashed investigative details without adding anything. Luckily, scenes at the pancake house and wedding preparations help move the story along. I did not figure out the killer’s identity until Marley did.
I enjoy this series – the setting, recurring characters, pets, and talk of breakfast, and MUCH ADO ABOUT NUTMEG is a fine addition to the series. I look forward to many more adventures with Marley.
I gratefully received an ARC of this title from the author/publisher through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
A new addition to the “Pancake House Mystery” series Much Ado About Nutmeg written by Sarah Fox and published by Lyrical Press will have readers of culinary cozies thrilled and craving ice cream!
Marley is busy. Between her restaurant, her wedding, and Wildwood Cove’s Golden Oldies Games, she doesn’t have time for anything else, and yet she manages to get involved reluctantly in another murder investigation. Her culinary skills and those of her chef will not get her out of the mix. Being a loyal, strong, independent woman running a business, hasn’t prevented her from understanding loss and wanting to help those who are going through the process, which is why readers love this character. Marley’s employees, friends, and family know that Marley will always butt in where she shouldn’t, and some even encourage her.
The cast of characters in this delicious culinary based cozy series brings readers a smile, as well as several heartfelt moments. The clues and situations bring intrigue and, at times, anxiety. Suspects are numerous, and everyone seems to have a motive. Sometimes it is hard to keep the suspects straight as there may be too many.
It takes time for Marley to figure out who the culprit is, and almost gets herself killed in the process. The mouthwatering descriptions of pancakes and other food items, especially the ice cream, will have readers running out to their local pancake house or ice cream parlor. A good culinary cozy should always make readers hungry! The murderer will come as a surprise to many readers. The reveal is action-packed and very interesting. Readers will not be disappointed with Much Ado About Nutmeg. (Except perhaps for a lack of Nutmeg in the book.).
This is a fun series and this installment was a quick easy read for me. Once again, Marley finds herself wrapped up in another murder that occurs when the Golden Oldies games come to Wildwood Cove. I really like Marley as a protagonist. She has a warm heart and an insatiable curiosity which always lands her in trouble. This time, one of her long-time regulars asks her to investigate the death of a reporter, whom he struck up a friendship. There are two murders and a drowning which seem unconnected and cause Marley a bit of difficulty in trying to identify the culprit. There are some twists and turns thrown into the clues and Marley puts herself in a bit of danger, but ultimately the mystery is resolved in a climactic fashion.
While investigating the mysteries, Marley is also preparing for her wedding. I really enjoyed how the townspeople all contribute something to the wedding as their gift to Marley. It shows how much she has become a part of Wildwood Cove.
The book has a steady plot and I found it to be an easy read. If you are a fan of the series you will definitely enjoy this one. I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.