In USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox’s delicious new Pancake House Mystery, it’s up to Marley McKinney to discover the waffle truth behind a rival’s murder . . . Winter has come to Wildwood Cove, and riding in on the chill is Wally Fowler. Although he’s been away for years, establishing his reputation as the self-proclaimed Waffle King, the wealthy blowhard has returned to the coastal … blowhard has returned to the coastal community to make money, not friends—by pitting his hot and trendy Waffle Kingdom against Marley McKinney’s cozy pancake house, The Flip Side. Wally doesn’t see anything wrong in a little healthy competition, until he’s murdered in his own state-of-the art kitchen.
Marley isn’t surprised when the authorities sniff around The Flip Side for a motive, but it’s her best friend Lisa who gets grilled, given her sticky history with the victim. When a second murder rocks the town, it makes it harder than ever for Marley to clear Lisa’s name. Marley’s afraid that she’s next in line to die—and the way things are looking, the odds of surviving her investigation could be stacked against her.
Includes pancake recipes right from The Flip Side menu!
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I have enjoyed this series since the beginning, and it just keeps getting better! This is fourth in the Pancake House Mystery series and is my favorite; it can be read as a standalone. Watching the characters grow closer together and stronger is a delight. The beautifully described oceanside setting of Wildwood Cove makes me want to pack up and go there! The mystery kept me guessing throughout as the suspects grew in number.
Marley McKinney inherited The Flip Side, a pancake house started many years earlier by her grandmother’s cousin, who left it to Marley. It is the only restaurant in town that specializes in breakfasts. Marley and Ivan, the chef who almost always wears a scowl, develop seasonal recipes, currently signature dishes in preparation for Christmas.
Wally Fowler, a former resident of the Cove, inherited millions from his great-aunt, so he returned to Wildwood Cove to start a new breakfast restaurant, Wally’s Waffle Kingdom. Wally had few friends when he grew up there and is liked even less now. Shortly before his grand opening, Marley leaves Ladies’ Night at the hardware store and sees that the tires on Wally’s van are slashed. She goes into the waffle shop to tell Wally, and runs into Ivan, who was there to tell him the same thing. Unfortunately, Ivan found Wally dead in the kitchen, possibly murdered.
As Marley tries to help her friend, the prime suspect in the murder, she is caught up in another mystery. The wife of her late cousin had a sister who disappeared many years earlier. Marley finds the sister’s journals and an album of the newspaper clippings in the attic and is fascinated with the very cold case.
Brett, Marley’s boyfriend, helps his father with his remodeling business during the winter. Brett’s father collapsed on a job site, and he gives his father CPR until paramedics arrive. He is transferred to a hospital in Seattle for bypass surgery; Brett, his mother, and sister Chloe will stay there with him.
Each of the characters is defined well through actions and realistic dialog; Marley and her best friend, Lisa, are my favorites. Even the grumpy Ivan is a favorite in his own way. Sienna, a part-time waitress for Marley, is an enthusiastic friend and employee, who decides to be Marley’s sidekick as she listens for information about Wally. Few people liked Wally and several people despised him because of the things he did when living there before. Even so, he didn’t deserve the horrible death he died.
What a great mystery! The days are fraught with tension with so many people Marley cares about either ill or falsely suspected of murder. Even as she works hard at the Flip Side, Marley pores over old journals and tries to gently ask questions about Wally without sounding like she is accusing anyone. One family takes exception to the questions, even threatening Marley. She has good instincts, and may get ahead of herself at times, especially when led down a questionable path by a distraught teen…and almost ended up in jail. I was stunned to see who the real guy bad is, someone I would not have guessed. The end is satisfactory, leaving no loose ends. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written cozy mysteries set in the Pacific Northwest, breakfast restaurants (and recipes!) and realistic characters.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of the e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
YEAST OF EDEN by Sarah Fox
The Fourth Pancake House Mystery
Christmas is coming to Wildwood Cove and The Flip Side is ready for the holidays with new seasonal treats such as Candy Cane Pancakes and Gingerbread Crepes. Unfortunately, Santa isn’t the only big man coming to town. Wally Fowler has returned after inheriting a fortune. Now’s he’s declared himself the Waffle King and is opening up Waffle Kingdom in direct competition to Marley’s pancake house. With his brazen tactics and old history, not many people are pleased at his return so when Wally winds up murdered, there are plenty of suspects. But when the sheriff starts to concentrate on Marley’s chef, Ivan, and her best friend, Lisa, Marley knows she’s going to start investigating on her own!
I’m so happy to be back in Wildwood Cove. Vivid descriptions actually gave me chills, from the gusty winds to the dangerous characters. The penultimate encounter with the murderer was an action packed surprise which led to my pulse pounding, spine tingling, and rapid page turning.
YEAST OF EDEN is a book of dichotomy and Sarah Fox illustrates this with aplomb. From the warm, cozy, and cheerful Flip Side with its fireplace and handmade decorations to the clinical, yet still gaudy Waffle Kingdom. The book also showcases relationships, from the solidifying romance of Marley and Brett to the just starting romance between Ivan and Lisa, and the various relationships between the suspects. There’s a lot of meaningful growth developing, which adds yet another layer to the story.
I love the characters here and am laughing at how Sienna is becoming Marley’s co-sleuth, making Marley realize how Brett and others feel when she snoops! I always love reading more about Ivan and loved his part in this story, although I’m not sure how I feel about his budding romance.
YEAST OF EDEN is a delightful addition to the Pancake House Mystery series. The mystery is compelling, but there’s more to the book that this well plotted mystery. The story also warms your heart and makes you hungry for some of Ivan’s delicious creations!
I just love the characters in the Pancake House Mystery series. Meeting up with Marley and friends again will be sure to bring a smile to your face. In Yeast of Eden, Marley is up against a not so new visitor to town, Wally, who wants to introduce the town folks to what he proclaims are the best waffles in his new Waffle Kingdom. Unfortunately Wally winds up on the floor of his own restaurant, dead. Meanwhile, Marley’s friend Lisa is the prime suspect and it’s up to Marley to try and prove Lisa’s innocence. While Marley is involved in her local mystery, her beau Brett, suffers a family emergency, taking him away from the action and away from Marley. You will be pleasantly pleased with the outcome of this wonderful story – Marley works her magic to the very last page! I really enjoy Sarah Fox’s style of writing. She makes you feel like the characters are some of your dearest friends and you care what happens next. I’m so glad this series continues and gets stronger with each new novel.
We all have those people we hope don’t reappear from our past. Wally Fowler is one such unwelcome returnee to Wildwood Cove in this fourth Pancake House Mystery,Yeast of Eden, by Sarah Fox. Flip Side Pancake House owner, Marley McKinney, is treated to Wally’s impervious narcissism when he appears in the pancake house and loudly proclaims how superior his waffle restaurant will be.
Wally has made enemies wherever he has been. When he turns up murdered, there are a slew of persons with possible motives. Yet the sheriff sets his eyes on Marley’s best friend, Lisa. So much for Marley leaving the sleuthing to the professionals!
I enjoy this series for many reasons. Marley, her boyfriend, Brett, and her coworkers and friends are very likable. (Still figuring out if I should cower around chef Ivan or treat him like a long-lost friend.) The language is clean, and there are no uncomfortable “too steamy” scenes to read. Fox describes the town and beach so invitingly, I can hear the crashing waves and smell the salty air.
It was fun to read about the different holiday foods at the restaurant, as well as how Wally was making his ice cream. We have a shop like that locally, which really piqued my interest in this novel.
I gratefully received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, for which I am responsible. I was not required to leave a positive review.
Pancakes, Waffles, Murder and Mystery
This cozy mystery takes place in a small town along the Pacific coast. It is an interesting mystery with lots of plot twists, suspects and motives. The characters are just as intriguing and believable. While this book is clean and cozy, it is not ‘squeaky clean’ with some PDA and off screen intimacy. I would rate it G, some may not. I loved the story and am interested in reading more of this author’s work. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.