For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana—until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . . As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans ‘N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic … know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes—and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur’s knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?
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Cozy mystery filled with interesting characters.
Synopsis:
For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana–until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .
As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans ‘N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes–and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur’s knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer? (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well wounded and well developed. I enjoyed getting to spend time with Robbie, her aunt Adele and her friends. Robbie works hard to keep her cafe/store successful and her friends are always ready to help her in any way they can. I found the sayings and southern ways endearing and they really made me feel like I was in a quaint southern town. The nosiness of the citizens and the helpfulness of them also added to this feeling.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, visiting Pans ‘N Pancakes, and it made my hungry. The mystery was well paced and had enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through that it was not an easy one to solve. I had the culprit narrowed down to two and I was right with one of them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This is a relaxing read with lots of southern charm and a series definitely worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS in the Country Store Mystery Series is a riveting cozy murder mystery that has you on the edge of your seat at times while you’re pulling for Robbie Jordan to solve the case before anyone else gets hurt, including Robbie.
The characters in the book are enduring, colorful and times irritating like lots of small town folks. You will fall in love with townsfolk as well as their quaint southern sayings. If like me, a southerner, it will make you smile remembering hearing them from the time you were a small child. There’s a nice mix of nationalities, genders and ages in this book which I found really nice.
The story is face paced making you to want to keep reading. I know it was very hard for me to put the book down. It has a bit of romance with the continued involvement between Robbie and Abe, but it takes a back seat to the case of the whodunit mystery.
I was glad she included some of the recipes for the dishes that were mentioned in the book. Made my mouth water when they were mentioned in the book and I know I’ll definitely be trying them!
Maddie Day did NOT disappoint us in BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS! I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see what adventures Robbie and the town of South Like, Indiana can get into.
The Maple festival is in full swing when a dead body threatens to disrupt the fun for everyone! An excellent plot with a strong female main character always makes for a good book, but this one is definitely worth a read or listen as the case may be. I will say the narrator does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. I am absolutely loving the series and this book definitely keeps the love rolling!
It’s the annual maple syrup festival in South Lick, Indiana and Robbie is holding a breakfast themed cook off featuring maple syrup at her restaurant. Tourists are pouring in for the event and her restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes is busier than ever. When a visiting professor, whom almost no one likes due to his demeanor, is found dead rumors start to fly. There are numerous people he had arguments with and all are suspects. Who would want him dead and why? When one of Robbie’s friends is targeted as a suspect she does some investigating on her own. I love the characters in this series and the mystery is well written. As an added bonus there are a few delicious recipes included. I happily recommend this book!
Could this story have been anymore messed up? We get a new employee plunked into the story (no intro, no getting to know you, just plunk). Sorry but I kinda need a little more. Then it was like Robbie couldn’t for the life of her stay home. Almost constant going here and there (stay home for 5 seconds, geez). It was a interesting story but I found it busy.
Entertaining read. Kept me guessing…
The whole series was great
Cute characters… good light read!
Ok for summer fun reading!
Finally finished this book today. One thing I liked about it was that the main character took common sense precautions for herself when she knew she might be in danger. Why don’t more writers do this for their characters? It kept me reading a book I would have normally given up on before reaching the end.
The story is ok. Moves along quickly. But, the reader has people from the Boston area and the midwestern characters have southern accents….kinda confusing
Quick read
Fun quick read
A major job in prejudices. I couldn’t get through the first chapter. Religious, environmental, and everyday prejudices. The author is from CA and I’m living in CA right now and I can tell you thank you and your welcome are not common place when ordering food. You can also fill coffee several times without the customer looking up from their phone or iPad. This does not make them the villain or necessarily a bad person. I read to enjoy and this was not enjoyable. No more from this series nor author.
March brings a maple syrup festival to Brown County, Indiana, and Robbie Jordan is hoping to snag some of the tourists into her shop, Pans ‘N Pancakes. However, the festival has also brought Dr. Warren Connolly to town, a professor hated for many reasons. He is found murdered one morning before the day’s events can get started, and the police begin to look at one of Robbie’s friends as the killer. Then a local maple syrup farmer goes missing. What is going on?
I thought we might be in for some lectures as Dr. Connolly is first introduced to us as a climate change denier, however, this was dropped after the second chapter as we begin to find real motives for his murder. In fact, we get several strong motives and suspects that kept me turning pages and guessing until the end. While I missed one of the regular characters, the rest were present and accounted for and were as charming as ever. The setting is fantastic, too. I’d love to visit Robbie’s store.
I received this book in exchange for a true and honest review. Biscuits and Slashed Browns is the fourth book in the Maddie Day/Edith Maxwell Country Store Mysteries. Having read her first book, Stirring the Plot, I was certainly honored and delighted to review Biscuits and Slashed Browns.
Robbie Jordan is the owner of Pans and Pancakes, a country store and restaurant located in South Lick Indiana. As part of the Brown County National Maple Syrup Festival, Robbie has arranged for a themed cook-off at her store. The conference of Scientists who are discussing global warming and the effect on the maple trees.
Of course, one of the Professors-Scientists is not well liked and has quite a few enemies in attendance at the conference and and in the town. When the professor ends up dead, and a scientist goes missing, Robbie is determined to figure out who the killer is.
Biscuits and Slashed Browns is a great cozy mystery. The characters are an eclectic mix, the plot believable, and the recipes will leave you wanting for more. (There are a few in the back of the book – another reason I love this series.
I have enjoyed getting to know Robbie and the people of South Lick. I am already anticipating the next book!
I’ve loved this series from the very first page of book one, FLIPPED FOR MURDER. The characters, the location, and of course author Maddie Day’s writing, continue to bring me back again and again.
BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS was a fast paced tale, with a well plotted mystery that left me hanging onto my seat through all of the twists and turns. When the action packed reveal came, I was really taken by surprise.
Another delightful installment of the Country Store Mysteries, BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS is one mystery fans will want to add to their ever growing TBRs.
As always, you’ll find some amazing, tasty recipes at the back of the book.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We arrive in South Lick just in time for the 5th Annual National Maple Syrup Festival. The cook-off will be held at Pans ‘N Pancakes and Robbie is excited about her maple flavored entry, Maple Curry Biscuits. There is also a conference on maple tree science with many professors taking part. Some of them will also be judging the cook-off. Professor Warren Connolly from Boston is one of the judges. Robbie finds he not well liked by his fellow academics. When the man is found dead at another festival event, stabbed with a chef’s knife that happens to belong to Robbie’s friend and her employee’s father, a research biochemist disappears Robbie finds herself trying to find a missing person and a murderer. Could they both be the same person?
Robbie is running her butt off quite literally in this story. One worker is searching for his dad and her assistant Danna injured herself at a volleyball tournament so she is unable to work. Visitors are pouring into town and into Pans ‘N Pancakes and most of the time Robbie is doing the cooking, the waitressing, and bussing the tables. Her plate is overflowing and she doesn’t have much time to investigate anything, but she does and gets herself into some mighty stick situations too.
I have enjoyed this series from the start. Ms. Day has created wonderful characters. The dialect of the area and the dialogue including some authentic expressions make these stories so much fun to read.
The pacing is swift and so much happens within these pages that is very difficult to put the book down. There was a little shakeup in the police department. The new/old investigating detective is very unique. Buck is back with his overly hearty appetite to keep Robbie in the loop of the investigation as much as he can. The suspect pool isn’t too deep but they all have a motive in one way or another so it wasn’t an easy mystery to solve.
I have to mention the setting at Pans ‘N Pancakes. I have a clear picture of it in my head, not sure how truly accurate it is, but a place that serves food like Robbie does, decked out with all kinds of old kitchen gadgets sounds like my kind of place. She is also adding rooms to the place and her first guest should be arriving in the next book. It is definitely a place I would love to visit.
“Biscuits and Slashed Browns” earns 5/5 Maple-Infused Murder…Delicious!
I am new to the Country Store Mystery series penned by Maddie Day, aka Edith Maxwell, and was so entertained by “Biscuits and Slashed Browns” that I now consider myself a big fan! In Maddie Day’s fourth book, she immediately grabbed my interest with the professional conflict between Professors Sonia Genest, a lifelong resident, and Warren Connolly, visitor from Boston College. They vied for the same grant money that Connolly was ultimately awarded, but also butt heads on Connolly’s scientific opinions possibly tied to accepting money for his research from those who set to deny climate change, an engaging contemporary issue. Even Dr. Sajit Roa, owner of a local maple farm, forcefully questions Connolly’s ethics. Prof. Connolly has come to South Lick, Indiana, for an academic conference on maple tree science which happens to coincide with Brown County’s fifth annual Maple Festival. Residents of South Lick are extremely excited, hoping tourists will flock to a variety of activities including cook-offs and sugaring demos. Robbie Jordan, owner/chef of Pans ‘n Pancakes, joins in the festivities by arranging and participating in a breakfast-themed cook off…maple syrup inspired treats will be highlighted. So, Maddie Day has brought us a deliciously engaging mystery serving up a warm plate of “Karma” for us to enjoy. Connolly is found dead, but is it professionally or personally motivated? Dr. Roa is missing, and the murder weapon belongs to one of Robbie’s close friend who may have been physically assaulted by Connolly. It is delightfully not a cut and dry investigation which successfully challenged my inner “Sherlock.” Page turning excitement! Deliciously clever! A favorite for 2018!
Realistic is definitely a good adjective for Maddie Day’s book. Along with Robbie managing the store/restaurant, for which the author provides some mouthwatering descriptions, she uses a realistic investigating style of informally interviewing key players and logically piecing together the clues she uncovers. She works cooperatively with, not circumvent, law enforcement which adds to the realism, and the conclusion, although there is some nail-biting peril, was reasonable and very entertaining. But the most engaging part of the book is the characters (diverse in background and ethnicity) with their interactions (excellent dialogue and Hoosier perspectives). Weaving through the story we have the evolving relationship between Robbie and Abe O’Neill, ins and outs of owning a small business, living in a small community, and maple…trees, processes, and treats. Yes, inspired by Pans ‘n Pancakes menu and Robbie’s yummy delicacies we have her contest entry Maple Curry Biscuits, her aunt Adele’s Cracked Wheat Bread, Robbie’s Roasted Garlic Hummus, Chocolate Biscotti, and a favorite for Robbie to serve for dinner is Eggplant Bake. I highly recommend this book, a standalone in my opinion, but newbies be prepared to want extra helpings by visiting South Lick from the beginning.
Biscuits and Slashed Browns by Maddie Day is the fourth book in A Country Store Mystery series. Robbie Jordan owns Pans ‘N Pancakes in South Lick, Tennessee. It is March and time for the Fifth Annual Brown County Maple Festival. Robbie has arranged for a breakfast cook off to be held at her restaurant and Robbie will be making her maple biscuits. Professor Warren Connolly is one of the judges for the contest, but several people are not happy with him. Robbie witnesses him having a disagreement with Professor Sonia Genest and Dr. Sajit Rao. The next morning Warren is found dead by the sugar shack on the Rao’s maple farm. The murder weapon turns out to be one of Christina James’ Tojiro knives. Christina is Robbie’s best friend and she has an excellent motive for wishing harm to come to Warren. Robbie knows that her friend did not kill Warren and sets out to find the culprit. The suspect list is quite long since Warren seemed to make enemies wherever he ventured. Then Robbie’s prime suspect, Sajit goes missing. While searching for Sajit, Robbie stumbles upon an illegal venture. Will Robbie find the killer, or will she end up the next victim?
Biscuits and Slashed Browns is well-written and entertaining. The book was easy to read and had a good pace. The characters are well-developed, colorful and relatable (they will remind you of your family and friends). I appreciate that the author includes characters of various ages and nationalities. I enjoy the great small-town locale. While Biscuits and Slashed Browns is the fourth book in the series, it can be read alone. The author provides readers with Robbie’s history and touches on past storylines. There is a dash of romance which plays out softly in the background. I like that Abe supports Robbie in her sleuthing (though he does worry about her). The mystery was nicely woven into the story, there are several suspects and the author provided good clues to aid readers. I love the vintage implements featured in the story. The cozy elements include family, friends, the making of maple syrup, cooking, Southern colloquialisms, humor, romance and a smidgen of jealousy. There are recipes included at the end of the book. Biscuits and Slashed Browns is my favorite book in A Country Store Mystery series.