Death Over Easy

Jumping into the series at book 5, I didn’t get a lot of spoilers from previous books. The most I could tell you is that in this world, a year ago, she found her father while working on a case. In this book, he comes with his wonderful new wife to visit Robbie and their visit gets a little longer and a lot more eventful than anyone expected. Summer is here and with it comes the Brown County Bluegrass Festival. This year is especially exciting since Robbie is adding an additional business to her already successful country store and restaurant. She’s opening the rooms above the store as a B&B and this will be her grand opening. While juggling the boost the festival will bring to her businesses, Robbie Jordan is looking forward to spending time with her father and step-mother too. Her boyfriend Abe will be performing at the festival and spending time getting to know Robbie’s family as well. These are the plans at least. Instead, Abe gets into an argument on-stage with a new edition to his group who later ends up dead. Robbie’s dad and step-mom are surprised to know the recently deceased as well. Pretty soon, it seems many of the people in Robbie’s life have some connection to the deceased and Robbie sets about trying to clear their names while looking into who could have committed the murder. Before she gets very far, there’s another murder that takes place. Are the two connected? Robbie is determined to find out.

Great story-building and wonderful characters. I did think that the romantic relationship between Abe and Robbie must have been pretty established in previous books because its development remained largely in the background despite it playing a part in the mystery and its solution. They seemed to have a very casual relationship like they’d either been together a very long time and knew what to expect from one another or like they were more good friends than deeply in love.

I think I did a fairly good job of figuring out the case but I had to wait for confirmation.

There are recipes such as Fried Apples, Asian Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad, Jane Carter’s Sugar Cream Pie, Kahlua Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches (need the brownie recipe from a previous book to make this), and Chicken with WIne-Mushroom Sauce,

Thank you to Kensington, Maddie Day, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book and share my thoughts and opinions with others.

Robbie Jordan, Pans ‘n Pancakes’ proprietor, has just opened the few rooms she’s been working on as a bed and breakfast, and it’s just in time for a visit from her father from Italy as well as the Bluegrass festival being held in the area. The biggest problem at the festival seems to be Pia Bianchi, a woman that annoys just about everyone who gets to know her. Then Pia’s body is found early one morning in a covered bridge in the area. With Robbie’s guests some of the police’s suspects, she finds herself in the thick of things again. Will she figure out what is going on?

This was a fun book in the series since it worked in several sub-plots that have been woven through the series – Robbie’s father and opening the bed and breakfast part of the business among others. These work themselves nicely into the mystery, providing a reason for Robbie to be involved and giving her access to gather clues. The suspects are great, and they provide us with some good twists before we reach the creative climax. The series has always featured some local (to southern Indiana) expressions to provide local color, but a couple of times, they started to annoy more than charm. Fortunately, those were rare moments that were over quickly. If you find yourself drooling over some of the food, you’ll be happy with the recipes at the end of the book.

Roberta “Robbie” Jordan is busy running her country store/café and has newly opened her B&B for business. Her first guests at the B&B include her father Roberto and his wife Maria visiting from Italy plus a few musicians in town for a bluegrass festival.

On the first night of the festival, Roberta and Maria recognize one of the performers as a young woman named Pia from their town in Italy. Pia is later found choked to death by a banjo string and there are many suspects that the police are looking at including Robbie’s father and stepmom, her boyfriend Abe, and the festival chairperson Sue. Can Robbie find the real murderer before someone she loves is booked for murder?

This is a cozy mystery with a strong female lead who has a knack for amateur sleuthing. The rest of the ensemble of characters include the usual quirky and witty townspeople, a laundry list of potential suspects, and for once a few police officers that are not bumbling idiots. It has a good plot and the author has a nice flow to her writing style. While this is a few books into the series, it can easily be read as a standalone without the reader getting confused by the storyline.

Synopsis:

Restaurateur Robbie Jordan is ready for the boost in business a local music festival brings to South Lick, Indiana, but the beloved event strikes a sour note when one of the musicians is murdered . . .

June’s annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in neighboring Beanblossom is always a hit for Robbie’s country store and café, Pans ‘N Pancakes. This year, Robbie is even more excited, because she’s launching a new bed and breakfast above her shop. A few festival musicians will be among Robbie’s first guests, along with her father, Roberto, and his wife, Maria. But the celebration is cut short when a performer is found choked to death by a banjo string. Now all the banjo players are featured in a different kind of lineup. To clear their names, Robbie must pair up with an unexpected partner to pick at the clues and find the plucky killer before he can conduct an encore performance . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Robbie is smart, hardworking and knows what she wants in life. Right now she wants to make her bread and breakfast a success. She also wants to spend quality time with her boyfriend, Abe. And when someone at the music festival is killed, she wants to figure out what happened and nail the culprit. It will not be easy but she feels she is up to the task. I enjoyed spending some time with her father and his wife and her employees. The secondary characters added to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and painted a clear picture of South Lick, Indiana and all of the town folk. The place is oozing southern charm and gossip, where everyone knows everyone’s business. I would like to rent a room in Robbie’s Bed and Breakfast and be a part of all the action.

The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the book. There were numerous clues to sift through and motives to consider when trying to solve this mystery. I think the ending will surprise you, which is always a good thing.

I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. The whole series is great and I encourage you to start reading it.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

In Maddie Day’s DEATH OVER EASY, murder upsets the rhythm of the Brown County Bluegrass Festival. It jangles the harmony of a family reunion of Robbie, her long-lost father, and his wife Maria, who is terrified of police. It even upsets the efficient kitchen choreography at Pans ’N Pancakes, pancakes burn and customers fume amid discussions of clues, suspects, and a missing beau. The kitchen and serving logistics, realistic menu options, seasoning to please the customers (can always add hot sauce individually), making sure to “fuel up” and take breaks, remind me of the Diner Dash game . . . and confirm my notion that I would not excel at restaurant work. The food descriptions and recipes whet my appetite, while the need for alibis worried me a bit. “At home, reading,” might not suffice. Practical ideas like installing a security camera and having clear rules, would be helpful for those thinking of opening a B&B.

Friends and allies are crucial, but how to know whom to trust? Suspects abound, and surprises astound in this most pleasurable adventure, and description puts the reader in the scene. I smiled at the handkerchief on the branch of a shagbark hickory because I have one in my yard. I love the friendly hospitality, and would love to drop in one day.

Wisdom and Things to Ponder:
“ . . . it felt like I’d always been here . . . a sign of being where you should be.”
“Nobody’s good at everything.”
“a woman happy with her self-image, despite not being anywhere near the body America’s advertising giants would have us all believe was ideal.” Huzzah!
Musing on terminology:“man bun . . . a stupid term, really. It was simply a bun. On a man.”

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day is the 5th in the Country Store Mystery series. You will think are in South Lick, Indiana. This is one of my favorite Cozy Mysteries and was excited to read this installment. I was not disappointed.
A Blue Grass Festival is taking place down the road in Beanblossom and Robbie has recently added a B&B over Pans and Pancakes. In addition to being a first time proprietor of a B&B, her father and his wife are in town for a visit. All seems to be going great until a performer is found murdered. Robbie is again on the hunt for the guilty person. She narrows down the possible suspects and then a second murder occurs. Are they connected or not, it does seem possible but she has her doubts.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end, a little romance, and some humor. It is an easy, enjoyable read with great flow.
You will want to visit Pans and Pancakes for a visit.
There are recipes included.
Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Welcome back to South Lick, Indiana and Robbie’s restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes! Fifth in the Country Store Mysteries, the one constant is that each mystery is better than the one previous. I like the characters; most are so down-to-earth and friendly. The foods Robbie and Danna prepare sound so tasty I can almost smell them cooking, and the mysteries are hard to solve. This time we enjoy a Bluegrass Festival through Robbie’s eyes.
This weekend is the first time Robbie will have guests in the upstairs B & B rooms, and she finds that it isn’t what she had hoped for. She did the carpentry and painting herself, having been taught by her mother, who died suddenly 1 ½ years ago. Two rooms are taken by musicians in the Festival, and the third with her father and stepmother from Italy. Her father, Roberto, had been a student in this country and after an accident, had to return suddenly. He never knew that the woman he loved, Robbie’s mother, was pregnant when he left, or that he had a daughter, and she didn’t know who her father was.
The Bluegrass Festival is in full swing, and Robbie and friends enjoy listening to the music by various bands. Her boyfriend, Abe, is part of a band that is playing. A young woman is playing with them for the first time and tries to change the playlist to include a song she wrote. It isn’t part of their agreement; she and Abe didn’t realize their mikes were live until their discussion was heard all around their stage. The group cooled down, they began to play, and all was well.
The next morning, Lt. Buck Bird of SLPD came to the restaurant and questioned several people regarding the murder of Pia, the young woman who had played with Abe’s band. She was a gifted singer and musician, studying at the nearby university, but not so much a people person. Many people are questioned, from Abe to Robbie’s staff. Robbie is determined to not get involved in another mystery, but when even her father and stepmother are suspected, she has to do something.
I love the “family” of staff Robbie has created at Pans ‘N Pancakes! We learn more about each person in each mystery, so there is always something new and special. Danna and her guy “Ize” Isaac are a sweet couple, but his unexplained disappearances cause challenges with the investigation, especially when a second person is found murdered, someone who has been an integral part of the community. I also enjoyed seeing Roberto and his wife Maria, and Robbie’s Aunt Adele.
Death Over Easy has a fresh, unique, hard-to-solve mystery. With the influx of musicians and visitors, finding the real killer could be harder than finding a needle in a haystack. The author is very creative with plot twists and turns, as well as the effects of those twists on people being questioned. This mystery was so gripping that, at one point when I looked up from a scene, I couldn’t figure out why there was so much more light in the room than in the woods I had envisioned being amidst! I was quite surprised at the full resolution to the murders! While there were some I had thought of as guilty, my solution didn’t measure up despite some of the clues the author shared. I highly recommend Death Over Easy. From the delightful cover with the banjo and little Birdy to the mystery and relationships, it is a not-to-be-missed part of the series!
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

I have enjoyed this series since the beginning. Robbie is a likable character and the setting is realistic. In this one, we get to see Robbie interacting with her father and his wife. They even get involved a little with the murder.

The one, minor, irritation was the author continually using the word Italian in relation to Robbie’s visitors. “Robbie’s Italian father”, etc. First of all, she only has one father, and yes, the reader has gotten the fact (from previous books or the first time it is mentioned in this book for new readers) that her father and stepmother are Italian. Basta, per favore! If I recall correctly one or two other items were repeated.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Robbie’s father and stepmother are finally visiting from Italy when things go off the rails with a murder or two! Once again Robbie jumps in to figure out what is going on and could she be letting the murderer sleep under her roof in her newly opened B&B? Great plot, excellent characters and superb narration make this audio series a must listen!!!

So Good! Each book in the series gets better.