The Agatha Award–winning author of Wreath Between the Lines returns to the Cookbook Nook, where culinary mysteries are giving everyone food for thought . . .Book clubs from all over have descended on Crystal Cove to celebrate the library’s Book Club Bonanza week, and Jenna Hart has packed the Cookbook Nook with juicy reads and tasty cookbooks. But she’s most excited about spending an evening with … spending an evening with the Mystery Mavens and their moveable feast, when they will go from house to house to share different culinary treats and discuss the whodunit they’re all reading. It’s all good food and fun for the savvy armchair detectives, until one of the members of the group is found murdered at the last stop on the tour.
As if that weren’t enough to spoil her appetite, Jenna discovers that all the evidence points to her friend Pepper as being the guilty party. And with Pepper’s chief-of-police daughter too close to the case to be impartial, Jenna knows she’ll have to step in to help clear her friend’s name before a bitter injustice sends her to jail. Sifting through the clues, Jenna unearths any number of possible culprits, but she’ll have to cook up a new way to catch the killer before Pepper’s goose is cooked . . .
Includes tasty sweet and savory recipes!
Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries:
“There’s a feisty new amateur sleuth in town and her name is Jenna Hart. With a bodacious cast of characters, a wrenching murder, and a collection of cookbooks to die for, Daryl Wood Gerber’s Final Sentence is a page-turning puzzler of a mystery that I could not put down.” —Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Cupcake Mysteries and Library Lovers Mysteries
“In Final Sentence, the author smartly blends crime, recipes, and an array of cookbooks that all should covet in a witty, well-plotted whodunit.” —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries
“Readers will relish the extensive cookbook suggestions, the cooking primer, and the whole foodie phenomenon. Gerber’s perky tone with a multigenerational cast makes this series a good match for Lorna Barrett’s Booktown Mystery series . . .” —Library Journal
“So pull out your cowboy boots and settle in for a delightful read. Grilling the Subject is a delicious new mystery that will leave you hungry for more.” —Carstairs Considers Blog
About the Author:
Agatha Award–winning and nationally bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber is the author of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, the Cheese Shop Mysteries (as Avery Aames), and stand-alone suspense thrillers. Little known facts about Daryl are that she’s jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, has hitchhiked around Ireland by herself, and has appeared on an episode of Murder, She Wrote. She loves to read, cook, and golf, and has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line!
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Sifting Through the Clues is Book 8 in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber.
I do believe these books just keep getting better and better with each one. I love visiting Jenna, Rhett, family and friends in Crystal Cove, California. Every book is a new event or festival that I enjoy visiting.
You can’t go wrong reading anything Daryl Wood Gerber has written.
Sifting Through Clues is book eight of the Cookbook Nook Series by Daryl Wood Gerber, Though it is book 8, it can be read as a stand alone as there is enough back story through out that you will be caught up. Having read all of the series, you will want to read them all.
The owner of the Cookbook Nook is the protagonist, Jenna, and she is looking forward to the evening as The Mystery Mavens are having a moveable feast. On one of the stops, she finds one of the Mavens and a shop owner, dead in her kitchen. When a friend, another shop owner, is the prime suspect, Jenna is again on the search for a murderer.
You have plenty of twists and turns that have you guessing until the end. You have a great setting, Crystal Cove, California, lovable characters, friendship, romance, and even some humor.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley for an honest review.
A great book with very intriguing and interesting characters. I really must go back and read the entire series as this book is the eight in the series and I want to get to know the characters even better. When one of the shop owners is murdered, other shop owners start looking at each other as the possible villain. The gals at the Cookbook Nook, a shop I would love to visit, decide they have to find out who before chaos ensues! The story was well written and plotted in a manner that had me staying up late turning pages to find out who did it! While I did enjoy the book very much and don’t feel that I was lost by not reading the previous book, I do want to go back and read any others in the series that I missed so I can spend more time with the characters while I wait for the author to write another book for the series!
Crystal Cove is very busy with tourists thanks to the Library’s Book Club Bonanza week. Soon the town will get ready for Spring Fling, New decorations will be put up.
Jenna’s book club the Mystery Mavens is getting ready for their discussion. They will go to four homes and discuss the book as well as eating a different course at each house. The last house is Ivy Beale, and Jenna discovers she has been murdered.
Another murder and this time evidence is pointing toward Pepper, the mother of the Chief of Police.
Jenna is asked to stay out of the investigation, well we all know that is not go I g to happen! Can Jenna help the Police find the killer? Lots of secrets exposed and suspects are plenty. Twists and turns and red herrings to keep you guessing.
Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
Loved this book and the entire series! I could read these books over and over again. In this book, the woman who owned the Dreamcatcher store, a shop that sold stones and spiritual items, is found murdered in a ritualistic way. There are many suspects, including the chief of police’s mother. Jenna gets roped into investigating all while helping Bailey prepare for the birth of her baby and dealing with town festivities. I love spending time with these characters and hope there will be more books to come!
This is a good whodunit. It kept me guessing through the whole story. I thought I knew, but didn’t know for sure until the end. Jenna is setting up for book clubs and her book club is having a progressive dinner. When they get to the last house, there is a dead body. Jenna’s friend Pepper is the prime suspect, but there are plenty of other suspects. Cinnamon isn’t crazy about Jenna’s help even if she does have lots of theories and some good gossip to pass along. Love the characters in this series and can’t wait for more.
Spring has sprung in Crystal Cove, California
Sifting Through the Clues by Daryl Wood Gerber is the eighth book in this fantastic series that I wish I found earlier. The whole cast of characters was excellent, and I liked every minute of reading about their lives. Ms. Gerber has a great series on her hands. I can’t wait to read the next novel. This book has a bunch of twists and turns in it which made trying to figure out whodunit even harder.
What I like:
• Written in first person narrative works so well in this novel and I loved it. We get to know more about the main character, and I liked being able to learn about her this way. We also get to try to solve it through her eyes and see if we can solve it first.
• For the brief moments, we get to meet Tigger, this fantastic cat. He knows how to make anyone happy just by being near them.
• The sleuth and the cop on the force are different here, and I love it. Jenna has it two ways. Her aunt is dating a cop, and of course, her best friend is the chief of police.
• I loved the high tea and mentions of food in here since it is a culinary cozy. The recipes in the book sound so good, I can’t wait to try some.
• That despite everything that has happened in the past books that Cinnamon, the chief of police, wants Jenna’s help and that they have a good friendship.
What I don’t like:
That I didn’t find this series earlier. I am a bit peeved at myself for not figuring it out who did it since I am pretty good at that, but I got so lost in all the red herrings. Though I didn’t like that Jenna didn’t try to talk to Cinnamon faster about her findings.
Five Star
Sifting Through the Clues by Daryl Wood Gerber is a brilliant book, and I was so happy to get acquainted with this small town of Crystal Cove, California and its crazy citizens. I am putting the first seven of these books on my TBR list. I am giving it a five-star rating and recommending it to anyone that likes cozy mysteries with a culinary kick.
Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by,
Karen the Baroness.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tour. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
If you would like to read more reviews like this one please go to baronessbooktrove.com
SIFTING THROUGH CLUES by Daryl Wood Gerber
The Eighth Cookbook Nook Mystery
Jenna Hart is preparing the Cookbook Nook for yet another festival, this time a celebration of book clubs. The key event for Jenna’s club is a progressive dinner where members move from house to house eating and discussing their book of choice. Their final stop brings the fun to a dead end…literally. Ivy, the woman who seemed to know everyone’s secrets, is lying dead on her kitchen floor, stabbed with a piece of rose quartz. Now Jenna’s looking for a killer while watching over her very pregnant best friend and planning her own upcoming nuptials.
How things have changed! When we first met Pepper seven books ago she was an angry, nasty woman who despised Jenna. Now, not only are they friends, but Jenna knows she’s incapable of murder. No matter how guilty she appears, Jenna will hunt for the truth in order to protect her. It’s this evolution of character that keeps me coming back to Crystal Cove, that and the food, as well as the mystery.
It may not be Father’s Day, but this eighth Cookbook Nook Mystery brings a lot of dads to the scene, including Pepper’s ex-husband. Are fathers stepping up to the plate, or are their motives more unsavory? I enjoyed the metaphysical aspects found here, from Aunt Vera’s tarot readings to the offerings of Ivy’s store, Dreamcatcher. I especially loved the significance of the crystals and their part in the story.
SIFTING THROUGH CLUES is a character driven mystery that highlights books and food with a dash of murder in a cozy Californian community.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
This was a great little cozy read. Jenna and her friends run a cook book store and cafe. One of the ladies in their book club is found murdered — by Jenna and the book club! I enjoyed the characters. There were a variety of personalities, some and bit cranky, others fun and perky. There were lots of clues, but I wasn’t completely sure who the murderer was until the big reveal. This is not the first book in the series, but I think there is enough information given that it is easy to get the characters straight. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good cozy.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
Northern California Coastal Town Based Cozy Mystery
This cozy mystery takes place in a northern California coastal town. The story has a lot of romance, new age mysticism, fortune telling, food, wine, and books. The plot is good and builds on books earlier in the series, it can stand alone. The author goes into significant detail about clothing, the pairing of wine and food, plating of food, crafts, book clubs, etc. There is certainly enough here to interest any reader. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
This was my first book by this author but I really enjoyed it. I loved all the characters and the interactions between them all. The mystery mixed with the book clubs, food, and small town charm were well developed.
Well worth it.
“Sifting Through the Clues” is another fabulous installment in the amazing Cookbook Nook Mystery series. Author Daryl Wood Gerber knows how to make characters come to life and draw the reader into the mystery. I was hooked from the start. I love visiting Crystal Cove and delight in all the festivals they have. In this one, I got to enjoy the Book Club Bonanza Week. So many books, so much fun and of course a murder. Jenna Hart is a wonderful protagonist that leads with her heart and follows with her intelligence. Yes it can get her in trouble, put her in danger, but when those she cares about are in trouble, she is going to step in and do what she can to get to the bottom of things.
Jenna is excited about the activity her book club is going to have to celebrate the week of fun. They are having a moveable feast, each person will have something delicious at their house. They get to discuss the book they are reading while enjoying different treats at each house. Unfortunately, Jenna and friends find one of their host at the last stop dead. No treats to be had at her house. Jenna does not want to get involved again, but when one of their members becomes a prime suspect, what else can she do. The problem this time is that she will need to be even more careful with chief of police Cinnamon. Her mother Pepper is the key suspect.
As always when I read a book by this prolific author, I am catapulted to the setting of the book. I could smell the delicious treats being made, see the tents full of wonderful items to be purchased, hear the crowds. It is truly a gift that Daryl Wood Gerber has and brings to us readers. “Sifting Through the Clues” is another intriguing mystery that kept me captivated until I turned the last page.
I was given a copy of the book by the author. The opinion I express is completely my own and not influenced by this at all.
Book Club Bonanza week has arrived and book clubbers from all over are congregating in Crystal Cove. Jenna as packed her store the Cookbook Nook full of cookbooks and food-related fiction. Jenna enjoys hosting different events in her store and visiting the vendors set up around town but what she is looking forward to the most is her book club’s event. Jenna is part of the Mystery Mavens book club which is hosting a traveling feast and book discussions, with each course held at a different Maven’s home. When they arrive at the last house for the dessert discussion they find a body. If the murder isn’t enough to upset Jenna, one of her friends is the prime suspect. Can Jenna find clues to the real killer?
This is a wonderful addition to a wonderful series. This book is one of my favorites in this series. The cast of characters is witty, interesting, and authentic. This celebration of books and book clubs is a celebration I can really get behind. I wish there was a similar festival near me to attend. The mystery is well plotted with a lot of red herrings and twists and turns to keep the reader engaged in the story. The setting has a wonderful cozy small town feel and reading the book feels like visiting with old friends. Recipes are included at the end of the book for the foodie and cookbook fan. I recommend this book to fans of author Daryl Wood Gerber, mysteries, food, and books.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
I really liked this latest installment in Daryl Wood Gerber’s Cookbook Nook Mysteries. In Sifting Through Clues, Crystal Cove is holding a book club festival that has brought lots of readers, book clubs and business to town. Cookbook Nook owner, Jenna Hart, is especially excited about the progressive dinner planned with her book club. When one of the destinations reveals a murdered club member, Jenna is on the case.
There are several interesting new characters introduced in this book that add additional intrigue and mystery to Jenna’s search, along with some surprising revelations that could make this investigation her last.
Crystal Cove is a welcoming and fun setting for this book, and the book club theme is inspired. I feel like the residents there are good friends and love revisiting them. I also appreciate the cozy foodie book and cookbook recommendations and the great recipes featured at the end of the book.
I highly recommend Sifting Through Clues and know you will love it as well — it is truly a delight.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
Everything that is wonderful about a cozy mystery can be found in the latest Cookbook Nook installment. Though this is the eighth in a series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone book, which speaks volumes about the author’s ability to weave a charming tale. When a member of the Mystery Mavens book club is found murdered, there is no shortage of suspects. Though the local police, lead by Cinnamon Pritchett, are doing their best, Jenna can’t help hearing the talk around town and starts conducting her own investigation. As more secrets are uncovered and the stakes get higher, Jenna must figure out this clever whodunit before it’s too late.
Filled with a cast of quirky characters, picturesque settings, and mouthwatering food (recipes included!), Sifting Through Clues will have you tearing through the pages like you haven’t eaten — I mean, READ — in days!!
Sifting Through the Clues is the eighth addition to the fantastically cozy Cookbook Nook series by Daryl Wood Gerber. The story begins as Jenna and her book club friends are excited to be discussing their current book by traveling to four of the members’ homes to discuss the book at each while eating a different course provided at each stop. At their fourth and final stop, however, Jenna finds their host dead on the floor! The initial clues point to Pepper, Jenna’s friend and fellow business owner as the killer, but Jenna does not believe Pepper could ever kill anyone and wants to help prove her innocence. Yet, Cinnamon, the town sheriff and Pepper’s daughter, tells Jenna to stay out of the investigation by letting the police figure things out. Riiiiiight, like that’s going to happen…we all know that our fearless and innately curious Jenna is going to stop at nothing to sort through the suspects and their secrets in order to prevent her friend from going to prison for a crime she did not commit! So many twists, turns, surprises, and red herrings throughout this book, and I was genuinely surprised when the real killer was exposed. To read any book by Daryl Wood Gerber is like reconnecting with old friends because the characters are so relatable, and Sifting Through the Clues is no exception. The relationships Jenna shares with her friends and family are realistic and engaging, and I love the way I feel connected to all of them through Ms Wood Gerber’s writing in this series. Also, the charming setting of this series, the fictitious small town of Crystal Cove, California, sounds like just the perfect spot for a weekend getaway…if only it were a real place! Can’t wait to go back there in the next book of this fabulous series!
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jenna Hart wants to share books and food with her friends and neighbors, but once again, she finds herself in the thick of things, not where she wanted to be. This a great addition to a wonderful series. I love the book recommendations, and the food that is mentioned makes my mouth water. The book flows, and the twists and turns kept me engaged from beginning to end. Daryl Wood Gerber writes fantastic books, and I highly recommend you read this series!