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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This was my 1st book by the author. But it definitely won’t be my last. Even though it’s #8 in the series I never felt lost . The Cast of Characters at the front was a big help. Not only does it tell you who they are related to, but what businesses they own or work for. At the start I referred to it frequently, but, the author does a great job of giving you enough background that eventually I didn’t need it anymore.
Pros=
The town of Crystal Cove is almost it’s own character. It is so well described that it’s easy to picture in my mind’s eye. And, I like what I see. Only wish I could go there! What a great variety of shops. And I liked how it was mentioned that there are several diners, bakeries & candy stores. That’s very realistic. As a Floridian, where every town is a tourist town, or wants to be,I think we could actually learn from Crystal Cove. The book club festival idea was very unique.
The characters are very well rounded & fleshed out. They come across as real people. I liked everyone I met. Although Cinnamon came across as a little bitchy towards Jenna. They are supposed to be friends after all. I actually liked that she was cranky, but I just didn’t really understand why. I mean in real life we all know people who are that way. Jenna was very smart & didn’t take stupid risks.She also spent the majority of her time actually running her business & living her life, not snooping. Most of her “detective” work was by thinking about things & talking to her friends about things.
I thought the pacing was perfect. It never dragged or had me losing interest. Most importantly, the ending wasn’t rushed.
I really liked how many books the author mentioned. However, I don’t cook, so a few cozy books revolving around the same topic would have been nice. But I thought it was very generous of her to give shout outs to so many other books.
Cons=
Aside from wishing for a few cozy recommendations, the only con I have is one cringe worthy line towards the end of the book. “Of course,yes, my darling man.” It just didn’t ring true to Jenna, & seemed more fitting for a cheap romance novel. A very minor complaint.
I did think the killer was fairly obvious, but how they’d be caught & red herrings had me wondering several times.
Bottom Line=
An excellent, well written book. I highly recommend this book. You’ll enjoy your visit to Crystal Cove.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, & if you read my other reviews, you’ll see I write honest reviews.
Sifting through Clues is the eighth delightful installment in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone, but why would you not want to read to. I recommend reading all the books in this charming culinary mystery series. I thought Sifting through Clues was well-written and it progresses at a steady clip. The author provides descriptions that allowed me to visualize the characters, their shops and the tourist friendly town (I would love to visit this town). The characters are friendly and developed. There is also a quirky character or two (like Aunt Vera) which is guaranteed to provide humor. Tigger, Jenna’s cat, is back with his feline antics and to provide cuddles when needed. I like that the author provides a cast of characters at the beginning of the book which helped to refresh my memory. There is plenty going on in our characters lives. Bailey is expecting her first baby, Tina is having boyfriend trouble, Cinnamon’s father whom she has never met has come to town, Crusibella wants to buy Ivy’s shop, Pepper is having trust issues regarding her male suitor, the town is flooded with tourists for the Book Club bonanza plus Jenna and Rhett cannot decide on a wedding date or venue (I told you it was busy). I enjoyed the references to cookbooks and other cozy mysteries. I had to laugh when Jenna noticed To Brie or Not to Brie (by our esteemed author) in the window of the local cheese shop. I liked the unique mystery. It starts with a rose quartz crystal sticking out of the victim’s chest. There are other items with unique symbolism (you will have to read the book to find out more). It was interesting to learn about crystals and what they represent. There are good clues to aid readers in solving the crime plus a red herring or two and plenty of suspects. Jenna wore some book themed t-shirts with cute sayings on them. Two of my favorites were “Good things come to those who read” and “There is no friend as loyal as a book”. There are recipes at the end of the book for the tasty sweet and savory items featured (Katie created some sumptuous offerings for the Nook Café). I look forward to the next A Cookbook Nook Mystery to learn if Jenna and Rhett pick a wedding venue (great opportunity for an out of town mystery). Sifting through Clues is one of those books that you want to read quickly to find out what happens, but you also do not want it to end.
This is a well written mystery and I was captivated from the start. I love it when I get drawn into a story and can picture everything in my mind. I loved the characters and that they listed them in the front which helped as I had not read any previous installments in the series. There were lots of clues, twists and turns with a bunch of suspects to choose from.
I found it was filled with quirky characters, picturesque settings, references to other books and yummy food. I always enjoy a story with these ingredients!
There are lots of great recipes at the end that would be fun to try.
I highly recommend to all my cozy mystery friends!
I received a complimentary ARC from Beyond the Page Publishing through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I just love this series! Each new installment is even better then the last with this not being an exception. We catch back up with Jenna during the busy week of Book Club Bonanza which has the most adorable literary theme of course which is just full of the most remarkable little details. The Cookbook Book is participating with their culinary theme. I wish this shop existed because I would have so much fun there. During a travelling book club dinner they arrive at the dessert spot I my to find the host murdered. Well of course Jenna gets involved which makes for a fascinating adventure. Gerber does an incredible job of blending all the different parts of this story together in a way that truly captivates the reader while the mystery keeps them guessing. A must read for fans of culinary cozies. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Sifting Through Clues was a selection I made through NetGalley because I’d already read and enjoyed another series by Daryl Wood Gerber. Normally, I’d begin with the first in a series but since this was number 8, I didn’t have time to catch up. I decided to start here, and if I liked it, I planned to go back to read the rest. So… I will be going back to read the rest!
Gerber has writing chops in the cozy mystery world. She knows how to create vivid characters, puzzling plots, and gorgeous settings. In this caper, a book club group holds a progressive dinner, where attendees go from house to house in their neighborhood to sample different foods from other members and discuss the book. Unfortunately, when they arrive at one house, the woman is dead! She’d caused an uproar earlier that week with several members, and she might’ve been stealing boyfriends and secrets. Which book club member wanted her dead? Or was it someone else who had payback in mind?
I really enjoyed the setting in this one. From smiling about all the different shops to learning about the various women in the protagonist’s life, I found ample connections and fun dialog. Gerber plugs a lot of her own books and other people’s books, which is fun but also a bit much at times. Nothing at all to worry about, it’s kinda cute. I do want to visit the maison in her French series, so it was a welcome tie-in this time. I’m glad we had a list of characters in the beginning because there are a lot to keep track of, and that’s coming from an author who has 120 in his first four books. I totally get it! Gerber is careful to repeat necessary info / relationships without it seeming odd, leading readers to quickly remember who is who and what might be going on. Kudos to that success!
Our amateur sleuth has an interesting relationship with the detective, Cinnamon. I like the banter, and I’m curious what happened in earlier books. The murder is strong, and there are tons of suspects. I really enjoyed this one and will be reading others in the series.
Spring has sprung in Crystal Cove, and the town is celebrating all things book club. Clubs from neighboring towns have come to advertise their clubs and Jenna Hart is letting the Cookbook Nook be used to host some of the book discussions happening during the week. But she’s most excited about the progressive dinner that her own book club, the Mystery Mavens, is planning for Saturday night. However, the night ends in tragedy when they arrive at their last stop and find their final hostess, Ivy Beale, dead on her kitchen floor. Ivy had a reputation of knowing everyone’s secrets, and Jenna had seen her clashing with several people in town recently. Was that what got her killed?
One thing I love about the series is the different themes that author Daryl Wood Gerber works in via the town’s events, and book clubs is one that will appeal to all readers. The mystery is strong, with some unusual elements that Jenna must figure out in order to solve the case. I felt the suspects are good and kept me guessing as I went along. The climax was a lot of fun and perfectly wrapped things up. There is a large cast of characters, and I love spending time with them. However, at times it can be hard to remember all the connections, so I was thankful for the list of characters at the beginning of the book. My biggest issue is the relationship between Jenna and Cinnamon Pritchett, the chief of police. They are supposed to be good friends, but I don’t see it based on their interactions here. I get why Cinnamon behaves the way she does, but we need to see more of the friendship between them. We got over a dozen recipes at the end, some sweet and some savory, and many of them give us regular and gluten free versions. Fans of Daryl’s other series will enjoy the Easter eggs she slipped into this book; I know I did.
Possible spoilers for over-arcing themes of this series if you haven’t read previous volumes.
Jenna is in another busy time but, really, when is she not? The Cookbook Nook is super busy with the theme of the week and Jenna’s employees and friends are all experiencing struggles as well. On the personal front, Bailey and Tito are awaiting the arrival of their bundle of joy and Jenna and Rhett have decided to become more proactive about their wedding planning and at least decide on a date and select a venue. They decide to delay a venue-choosing trip until a less busy time for both of them. Jenna also continues her trend of discovering bodies when she comes across the body of a neighbor in her own (the neighbour’s) home.
I enjoyed this book though I thought there was less actual investigation in this book than in previous volumes I’ve read in this series. In this one, Jenna seemed a more passive participant in the mystery, just talking to people but not actively investigating but rather focusing more on personal relationships. Though she has a personal connection to the victim and the suspects and an actual reason to look into things that would seem to me to be a time to get more involved, rather than step back and wait for the Chief of Police to do her job and arrest the guilty party.
The recipes in the book sound good and I plan on trying many of them, especially the ones for baked goods, as those are my forte.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We return to Crystal Cove, California just in time for Book Club Bonanza Week sponsored by the library. It is an event that has brought in many tourists and the Cookbook Nook has stocked up and planned a few events. Jenna’s book club, the Mystery Mavens is hosting a progressive dinner while discussing this month’s book, each course being hosted at a different member’s house. The final host seems to have received her “just desserts”. She is found dead as her guests arrive.
The deceased, Ivy Beale owned Dreamcatcher, a crystal shop, focused on their healing properties. All the evidence seems to point at the owner of Beaders of Paradise, Pepper Pritchett, Jenna’s friend and mother of Chief of Police, Cinnamon. Everyone knows Chief Cinnamon is too close to the case but she refuses to step aside, even when an unexpected visitor enters her life. Jenna finds herself Sifting Through Clues to get to the truth to make sure the real killer is booked!
The author brings readers another terrific mystery! This time her focus is on book clubs is a real treat. Because of that, we are introduced to several new characters. We also meet someone from Cinnamon’s past which adds another interesting dimension to the story. These characters all mesh with our returning favorites to create a story I had a hard time putting down.
All the core characters have evolved in this series. Jenna’s friend Bailey is getting so excited for her little bundle to be born and I loved the decor she has planned for the nursery. Bailey always makes me smile. After Jenna, she has become my favorite. The fact that Pepper and Jenna are now friends shows so much growth. They have come a long way. Jenna’s relationship with Cinnamon though is pretty rocky. I know she doesn’t want Jenna involved in her investigation but I would think this time she would be happy for Jenna’s help.
The mystery portions of the story were so intriguing, I mean the chief of police’s mother as the prime suspect! Twists, turns, red herrings, this story had them all. So well written and well plotted out. A truly exciting email element added to the drama. I urge to plan accordingly because had I been able to keep my eyes open I would have finished the book all in one sitting.
As with all the books in this series, the recipes had my mouth watering and all the references to cozy mysteries and cookbooks are always appreciated.
Crystal Cove is really making the most of theme weeks to draw in tourists. This time the theme is Book Club Bonanza and all over town readers have gathered to discuss and critique novels and enjoy the food mentioned in those books. Mysteries are huge but there is always room for romance.
Bailey’s due date is getting near as her baby bump continues to grow. Her employer, Jenna Hart, co-owner of the Cookbook Nook, finds herself caught in the midst of another murder investigation, this time with Police Chief Cinnamon having to suspect her own mother of being a killer. The plot thickens when her never known father arrives in town just in time to also be a potential person-of-interest.
Love gone bad is an under current throughout the book.
Full of delicious clues as well as multiple red herrings, this book can be enjoyed as a stand alone but I love the population of this series and the well developed relationships between them all. I look forward to each visit.
Besides the foodie and book aspects, this is a readers’ dream series with references to other wonderful books and topics to explore. I always enjoy Aunt Vera and her predictions.
The author does such a wonderful job painting a beautiful picture of the town of Crystal Cove, I wanted to go and visit after the book was complete. The mystery kept me guessing and included many twists and turns. The book is also filled with mouth watering recipes, many of which are included in the back of the book with both a regular and gluten free version of the recipe.
Sifting Through Clues is the eighth book in the Cookbook Nook mystery series. It’s Book Club Bonanza week in Crystal Cove and Jenna Hart has the Cookbook Nook stocked fully. She’s looking forward to attending a movable feast with the Mystery Mavens group. Everything is going well, the food is delicious at each stop until the last where they find the hostess dead on the kitchen floor. When one of her friends becomes the prime suspect Jenna does some investigating on her own with her own list of suspects. Who wanted the woman dead? And why? The book will keep you turning the pages! There are also some delicious recipes included at the back of the book. i highly recommend this series and this book!
I just love the characters in this series. I can’t wait for the next one.
Sifting Through Clues by Daryl Wood Gerber is a Cookbook Nook Cozy Mystery. It’s like coming home, reading this book and being transported to the Cookbook Nook and all our friends in Crystal Cove, checking in with their lives and loves. Jenna, along with her aunts runs the Cookbook Nook and always seems to be working on a murder investigation. Her longtime friend, Cinnamon, chief of police in the small town and doesn’t like or want her interference, and for this book, at least, has a cell phone that is not functioning properly. She isn’t getting her texts and messages, and not only from Jenna. It could be stress as her leading suspect for Ivy’s murder is her own mother, Pepper, another longtime resident of Crystal Cove.
As are all cozies, this one is character driven, rather than plot driven. The plot is thin in spots but it all works out based on the relationships portrayed, although the author seems to be reaching sometimes. Babies are born, weddings are planned, houses are bought, murders are solved. Life moves on, in a thoroughly engaging way. If you like cozies, this series, this book, is probably already a go-to. I recommend it. I enjoyed it.
I received a free ARC of Sifting Through Clues. All opinions expressed herein are my own. #netgalley #siftingthroughclues
I must have missed a book or the author had her characters jump forward in time. Several are now married and one is pregnant.
There’s quite a bit about babies at the start, but it lessens as the mystery develops. The story is packed full of content with mystery elements and the lives of the main and secondary characters. So, I ultimately enjoyed the book.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Book Bonanza week has come to Crystal Cove and book clubs have come from all over. Jenna has brought in some wonderful new cookbooks that are sure to fly off the shelves. Jenna is so looking forward to meeting with the other members of the book club she is a part of to discuss their most recent read. What could be better than a night of food, friends, and a lovely book to talk about. The Mystery Maven’s are doing a movable feast between three homes and as they enter the last Jenna and another member come across the body of the homeowner and fellow reader. Who could have killed her and why is the question that everyone is asking. Jenna starts to worry when all the evidence points to friend Pepper, and her daughter, the police chief, is looking at her as a suspect. Would a daughter truly arrest her mother? Jenna doesn’t want that to happen so she is determined to do all the investigating that she can to clear Peppers name and find the true murderer. Jenna soon learns that the victim had quite a few enemies, she liked to spread gossip about others and none of it was ever nice. How did she learn so much about about other people and why spread so much hate? With all that is going on will she be able to sift through all the suspects and give the police chief a better alternative than her own mother. Follow along as Jenna does her best to bring the true killer to light and keep her friend Pepper out of jail. This is such a wonderful series filled with a fabulous cast of characters, a mystery that is always worth solving and recipes that you will want to try. I look forward to seeing where the author takes the characters next and to also seeing what cookbooks are added to the mix.
Even though I started reading this series in the middle, I really enjoy the series. My hope is to read the beginning this summer.
Sifting the Clues has so much to offer from interesting cookbooks to look for, cozy mystery books to read and yummy recipes at the end. I pretty much gobbled it up.
I had no idea who killed Ivy until it was revealed. I honestly thought it was another character and still wanted it to be. Books that can keep me guessing until the end are very enjoyable.
My only problem was with one main, important character, Cinnamon, the Chief of Police. I’m used to the chief being semi rude with the amateur sleuth but Cinnamon seemed way over the top. She almost seemed too flighty to the point of finding it hard to believe she was a police officer much less a chief. When the book ended I had come to the conclusion I didn’t like her character very much.
Sifting the Clues will leave you hungry and ready to tackle the recipes included. I’m ready to bake up some cheesy scones.
I received a complimentary copy from Beyond the Page through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
It’s Book Club Bonanza Week in Crystal Cove, California (I really wish this was a real place – I love all the theme weeks!), and when a fellow shop owner, Pepper (Cinnamon’s mom), is a suspect in the murder of a book club member, Cookbook Nook owner Jenna Hart must do everything she can to help find the true murderer and clear her name. Jenna’s best friend Bailey is VERY pregnant, and Jenna and Rhett are planning their wedding (and in a lovely crossover they’re thinking about having the big event as Mimi Rousseau’s place in Napa Valley!), so Jenna needs to get this case solved quickly! Loved it! A+
Sifting Through Clues in the eighth book in The Cookbook Nook Mysteries.
There is always something going on in Crystal Cove to entertain the residents and attack tourist to delightful little community. This time it is the Book Club Bonanza, where various book clubs from all over, plus the clubs located in Crystal Cove will gather, with the local library benefiting from the crowds expected.
Jenna belongs to The Mystery Mavens book club is planning on touring to members houses where they will discuss various books and enjoy foods prepared by the owners of the various houses. The last house on Mavens tour is that of Ivy Beale and when they arrive Ivy doesn’t answer the door. Jenna thinks that she might have gotten held up somewhere, so they go ahead and enter the house. Jenna decides to go into the kitchen and start bringing out the desserts that had been prepared. But as she enters the kitchen she finds the body on the floor.
There is no shortage of suspects, but the one that is considered the prime suspects is the mother of the police chief Cinnamon Pritchett, Pepper. Pepper is the last person that Jenna thinks is guilty of murder, but Jenna is determined to prove her innocence. It’s going to a difficult job as Pepper refuses to help Jenna to prove her innocent. Cinnamon and Jenna are friends, except when it comes to the investigation of police matters and she doesn’t want to hear of Jenna theories.
This another well-written and plotted story from Wood. Many of the characters are back once again and some interesting new characters are introduced in this book. Delicious sounding recipes are included with the book.
I will be watching for the next book in this tasteful series.
Three courses should end with dessert, not a corpse. Jenna Hart is looking forward to the moveable feast put together by her book club. This is the start of the local library hoisting a Book Club Bonanza Week and her book club, the Mystery Mavens are gathering to enjoy a dinner course at a home of a member. When the group arrives at the fourth home, the home of Ivy Beale, the festivities are over – Ivy has been murdered. As she was a big gossip and not very well liked, the suspect list is long. Long until it looks like just about everyone involved has an alibi. One person stays at the top of the prime suspect list and that adds a tough situation for Jenna. The suspect is her friend, Pepper and Pepper is the mother of another of Jenna’s friends, the chief of Police, Cinnamon. Would Cinnamon really think her own mother capable of murder? and then arrest her? Jenna is not about to let that happen. There is a killer on the prowl and, if Jenna isn’t very careful, her upcoming wedding will never happen.
I have enjoyed every one of the eight books in this series. Each one can be read as a stand alone but I’m the kind of reader who is happiest reading any series in order. Spending time in the town of Crystal Cove and all of the characters who populate it is never a waste of my reading hours. Each entry gives me a well crafted mystery with just the right amount of twists, turns and red herrings – very satisfying.
The tourist town of Crystal Cove always has something fun going on from a Renaissance Fair to Pirate Week and now it is a Book Club Bonanza Week. Unfortunately it kicks off with the murder of a local gossip whose body was staged in a ritualistic manner involving quartz, stones and even a bonsai tree. When culinary bookshop owner Jenna Hart becomes involved she finds that is not the only disturbing thing happening in Crystal Cove.
I love the setting of this series. Each time I read a new one I wish the town was real so I could go visit. The town is constantly celebrating different themes to excite and entertain tourists. Also, we get to know a lot of interesting characters in this series that continue to develop from book to book. If you want to know what happened at the Renaissance Fair or during Pirate Week check out some of the earlier stories in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. You will enjoy learning more about the Crystal Cove residents.