A baker with secretsWitches in troubleThe cameras are rollingOn your marks, get set, die!Poppy Wilkinson is thrilled to be chosen as a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest. As an American with English roots, winning the crown as Britain’s Best Baker would open doors she’s dreamed of. In more ways than one. Appearing on the reality show is her chance to get into Broomewode Hall and … chance to get into Broomewode Hall and uncover the secrets of her past.
But strange things are happening on the show’s set: accusations of sabotage, a black cat that shadows Poppy, suspiciously unsociable residents at Broomewode Hall—and the judges can be real witches.
There are murmurs that Broomewode is an energy vortex. It certainly makes Poppy see and do things that aren’t exactly normal, and seems to draw interesting characters to the neighborhood.
When a fellow contestant dies in mysterious circumstances, Poppy has more to worry about than burned pies and cakes that won’t rise. There’s a murderer on the loose and it’s up to Poppy and her new friends to solve the crime before it becomes a real show-stopper.
From USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Warren, this delicious series of cozy paranormal mysteries will have you guessing until the end. Includes recipes.
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Poppy is on a baking show competition but that is not her true reason for being there. She wants to find her family and in the process finds out just how special she really is. Loved her character and how she handles finding out who she is as well as seeing her solve the mystery. Her bff is a hoot!!! great start to the series.
Being dropped off at a bakery as a baby and growing up with good parents is a good thing. Not knowing who your original parents are could be a bad thing to some or maybe just a niggling bother. Poppy has that little niggling question and plus who wouldn’t want to be in a baking contest? Specially if a ghost taught you to bake. What? Believe it or not the very black and white thinker writing this review enjoyed this ghost-seeing baker cozy more than you can imagine.
This is easy to read with characters you can’t help but like, like Poppy for example. Even some of Poppy’s ghosts are fun and all the baking contestants have their own personalities. In fact, this sounds like a lot of characters and a lot of characters in a story can be confusing. That didn’t happen here. I think it’s because Nancy Warren seemed to be so good at giving each their own feel; their own eccentricities. You had a feeling you knew who was speaking even before you read his or her name. His or her or a ghost for that matter. It sounds like I’m making a little fun here but only because of the fun of this story. It was humorous, made me laugh, and made me like reading it. That’s what good stories are right?
The Great Witches Baking Show is a wonderful first book in a new series by Nancy Warren. As a fan of the television show The Great British Bake Off, the premise of this book piqued my interest. I was not disappointed at all in book one.
The Great Witches Baking Show begins the adventure of Poppy Wilkinson, born in England, raised in America, and recently returned to England. Happy to be back in Europe, Poppy has more than one reason for entering the The Great British Baking Contest. She’s looking for ties to her birth mother and any family members she can find. She also discovers certain traits she possesses are not all that unfamiliar to the show’s hosts.
The baking contest gets off to a rough start when one of the contestant’s continues to have his baking station sabotaged. Things escalate and the contestant is later found dead by his oven after hours. Now there may be a murderer in their midst. Poppy then feels obligated to figure out what happened to the contestant. Already nervous to be in the televised baking contests, Poppy finds herself completely overwhelmed with everything going on around her.
All of the characters are great. Poppy is a wonderful, down-to-earth person who just wants to know and understand her heritage. She learns a few things about her past in hopes of finding her birth parents but also discovers additional parts of her heritage that is a total surprise. The hosts, other contestants, crew, and estate residents all lend realism to this wonderful story.
Filled with paranormal and witchy references, this story is fantastic and pulled me into a fabulously created world with realistic and likable characters. The murder mystery was engaging and I was just as focused on solving the mystery as Poppy. The author did an amazing job keeping the identity of the murder under wraps until the appropriate time. I may have had a tiny idea of the culprit but wasn’t entirely sure until the person was revealed. I look forward to the continuation of the series.
A sensational start to a new series by one of my favourite authors! Great characters, terrific premise, and an absolutely loveable main character. Loved the quirks, humour and sneaky plot lines in this one and can’t wait for the next!
THE GREAT WITCHES BAKING SHOW by Nancy Warren
The First Great Witches Baking Show Mystery
Although thrilled to be a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest Poppy Wilkinson has more on her mind than meringue. Broomewode Hall holds a clue to Poppy’s past and she’s determined to learn more. Poppy will have to navigate not only the culinary challenges involved in the show, but more nefarious ones as well. For there are bad bakes and then there’s sabotage. Could someone really be working against Poppy’s fellow contestant and new friend? Poppy will be tested on more than her ability to recreate a challenging recipe as she encounters murder and magick in the Cotswolds.
Who would have thought watching people bake could be so exciting? Anyone whose watched The Great British Bake-Off, known as The Great British Baking Show in the United States, that’s who! It turns out that reading about people baking is just as compelling…especially when there’s not only a mystery, but more magick than whipping up a perfect Genoise sponge! My love for the show led me to to hold high expectations for the first Great Witches Baking Show Mystery and Nancy Warren fulfilled them with aplomb.
Poppy Wilkinson is a charming protagonist. She’s smart and friendly with hidden depths…and a determination to discover the truth about her past. Poppy also has a unique ability, she’s a medium, able to see and speak with the dead. She’s also about to discover she’s a witch! As with the television show, we’re just starting to learn about the other contestants, but the camaraderie is already starting to build.
I’m fascinated by the paranormal aspect to the story as well. Elspeth and Jonathan are supportive judges, as well as wary witches. I can’t wait to see the magic evolve as Poppy gets more in tune with her true self, and her powers.
THE GREAT WITCHES BAKING SHOW has it all, interesting characters, delicious food, and a touch of magick all wrapped in a delectable mystery. I can’t wait to witness the challenges to come in the next episode. Ready, Set, Read!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
The Great Witches Baking Show is a good start to this new series. It is unashamedly based on that wonderful TV baking show with the addition of a murder and witches. I am slightly disappointed at the lack of magic given the title but nevertheless this is a good read. I am sure that as the series progresses the magic element with become more prominent as Poppy discovers more about being a witch and her past. I enjoyed this book and the diverse range of characters and definitely recommend it. The recipe is a nice bonus.
The Great Witches Baking Show is the first book in a new cozy mystery series.
The characters are well developed and interesting. The storyline is well written and engaging, with mystery, murder, suspense, and intrigue.
I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read more in this series.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
A cute cozy mystery set in the middle of my favoring baking competition.
Poppy was abandoned as a baby outside of a bakery. The couple who adopted her, raised her in America but after she finished school, she moved back to England and built a friendship with the owners of the bakery where she was found. She was excited to have the opportunity to compete in the popular baking competition held at a great countryside estate that may hold the answers to many of her questions regarding who her “real” family is.
Throw in an on-set murder, hosts who have secrets and secret abilities of their own, and colorful competitors and you have an easg, enjoyable read. Looking forward to the second installment of this series.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first book of a new series by this author. I love cozy mysteries and The Great British Baking Show and this wonderfully quirky book combines them to perfection! Great characters, a wonderful location, witches old and new – what could be better?
I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this excellent book
I am usually really reluctant to give book one in a new series a rating higher than a 4 but this one so earns it! Typically, I feel like the first installment is for establishing the setting, the persona of the main characters and the relationships amongst community members within the story. Ms. Warren’s writing style is such that you get all of this plus a complex, multi-layered plot line, plenty of suspense, rich characters that still have plenty of room to grow and, though you get a solution to the immediate mystery, there are so many questions still left to be answered for Poppy as the series develops.
The “Great Witches Baking Show” focuses on the character of Poppy, who was abandoned as an infant, has questions about her origins and possible family somewhere out in the world. Through the medium of The Great British Baking Contest, Poppy sets out to get some answers and runs smack into another murder mystery as well as discovering and navigating the development of a skill (seeing ghosts).
Reasons to recommend this book… Absolutely spectacular lead character. Intriguing plot line. Well-paced story. Interesting community. Unique quandaries. And plenty of room to grow for this series.
So much fun!
A fun and fantastic new series! The characters are fascinating and mysterious in this bewitching, paranormal, culinary, cozy mystery. The plot is engaging and I can’t wait to read the next book. I highly recommend this book!
The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren
The Great Witches Baking Show Series Book One
Poppy Wilkinson has worked hard at getting on The Great British Baking Contest. Not so much for winning the contest but more so to get close to Broomewode Hall. While watching the show, Poppy saw something in a painting in the manor house of Lord and Lady Frome that set her on this path. A path she hopes will lead to finding her past.
What Poppy doesn’t expect to find herself in the middle of a murder. Or someone who she can talk to about her strange problems. She may have not found out what she came looking for…but she has found some answers. And hopefully in the weeks to come while doing her best to stay in the contest, she can find out even more.
Great story and wonderful secondary characters. Definitely looking forward to more in this series!
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2014/01/nancy-warren-book-list.html
Definitely for cozy mystery lovers who are ALSO fans of GBBO!
This was great. Very cozy from the beginning. I love how the author dives right in and jump-starts the story. Plot is intense and flows well at a good pace. Poppy innocently finagles her way right in the midst of a murder mystery when she is just trying to solve her own mystery, lol. Very entertaining, intriguing and a bit magical. Can’t wait to read what Poppy will discover or uncover next. I was provided a free copy without from the author obligation and am voluntarily reviewing.
This was such a fun story, a cozy little mystery with a little supernatural twist to it. We have ghost and witches. While participating in a baking contest, Poppy finds a fellow baker murdered. We, along with Poppy, try to figure out who the murderer is and why he/she committed the crime. This was very well written and I can’t wait for the next in the series. I was given an ARC. This is my honest review.
The Great Witches Baking Show is part of a brand new series, Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren. I do miss Lucy from the Vampire Knitting Cub series but Poppy gives me one more heroine of Nancy Warren’s to know and love. While I am not familiar with the famous British cooking show, I do know Butterbean Café which also has a Poppy. Fairies instead of witches but still a family favorite cartoon at this house. So anyway Poppy fit right in here at this home and in my heart.
Baking, strange going-ons with even stranger characters make Poppy Wilkinson worried at the Baking Contest. Add in a murderer on the loose so that Poppy has much bigger concerns than finding out her past and the secrets of Broomewode Hall. Great introduction to the new series. While it isn’t so much fun for Poppy, it is great fun for the reader. Enjoying this series is going to be a piece of cake!
4.5 Stars
The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is the first in a new paranormal series and I really liked it. I knew Nancy Warren from her Vampire Knitting Club series and I’m happy to say this one is every bit as good. The characters are interesting and from all different backgrounds. Poppy is here trying to find her roots and finds a little more than she expected, including a dead contestant. She is very likable and you can’t help rooting for her. The story is twisty and well paced, it kept my attention right to the end. I am looking forward to the the next book!
I received an advance copy via Booksprout and am leaving an honest review.
Wonderful start to a new series!
A dead body, a black cat, a ghost, a large estate, and the Great British Baking Show. So much to like about this new series! I love the TV show and this book stays true to the show. Well, I hope the show doesn’t include a body! The main character Poppy is very likable even if she does have an ulterior motive in participating in the show. She hopes to find out about her family that abandoned her. But first she needs to solve the death of one of the contestants. His ghost is not much help either. Yes, Poppy can speak to ghosts! I can’t wait for the next book!!
I have read several books by Ms. Warren and love them all!
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
This is the 1st in a new series by Nancy Warren and what a good 1st it is. I loved the cast of characters, they all have distinct personalities and they are people I’d like to meet in real life. There is a mystery in this book. that I have a feeling that’ll continue in all the next ones.
I like the idea that Poppy is getting better at backing and she’s not amazing at it from the first. I think this will be the same with learning witchcraft. I enjoyed the recipe in the back and I know I’ll try it since i absolutely LOVE lemon tarts. I can’t wait to see what other recipes ms Warren will include.
All in all, if you’re in the mood for a fun read with humor and sprinkle of mystery, and you also enjoy backing and/or backing competitions you’ll love this book and this series.
The Great Witches Baking Show is the first book in a new series by Nancy Warren. I enjoyed the story and the characters and look forward to the next book in this series. I can’t wait to read more about Poppy and Gateau.