Maddie Day’s mysteries are as appealing and well composed as the tasty dishes Robbie Jordan serves at her restaurant, Pans and Pancakes. In When the Grits Hit the Fan, Robbie is faced with two intriguing mysteries. Little does she know they are connected.

Robbie thinks she has seen the last of murder, but when she discovers the body of a mysogynistic professor and the police target a good friend, she realizes she will have to investigate. Professor Charles Stilton was known for stirring up trouble, and he definitely had many enemies and few friends. Also, Robbie has discovered a number of odd items hidden in the walls of her building- items that someone doesn't want found.

Sleuthing comes as naturally to Robbie Jordan as cooking does. Robbie’s empathy and her practical, relaxed nature make it easy to convince people to confide in her. She is a very capable woman and easy to like as a lead. Maddie Day does a good job in making her involvement in the investigations plausible and the murders themselves believable.

If you like cozies, I highly recommend the Robbie Jordan series by Maddie Day. You won’t be disappointed.

4 / 5

I received a copy of When the Grits Hit the Fan from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

This is the 3rd book in the Country Store Mystery (though you don't need to have read the prior books to enjoy this one) and it's a really good story. I have been pondering how to describe this book and I keep coming back to a fluffy suspense. But that's a good thing! By fluffy, I just mean that there's lots of warm fuzzies. Robbie (Roberta) owns a country store restaurant where someone who had eaten at her restaurant, is found dead the next day (by her no less). There are countless times in the book where she's just plain nice. And her little interactions with her customers and friends, are just plain nice. That's why I say fuzzy. There's death and there's mystery in this book, it just isn't the make your heart race kind or the kind where suddenly, every sound you hear in your quiet house, sounds like someone is lurking outside. I'm not shocked by who ended up being the killer but I didn't really see it coming which is always nice. Overall, the characters overly develop, but their relationships evolved which I always like to see.

I'm usually a little hesitant to read books by authors I haven't read before, but I was so glad that I read this one and I'm really looking forward to the next one. Thank you so much Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!


(I have also posted this review on Amazon)

When the Grits Hit the Fan

by Maddie Day

There is a little initial background, setting the scene for small town Indiana with a country store/café, Pans ‘N Pancakes, that appeals to both tourists and locals. We meet many of the characters as described through the eyes of owner Robbie Jordan. Only a few chapters into When the Grits Hit the Fan, a crime is discovered. The storyline moves along well, as any good cozy mystery should, until about one-third of the way into the book. Then, hold on to your hat! The plot becomes twisted and tangled, the tension increases exponentially, and you won’t want to put this book down.

If you are a “foodie,” you will enjoy the culinary descriptions, but they at no time overpower the mystery. Recipes are a bonus at the end of the book, including one shared by Georgeanne Ross, the Original Grit Girl, whose ground corn products are highly sought out by chefs and restauranteurs across the country.

Interesting characters and setting, suspense, a little romance, food, and Indiana dialogue combine into a cozy mystery you won’t want to miss!

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: This is the third book in the Country Store Mystery Series, but it worked well for me as a standalone. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Biscuits and Slashed Browns, but I was unable to locate the anticipated publication date.

Publication: March 28, 2017--Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

A lot of people my age mostly read on their tablets, but I liked the heft of a real book in my hands, another way I was an anachronism in my generation. The smell of the paper, the crack of the binding, even the cover art--all of it appealed to me.

As usually happened, the repetitive motion of physical work, whether removing rubble or preparing biscuit dough, freed up my mind to work through problems.

My California upbringing had not included the simple mesmerizing joy of watching white stuff fall from the sky. Whether a steady straight-down storm like this one or a howling blizzard, I never tired of gazing at it. And I’d seen all forms in my four years in Indiana. I put on the outside lights so the flakes glistened in the illumination like fairies dancing. A gust of wind made them twirl and swirl before returning to their steady descent.

There are more than grits hitting the fan in this exciting installment of the Country Store Mysteries!

Rather she’s writing as Maddie Day or Edith Maxwell, this author’s impressive writing brings me back time and time again. I have never finished one of her books and not been totally entertained. I can’t see myself ever passing up a title penned by this wonderful writer.

When I started reading, WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN, author Maddie Day quickly lured me in with tasty food, and vibrant characters. Her attention to even the smallest detail held me captive with my Kindle clutched in my hand, swiping the pages faster and faster. (I will be purchasing a print copy of this book. It simply has to have a place on my bookshelves!)

WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN was a mystery full of more twists and turns than a funnel cake. (Maddie, I don’t believe I’ve seen funnel cakes on Robbie’s menu. They would make a great alternative to waffles and pancakes. ) Each time I thought I had it figured out, author Day threw in another twist that completely took me by surprise. With the story getting better with every page, the reveal, and ending did not disappoint.

And last but for from least, Day has included recipes like, Warm Up Your Tootsies Omelet, Grits with Cheese, and Pork Chops with a sauce that will have your tastes buds begging for more!

There is also an excerpt for BISCUIT AND SLASHED BROWNS, the fourth book in this fabulous series. Yay!!! Another one!

The Country Store Mysteries is a series that every fan of true, traditional cozy mysteries is going to enjoy. It has everything you’re looking for when picking out a new cozy.

Welcome back to South Lick, Indiana. Robbie's country store and restaurant, Pans 'N Pancakes is quite popular, albeit slow right now in the middle of winter. She's begun hosting dinners for a department from a local college in the restaurant to help bring in more revenue. Unfortunately, the latest dinner becomes heated at the hands of Charles Stilton, a universally disliked college professor, and two separate arguments break out during the time they are all together. One involves Lou, a college student and Robbie's friend, and the other involves Zen, the department chair. When he's found dead the next day frozen beneath an ice fishing hole, South Lick gets embroiled in another murder mystery. Robbie's discovery during an early morning snowshoe expedition puts the police's sites on the entire town but specifically on Lou and Zen. In order to clear the names of both Lou and Zen, Robbie takes it upon herself to "help" the police figure out how Charles Stilton ended up swimming with the fishes.

When Grits Hit the Fan is a fantastic 3rd book in the Country Story Mystery series. Robbie's relationship with Abe is progressing at a nice pace. Her renovation of the upper level of the building is moving along and as she's tearing out walls, she's discovering treasures from the past. Pan 'N Pancakes is very popular, even in the winter, but when news of the murder breaks, everyone lines up to eat at Robbie's establishment in order to catch all of the latest gossip about the death of a man that was disliked by pretty much everyone in South Lick.
The character development continues as we learn more about the main and secondary characters and are introduced to new ones. Robbie is a great main character. She's realistically written as a kind, generous person who had a dream and worked hard to make it a reality. She treats people with respect and dignity, the perfect person to work in a retail/food establishment. The secondary characters all have their perfect places within the pages of the novel.

I enjoy the continued world building in South Lick, Indiana. The County Store Mystery series doesn't just focus on who was killed and who did it; there are parallel stories involving Robbie and other townsfolk. The interwoven storylines keep the story exciting and engaging. The conclusion to the murder investigation draws on the past and the author does a great job of building up to the reveal without rushing. I really If you are looking for a cozy mystery that is fast paced (never a dull moment) and will keep you on the edge of your seat, I suggest you give When Grits Hits the Fan a try!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher.

Once again I was glad to escape to the rolling hills of southern Indiana, and the joys of running the Pans ‘N Pancakes country store and restaurant. I have loved this series from the start, but this book was especially great! I love all of the development that the characters have gone through and I love to see the relationships between characters developing and blossoming. Like the other books, this one again had the major murder mystery and a minor mystery as well, which I thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out. The plot itself is once again well written and well developed and makes for a very fun and fast read, as I couldn’t put it down. Again, there are delicious recipes in the back of the book that I can’t wait to try out in my own kitchen. This is a great series and keeps getting better!

This was a really fun book to read. I loved reading about the restaurant, Pans N' Pancakes. It is a wonderful place for people to eat scrumptious food and visit with friends. The author does a great job of describing menu items and boy did I get hungry as I was reading. I could smell the biscuits and gravy and the fragrance of bacon as they were cooked to perfection. The town called South Lick, Indiana sounds like a perfect vacation spot.

Robbie is the owner of Pots N' Pans and really keeps herself busy with orders and visiting with the customers. I really liked her and loved how everyone seemed so at ease at her restaurant. When a group of graduate students and professors from the Sociology Department from the University meet at Robbie's place, business is brisk and everyone seems to be enjoying theirselves. Things are going well until a heated conversation breaks out between Professor Charles Stilton and someone at the table . Who was Charles arguing with ?

The next day Robbie and her friend Lou decide to put on snowshoes and take a brisk walk . As they near Crooked Lake, Robbie becomes curious about an ice fishing hole When she looks down into the hole , someone is looking back at her. I would have screamed so loud, I probably would have cracked the ice at the sight of bulging eyes looking at me. I was not surprised at who was stuck under the ice, but it was still interesting to find out how many enemies the person had. I started to wonder if he was liked by anyone. The list of suspects start to fill a page and Robbie is determined to find out who the killer is. How did the person die? Who hated the person so much, they were willing to commit murder?

The author keeps the story moving at a good pace with quite a few surprises. There is another intriguing mystery going on with Robbie's place above the restaurant. She is renovating it and finds some very unusual items . Someone is not happy with the renovations and tries to stop Robbie . The book is well written and had me so involved in the book I couldn't put it down. There are several characters you will meet as you read the story that are hiding secrets. Can Robbie keep herself safe? Will the killer be caught? Don't miss this exciting story that will keep you guessing and has a great and action packed ending.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escape Book Tours and Netgalley. The review is my own opinion.

Summary from Goodreads:

"Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?

Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . ."

My Thoughts:

Three books in and this series is going strong! I actually think that this is my favorite book of the series yet. There are just so many things to enjoy and because of that I read this book in less than two days. That is almost unheard of for me! One of the things that I enjoy most about this series is reading about Robbie's cooking while working at her restaurant Pans 'N Pancakes. It is such fun to read about the different breakfast and lunch combinations that she comes up with. Also, it never fails to make me super hungry while reading and usually for breakfast type foods. I've come to realize that the majority of my favorite cozy mysteries all feature food. I'm not sure what that says about me as a reader. LOL! But I do really, really enjoy the scenes where Robbie is busy working in her restaurant with all of the delicious descriptions of the food that she makes.

I really enjoyed the mystery portion of this book as well. The author gave the story a sort of Nancy Drew feel with a hidden tunnel and other fun secrets. As I was a huge Nancy Drew fan in my youth, I couldn't get enough of this book because of it. I really enjoyed the fact that the author had me guessing on the killer throughout almost the entire book. I also really enjoyed that in this book we got to see more of Robbie's relationship with Abe. I've been hoping for this since the very first book so consider me a happy reader. I just really enjoyed this book (obviously) and don't have anything bad to say about it. My only complaint is that now I have to wait for book four. LOL! It's so hard to wait when these books are so good.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am left so excited about this series! I've really come to enjoy my time in South Lick, Indiana with all of these characters. Robbie is someone that I would want to be friends with in real life and I just love all of the other secondary characters as well. With fast-paced mysteries and that whodunnit feel I adore, I just can't seem to get enough of these books. I would recommend these books to cozy mystery and mystery fans alike. Highly recommended!

Bottom Line: My favorite of the series so far! So good!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

When the Grits Hit the Fan by Maddie Day is the third A Country Store Mystery series. Robbie Jordan owns the Pans ‘N Pancakes in South Lick, Indiana. The restaurant is full of graduate students and professors from Indiana University’s Sociology Department. Robbie’s friend, Lou Perlman is having a heated conversation with Professor Charles Stilton. Professor Stilton had been Lou’s advisor for her research paper, but he recently had his own paper accepted for publication on the same topic. He claims that it was parallel research, but Lou states he stole her material. New department head, Dr. Zenobia “Zen” Brown manages to settle the group, before it breaks up for the night. The next day Lou and Robbie decide to get some exercise and head out on snowshoes for a walk in the woods. They end up at Crooked Lake, and Robbie notices an ice fishing hole. Robbie has not seen one previously and peers in to check out the fish. Instead of fish swimming under the ice, Robbie finds Dr. Stilton swimming with the fishes (I couldn’t resist). It turns out that Dr. Stilton had a habit of angering others which makes for a long suspect list. Unfortunately, Lou is at the top of that list. While business is slow (because of the winter weather), Robbie is working on remodeling the second floor of her building. She wants to turn it into a bed and breakfast. She has been finding a variety of objects inside the walls including newspapers and vintage shoes. Robbie must put her remodeling plans on hold when Lou is bumped up to prime suspect. Robbie starts delving into Charles Stilton’s life and history to find out who made him fish bait. One person is not happy with Robbie’s meddling and sets out to stop her from discovering the truth.

When the Grits Hit the Fan is an entertaining cozy mystery. I found the book to be nicely written, easy to read, and it has a good flow. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I like in the descriptions of the old kitchenware items that Robbie has on display in the restaurant (I love antiques and vintage items). When the Grits Hit the Fan is the third book in A Country Store Mystery series, but it can easily be read alone. The author provides background details on Robbie and her business. I give When the Grits Hit the Fan 3.5 out of 5 stars. There are two mysteries in the book, and I appreciated how the author tied them together. I just wish the solution to both crimes had not been so simple. I was hoping there would be a nice surprise twist at the end that would leave me by flummoxed. I did find that some information was repeated a few times over the course of the novel. This cozy mystery is a little more cozy than mystery. It is nice, though, to revisit South Lick, Indiana and get updates on the citizens that populate this quaint town. There are recipes at the end of the book. The next book in A Country Store Mystery series is Biscuits and Slashed Browns!

This is the third book in the country in the Country Store Mystery series and by far my favorite of the series. I love this series as its always fun and delightful to escape into their world. The food prepared in the café will have you drooling and wanting to visit this Midwest town to meet all the people in the book. . I loved the characterization of the town people and how supportive they are to each other. This is wonderfully descriptive view of Midwest life.
In this next in series our protagonist is Robbie who works with her best friend and boyfriend to solve a murder. She is smart, independent and talented as a investigator . This mystery reader was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the many twist and turns to the plot. All in all a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. I look forward to the next in series.
Thank you for the advance reading copy which did not influence my review.

Loved this book. It is a really good cozy mystery with a great plot and cast of colorful characters.

This is a great book; this is the third book in the Country Store Mystery series written by Maddie Day. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

To help make money in the cold February winter, Robbie Jordan has opened up her restaurant for dinner two Friday’s a month to the Sociology department of a nearby college. Any thoughts she had about this being a calm exchange of ideas goes out the window when one of the professors, Charles, picks fights with two different people. The next afternoon, Robbie is out with her friend Lou when they find Charles under the ice in the nearby lake. Since Lou had fought with Charles the night before, the police are looking at her as a suspect. But with Charles as universally hated as he was, surely Robbie can find a better suspect, right?

Charles’s habit of making enemies serves us plenty of suspects. The lack of clues to point the finger at any single person makes for lots of fun. I was never bored watching the plot unfold. A couple of the series regulars weren’t around for this book, but those who were around were certainly delightful. The suspects were all strong and viable, and the climax was creative and page turning. Can I just say how much I would love to visit Robbie’s restaurant? Seriously, it sounds delightful. (Well, when a murder isn’t taking place, of course.)

When The Grits Hit The Fan is the fourth book in the Country Store Mysteries series.

I always enjoy reading a series that takes place in my home state, but I would love this series if it took some place other than Indiana. Maddie Day does a wonderful job once again of mixing a beautiful area of the state, its quirky inhabitants and an exciting and enjoyable mystery.

Business is picking up at Pan and Pancakes, but Robbie feels that she may be able to generate some more business if would host a monthly dinner for the Sociology Department of Indiana University. (A side note here, a number of reviewers have referred to the university as the University of Indiana, in fact, the U of I is actually located in Indiana, PA, IU in Bloomington, IN). At the most recent meeting as Professor Zenobia Brown, chair of the department, had some heated words with Professor Stilton, who had been hoping to be appointed chair of the department.

The next day Robbie and her friend Lou decide to go snowshoeing on a nearby lake. Lou approaches what appears to be an abandoned ice fishing hole. But upon closer inspection, she sees a body just under the surface. The body is that of Professor Stilton. As the police investigate what appears to be murder it comes to light that Lou had had words with Stilton the night before over an article that she had written for her thesis and Stilton had taken and was going to have published. Lou has now become the prime suspect for Stilton’s murder.

As Robbie begins a little investigation of her own, she soon finds that Stilton might have had more enemies than friends and she will have a full plate if she hopes to find the killer.

In addition to the murder, there is another mystery that Robbie needs to solve. It appears that someone has been entering her barn and home looking for something, As she is doing some demolition on the upper floors over her restaurant she finds some items that she doesn’t who they belong to, but is unsure why and what the significance of them is.

Another enjoyable story from Maddie Day that had me guessing until the end.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included with the book. Also included is a teaser chapter from the book, Biscuits And Slashed Browns.

Anxiously awaiting the next book in this delightful series.

Back home again in Indiana. I am familiar with the locale and enjoy the mention of "Bird." It has been many years since I have been in the area, so I am probably overlooking other fun subtle references. No matter, the story is engaging whether you have been there or not. Exciting and interesting cozy mystery. Some touching moments, along with a few scary ones.

Maddie Day is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. Her Country Store Mystery series is definitely one of my favorite series. All the main and permanent secondary characters are all people I would love to know. There isn’t anything I can say about this book that I haven’t already said about the two previous books.

When the Grits Hit the Fan is a standalone read and the third book in the series. To say this book is full of surprises is an understatement. Once again, Robbie Jordan finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Her friend and cycling buddy, Lou Perlman, is a prime suspect in the death of Professor Charles Stilton. Lou and Charles have a very public and heated argument over Charles stealing her research and passing it on as his own. The next day, Robbie and Lou find Charles’ body frozen under a lake. When Lou says that she didn’t kill him, Robbie is quick to back her up but the police aren’t so sure. Robbie refuses to allow her friend to take the blame and vows to find out who the real killer is.

As if catching a killer isn’t enough to keep Robbie busy, she’s running herself crazy with the uptake in business at Pans ‘N Pancakes, demolishing the upstairs of her building, and spending more time with her boyfriend Abe O’Neill. She isn’t looking for someone to break into her building, threaten her, and attempt to kill. But it all happens. To save her life, Abe is going to have to risk his own to catch a killer.

I loved When the Grits Hit the Fan. I loved playing ameuter slueth along side Robbie, trying to figure out who the killer was. The way Maddie connected all the dots at the end to show how and why Charles was killed was incredible. I definitely had several “I didn’t see that coming moments.” I’m really happy with the way Robbie and Abe’s relationship is progressing. When the Grits Hit the Fan is one of those books that once you pick it up, you aren’t going to want to put down. I’m in awe of Maddie Day for having the ability to time after time put together mysteries that keep readers guessing and leave them wanting more.

WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN, book three in the Country Store Mysteries, by Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is another solid addition to a terrific series! Robbie Jordan, owner of Pans ‘N Pancakes, is a believable and likable protagonist. I enjoyed her down-to-earth attitude and her willingness to jump in and get whatever needed to be done, done… be it knocking down walls to remodel her building; or exploring a tunnel even though she’s very claustrophobic; or solving a murder when a good friend is the suspect. The author also makes sure Robbie puts in the time required to running her restaurant, instead of letting her co-chef and friend, Danna, handle it all. This small detail added authenticity to the plot, along with the Indiana rural colloquialisms that are sprinkled throughout the book. My in-laws lived in Illinois, ten miles from the Indiana border, so I’m very familiar with the small towns, shops, and mannerisms of the people living there and Maddie Day nails both the setting and the characters.

While the story takes place during winter with lots of snow and ice, I always avoided visiting the Midwest during that season. I’m definitely a fair-weather Southern California type of gal but Maddie paints such a vivid picture with her words I could feel the cold and the terror Robbie experiences upon finding a dead body in an ice fishing hole. The murder mystery is well plotted with a sub-plot revolving around items Robbie finds hidden in the walls of her shop as she knocks them down to remodel. The author expertly weaves them together to reach a very suspenseful and exciting conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat!

Running Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie is always cooking up delicious dishes that will have you drooling while reading. Fortunately, the author includes several recipes at the back of the book. Given the cold setting of WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN, I was craving a bowl of soup by the time I finished the book. I tried her recipe for Sullo Scio, a rustic Italian soup that is a delicious warm, nourishing bowl of comfort!

This series just keeps getting better and better! Flipped for Murder sadly did not hit the right spots but I had this, the third in the series from Netgalley, so I wanted to continue as I figured I could always put it down if it got worse. Lucky for me book two, Grilled for Murder was adorable, and book three was even better!

Interestingly, there is always something that throws me off a little, in each book. This time it’s Robbie’s feelings for Abe. I don’t think there is enough to explain how their attraction is or is not growing. This is not a romance, but since there is this supposed attraction, I’m curious. Fortunately the author gives us the amount of time that has passed since the last, three months. So, as a reader, I can assume these two have been dating for three months. They do flirt but after Robbie’s interest in Jim, I was sure this was going to turn into some weird love triangle. Or in this case, a strange love rectangle. Thank goodness the author did not go that route but at chapter 28 I was getting squeamish about these two and I didn’t feel really invested at all in their relationship until much later in the book.

I think it’s also that there’s not much of Abe in the stories so it’s hard for me to get a feel for him when he’s never there. Although a pretty small portion of the story, for the most part, I think it’s worth noting that sticking with, as a reader, is a good thing. I hope that’s not too much of a spoiler, as this isn’t a romance and it doesn’t have anything to do with the mystery. And honestly, the entire relationship drove me crazy, so if you’re feeling the same, just stick with it!

As for the mystery. These are getting better and better! I was pointing my fingers at everyone but Robbie is starting to learn to not talk to everyone in the situation. She still does have a bit of a big mouth, and many people do talk to her, but she’s learning. This is the one thing that I absolutely love about her. She is curious and wants to ask questions but sometimes knows it’s not in her best interest.

The entire plot was good. The characters have a lot of growth this time around.

I can’t find out when the next, Biscuits and Slashed Browns comes out! I’ll be searching for that one, for sure!

In short: Loved it! Robbie and her town of crazies are plenty of fun! How many times can someone find a body though!? Poor girl.

A pretty darn good cozy. I liked the South Indiana setting. Robbie is a very intrepid investigator but I also enjoyed her renovation efforts. She's a relatively young protagonist for the genre so this series can hopefully follow her for a long time. I had not read the first two books but that wasn't a problem and now I'm going to be looking for new installments. THanks to netgalley for the ARC.

When The Grits Hit The Fan
Country Store Mysteries, Book #3
Maddie Day
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?

Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

Robbie is a smart, hardworking woman who knows what she wants and is willing to work to get it done. Her restaurant is thriving and her love life is not doing too bad either. But when someone is murdered and her friend is accused of killing him, she decides that she needs to find the killer. So she adds sleuthing to her many jobs to accomplish.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in creating characters, settings and suspense with the written word. I felt like I was right there in Salt Lick, Indiana, watching all the action take place and listening in on conversations. I enjoyed the small town setting and the nosiness of neighbors, everyone getting into everybody else’s business. The characters are well developed and well rounded. I liked getting to spend more time with Robbie and her friends.

The mystery is carried on well throughout the entire book. With so many suspects to consider, clues to sift through and red herrings thrown in, the mystery was not easy to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Do yourself a favor and grab this book (and the first two in the series), sit back and enjoy your reading. And you will get some good recipes to try out too.

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.