I have never read one of these out of this series before. I was still able to enjoy it without having read the others. I found this to be an interesting story, mystery and characters. Robbie is a strong main character who despite her age has got her life figured out at 27 more or less. She has her own restaurant and shop, the ability and skill to redo the apartment above her store to turn it in to a bed and breakfast as well as a wonderful boyfriend, things seem to be going very well until she finds herself needing to clear her friend of murder.

I finished When The Grits Hit The Fan by Maddie Day last night. This was a Country Store Mystery. I found this to be an interesting story, mystery and cast of characters. Robbie is a very strong main character who despite her age has pretty much got her life figured out at 27, her own restaurant and shop, the ability and skill to renovate the apartment above her store to turn it in to a bed and breakfast as well as a lovely boyfriend, things seem to be going very well until she finds herself needed to investigate and clear her friend of suspicion. This is book three in the series, lots to build on in this mystery series. Out March 28th, keep this one in mind.

When the Grits Hit the Fan is the third book in the Country Store Mystery series. Robbie Jordan is still renovating the old country store building she purchased in South Lick, Indiana. Her restaurant, Pan N' Pancakes is on the main floor. She is tearing out plaster in the upstairs portion of the building in preparation to add some bed and breakfast style rooms. The restaurant business has slowed down a bit now that winter weather has arrived. While snowshoeing with her friend, Lou, they come upon the body of a local professor frozen under the ice. Unfortunately Lou just argued with the man over his stealing and publishing her research as his own. The local police immediately zero in on Lou as a suspect. Add in secret tunnels, small town secrets and hidden crimes and it makes for a completely engrossing cozy mystery!!

I haven't read any of the other books in this series but was able to enjoy the story and figure out the characters. So, it isn't absolutely necessary to read the books in order. I am going to go back and read the first two books after totally enjoying this one!

I like Robbie Jordan as a main character. She is intelligent, capable and does DIY like a pro! She flips pancakes at her restaurant, investigates murders and wields a pry bar to tear out plaster....and still has time for dinner and extracurricular activities with her love-interest, Abe O'Neill. I like the subplot about her renovating the old store, trying to keep it authentic looking and planning to add a B&B upstairs. The mystery is engaging. There are plenty of suspects and surprises. There were some portions I had figured out, but the very end was a surprise. Loved it!

I will definitely be reading more of this series! Very entertaining! (And made me hungry for pancakes!)

Maddie Day is a pseudonym for the author Edith Maxwell. For more information about the author and her other books check out her website at https://edithmaxwell.com/

This is a fun cozy series. Robbie has moved to Southern Indiana to open and run a country store restaurant. Once again she discovers a body and the murder hits close to home. I really like the characters and the small town setting. I would also love to spend an afternoon or morning in the restaurant. The murder was good. There are lots of suspects and the solution made sense. This book does mention mysteries in the previous books but this series does not have to read in order. Enjoy this fun delicious cozy but read with a full stomach. Recipes are also included in the back

Maddie Day brings Pans 'N Pancakes to life and you just know there is a real place somewhere in Indiana that resembles this shop. I always love these little Country Store places. Not only do they have great breakfasts, they sell all kinds of vintage kitchen gadgets and make a great place to stop when on a road trip.

As usual Robbie finds herself in the thick of things to the point of being in serious jeopardy herself as well as endangering her boyfriend Abe as she tries to clear her friend. Secrets from the past rear their head in the dramatic conclusion of When the Grits Hit the Fan.

This is the third book in the Country Store Mystery series but it's the first I've read. Maddie Day has created a wonderful little town that loves it's diner run by Robbie. She has remodeled the downstairs and is working on the upstairs to run a bed and breakfast. Someone isn't happy and Robbie discovers a secret passage way that someone has been using to break in to the diner. Now there is a murder to solve and her boyfriend Abe is concerned. I like Robbie and the the little town of South Lick, Indiana. She's a thoughtful friend , a good detective and a marvelous cook. The recipes look yummy.

When the Grits Hit the Fan: A Country Store Mystery
By Maddie Day
Kensington
March 28, 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s been a slow winter season for South Lick, Indiana’s breakfast and lunch restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes. To make up for the lull in business, owner Robbie Jordan has been hosting the Friday night bimonthly meetings of Indiana University’s medical sociology department. The intellectual mix of graduate students and professors proves to be rife with jealousies and rivalries, mostly led by Napolean-complexed Professor Charles Stilton. His very public belittling of Lou Perlman, the professor’s student and Robbie’s friend, places Lou at the top of the suspect list when a snowshoeing venture has the women discovering Charles’s body under the ice.

As it turns out though, the misogynistic, homophobic, elitist professor had more than deserved his share of enemies within the University and his own personal life. Psychologically abusive to both his wife and his son, Professor Stilton spread his unhappiness within his department. Considering that the investigating detective is now dating Robbie’s ex-boyfriend, Robbie’s input is not exactly appreciated. It’s just as well, as renovations within her building have Robbie discovering a cornucopia of treasures hidden within the renovated walls. When the trinkets lead to the discovery of a hidden tunnel, Robbie finds herself in her own real-life Nancy Drew mystery, but one with far more lethal results.

The author of numerous mysteries under the name Edith Maxwell, Maddie Day’s third in the series continues to expand upon Robbie’s intriguing personal history and new relationships. The discovery of the father her late mother never told her about has comforted Robbie even as it adds new complications in the form of a jealous new sister. Light touches of romance are included with Robbie’s growing closeness with contractor Abe O’Neill, and as she closes in on thirty she iss finding a new maturity and confidence in her life. There are more than enough descriptions of breakfast delicacies and meals to please fans of the culinary mystery genre, while the development of characters and intriguing plot will draw in even those who skim past tantalizing treats and elaborately depicted preparations. Yet who could resist those? This blend of academia and small-town secrets satisfies on so many levels, and the included recipes are an added bonus.

I liked the first two books in the series and this one is no exception.

As usual some of the action takes place in Robbie's store/cafe, but Day manages to her her outside enough to add some variety to the story lines. I like how realistic, but not tedious, the author makes Robbie's situation. Robbie is at work about 10 hours a day and it's described on the written page, but of course that's useful time to interrogate the locals in a natural way. There's also a little twist concerning Robbie personally that I liked, but I kind of saw it coming, but not to it's full extent.

We also get a little more time with some of the secondary characters, a little more would be even nicer.

This is a really solid cozy series.

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

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it!

Book 3 in the series.

My favorite so far. Can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series, though, because they're all good!

Robbie has made her place in South Lick, and even with the winter slow down, she's doing well and staying busy, even if it's just remodeling the area above her store. The saying is, "If these walls could talk, they would tell you the story," and as she tears walls down, Robbie is uncovering long hidden secrets.

One thing I love about this series is that Robbie doesn't spend the whole book running off and leaving her business for someone else to run while she solves the mystery. It honestly makes the whole thing more believable. Many small businesses, especially restaurants, just can't afford to have too many employees.

This book did have a bit of a darker end to it than most cozies, but I think it was a fitting end. I look forward to more from Robbie and South Lick.

Welcome back to South Lick, Indiana. Come on in to the Pans 'N Pancakes and sit down and have a bite to eat. Just be wary of the murderer in town that may be lurking at the table next to you.

When a scholar's meeting turns heated and a professor turns up dead, it seems everyone had a reason for not liking him. Even his own family! Robbie is busy asking questions, trying to clear her friends from being suspects and trying to get the upstairs renovated. Only that isn't going so well, it seems there are secrets in the walls and she is getting a visitor. When her visitor leaves a threatening note that puts Robbie on edge and in danger.

This series is really rocking along! I feel as though I know the characters in town and can see the scenery for myself. I especially adore the recipes at the end so I can have my own piece of Pans 'N Pancakes.

I received an advanced eARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

Once again Maddie Day hits a homerun with her latest Country Store Mystery When the Grits Hit the Fan. Hardworking Robbie Jordan is drawn into another murder case when her friend ends up the prime suspect in the murder of her supervising professor. Robbie is loyal and intrepid, and plunges ahead with her own investigation. The result is a perfect blend of mystery, small town charm, suspense and romance. I'd highly recommend the entire series!

I received a free copy of this book through netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This is such a good cozy mystery series and I am always eagerly anticipating the next book. When this book popped up on netgalley I hit request as fast as possible. This book is just as good as the first two books, maybe even a bit better. I felt really invested in this story. The mystery kept me engaged and guessing who the murderer was. I really enjoyed this book and did my best to try and figure out the murder mystery and actually managed to predict who the murderer was before the main characters did. It was fun!

The mystery in this one is very good! A professor has been killed, but quickly it turns out he wasn't the nicest person and a lot of people dislikes him. So lots of people are potential suspects. A friend of Robbie has been seen arguing with him the night before he got killed and she's one of the suspects. I liked how Robbie got involved in this one. It feels pretty realistic and I liked following her reasoning and how she tries to figure out who did it. There was one clue which Robbie didn't seem to pay as much attention to, but it was the clue that I mostly used to reach the conclusion of who was the murderer.
For a while I suspected others, but then there was a scene that for me felt like it ruled out that suspect and then I narrowed it down to the right one. I do admit I actually tried to figure out the murderer here, while normally I don't try as hard to figure things out, so that's part of the reason I figured it out. I liked how there were enough hints and clues to figure things out yourself, but it wasn't too obvious either. And I only reached the right conclusion a few chapters or so before the characters did.

Besides the mystery there are some other plot lines going on. Robbie is tearing down the walls of the space above her restaurant as she wants to convert it to space for rooms. Then there is her relationship that's progressing a bit. I really like these two together, the romance was a nice touch. It stayed pretty much to the background, but I liked how Robbie her relationship and friendships play a role each book.

It's always a pleasure to return to this series and visit Robbie her restaurant and read about the yummy food she prepares. I can always vividly imagine how it looks like and I enjoy reading about her puzzles, cooking and other adventures. After reading the book I can also say the cover is a nice fit with it featuring the stairs to the next floor, snowshoes, Birdie the cat and some rubble. Which all plays a part in the story. I also liked the winter weather in this book and I can only imagine how pretty everything must look like.

To summarize: This was another great installment in this series. I really enjoy this series and it's always a pleasure to return to it for another book. The mystery in this book was very well done and I put some extra effort into trying to figure out the murderer. After a while I managed to decide who I thought was the murderer and it was fun when that suspect proved to be the right one. The mystery had enough clues to figure things out, but it wasn't too obvious either. Besides the mystery there are some other plot lines going on, like Robbie her romance and how she's tearing down walls on the floor above her shop as she wants to renovate the space. It has a nice mix of mystery and other topics and I like returning to this town and the familiar characters. I am already looking forward to the next book!

Robbie Jordan is a wonderful character and this book shows her a strong, independent woman.
Winter has hit her small town and Robbie is content exploring her new relationship with Abe.
She continues to serve up tasty meals at her country restaurant, Pans & Pancakes and now that she has connected with her birth father, she is excited to begin renovations in the upstairs quarters for his visit.

With the demolition under way, Robbie sis startled to find some unique items hidden in the walls.
What she finds leads her on a mysterious investigation into jealousy, hate & murder.

This book will hit the spot for fans of the cozy mystery genre.
Maddie day weaves an exciting story that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat.
This book is worthy of 10 stars!

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Books & NetGalley.
Expected release date is: 28 Mar 2017

“When the Grits Hit the Fan” is the third book in Maddie Day’s A Country Store Mystery series and is a clean read with no adult language, graphic violence, or sexually explicit situations. The storyline is well plotted and flows smoothly and the characters well developed and relatable. There are lots of suspects, but few with verifiable alibis. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading light, cozy mysteries.

Robbie Jordan owns a café/antique cookware shop, Pans ‘N Pancakes, in South Lick, Indiana. Robbie is an avid cyclist but because it’s wintertime, she and he friend, Lou, decide to go snowshoeing. They decide to cut across the frozen lake, they discover a hole in the ice and Robbie can’t resist looking in what she believes is an ice fishing hole to see if she can see any fish but, instead she sees the frozen body of Professor Charles Stilton. On every other Friday night, the Indiana University’s Sociology Department dines at Pans ‘N Pancakes and Charles, who wasn’t well liked was observed arguing with several other attendees. State Homicide Detective, Octavia Slade, is in charge of the investigation and believes several of Robbie’s friends are persons of interest. Robbie is remodeling the second floor to create bedrooms for a small Bed and Breakfast. The renovations reveal old newspapers and some personal items hidden in the walls and an underground tunnel leading from the café to the garage. Robbie is scared when she hears noises and finds evidence that someone has been using the tunnel to enter her café and home. Even though she knows better, Robbie loves a good puzzle and can’t resist checking out the suspects in an effort to clear her friends’ names and find out if the murderer and the trespassing are related.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

When the Grits Hit the Fan is the third installment in the Country Store Mysteries series featuring Robbie Jordan, owner of Pans 'N Pancakes in South Lick, Indiana. Robbie along with her co-chef Danna, are making a name for themselves serving up delicious food in the small town, and in her spare time Robbie is finishing up the remodel on the upstairs of the old General Store in hopes of opening a Bed and Breakfast.

Robbie is hosting the bi-weekly dinner for grad students and professors from the University of Indiana Sociology Department, when a fight erupts between her best friend Lou Perlman and Professor Charles Stilton. Charles has published Lou's undergraduate papers as his own and she's irate. Charles also manages to offend Department Chair Zenobia "Zen" Brown by questioning her sexuality.

Robbie and Lou head out for a snowshoe and stumble upon Charles' body stuffed down an ice fishing hole in the lake. It's not surprising that the Lou and Zen become the two prime suspects and Robbie sets out to clear her friends names. It soon becomes apparent that Charles wasn't well liked either on campus or by the local townsfolk, and that includes his wife and son.

In addition to trying to locate Charles' killer, Robbie discovers a hidden tunnel from the store to her barn and that someone has been making use of the tunnel to sneak around obviously looking for something. Faced with having to solve two mysteries, Robbie turns to her boyfriend Abe O'Neill for help and the two soon find themselves in danger.

A great cast of well developed characters that draw you in from page one. Mouthwatering recipes will have you wishing you were sitting down for breakfast at Pans 'N Pancakes. With just the right touch of romance this series will satisfy all cozy fans - looking forward to many more adventures with Robbie and her friends.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Each book gets better the writer has a strong and unique style that makes each book that good. I enjoy Robbie's growth as a person and business owner. Solid writing with great detail

This series just keeps getting better and better! I have immensley enjoyed all of the books in this series, this was by far my favorite. Reading about Robbie and gang is just like sitting with a long lost friend and picking up right where you left off. I love how even though this is a mystery, it is just like putting on a comfortable old sweater, the writing and characters make you feel right at home.
I loved that the story line was a little more complex without getting the reader lost in the details. Every sentence perfectly fit in this story without the feel of the story or plot dragging along. All of the subplots the author had going did nothing but enhance the story. The recipes at the end were also a definite bonus.
This series is one that I definitely always wait in anticipation for the next release. It just keeps you wanting more with each installment.

This book really grabbed my attention. I stayed up late to finish it. It had a lot of twists and turns, but they didn't feel contrived like they do in some mysteries.

This third book in the series has the ingredients of a good cozy.
This is the first I have read in the series but I was still able to enjoy it without having read the previous two.
Interesting characters and a good setting. I will certainly read the previous books. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.