I don't know where I have been, but this is my first book by Ms Oust and I loved it. Looking forward to going back and reading the previous books in the series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved it! Eager for Spice Shop Mystery #6. The southern voice and small town politics and friendliness are integral to the tale. Would love to be able to drop in at the Spice It Up shop.

This is a new to me author and series. The book cover and title sounded interesting and I was happy to receive an ARC for review.
Piper is the owner of Spice It Up! in the small town of Brandywine Creek.
Keeping her company is her best friend Reba Mae, who is a truly colorful character in this book.
Hoping to spice up her love life, Piper has eyes for Wyatt McBride, police chief of Brandywine Creek, but when the naked body of the local real estate agent is found, dead on his property, Piper is determined to prove him innocent.
I was able to follow the story, but I plan on reading the others so I can get a better idea of all the characters.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book offered by the publisher and Netgalley.

I have really enjoyed this series and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery.
This book is no exception and it was a very fun [and funny] read and I wasn't really sure just what happened and who did it until close to the end and that is always a very good thing.

One of the biggest things that I loved about this book was that now that "white-bread" boring Doug is out of the picture [and who didn't cheer when he left in the last book] leaving Piper clear to pursue a relationship with the resident Chief Wyatt - THAT made me just want to cheer out loud.

I sure hope that there will be more of these down the road; I will absolutely keep reading them if there are more.

This is the first book I've read in this series even though it is book five. I don't feel I missed much by starting here, but is was interesting enough that I will go back and read the others in the series. I liked the characters .

Piper Prescott and Police Chief Wyatt McBride don’t always see eye-to-eye. Over the past year, their communications have progressed into a friendship more or less. When the body of realtor Shirley Randolph is found floating in a fishing hole on Wyatt’s property, their relationship takes a turn.

Shirley, the town's Realtor of the Year, was also Wyatt's suspected romantic interest. Now the residents of Brandywine Creek are speculating that Wyatt is responsible for her death. As the town council moves to suspend the lawman, Piper feels she has to solve the crime to save his reputation, job and possibly his freedom.

The clues lead them toward high-powered real estate tactics and possible affairs. The investigation becomes personal when Piper's shop, “Spice It Up,” is burglarized, and she’s forced off the road late one night. She realizes that someone thinks so is close to uncovering the truth. Enlisting her best friend, Reba Mae’s help she sets out to stop a killer.

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Series: A Spice Shop Mystery
Author: Gail Oust
Genre: Culinary Cozy
Publisher: Minotaur Books

Ginger Snapped is a well written, highly entertaining story. Ms. Oust has a great imagination and writes in an easy to follow manner that is both intelligent and articulate. Her characters are fun with quirks and habits that are enjoyable and relatable.

Piper is a bit different. She owns a spice shop that carries everything a person could imagine, whether it is for cooking or used for home remedies, Piper has it all. She is likable if slightly quieter than expected. When issues arise, she isn’t always the first one to say anything. Quite often she keeps things to herself that might otherwise be shouted from the highest tree by others. She is cautious as well as quizzical all at the same time.

Reba Mae is outspoken, gregarious and an all-around interesting character, more Reba in this book would have been a benefit. Wyatt, is a typical police officer, closed mouth except when he doesn’t want to be, solid and easy to talk to. Other characters are equally entertaining and humorous as the main characters while some are not likable at all.

The setting of Brandywine Creek is detailed only as much as needed to allow the reader to follow the clues, and the many walks Piper and her pet, Casey take. Other businesses are described with enough information to draw upon the reader's imagination.

Although Ginger Snapped is an excellent who-done-it, the unveiling of the killer is a bit too sudden. The clues to the identity of the killer could have been better. All of this aside, the book is a fast-paced, enjoyable read that readers will not want to put down. It is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys writers such as Kirsten Weiss or Karen Rose Smith.

Test test test test test Test test test test test Test test test test test

Piper Prescott and best friend, Reba Mae, are back and stirring up life in the picturesque town of Brandywine Creek with their investigation of a murder. The town residents are shocked when a local realtors body is found naked in a pond on police chief Wyatt McBride’s property, and it doesn’t look like she was there skinny dipping. Wyatt’s suspended until the case is solved, but that gives he and Piper more time to smooth out their relationship. Spice It Up, Piper’s shop, is about to celebrate it’s one year anniversary, and she’s proud of her success.

I enjoyed the humor in this story and, of course, Piper and Reba Mae are constantly sticking their noses in people’s business hoping to find out who killed the realtor! Piper’s children are growing up and require their mother’s patience, help, and understanding more than ever.

It’s obvious that Piper is close to exposing a culprit when her house is trashed and she’s run off the road. I found this mystery interesting and figured out one person who was involved but I didn’t know exactly why until the final reveal. The author includes delicious recipes for her readers enjoyment.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I did not, could not finish this book. I was looking for a cozy mystery but one that was well written. This just made the people in this small town seem foolish, uneducated and boring. Since I DNF it I won't be writing a review on social media since it wouldn't be fair to the author if it has a great ending.

Just not my style of book.

This was a great addition to the Spice Shop Mysteries. What we have is a divorced mother that owns a spice shop and who may or may not poke her nose in mysteries that can end up causing her or those around her harm. This was a romance mystery with just the right amount of SPICE. The chemistry between Piper and police chief Wyatt is obvious even though they both are trying to ignore it. What happens when there is another mystery to solve and Piper once again finds herself in danger. Thank you NetGalley and Gail Oust for allowing me to read this ARC and write a honest review.

This is the fifth in a wonderful series set in Brandywine Creek and the Southern voice is pitch perfect. I would enjoy spending some time with Piper and her best friend, Reba Mae. Piper is a divorced mother of a teenaged daughter. She owns her dream come true, a spice shop. Her love life could do with some help and that figures into her current situation - her ex-husband and his new wife (Piper calls her The Georgia Peach Pit) are front and center when the dead body of a local real estate agent is found floating in the fishing hole behind the home of Piper's (possible) new love. As he is a member of the local police force and, some suspect, was more than just friends with the deceased, Piper's life gets complicated. She knows he didn't do it and sets out to figure out who done it before who done it does her in for information she may or may not have. I have enjoyed every one of the entries in this series and I have no doubt I will be first in line to read the sixth book.

It took me a while to click into this book. I kept confusing it with another cozy series with a divorced woman with a spice shop (but set in California). Back in the groove, I found that Piper is now more confident in her role as amateur sleuth (probably because the arrow isn't aiming for her back this time).

This book and story line is pretty much just about Piper and Wyatt, though Reba Mae gets a little attention. We also get some follow up on a character who had left the series which was nice. The story line was rather timely as well given recent news stories (at least in my area of the mid-west).

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

This book follows Piper Prescott as she is getting ready for Melly her ex's mother get married on the day of the wedding the police are called to Chief Wyatt McBride's house where a naked woman is found in his fishing hole. The victim is none other than real estate agent Shirley Randolph. Who killed Shirley and why? And of course why would someone put her in McBride's fishing hole?

As Piper is determined to clear the chief someone seems to think Piper has something that ties to Shirley's death! Will Piper figure it out or become a new victim?

This book is great mix of friends and family and watching as Piper weeds through the suspects along with her BFF Reba Mae and even Wyatt himself helping along the way. As the murder case points to Wyatt things also heat up between Piper and Wyatt which I loved reading about. Can't wait to see where this series goes next, especially with Piper's daughter going off to college.

A charming cozy mystery set in a small Georgia town with interesting characters, a touch of Southern charm and a compelling plot that will keep you guessing all the way through. Piper owns and operates Spice It Up, a store selling all spices from A to Z, which also operates as a small town gossip central. Piper is planning her former mother in law's bridal shower when local real estate agent Shirley barges in and asks Piper to invite, Elaine Dixon, a client she is hoping to sell a local home and business too. Shirley is also rumored to be romantically involved with the good looking sheriff, Wyatt McBride, whom Piper is also interested in. When Shirley's murdered and naked body is found in the sheriff's favorite fishing hole, Wyatt becomes a suspect, is suspended from his job duties and, Piper begins investigating along with her best friend Reba Mae and Wyatt to clear his name. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and hope to see more of Piper's adventures in the future.

When Shirley Randolph is found dead, local townspeople believe her old love interest is to blame. But Wyatt McBride isn’t only the current (kind of) love interest of Piper Prescott, he’s also the chief of police. Piper, owner of the Spice It Up shop, is not about to let someone she cares about get sent up the river for something she knew he didn’t do. She begins investigating herself, determined to track down the real killer, and she must be on the right track, because the killer has set his sights on her! A fun cozy that I enjoyed, not just because of the characters, but because of the tidbits of information about spices

Ginger spice this town ain't nice. Piper and McBride have to work together in order to clear his name. This installment had me from page one till the end, its a nonstop thrill ride that ends on a high note especially for Piper and McBride. Its about time.