Jenna and her friends and co-workers are getting ready for Book Clubs that have arrived at Crystal Cove. Jenna and her book club are house hopping and having a meal at each house while discussing a Krista Davis book. When at the last stop they find Ivy Beale dead. Who killed Ivy and why? All signs point to Pepper being the guilt party but there is no way Jenna will believe that. What makes it harder is that Cinnamon her daughter is the chief of police. Who specifically told Jenna to stay out of it.

Also Rhett Jackson Jenna's fiance is working with Jenna to try to narrow down a location and date for their wedding. Of course with everything going on a wedding is the last thing on Jenna's mind. Will she sniff out the clues in time?

I love this series it's fun to watch as Jenna fumbles around trying to figure out what really happened and why? I also loved how they included a recent cozy mystery into their book club that definitely makes it all the better. Makes me wish I was part of their book club! I can't wait to see what is next for this author.

Princess Fuzzypants here: It is a crazy busy time for Jenna and the townsfolk as swarms of tourists descend for the book fair. Her best friend is about to pop with her first child. Jenna is planning her own nuptials. The last thing she needs is one more thing. When that one more thing turns out to be a murder where she discovers the body and one of her close friends is the prime suspect, it almost too much.
It seems everybody, except for the daughter of the suspect, wants Jenna to investigate. It does not help that said daughter happens to be the chief of police who has not been happy with Jenna’s meddling in her cases in the past. But Jenna realizes Cinnamon is too close to her mother to have proper perspective.
As more information comes to light the victim was either a good friend or a heel. Depending on which version is closer to the truth, the suspect list changes. What was her connection to the various infidelities and blackmail? Was she the perp or was she the whistleblower? It is up to Jenna to figure it out.,..without getting killed herself.
There are lots of interesting characters, enough red herrings to throw off the scent and an exciting conclusion. It has all the makings for a good read.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

What an awesome roller coaster ride of a book! Just when I thought I knew who did it, another red herring would distract me. Jenna definitely had her hands full this time with her friend Bailey ready to deliver any week now, a book club festival event, and now the murder of one of the town shop owners.

I loved the whole book club theme--how awesome would it be to have tents and tents of book sellers at a festival? Pepper had a side story going on with a guy she'd been dating, and Cinnamon had a story as well with someone from her past and her mom's past showing up in town. Jenna wondered if it had anything to do with the murder. The showdown happened in the Nook Cafe and it was pretty epic. For once, Jenna wasn't alone with the perp or having to figure out how to fend them off. Cinnamon again had to grudgingly thank her for her help. The end of the book was so sweet. Bailey and Tito became parents. Aunt Vera had a wonderful surprise for Jenna and Rhett...because she's just awesome that way!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.;

Calling this one 3.5 stars. The mystery is pretty good and there are some good recipes. However, Jenna just has never caught on with me. Don't know what it is, just something I don't care for. Many of the other characters are just fine. If I could get past Jenna it would be good. I REALLY want to like Ms. Gerber's books because she seems like such a sweet lady. Keep hoping I'll find one that totally grabs me. I'll keep waiting.

This is the first Cookbook Nook mystery that I’ve read, and I love the concept of a bookstore that caters to cookbooks and culinary fiction. Add the Nook Cafe next door, and I wish the shops were real! In fact, I have some suggestions for books that need to be stocked… but that’s for another post.

For starters, I really like the heroine Jenna. She has a good head on her shoulders and a kind heart. She’s a loyal friend, and she has a witty and compassionate spirit while also being tenacious and strong. And she does at least try to notify the police chief when new info pops up… Her sleuthing is smart and insightful, and it flows naturally with her character and the pace of the story. The friends and family that make up her circle are a combination of quirky, witty, sweet and sassy, and the myriad of their own ‘life issues’ keep the storyline layered and the mystery full of suspects & potential motives – all of which keeps readers reading until the end.

There is a bit of stopping the story for recipes or (what I feel is) overly detailed explanations of books or decorations, etc. While that is sort-of par for the course for a cozy mystery, this does bog down a book for me. I’d rather all of that superfluous stuff just be tacked on at the end where the recipes are anyway. I also didn’t care for the tarot card & crystal stuff, but once I sift through all of that, the story itself is entertaining and well-plotted. As with one of the books Jenna mentions in the book club, I was pretty sure I knew whodunit but I couldn’t figure out the whydunit. Story progression helped me put together a rough mental sketch of theories but I wasn’t 100% sure until the big reveal.

Bottom Line: Set in a quaint town full of eclectic characters with secrets to hide and personal drama to overcome, Sifting Through Clues will tantalize readers with yummy recipes and a list of books they will be adding to their TBR lists. They will root for Jenna as she balances running a successful specialty bookstore & cafe, a very pregnant best friend, a swoony fiance, a host of troubled friends, and a mystery she just can’t stay out of. While this is the 8th book in a series, it also works very well as a standalone novel. As an added bonus, I loved the nods to the author’s other series tucked into the story!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

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.

This is a charming cosy mystery, which includes a cookbook store and a cat and I liked several of the characters. The showdown with the murderer was perhaps a bit unbelievable, but the comic relief of it made it work.

Crystal Cove is celebrating all things book club this spring and the Cookbook Nook and Jenna have lots of events planned with all the book lovers in town. The event she is most looking forward to is the her bookclub The Mystery Mavens traveling / progressive dinner party and discussions. They visit each house and unfortunately at the last house Ivy does not answer her door. The group assumes she is tied up somehow and decide to head into her house. Jenna finds Ivy's body in the kitchen dead with a crystal in her heart. Turns out Ivy knew everyone's secrets so there are plenty of suspects with the top suspect being Jenna's friend Pepper who is also the mother of Cinnamon the Chief of Police. Of course, Cinnamon is too close to the case and Jenna decides to go about proving Pepper's innocence. Jenna goes about this by doing things normally and not doing stupid crazy things that happens in some cozies. I enjoy this series and look forward to it continuing.

This is the eight book in the cookbook nook series. Jenna Hart runs the cookbook nook. She and her friends are participating in mystery mavens where they will go house to house having different foods at each house. When they arrive at one of the houses they find the hostess dead. The police chief's daughter becomes a suspect and it becomes a conflict of interest for Cinnamon.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick paced book and the mystery kept me intrigued and guessing until the end of the book. I can't wait for the next book.

Things are hopping in Crystal Cove. Book clubs from all over are coming to celebrate the library's Book Club Bonanza week. At the Cookbook Nook, Bailey is getting ready to have her baby, and owner Jenna Hart is preparing for the Mystery Mavens and their moveable feast, where they will attend a roving dinner and discuss the book of the month. But when it's time for dessert, Jenna finds one of the members dead before she can serve up the final course.

What makes things worse is that all the evidence seems to point to Jenna's friend Pepper, daughter of Cinnamon, the chief-of-police. Can Jenna get to the bottom of things before Pepper is arrested for closing Ivy's book too early?

Each book in this series gets better and better, and Sifting Through Clues is no different. I love Jenna and the people of Crystal Cove. The tension between Jenna and Cinnamon as they both try to solve the murder is perfect and adds to the tension.

The setting is perfectly drawn, and I love the way Jenna's relationship with Rhett is moving along. It doesn't overshadow the mystery, and adds a great amount of flavor to the story.

There is a host of suspects, and just like always, the mystery is tightly written and I didn't figure it out until the end. This series is one of my favorites, and I hope it stays around for a long time.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

I love Daryl's books ever since I eas introduced to them. Her setting is so wonderful snd her characters memorable. The plot was well written.

This is one series I will go back to the beginning to read and catch up on the characters as they grew and changed. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Sifting Through Clues (Cookbook Nook #8)
Author: Daryl Wood Gerber
Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication Date: April 23, 2019
4 Stars

Residents and tourists alike are gathered in Crystal Cove to celebrate Book Club Bonanza Week. Jenna’s Cookbook Nook is getting in on the fun with literary themed cookbooks, culinary mysteries, and other book related merchandise. One of the featured events that Jenna is participating in is a moving book club discussion group with food at each house along the tour. At each of the first three houses, everyone seems to be having a good time discussing books and enjoying good company and good food. When the book club members arrive at the last house, owned by Ivy Beale, they are dismayed when Ivy doesn’t answer her door. They find the door ajar though, and the book club members pile in believing that Ivy must have gotten held up doing something. Jenna heads to the kitchen where she finds Ivy. She is lying on the ground with a rose quartz shard sticking out of her chest. Jenna’s friend Pepper (who is also the daughter of Police Chief Cinnamon) becomes the primary suspect. She enlists Jenna to help clear her name. As Jenna scrutinizes people’s motives and alibis she finds there are plenty of other suspects. Jenna must race against the clock to find the real killer before Cinnamon is forced to arrest her own mother.

Sifting Through Clues is the eighth book in the Cookbook Nook Series and follows Wreath Between the Lines. It is another fabulous installment in the series. The author does a great job with characterization. She brings back many previously developed characters and introduces us to some new ones as well. As a reader, I really feel like I understood these fantastic characters and the motives for their actions.

The plot and movement of this book are excellent as well. The further I got into the book, the harder it was to put down. There are plenty of clues to help the reader figure out whodunnit, but there are also lots of plot twists and turns to keep you guessing. I particularly liked how the author wrapped up this story.

I can definitely recommend this book as it was great from start to finish!

In addition to a delicious mystery, the reader is introduced to many delightful sounding cookbooks, and many yummy sounding recipes are included at the end of the story.

Thanks to Net Galley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #SiftingThroughClues

Sifting Through the Clues: A Cookbook Nook Mystery
By Daryl Wood Gerber
Beyond the Page
April 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

To promote local businesses and attract tourists, Crystal Cove is celebrating the last days of April with a Book Club Bonanza drawing in book club members from all around the West Coast. Cookbook Nook and Nook Café owner Jenna Hart is looking forward to participating in the event, especially the night’s progressive book club dinner that covers four locations and food courses. At their final designation though, Jenna finds not dessert but the body of Dreamcatcher owner Ivy Beale, stabbed by one of her store’s rose crystals and with quartz stones covering her eyes. Even though Jenna worries that she may be becoming a murder magnet since her move from San Francisco, all of Jenna’s friends and relatives plead and encourage her to once again investigate.

One of the main determents to Jenna’s involvement is Police Chief Cinnamon Pritchett, who never tires of ordering Jenna to keep her nose out of police business. Jenna’s not able to do so, especially when Cinnamon’s own mother sits at the top of the suspect list due to Pepper Pritchett suspecting that her almost-fiancé was having an affair with Ivy. While Cinnamon uncharacteristically stress eats and questions her mother’s alibi, Jenna learns that many were in contention not just for Ivy’s heart, but for her store. And despite the charming town’s quirky boutiques and welcoming atmosphere, a predatory villain resides in Crystal Cove looking for a next victim, willing to hack Jenna’s emails and vandalize her property to remain undiscovered.

Author Daryl Wood Gerber has created a charming town full of stores readers would love to visit, owned by characters they would want to call friends. Jenna and her boyfriend Rhett Jackson have finally set and date and even a location for their wedding, while her best friend Bailey Bird Martinez is about to pop with the birth of her child. Jenna’s supportive parents are on hand for loving advice, friends offer “helpful” suggestions for her wedding, and Rhett continues to be the dreamiest fisherman in Crystal Cove. Foodies will appreciate not just Jenna’s baking experiments, but the gluten-filled and gluten-free recipes included at the end. Mystery lovers will adore not just the elaborately thought-out plot, but the very recognizable cozy mysteries being discussed by the book club members. This eighth in the series rewards loyal followers with appearances by their favorite characters, while introducing new readers to the laugh-filled and warmhearted community of Crystal Cove.

Very enjoyable book. I am going to have to try the recipes. Looking forward to reading all the books in this series. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Daryl Wood Gerber for this delightful mystery.

Sifting Through Clues was a charming and delightful mystery that had me wanting more of this series. Jenna is excited to spend the evening with The Mystery Mavens as they travel to each other’s houses to eat delicious treats and discuss the current mystery that they are reading. At the last house, the ladies find the body of one of their members on her kitchen floor and the person last seen arguing with her was Pepper. Now, Jenna must help find another killer before Pepper get charged with a crime she didn’t commit.

I can’t believe that this is the eighth book in the Cookbook Nook mystery series because it has gone by so fast. Jenna is a great heroine and I absolutely love her personality in each of these mysteries. This mystery was such a fun time and I loved all the mouth-watering treats that were described in this lovely book. This can definitely be read as a stand-alone and I’m looking forward to reading the ninth book in the series soon.

I like how the author develops the characters so that they are mare than one dimensional. You can can get a feeling of a real person and make a connection with them in the book. This makes it more fun to read the book. The book has a wide cast of characters that all contribute to the story. Jenna is drawn in to help her friend Pepper who is under suspicion for the murder of Ivy, owner of a crystal shop. The murder occurred during a progressive dinner, and several people were seen nearby beforehand. Can Jenna figure it out before her friend is accused? I felt that the killer was actually not very surprising and that there were clues given throughout the book that helped to determine the ending.

A book club bonanza is going on in Crystal Cove. Jenna Hart has included fun book items at the Cookbook Nook and her book club is doing a progressive dinner meeting to discuss their book. One of the Mystery Mavens is found dead in her kitchen when they arrive for dessert. Her death is a bit peculiar and Jenna struggles to put together the information to figure out the culprit. Cinnamon, the police chief, doesn't want Jenna to interfere but Cinnamon's mother Pepper is one of the suspects.
This was a fun mystery. Jenna kept circling the same suspects but it took a while to find the motive behind the murder and who was responsible. I enjoy visiting Crystal Cove and the Cookbook Nook.

Sifting Through Clues
(Cookbook Nook Mystery #8)
by Daryl Wood Gerber

Kindle Edition, 364 pages
Published April 23rd 2019 by Beyond the Page


Goodreads synopsis:
The Agatha Award–winning author of Wreath Between the Linesreturns 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 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! 

***

4 Stars

This is my first journey into the town of Crystal Cove and meeting their residents. This book literally starts off with a bang as one of the store owners participating in Bonanza Week is found dead. There was no one in this book who was particularly unliked or assumed to be suspect number one in the beginning. That is what made this whodunit a bit harder to figure out. You spend your time dissecting all the motives of the residents as to who could have or did commit this crime. People who like to figure these things out ahead of time will find themselves stumped until more glaring evidence is put forth.

The main character does a lot of red herring revealing, getting the reader to veer off into a nee direction they didn’t at first intend to take. She is very good at that. I felt like in a true murder investigation Cinnamon would have been removed from the case since her mother ended up being suspect number one for so long. She does disappear for a good chuck of the book and when characters try to text her to get an update on the case, her phone is silent.

I found myself weaving in and out as to whom I thought could commit such a crime. The revealing at the end was quite enlightening. I liked how the author chose to set up the motives of the true killer. Classic. Pay attention to all the clues and you might just figure it all out before the ending.

Just a nice, classy cozy mystery to read on a rainy day to keep the blues away. Check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.



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!

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 Through 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 Through 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.

Jenna Hart is excited about the town of Crystal Cove, California’s latest event - a book club bonanza sponsored by the library. Jenna and her own book club are having a progressive dinner with many delicious treats on the menu. However, when they get to the last home for dessert, they find their hostess has been murdered with a very unusual murder weapon. The main suspect is the chief-of-police’s mother and Cinnamon isn’t giving her mom the benefit of the doubt. Cinnamon and her mom, Pepper, are friends of the Hart family so Jenna is encouraged by friends and family to do some sleuthing of her own to help Cinnamon find the real killer.

I’ve read most of the prior books in this series, but for new readers, there is a helpful “Cast of Characters” list at the beginning of the book. I really like the premise of Jenna owning a culinary themed store that sells cookbooks, culinary fiction, and various kitchen related items. Real cookbooks and novels are mentioned by name which gives realism to the story and takes full advantage of the book’s setting. Those who like to cook will find plenty of recipes at the end of the book, too.

Jenna is a likable main character and I enjoy her partnership with her Aunt Vera, who proves to be extremely generous in this installment. Jenna doesn’t have many romantic moments with her fiancé, Rhett, but I still like them as a couple. Jenna’s co-workers and limited partners Bailey and Katie are also fun characters. Unfortunately, Cinnamon, a character I have never warmed to, plays a large role in this book and shows her prickly and defensive side with little to root for. Parts of the investigation grew repetitive with Jenna trying to help Cinnamon, Cinnamon getting angry and ignoring her, eventually listening but getting upset Jenna didn’t share the information sooner. In spite of Cinnamon, the case is resolved and the victim gets justice.

Fans of Jenn McKinlay will enjoy this culinary series by Daryl Wood Gerber. I will continue to follow this series because it’s well-written and I enjoy most of the main characters. I am hoping as the series continues to see either a new-and-improved Cinnamon or that the abrasive chief-of-police takes a backseat in future books.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Beyond the Page Publishing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.