STRANGLED EGGS AND HAM, the sixth book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day, brings the reader back to America’s heartland, Indiana. She effectively captures the setting, bringing the location and characters to life, both the good and the bad. The colloquialisms and Midwest accents the characters use sound authentic, and I felt the need to turn on my own air conditioning as they dealt with August heat and humidity. Protagonist Robbie Jordan is a very capable heroine. As owner of the Country Store Pans ‘N Pancakes restaurant and B & B, she has her hands full with hungry customers and overnight guests. But her life becomes even more hectic when a guest is murdered after he agrees to help Robbie’s elderly Aunt Adele stage a protest against a resort development.

I adored the character of Aunt Adele and her protest is quite a hoot. She’s feisty and willing to get involved to right a wrong. At the same time, she’s a caring person helping those in need. It’s obvious that her niece, Robbie, has the same admirable qualities that are displayed throughout the tale. Despite her commitment to working hard and making her business a success, Jordan knows she needs to step in and help find the killer, especially after her aunt is threatened. There were plenty of clues sprinkled throughout the story, while the clash between the residents over the pros and cons of the planned resort brought an emotional component to the story. With a suspenseful reveal, the threads of the mystery were woven together into one satisfying conclusion.

Robbie and her Pans ‘N Pancakes crew, whip up some delectable dishes for the customers. So many mouthwatering dishes are mentioned and fortunately for the reader, Ms. Day provides a variety of recipes at the back of the book.

Strangled Eggs and Ham is the 6th book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day. Even though this is the first book I have read in the series I was able to follow along easily so it can be read as a stand alone. I really enjoyed it and practically read in one sitting and have since purchased the other books in the series.

Robbie Jordan’s rustic country store is growing in popularity. But when a dead body appears, it turns out that Robbie’s home-style cooking attracts hungry customers—and murder!

While Robbie scrambles through breakfast orders for her expanding clientele at Pans ‘N Pancakes, tempers run as high as the sticky August heat in South Lick, Indiana. Real-estate developer Fiona Closs plans to build a towering luxury resort at one of the most scenic hilltops in Brown County, and not everyone can see the sunny side of the imposing proposition—including Robbie’s furious Aunt Adele, who doesn’t waste a minute concocting protests and road blockades. When tensions boil over and a vocal protester is silenced forever at the resort site, Robbie ditches the griddle to catch the killer. But if slashed tires are any indication, she’ll need to crack this case before her own aunt gets served something deadly next . . .

I love the setting of South Lick, Indiana and the quirky characters. The protagonist Robbie is strong and independent and i especially love her aunt Adele who is spunky as all get out. The characters are well rounded and seem real as I could relate to each of them.

There were enough twists to keep me intrigued and wanting to know how it ends. The plot and story were good and seemed to flow at a good pace. This has been added to my favourite series pile, I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a cozy filled with down home characters and a small town atmosphere.

I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Kensington and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. I have read each book in this series so far, and each one is always my favorite until the next one comes out.
Robbie Jordan is such a fun character, she is easy to like and has a great sense of family and friendships.
This story pulled at my heartstrings and I found myself upset with the circumstances surrounding the murder.
Reading this book was like visiting old friends and I was truly sad when it ended.
On the bright side, I’m sure I will be visiting with Robbie again and I am definitely looking forward to that.

Another awesome book by Maddie Day. I love reading about Robbie and her gang. This was a great story with arguments on both sides of the issue. I liked that Robbie was on her own this time without Abe, it made her seem more strong and independent. As always, love Adele and her spirit. Good mystery. Didn't see the ending coming until it was revealed. Can't wait for the next book!

An enjoyable story. I enjoyed especially Adele and Vera characters. It's an easy read. #StrangledEggsAndHam #NetGalley

Maddie Day continues her excellent work in the latest offering in A Country Store Mystery Series. "Strangled Eggs and Ham' has Robbie attempting to solve the murder of one of her B&B guests. The story concerns competing factions to the building of a resort just outside of town, the opposition being led by Aunt Adele. The writing is so expert I actually feel like I am in Indiana (a place I've never been). Each character is well drawn, as well as the physical surroundings of the setting. I was led in many directions, and each time I thought I had the murder solved I was proven wrong. To me, that is the hallmark of a great mystery book. I highly recommend the series and look forward to many more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entire my own.

In Strangled Eggs and Ham - the 6th Country Store Mystery - we return to South Lick, Indiana, where Robbie Jordan is living her best life running her B&B/country store/cafe, biking, enjoying some whiskey and crossword puzzles, and solving murders. A real estate developer is planning to build a luxury resort in South Lick, and tempers are flaring as the town chooses sides - those who support the resort (or at least need the work), and those who oppose it. Robbie's aunt Adele is vehemently opposed to the resort, and beings to organize the protesters. When the protesters' legal counsel - who also happens to be one of Robbie's B&B guests - is found strangled at the site of the proposed resort, Robbie begins to investigate. I love Robbie and South Lick, and this installment of the series did not disappoint. And I still maintain that this series needs to be adapted by the Hallmark Mystery Channel!

What a deliciously fantastic read! Just when you think you know who is causing all the drama and mystery, the author throws you a curve ball, then another curveball for good measure. This series is so engaging, and this latest installment was no different. There are so many elements that makes this book amazing. The characters, the relationship development between them, the circumstances the author throws in to trick the reader, and all the amazing sounding food. This series is one that hopefully stands the test of time and one I hope will continue on and on.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I love this series and am always happy when a new book releases and I can spend some time again with Robbie in her country store Pans and Pancakes. In Strangled Eggs and Ham Robbie has her hands full again, business is going well so she has a lot of work. Then tensions are brewing with a potential new resort coming to town and not everyone is happy with it. And then someone ends up death and the mystery starts in earnest.

I liked the mystery in this book. The tensions with the possible resort felt realistic and with two sides and lots of people having an opinion for or against the resort. I liked how from the start there are 4 main suspects and a few other potential ones, but no one has a solid alibi and at the same time there is no strong evidence pointing to anyone. And that's how it stays for most of the book, with more clues and information being uncovered, but till the end I wasn't quite sure who had done it. I was thinking in the right direction and it made sense when the reveals happen at the end.

Besides the solid mystery, I really like the every daily life style of this series. We see Robbie working at her restaurant, biking and just living her life. While it might sound bland, I find it really interesting to read about Robbie's daily life and how the store is doing. I also like how Robbie isn't running away from work to investigate, she only investigates on her free day or after her work and sometimes she picks up conversation or clues while she is working.

Robbie is a great main character, she acts responsible and handled the mystery in a smart manner. She rarely runs off anywhere along when she knows it might be dangerous. And she communicates well with the police, who also are quite capable. I like her interactions with the police and how Buck comes to eat at her restaurant quite regularly as well. I also like to read how she handles her business and how her bed and breakfast and her store is doing.

There are a bunch of familiar side characters again and a bunch of new ones who are relevant to the mystery. Robbie's aunt Adele plays an important role in this book as she's the leader of the anti resort group and Robbie is afraid she might get herself in danger.

To summarize: this was such a fun read and this continues to be one of my favorite cozy mysteries. This one has a solid mystery and a main character who is likable, smart and capable. There also is enough of Robbie's daily life and other plot lines sprinkled in. I just enjoy reading about Robbie's life and her pans and pancake store. I liked how the mystery was set up, there are some main suspects form the start and those stay suspects till the end when you finally find out who did it. All in all another great installment in this series and I am already looking forward to the next book.

One of my favorite series that is always a good read and this one is a great addition. Love the country store and small town setting. The small town tackles big issues in this mystery. Well written with strong, interesting characters, good food. and a well developed plot.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

The owner of a rustic country store watches her store grow in popularity as she offers home style cooking to appease her growing customers. She does not expect to be serving up hot murders as well on her menu.

Temperatures flare up not only from the kitchen heat when a real estate developer wants to build a towering resort. But not everyone likes the idea; especially, the developer’s aunt who stages protests against it as well as road blockages.

Soon the developer will meet his demise. Our store owner who will step in the case and try to crack the before she gets more than a slashed tire. Quaint read of small town life.

Strangled Eggs and Ham is a nice small town cozy mystery. The storyline keeps your attention and the characters are interesting. Well written.

A proposed resort is heading to South Lick and the town is divided between those who want to keep the mountain green and protect the wildlife and those that need the jobs the resort will bring. Robbie’s Aunt Adele is in the opposition camp and forms a group to protest the resort, but Robbie is remaining neutral as she depends on the locals to keep her business afloat.

Turns out one of Robbie B&B guests is a hot shot environmental lawyer and he’s wiling to provide his services to Aunt Adele and the group for free. It seems the developer is more than familiar with the attorney and Robbie’s BFF, Lou, is smitten by him. Before much can be done with the resort or the budding romance with Lou, the man is found strangled on the resort property. Soon after threats begin coming Aunt Adele’s way and Robbie finds herself doing what she does best, trying to protect the people she loves…and putting herself in harms way. It’s time to find a killer as the town awaits the planning board’s decision.

I truly enjoy this series, which is one of only a handful that make me feel like I am spending time visiting with the characters. The characters are vibrant and the South Lick comes to life on the pages. Don’t miss the recipes that are included.

cozy-mystery, indiana, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, murder, small-business, small-town, family-dynamics

***** Great characters and and a cohesive mystery plot. The concerns and lingo of the characters are classic small town everywhere. And the problems of the small business owner who is the central character are also too familiar to many of us. I have not read any of the other books in the series but that was no deterrent to enjoying this book that I finished in about six hours total. Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

In this latest book, there seems to be an upheaval in the small Indiana town. There is a conflict about the proposal of a new resort being built nearby. Robbie's aunt, Adele and friend Vera seem to be on one while others in town support the building of the resort. Despite Robbie's attempt to remain neutral about this issue, she keeps getting drawn into altercations involving the most strident of dissidents. Because of this she is right in the middle of all the action and has a firsthand seat to collect clues. Clues that will help solve the mystery of who murdered the environmental attorney and left his body at the proposed resort site. Robbie seems to become the target of someone's anger- does it have to do with murder or just someone who sees her as holding a opposing stance on the resort issue? Thoroughout the book, we follow Robbie during her day. I have to say, I was tired for her after reading everything she did at work in the restaurant. I would like the author to keep reminding us exactly how small this town is because the perspective is different than that of someone from a larger city. At times the country talk got to be almost a caricature but it did illustrate the small town atmosphere. This was an easy read, I felt drawn into the town and characters.