This is a fun coming-of-age mystery, which I think younger readers will love!
It's not my usual go-to genre or type of book, but it was good to step out of my usual reading for a while and this is a good remedy for that reading slump we all find ourselves in. I doubt I am the target audience for this book being a woman in her thirties with no kids, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I liked the story, it was pretty easy to see where it was going but saying that there were a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

I absolutely loved this one! I teach year 5 primary school (9-10 year olds) and my daughter is also 9, so I was interested to see if this was one to recommend. After shared reading it with my daughter we both agree it is! We loved Erin and her puppy, I liked the fact that the book is light and fun but also manages to tackle the deeper issues around food poverty, bringing about a deeper understanding without feeling too ‘heavy’. I loved the recipes scattered throughout and we are now planning which to try at home. Thanks so much for this arc

Ewa Jozefkowicz's latest offering is another charming read, stuffed full with heart. This time, instead of a story about siblings and how they are often more than you realise, it's a story about friendship and community. In a time when community centres are closing left and right, and the pandemic has highlighted the levels of food poverty in the country, it was nice to read a book that tackled these issues but still left you with a feeling of hope.

Erin is starting a new school as she's moved house and makes friends with kids from very different walks of life. There are kids on housing estates like hers who are also concerned about money and very privileged kids with housekeepers. However, they are all united by the community centre, showing just how important the centre is.

The friends come together to save the community centre, bringing the same dash of detective work that was also present in THE KEY TO FINDING JACK. I would say this book is far more contemporary than mystery, as the desire to help out and the focus on community is the core of the book, but these books exist in a grey spot. It's a really nice place on the fiction spectrum that Ewa Josefkowicz is carving out for herself.

It's not the sort of sleuthing about, solving mysteries (and breaking and entering, and various other felonies) you usually see in the "classic" mysteries of this age range, like Enid Blyton, but rather sensible and consciously law abiding actions that gets the job done <em>and</em> is far more realistic that the scrapes the Famous Five (etc) get into.

There are recipes of the foods eaten scattered throughout the book, with all the ingredients set out and clear, simple instructions. The ingredients are all pretty easy to find, and to find cheaply, so readers could make some of their favourite recipes mentioned in the book. It's all very much in keeping with the theme of the book - accessible and easy food that's no doubt delicious.

My Reasons to Read..
I figured my first 8 reasons would all be recipes punctuating the story....from Egglets to pizza to banana bread- there are sweet, savoury and entirely delicious and inexpensive recipes to try at home! I have bookmarked a few to try with my own kids over the coming months. I love that these recipes are not only easy but form key moments in the story. Food brings us together and in this story it seems to be the glue holding these new friends together.
The main character knows and understands she is not rich, and has had to rely on help before. Food poverty has been highlighted over lockdown as being a serious issue and plenty of children are facing this issue daily. I love that this book shows just how resilient families are and how community can come together to tackle this issue. I also appreciated that the author successfully removed the stigma attached to needing help. There was no judgement in this book!
The ease with which new friendships are formed. Often we meet characters who get bullied or have trouble making friends, but Erin seems to have fallen in with the right crowd and I love how quickly they adapt, become friends and share in the mystery solving.
A great mystery to be solved...no spoilers will be found here! There are several facets all linked together and the cooking club will need their wits about them to get it right!
Erin has a cool relationship with her Mum, though it seems unconventional at times and has fraught emotional moments. There is love within this relationship and over the course of the story, some truths are revealed and special moments shared.
Lara, Erin’s mum, deals with some online bullying and we can see how it is affecting her. Learning how to understand and deal with this situation takes some bravery. This is entirely relevant for children growing up in a technological society.
Ewa’s classic style of writing is truthful, full of empathy and community. It is like a warm hug that wraps it’s arms around you and squeezes. The characters are real and have to deal with situations that are happening around the UK. Children will relate to Erin, Frixos, Sam and Tanya.
Last but not least...my reason to read is because it is brilliant!

A middle grade mystery reminiscent of the 'Famous Five', with bonus delicious recipes to try out and enjoy!

This was a treat to read in every sense of the word, and I look forward to seeing if the author decides to make it into a series. The mystery was interesting and kept you guessing right until the end, and the characters' appreciation of their local community was easily felt, giving the whole seituation the gravitas needed to keep the reader invested.

The recipes were also very well inserted. They didn't feel as though they were interrupting the story, rather adding to it, and all are relatively short and easily skipped if the reader is not interested in the details at that moment. Having tried one of them, I can also confirm they are excellent, easy recipes kids will love! I think this will be a very fun book to recommend, as both a detective mystery and a first cookery book.

This is one of those books that grows on you. It takes a while to get going but stick with it and you will be glad. you did. The characters are fun and relatable and the story is complimented by the addition of wonderful recipes which make up parts of the story. This addition is brilliant and we were eager to try out many of the recipes. I think the writer has created a likeable group of detectives in a fun setting and I hope that this will be the first of many adventures the Cooking Club Detectives have together.