It seems everyone loves Hope’s blog these days, and she’s busier than ever volunteering to help other women create their own paths to success. So she’s shocked when a neighbor petitions to run Hope right out of her small Connecticut town! Set in her ways, apparently, Birdie Donovan doesn’t like the chaos Hope’s sleuthing creates, the police activity and crime scenes, and it’s happening way too often lately. Eager to make amends, Hope bakes Birdie a batch of her best muffins. The delicious treats might have smoothed things over—until Hope discovers Birdie dead in her gazebo the very next day...
In this 5th book we see Hope at it again she is busy helping the women in town and working on her food blog it gets bigger every day. When she thinks she has enough on her plate she finds out her sister Claire is keeping a secret that may hurt her. Then Bam!! She finds someone dead and is on the hunt for a killer. The messes she gets into kept me laughing but in the end, she always gets the killer. This is totally a must-read series!!

This was a really great pace for a book. It's about Hope Early loving life, her food blog is more successful than she dared imagine, her house renovations are going really well and her love life is just perfect. So when sister Claire mentions a petition being handed round to force her from her home she is shocked and hurt and what happens after is a reminder of what can happen. It was excellent for a 5th book in a series.

I have read the previous books in this series and this one was the least entertaining to me. It seems like Hope has been hit in the head too many times. She goes through town seemingly accusing practically everyone she meets of murder and then wonders why people get angry and someone is trying to kill her. Um, duh.
I think I am finished with this series.

This is the fifth book in the food blogger series. With this book Hope is back and she’s busier than ever volunteering to help other women create their own paths to success. She is also balancing her food blogging and taking care of her family and friends. Which is why she is shocked when a neighbor petitions to force her from her home. It then looks bad when Hope finds the dead body of said neighbor. With her reputation on the line Hope knows there's no way she can leave the case to Jefferson PD and begins her own investigation into the death. Birdie Donovan was a woman with more enemies than most because of her acid tongue and intolerant attitude. There are no shortage of suspects but Hope seems unable to remove herself from number one spot and then another woman dies.


I enjoy this series so much. I highly recommend reading it!!

The storyline really kept me interested, and there are nice twists and surprises along the way. This is a very enjoyable series, and The Corpse in the Gazebo did not disappoint in any way. I look forward to the next book as there are great developments with the characters.

This brings the phrase nosey neighbor to a whole new level. Our victim, Birdie Donovan, manages to irritate almost everyone in town, so when she ends up dead, not many people are surprised or disappointed. This character’s annoying ways make you think “oh no she did not” while at the same time wondering how Hope can be so nice and feel so bad about their confrontation. No good deed goes unpunished so Hope must work fast to make sure she is the one asking the questions and not down at the police station explaining why her muffins were found at the scene of the crime. Since we know that Hope didn’t do the deed, after all, she would never use her baking powers for evil, which leaves multiple suspects with multiple reasons. Plenty of plot and back story to keep you in the know PLUS my favorite part of any culinary cozy, RECIPES! I for one enjoyed the mac n cheese and chocolate chip scones. I was even inspired to find an apple streusel muffin.

The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder is book five in the A Food Blogger Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone.
When Hope's meddlesome neighbor, Birdie, is found murdered by Hope, Hope goes to the top of the suspect list. When it's revealed a poison muffin made by Hope was the weapon, Hope knows she has to find the guilty person or it's going to be her going to jail.
This easy to read Cozy has everything, family, friends, romance, humor, plot twists, and a surprise ending. It is hard to put down.
I was given an ARC from Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Hope’s food blogging business is humming with all sorts of new opportunities opening up. Unfortunately, a moment of anger in a public place, puts all she has built at risk. Some one taped the altercation on the Library steps with Hope’s irascible neighbour and when Hope finds the woman dead the next day having just eaten a muffin Hope baked for her the day before, nothing can stop her from being a suspect. Between viral videos and other ill-wishers, plenty of people are not willing to give Hope the benefit of the doubt.

While she manages to avoid arrest, barely, evidence mounts, sponsors get cold feet and she can feel things slipping away. Someone has taken great effort to frame her and she is determined to find the real culprit. Even her boyfriend, the Chief of Police, knows she is going to sleuth and does not disagree with her. In her investigation, she manages to uncover all sorts of people with motives to hurt the victim. She was a nasty judgemental busybody. One by one, Hope eliminates them but not before she steps on lots of toes and uncovers other nefarious deeds.

When she does find out who is behind all of this, it is a complete shock. Since she never had this person on her radar, she does not see it coming and several times her life is put in jeopardy. Hope can be naive and foolhardy but she is never really stupid. It means there are lots of twists in the characters and plots that leads to a fast paced and exciting conclusion. I liked it. Four purrs and two paws up.

Hope Early leads a very full life. She is a food blogger, consults with people to help them set up their own business, and volunteers in a local woman's program. Everyone seems to like Hope except for her neighbor Birdie, and not many people like Birdie. Hope tries to make friends with Birdie after an altercation and gives her a batch of specially baked muffins. Not long after the muffins are delivered Birdie is found dead, by Hope, and Hope becomes the prime suspect. Since her boyfriend Police Chief Ethan Cahill really cannot oversee the investigation, Hope decides to take matters into her own hands to find the real culprit and clear herself of the crime.

There is so much action in this book that my head was spinning. The author does a good job keeping all of the activity separate and easy to follow but. This is a well-written mystery that keeps you guessing until the end - just when I thought I had solved the murder the suspect is cleared. The identity of the murderer is very much a surprise and not at all expected, however you can slowly begin to put together the clues all the while not wanting to believe who the clues point to.

The characters, setting and life situations are all very realistic and believable (most of them) wanting you to be right in there with Hope helping her solve the crime, meeting her friends and hanging out with all of them. Great series and looking forward to the next installment!

I usually really enjoy this series for the relationships between the characters. Hope has created such a wonderful life for herself between renovating her farmhouse, spending time with family and her boyfriend along with his two adorable children, and then building her food blogger/empire brand; she has an idyllic life. Until she is accused of murder. What bothered me about this book was the way Hope took way too many chances and even broke into someone’s house – I hate when clues can’t be obtained legally; I find it lazy. I’m also not a fan of the “I’m the only one who can solve the mystery” where the sleuth becomes so obnoxious that she becomes unlikeable. I will read the next one but it’s not at the top of my list.

Another great mystery set off by a great cast of characters. I need a friend like Jane in my life.

This series begins with Hope Early leaving her magazine editing career, a not so sweet stint on a baking reality show, and a failed marriage, all behind to focus on her Food Blogging career. Little did she know, she was going to become an amateur murder sleuth.

In this installment, Hope finds herself on the other side of the game.... she's the suspect. In typical fashion, she sets out to find justice but this time, it's her freedom and reputation on the line.

I was very shocked the victim was a well known character and was pretty devastated by the killer.

This series just gets better and better as it goes on. I am so invested in the characters that as soon as I am finished, I need more.

I highly recommend this series for anyone that enjoys mysteries and books about food, because everything sounds amazing. The main characters are so likable and will have you laughing out loud at their shenanigans. I am enjoying the advancement of Hope and Ethan's relationship as well.

I had a physical copy of the book, gifted by the author, a digital copy from NetGalley, and a purchased kindle copy. My reviews and opinions are my own and uninfluenced.

The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder is such a great book that I couldn't figure out whodunit until the MC figured it out.

Will Hope figure out who killed Birdie before she's arrested?

Hope Early
Hope is still a great character that doesn't set out to find all of these dead bodies. She's juggling so much especially with remembering her schedule and where she is supposed to be at a certain time. Hope finally realizes a lot in this book about not only her blog but about what she wants in her life. She is an amazing person and I wouldn't mind being friends with her. Oh, and I would have access to all those free foods. Not only that but she does seem like a kind, smart and good-humored person; someone I look up to with her blog.

The Victim
The victim this time is Birdie Donovan. We learn a lot about Birdie and why she is the way she is. I felt bad for Birdie once everything came to light she didn't deserve how she died. Birdie's death is also pretty bad as well. Solving this mystery was a lot harder for Hope as the more she dug into Birdie's past the more suspects she was turning up which isn't helpful for her self-preservation. Not only that but the more she realized that something caused Birdie to be this way and it happened in her past. Birdie wasn't well-liked by a lot of people. Did she deserve to die? Probably but not in the way that she did.

Five Stars
The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder kept me on my toes as I bounced from suspect to suspect with Hope, trying to solve this mystery. Ms. Sennefelder wrote a good mystery with this one as I thought I knew whodunit and I fell for a red herring. I did it twice as well. Then everything clicked into place like it was doing for Hope. My rating for The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder is five stars and I recommend it to anyone that wants a good mystery.

Don't forget to check out the recipes in the back: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese, Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies, Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes, and Chocolate Chip Scones.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

THE CORPSE IN THE GAZEBO is the fifth book in the Food Blogger Mystery series by Debra Sennefelder. With a cast of realistic characters, chief amongst them protagonist, Hope Early, a successful food blogger, the reader is treated to a delicious mystery. I have so enjoyed watching Hope and her friends and family grow over the series and, as in real life, they face life changing events. In addition, Hope gives back to the community by teaching women, coming out of troubled situation, how to start their own online business. Not only does this help the reader get a glimpse into the kind and generous woman Hope is, but showcases social issues that might be overlooked. Even when a curmudgeonly neighbor, Birdie Donovan, tries to force Hope into moving out of the neighborhood, Hope bakes and delivers muffins to the woman instead of planning revenge!

Ms. Sennefelder expertly sets the scene up for the victim’s murder. Birdie seemed to go out of her way to wreak havoc on her neighbors’ lives and as such, there are a lot of suspects to consider. The police zero in on Hope, since it was her muffins that caused Birdie’s death. Instead of plain curiosity spurring Hope to investigate, this time it’s her freedom and her livelihood that’s at stake. With her sense of urgency to find the truth, I felt Hope crossed the line a few times in her attempt to find evidence and she was much pushier with people than in previous books. Despite that, the author does an admirable job of planting clues and throwing in some twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The surprising reveal had me revisiting the clues and admiring how Ms. Sennefelder pulled it all together.

As a food blogger, Hope is constantly working on perfecting recipes to showcase on her blog. Be prepared to repeatedly drool as you read! And be prepared to be tempted by all the recipes included at the back of the book!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Corpse in the Gazebo by Debra Sennefelder is the 5th book in a Food Blogger Mystery series, and another good addition to the series. Hope Early is a food and lifestyle blogger, Hope at Home, who lives in Jefferson, Connecticut. Hope's neighbor tries to get her to leave town, so she makes her some muffins to make peace. When Hope tries to deliver them to her, she finds the neighbor dead. I really enjoy this series, the stories are so creative. This book has twists around every corner, which I enjoyed. I love the unique people and situations in this book. At one point a lot of people were verbally attacking Hope, I was thinking she is a far stronger person than I am. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this book and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the 5th in the Food Blogger Mysteries. Hope Early is a food blogger living in her small town in Connecticut. She worked as at a magazine and lost a reality show and ended up divorced so she headed home and has rebuilt her life. Her homestyle and food blog is doing well and her relationship with Ethan (Chief of Police) is going well. Hope is shocked to learn from her sister Claire that her neighbor Birdie Donovan has started a petition to get her to move off her street. Birdie is the wife of Ted Donovan who is running the charity Emily’s house that Hope is now hosting a class on starting an online business but is shocked when she confronts Birdie about the petition and they both lose their temper. Hope immediately feels terrible and bakes a basket of muffins and takes them over to her house to make an apology and try and come to some sort of compromise. Birdie takes the muffins when Hope assures her she did not bake with peanut oil (Birdie is allergic) and then slams the door in her face. She is shocked when Birdie calls later in the day and schedules a meeting with Hope to try and come up with a compromise. Hope arrives the next day and finds Birdie dead and of course she was eating one of Hope’s muffins. Her death is later deemed a murder as peanut oil was found in the muffin and Hope is the prime suspect. Hope originally had no plans to investigate the murder but when all her sponsors on the blog are putting their sponsorships on hold. Ethan takes a personal leave and while he cannot stop Hope from investigating he does not want to cause any issues for the town for conflict of interest. Her sister Claire and friend Drew are helping her with her investigation. This was a good solid mystery with lots of suspects as Birdie was mean to everyone and no one really liked her. Claire who normally steers Hope from investigating is really getting the sleuthing bug! This was a great addition to this series and it was an exciting ending. Looking forward to the next installment.

I love this series, and this book met my expectations! The characters are well written and developed, and I loved the twists of the mystery.

Hope Early is being bullied by Birdie Donovan and it may not only cost Hope her home but her freedom, as well. Birdie is one of those people who thinks her way is the only way and if people don't toe the line and do it her way, she will make their lives miserable. From neighbors to community businesses, nobody is exempt from her opinions. To ponder who might have wanted her dead is to spend a lot of time with a long list of possible suspects. Well Hope didn't do it even though she had just as much of a motive as the next neighbor. Birdie didn't like the attention Hope attracted when it came to finding dead bodies and then unmasking the killer. Birdie wants it stopped and Hope needs to leave town - problem solved. Hope only wants to find peace so she fights back with kindness, making muffins and delivering them only to have Birdie slam the door in her face. When Hope makes another attempt she finds Birdie dead with muffins nearby. Who in town wanted Birdie dead and Hope behind bars? If answers aren't found fast, Hope will lose her sponsors, her home and her freedom. With the help of friends and family she will track down the killer. Along the way she will also torture the reader with some really yummy sounding food.
This is the fifth in the series and not one of them has disappointed me. Each has a very complex puzzle to solve, fair clues, red herrings and blind alleys and a great wrap up at the end. Hope has grown from book to book, her blogging becoming not only her own focus but now she advises other women on the ways to make blogging work for them, too. Her relationships with her sister and her boyfriend, the chief of police are, to my ear, very realistic. Hope is the kind of person one would like to call a friend. If you found yourself in any kind of trouble she would find a way to help you out of it.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This new entry in the series was absolutely great. While it can easily be read as a standalone, it is more enjoyable if you are already familiar with the series. This time, it is the main character, Hope, who is the prime suspect for the murder of her neighbor, Birdie. While pretty much everyone had a reason to murder Birdie, Hope has to investigate in order to clear her name.

The storyline really kept me interested, and there are nice twists and surprises along the way. This is a very enjoyable series, and The Corpse in the Gazebo did not disappoint in any way. I look forward to the next book as there are great developments with the characters.

I'm so glad I was caught up in the series and ready to read this one because it was another good sleuthing session for Hope, Drew and Jane. I loved how those three worked together in the previous book, and they were together again. Hope and Drew did most of the chase or driving work, but Jane definitely did her share. I just love her character and think of Jessica Fletcher since Jane was also a mystery author. The side mystery with Jane's sister-in-law Sally ended up being kinda cute considering how curmudgeonly Sally could get especially when Jane and the crew were sleuthing.

I've learned that in this series (and a lot of mysteries) not everything's what it appears to be, but even keeping that in mind, I was completely surprised by whodunit. Without saying too much, Drew was very happy with the stories he got from this whole case, and I think for once he was feeling some victory where nemesis (and unfair, not-completely-truthful writer) Norrie was concerned.

I loved the celebration with family and friends at the end. Hope definitely went through a lot of issues in this mystery, since as a murder suspect for one thing, she was losing sponsors. Then she was playing part-time mommy to Ethan's girls, although that was something she really liked. But everything turned out great, and the ending was a good one. I can't wait for the next book! This one releases on September 28, 2021, so don't miss out on it!

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

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Birdie Donovan loves to create chaos. She believes everything should be done her way or not at all. Her latest victim is our Hope Early. She has started a petition to move Hope right out of her own home. She has also brandished her trimmers to cut back a neighbor’s bush to the extreme for encroaching on her property, the bush probably won’t bloom again. She has caused havoc at the library and several other places around town. Hope hopes that bringing Birdie a peace offering of a batch of muffins will defuse the situation. Sadly, Birdie takes the muffins and slams the door in Hope’s face.

The next day Hope returns to Birdie’s house to try again. When Birdie doesn’t answer the door Hope ventures into the yard to see if Birdie is working in her beautiful garden. She does find Birdie but she is dead in her gazebo with Hope’s muffins beside her. Hope’s boyfriend Police Chief Ethan Cahill knows there is no way she could kill anyone but the evidence points directly at his girlfriend. He also can’t share any of the police’s investigation with her. She could lose everything she has worked so hard for. Her sponsors quickly put their funding on hold, even the new one that just signed on. If Ethan can’t save her she is going to have to save herself but may die trying.

These characters just keep getting better and better. Hope has become a very capable amateur sleuth. Birdie was a bully in need of an intervention but she didn’t have to die. Hope’s relationship with Ethan was moving along nicely until Hope was framed for a crime she didn’t commit. It caused a few tense moments for the couple. The relationship with her sister Claire is strong and Claire comes into contact with people Hope doesn’t so she learns more about Birdie’s reign of terror. I love the way Jane and Drew rallied to help Hope too in her investigation. An investigation that really pushed Hope to her limits and almost over the line. The animal characters always make me smile too.

I do enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at how Hope manages her blog and love that she is healing women by helping them to start blogs which can help them strike out in new directions the way it helped Hope turn her life around. She always has a tidbit or two that has me looking critically at my own blog and making tweaks here and there.

Ms. Sennefelder has written a very compelling mystery. Clues were dropped judiciously throughout the story and I definitely fell down the rabbit hole of this story. Hope tried so hard to narrow down the suspects and she may have lost a few friends with her leading questions. I tried hard to find the right recipe for the killer but I could not mix the clues together right at all. I was totally gobsmacked when the killer was actually revealed. I was holding my breath throughout the entire scene and still couldn’t believe what I was reading leading me to read it again and again. Wow, the author got me good.

The Corpse in the Gazebo is now my favorite book in this series. The author tempers the heavy dramatic moments with lighthearted times in a meaningful way. Awesome characters embroiled in a top-notch mystery made this story A Perfect Escape! I am really excited to see what Ms. Sennefelder has planned for her characters next.