What an interesting ride this was! I've never voluntarily watched a baking show in my life, so I was a little unsure when I started this book. I was pleased to discover that the bake-off was merely the setting of the story and didn't receive too much of the focus.

The book was enjoyable overall but I wasn't blown away. I solved the mystery very early on and struggled to finish the last of it. I did enjoy the characters and the way the other brought things back around at the end of the book.

Six contestants have converged on the vast estate of Grafton, home to "America's Grandmother," Betsy Martin to tape the popular baking show, Bake Week. The week starts out with burnt food and opened refrigerators, ends with a dead body. Everyone is a suspect and everyone is stuck at Grafton until the police can get there after the storm that is blowing through.

As someone who both loves mysteries and The Great British Bake Off, I was exactly the right reader for this book. I thought Maxwell did a wonderful job making each character's POVs different enough to sink into each chapter. I will say that I figured out most of the mystery way before hand. Usually that annoys me, but I was just happy to be along for the ride.

Knives Out meets Great British Bake Off — what’s not to love? This book is a riot. I enjoyed every page. One thing I love most about Knives Out and GBBO is the unusual friendships that are formed, people from very different walks of life coming together for a common goal and showing great care for one another. This is where Golden Spoon shines as well.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦. 𝘐, 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥."

This book was... *chef's kiss* ❤

A murder mystery a la KNIVES OUT meets the American version of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW.

I loved all these characters! All the twists and turns, and how all their personalities and back stories contribute to the overall story arc is incredible. PLUS, the author is great at writing the sleazy guy everyone hates!

Murder. Intrigue. Childhood Mysteries. All The Baking. Mental Health Representation.

Thank you Jessa, @atriabooks and @netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for this review!
.
.
.
.
#bookstagram #booksta #books #booksbooksbooks #avidreader #ilovereading #thetwistedlibrarian #professionalbookworm #thegoldenspoon #jessamaxwell #atriabooks #netgalley #book19of2023 #whatsnikkireading #arcreview #advancedreadercopy #murdermystery #bakeweek #bakingshow #vermont #graftonmanor #kindleebook

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review an advanced copy of THE GOLDEN SPOON.

This is a mystery novel set at a manor in Vermont, USA, not England. The owner of Grafton Hall is also a celebrity who produced many cookbooks. She is also the host of Cake Off and she just found out that there would be a co-host. This co-host is a horrid man who was brought in to liven up the show, which was not necessary.

Someone is sabotaging the contestants' attempts to bake. Someone switches the sugar and the salt. One of the contestants is a very careful planner and when sabotage is suspected, this person investigates and finds out the cukprints.

Meanwhile, someone is murdered. Many red herrings. Some of the characters were more likable than others.

I loved this book! The premise is so fun and practically sells itself, a mix of The Great British Bakeoff and a great closed room mystery like Clue. The characters are interesting and the short chapters and propulsive writing kept me turning the pages late into the night. It's a very fast read due to the short chapters and the desire to know what happens, but also very well-written and fun. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I absolutely loved it! This is about a woman named Betsy, who is the lovable, grandmotherly host of Bake Week. Every year six lucky contestants get to see who is the best baker in America. This year there are three men and three women. Each with their own reason for being at Grafton Manor to win the coveted Golden Spoon award. Things don’t go as plan and soon it is obvious that someone doesn’t want to play fair. Who is it? The book will be a wonderful addition to your summer reading pile. The only thing missing were the recipes!

3.5 stars
I know I have eagerly watched The British Baking Show with amazement. Baking has never been my forte and seeing the competitors create such lovely things to eat makes me envious.

The Golden Spoon is based on a baking competition held by a famous baker, Betsy Martin. Her home is gorgeous and the contestants are invited in to shoe their skills with Betsy and Archie Morris, new to the show to the consternation of Betsy host six people for the grand prize of a golden spoon. The five day competition draws quite an audience, but things start to go south as ingredients are sabotaged and a stove's setting is altered. Horror of horrors happens when a body is discovered that sets the whole team into a tizzy.

It seems that some of the contestants have secrets, and it's not their recipes!

This was a fairly good story that makes the reader wonder not only what goes on in the book, but also behind those cooking shows we see on TV.

Thank you to Jessa Maxwell, Atria Books, ad NetGalley for a copy of this story that already published in March.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Golden Spoon is a fun quick read. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and it's cast of characters. The story moves at a fat pace and the twists,though not always surprising, do keep you interested until the end.

Another mystery writer called this book a delicious combination of CLUE and The Great British Bakeoff, a description that couldn’t be any more spot on. Six contestants tell their stories directly to us, and the owner of the kind of creepy, slightly run down mansion who is hosts the bake-off has her story told to us by a narrator. I loved the different voice’s narrated different chapters. This years bake-off at Grafton is different than it’s been in years past. The host, Betsy Grafton, the revered baker and America’s grandmother, has allowed an assistant to select the contestants, and the network behind the show has forced her to share the spotlight with a cohost, a man she despises. Learning the backstories of the contestants, and reading about the delicious bakes they were creating while trying to win the Golden Spoon trophy was so enjoyable, and with seven suspects to chose from it kept me guessing. I was sorry for the story to end, although it did so in a very satisfying way. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with an advance copy of this debut novel, I’ve already hit ‘follow’ on the authors webpage so I can read her next book.

I’m a fan of the Great British Baking Show so immediately took to this book which is based on a baking competition. There are six contestants and the author thoughtfully provided a mini bio at the front of the book to help us keep them straight.

The setting is an estate in New England and the contest is hosted by Betsy, the woman whose the family home it is. Not all is as it seems as several contestants have their bakes tampered with. And in the middle of a powerful storm, all goes awry leaving one body behind.

It’s been a while since I’ve stumbled across a book that demands to be read in a day so thoroughly enjoyed this one. I will add that the contestants narratives are all written in the first person with Betsy in the third person. The whole book must have been written at one time in the first person, so it’s confusing to stumble across both tenses in the same paragraph, only Betsy. Not a big deal, just weird. The worst part about a fun book like this is what to read next.

I think I just stepped into a twisted world of my favorite escapist TV show genres; true crime and cooking. Such a fun and creative idea. The characters are contestants on a baking show reminiscent of the one we all know and love. But things aren’t all sunshine and roses on this one. There is mystery and unease and tension and crimes being committed. While I would’ve loved a little more mystery and suspense than I got, I still enjoyed this one and had fun with the baking segments. Bravo.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy.

This novel is one of those mysteries that somehow feels cozy--not least because the premise involves a Great British Bake Off-inspired show. Contestants arrive to a mansion in Vermont to compete in a baking show, but it quickly becomes clear that this, the tenth season of the cozy show "Bake Week," is going awry in more ways than one. The characters were all enjoyable to read about, and while the twists weren't particularly surprising, it was a lovely read.

What a fun book for mystery fans who also like the Great British Bakeoff. For the tenth year in a row, six contestants gather at a large country estate in Vermont for a baking competition hosted by Betsy Martin, a celebrity baker. Right from the beginning, there are instances of sabotage, and when a body is discovered everyone has their suspicions. This is a cozy mystery - except for the actual murder, there isn't anything too graphic. Each of the many characters is interesting, and I liked the additional subplot involving one of them and her history with the house. Many thanks to NetGalley, Ms. Maxwell, and Atria Books for the ARC of this title.

With this being described as Clue meets The Great British Bake Off I knew this was a book I just had to read. It had all the things I love murder, mystery, rivalries, food, and reality tv.

I really enjoyed that this was essentially a mystery within a mystery. I also loved the multiple povs with each of the contestants views being shown. Where it went a little down hill for me was that this left me wanting more of one thing. As weird as this sounds saying, I wanted a little bit more murder. Also the ending was a bit on the predictable side for me.

Don’t get me wrong though, I did enjoy this cozy mystery and definitely would read more by this author. If you enjoy murder mysteries and British baking shows then this is right up your alley. Also, this is being made into a show on Hulu and I will definitely be checking it out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢, 𝙲𝚘𝚣𝚢 𝙼𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢

I was so excited to read The Golden Spoon early, and it didn't disappoint! A cross between Clue and The Great British Bake-off, I couldn't put it down. It was a quick, fun mystery that didn't take itself too seriously. I loved the setting at a creepy, slightly rundown estate, and the descriptions of the foods prepared by the contestants were mouthwatering. It took a while to get all the characters straight, but I appreciated the short chapters and the different perspectives. The ending was a little abrupt, and there were a couple of characters I truly could not stand, but overall I really liked this book! I can't believe this was a debut, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I absolutely LOVED this book. I thought the premise — a murder mystery on the set of a TV baking show — had potential. And while I am not a big cozy mystery fan, this one really pulled it off. The book kicks off with a press release announcing this season’s contenders and included a bio on each contestant. It was a good way to set up the book and keep each character straight. I found the writing really engaging and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

If you are a fan of the British Baking Show I would recommend this mystery - a fun take on the baking show craze, an old family secret, and a current murder. Some of the characters are not likable (I'm looking at you, Hannah!) and some of the premise is a little over the top, but fun. The story is told through the viewpoints of each contestant, and the hosts of the show. There are six contestants on this season's show: Hannah, the youngest, hails from Minnesota, and is willing to do whatever it takes to win the competition. Lottie is in her 70's, a wonderful traditional baker, and has a secret reason for wanting to come to Grafton, the home of host Betsy Martin where the competition is held. Peter Gellar is a home renovator that enjoys baking, Pradyumna sold his tech company and has become a millionaire and bakes as a hobby. Stella is sort of a hot mess, but we do find out why. She has only recently begun baking, and is a bit obsessed with the host, Betsy. Gerald is a very exact baker, and the way he is described, you can see him being somewhere on the spectrum.
This year, Betsy is in a dither because she is "co-hosting" the show with a rising cooking show star - Archie Morris; host of the "The Cutting Board" show. When contestants are sabotaged, secrets are revealed, and finally a murder - what is going on at Grafton? You will stay up to find out!

Six Contestants are chosen to compete in the famous Bake Week, filmed on the grounds of Betsy Martin's family estate - what could go wrong?! This was a fun mystery that highlighted an intense baking competition for the Golden Spoon. The baking coming out of this book is delicious and I applaud the in-depth descriptions of the desserts.

I always enjoy it when there's a big reveal at the beginning of a book and then you're thrown back in time to where it all began. With multiple characters and a mystery to work into the competition, I think the author does a good job tieing everything together at the end. I do wish some of the elements that were building up the mystery were given more development - but the book was well paced and the characters all had their own flaws, making things very interesting.

An obstacle for me was alternating between perspectives - you didn't always get the full picture or all the information to really know what was going on and some of the conversations, when given from two different perspectives didn't always line up.

Overall I enjoyed this book, rating it 3 stars for the delicious bakes, unique characters, and well-packaged ending. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital copy for my honest opinion.

So much fun! The setting of the baking show was such a cool idea and gave so much room for character dynamics. Really loved!!