Thank you to Jessa Maxwell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Golden Spoon!

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up

This book felt like a cozy mystery. The book starts with a murder at a baking competition and the reader doesn't know who was killed. Readers are introduced to the characters from their own perspectives - there are 7 in the story one for the host and each of the six contestants. As "Bake Week" commences, someone begins to sabotage the bakers and we learn more about the character's back stories and even some of their connections. It is a fun mystery to see unfold.

Things I loved:
1) The house was almost a character in this book. I really enjoyed reading about the characters sneaking around and trying to solve a mystery as well as Betsy's history within the house.
2) Each character was so quirky. While there were some moments I was thinking "Why would you do that?!?" I also felt their actions fit their personalities very well. I do wish the book was a bit longer. I found myself thinking that extended back stories may have helped the character development.
3) The pacing was quick and the story pulls the reader right in. I did like that the book wasn't drawn out - so while I wanted more of a back story for the characters, I also felt like the book moved fast enough that I didn't know I wanted more until the story was nearly over.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It felt a bit low-stakes (yes I know there was a murder) and it was fun to see how the author worked in murder to a baking competition.

I generally love mystery novels but this one stood out for its unique plot and setting. As a big fan of the Great British Baking Show, I loooooved the setting of this book.

The multiple characters felt overwhelming at first, but I could keep them and their stories separate in my head faster than I’d anticipated.

This one kept me guessing and got a 5/5 for the vibe and setting!!

3.5/5

A murder mystery + baking with a cool cover? Sign me up! I bet I’d be really nervous too if I had to bake in a competition and avoid getting murdered while doing so.

I liked the (audio)book! It was very entertaining, and that’s really all I expected going into this one. Could some of the characters be explored more? Sure. Was it predictable? It was to me. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I bought it as a gift for my MIL, and she loved it!

I really enjoyed the bake off vibes and the story was very compelling. I didn’t expect the twist at all and really enjoyed this book.

Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin. But, Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, although no one needs to know that but her. She demands peefection, but things go awry as this years baking competition begins.

I loved this book and the characters in it! Jessa Maxwella debut book, and I already can't wait to see what she has in store for us next. This book started off with its 6 bakers and 2 hosts. The POV comes from all characters, so getting them figured, background, names, backstories, is important at the start of the book. I was expecting a murder mystery from the get-go, which was not the case, but I was still pulled in because of the depth of the characters and their relationships. I absolutely loved Lottie, Pradyumna, and Peter, her an older, modest woman, him a 30-ish millionaire, and the other him, a carpenter, gay family man. Each character had a story, and they were all compelling. A great read and a great book!

I rate this book 4.5 🌟

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

After reading this book I was fairly disappointed in the outcome of the book. I had such high hopes when I started the book. I was hoping that this could lead to such a great build up and give me such a good twist and really throw me for a loop. But it was very lackluster for me.

I am so ready for the return of “The Great British Bake Off” this week. It’s such a joy to watch, warm and cozy, with truly scrumptious-looking treats. In The Golden Spoon, Jessica Maxwell uses a baking competition show as the setting for a murder mystery — and the stakes are much higher than being named Star Baker.

Each summer, ten amateur bakers arrive at Grafton, a manor home owned by celebrity baker Betsy Martin, to compete in a popular televised contest. But this year, things feel off. The producers have appointed a new Gordon Ramsey-esque chef to serve as Betsy’s co-judge, against her wishes. Then the contestants’ bakes are sabotaged — the sugar and salt swapped, a burner turned up high — but when a dead body is found, it’s clear something sinister is going on.

Told from alternating perspectives, The Golden Spoon will delight fans of traditional, Agatha Christie-style mysteries and, yes, “The Great British Bake Off.” Each of the bakers, and even the show’s hosts, are hiding secrets, and the manor is the perfect combination of luxurious and creepy for a mystery novel. I’d give it a Hollywood Handshake.

Unfortunately for me, I was overwhelmed by ARCs on NetGalley (still am, tbh, but I'm working my way through them). I missed out on this gem by waiting so long to read it! This came highly recommended to me from my booksta bestie, and she did not lead me astray! This was such a fun... cozy mystery? I'm not really super into this genre, so I'm not sure if that's what you'd call it.

Things I loved:
- Multiple POVs (and the audio has multiple narrators!)
- Quick-paced storytelling
- Opens on the murder, and then goes back to see the story develop from the start of Bake Week
- Cooking competition with lots of varied backgrounds
- The mansion became its own character in the story
- The twists and revelations were sprinkled throughout

I struggled with all the different characters at the beginning... they were introduced en masse at the beginning and I didn't necessarily track backstories with names. That made it interesting as the story developed (I kept getting Stella and Hannah mixed up?).

Overall, as a person who doesn't read a ton of this genre but enjoys it when they do, this book gets 4 stars from me! It was more of a dramatic mystery than a thriller. I'll definitely be checking out other books by Jessa in the future!

The Golden Spoon, very clearly inspired by The Great British Bake Off, is a character-driven locked room murder mystery. In the very first chapter, someone is found dead (we don't know who) and the remainder of the novel is a flashback leading to the murder.

I enjoyed the characters and various POVs; each character was unique and had their own perspectives/personalities, and I liked seeing the challenges and story develop from each of their viewpoints.

I also enjoyed the take on the different challenges, and as a Great British Bake Off fan, I loved reading about the various creations that each baker came up with (and was salivating to try some of these creations).

That said, I found some of the twists and turns very predictable and could see where the story was going. Hence, the three star rating.

Overall, a good, but predictable, read.

Six contestants gather in a picturesque Vermont estate for the 10th season of Bake Week, a renowned baking competition. Hosted by cookbook legend Betsy Martin, the show takes a dark turn when a body is discovered, sparking suspicion among the contestants. As the competition heats up, secrets unravel, revealing hidden motives and a gripping tale of rivalry and betrayal. This is an enjoyable read, with a delightful blend of baking prowess and mystery, the novel offers a savory mix of Agatha Christie's intrigue and the charm of the Great British Bake Off.

I hoped that someone would write a culinary cozy mystery set at a televised baking competition; this was everything I wanted in one and more.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I love reality TV and baking shows so this was right up my alley. I loved the little hints throughout. There were a lot of characters that I get because of the concept but I struggled to remember names and who was who until later in the book. Overall I enjoyed!

A little slow in the beginning but once the story picked up I was very invested. I loved the concept of this novel. It was a pretty good read.

Great characters, slow build up to the mystery though. Light and easy read, perfect for vacation.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all reviews are my own.

I absolutely adore this bake-off mystery! Perfect for cozy mystery lovers. I can't wait to see what author Jessa Maxwell creates next. Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-galley.

This quirky murder mystery peaked my interest when I read it's about my two favourite things: bake offs and murder. It certainly did not disappoint! It was an easy read filled with interesting characters with a good pacing of the storyline.

The Golden Spoon started out incredibly fun and engaging. I liked that it was a nod to so many popular culture pieces-- Only Murders in the Building, GBBO, etc. I read part of this as a digital e-galley from NetGalley, but then finished it up on audio. The audio was incredibly engaging with so much cast involvement. As this continued on, however, it wasn't quite as gripping. Instead I found the plot a bit predictable and some of the characters actions to be a bit unbelievable. That said, it's a book I would recommend to others who like quirky mysteries.

We need more baking thrillers! I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the mystery, the setting, the details.. 5 stars!!!

Knives Out meets “The Great British Bake Off” in Jessa Maxwell’s stylish, suspenseful and methodically plotted THE GOLDEN SPOON.

Six amateur bakers have arrived on the grounds of Grafton Manor in the green hills of Vermont to take part in “Bake Week,” a reality show that has become television's most-watched baking competition. Hosted by “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin, an esteemed baker and Grafton's owner, the program has set itself apart from the competition by being gentle, with a focus on craft rather than embarrassing contestants or pitting them against one another in ugly, combative ways. Although she is sweet on camera, it is no secret that Betsy has worked hard for her empire, churning out bestselling cookbooks, breaking the mold with her unusual reality show, and even going so far as to film in her beloved family home.

What is a secret, however, is just how desperately Betsy needs “Bake Week” to keep her sprawling manor afloat…and that its ratings have been dropping, forcing producers to call in backup in the form of a new co-host. A Gordon Ramsey/Anthony Bourdain type, Archie Morris hosted his own show, “Cutting Board.” In this macho, cutthroat competition, viewers rooted not for the panicked, backstabbing chefs, but for Archie, who is known for unleashing torrents of abuse upon disappointing dishes and their chefs. Needless to say, season 10 of Betsy’s beloved show will be a difficult one.

As always, the bakers this year are from all walks of life, backgrounds and experience levels. First, we have Stella Velasquez, a former journalist who challenged herself to master the art of baking in just one year and, by all accounts, succeeded. Still reeling from a difficult termination of her job, she has found a nearly obsessive comfort in all things Betsy Martin, and she knows this is her chance to meet and befriend her idol.

Up next is Hannah Severson, a perky baker from Eden Lake, Minnesota, who happens to be the second youngest contestant in “Bake Week” history. The pride and joy of her local diner, Hannah is ready to shed her girl-next-door persona and become the next big star. She is the polar opposite of Gerald Baptiste, a high school teacher whose love of baking stems not from a sweet tooth but from an appreciation of figures, facts and formulas. Pradyumna Das, a millionaire entrepreneur, is an unlikely competitor, but his free-spirited approach to flavor combinations and genuine love of the art makes him a worthy opponent.

Rounding out the group are Lottie Byrne, a retired mother who specializes in classic recipes with a contemporary edge, and Peter Gellar, a construction worker whose methodical approach to restoring old buildings applies perfectly to his love of baking and creating love-filled dishes for his husband and adopted daughter.

Switching off between each of the competitors and Betsy, Maxwell invites readers into the high-stakes world of reality television, but with a coziness typically missing from these sorts of locked-room suspense novels. The tension is there, cresting in the persistent presence of cameramen, the countdown of the clock during each bake-off, and the characters’ realizations that while they are all friendly, they are also each other’s competition. But Maxwell takes the time to properly introduce readers to each character, giving us a reason to root for them and revealing that most of them are hiding something.

No one seems to be out to harm anyone directly, yet strange happenings occur from the very first day of filming. Peter’s sugar is switched with salt, Gerald’s homemade orange essence is replaced with gasoline, Stella’s range is turned up so high that it burns her peaches, and so on. It doesn’t seem like something Betsy would do to her guests, and even Archie appears to be too full of himself to stoop to such petty games. So who is sabotaging “Bake Week,” and why?

As tensions rise and competitors are eliminated, the gang dwindles down to only four bakers. With the decadent scents of their confections wafting over the dazzlingly green grounds of Grafton Manor, it becomes clear that something sinister is afoot. This fact is made undeniable when a body turns up on the roof of the filming tent, dripping blood onto the otherwise spotless bakers’ stations. But in this mystery, everyone is a suspect, and anyone could be the next to be sent home.

Led by a truly fantastic and eccentric cast, this locked-room whodunit is a stylish, addictive and deeply satisfying puzzle. Maxwell somehow manages to infuse a tense, somewhat dangerous plot with the air of a cozy mystery without sacrificing any of the intrigue or suspense. The result is deliciously entertaining. I read the book in one sitting, only putting it down to debate whether or not I could squeeze in an episode of “The Great British Bake Off” before deciding that I simply couldn’t turn to anything else until I figured out who was killed, who committed the murder, and, of course, who ultimately wins the Golden Spoon.

THE GOLDEN SPOON is written with the complexity and taut plotting of Lucy Foley and Sandie Jones. With its atmospheric setting, reality TV cast and a captivating mystery, it’s a recipe for deliciously fun fiction that you’ll find as addicting as your favorite sweet treat.

"The Golden Spoon" by Jessa Maxwell is a charming and heartwarming romance that serves up a delightful blend of humor, wit, and swoon-worthy moments. Maxwell's engaging storytelling and lovable characters make this book a joy to read from start to finish. With its irresistible blend of sweet romance and culinary delights, "The Golden Spoon" is sure to leave readers hungry for more.