Fun baking mystery with a side of romance!

Claire Walker is a middle school / junior high history teacher who, if she had to do it all over again, would become a baker. When she’s informed that she’s been selected as one of the contests on Britian’s Battle of the Baker’s, she’s thrilled. And even better: this series / season has a history theme (combining her two passions) and will be set at historic Blackfirth Park.

There are a few rules – only historic ingredients can be used, the same clothes must be worn for continuity, and, perhaps most important, don’t talk to the family that lives at Blackfirth Park, namely Viscount of Colburn, Jonathan Ainsley. Claire quickly goes afoul of this third rule when she’s exploring the historic kitchens they are likely to be using and meets the Viscount. Things get even worse when she stumbles across the body of one of the contestants, killed in a way that echoes the mysterious death of the tenth Viscountess of Colburn two hundred and fifty years earlier. The powers that be feel that it’s an unfortunate accident, but the local detective isn’t so sure, so asks Claire and the Viscount to keep their ears open, doing a little investigation on the side. So in addition to the stress of the competition, Claire’s worried about the late contestant, the romance developing between her and Jonathan, and if this is going to be the last season of one of her favorite shows.

So I like mysteries, a touch of romance, baking, and history, so this book was a perfect fit for me. Claire was an enjoyable character, and I liked how Jonathan’s character evolved to be more open to the surrounding village. Even though it’s a fictional show, it was still fun to see ‘behind the scenes’ of a baking competition.

Highly recommended. It’s listed as being Claire Walker Mystery #1, so I’m looking forward to future adventures with Claire. I received a copy of this from NetGallley.com that I voluntarily reviewed.

Someone please assure me that this is the first book in a series!
The story told in The Crime Brulee Bake Off is so deliciously good, there's no way it won't have a second (or third, or fourth) sequel!
Well-designed characters, great setting, beautiful cover, absorbing but not cloying plot. And those recipes at the end of the book, they seem so tempting to me... and I don't know anything about baking, other than enjoying the finished product!
Recommended for fans of a good locked room mystery, a good romance that makes you sigh, and baking. Although I also recommend not reading it on an empty stomach and having a snack on hand.
I look forward to the next book very impatiently!
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

I love that cover so much! And the book was wonderful!!! I didn't want it to end but was so happy to find out that it's only the first book in a series!!! Woohooooo!!!

I'm a big fan of cooking shows, especially British ones. It was fun that the premise of this book was a spinoff of those and kind of seeing the behind the scenes of what it could be like for those shows was a treat! Add in the murder mystery and I was hooked! I was trying to guess who it could be the whole time and I did have the culprit in my sites! If you've read it, did you figure it out or were you completely surprised at the twists and turns? I loved all of them!

Claire Walker has her struggles but I loved seeing the whys behind her desire to bake. It was pretty sweet. I loved watching her push forward in something that she loved but the setting was something out of her comfort zone. Then to have her encounter the deaths of other characters was another added layer to watching her overcome hard. Add in the Viscount of Colburn, Jonathan Ainsley, and their attraction, it adds another layer to the whole story and mystery! And it's all very yummy!!! Pun intended! ;-)

Watch out for those ghost stories and the whodunnit it character. Best always be on your guard cause you never know what's going to hit ya!

Now I'll have to be patient for the next book to be announced, but it is totally worth it!!!

Content: Clean. No bad language, no questionable content. It is a cozy murder mystery so there are a couple murders but nothing that is overly graphic.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Claire Walker, a school teacher, was called to be a contestant in Britain’s Battle of the Bakers. “When I win the grand prize, goodbye to the teaching job and hello my own bakery shop!”, thought Claire. The competition show is being filmed on The Viscount of Colburn, Jonathan Ainsley's estate. But soon after the film begins, one of the contestants is found dead. Anyone could be the killer.
This book is a cozy mystery which uses pretty unique background themes, the baker's competition. The themes are unique and somehow relaxing at the same time, although it is about a murder case, and it makes the story more fun because there is a cake and bread involved.
The romantic moment between Claire and Jonny is very cute, but it didn’t reduce the mystery, the tension and not distract the reader from the story. In fact, it became one of the most important parts and scenes in the story. Otherwise, the murderer can’t be arrested.
Also, the story has a little bit Bridgerton vibes with the mystery murder as desserts. There is an unexpected “mission impossible” a.k.a. spying mission in the story and is properly presented, not exaggerated or being forced to be part of the story.
Unfortunately for me, the murder motive is pretty common and the story needed more thriller and suspense elements to light it up. To be honest, I’m a little bit disappointed with the competition result in the end because I didn’t feel there is more interaction in the story for the character who win it.
This story is very enjoyable, especially for you who want to take a break from the heavy serial killer story.

This spoke to me because I love watching the great British bake-off . How would you like to be a teacher who bakes , bakes , bakes on the side and get asked to be on a British cooking competition show ?
Then show up and there’s actually a lord , a manor , and all the best cooking ingredients . Who cares if you have to cook with only ingredients and tools from the early 1900s, there’s an awesome windmill , a dead body , did I mention a lord ?
So goes this culinary mystery . Loved the book and especially loved the recipes at the end .
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an unbiased review. Such a good book.

Greatly enjoyed this book. Huge fan of the Great British Bake Off so that made me want to read this right away. Throw in the mystery and it’s a great mash up.

The Crime Brulee Bake off was written by Rebecca Connolly.

This is my first time reading from this author. I will be looking for more of Rebecca's works. This book is a cozy mystery set in current day Britain. If you like to read cozy mysteries and love the Great British Bake off show then you will like this book by Rebecca Connolly.

Imagine if you can getting a call to be on the popular Britain's Battle of the Bakers show...well that's what happened to Claire it's a once in a lifetime shot for this teacher. This seasons show is set to take place at Blackfirth Park where the Viscount of Colburn Jonathan Ainsley lives with the family's haunted ghost and it's stories about the death of the tenth Viscountess of Colburn. Blackfirth Park is steeped in history, with its historical kitchens, historical mill, a church, and other buildings all on the property. So you can see why the producers of Britain's Battle of the Bakers chose to film at Blackfirth Park. While filming of the show a murder happens that has all the marks of the tenth Viscountess's death. Claire, Jonathan and the local policeman DS Watson must figure out who's killing the contestants of the show. The show must go on!

I must say the British baking show is an area of topic that I love to read about. If you have read The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell then this book is a cozier version. But if I'm truly honest I loved both of these books... In Crime Brulee Rebecca did something different than what I have experienced in other books that I've read, that have a baking show element in them. She showed us some of the behind the scenes that we don't get to see normally. Rebecca makes you feel as if you are the person who's competing. We get the thoughts during the stressful times, the cameras and what happens when they are not filming, and the hosts interactions behind the scenes. I thought she did a very good job at showing us the details we all want to know.

This is the type of book that any cozy mystery lover would love to read. I also think those who love to read a cozy food mysteries loving this one as well. As I've said before this book reminds me of some other books with those being

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren (a paranormal cozy mystery)

A batter of life and death by Ellie Alexander (book #2 in the bakeshop mystery series)

For those of you who like recipe's in a book that you can make along with reading or after well look no further. This lovely author has included some of those as well and these are the ones you read about in the book. Although It's missing one recipe that I'm curious about and I do hope we will find out more about the Mince pies, and the connect with DS Watson.

I gave this book 4 stars! I am looking forward to more in what looks like to be a new series from this author.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Authors team for allowing me to review this lovely book. I Can't wait for more.

What a cute mystery novel! I am a big huge scaredy cat baby who doesn’t like anything too suspenseful, and this one was great! It was enough to get me on edge, but not enough to make me close the book and walk away 🙈😂 it was a fun twist with the baking show on a historical lords property too. The ghost story was a perfect touch and really set the premise.
I really enjoyed Claire and Jonny. They were a great match. He was a light dose of grump and she was cheerful and fun.

Really fun! I would recommend it to anyone searching for a light mystery. If you like deep stuff that is going to make your heart pound, this isn’t it haha

Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Cute and quick mystery lover book. I thought the theme of the British bake off was creative and cute. Loved the pacing of the book and the amount of effort the author put into the book.

I haven't watched the Great British Bake Off but I love baked goods and cozy mysteries. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames (she was a nurse) mysteries so my love of mysteries goes WAY back. When I learned one of my favorite writers had a new culinary cozy mystery series coming out I knew I had to read it and "Crepes alive" what a fun read this was!

Claire Walker is a teacher with dreams of baking glory who wins a spot as a contestant on "Britain's Battle of the Bakers," set against the stunning backdrop of Blackfirth Park. Claire is there to win the prize money to open a bakery. She didn't count on helping to solve a murder or catching the eye of a somewhat grumpy Viscount Jonathan Ainsley, owner of the estate. Jonathan isn't too happy about the show being filmed there, but the show needs better ratings and he needs the money to run Blackfirth Park, so here we are.

I loved the interactions between Claire and Jonathan from start to finish. Her sunny disposition helped him not be so dour about the show filming on his property and we got to see his real personality emerge. The forced proximity created by the murder mystery fueled the chemistry that was already sparking between Claire and Jonathan. Their interactions are witty and filled with a slow-burn tension that keeps you rooting for them. I loved watching them follow the clues and solve the mystery.

In addition to the yummy romance blossoming between the main characters, the descriptions of the pastries are enough to make your mouth water! The inclusion of recipes at the end of the story was a delightful bonus! Be prepared to be whisked away by this cozy and captivating read. Fans of baking shows, historical estates, and lighthearted mysteries with a dash of romance will find this book a scrumptious treat.

I received a paperback copy from the publisher and a digital arc from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Loved it! Such a light-hearted cozy crime with witty banter, grumpy MMC and a good plot I didn't guess beforehand! This was a perfect book of it's type and I would definitely read the next one by the same author!

I loved this book! I loved the humor, the mystery and the little side of romance. It was so fun to have it on the set of a baking show too. Clair and Johnny's banter was so entertaining and had my chuckling through the whole book. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and definitely recommend it!

While the nobility need to do what they can to save and maintain their old homes, murder certainly isn’t one of the things they entertain. However when a murder at an estate mimics that of one of the previous nobles, the contestants tied to the cooking dhow filming at the estate are on red alert. Can one of the contestants and the current noble figure out who did it and why? Or will the estate be another sacrifice when the show must go on?

I really liked this one. I’m not big into the nobility and commoner story lines but this is so well done that you’re not even paying attention to the titles. that’s because the mystery and characters are so well written. LOVED IT!

I am a HUGE fan of the Great British Bake Off, and also of romantic mysteries, so when I saw this book I had to read it! The behind the scenes of filming the show was so interesting - is it really like that? (Minus the murder, of course!)

The mystery is interesting, although the solution comes a bit quick at the end. The romance is adorable! I would love to see more of these two. The recipes at the end are amazing! So many and a good selection of different types of desserts.

All in all I really enjoyed this one!

This cozy mystery with a hint of romance was right up my alley. I love reading and baking and to come across a novel that combines my two loves made my heart warm. I definitely felt the Great British Bake-Off vibes and loved those scenes where Claire and the contestants were using those pre-1900’s implements to craft their bakes. I also loved that hint of heat I felt when Claire and Jonathan met for the first time. There was quite a bit of flirtation, and as the investigation progressed and those real feelings developed? Yum.

The romance was sweet, but what about the mystery? I actually really enjoyed following along with our two main characters, their interactions with the other bakers, producers, and staff, and thought the author found the right note to keep this strictly in the cozy mystery genre. I wasn’t surprised by the ending, but the author led us gently to the conclusion. I can’t wait to see what new mystery Claire (and hopefully Jonathan) can solve!

What a delightful story from start to finish! I enjoyed the relatable FMC and loved the baking vibes throughout this story. The sweet romance and cozy mystery were just the perfect combination to help me beat the winter blues!

Read if you enjoy:
-baking + foodie romances
-relatable characters
-British setting
-a great mystery

Romance: sweet and swoony

Thanks so much to Netgalley, Shadow Mountain and Austenprose PR for an advanced copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own.

Cozy mystery and the Great British Bake Off had a baby this would be the book! A cute read that will give you an inside view to a bake off with a side of Murder!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Pasteries aren't the only things tempting Claire Walker as she navigates being a contestant on a reality baking show. One of the contestants is murdered and suspicion runs rampant amongst the contestants. Meanwhile, Claire and the dashing host, Viscount of Colburn, Jonathon Ainsley have their own fires simmering as they work with each other.

This story was delightfully quirky with just enough tension, romantic and mysterious, to keep the plot moving forward and readers intrigued. They won't want to miss what Claire will serve up next.

If the Great British Bake Off and Miss Marple had a baby, I feel like this would be it.

It’s cozy (despite being about a murder), sweet (no pun intended), and well-paced to keep the pages turning.

Was it corny? Yes. Unrealistic? Yes. Did the food related puns drive me crazy? Absolutely yes.

Still, my only real qualms were the quick end (I would have liked an epilogue farther into the future…like what happened later?) and more development of the murder victim. The person was present for so little of the book, the main character’s emotional distress to their loss seemed unbelievable.

Regardless, a good read. Probably one of my favourites from the author! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a low stakes, easy read.

Claire lands a spot on Britain’s Battle of the Bakers, but things take a nasty turn when a fellow contestant is murdered.

I love baking shows, in particular The Great British Baking Show, which this book's competition takes inspiration from. I thought it was a really fun idea for a novel. Add in a mystery, and I was doubly intrigued.

I will say that it had a bit of a slow start. Once the mystery began, though, things picked up, and while I did have a little trouble connecting to the story, I ended up enjoying it.

The baking scenes were fun and made me so hungry! And I liked Jonny. He was a classic but lovable grump.

I loved the setting of Blackfirth Park and was very intrigued by the history of the manor. Though, I wish that history would’ve been explored a little more in depth, along with the legend of the murder of Lady Coburn.

The mystery was intriguing. The "who" was fairly obvious, but the "why" surprised me. If you're looking for a sweet cozy mystery, give this book a try. It's the start of a series, and I'm curious to see where that will lead.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.