Scone Cold Dead is book #13 in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day.

Can South Lick remain murder free until Robbie has her baby? Unfortunately, there is a death in her Aunt Adele‘s field though it isn’t clear whether it is murder. I enjoyed this installment as Robbie prepared to give birth, dealt with getting Pans ‘N Pancakes ready for her maternity leave, and investigates the mysterious death. There are some delicious sounding recipes at the end. This had a sweet ending, which could be a series wrap up, but I definitely hope that we see more of Robbie in the gang in South Lick.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I wouldn't write off the series but I won't go out of my way to find more. The setting was cozy and the characters were interesting but the mystery left a bit to be desired. There wasn't a lot of investigation and this entry felt like it was more of a shifting entry. A way to introduce some new characters and to create some new situations. Not a bad book but not an exciting book either.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this book.

Scone Cold Dead, the 13th book in the Country Store Series by Maddie Day, is as awesome as the rest of the series. I love that we get to watch Robbie's life move forward after she relocates from California to South Lick, Indiana, and this new phase is a BIG one. Robbie and Abe's baby is about due when a mysterious stranger shows up at the cafe. Several friends seem to recognize the man, but none want to talk about him...that is until his body is found on her aunt Adele's property. Naturally, even with all the work to get the cafe ready for her time off, Robbie feels compelled to investigate the man and his death. She is especially glad that Abe is no longer an electrician with all the weather issues coming through, but even his work at the park keeps him busier than he would like to be as the gets the house for the new arrival and watches Robbie get closer and closer to the delivery.
One of the pulls to the series is the family that Robbie has developed with the community. Time at the cafe is a visit with old friends, but there are even changes there. This is truly where the cozy in cozy mystery comes from and the reason they are loved by so many.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read and review and ARC of Scone Cold Dead. I hope this series last forever, but if it ended now, this would be the perfect book to say goodbye. It is an even better book to follow a new path for Robbie though!
#NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing #MaddieDay #CountryCafeMysteryseries #Scone Cold Dead.

In the 13th Country Store Mystery, a mysterious death occurs on Adele’s farm. Past meets present as the man who dies is known to a number of townspeople, but all are reluctant to discuss what they know.
Robbie is 8+ months pregnant. She is trying to work up till the birth, but it’s getting harder each day.
Robbie knows her aunt Adele is innocent, so she does what she can to investigate the death.
I really enjoyed reading Scone Cold Dead. The mystery surrounding the man and his death is well-written and the pacing is good. This book is also very much about the characters that we have come to know and love as the series has progressed. People from the past return and others have cameo appearances if they are far away. I love seeing Robbie’s story progress, and the new life she brings into the world.
I think you’ll enjoy this book best if you have read the other books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

I was a little worried about reading Scone Cold Dead as I found out it is the 13th in the series but I didn't need to worry, as it stood on it's own very well! In fact, it was so good that I'll definitely be checking out the first 12 titles and any other books by Maddie Day. Scone Cold Dead ticked all the Cozy Mystery boxes. It was realistic in that the main character actually has a life outside of solving the mystery, plenty of character development, and quirky little additions that brought the story to life. I can't wait to check out more in the series!

It's hard to write a good review of this book without giving away spoilers if you follow the series. This part could be read as a standalone but you'd be missing out on a lot of the significant relationships leading up to this plot.

Robbie is due with her first baby in 2 weeks' time and is trying to get her restaurant ready for her maternity leave. When a mysterious stranger shows up in South Lick asking about her aunt, she goes on alert. When the same mysterious stranger shows up dead on her aunt's sheep farm, Robbie has to sleuth her way to the truth since there is no way Aunt Adele could be a suspect.

The best parts of these books to me are the vernacular the author creates with her dialogue. She has these delightful characters that appear to be simple country folk by their speech and it paints a wonderful atmosphere of the small-town Midwest, though just because they sound simple doesn't mean the reader should be deceived by appearances. Seeing the character relationships evolve over multiple books is also why I keep returning to this series.

And don't even get me started on how hungry this one made me. All this breakfast food, all the time and it sounds so delicious I wanted to get myself to Robbie's restaurant ASAP for some good cooking.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This installment of The Country Store Mystery series is very special as the main character/head amateur sleuth is about to give birth. Robbie is close to having her baby, but she will not let this deter her from investigating a mysterious death.

When a dead body is found in Robbie's Aunt Adele's ram field, Robbie feels this one hits a little too close to home. Robbie is a little more careful in her sleuthing in this book because of her pregnancy, but her curiosity will not allow her to let it go completely.

I always enjoy visiting South Lick, Indiana and the characters in this series. Pans 'N Pancakes sounds like my kind of restaurant, and I am always drooling a little with the wonderful descriptions of the food served there. As far as characters, I love Robbie, but I have to say that Buck is one of my favorite characters. There is just something about him. He loves to eat and makes no bones about it. He is such a kind soul as well. The mystery was interesting and the back story about the victim was even more interesting. Reading this book and this series always makes me hungry. The author always includes some delicious recipes at the end which is another plus. If you are a cozy mystery lover, you can never go wrong with a book in this series. Put another check in the winner column for the Country Store Mystery series.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanksgiving is almost here, and Robbie is very pregnant with her first child. When she is depositing her money at the bank, she hears a man telling Carter Kingsley that Carter should do what the stranger was recommending. The man then opens the door for her to go out. Later that morning she sees the man from the bank come into Pans and Pancakes and asks if she knows Adele Jordan, Robbie's Aunt. The next day Robbie finds out that the man was found dead in the pasture on her Aunt's property. Robbie soon learns that her aunt Adele had once been an item with the man. Then, another former resident who had just gotten out of jail, Oliver, arrives in town.

As Robbie is getting closer to the time her baby will come, she starts having some staffing problems. Hunter has decided he will shortly begin learning to be a chef at the Culinary Institute of America. Then, Len needs to go to help his father whose health isn't good. Fortunately his sister Lou, a friend of Robbie comes to fill in for her brother. Then the woman who has been bringing her deserts says she is leaving town, and Robbie needs to find someone to do deserts.

Things get pretty exciting as the reader gets close to the end of the book. I have only read the first and the last book in this series, but am now anxious to read all those in between. I thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC so that I could read this book before publication.

I just love good old Buck Bird in this series which I’ve enjoyed since its beginning! He’s got about as many colorful, colloquial sayings as a certain campground manager in another of my fave series. Buck always cracks me up how he can put away so much food, lol. Adele’s a pretty cool character but for a while, she was having a hard time when the death of someone happened that she knew but wouldn’t admit to knowing.

Robbie had her sleuthing cut out for her but at least she wasn’t chasing down anyone. It was kinda cool how she and Lou got one last before-baby hurrah when they did a little snooping together. Lou’s an awesome friend and really came through when Robbie and the restaurant needed her. It’ll be interesting to see what directions Robbie’s investigations go now that her baby’s here. There were others who got some good news as well and one who had some bittersweet news, but even with baby on the brain, Robbie came up with a darn good solution.

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

Although I’ve read other books from the wonderful Maddie Day, Stone Cold Dead is the first book I’ve read from her Country Store Mysteries series. While I enjoy starting a series with Book One, I couldn’t resist the chance to read this, the 13th installment of the series! Ms. Day does a great job of giving the reader just enough of a backstory to get caught up to speed. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, in my case, she piqued my curiosity enough to want to go back and start at the beginning of this lovely series. I’m looking forward to learning the backstories of all the characters and spending much more time with them.

The main character is Robbie Jordan, the owner of Pans ‘N Pancakes, a local restaurant, and an amateur sleuth. Oh yes, there are lots of delicious passages about the food at the restaurant (and elsewhere), which I loved. The only drawback to that was that it made me hungry, and I wanted to go to the restaurant for one of Robbie’s famous breakfast feasts. The other part of the story I loved was reading about how Robbie, and her husband, Abe, were preparing for the birth of their first child in less than a month!

In this installment, a stranger comes to the town of South Lick, Indiana and walks into Pans ‘N Pancakes, asking about a woman who is also Robbie’s beloved aunt, Adele. That starts the mystery rolling, and when the stranger is discovered deceased in her aunt’s field, Adele becomes a suspect.

The chapters are brief, which, yes, kept me going long into the night because I wanted to know what happened next! I not only felt invested in the story (including Robbie’s safety so close to her due date), but thoroughly enjoyed all the characters, including Robbie’s restaurant staff, Buck, the town sheriff, Corrine, the mayor, and of course Aunt Adele. This story also addresses grief, second chances, making amends, and the power of love and friendship, without being overwrought or preachy. The dialogue is sparkling and realistic, and the characters are all well-written. There were a few twists that I also really enjoyed, especially focusing on a new character named Oliver.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cozies, for the opportunity to read this book. I have voluntarily left this review, and all opinions are my own.

Robbie is really really pregnant but she's got to jump in and investigate when a man is found dead in her aunt Adele's sheep pasture, Yikes! She's meant to be setting things up at her Pancake restaurant not asking questions! Fans of this long running cozy series will be pleased to see the movement in Robbie's life and to spend time with her husband Abe aa well while working their way through the nicely twisty classic cozy mystery. It's an easy read but it will keep you guessing, especially about the baby. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

Robbie is very pregnant. She’s working out schedules while she will be off for maternity leave; however, life keeps getting in the way. Then a man is found dead in her aunt’s field. This book is filled with strange men with odd links to the women in town. But the real question is what will happen first—the murder is solved or the baby is born. This is one of my favorite books in this series. #netgalley

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Maddie Day for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Scone Cold Dead coming out April 1, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I definitely haven’t read all of the books in the series. But I have read some books by this author. Robbie definitely has a lot going on in this book. She’s due to have her baby, which can definitely interfere with solving a murder mystery. I love all the food puns. The town just seemed very cozy and quaint. I really enjoyed the characters. I would definitely read more books in this series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

"Scone Cold Dead” the 13th book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day. I just love this series! I love the setting of South Lick, Indiana and I love Robbie and her staff at Pans N Pancakes they are like one big family. Now that Robbie is about to give birth, she wants to relax and work out the last few weeks with no stress but...

After a body is found in a local farmer’s field, country store and café owner Robbie Jordan suspects that a newcomer in South Lick, Indiana, may not be a stranger to everyone in town . . .

There were enough twists to keep me intrigued and wanting to know how it ends. The plot and story were good and seemed to flow at a good pace. There was a sub-plot with what will happen staff wise as some leave and a few other surprises pop up. But I liked the way it ended and look forward to the next instalment.

I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a cozy filled with down home characters and a small town atmosphere.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

SCONE COLD DEAD is the thirteenth book in the Country Store Mysteries by Maddie Day. This newest release finds protagonist Robbie, heavily pregnant with her first child. The book explores the theme of transitioning and close family ties, be they blood ties or those of friendship. Robbie is a hard worker, dedicated to her restaurant and shop, Pans ‘N Pancakes, but with her upcoming baby, finds her focus shifting. I admire all the core characters and the way they pitch in to support each other, both emotionally and physically. It is often heartwarming as they celebrate the good things that come their way and commiserate over things that are painful. The author captures the descriptions of the restaurant and the setting, as well as the individual personalities of the characters and brings the story to life on the pages.

With such a joyous occasion coming up, Robbie and her family are looking forward to welcoming the new baby into the family. No one expects tragedy to strike but, unfortunately, a man, newly arrived in town, is found dead on Robbie’s aunt’s farm. With her aunt being investigated as a suspect, Robbie can’t stand by and wait for law enforcement to clear her name. Yet, being so close to delivery, Robbie knows she has to be as safe as possible to protect herself and her child. It’s not such an easy thing to do when investigating a potential murder, but she does her best asking questions around town and digging into the deceased past. There are several twists I didn’t see coming, but given Robbie’s “delicate” condition, there was less action than in previous books. Despite the slower pace, the author makes up for it with the wonderful characters and the emotional depth they display, resulting in a highly satisfying read.

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

Robbie Jordan, owner and operator of Pans ’N Pancakes is expecting her first child. She is trying to take care of every detail so the diner will keep running while she is on her maternity leave.

A mysterious stranger shows up in the local bank and then in Robbie's diner. Shortly after these encounters, Robbie finds that this stranger's dead body was found in her Aunt Adele's ram field on her sheep farm. Who was he? Why was he there? Why is he dead? And why won't Aunt Adele discuss him with anyone, including Robbie.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Scone Cold Dead is the thirteenth book in this series already and as one of my favorite cozy mystery series I was excited to return to this series for another mystery. My favorite part of this series is seeing Robbie live her life and how this developed and changes throughout the series. I also liked reading about the restaurant she runs and I like how much of the book takes place there. In this book Robbie is heavily pregnant and being due soon when another dead body appears.

The mystery was a good one mostly. I liked how it made sense for Robbie to get involved when people close to her were involved in the mystery. Although I always feel a bit conflicted when a main character who is pregnant gets into danger as it just doesn't seem smart or right to jump into danger with a baby in them. I did appreciate how Robbie was even more careful in this book and took her safety seriously, she told people were she went or took someone with her and did most of her sleuthing with other people around. I liked the secrets and history that came up throughout the mystery with people who had known the dead man in his past. I wasn't quite sure what to think of the reveal at the end as it felt a bit anticlimactic to me, but I could also see why the author decided to end it that way.

I liked reading more about Robbie, although I always feel a bit uncomfortable reading about pregnant main characters as I don't like reading about pregnancy and babies. Despite that I still had a great time with this book. Robbie is preparing for this change in her life and I also liked seeing the restaurant doing well, although some changes are going on there as well. It's fun to read more about all the familiar side characters and see how close all these characters are. This town and the character in it feel familiar and I like reading about them.

To summarize: I had a great time reading this one. While pregnancy and babies isn't a topic I like reading about I still enjoyed this book despite that. There is another mystery Robbie gets involved in and I liked all the history and secrets that were revealed after the dead body is found. I especially like the daily life parts with Robbie's life developing and changing throughout the series and reading about her running her restaurant and interacting with her fiends, family and employees. All in all this was another great book in the series and I hope there will be more to come.

This is book number 13 in the a country store mystery series. I was hooked on this series when I stumbled across a novella by the author. I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t my favorite. It could be because it did seem like a lot of loose ends were tied up and the book series might be ending.

There is always a good mystery in the series. I do recommend starting from the beginning or you will be lost in when it comes to the characters back stories.

A very happy ending!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was my first book I have read in this series. I enjoyed the book, and all the characters were fun and easily likeable.. but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first 12 books.

Robbie is a great female lead, and I loved Turner. And the recipes and baked goods they made in the book ommmg. What a win!! I’m so trying a squash and sausage bake and the apple cider muffins!

Another issue I had was I found the murder part of the book to be lacking. For a murder mystery the murder in this one fell flat because it didn’t end up being a murder after all.

Overall a cozy and fun read!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, the weather is getting colder, and South Lick resident Robbie Jordan is very excited and fearful in equal measure! In just a couple of weeks she and husband Abe will welcome their first child and, as the owner of Pans 'N Pancakes, probably half the town are also counting down the days! So, when the body of a newcomer to the area is found in one of her Aunt Adele's fields, she is adamant, she's definitely not getting involved! But somehow, these things just seem to happen!

Book thirteen in Maddie Day's Country Store Mystery Series is a delightful read. The worries Robbie has as a first-time mom who has to hand over the reins of her beloved restaurant, if only for a few months, and then look after a new baby were just great! Added to that were some changes her friends and family were making, some impacting her directly, others not so much. Add the investigation to the mix and taking it easy was not something Robbie was succeeding at! This was such a feel-good story that I wonder if the series is coming to a conclusion. I hope not, but if it is it's a great way to end it.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cozies, but the opinions expressed are my own. This was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it.