Love this Series!

Robbie may have her hands full with her diner and being nine months pregnant, but that doesn't stop her from investigating when a body is found on her beloved Aunt Adele's farm. The police might think her aunt is guilty, but Robbie knows there's no way she would hurt anyone. Now Robbie just needs to prove it.

Excellent addition to the A Country Store Mystery series. There's an interesting mystery or two, plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing, Robbie, Abe, and all the townspeople are people I would want to hang out with in real life. And Robbie's diner, Pans & Pancakes, is a place I would want to visit for a meal....and the local gossip.
Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Also read in Kindle Unlimited

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

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 . . .

Robbie is just weeks away from giving birth. While her husband Abe scrambles to get the house ready for their baby’s arrival, Robbie makes last minute arrangements to keep her shop and restaurant, Pans ’N Pancakes, up and running when she’s on maternity leave. And it seems Robbie and Abe aren’t the only ones grappling with anxiety—a stranger is causing a stir in town and Robbie’s Aunt Adele appears unusually preoccupied at the baby shower . . .

But when someone finds a body in the ram field on Adele’s sheep farm, it’s Robbie’s turn to be worried. Especially after Chief Buck Bird uncovers a troubling link between Adele and the possible murder victim. Robbie has no choice but to knit the clues together and solve this mystery before anything else gets flocked up . . . (From Goodreads)

Review:

This was a perfect thirteenth installment in the Country Store Mystery series! As the characters grow and thrive, I continue to learn about them. Each are skillfully described by realistic conversations and actions with the exception of Robbie’s mother, who we relearn about through Robbie’s and Aunt Adele’s memories.

Robbie and Abe are only a couple weeks from welcoming their first baby, possibly even on Thanksgiving, and they couldn’t be happier. Robbie has reduced her hours a tad, but she continues to work every day. In overall excellent health, she wants to work as close to delivery as possible, and with one employee/ friend leaving before the next semester begins, there are concerns she needs to address.

One day at the bank, Robbie saw a man she didn’t know in a verbal disagreement with one of the managers. A short time later, the man is in Pans ‘N Pancakes to be seated, and she spoke with him briefly. He recently came to town to look for some people, in part to make amends. One of those people is Robbie’s Aunt Adele. She won’t give anyone Adele’s phone number and tried to call and text Adele that evening, but Adele didn’t respond.

Two other ladies, Corrine, the mayor and mother of one of Robbie’s employees, and Hope, the woman who bakes all of the desserts Robbie sells, saw Ivan and reacted. Corrine was very surprised to see him, but Hope walked out. Buck, everyone’s favorite chief of police, joined Ivan at his table as the diner was full.

The following morning, Samuel, Adele’s gentleman friend, arrived late at the diner for the weekly men’s prayer group he leads. When he did arrive, he spoke quietly with Robbie before meeting his friends. Early that morning, alerted by their barking dog, Samuel found a dead man in Adele’s pasture. Adele seemed to recognize him and showed strong feelings of either grief or anger. She refused, however, to talk with anyone about it, including Samuel and Adele. Samuel saw no obvious cause of death, but the police collected evidence all around the area as a “suspicious death”. Samuel’s description of the man matched up perfectly with Ivan.

When Detective Sergeant Juanita McWilliam arrived from the state, she was very by-the-book. She behaved as if Adele had killed him, even without knowing yet whether he had been murdered. Adele finally revealed the truth of the man to Buck and the state detective, knowing that both Samuel and Robbie have her back. Knowing Ivan, however, could possibly give her a motive in their eyes.

Even with her due date near, Robbie won’t abandon her dear aunt, the only sister of her late, beloved mother. She was clearly limited in what she could do, other than ask questions of people who might have known Ivan. To his credit, Buck knows that Adele, a former mayor, would never kill anyone, but he has to do his job while walking a fine line with the state police. It is the same for Corrine, the current mayor, who will defend Adele no matter what. I have so appreciated Buck and Corrine, for their down-home expressions, outlooks on life, and their extraordinary minds that peacefully coexist with their aw-shucks personalities. Those who underestimate Corrine, Buck, and Robbie will quickly repent of their error.

It is almost a relief for them to have a couple other suspects, especially when someone threatens Robbie. It takes a cold-hearted person to threaten a young pregnant woman! Robbie has a logical mind when it isn’t flooded with pregnancy hormones, but she is determined to keep Adele from being charged with something she didn’t do.

This was a great example of a cozy mystery, with the small-town setting, challenging mystery, engaging primary characters, and the loving relationship between Adele, her hubby Abe, and his son, Sean, and his sweet nickname for her. Adele and Robbie also have a special relationship that has grown throughout Robbie’s life. Finally, there are a couple potential suspects, one of which is a huge red herring. The resolution was the ultimate surprise, one I would never have come to on my own. I also had great appreciation for Robbie’s new hire! I highly recommend this to all who enjoy challenging cozy mysteries, including “foodies” and those who enjoy the Midwest and the charm of small-town life.

I really enjoyed the dynamics in the book. It felt more personal, that she is pregnant. It also feels like this is the last book of the series,,, with the last words. I’m really glad the resolution was what it was. #SconeColdDead #NetGalley

This is book 13 in the Country store mystery series. I have read some of them, not all and I had no trouble keeping track of characters and locals. Robbie and Abe are getting ready for their baby's arrival. She is taking things easy at the cafe when she meets a stranger who is asking questions about her friends and family. He is soon found dead. Several yummy recipes from the diner. This may be the last book in the series as it's listed as book 13 of 13. I'll miss this small Indiana town

Robbie is very pregnant and due soon. However, when the body of a mystery man is found close to her aunt Adele's home, she has to investigate. Everyone seemed to be tight-lipped about the mystery man. As far as secrets go, his life was a bit of a letdown. The mystery was good, and it was a quick read.

Robbie and Abe are expecting their first child together. They are so thrilled. The little one is so close to appearing. Robbie is readying her staff to take over while she’s on maternity leave. Abe is finishing up the home readiness.

A newcomer show ups looking for Adele. Unfortunately, he is found dead in one of Adele’s fields.
There are many of secrets and many people know the gentleman even though no one wants to own up to it. I enjoyed every twist, turn and redirect in this story.

I was given an advanced e-copy from Netgalley. These are my opinions and I am late with this review due a death in the my family.

In “Scone Cold Dead”, the thirteenth book in Maddie Day’s Country Store Cozy Mystery Series, country store and café owner Robbie Jordan is weeks away from giving birth and trying to wrap things up at work before going out on maternity leave. The last thing she wants for her and her baby is to be involved in another possible murder but when a body turns up at her Aunt Adele’s farm, Robby has no choice but to get involved. She knows she needs to be careful but will she be careful enough?

I really enjoyed this book – I’ve enjoyed the whole series. I love Robbie as the main character and the country store/café that she runs – I’m as hungry as regular customer Buck is every time I read a book in this series (the book contains recipes – if only I had someone to cook them for me!). The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects and red herrings – I thought the solution was perfect if a bit sad.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Country store and cafe owner Robbie Jordan is expecting her first baby imminently, and is frantically trying to prepare her business for her upcoming absence. While her two full-time employees Danna Beedle and Turner Rao do their best to support her, one curveball after another has her worrying more about her future than she’d either anticipated or is entirely comfortable with.

Things come to a head when a corpse is found in the ram paddock on her Aunt Adele’s sheep farm. Ivan Sheluk had been causing quite a stir since recently arriving in the town of South Lick, Indiana. He’d asked Robbie to pass on a message to Adele, who had in turn refused to even talk about him. Now he’s dead on Adele’s property, and the police are asking hard questions.

Adele, however, isn’t the only person who had a complicated past with the victim. Robbie’s dessert baker is doing her level best to avoid anything to do with Ivan, and the new bank manager isn’t above resorting to threats to get Robbie to stop asking questions either. Even the town’s popular mayor was once entangled with the deceased. The last thing Robbie wants to do while heavily pregnant is to get involved in yet another murder investigation. But if her inquiries can help keep her aunt out of jail, then surely the risk will be worth it?

Scone Cold Dead feels almost more like a cozy catch-up with friends going through pivotal chapters of their lives than an outright murder mystery, but that’s quite alright for the thirteenth book in a series like this, in my opinion. There’s plenty of mystery to be had in figuring out who wanted the victim dead, and in untangling his relationships with so many residents of South Lick. I was certainly kept guessing until the very end!

There are six food and drink recipes included here, all of dishes deliciously described in the novel. I’ve been in a bit of a soup mood recently, so decided to try out this one:

QUOTE
Italian Wedding Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth, homemade or commercial
2 cups water
1 habanero pepper (keep whole) or a few drops of hot sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup small pasta such as orzo
1 15.5 ounce can small pink or white beans, rinsed
8 ounces fresh spinach, stems trimmed and leaves roughly chopped, or one package frozen, thawed
2 tablespoons basil pesto
20 small meatballs (any meat, pre-made or from the recipe of your choice), uncooked
Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Sauté onions until they begin to soften. Add carrots and celery and continue cooking until all are soft. Add garlic and sauté one more minute.

Add chicken broth and water. Enclose habanero in a tea ball and add to the pot. Add herbs and salt and pepper. And stir.

Increase heat until the soup boils. Stir in the pasta and reduce to a simmer.

After the pasta is al dente, add beans, spinach, and pesto and stir well. Add meatballs. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for an hour or until flavors are melded. Correct seasonings.

Serve hot with grated cheese on top.
END QUOTE

This is a very interesting variant on the traditional Italian wedding soup, that might feel unconventional but is delicious nonetheless. I’d never served this with the pasta boiled right into it before, which I’ve found really soaks up the liquid, especially if you have any leftovers. I kept having to add more water to thin out the soup: fortunately, this does not at all sacrifice the flavor.

I also used regular-sized turkey meatballs that were pre-cooked, and left the habanero pepper in for an extra kick. Interestingly, I found that I actually preferred the flavors the next day, after they’d had time to better meld. The orzo does expand such that the dish becomes more of a risotto in texture, but it’s still very tasty.

I’m taking the next week off for travel, but will be back the week after to bake up a sweet treat while investigating the death of a business rival. Do join me!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Robbie and Abe are so excited as the birth of their baby gets closer. Abe is finishing up getting everything ready at home while Robbie gets her staff at Pans ’N Pancakes ready for her to go on maternity leave.

Then, a mysterious man comes to town looking for Robbie’s Aunt Adele. Others seem to know him, too. Before he can meet with Adele, his body is found on Adele’s sheep farm in the ram field. When Chief Buck Bird learns the man had a past connection to Adele, he needs answers. Adele becomes pretty tight-lipped about the whole situation.

Could Adele be responsible for the man’s death? The last thing Robbie needs at eight and a half months pregnant is another murder investigation, but she has to clear her Aunt Adele any way she can.

The characters Maddie Day has created for this series are stellar. I became invested in them in Book 1, Flipped for Murder. In every installment of this series, they have grown in realistic ways. New characters were introduced, and all had a purpose and made the series stronger. Robbie has made a true home in South Lick, Indiana. She made new friends and fell in love. She has become a beloved member of the community and made her Pans ’N Pancakes a welcoming place for South Lick residents and tourists. The woman has a huge heart and will help anyone in need, even if they are a suspect in a murder. This time, she scared me a bit with “practice contractions” and her little ventures to check some things out.

The mystery in Scone Cold Dead is a little different and has a slower pace, mostly due to Robbie’s delicate condition. She stopped herself several times, thinking about the baby she was carrying, trying to be extra careful when she went off to investigate. There were several twists to unravel, but I closed in on the final one a bit before the characters.

The birth of Robbie and Abe’s baby had a bit of excitement, but everyone ended the story just fine. With this being the final book in the series, Ms. Day left all the characters in good places. Some moving on to new adventures, others are firmly in place where they are meant to be, and one with some exciting news. I am really sad that this will be my last visit to the wonderful little town of South Lick.

Scone Cold Dead is filled with well-developed characters and a well-plotted mystery. I have looked forward to each new book in this series and enjoyed them all. I highly recommend the entire Country Store Mystery series. If you have missed it, please start at the beginning and enjoy seeing the characters evolve and grow. If you are a fan, you will love this story and be both happy and sad at the end.

Thank you, Maddie Day, for taking us along on Robbie’s journey. It has been quite a run. She is a character I won’t forget. She is right: She “had a knack for solving murders, but that has no place in a baby’s life” – A perfect ending for the series and a Perfect Escape.

Another great mystery for Robbie, Abe and the gang. This one kept me guessing and I loved that the story also had the last little bit of Robbie's pregnancy. That was a great secondary story. This was a wonderful cozy read!

Things are really heating up in Robbie Jordan's cafe! A baby on the way, winter storms possible, strangers causing many locals to behave oddly and of course a dead body has appeared. As always, a wonderfully woven plot and characters to delight and entertain! I honestly would love to be able to visit the crew at Pans and Pancakes! They are all so unique and interesting that I wish I could sip tea and visit with them. The mystery is well crafted and overlayed with other potential mysteries as well as the life events of each individual cast member. This is a wonderful cozy mystery series that you absolutely must start with the first book and enjoy reading each book to get the full enjoyment and connection to all the characters. I am already eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

4.25⭐
Delightful long-running series although I have only read a couple so far...an oversight soon to be rectified. Robbie is a great protagonist -- smart, empathetic and totally capable. She's also very pregnant and due in less than two weeks. I very much appreciated that she did not keep putting herself in harm's way as often happens it cozies. Loved how she handled pulling together clues and managing the diner through a river of staffing issues at the same time. Great story, well-told. Thanks to netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a quick, enjoyable read. If that is what you are looking for - this is the perfect book. It’s a must read!

Life is changing for Robbie Jordan with the impending arrival of her baby. But when a stranger comes to town asking after her aunt Adele and winds up dead her Adele's fields, Robbie leaps into action. Several other women in town knew the stranger from the past, so there are other suspects beside her aunt. Entertaining and fun to read.

Maddie Day carries on the Country Store mysteries with Scone Cold Dead. A man's body is found on a farm with blood on the body. Ivan Sheluk had a troubled past and a connection to Robbie's Aunt Adele. Robbie is very pregnant and due to deliver but that cannot keep her from investigating. Other locals and visitors have motive. Robbie is also juggling her restaurant. Clues keep popping up. Read and enjoy the recipes.

Robbie and Abe await the arrival of their little bundle of joy while at Adele deals with a body found on her farm. Everyone is keyed up, whatever their reason for it. That when Robbie finds out who the body was to her aunt, she finds herself trying to figure out what happened to the man. But is Robbie putting herself on her child in jeopardy?

This is the first series that I read by the author and I’ve been following and reading ever since. Not just a series, but all of her series. Though, this is by far of my favorite. You will never go wrong with a book by Maddie Day.

Scone Cold Dead by Maddie Day is an interesting book which brings upsets to Robbie’s little world. A man had arrived that a few people seem to recognize, not Robbie. As it turns out he is a former beau of Robbie’s aunt Adele. That isn’t discovered until after his body turns up in one of Adele’s sheep pens. Adele didn’t know he’d returned and she had a story to tell. Robbie is eight and half months pregnant which makes everything far more difficult, especially investigating, and chasing down her aunt, who is always busy. Plus, members of her staff were deserting her to move forward in their own lives. Always a staple in her life was Buck Bird, the sheriff, who turned up at least once a day to eat more than a human should be able to. A lot of people recognized this mystery man. The reviews were mixed. So how did he end up dead behind her aunt’s house?

Robbie and her husband, Abe, are good characters: well-written and empathetic. Abe worries about Robbie’s investigating but never tries to rein her in. The people who work for her always understand that this investigating is a compulsion and are always cooperative. The sheriff is the best character, always spouting mid-western names for things and odd comparisons. He is a character. Every cozy needs one. The new woman investigator is a little too by-the-book and is ruffling feathers. All in all, a good cozy: good characters, forward movement, decent mystery with a good outcome, and a fabulous setting.

I was invited to read Scone Cold Dead by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonPublishing #MaddieDay #SconeColdDead

An enjoyable, quick read that was easy to read and kept me guessing right until the end. Thoroughly enjoyable.

When a body is found on Robbie's aunt's farm, Robbie must some how fit in clearing her aunt's name while getting her restaurant/store ready for her maternity leave. It turns out that there were a lot of people in town who had ties to this man whose brief appearance stirred up quite a commotion of uneasy feelings.
Overall, the mystery is solid but it is really about the wrap up. The story ends where it could be the end of the series as Robbie realizes that she can't be as reckless as she has been before in going after murderers because of the little life she carries and will soon be looking after (and at times she was). Even if it is the end of the series, it ends with lots of positive vibes and no real dangling threads.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I wish Pans and Pancakes was located in my town! I would be eating there every day and visiting with Robbie and the rest of the gang in South Lick. This was a wonderful addition to the Country Store series and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat while you cheer Robbie on as she tries not to get involved in solving the murder mystery and deliver her baby safely. The characters are well developed and your mouth will be watering with the delightful items they put on the menu each day. Such a sense of family and community as everyone supports each other and encourages people to grow and achieve life goals. This is a great series in which to get lost in the lives and activities of the people.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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