As much as I wanted to enjoy The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton, it ultimately didn’t resonate with me. The story follows Fannie Miller, who, after making it to the finals of the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest, becomes entangled in a mystery as contestants begin disappearing. Fannie enlists the help of her old friend, retired cop and part-time private investigator Foster Bates, to uncover the truth. With quirky suspects and an intriguing premise, the book promised a lighthearted mystery.

While the writing is solid and the characters have their charming moments, the story fell flat for me as a reader who prefers more intense mystery and suspense. The stakes never felt particularly high, and the cozy atmosphere lacked the tension I usually look for in this genre. That said, Wanda Brunstetter is a well-respected author known for her engaging storytelling, and I can see how fans of cozy mysteries might appreciate the humor and warmth woven into this book.

Although this story wasn’t a great fit for my personal taste, readers who enjoy lighthearted, character-driven mysteries will likely find The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits to be an enjoyable read. If you're seeking a more suspenseful, high-stakes mystery, this may not fully satisfy that craving. Still, I respect the authors' craft and their ability to create a unique, small-town setting filled with colorful characters.

Disclaimer: I did receive this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was under not obligation to write a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

The rise and fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda Brunstetter and Martha Bolton.

$25,000 is on the line and everyone wants to win the grand prize from the 10th annual Tuscarawas County Baking contest. Fannie Foster, Melissa and Michael Taylor, and the Blustery Sisters are all convinced they are going to walk away with the award.

Once the competition gets started contestants start to disappear, so Fannie (self-professed private investigator) enlists the help of retired PI Foster Bates.

Grab your aprons because this cozy little mystery might just get a little messy, as good friends Fannie and Foster work on solving the mystery. You will meet some funning loving characters and the story will have you guessing until the end with a twist you didn't see coming.

I highly recommend.

The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits is a lighthearted, enjoyable mystery. This cozy Amish mystery is different than most cozies in that no murder occurs, but contestants are mysteriously disappearing in the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest. Protagonist and contestant finalist Fannie Miller enlists the help of friend and former police officer Foster Bates to help solve the mystery, and an entertaining duo do they make! With messages of faith, forgiveness, and selflessness, Brunstetter and Bolton have penned a refreshingly sweet, wholesome read. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Amish fiction with a sprinkling of humor and/or cozy mysteries with a touch of romance.

Fannie Miller & Foster Bates seem to have a long standing friendship and knack for solving crimes….if you call disappearing contestants for the annual baking competition a crime! Something nefarious is afoot for sure, and these two will get to the bottom of it one way or another.
It seems we’re missing something in this story, it mentions other crimes they have solved together but gives no clue as to what those are or even previous books they were featured in. In spite of this, it’s still entertaining and funny at times. Fannie can surely get herself into trouble without an effort on her part! I like her—she’s dogged about finding answers to questions she has and her curiosity is contagious. Foster is a retired police officer turned private detective—and as they say, you can take the cop out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the cop! He has a nose for things that just aren’t right & he relies on his instincts to sniff out suspects. They are the perfect crime-solving duo! Then there’s the “Blustery” Beiler sisters—Faith, Hope & Charity whose gossip lands them into more hot water than not. Lastly, the excitement of the contest & who will end up the winner culminates to create a fun, charming & delightful cozy mystery that will be sure to keep you on your toes & engaged in the story!
Oh, and I love that Fannie reminds Foster that he is loved by God, as imperfect as we are as humans & we matter more than we think we do! My favorite thing about her is that I love her unwavering faith.
We all have our days when we feel unworthy of anyone’s love, or we feel forgotten and lonely, wondering if we matter to anyone. But then the Bible reminds me that God’s love is eternal, unfailing, and unconditional.
I enjoy Wanda’s books & a cozy mystery every once in a while, so blending the two was really fun! I like that this story was light-hearted & kept me guessing the whodunit until the end. A great book to pick up at any time!
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

Fannie Miller, the Amish owner of a quilt shop in Sugar Creek Ohio is a good baker. She has decided to enter the tenth annual Tuscarawas and Surrounding Counties Baking Contest. She is sure that her Aunt Selma's buttermilk biscuits will be a sure winner for the $25,ooo grand prize.
Something strange is going on as the contest progresses and she advances in the competition. Former contestants are missing. Threatening notes are showing up too. She decides to approach retired law officer and part time private investigator, Foster Bates to see what he can discover. Who is doing this and why?
Wanda Brunstetter and Martha Bolten team up to write this cozy mystery. I received an advanced reader's copy from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited opinion. It's an at times comical story with the unique relationship between a forty-something single Amish woman and the Englisher investigator. Add in some gossipy Amish sisters who own a bakery and several contestants for an interesting puzzle to solve. I expected to see competition action but that was basically behind the scenes. All in all, it was a good, quick read.

Mysteries have a way of finding Fannie Miller. After she enters the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest , contestants start disappearing. With the help of her old friend Foster Bates, a private detective, Fannie and he must try to find out what is happening before the final prize is given. I have always enjoyed Wanda Brunstetter's way of writing. Her characters are always realistic and often written as the reader can relate. I look foward to more from this author. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review is not required.

Fannie Miller hopes this is her year for winning the baking contest for Tuscarawas Co. The prize for winning is $25,000. When contestants begin to go missing, Fannie teams up with her private investigator friend Foster Bates. As they sort through clues, mysterious threatening notes begin to show up for specific people. Follow their adventure & the enjoy the mystery, jealousy, faith & romance. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing & was under no obligation to post a review.

This was a cute and clean cozy. The mystery was solid and Fannie was adorable. I’d definitely read more in this series.

The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton is a cozy, fun mystery. Characters that keep you guessing 'who-dunnit'. Messages of faith, humility, compassion, and friendship weave throughout the book.

Released Jan 1st. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was the first Amish style story I have read within the Christian Fiction genre. I enjoyed learning about the Amish community all while reading this cozy mystery with very likable characters! I rate this story 4 out of 5 stars.

The Rise and Fall of MISS FANNIE’S BISCUITS

Rating:
An honest, personal rating is about two stars (It feels so wrong to put such a low rating on a book that isn't full of bad stuff or a non-fiction)
But content wise I would say it is a five star...

Language/Profanity: A mention of a person perhaps saying something that 'may or may not have been appropriate'.

Faith: Several Bible verses, mentions of speaking God's Word, talking to God, and repenting, some mentions of an Amish church.

Romance/Sex: Basically there was a woman who was searching for a husband in a certain man, and also the certain man and another woman being somewhat intrested in each other. But there isn't even kissing.

Action/Adventure: For me there wasn't any, but there were notes that were being distributed that said 'You will regret this.'

Other: ...First off... the bishop of the Amish group... in my opinion as much as he read the Bible... he didn't 'Read' the Bible... and second. The main guy, who the two women are interested in is in his sixties... the two women are in their forties. And the low forties at that. To me that is just too much of an age gap...

Part of a Series: As of right now this is not part of a series... there are several places in the book that made me think it was, but it actually isn't.

Synopsis:
Mysteries have a way of following Fannie Miller, so when she makes it into the finals of the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest and contestants start disappearing, she calls on her old friend Foster Bates, a retired cop and part-time private investigator. Could it be that other finalists are somehow responsible for these disappearances, thinning out the competition? Like the couple on verge of divorce who need the prize money, or the three Beiler sisters, always in a huddle whispering. One thing is for certain—Foster and Fannie will stay on the case until the end, and everyone involved will have learned something important about baking contests, solving mysteries, and life.

Thoughts:
This was extremely hard to get through. I struggled mostly with the writing to be honest. It had many parts that I was cringing at as in my opinion it could have been written better. But as other reviewers didn't say much (or anything) mentioning that it may not bother other people. Thinking through the book if that stuff didn't bother me, it would probably have been easier to get through.
   The content itself was pretty good, I didn't like some of the characters at all though. One thing I found ironic was how when character A and character B were talking they were basically gossiping, then when character B leaves, character A is thinking to Aself that Aself can't talk about what A and B were talking about with a group of other people because it would be gossiping.... to me that just seemed ironic. But the good thing was how gossiping was clearly stated as a sin.
   The mystery ended with a surprise that I was only expecting because I read other reviews... although I wasn't expecting the person 'who done it' to be the one.

Favorite character, part, quote:
I liked the little I saw of Jeb as a character, but he wasn't well-enough developed for me to
When Fannie's roof was being fixed, it was very sweet and kind.
I can't really say I have a favorite quote though.

You can guarantee a great read when you choose a cozy mystery written by Wanda Brunstetter, joined here by Martha Bolton. I've read many of Brunstetter's mysteries and romances and loved them all. A baking contest that brings out the best cooks in the surrounding area is sure to be loaded with personalities that eventually clash. When the competition gets tight and the bakers start disappearing, Fannie Miller will join forces with a retired policeman now running a detective office to find the missing persons. A great book to spend a "cozy" afternoon with.

Fannie Miller owns a quilt store in her Amish town of Sugar Creek, Ohio and enjoys baking. She and Foster Bates, a retired policeman from Chicago and now a private investigator in the same community, join forces to solve the mystery of the missing contestants in the County baking contest as well as other mysterious happenings.

The finalists include Fannie, plus Michael and Melissa Taylor, a couple on the brink of divorce and really in need of the $25,000 prize money. The last finalist is the Blustery Beiler sisters, Faith, Hope and Charity who actually own a bake shop and are especially known for their cinnamon rolls. The sisters are also known for their gossiping. Other contestants seem to be missing one by one and all three finalists are suspects as well as others in the community.

If you enjoy Amish fiction, you will enjoy this a fun, easy-read book. I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and Net Galley and was under no obligation to post a review.

Such a different writing from Wanda Brunstetter in a good way. The book was lighthearted and fun, scattered with some mystery, which, made it easy to enjoy the characters and storyline. The ending was a surprise, but that is what made it unique.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

Whoever thought a baking contest would cause so much trouble? Miss Fannie and her friends, the Beiler sisters - Hope, Charity and Faith who owned the Three Sisters Bakery, and were deciding on their entry for the Tenth Annual Tuscarawas and Surrounding Counties Baking Contest.

Foster Bates, an independent investigator, had worked with Miss Fannie on a missing persons case and they solved a 20 year old kidnapping case. Miss Fannie had come to his office to share her concerns about missing contestants in the baking contest, they had entered and been approved and then vanished from the area.
Foster had not heard about this, so he and Fannie were thinking where had the contestants gone and was the 25,000 prize enough to make someone kill to win the contest?

How can you go wrong with a cozy mystery about food and the Amish ? I received this advanced reader copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Fannie is entering a baking contest where the prize is $25,000 . When contestants go missing it is up to Fannie and Foster to solve the mystery.
I enjoyed the book very much , I just wish I wasn't left a bit confused as to when the crime happened, the first you read about it is when Fannie is in Foster's office. In my opinion that could have been written in such a way that it didn't feel so disjointed. For that I am giving the book 4 stars

Fannie Miller owns a quilting shop in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, but she dreams of being the best baker around. She has been entering the Tuscarawas County Baking Contest for ten years but the blue ribbon has eluded her. She is determined to win this year, but when contestants start disappearing, her amateur sleuth nose kicks into high gear. She enlists the help of her close friend, retired cop turned private detective, Foster Bates to help her solve the crime.

It took a while for me to really get into the book. The writing is too formal and not conversational in tone. At times the fact that there were two writers seemed very apparent because not everything was as cohesive as it should be. About halfway into the book things started to flow a little better and there were parts that got a genuine laugh out of me.

The characters were fun and pithy. Fanny and Foster’s relationship was realistic and endearing. The three sisters who were key secondary characters seemed a little over the top. Especially given that they owned a bakery and their behavior didn’t seem to impact sales.

Overall, I thought this was an okay read. It was not a typical Brunstetter book in my opinion so it fell a little flat for me. At the end of the book, I did read Bolton’s credentials which were very impressive with many plays and musicals under her belt. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦’𝘴 𝘉𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 has been made into a musical and it made the writing style and even ending of the book make much more sense. I think it will be a delightful musical and one I’d enjoy seeing. Had I known that upfront, I would have approached this read from a different perspective and potentially would have enjoyed it more.

This is a sweet Amish cozy mystery you will not want to put down until you have read it all to see how the mystery is solved.

Amish quilt shop owner, Frannie, enters a baking contest in Tuscarawas County that has a prize of $25,000. She has entered in the past, but this time thinks her Aunt’s recipe for biscuits just might be the thing that will give her the win. Suddenly, several of the contestants are missing. Frannie is afraid something is going on and that she will be next to disappear. She contacts her English friend, Investigator Foster Bates, to see if he can help her solve this mystery.

There are many twists and turns as they try to solve the mystery, along with a hint of romance.

I recommend this book to all who enjoy Amish cozy mysteries.

The Rise & Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton is an Amish cozy mystery with a hint of romance.

It is set in Sugar Creek, Ohio and features two protagonists: Miss Fannie, an Amish quilt shop owner who is always getting mixed up in mysteries, and Foster Bates, a cop turned private detective.

Fannie is entering her biscuits in the annual Tuscarawas County Baking Contest, When contestants start disappearing, she suspects foul play.. She calls her friend Foster Bates. They investigate.

This book was a lighthearted read with likable characters and a unique approach to the storytelling and pacing. I enjoyed the sweet hint of romance.

I would recommend this to cozy mystery readers who like Amish romances, clean reads, and gentle mysteries.

The Rise & Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton is a cute and humorous cozy mystery that takes place in Sugar Creek Ohio and the story weaves itself around a baking/cooking contest. Fannie Miller wants to win the annual baking contest that she has entered for years in Tuscarawa’s county. It appears that some of the contestants are disappearing and some people are getting anonymous threatening notes. Fannie goes to Foster Bates, a retired cop running a detective agency, for help solving this mystery.

I wasn’t sure if this was the first book or if I missed others because of the mention of them working and solving other mysteries together. I looked but didn’t see any others. Also the crime happened off page and the first you hear of it is in Foster's office. I enjoyed seeing growth and repentance in some of the characters, but was disappointed with the ending.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #BarbourPublishing