I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley and Michael Joseph.

There are a few fundamental problems with this book that stop it from being anything more than a good idea with bad execution.

1) Bad writing
2) It's not a thriller.
3) Under-development in plot and character

"The Golden Spoon" has a great premise - murder on a Bake Off-style show in an eerie manor house. The ingredients - pun intended - are all there. A collection of characters with significantly varied backstories and a few scores to be settled, as well as tension between an old host and a new host. What it would have leant itself fantastically to is a piece of detective fiction - of the clues being unravelled AFTER the crime has been committed, rather than jumping backwards and having a novel of pre-amble that gets solved in the last ten percent.

I anticipate than when this gets made into its Hulu show, the novel will just provide the basic template for the show, because the messiness of the plot doesn't lend itself to a good TV series.

1) Writing. If you like sparse prose that follows a 'I did this, then I felt this, then I thought this' structure, you'll love it. But the coldness with which it's applied to every character leaves it all feeling a bit amateurish. There's no attempt to create suspense - with the exception to the classic dramatic line at the end of a chapter - and you really don't care much about the whole 'murder thing' until the baking gets out of the way and people start being suspicious.

Frustratingly, things get solved very quickly - especially the storylines that are the most interesting. In an attempt to avoid spoilers, I'll be vague - but Lottie's storyline and the Melanie / Graham deal are really fascinating, but get ignored, then dragged out, left undeveloped and then solved within a handful of lines. It's like the author got bored and just did a 'aaand they all lived happily ever after the end'.

2) It's not a thriller. It's just not. It's a long description of a group of people on a baking show where something doesn't quite feel right and then someone dies. And even then, we don't get to that point until the 80% mark. The ideas are there, as I keep saying, but the execution is terrible. What starts promisingly falls apart as soon as we get past the first act. The big reveal has absolutely nothing to do with the death we get at the beginning of the book - and there's no catharsis to it. It just sort of...happens and then the police show up.

3) Under-developed plot and character. The characters are, generally, trope-y, and I'm frustrated that one character's whole personality was set around the fact that her former boss r*ped her. In fact, the female characters come off way worse and a lot more harshly written than the men - we're better than this now. The plot is full of holes and what, I think, was the author's attempts at red herrings, don't have the necessary pay-off to be good. It was like reading the back story of the novel - and not actually reading the novel at all. Betsy is frustrating, particularly the way her storyline goes - for some reason, her POV is always in third person, where everyone elses is in first - and adds basically nothing except a little tension between her and her new host, who is a one-dimensional Paul Hollywood at best.

If this had been presented to me at this stage as an editor or even a reader, I'd have one thing to say. Good ideas, but strip it back and start again. There's a better way to tell this story that's far more satisfying as a novel - this isn't it.

Such a fun read! Loved the setting of crumbling and creepy Grafton Manor as the competitors gather for a Great British Bakeoff-esque baking competition.

Multiple POVs of both contestants and head judge, Betsy, really brought the story to life. Lottie and Pradyumna's friendship was just so sweet to me and I really enjoyed how the 'mystery' of this murder-mystery played out, thanks to them.

A great 'cosy-mystery' that mixes up some of the classic tropes of the genre and will keep you entertained right till the end!

A definite take on 'The Great British Bake Off' - but intrinsically different.

Betsy Martin has always been the solo host of Bake Week; after all, it is her baby, filmed at her home. However, this year the powers that be have foisted a co-host upon her = and she's not pleased. The contestants all live in her manor home for the duration of their time on the show. When things begin to go bump in the night, and sabotage is rife with the bakes, there is obviously something afoot - but what? And who is behind it all?

Whether you are a fan of the tv baking shows or not doesn't really matter - this is all about the mystery; and quite puzzling it is too. I'm not sure I took to all of the characters, but I continued to the very end and was surprised and entertained by the outcome. There's a lot going on here and, even with my wits about me, I'm sure I missed something. An enjoyable read and one for fans of mysteries. For me, 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the Arc!

I've heard a lot of positive reviews about this book since it came out, so I was very excited to get an ARC. I thought I would love it, but I wasn't very invested in this book, and had a really hard time getting into it. It's not a bad book, it just wasn't very exciting to me. I'm not super into baking since Mary Berry left Great Brit, but I'm guessing those into baking life and slow moving character dramas would like this.

Started but did not finish.

The writing style did t work for me….for example:
‘That’s what I hear,’ I say, trying to remember what I’ve read online about Betsy Martin’s personal life. ‘I guess she wanted her own space during filming. She probably doesn’t need the entire place to herself. The stairs to the left are to her private quarters. It’s called the East Wing, I think.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

In this book, we follow a group of amateur bakers competing in a Bake Week at the impressive Grafton Manor, but what should be a fun competition turns nasty and then deadly. I absolutely loved this book, we can see clear signs of an Agatha Christie style mystery combined with a GBBO style competition. The writing style was compelling and made it so that I just could not put it down! As a debut novel I am very impressed and cannot wait to see what Maxwell has to come.

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell


Betsy Martin is America’s Grandmother, she’s sold countless amounts of her baking books, she’s the creator and host of Bake Week, which is filmed at her manor. This year however the network have hired a new co-host to spice things up, much to Betsy’s dismay she will now be working with Archie Morris. The six contestants arrive and not long after the competition starts things start to turn south, contestants are being sabotaged, people are hearing things in the manor at night and then someone turns up dead. This book is the great British bake off meets knives out.

The golden spoon is told from 7 POVs, Betsy the host and the six contestants Stella, Lottie, Hannah, Gerald, Pradyumna and Peter. Normally when there is more than 3 povs I find myself absolutely confused but each of these characters were so unique and well written it was easy to tell who’s pov I was reading. The start of the book is quite slowly paced but it sets the perfect atmosphere. I could picture every scene clearly in my head. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book and a lot of the stuff I never would have seen coming a mile away. I was completely engaged in this book and I could not put it down, however I did find the ending to be slightly anticlimactic. This book is a fun cozy read that I could see myself rereading especially when the great British bake-off comes back on. I would highly recommend this book 4*

Thank you to Jessa Maxwell, penguin random house, Michael Joseph and NetGalley for letting me read and review this ARC.

3.5

Bake Off meets Knives Out in this murder mystery!

Betsy Grafton is known as Americas Grandmother, famous for her comforting cookbooks, and, for the past decade, as the sole host of ‘Bake Week’, a baking show filmed on the grounds of her sprawling estate. It’s a show famed for its sweetness, its wholesome nature, and its big white tent. However, this year a new co-host, the more abrasive Archie Morris, has been brought in, things have started going wrong in the tent, and it’s not long before a dead body turns up…

I really enjoyed this book - did it blow me away with the mystery? Not really, but it does what it says on the tin, and it’s a fun mystery to unfold, all based in the familiar setting of a baking show. I was a bit worried about keeping track of all the characters, but thanks to them having their own pov chapters, I got to grips with them all fairly quickly. They’re also all quite different, so it’s easy to tell them apart - with a tech millionaire and a sweet older lady to name just two of the baking enthusiasts!

I really liked that the contestants stayed at the manor during the week of filming, while Betsy and Archie stayed in the off limits wing - having them all in the Victorian house, all piecing together the different things at play, was really intriguing. It contrasted nicely with the show scenes in the big white tent, which were so fun and easy to envisage if you’ve ever seen an episode of Bake Off…. it also had me craving sweets, thanks to the descriptions of all their creations. Although, saying that, I wouldn’t like to be on the other side of that tasting fork for a sabotaged bake!

We’re teased with the discovery of a dead body in the very first chapter, and are then thrown back to watch how it all plays out - who is the unlucky sod who ends up dead? And why? Who is meddling with all the bakes, and is it at all connected? Near the end you could cut the tension with a knife. Pun intended.

Overall, I think this is a book that most people will be able to enjoy, but I definitely recommend it if you’re a fan of mysteries, baking (or just baking shows!) and want a quick mystery to read. It’s murder and cake, and it’s a very fun, readable, time.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review!

Bake Off mixed with Murder!? Honestly, could you create a bigger win for culture right now!? Such an original and thrilling read! Stay off of some of the netgalley reviews ahead of reading though! Some contain spoilers without warning!!
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Highly Recommend this fiendishly enjoyable read though! Make some cookies, pour some coffee and settle down for a delectable evening of reading!!
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Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!!

I loved the premise of this mystery novel but unfortunately it wasn’t executed as well as I had hoped. The tension (very) gradually built up, planting seeds of suspicion throughout the chapters, but the overall mystery and big reveal didn’t quite deliver.

The book alternated between seven characters between its chapters – Betsy and the six amateur bakers: Lottie, Stella, Pradyumna, Hannah, Gerard and Peter – yet it was not hard to follow. This was probably due to their one-dimensional characterisation. Lottie was the sweet grandma, Stella the anxious novice, Pradyumna the restless millionaire, Hannah the grasping wannabe, Gerard the rigid perfectionist and Peter… well, he was barely on the page to become a character. The author kept pushing the idea that the bakers became something akin to a found family, yet there was no real basis for this aside from the fact they all went through a very weird experience together. I liked Stella the most due to her underdog persona and pure motivation for baking. I also liked Lottie, who carried the most mystery. Hannah was the competitor I had most issues with. She came across as immature and naive, and I did not feel sorry for her when things didn't go her way.

After laying the foundation for a potentially scandalous mystery, when the truth was finally revealed, it all felt anticlimactic and rushed. It was a classic case of the murderer monologuing what happened. The dramatic potential of the ending completely petered out.

Overall, too many of the one-dimensional characters were frustrating or unsympathetic for me to connect to this book. It didn’t help that the mystery didn’t deliver the drama I was hoping for.

Bake off meets mystery!

I absolutely adored the synopsis for this book and went it to it with really high hopes.

It wasn't entirely what I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. Each central character was introduced quite quickly so it was initially a struggle to keep up but once I'd straightened them all out in my hand I was really gripped by the story. A fun and light read that managed to keep my attention throughout. I'd definitely recommend!

4/5

Excellent concept, characters and plot.

The build up was brilliant, however the ending felt slightly rushed. I would have loved to have seen greater reaction from Betsy at being exposed // perhaps Lottie visiting her mothers grave.

Great suspense with indication of body being discovered at the beginning, but I would’ve loved a greater thrill during the conflict.

I enjoyed each of the characters subplots thoroughly - great themes introduced with these.

Some formatting errors in this version (spacing, typos etc.) but I’m sure this will be picked up before publishing.

I will be posting a video on this soon.

Filming of the latest season of the hugely successful baking competition "Bake Week" is taking place in rural Vermont. As a storm sets in the contestants and hosts are left isolated at Grafton Manor, the location for the show. When a dead body is discovered, the question is who is the murderer?

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy a cozy crime mystery, and this certainly falls into that genre, but I found the style and writing elevated this to something more.

The opening chapter sets the scene. Grafton Manor, home of the show's host, Betsy Martin, is set in rural Vermont. Betsy is very protective of her home and insists that during filming the only people that can stay in the house are the hosts and the contestants. With a storm raging outside the producer of the show contacts Betsy, asking her to check that the tent where they film the show is secure. It's at this point that a dead body is discovered. In terms of mystery, this opening has everything going for it; a group of strangers, isolation, a huge mansion and a dead body.

The story then jumps back four weeks and we are introduced to the six contestants taking part in the competition. We learn a little about the backgrounds of this very diverse group and the build-up to the start of the competition. Short chapters jump between each of the contestants and the show hosts, Betsy and Archie. The constantly changing narrative gives the story its pace and regularly leaves the reader hanging on a snippet of information as we switch from one character to the next. The more we learn about each character, the more questions that arise. It's obvious that some are hiding secrets.

I must admit that I've never seen a single episode of GBBO, it's just never appealed to me, however, after reading The Golden Spoon I think I might just give it a try. The descriptions of the baking that takes place are mouth-watering. When some of the bakes go disastrously wrong you begin to wonder if a contestant is trying to sabotage the competition or is someone meddling to improve the show's ratings.

I love GBBO and I love a crime/murder book, so this has got to be a great combination. It was daft and enjoyable, while not taking itself too seriously. A fun, easy read. Thanks to Netgalley.

The premise of this book sounded great but it just didn’t deliver for me. The pacing was incredibly slow and there was very little mystery until the last 1/4 of the book. Even then I wouldn’t call this a thriller and is much more cozy mystery. The characters are also underdeveloped and I didn’t feel attached to any of them.

Thanks to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded down

It’s Bake Week and the large fully equipped marquee located at Grafton Manor, Vermont, is awaiting the six amateur bakers competing for the kudos of winning the Golden Spoon and a cookery book contract. For host Betsy Martin, the well known cook and owner of Grafton Manor, much hinges on the success of the latest show though she isn’t happy to share the spotlight with Archie Morris, the abrasive star of The Cutting Board. However, things go awry right from the start and then take a deadly turn.

I start reading this with high hopes as I’m a huge fan of ‘Bake Off’ and let’s face it there’s plenty of scope to create a decent cozy mystery beyond the drama of a soggy bottom, an over bake, a show stopper and a hot tent or the eager anticipation of a Paul Hollywood handshake. The action starts pretty quickly, my interest is definitely piqued but then the pace slows and never gets much faster than a country stroll with two nonagenarians and an asthmatic dog, which is ok as it’s a cozy after all!!!! You probably wouldn’t expect a plot based around baking to be told at warp speed.

The setting is fantastic and is so well described. The Victorian gothic manor gives oodles of possibilities and is utilised well, adding the appropriate atmosphere to enhance a cozy mystery. The vibes, especially between Betsy and Archie ( who you really do want to stab with a cake tester) are good as are the shenanigans and dastardly deeds with the bakers though perhaps somewhat predictable. The bakes are the best parts of the book and I really enjoy those sections. The interviews between the candidates and the hosts feel authentic and I can imagine similar with Mary/Prue and Ol’ Blue Eyes. I do think this book will translate very well to the screen, possibly way better than in book form.

I have a number of issues with the book , the biggest, literally, is the number of points of view it’s told from, which is seven - the contestants and Betsy. It means the storyline doesn’t flow as it should, there’s repetition and it gets particularly messy in the second half. Some characters are better fleshed out than others or are simply more interesting, a couple feel rather similar or are stereotypical. My favourite is millionaire Pradyumna who it’s hard not to like. There’s very little suspense though there is plenty of tension flying about throughout the book. As for the ending, one part comes out of left field but also feels melodramatic and the other part is very rushed and is therefore an anticlimax. I realise this is a debut and it’s clear the author has a lot of potential so hopefully in her next book she’s tell us less and show us more.

Overall, despite some issues it is entertaining, it’s fun and easy to read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A really original take on the classic mansion murder mystery. Combining reality TV baking shows with suspense and excitement. Some characters felt under developed and although the twist at the end was good it did feel lacking in depth. It was quite a light read.

I tore through the pages and would imagine this would be perfect fro baking show fans or those who like a modern mystery.

Murder On The Menu…?
Bake Week - a baking show - a competition that has captured viewers and audiences around the world - is returning and temperatures are running high. And not just in the kitchen it seems. Six amateur bakers are at Grafton Manor, the grand ancestral home of Betsy Martin - star baker, judge and founder of the show. What could possibly go wrong? Things are soon to take a rapidly downward spiral. Is murder on the menu, perhaps? A delightful whodunit in a perfect setting with an immersive plot populated with an eclectic and credible cast and with a solid mystery at its’ heart. For bakers and mystery aficionados everywhere.

Based on the popular 'Bake Off' shows this goes behind the scenes and shows a darker side. A body is found, and the storyline goes back in time to the build-up of who it was and who did it.

I'm a big fan of the British version, and I just loved this book. The book focuses a lot on the show and just happens to have a murder. There is a bit of mystery about who is sabotaging the bakes. It planted little seeds about the show, and I wondered if that could happen.

It was very entertaining finding out about the contestants and hosts, and I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy murder/mystery.

I’m a fan of the Grest British Bake off and I’m a fan of this book. If you want a page turning mystery for summer read this story. Great fun.