If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, don’t miss this one. It is set in a manor house in Vermont which is hosting Bake Week (think “Great British Baking Show” or “Bake Off”), where the winner receives the golden spoon.

Six contestants arrive for the 10th anniversary show, with two judges, staying in the big old house, with the filming taking place in the tent on the lawn. We hear from their rotating points of view, and in the audio version, each of their parts is read by a different person, which makes the story particularly good on audio. The setting is quite familiar to fans of cooking shows, while unique for mystery readers, so this combines in a compelling way.

I found the relationship between Lottie and Pradyumna endearing, and I loved all the food focus.

You know from the beginning of the book that there is a dead body, but you don’t know who it is. There is a lot time given to providing backstory for each contestant, as well as (somewhat stereotyped) character development. The actual murder takes place quite late in the story, and by then there have been layer upon layer of issues discussed, which could all bear upon the whodunit.

I enjoyed this novel as a quick, beach-type read, and was glad to not find it to be a “thriller” at all, although some of their advertising typify it as such. If you are looking for a slightly compulsive, diverting read, you might enjoy The Golden Spoon. I give it 4 stars.

Side note: this book is going to be made into a mini-series for Hulu.