Welcome back to An Historian About Town after my Summer 2023 hiatus! I hope that you have been having a wonderful summer. I have been doing more than my fair share of reading this last past month, including a lot of mysteries. (2023 is the year of the mystery, I am telling you.) With a new season of Only Murders in the Building premiering this week, I thought it was only fitting to share one of my favourite new mysteries. Although this is a contemporary mystery, I think that many of you lovely readers will enjoy it. For our first Book Bite back, we are chatting about The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell!
The Golden Spoon, Jessa Maxwell
For six amateur bakers, competing in Bake Week is a dream come true.
When they arrive at Grafton Manor to compete, they’re ready to do whatever it takes to win the ultimate The Golden Spoon.
But for the show’s famous host, Betsy Martin, Bake Week is more than just a competition. Grafton Manor is her family’s home and legacy – and Bake Week is her life’s work. It’s imperative that both continue to succeed.
But as the competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s small acts of sabotage. Someone switching sugar for salt. A hob turned far too high.
But when a body is discovered, it’s clear that for someone in the competition, The Golden Spoon is a prize worth killing for…
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Why You Should Read This…
To get it out of the way, although the house on the cover gives Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) vibes, this takes place in the US. (It does not affect the story at all, I was simply taken aback a tad.) If someone crossed Only Murders in the Building and The Great British Bake Off and set it on the East Coast of the US, that would be The Golden Spoon.
This murder mystery is as much about the characters that we meet as it is the actual murder, and it works so well. We got to know each of the contestants, although it seemed sad to lose them so quickly as they were voted off. Maxwell did a brilliant job in writing the six bakers that are competing- we all know these teachers and grandmothers who happen to be exceptional bakers, and they felt very real.
I also got And Then There Were None vibes from this novel, for my Agatha Christie fans. More and more layers of the mystery are revealed, which is another way for Maxwell’s talent to shine through. I would love to know if anyone was able to fully solve the mystery before reaching the end. All in all, a fantastic mystery to pick up for the autumn!
Is The Golden Spoon on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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