Syrup-making season has come to an end but that doesn't mean Lelia will be taking a break. Her best friend Heather is getting married soon and as maid of honor Lelia has a ton of responsibilities to handle. She soon learns things aren't going to go as smoothly as she hoped when Heathers rich aunt shows up to the shower and acts like she should be waited on hand and foot. It gets even worse when Lelia finds the Aunt dead in her car after the shower is over. Heather is worried there won't be a wedding with the death of her Aunt. Lelia doesn't want her to worry and begins her own investigation to make sure the wedding will indeed happen. Follow along and see if the killer will be caught and if the wedding will go off without a hitch.

In this second book of the Maple Syrup mystery series, our heroine Leila Khoury has reconciled herself with inheriting her father’s Sappy Endings maple farm. It helps that she’s discovered that she not only likes running the business, but is pretty darn good at it, too. She’s also secretly pleased to be back in her childhood home with her new love interest Noah Rivers, as well as with her lifelong best friend Heather Turcot.

Heather is actually about to get married, in what’s shaping up to be the wedding ceremony of her dreams. She is a little worried though that her parents are relying way too much on her Uncle Grant to finance the festivities. Grant Butterfield married into wealth, and his wife Monica is always happy to flaunt that fact. Because of this and Monica’s general disdain for social niceties, Heather is hesitant to involve her in the wedding planning any more than necessary. Heather does, however, feel obligated to invite Monica to the bridal shower Leila is organizing, where Leila gets an eyeful of just how awful Monica can be.

Still, that’s no preparation for Leila finding Monica stabbed to death in her car shortly after the shower is over. A grieving Grant refuses to shell out another penny for the wedding until Monica’s killer is caught. While Heather wants to respect his grief, the wedding is only weeks away. With non-refundable deposits on the line, Heather asks Leila for help in speeding along the process of figuring out who murdered her aunt by marriage. After all, Leila successfully apprehended her own father’s killer, and at no small risk to herself.

There’s no way Leila would let her best friend down, even as the return of Leila’s ex-fiance brings a whole new set of complications to her already chaotic life. Will Leila be able to prevail over all these challenging circumstances, or will a crafty killer make her their next victim?

In all honesty, I found Leila to be unnecessarily judgmental in this series’ debut installment, so was genuinely pleased at how she’s loosened up somewhat in this book. I loved, too, how Catherine Bruns showcases Lebanese culture, even as Leila both embraces her heritage and resists the pressure to mindlessly propagate it. I really adored how her mother Selma, despite several difficult moments, overcame her own highly critical nature and affirmed Leila’s belief that mutual care and happiness are the most important things in a romantic relationship, not convention and cultural expectations.

There were six delicious maple and/or Lebanese American recipes included here. It was difficult trying to figure out what to make, but I finally decided on this dessert, edited slightly for space:

QUOTE
Salted Maple Pie

One 9-inch pie crust [blind-baked]
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ¼ sticks), melted and cooled
1 cup dark robust maple syrup
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup fine yellow cornmeal
Heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal, and kosher salt. In another medium bowl, crack the 3 eggs and add the yolk. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk until combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked [pie crust] on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
END QUOTE

Oh, this is such a wonderful dessert! It’s very reminiscent of a chess pie, only with a distinct maple flavor, of which I am a huge fan. It actually reminded me a lot of a pie-sized egg tart, which is one of my favorite desserts. The flaky sea salt garnish is an excellent addition, perfectly balancing out the sweetness of the filling. The pie overall is pretty easy to make, and such a great anytime treat.

Next week, we travel to France to cook up a satisfyingly savory dish while exploring the setting of a beloved mystery series. Do join me!

The second Maple Syrup Mystery finds Leila preparing for her best friend l, Heather’s wedding. Things go awry though when Heather’s aunt is murdered and her wedding will be postponed unless Leila can find the killer.

I enjoyed this sequel! This series is a really enjoyable cozy with, with good pacing, clues, investigating, etc. We also got some good character development in this one! Can’t wait for the next one!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Syrup to No Good by Catherine Bruns takes us back to Maine and to Sappy Endings, where maple everything is for sale. Leila Khoury, a second generation Lebanese has taken over the farm after her father’s murder six months earlier. Her mother handles the baking; Noah Rivers, her boyfriend and employee handles the vats and other heavy work; and she handles everything in between. She has made some changes and the business is doing well. So well, they need to find some more help. But, right now she is consumed with the wedding of her best friend, Heather, beginning with a shower she is hosting this weekend in her honor. Everything is all set. She had been warned about Heather’s aunt, who was apparently a handful, but that would work itself out, which it did by someone murdering the woman. It was hard to find sympathy for the woman as she had not been very nice, but this?

Leila can’t help herself. She told herself it was to save Heather’s wedding and it was, but the truth was, she liked sleuthing. Noah didn’t want her to put herself in danger and she promised to be careful. Then, on top of everything else, her ex-fiance, Mark, showed up. He was still her mother’s first choice as he was Lebanese, too. It was all too much. She and Heather made several trips to see Heather’s uncle, believing he held the key to solving the murder, which, as it turns out, he did. It was a fun story, with plenty of twists and turns and subplots to keep the reader engaged. This is truly an entertaining cozy read with interesting and varied characters and situations. A reader would not be sorry after picking this one up.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Syrup to No Good by Poisoned Pen Press through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PoisonedPenPress #CatherineBruns #SyrupToNoGood

This was so awesome! A early hidden clue led me to the killer and I ended up being right, but I enjoyed everything about this story especially how much closer Noah and Leila got after she’d been faced with her romantic past. I loved that she held onto the fact that Noah’s a great guy.

After another attempt on her life, it sure didn’t seem like Leila was gonna get out from the showdown alive, but never underestimate a loving mom! Leila had gotten involved sleuthing because of her bestie’s wedding plans being threatened to be cancelled, but everything worked out great in the end, which was super sweet!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Syrup to No Good is book #2 in the Maple Syrup Mysteries series by Catherine Bruns.

I like the friendship between Leila and Heather. The characters are well-developed and the setting at Sappy Endings in Vermont is interesting. The murder of the wedding shower guest was challenging as the victim was rather abrasive leading to quite a pool of suspects. There are yummy sounding recipes included.

Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC . Opinions are my own

Great follow up to the first book in the series titled A Droomful of Sugar. The main character Leila is now fully running her late father's maple syrup farm and helping her best friend plan her over the top wedding. During the wedding shower the bride's aunt is found dead and Leila puts on her detective cap to help the police solve the crime and get her friend to the alter ---but not before more bodies are found and not before Leila puts her own life in danger. Will Leila find the murderer in time and will she herself survive?

I loved the first book and the 2nd (which can be read on its own ) book does not disappoint. Leila is such a likable character and her family and friends and her lovely orange cat make the story all the more enjoyable and compelling. There are many suspects to consider and the writing is crisp making for a page turning , can't put it down novel. And as with any good cozy mystery , recipes are included at the end of the book!

I look forward to the 3rd book in this series and seeing what mysteries Leila finds herself involved in and how her life continues to evolve.

Reviewed on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5879260562 and on Amazon

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Syrup to No Good by Catherine Bruns is the second book in the Maple Syrup Mysteries, and it makes me want to go back for seconds and thirds!

Bruns knows how to write a good mystery with lots of suspects, peppered with a couple of red herrings. And her characters are always so well developed. Leila’s ex-fiance shows up in this one, and I wanted to strangle him myself. The way Bruns deals with his character’s outcome was fantastic, and helped in the relationship growth between Leila and her mother, which was wonderful.

I was a bit annoyed with the way Leila dealt with holding back information to the detective. Towards the end, she knows who the killer is, but instead of actually telling the detective in the message she left, she just goes to her farm which has no one else there.
I know it’s for the drama, and many cozies do this, but it felt really, really off in this instance.

But that won’t stop me from reading more books in this series, or any of the other series that Bruns writes. And I highly recommend you get yourself a copy of Syrup to No Good, and check out all her other cozies!

Syrup to No Good by Catherine Bruns takes us on a journey to Sugar Ridge, Vermont where Leila Khoury’s best friend, Heather is getting married in two weeks. Unfortunately, the murder of Heather’s aunt could halt her nuptials unless the killer is found. Syrup to No Good is the second book in A Maple Syrup Mysteries. Syrup to No Good can be read as a standalone. If you read A Doomful of Sugar (the first book in A Maple Syrup Mysteries) it will give you the backstory on the characters and it will clue you in on their relationships. I found Syrup to No Good to be easy to read. I did find some of the characters to be exaggerated. Their attitudes were over the top (I found myself rolling my eyes). I was not a fan of Leila’s ex-boyfriend. I did not understand why she felt she needed to go to dinner with him (if you are over him, just say no). I felt that she did not need to appease him or cause more drama (there was enough palaver). I was not a fan of the drama between Leila and her mother (reminiscent of teenage fights between a mother and daughter). It was obvious that the aunt was going to be the victim (the woman was nasty). She seemed to delight in saying mean things to people. Her gifts were in poor taste. The suspect list, naturally, is lengthy. The killer can be identified easily. The details regarding the murder and the victim as well as the clues are repeated over, and over, and over. There is a tense reveal, and we learn why the killer did away with the victim. I was curious as to how the victim could be so rich when she only owned a small jewelry store in a strip mall. I wanted to tell Heather’s father to grow a backbone. I enjoyed learning how maple syrup candy is made. Leila’s mother is a talented cook and baker. It is also interesting to learn about the food from other cultures (in this case Lebanese). Syrup to No Good is a sticky tale with scrumptious candy, a bloody bridal shower, an offensive victim, a surfeit of suspects, wedding woes, an ex-beau with an ego, mama drama, and sugaring off the maple syrup.

Syrup to No Good by Catherine Bruns
Maple syrup mysteries series #2. Cozy mystery. Can be read as a stand-alone.
With the syrup-making season over, Leila Khoury can focus on the bridal shower for her best friend Heather. When a relative of the bride is found dead in her car after the shower, Leila finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation and getting threats to stop or else!

Cozy mystery style with multiple “kills” as Leila asks questions and puts the clues together while also keeping her own business running. Her former fiancé returns to town and Leila has to remind her mother that they lost a lot of money when he left her in the past. Leila also needs to keep the manager of the farm in mind as she focuses on the murder. Their relationship is new and she doesn’t want it interrupted.
Captivating mystery as we learn more background and family dynamics of Leila.

Recipes included at the end of the book include the Maple Bundt cake from the story that made my mouth water, as well Maamoul Cookies, Kibbi, and a couple of others.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

I fell in love with the lovely cover and loved this well plotted and entertaining cozy mystery
A solid mystery, a cast of characters well developed and likeable.
It kept me guessing and entertained.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Spring has come to New England and with it Leila’s friend Heather’s wedding. Leila is the maid of honor and highly involved in the wedding preparations. Heather’s aunt Monica is an unwelcome addition to the celebrations, even more so when she is murdered after the bridal shower.
With Heather’s wedding on the line, Leila and Heather set out to find the murderer.
The themes in this book focus on friendships and family relationships. I enjoyed reading Syrup to No Good. I like learning about maple syrup and visiting a maple farm/establishment.
If you like cozy mysteries, the Maple Syrup mysteries are ones you’ll want to check out.
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Dollycas's Thoughts

It's syrup-making season in Sugar Ridge, Vermont, and the new owner of Sappy Endings Farm, Leila Khoury has a lot on her plate. In addition to her duties on the farm, her best friend Heather is getting married and Leila wants to make all her dreams come true. That means giving her the best bridal shower ever. Things get a little tense when Heather's rich Aunt Monica shows up but even with her outbursts Heather and Leila feel the event was a success.

Then, after the shower, Leila finds Aunt Monica dead in her car. Lord knows, the woman had made her share of enemies but who would actually kill her? and why would they do it at Heather's shower?

Now, Heather's wedding is in jeopardy. Her family is up in arms and the only way the rest of her dreams can come true is to find the killer. Things could get very sticky before Leila can make that happen, especially with all the people Monica has backstabbed. She just needs to know, who turned the tables on Heather's aunt?

_______

I really enjoy the friendship between Leila and Heather. Leila is busy with the farm but her friend Heather needs her more than ever. Somehow Leila finds a way to get everything done and still has time to do a lot of sleuthing with Heather. Her relationship with Noah is new. He has a delightful 6-year-old daughter, Emma and Leila is starting to fall hard for them both while understanding Noah's need to take things slow. Leila also has to deal with her mother and an unexpected blast from her past. As a mother, I was not a fan of Leila's but by the end of the story, my feelings started to change. We are also introduced to several new characters including a new detective. Great characters make you feel emotions. Some you really want to root for. Others, you jump into the book and have a serious discussion with or worse. Ms. Burns has given us great characters, both in the core characters and those added just for this story.

The mystery of Monica's death is complicated with several suspects, motives, and a unique weapon. Leila and Heather delve into them all but Leila really takes some risks that put her in the killer's sights. Ms. Burns sets a quick pace and the killer was a busy person. I love to try to solve the mystery before the protagonist but this time I stuck right with Leila through all the twists and turns. The showdown had me on the edge of my seat and the pages were flying. I wouldn't have been surprised if my Kindle had started smoking.

I really enjoy the details of syrup making and all the delicious treats that are created with it throughout the book. Six recipes follow the story including a traditional Middle Eastern cookie that may not include maple syrup but sure sounds yummy.

Syrup to No Good is a superb follow-up to A Doomful of Sugar. Well-plotted and written I was thoroughly entertained. I am very excited about the third book in this series. I need to see what Ms. Burns has in store for her characters and if my new feelings about Selma Khoury stick.

I love a good cozy mystery. The scene for this story makes me want to go make pancakes. After her father's death, Leila Khoury moved back home to her family's farm to run it. I love the name of the farm - Sappy Endings Farm. It is located in Sugar Ridge, Vermont where the syrup flows out of the trees. Leila wants to make her best friend's bridal shower special. Heather is getting married in a few weeks. She is nervous about some of her guests that will be attending the shower, namely the woman who is married to her uncle. When Monica is in the room, everyone around her knows she is in the room. She is filthy rich, but the old saying that money can't buy class certainly applies to her. She is obnoxiously loud, rude and basically just says whatever comes to her mind, whether it is appropriate or not. So, it is really no surprise to learn she is the victim in this mystery. The biggest issue for this investigation is finding out who is not a suspect because she has left a trail of misery in her wake everywhere she goes. Leila is not your average amateur sleuth, she is pretty sharp. She has made her mission to find the killer because this case is threatening to ruin Heather's wedding. Leila protects those she loves, but in doing so, she has also put a target on her back.

This was a well written mystery with red herrings galore. The cast of characters are relatable and easy to like, except for an errant few. Leila's stormy relationship with her mother is still an ongoing part of her story. A blast from Leila's past will swoop into this story and make you see red. The description of the yummy food being cooked will make your mouth water. There are also some fabulous recipes at the back of the book. I look forward to seeing more books in this series.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

SYRUP TO NO GOOD by Catherine Bruns
The Second Maple Syrup Mystery

In addition to running Sappy Endings, her family's maple syrup farm, Leila Khourey is busy preparing for her best friend's wedding. Unfortunately, this means everyone has to deal with Uncle Grant and his obnoxious wife, Monica. Finding Monica's murdered body after the bridal shower is a big shock for Leila, but an even bigger shock is discovering Heather's wedding will be postponed unless the killer is found. With a short deadline, Leila has no intention of leaving the investigation to the police. Will Leila be able to solve the murder or will Heather lose the wedding of her dreams? Or is something even worse in store?

Weddings can be stressful, even when everything is going to plan. Dealing with family you don't like is often par for the course, but in Heather's case things are a lot worse. Not only does she have to welcome the uncle no one likes, but also his wife that no one can stand. Monica's death makes things even worse with Uncle Grant now calling all of the wedding shots. Heather's lucky she has a friend like Leila. I'd tell her to forget it and elope, but Leila decides to try and solve the murder so Heather can have a huge wedding...putting herself in the crosshairs yet again. Adding to the drama, Leila's former fiance is back in town and looking to get back together. If that weren't bad enough, her mom is encouraging him!

In the second Maple Syrup Mystery danger, treachery, and obnoxious family members come together in a thrilling mystery. There are plenty of surprises to keep Leila and readers on their toes. In addition to the action, Leila has to confront a lot of personal issues and does so with grace. She can be hard headed, but this dogged determination is also one of her strengths.

SYRUP TO NO GOOD is full of pulse pounding moments, not so subtle investigations, and some really awful people. Be prepared to be craving Lebanese food and maple syrup infused treats as you enjoy this delectable mystery.

I’ve never met a Catherine Bruns book that I didn’t love. Syrup to No Good is going on my “I love Catherine Bruns’s books” list! Okay, I don’t really have a list, but if I did, it’d be on it. Syrup to No Good is the second book in the Maple Syrup Mystery series, so jump on in! You can read this as a standalone since Bruns weaves in enough information for you to get who’s who without ruining the prior book (or books).

Leila Khory is busy! After her father’s death, she became the new owner of the family’s maple syrup farm in Sugar Ridge, VT, Sappy Endings Farm. And as maid of honor, she’s throwing her best friend Heather’s bridal shower. As if those weren’t enough to keep her busy, she’s got another murder to solve. No, she’s not a detective, but since she helped solve another murder, Heather begs Leila to solve this one so she can get married! The victim was Heather’s aunt by marriage, and almost everyone couldn’t stand her. She was blunt, loud, rude, and mean! Needless to say, the suspect pool is large in this one, and Heather’s wedding is in 2 weeks!

Leila is a great protagonist. She’s a great friend, a business owner, a daughter, possibly a girlfriend, but like many (me included), she can be insecure. That’s partially due to being dumped by her fiance five years ago. Yes, she’s had time to move on, but I’d be insecure too…especially given the reason he broke off the engagement. She never told her mom the real reason for the broken engagement, so she feels like a failure and disappointment to her mom. So, when that old fiance shows up in town, her mom wants her to make up with him and get married. Yeah, those things would make me feel awful! Don’t worry. Things do get better!

The mystery is well-plotted with plenty of exciting, suspenseful moments. Like I said, the suspect pool is large, so you might change your mind a time or two. There are plenty of clues to lead you to the right conclusion. And speaking of conclusions, Leila’s ex-fiance problem comes to a good conclusion, and Heather gets a happily ever after too.

I highly recommend Syrup to No Good! I think cozy mystery readers will love it!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“God broke his maple candy molds when he made me."

Syrup to No Good was an amazing follow up to A Doomful of Sugar! Six months have passed since Leila’s father’s murder and now her attention is completely focused on her bridezilla bff’s wedding...and then the bodies start dropping. Through in sone relationship drama of her own, mix and you’re treated to a story as sweet as the maple candy Leila makes! Good job!

Definitely another cozy mystery series I will add to my list of must-reads! This book was perfect for fall (even though it's set in the spring...) because it was cozy, well paced and I loved the characters. The setting did not hurt either and I can't wait to read more. This made me want to dive into a plate of Lebanese food while I caught the killer! Can't wait for more!

Syrup to No Good comes out next week on October 31, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

The sound of excited laughter was all around as I went back and forth between tables in the café, offering up extra syrup for pan-cakes. The syrup was a beautiful sight to behold as it slowly dripped down the crispy edges of the cakes and onto the plate below, causing my mouth to water.

My father, who had been one of the best maple syrup makers in the entire state of Vermont, always said that you could tell good syrup by its density. "The thicker, the better, habibi," he'd told me. Habibi meant "my love" in Arabic.

Syrup to No Good is the second of the Maple Syrup Mysteries series and a great addition. Leila Khoury is the owner of Sappy Endings Farm, left to her by her father. Her mom, Selma, runs the cafe and her boyfriend Noah is in charge of working the farm. It is Spring and things have slowed down. The wedding of her best friend Heather is coming up and Leila is hosting a bridal shower. The occasion is marred by a murder that has to be solved before Heather's wedding can take place. Leila and Heather have a short time to find the killer. There are many people who might want to kill the victim. Time is running out and before it is over, there is another murder, and someone is after Leila. This is a great mystery to solve with likable, realistic characters, and a lovely setting. But be forewarned the food sounds so yummy and you might get hungry.
To complicate things, Leila's old fiancé is in town wanting to get back together. Great for cozy mystery lovers.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts and opinions.