Cover Image: Death Over Easy

Death Over Easy

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I did like it, eventually.

Book 5 in the series.

I have enjoyed this series so much that when I saw this available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. But it definitely was not my favorite book in the series. I'm not sure why, but I just had a hard time getting into this book in the beginning.

I love Robbie and her Country Store, but maybe there was too much going on? Robbie's B and B finally open, a bluegrass festival, Robbie's dad and step mom visiting, plus running the store, so many characters, and I kind of felt tired just reading, haha.

And I really found it just way too coincidental that Robbie's dad just happened to know the victim when she lived in Italy and both of them just happen to end up in the small Indiana town.

I finally settled in to the story about halfway and enjoyed the rest of the book, and I will absolutely continue to look forward to more of the series.

Was this review helpful?

DEATH OVER EASY, the fifth book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day is an entertaining read which immerses the reader in a Bluegrass music festival set in Southern Indiana. The author captures the setting perfectly from the colloquialisms spouted by the locals to the descriptions of the town and the open country surrounding the area. The protagonist, Robbie Jordan, is an admirable character. Not only is she a successful restaurant owner and chef, but she’s more than proficient in carpentry and creating crossword puzzles! I love that she remodeled the floor above her restaurant to create a bed & breakfast. The incoming guests bring added character to the story and provides ample material for twists and turns to the central plot. I truly enjoyed getting to know Robbie’s father and his wife, who are visiting from Italy. It’s a joy seeing her get to know them and create a deeper bond after finally finding out who her father was.

When it’s discovered that the murder victim, Pia Bianchi, grew up in the small Italian town where Robbie’s father and step-mother are from, an added layer of emotional tension develops for the characters. The local police are suspicious of foreigners and makes them focus on Robbie’s family. It doesn’t help that Robbie’s talented boyfriend, Abe, was seen having a loud disagreement with Pia at the music festival right before they were supposed to perform together. The author provides compelling reasons for Robbie to get involved in solving the mystery. I truly enjoyed the way Ms. Day weaves the setting, the main plot and several subplots together into one cohesive story. The heart-stopping finale had me turning pages faster and faster until I was finally able to give a sigh of contentment as I read the last word.

I was provided an arc with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Welcome back to South Lick, Indiana and Robbie’s restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes! Fifth in the Country Store Mysteries, the one constant is that each mystery is better than the one previous. I like the characters; most are so down-to-earth and friendly. The foods Robbie and Danna prepare sound so tasty I can almost smell them cooking, and the mysteries are hard to solve. This time we enjoy a Bluegrass Festival through Robbie’s eyes.
This weekend is the first time Robbie will have guests in the upstairs B & B rooms, and she finds that it isn’t what she had hoped for. She did the carpentry and painting herself, having been taught by her mother, who died suddenly 1 ½ years ago. Two rooms are taken by musicians in the Festival, and the third with her father and stepmother from Italy. Her father, Roberto, had been a student in this country and after an accident, had to return suddenly. He never knew that the woman he loved, Robbie’s mother, was pregnant when he left, or that he had a daughter, and she didn’t know who her father was.
The Bluegrass Festival is in full swing, and Robbie and friends enjoy listening to the music by various bands. Her boyfriend, Abe, is part of a band that is playing. A young woman is playing with them for the first time and tries to change the playlist to include a song she wrote. It isn’t part of their agreement; she and Abe didn’t realize their mikes were live until their discussion was heard all around their stage. The group cooled down, they began to play, and all was well.
The next morning, Lt. Buck Bird of SLPD came to the restaurant and questioned several people regarding the murder of Pia, the young woman who had played with Abe’s band. She was a gifted singer and musician, studying at the nearby university, but not so much a people person. Many people are questioned, from Abe to Robbie’s staff. Robbie is determined to not get involved in another mystery, but when even her father and stepmother are suspected, she has to do something.
I love the “family” of staff Robbie has created at Pans ‘N Pancakes! We learn more about each person in each mystery, so there is always something new and special. Danna and her guy “Ize” Isaac are a sweet couple, but his unexplained disappearances cause challenges with the investigation, especially when a second person is found murdered, someone who has been an integral part of the community. I also enjoyed seeing Roberto and his wife Maria, and Robbie’s Aunt Adele.
Death Over Easy has a fresh, unique, hard-to-solve mystery. With the influx of musicians and visitors, finding the real killer could be harder than finding a needle in a haystack. The author is very creative with plot twists and turns, as well as the effects of those twists on people being questioned. This mystery was so gripping that, at one point when I looked up from a scene, I couldn’t figure out why there was so much more light in the room than in the woods I had envisioned being amidst! I was quite surprised at the full resolution to the murders! While there were some I had thought of as guilty, my solution didn’t measure up despite some of the clues the author shared. I highly recommend Death Over Easy. From the delightful cover with the banjo and little Birdy to the mystery and relationships, it is a not-to-be-missed part of the series!
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

To begin with, I love this series not only because it’s a fun read, but also because it is based right in southern Indiana near good ole Beanblossom. Only a southern Indiana Hoosier and/or an Indiana University alumna would recognize Beanblossom or the small town she has named South Lick. Maddie Day has put Robbie’s handsome Italian dad in the book again. She had just found out who he really was in the last book and…he’s an IU alumni which we know makes him a pretty good guy anyway. Along with all of this, her country breakfast store called Pans and Pancakes has people lining up for a table. Wow. Between happy families, Italian visitors and Bluegrass music what could you possibly need in a mystery? Oh, yeah, a few bodies. They’re in here too.

From the previous paragraph you can obviously already tell I think Maddie Day is great at describing scenes and people. She makes me feel like I know her characters. They are well-defined, each having a distinct personality of their own. Her characters are fun, some even become your friends, at least the good guys do. This is an easy read but well-written and it kept my interest all the way through.

Death Over Easy is the 5th book in this series titled “Country Store Mystery”. All this series has great reviews. I hope Maddie’s writing Book 6 as we read.

***This book was supplied to me by NetGalley and all opinions are definitely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Death Over Easy is the fifth installment in the Country Store Mysteries series set in the small town of South Lick, Indiana and featuring restaurant owner, Robbie Jordan. Pans n' Pancakes, the combination restaurant and cookware shop, has been open a year and business is booming. Robbie is excited that renovations on the rooms above the restaurant have been completed and her Bed and Breakfast is officially open for business.

Her first guests include her father, Roberto and his wife, Maria who are visiting from Italy for the first time and several musicians that will be playing at the annual Brown County Bluegrass Festival in neighboring Beanblossom. Robbie is looking forward to attending the festival with her family and listening to her boyfriend, Abe's band. Abe's set gets off to a rocky start when banjo playing Pia Bianchi tries to change the playlist, and the verbal confrontation between Abe and Pia broadcasts across the sound system.

Robbie knows Pia from her puzzle club and finds the woman to be very testy. But, she's not the only one who seems to have difficulty getting along Pia. Festival organizer, Sue Berry also has a personal grudge, claiming that Pia borrowed money from her and never paid her back. When Pia is discovered strangled with a banjo string fingers point to Abe, but Robbie is convinced that her easygoing boyfriend is not the killer and sets out to clear his name.

Despite the warnings from Sheriff's Detective Anne Henderson to stay out of the investigation, Robbie finds herself smack in the middle of the drama. With a little poking around Robbie learns that her father and his wife have a history with the Bianchi family and that Pia has been having an affair with a prominent citizen. When another South Lick resident is also found murdered, Robbie turns up the heat to find the killer.

A fast paced plot with well developed characters. Death Over Easy can read as a stand alone, but I suggest readers new to the series start from the beginning to learn a little more about Robbie and her friends. Mouthwatering recipes will have you running to the kitchen to whip up breakfast. This is a great series that will have you smiling from the first page of Book One.

I received an advanced copy of Death Over Easy from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Jumping into the series at book 5, I didn't get a lot of spoilers from previous books. The most I could tell you is that in this world, a year ago, she found her father while working on a case. In this book, he comes with his wonderful new wife to visit Robbie and their visit gets a little longer and a lot more eventful than anyone expected. Summer is here and with it comes the Brown County Bluegrass Festival. This year is especially exciting since Robbie is adding an additional business to her already successful country store and restaurant. She's opening the rooms above the store as a B&B and this will be her grand opening. While juggling the boost the festival will bring to her businesses, Robbie Jordan is looking forward to spending time with her father and step-mother too. Her boyfriend Abe will be performing at the festival and spending time getting to know Robbie's family as well. These are the plans at least. Instead, Abe gets into an argument on-stage with a new edition to his group who later ends up dead. Robbie's dad and step-mom are surprised to know the recently deceased as well. Pretty soon, it seems many of the people in Robbie's life have some connection to the deceased and Robbie sets about trying to clear their names while looking into who could have committed the murder. Before she gets very far, there's another murder that takes place. Are the two connected? Robbie is determined to find out.

Great story-building and wonderful characters. I did think that the romantic relationship between Abe and Robbie must have been pretty established in previous books because its development remained largely in the background despite it playing a part in the mystery and its solution. They seemed to have a very casual relationship like they'd either been together a very long time and knew what to expect from one another or like they were more good friends than deeply in love.

I think I did a fairly good job of figuring out the case but I had to wait for confirmation.

There are recipes such as Fried Apples, Asian Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad, Jane Carter's Sugar Cream Pie, Kahlua Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches (need the brownie recipe from a previous book to make this), and Chicken with WIne-Mushroom Sauce,

Thank you to Kensington, Maddie Day, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book and share my thoughts and opinions with others.

Was this review helpful?

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day is the 5th in the Country Store Mystery series. You will think are in South Lick, Indiana. This is one of my favorite Cozy Mysteries and was excited to read this installment. I was not disappointed.
A Blue Grass Festival is taking place down the road in Beanblossom and Robbie has recently added a B&B over Pans and Pancakes. In addition to being a first time proprietor of a B&B, her father and his wife are in town for a visit. All seems to be going great until a performer is found murdered. Robbie is again on the hunt for the guilty person. She narrows down the possible suspects and then a second murder occurs. Are they connected or not, it does seem possible but she has her doubts.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end, a little romance, and some humor. It is an easy, enjoyable read with great flow.
You will want to visit Pans and Pancakes for a visit.
There are recipes included.
Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The fifth County Store Mystery is a great addition to the series!

Pans 'N Pancakes is busier than ever; Robbie Jordan now has three rooms to let above her store and with the Bluegrass Festival in full swing, she has no vacancies. In addition, her father is visiting from Italy and the town is packed full with visitors. So with being run off her feet on all fronts the last thing Robbie needs is murder rearing it's ugly head .. but murder isn't something which waits for a convenient opening!

I really enjoy these books; the characters are from various walks of life and each one brings a range of interests to the story. The mystery - as always - is well planned and beautifully plotted with an element of danger. The food - well, risking a pun here - is to die for. The recipes at the back of the book help this Scot understand most of them but I will admit to having to google 'fried mush'! My taste buds take a hit with every restaurant scene! And then there's the daily specials .. I swear I put weight on just reading this novel but it is soooo delicious! Whilst this all contributes to such a terrifically enjoyable novel, none of it takes away from the skilfully crafted mystery which is both fun and entertaining. If you enjoy a cozy mystery, this is one I highly recommend!

My thanks to publishers Kensington Books for approving my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

Robbie Jordan, Pans ‘n Pancakes’ proprietor, has just opened the few rooms she’s been working on as a bed and breakfast, and it’s just in time for a visit from her father from Italy as well as the Bluegrass festival being held in the area. The biggest problem at the festival seems to be Pia Bianchi, a woman that annoys just about everyone who gets to know her. Then Pia’s body is found early one morning in a covered bridge in the area. With Robbie’s guests some of the police’s suspects, she finds herself in the thick of things again. Will she figure out what is going on?

This was a fun book in the series since it worked in several sub-plots that have been woven through the series – Robbie’s father and opening the bed and breakfast part of the business among others. These work themselves nicely into the mystery, providing a reason for Robbie to be involved and giving her access to gather clues. The suspects are great, and they provide us with some good twists before we reach the creative climax. The series has always featured some local (to southern Indiana) expressions to provide local color, but a couple of times, they started to annoy more than charm. Fortunately, those were rare moments that were over quickly. If you find yourself drooling over some of the food, you’ll be happy with the recipes at the end of the book.

Was this review helpful?

A charming addition to the entertaining series. Always enjoy spending time in Brown County, Indiana. I did get a little tired of the Southern Indiana vernacular. Interesting and realistic characters. Quaint setting.

Was this review helpful?

This is book # 5 in the Country Store mysteries by Maddie Day. In this installment, Robbie is excited that her B&B over her store will be ready for the upcoming Bluegrass Festival. One of the festival performers is killed and the investigation leads to some of Robbie’s guests in her B&B. Robbie’s Father and Step-Mother are also in town. I love this small town feel and warmth the characters have for each other. Two murders in all and the story is fast paced and kept me engaged and guessing the whole time. Dramatic conclusion. Keep the series going please. Definitely recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Death Over Easy is the fifth installment in the Country Store series. Robbie Jordan has added a bed & breakfast onto her already successful restaurant, Pans & Pancakes set in rural Indiana. Her father and her stepmother have travelled from Italy to visit her and are one of her first guests. There is a bluegrass music festival in town that weekend so Robbie has other guests as well and everyone is enjoying the fun. But when a festival singer is found murdered, Robbie is once again drawn into solving another mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is excellent! The author captures the local culture in both dialect and mannerisms. Robbie's character continues to develop and I liked how her family has now been brought into the series. Her relationship with Abe also builds and I hope that continues.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

Was this review helpful?

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley

This series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it's always a joy to return to Robbie and her country store. It's such a comforting and happy feeling to start the next book in a series you enjoy. I like how each book in this series has some familiar elements like the store, Robbie, food and some familiar side characters that play a role each book, like Robbie's love interest, her co-workers and some citizens of the town. And each book also has some new feature or theme. There are also some storylines that continue throughout the series which gives it a great feel of continuity.

This was another great read in this series. I was happy to be back reading about Robbie and her store. In this book she starts her B&B part above her store and I liked seeing how that worked out. Especially as the past few books have been building up toward that. Ofcourse nothing ever goes smoothly for Robbie and she lands in the middle of another mystery. Her father and his wife are visiting from Italy too, so Robbie has her hands full. This book also features a music festival that takes place close by and there are some scenes that take place there.

It was another interesting mystery in this book. I liked how it was a bit straightforward with not too many suspects, but at the same time it had some interesting twists and turns. I also liked the twist at the end as I had expected it to go another way there. I wasn't too surprised when we discovered we the murderer was, but at the same time I wasn't fully sure who I suspected. I didn't really try to figure out the mystery with this one and just enjoyed following Robbie along as she pierced together the clues. It also was interesting that there was another detective on the case in this book. The end did feel a tad rushed and I felt like a few questions were left unanswered.

I liked the chance to get to now Robbie's father and his wife a bit in this book and it was fun to see how she has reconnected with him in earlier books, but this is the first book we actually see him on the pages, which was great. It was nice to see how they interacted. Ofcouse we also see more of Dana, Turner, Abe, Buck and other familiar by now side characters. It also was interesting how we got to read a bit about Dana and her boyfriend in this book.

Another thing I really like how Robbie is a smart main character. She has a few potential dangerous things she gets involved in and every time she handles it in a smart manner. Either by passing it along to the detective on the case or by getting back up before rushing into a potential dangerous situation, which is really refreshing to read about. The bluegrass festival gave an unique touch to this book again.

To summarize: This was another fun read in this series. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it's always such a comfortable feeling picking up another book in this series. The mystery in this one was pretty interesting with some nice twist and turns. The theme for this book was a bluegrass festival that took place close by. And Robbie just opened her B&B above her store, which was fun to read about and the few hurdles she runs into. I liked how Robbie got involved in the mystery, but doesn't rush into danger. She is smart about investigating and there's even a scene where she gets back-up which I liked. It also was fun we got to read about Robbie her father who was visiting with his wife. All in all this continues to be a great series and I am looking forward to the next book.

Was this review helpful?

An enjoyable fifth outing in the Country Store mystery series! Protagonist Robbie Jordan is enjoying a visit with her father during the area's Bluegrass Festival when tensions involving a young musician threaten to boil over. When the performer is found dead later that night, there's no shortage of suspects, ranging from Robbie's bed & breakfast guests, a boyfriend of one of her employees, and even her own father. In a case that gets hotter than a stack of flapjacks, you'll eagerly dodge red herrings on the hunt for the killer.

I would recommend this series to cozy mystery enthusiasts. First time readers may want to read previous books, but it's not an essential task.

Was this review helpful?

This was my first introduction to the Country Store Mystery series and Robbie Jordan and doggone it, I’m as happy as a pig in mud!

Robbie Jordan runs the local breakfast and lunch spot, Pans ’N Pancakes in town and has just begun renting out the rooms above her restaurant as part of her B&B offering. The rooms rent out quickly as the annual bluegrass festival is going on and it turns out that a murderer may be living under her roof. Are Robbie and her guests, including her father and step mother, safe or will they be next?

While Robbie leads the investigation to the police, she can’t help but share some of the things she picks up along the way. After all, a restauranteur hears things in their daily day. Not that Robbie is digging into the murders.

It’s a fun read and while book number five is my first read of the series, there is no gap or issues with not having read the first books in the series. This is a fun series and I enjoyed the cast of fun and interesting characters.

Was this review helpful?

Robbie THINKS the bluegrass festival will bring good business to Pans and Pancakes. AND, she's got her dad and stepmother visiting. A lot of excitement, especially since she's also opening a B&B. But wait.....Pia, a bandmate of Robbie's boyfriend Abe, is found garroted! With a string!@ Yikes. Just as Robbie thinks she knows what's going, no spoilers but there's another murder. This is a well done cozy series with a nice small town Indiana setting. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones- this is fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Death Over Easy is the fifth book in the Country Store Mystery series and may be read as a standalone.

Robbie Jordan has recently opened her three room Bed & Breakfast, has out of country visitors, and is trying to enjoy visiting with those visitors when a death during the Bluegrass Festival side tracks her.

I enjoyed the twists, turns and getting to know a little more about Robbie’s father and his wife Maria.
The characters are well-developed, the plot well-crafted, and the situations are not concocted and implausible.

The police and sheriff's office are portrayed as people and not idiots.

Well done Ms Day. I enjoyed the entire intertwined stories.

What I liked about this story is:
It is well written, flows smoothly and has a delightful cast of characters.
Can be read as a standalone.
It made me laugh!
There are recipes at the back of the book.---Yeah!!!!!!

Was this review helpful?

I love this series (Country Store Mystery) and really enjoyed this instalment.
It was fun to read and very entertaining.
The plot was interesting and the mystery kept me guessing till the end.
A very good addition to a very good series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Was this review helpful?

A Bluegrass music festival brings plenty of business to Robbie Jordan’s country store and café, Pans ‘N Pancakes. Robbie has also expanded her business by opening a B&B above her shop and some festival musicians are her first guests. Robbie is happy that her Italian father, Roberto Fracasso and his wife, Maria are in town for a visit. Talented banjo player and singer Pia Bianchi plays at the festival but her presence there has irritated several people. But no one expected Pia to be garrotted to death by a banjo string. Then another murder occurs and Robbie feels compelled to help the county sheriff detective in her investigation.

This was another quick, enjoyable read in the Country Store mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Kensington Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Was this review helpful?

Robbie Jordan is excited to have opened her B&B her father and his wife Maria comes from Italy for A visit and so what could go wrong maybe a murder! To find out more you'll have to get your copy. I liked the story because it had me guessing what next! There is good plots liked the characters the settings and the cover!

Was this review helpful?