Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

The Birthday Mystery is the first in a new series of cozy mysteries and features caterer Jenny Starling who travels around cooking for whoever employs her.

Arriving in her old red van, she is tasked with carrying out the catering for a wealthy family, who already have a murder in the grounds of their stately home, which is full of tension and strife.

When another murder is committed and her food is implicated, Jenny is determined to clear her name.

Jenny is likeable, she has a quick mind, a kind heart, and is perceptive.

This is an enjoyable, complex, but not complicated, mystery with several suspects, a good assortment of characters, some likeable, some disagreeable.

Although I enjoyed this story, my only gripe would be the many references to Jenny's size which got slightly tiresome after what felt like the hundredth time, such as this quote

Like many before him, Keith was beginning to suspect that this strange, large but sexy and deeply enigmatic woman saw a whole lot more than you wanted her to .......

Yes, Jenny is a buxom lady in her late 20's but do we really need reminding of this in every chapter!

However, I am always on the look out for more good new cozy mystery series and in Faith Martin's new series I think I've found another one to add to my favourites!

Another cosy mystery and as always, Jenny is a great character. I did have an inkling about the culprit just before it was revealed, although I wasn't sure if I was right. The how and why was less obvious and was a surprise. A lovely writing style and an interesting set of supporting characters, most of which were unlikeable but that made them great suspects!

This was such a little gem of a story! I really enjoyed Jenny and her quirky cast of characters in this fun little mystery. Jenny was a great character - sassy and sharp and yet sweet and so compassionate. I loved her love of food, animals and people. She juggled a tough situation of catering a birthday party with a grumpy daily cook, an over-the-top planner and still getting all of her courses and sauces done! The story is really well written, the story was fast to get through. I think if I hadn't guessed so early on what was going to happen and who done it, I would have really loved this one but I did love how much Jenny knew before the officers. I will definitely keep an eye on this series and keep reading as they come out!

The first in the Jenny Starling mysteries (previously published as 'Birthdays Can Be Murder' under pen name Joyce Cato). Jenny, a travelling cook, is catering a twenty first birthday party when a suspicious death puts an end to celebrations - Jenny turns amateur sleuth in an effort to unmask a murderer. Entertaining, cosy mystery with some colourful characters and gentle humour - an introduction to a new series which gets stronger in terms of character development and plots as the books progress.

This is the first in the Jenny Starling series. Jenny is a travelling cook but where she goes so does murder. She has a knack of succeeding where the Police Force fail. Where this is different is that Jenny is not a wannabe detective she just wants to cook but life doesnt work out that way. An interesting read.

Jenny Starling is both highly rated and highly sought after. She is a traveling cook and her current job is to cater the twenty-first birthday party of upper-class twins, Alicia and Justin. As soon as Jenny arrives, however, she is greeted by the police. Sadly, a young man has drowned in a pond and the police have to determine whether or not it was an accident.

Nonetheless, Jenny goes right to work. Shockingly, however, a guest suddenly dies. This suspicious death has no shortage of guests because they had all gathered together for a toast. When it is determined that not only poison is suspected, but that it may have been in one of Jenny’s recipes, she is determined to get to the bottom of things. Yes, she wants justice, but she also has a reputation to uphold.

Jenny has the uncanny ability to assess a situation and discover clues that truly baffle the police. She makes a great amateur sleuth. As a matter of fact, there are five books in this Jenny Starling series, and I read each and every one of them all in just a few days. I adore Jenny and how she manages to solve these murders, no matter what the circumstances are.

Formerly published as Birthdays Can Be Murder under Faith Martin’s pseudonym, Joyce Cato.

Many thanks to Joffe Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s not the kind of book I usually go for. I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t want to put it down. I would read more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author, Faith Martin, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Birthday Mystery in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion,
I jumped at the chance to review a copy of this book as I know that Ms Martin has always delivered compelling, quick reads that get hold of your imagination and keep you guessing until the end. The Birthday Mystery certainly delivered.
I thought the storyline was well thought out and written with intriguing characters. 3.5 stars.
Well worth a read.

Since I was in the mood for something different, I decided to try The Birthday Mystery. It was a solid good read that evoked memories a la Murder, She Wrote or at times even veered into the territory of Agatha Christie. Although I'm not one for a cozy mystery, it kept me guessing and did its job to entertain. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

A new twist on an old theme, cook/detective. This one is packaged a little differently as a statuesque young lady, Jenny Starling, whose business is as a caterer/first class cook and who has a sharp mind, a wealthy background (to which she does not allude) and a streak of independence that, in the vein of all amateur detectives, follows a nose that invariably leads to a committed murder. Jenny on the spot so to speak. The storyline fits mould for sure but none the less is an endearing read that will not disappoint the authors faithful followers and a new character just freshens things up a bit. Should it ever become a daytime TV programme I know just the actress for the role (Step on up Bunty).

I went into this cozy slightly irritated by the main character being a textbook Mary Sue, but by the time I got to mystery all was forgiven.
It reminded me of the masterpiece mysteries I was so obsessed with as a child. A proper whodunit that I enjoyed immensely.

"A truly fun quick-witted mystery with an engaging protagonist and an array of other memorable characters. it's the perfect read for a summer getaway -- and a page-turner in any season."

What a charming story!! Birthday party, delicious goodies and a murder or two - a perfect combination for a perfectly cozy mystery.

I liked Jenny Starling. A tall (six feet) and well-built woman who found her passion for cooking. Her curiosity in solving the mystery is well appreciated. Jenny reminded me of a young Miss Marple, minus the knitting of course. The other characters namely, Alicia, Justin, Mr, and Mrs. Greer, Arbie and Chloe, Kieth and his wife Margie, Sergeant Mollern and Inspector Mollineaux, Martha the house cook and her help Vera, Mr. Chase the butler, and Daphne the housekeeper - all play a very interesting role in the story.

How did the victim die? The champagne was poisoned with a herbicide - paraquat. The herbicide is no longer in production and Jenny found an old bottle of it in the Greenhouse. But how was the poison administered into the drink? The champagne bottles weren't opened until the start of the party. Well, that was not only curious but interesting to read how Jenny solved this mystery.

The identity of the perp was unexpected and shocking. The story was interesting, engaging and entertaining. Faith Martin's storytelling and writing skills are superb. This is the first book of Martin's that I read and I loved her writing so much that I have decided to read all her books. Yep!

The characters are likable and very well-portrayed. The story is well-paced and smooth flowing. The mystery is one of a kind. This book has made it to my best reads of 2019 so do I have to say more?

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book of Faith Martin that I have read, it won’t be the last. It was a very easy, comfortable book to read and it was good fun working out who did it!! It had all the ingredients for a murder mystery and was very entertaining.
Recommended.

The Birthday Mystery is a fun and engaging cozy mystery. A birthday party ,a caterer turned detective. It's cute with a few twists and turns but nothing remarkable. If you like a fast easy read, this one is for you. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I read both this book and the second in the series, The Winter Mystery, back to back.

In both of these books, the protagonist, Jenny Starling, is catering a special event - the first a birthday party for a pair of wealthy twins, the second, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner for a remote farmhouse. In both of them, someone ends up murdered. And in both of them, Jenny has already earned a reputation for solving a crime, so is engaged by the local police to help solve the case.

I really liked Jenny as a character! She's independent and is comfortable with who she is. In one book, she meets a woman brought up to believe a woman could never be too think or two rich, two things that Jenny appears to have never even considered needing. She really knows her way around the kitchen, not only where to source the best food, but food safety, what type of food someone would like, etc. Very competent, very intelligent.

The books themselves, however, I liked much less. At times, in fact, I got frustrated with the writer who kept referring to Jenny being a big girl; I felt like I liked her and appreciated her more than her creator did! I also thought there wasn't much 'whodunit' in either book; in one, only one person had opportunity, and in the other, only one person had motive. I did enjoy watching Jenny investigate (with the police's blessing), asking just the right questions in a bar, for example. It was also interesting to see how others viewed Jenny and how skillful she was at getting answers.

Both books have been published previously under the pen name 'Joyce Cato' as Birthdays Can be Murder and A Fatal Fall of Snow back in 2010 and 2011. There's a number of references to a previous case; I'm assuming it was published as Joyce Cato, but Ms. Martin doesn't have the rights to publish?

All in all, I'd recommend reading them, if only to get to know Jenny.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.

Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't put it down until it was finished. Will definitely be recommending to customers at my work!

Jenny Starling is hired to cater for the 21st birthday party of wealthy twins, but gets embroiled in a murder mystery. The police are baffled, but Jenny is determined to find the killer.

I love gritty crime novels but sometimes it’s nice to have a change and read a cosy mystery. This book reminds me very much of Midsomer Murders, or Agatha Raisin. There is the chocolate box village and a great cast of characters. Ms Starling is not a detective, but, in true Agatha Raisin style, she is very nosey and although the police tell her not to meddle, they are soon grateful for her help. There are plenty of suspects, and a lot of red herrings. The descriptions of the food made my mouth water! The book is well written, although perhaps a little old fashioned in style. All in all a great read if you like a cosy mystery

Thanks to Faith Martin, Joffe Books and the NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OK, I hate to say this, because I LOVE Faith Martin’s Hillary, but I just cannot get into this book! I don’t know what it is. OK, at some level I do. It is not smart, not deep, (like Hillary was),...it’s just like the author is trying to create a memorable character. Well, sorry, it’s not working. Not for me at least. A caterer, too what.... fat? Tall? Why all this emphasis on the protagonists’s (I assume) looks? Sorry, this was a big disappointment.