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Crêpe Expectations

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Member Reviews

What a GREAT cozy mystery.

Crépe Expectations was a delightful read which I highly recommend. In this book we find Marley going through the evidence of a murder case.

Although Marley is the owner of the Flip Side Pancake House, she delves in head first to figure out the mystery before another body is discovered.

Includes pancake recipes right from The Flip Side menu!

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Wow. Sarah Fox knows how to take a cold case and turn it into a fast-paced, thrill of a ride. In this book, she brought all the feels and I was left with a major book hangover. I already loved this series but the end made me love it all the more. This series has become one of my must-reads and the author has become one that I automatically lean toward wanting to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Fox, and Kensington Books for allowing me the chance to read this book and to share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

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This is the 5th book in the Pancake House Mystery series. I've read the previous books and this was a worthy entry to the series.

Marley gets involved in another cold case (a habit of hers) and goes off to solve that mystery as well as some more minor ones that pop up in Wildwood Cove. This was a great cozy read and I enjoyed it. The recipes that were included were great!

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Can't wait to read more of this series, it was a fun and cute read ,and it had me smiling though out the book.

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In this fifth Pancake House Mystery, we once again watch protagonist, Marley McKinney, stumble over a dead body, this time a skeleton that has been unearthed by the recent flood. This one is a cold case as it turns out the skeleton is from a 10 year old missing person. When Chloe, Marley's boyfriend's sister becomes a suspect, at least in the eyes of some townsfolk, Marley can't help but investigate. Between her business, investigating the murder, her personal life and the amateur chef contest being held in Wildwood Cove, Marley is kept extremely busy.

Marley is a likable and highly intuitive character. She is warm, caring and curious, so is able to poke around and ask questions easily. There is also a parallel story of a local adult and teen food cooking competition with some of the contestants becoming ill and Marley trying to see if there is any connection between the two events. The secondary characters we have met along the way are back in this story, as well as some interesting new ones. Marley's boyfriend, Brett, is back and their relationship is continuing to develop nicely, adding another dimension to the story. The staff from the Flip Side are not only working for Marley, but involved in the story with the Amateur Chef Contest. The mystery was well-paced with a good plot twist near the end. There were several suspects and a couple of red herrings, with the killer's identity keeping me guessing until the reveal. There is a bit of danger where Marley is concerned, but as in most cozies, she solves the crime and is safe and sound at the end. There are some great recipes at the end that have me wanting to give them a try. Even though this is the fifth in the series and I have read them all, this book can be read as a stand alone. I definitely recommend this one to cozy mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy a culinary cozy.

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While visiting her landscaping boyfriend on the job Marley sees a small kitten lose on the grounds. While trying to catch it, she runs across a skull in the woods. As the skeleton has been buried for some time, it is suggested that it may belong to a teenager that disappeared after a graduation party that was held in that area several years ago. While the police are trying to determine the identity, Marley is also involved in the Wildwood Cove’s annual amateur chef competition persuading her chef at the FlipSide to be one of the judges.

Weaving the competition together with the skeleton discovery was interesting and well done. Love the characters and the the setting. So much fun.

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Owner of the Pancake House and amateur sleuth Marley returns in this 5th installment of the Pancake House Mystery series. This was an enjoyable installment for the series. The body that turns up this time is the remains of a young woman who was missing for over a decade. With a cold case now open again Marley can't help but get involved in the case, especially since there is some sort of personal connection with her life to the missing girl. I look forward to reading further novels with Marley and Wildwood.

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This was a fun, cute cozy mystery! I love the theme throughout, and I will definitely be continuing with the series.

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The fifth book in the Pancake House Mystery series by Sarah Fox is Crepe Expectations. Marley, owner of the pancake house, and her chef employee, Ivan, are both volunteering at an amateur chef competition in town. At the same time a cold case gets a new lead with the skeleton of a long missing 18 year old turns up at the site of Marley's boyfriend's latest landscaping job. When participants of the chef competition are targeted, Marley wonders if the two are related. This is a good cozy mystery with strong characters and a great setting. Marley leans toward the smarter side when it comes to being a cozy heroine. The ending of this book leads into the next which I am already looking forward to reading.

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Princess Fuzzypants here: Things are heating up in Wildwood Cove and it is not just the cook-off being held in town. While trying to catch a kitten on the property where Brett is working, Marley stumbles over a hidden body. It turns out to be someone well know to Brett and his sister Chloe. In fact, Chloe was at the party where the victim was last seen ten years earlier. Everyone, except the killer, thought the girl had simply left town to follow her dreams.
With her natural curiosity and the connection to people close to her, Marley cannot resist the lure of a mystery. But there is an added mystery. Who is trying to poison people involved in the cook-off and how does the one mystery affect the other. It is a puzzler. I did suspect the killer very early on but the motive and what bearing it had, if any, on the poisonings was unexpected. The fact that I twigged did not spoil my enjoyment. In fact, I find the mysteries almost secondary to the relationships in this series.
The characters are smart and believable. In fact, I love the fact that Marley often hesitates to do something because of the danger. Oh, she can still get into trouble but it is never something that amounts to stupidity. Marley and her friends are people with whom I enjoy interacting. Plus I love the animals. I’ve been a fan since the start of the series and I still am.
Four purrs and two paws up.

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The more I read of this series, the better I like it....and I liked it a lot from the first book! I like the cozies that have cold cases, and this one fit the bill perfectly. A great mystery with an interesting side mystery to boot. Plus I love the character development and the surprise at the end was awesome! A fun cozy read!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

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Crêpe Expectations

by Sarah Fox

Good, but not excellent—that’s how I rate Crêpe Expectations by Sarah Fox. Unlike the other two cozy mysteries I have read by this author, I just didn’t find this to be a page turner. Despite that, I do plan on reading the next book Sarah Fox publishes.

In this book, Marley McKinney, owner of the Flip Side pancake house, spends her spare time trying to solve a cold case after she discovers a skull in the woods near the Wildwood Inn, a B&B that is about to open. Demetria, who disappeared when she was eighteen years old after a party, was assumed to be in New York starting a modeling career. So even the original investigation was delayed. At the same time she is investigating the murder, Marley is trying to discover who sabotaged the local amateur chef competition by making several contestants sick. Could the crimes be related?

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #5 in the Pancake House Mystery Series but the author brings the reader up to speed even as she starts the action of the current plot.

Publication: May 28, 2019— Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press)

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I'm not a fan of reading books out of order, and this reminded me why. Although I did enjoy it- the characters are very enjoyable- I feel as though I would have enjoyed it even more had I read the previous books first, so that I better knew their backstory. Throughout the story, there are enough twists to keep you guessing as to who the killer was, I which I always like.
Overall, a fun, easy cozy mystery & I will definitely be getting the first books in the series to catch up!

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Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

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The Pancake House Mystery series is back and book 5 is a good addition. Marley and Brett find a body on the riverbank that has been buried for 10 years. Now the cold case is open again and Marley is busy with the annual amateur cook off contest. Between the old murder and the contestants at the cook off heading to the hospital it's a busy time in Wildwood Cove. All your favorite characters are back and Brett and Marley are heating up. Sarah Fox has several good cozy series out but this is one of my favorites. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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This series is up there with some of my absolute favorites. Okay so I have a million favorites, but this series is up there. This series has everything, mystery, romance, sadness, joy, and a few twists that will keep you guessing. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Fox has in store for us next time.

Protagonist, Marley McKinney, inherits an old Victorian home and a Pancake House restaurant on the Pacific Coast when her uncle passes away. Needing a change, Marley uproots her city life to start over and accept her inheritance. Marley makes some great friends and finds love but she also finds dead bodies.

In this installment of the Pancake House Mysteries, Wildwood Cove is hosting an amateur chef competition. When one of the contestants fall suspiciously ill, Marley begins looking into a possible case of sabotage and blackmail. Also, when Marley visits her landscaper boyfriend Brett at the site of the Victorian mansion that’s being restored, she discovers a sweet little kitten; oh, and human remains. How old are the remains and were they there due to foul play? Could the case of the old bones and the current competition mishaps be connected? Read the book to find out.

What I love about the last few books in the series, we are presented with cold cases. I often wonder if someone HAS to die in a Cozy. Sometimes a good mystery is all we need. Obviously, someone died at some point, but when it has happened years prior, it is sometimes easier to digest.

The next insallment, book 6, Much Ado about Nutmeg , will release January 2020. I am looking forward to the Wedding Bells.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley as well as having the audio version narrated by Marguerite Gavin. I highly recommend this series.

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This is a well written cosy mystery with well developed characters and plot. It could have been a bit more complexity to the cold case, but maybe it's just me. I loved the nice blend of mystery, friendship and charming moments though. An added bonus was the recipes in the back.

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Crepe Expectations by Sarah Fox is the 5th book in A Pancake House Mystery Series, and another great addition. Marley McKinney is the owner of The Flip Side, a pancake house in beautiful Wildwood Cove, located on the west coast. Spring has arrived, and the town is hosting a chef competition. Marley is helping with registration, while her chef Ivan is replacing a judge. When Marley and her boyfriend find the skull of an eighteen year old girl, after she went missing ten years earlier, the mystery begins.  I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me reading. There is a wonderful mixture of mystery, suspense, friendship, and support for a well-balanced story. I can not wait until the next book in the series comes out. If you love cozy mysteries, I recommend this book, and the whole series. 

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

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In this installment, we have the finding of a corps in an unexpected place by our main characters.
The mystery is a 10 year old disappearance of a high-school graduate, which everyone seamed to think that she moved on to a bigger city.

A few suspects and several incidents form the plot of this story. I found it difficult to follow the thread that would wrap the links of the story, and lost interest in the middle.

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This is the fifth installment of the Pancake House Mystery series. Marley McKenna is the owner of the same-named restaurant. While searching for her new kitten, she stumbles into a decade-old murder of high school senior Demetra, whose graduation party night was her last when her skull is unearthed. There is also a parallel story of a local adult and teen food cooking competition; unfortunately, some contestants become ill and Marley tries to see if there is any connection between the two events.

Marley's amateur sleuthing goes a bit too far in some instances but I enjoy her character so much that it doesn't bother me like it probably would in other cozies. She is well-liked in the community as well and, as a reader, I can feel that from the other characters. There were good plot twist and the killer's identity kept me guessing until the end. I also enjoyed the continuing development of Marley and Brett's romance. The pace is just right and it doesn't overpower the mystery.

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

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