Cover Image: A Calculated Whisk

A Calculated Whisk

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Member Reviews

Wonderful series that just gets better. The characters have really developed and I like to read what they are all doing. Highly recommend this series!

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Adorable little cozy mystery that will keep you entertained and intrigued until the very end. I loved trying to guess the plot in the story in the culprit and overall had a great time reading it I would highly recommend this if you’re into cozy mysteries of any sort and want a quick escape from the real world.

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This is the tenth in the series and I only started reading at number 7. This book has family drama, a few murders, and a lot 0f tension.
Jaymie Leighton Müller is the main character. A mother of one of the students at school has just lost her husband to murder, then she is killed. Jaymie feels danger lurking and is fearful for her family.
The mystery is a doozy. Plenty of suspects, lots of twists, once I started it was hard to put down. The characters are strong, the plot well-crafted and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

I was given an ARC copy a few days before publication and have just cleared my schedule to read it and review it. Here are my thoughts.

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Jamie Leighton is back and trying to solve a mystery in the 10th installment of Victoria Hamilton’s popular Vintage Kitchen Series, A Calculated Whisk. Jaymie is contacted by a woman who has been suspected in her husband’s death, and is asked to help her prove her innocence. But the woman is murdered in the woods near Jaymie’s house while on her way to see Jaymie to discuss the case. Jaymie feels obligated to get to the bottom of everything, and while uncovering clues, ends up putting herself and others in danger.

The Vintage Kitchen Series is fun and since all of the novels in the series contain recipes, are actually culinary mysteries, so they definitely appeal to cooking aficionados. Hamilton is a veteran writer, and her books are easy-to-follow. Her storytelling abilities are excellent, and Jaymie, the protagonist, is easy to like; it’s fun to see in each of the mysteries how her character evolves. All of the other characters are also well-developed and seem real so that most readers can relate. The scenarios seem like they could actually occur, and are believable.

As is true with cozy mysteries, the novels in this series do not contain any profanity, sex, or graphic violence, so they are suitable for all ages. The novel is fast moving and readers will want to read everything in this fun series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

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Jaymie receives a request to help a woman whose husband's murder is hanging over her head. Jaymie is reluctant to get involved. When the woman is found murdered herself, Jaymie is certain there is more happening than first appeared to be. With a killer certainly on the loose, Jaymie is racing to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim. The mystery was weak at best. I enjoyed the book overall and would read another in the series.

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This was a suspense filled mystery that was based on a true crime. The mystery had lots of clues, a handful of suspects, and lots of twists that lead to a very tense conclusion.

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The tenth in the series, this was my first experience of the Vintage Kitchen mystery series. I will now be seeking out the others as I loved the characters, the town and the sleuthing! Jaymie is confronted with two murders for her amateur detective skills to run wild over and she brings danger a bit too close to her door this time! A cosy and entertaining mystery, that did keep me guessing with the tidbits of new information about the wonderful broad cast of character. A fun read with a quaint charm. (Many thanks to NetGalley/ Publisher/ Author for an advance copy)

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Walking onto a murder scene with your daughter was not an easy thing, especially if the victim was coming to you. Jaymie automatically put on her sleuthing cap, finding out who had done it was uppermost on her mind, for the victim was on her way to visit her. What a tangled mess she had to sort out before getting to the truth.

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I hesitated to request this book. The last few in the series have not been my favorite and I haven’t found anything favorable to review in them. I am happy to say that the series seems to be back on track. Jaymie was not nearly as bossy and annoying in this one. Additionally, this was a little darker than most cozies, with a gruesome murder and so much family drama. It still moves a little too slowly but I enjoyed this one so much more than the last few.

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This one kept me guessing pretty much the whole way through (and I can usually figure out who-done-it pretty early on) and I was much more emotionally engaged in this than with your typical cozy. Several generations of a couple local families and all their buried secrets come into play here - there are so many layers to sift through here to try and make sense of both the crime that happened before the book started and the murder that occurs at the very beginning. A really good twisty domestic thriller kind of mystery.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Princess Fuzzypants here: Some people have all the luck. Unfortunately for them it is always bad luck. Such is the case for the mother of a new school friend of Jaymie’s daughter. Both girls are “different” which helps them bond. Jaymie is still surprised when both the woman and a police officer ask for her help regarding the death of the woman’s husband many years earlier. It was ruled an accident but there are now doubts as to whether it was, in fact, murder.

The woman is terrified of something or someone and gets very close to confiding in Jaymie. Sadly she is murdered as she walked through the woods to reach Jaymie’s home. Now the little girl is orphaned. Jayme is determined to find out if there is a link between the two deaths and a whole slew of accidents and injuries. As she finds out more about all the people involved she has come to the conclusion that not only is the villain a murderer but he or she has committed heinous betrayals. The problem is Jaymie is perplexed. Every time she thinks she has it pegged, she learns something else that changes the dynamic. And if it does not get solved soon, it could mean her life.

Lots of twists from some very complicated family connections, the story keeps the reader guessing right to the end and when the ultimate motive is revealed, Jaymie discovers that many of her preconceptions were wrong. Good story with strong characters with interesting quirks. Four purrs and two paws up.

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This mystery was enthralling. I was hooked early on in the story. I look forward to reading more Jaymie Muller mysteries. This book had well developed characters, and a good plot. The revelation of the murderer threw me for a loop because I never suspected that person of the crime. I highly recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers.

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I always love reading a new book in this series. This series is what started my love of cozies. The characters are relatable, interesting, and feel like old friends. I have really enjoyed how Jaymie’s character has developed over the series and she is a great sr
Stepmom for Jocie. The mystery is well plotted with plenty of surprises to keep you engaged in solving the mystery. Can’t wait for the next in the series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

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Jaymie Leighton Mueller is settling into married life and motherhood loving all the moments she spends with her husband, Jakob and her stepdaughter, Jocie. Jamie has learned to be watchful for Jocie (she is a little person) and is thrilled when, picking her up from school, she sees that Jocie has befriended a classmate who also has limitations. Jaymie introduces herself to the friends mother who asks if they might talk some other time. When they do get together, Jaymie learns that the mother is under suspicion for her husband's death 5 years prior but they are interrupted and the mother says that she will come by the cabin where the Muellers live (turns out they are neighbors in a way). The mother never shows up and will searching the wooded area with Jocie for a science project, they come across the murdered body of the mother. Jaymie is determined to find out what happened to help Jocie's friend who is now an orphan.

The writing was superb, the story entertaining and the characters were fun, however, I had a hard with the premise that 1)Jaymie didn't know anything about the 5 year old murder - she's lived in the town all her life 2) she would get so absorbed about a woman who she talked to maybe for 15 minutes total. I think it needed more of a connection between the victim and the main character.

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Very enjoyable read, nicely written and this story has it all for fans who like a murder mystery on a dark, cold wintery night, curled up by the fire or my experience, the radiators. Victoria Hamilton is very wowing, its completely different to anything I've read before, but whilst it wasn't totally believable for me, I really did enjoy it. I thought that there was a fair amount of red herrings, and really enjoyed having actual characters that have layers, real refreshing.

With thanks to Netgalley. the author and the publishers for the chance to read this amazing free ARC in return for my review, I really enjoyed it.

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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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This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Beyond the Page Publishing and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Delightful cozy mystery series with a fun twist on the theme. Charming while chilling, thrilling with a dash of comfort.

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This is the first of Victoria’s books I’ve read and maybe if I’d read the previous ones I’d have had more idea about the characters. I didn’t really warm to any of them.
Jaymie’s friend is murdered on her way to talk to her about her suspicions on who murdered her husband a few years ago. In her style Jaymie managed to work out who the culprit was and it was all to do with insurance scams.

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Thank you for the advanced copy.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery. I highly recommend this for readers who love the kitchen and cozy mysteries.

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A Calculated Whisk by Victoria Hamilton is the 10th book in A Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, and another great addition. Ms. Hamilton does it again! Jaymie has come so far since we were first introduced to her. Jaymie is married to Jakob Muller, and the step-mother to his charming daughter. Jayme is getting to know a single mother, when the women is murdered while coming to see her. Jaymie is determined to uncover the truth I loved this book and this whole series, and can't wait for the next book in the series. As always the series is best when it is read in order, but this book can be read as a stand alone. I found this book to be a quick and fun read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love fun cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, you will love this book/series. I also found it very interesting that this murder was based on a true story. Wow! Strongly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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