Think of the great British bake off and morse and that’s what you get in this book! It was a lovely read, enjoyable and light hearted ! I look forward to reading more books by this author.

This story is a murder mystery set in a plagiarised set of the Great British Bake Off - it is shameless in copying the rounds, phrases and feel of the show.

Jodie Parker is an ex-policewoman, now living in Cornwall with her mother, daughter, dog and boyfriend, who is also a detective. She is entered for the Cornwall segment Best of British Baking Roadshow (aka GBBO), although she calls herself a chef rather than baker. One of the crew is murdered, and so she flits between trying to solve the murder and produce wonderful cakes. And, surprise surprise, she does both.

It stretches credulity that the police would encourage an amateur sleuth to join in, even if they are sleeping with them, and the whole thing seemed very contrived. Its a fun read but I didn't really identify with any characters or the unlikely scenarios.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t realised this was a series before I started but I don’t think that not having read earlier books detracted from my enjoyment much. Great characters, a great setting and written with warmth and humour. A thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery!

Unknown to her, Jodie Parker's family have nominated her for "the best of British baking" roadshow and she has been selected.
She freely admits that her cakes are good but it's her decoration that lets her down, but goes for it anyway..
All of the contestants seem excited to be there, but one, Martin, is very aloof and seems to very, very focussed on winning.. However when the body of Harry, the runner, is discovered, an element of suspicion falls over the tent.
Jodie, being a former police officer and also freely admitting she likes to poke her nose in, get's herself involved in the investigation - it helps that the investigating officer is her boyfriend Nathan. AKA DCI Withers.
The host Barbara and her alter ego Russell - or is it the other way around, appears to have skeletons in her/his cupboard as Russell had been seen having a couple of arguments with different people. Harry had also managed to rip Barbara's dress shortly before he is killed, but was that worth killing for?
Meanwhile the tension in the tent ramps up and Jodie finds that her efforts are being sabotaged, but fortunately is able to salvage her efforts and makes it in the final. Will her showstopper be stopped? Will the killer be unveiled?
The last day is full of tension and denouements.
A fun read which I enjoyed.

Jodie gets roped into competing in a British baking competition for Cornwall region when her Mum, Daisy and Nathan enter her without her knowledge. As necessary for a cozy mystery, someone dies. Jodie and Nathan are a bit stumped by who the murderer is because their best suspects have alibis.
The baking part is fun and Jodie wandering off to help in the investigation is fun. I really enjoyed this 5th Nosey Parker mystery.
I would recommend reading this book. It would be fine to read as a stand-alone.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Jodie Parker (former police officer, current caterer, and amateur sleuth) is a contestant on baking show (definitely The Great British Bake Off) that is hosting local competitions that will result in a national bake off among the regional winners. But before Jodie can settle in and focus on her bakes, a smarmy PA is murdered on set and Jodie just can’t stay away from the investigation. Is it a jilted former lover, the heartbroken wife, one of the other contestants, or the drag queen host of the show who is definitely hiding something? And who keeps trying to sabotage all of Jodie’s desserts while she’s off solving the murder?

This is the fifth book in the Nosey Parker series (though they definitely do not need to be read in order). Just like the others, I would say it is a cozy mystery with humor throughout. Jodie has her mother, daughter, dog, and police detective boyfriend around her at all times and the personalities within the competition were fun and certainly felt true to the actual Bake Off. These are truly mysteries for those who want murder without any of the pesky darkness or angst that typically surround the genre. Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the eARC. Available 8/18/2022.

A great read about a fictionalised Bake Off. I did feel the heroine spent a bit too much time away from her bakes whilst filming, but this was a minor point. This is one of a lovely series of titles, although you do have to be fond of food to really enjoy them!

Great humour.
The 5th in the series with Jodie Parker ex police officer who helps the police with their investigation of a recent murder. Love Jodie she`s a great character with loads of laugh out loud humour, though I thought this book was a bit heavy on the baking side which takes away from the storyline of the murder, if it had been less I would have given it 5*
Well worth a read

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
Posted to Goodreads

Jodie Parker has done well for herself since moving back to Penstowan. A former officer with the Met, she now has a new career as a chef and a new partner in the form of local DCI Nathan Withers. Oh, and she’s also helped solve a few local murders too.

Her current concern is the TV sensation “The Best Of British Baking Roadshow” which has rolled into town for the Cornwall heat. Setting up its tent in the grounds of Boskern House, Jodie finds her cooking skills pushed to the limit as the competition is far stiffer than she expected – especially when someone seems to be sabotaging her efforts.

More concerning, though, is the body of one of the production team that is soon found in the grounds of the house. Can Jodie solve the murder and win the competition?

Yes, it’s cosy time. One of my book chums, when I described this book, was somewhat perplexed at why I was reading it, but I do enjoy the odd cosy. Sometimes there can be a well-constructed mystery plot hidden therein – the Chef Maurice books are the obvious examples that spring to mind. What has brought down some recent cosy reads is the balance between the life and career of the sleuth and the actual plot. I’ve found myself lured in by a decent first book only to be disappointed in this way with book two. This is book five, so I figured if this was a problem with this one, it would be on full display here.

It’s not, thankfully. This is clearly in cosy territory – distinctive career, love interest police officer, etc – but the focus is on the twin plots of sabotage and murder which may or may not be related. Oh, there’s a recipe or two in here as well.

All in all, this is an entertaining read. It’s a jolly read, and it’s nice to see a book without the constant “you shouldn’t be investigating” strand. In fact, it looks like Cornwall CID seem woefully understaffed as everyone is perfectly happy for Jodie to pitch in and tell them who the killer is. The characters are enjoyable, both the regulars and the suspects.

Having said that, I can’t recommend this for followers of the blog who thrive on the complexity of Christianna Brand or Agatha Christie. There’s a bit of a misdirection as to whether he was the intended victim or not, but at the end of the day, the murderer conveniently drops a clue that basically identifies who they are and then it’s just a matter of cracking a not-too-tricky alibi. There’s more complexity in the sabotage strand of the plot, to be honest. At least the killer isn’t caught trying to kill the sleuth.

But despite this, this is an entertaining tale with some charming characters at the heart of it. Next time I fancy a comfortable read, I may well be heading back to Cornwall.

A Cornish Recipe For Murder is out from One More Chapter in paperback and ebook on Thursday August 18th. Many thanks to the publishers for the e-copy via NetGalley.

I am a big fan of Nosey Parker and her awesome family. She's a chef who's on a show about british bakers in this new book by Fiona Leitch. It's a ball to read and I couldn't put it down!

A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch brings a death, a baking show, and some humor to the fifth book in the Nosey Parker cozy mystery series set mainly on the grounds of Boskern House in Cornwall, England. Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker has moved back to her home town of Penstowan after leaving the London metropolitan police force. She has retrained as a caterer and started Banquets and Bakes, her own catering company. When her boyfriend Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Withers shows up at her door with an envelope in hand, Jodie’s mom Shirley and daughter Daisy get excited. The three of them have entered her into a popular television baking contest and she’s been selected as one of five contestants to compete to represent Cornwall. However, things don’t go smoothly. From sabotage to a host with secrets to a dead body, Jodie can’t help but spend time investigating along with Nathan.

Once again, I enjoyed visiting with old friends. Jodie’s sense of humor and warmth continues to shine in this story. She was a likeable and friendly character with a need to investigate that I continued to connect with. The secondary characters continue to develop. In this case, we saw more growth in Nathan. His and Jodie’s interactions continue to be varied and range from witty to serious. The chemistry between them creates a fun dynamic. Instead of only quaint characters, this cozy has several realistic characters that add to the depth of the story. Spotlighting their individual traits made it easy to connect with them. Their Pomeranian Germaine continues to add cuteness and stress relief at various times.

A well-plotted story with characters that feel emotionally rich draws readers in and doesn’t let go until the final word in the book. The author did a good job of transporting me to the baking contest tent, which made the novel more enjoyable. The story had several twists, a few red herrings, a couple of surprises at the end, and gives readers food for thought with a question left unanswered. As always, having a sleuth that isn’t an amateur continues to bring depth to the novel that can be lacking in some cozy mysteries.

Overall, this was a story that quickly drew me into Jodie’s world. It was a fun, appealing and entertaining read with a solid mystery to unravel. All of the major plot points were resolved satisfactorily, and the atmosphere was just right. Themes include friendship, parent-child relationships, romance, competition, and death. Relationships continue to play a major role in this series. A recipe for one of the competition cakes is included at the end of the book.

I recommend the novel to those that enjoy the genre. It was a fun and relaxing read and I can’t wait for the next book featuring Jodie and her family and friends. For more enjoyment, the books are best read in order, but this can be read as a standalone.

HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Fiona Leitch provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 18, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Light hearted easy to read great yarn!!
Jodie has been entered into a cooking contest nearby in Cornwall, which she hopes will promote her catering company. Add in a murder, someone trying to sabotage her baking, and her wonderful family and dog, and you have an hilarious very enjoyable read!!
Will her showstopper win or will the murder and intrigue be the winners!!
Terrific romp, enjoyable and funny.
This is the second of the series I have read, and enjoyed. Fun, great characters and an easy light hearted read.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the early read much appreciated

4.25 stars
When popular TV baking contest and national institution ‘The Best of British Baking Roadshow’ rolls into town and sets up camp in the grounds of Boskern House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, former police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker finds herself competing to represent Cornwall in the grand final after being entered by her daughter & boyfriend. When a body is found in the grounds of the house, Jodie is drawn into another high-stakes case along with local DCI Nathan Withers.
The fifth outing for Jodie & another very well written story with delightful characters. It could easily be read on its own but personally I love to read a series from the beginning. Shirley & Daisy are delights & the relationship between Jodie & Nathan is approaching the next step – I’ve loved how it's developed over the series. I love the baking contest & the interaction between the contestants plus Russell/ Barbara was a highlight especially Barbara. There are lots of red herrings plus twists & turns & plenty of suspects plus someone is sabotaging Jodie’s baking. I read this engrossing read in an afternoon
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

* I was given an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review via NetGalley.

A Cornish Recipe for Murder is the 5th book in a cosy murder mystery series set in Cornwall. Despite it being the 5th in the series, I don't think you necessarily need to have read any of the others, as the plot stands alone without them. I have only read book one.

Our book follows Jodie, ex-police officer and general busy body and her detective boyfriend Nathan as they work together to try and solve a murder. Jodie is participating in the fictional equivalent of the Great British Bake Off when a member of the production team is found dead. I thought that this was a great cosy mystery and that fans of the genre are certain to enjoy this. The book has a really interesting range of characters and is very character driven.

I would say that I found the murder mystery element less interesting than I did in the first book of the series, but that the character progression was more interesting in this one. The characters are all very likeable which makes for a quick and easy read.

I would recommend this book to fans of The Thursday Murder Club series.

4/5 stars.

This is the fifth instalment in Fiona Leitch's Nosey Parker Mysteries series. Set in a Cornish coastal town, Jodie 'Nosey' Parker has moved back to her small hometown; she has served in the Metropolitan Police force for longer than she cares to remember and is in Penstowan after her retirement along with her daughter Daisy. Passionate about baking, she wanted to own and run her own catering company so she retrained as a caterer, setting up Banquets and Bakes.

This is a fun series smothered in good humour, some of it witty and some the belly laugh kind. Jodie is a terrific character; I really like her extremely down-to-earth manner and her no-nonsense attitude. Boskern House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, adds atmosphere, the place where a TV baking contest, ‘The Best of British Baking Roadshow’ is happening. Jodie is one of the contestants. Stir some colourful characters into the melting pot and a dead body of course, and you have a great mystery. I didn't guess the culprit correctly although I had a stab.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from One More Chapter via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

A murder set in a Great British Bake-Off style show – I don’t think cosy crime can get cosier than this! A Cornish Recipe for Murder is both a police procedural but also sweet and funny. Leitch deftly writes her characters with an assured warmth that settles the reader in for crime without the angst or any gore. Absolutely worth all the calories, as Prue would say and worth a Hollywood handshake too.

A Cornish Recipe for Murder is a fun, cozy British mystery. It is the fifth book in the series, but it was the first I have read and it worked perfectly as a standalone. I could tell the characters had history together in other books, and there were mentions of events from other books, but it was not confusing and did not make it hard to follow.

Former police officer Jodie "Nosey" Parker is competing in a reality baking competition based on The Great British Bake Off. When a murder occurs on set, she had a hard time focusing on her baking and keeping her nose out of the investigation. It doesn't help that her boyfriend is the detective on the case so she can get the inside scoop!

This story has a delightful cast of characters and an entertaining plot. I enjoyed both the baking competition scenes and the investigation scenes, and there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing. I enjoyed the dialogue, the local dialect, most of the humor, and the relationships between the characters. The fabulous Barbara/Russell and Jodie's mom were probably my favorite characters.

If you enjoy cozy British mysteries and reality tv baking competitions, I would definitely recommend this book! I am looking forward to reading previous books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

You can also find this review on my Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/willowcreekbookfairy/

Nosey Parker Book 5

When popular TV baking contest and national institution 'The Best of British Baking Roadshow' rolls into town and sets up camp in the grounds of Boskan House, a historic stately home near Penstowan, former police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker finds herself competing to represent Cornwall in the grand final. But with a fellow contestant who will stop at nothing to win and a drag queen host with secrets of their own, Jodie discovers that the roadshow doesn't just ave the ingredients for the perfect showstopper cake, but also for the perfect murder....

After retiring from the police force, Jodie moved to Cornwall. Her family have entered her into a baking competition show and now one of the production team is dead. Jodie has to do a little investigation alongside her boyfriend DCI Nathan Withers.

Everyone is a suspect that entered the competition or worked on the show. Jodie is trying to concentrate on her daily baking challenges but the lure of the investigation is pulling her in. The story is told from Jodie's point of view. The storyline is easy to follow. There's twists and some humour in this well written cosy read. The characters are well developed and believable. This book could be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #fionaLeitch for my ARC of #ACornishRecipeforMurder in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super cute novel that combined a murder mystery with some GBBO vibes! I think some refinement on the language surrounding pronouns of drag queens would have made it a 5✨.

A Cornish Recipe for Murder is the 5th-book in the Nosey Parker Mystery series. I had so much fun with Murder on the Menu and A Cornish Christmas Murder, Books 1 and 4 in this series, and was super pumped to return to this setting, as well as this fabulous group of characters!!

In this installment, thanks to a nomination from her family, Jodie finds herself competing on the hugely popular The Best of British Baking Roadshow. The show is currently running their regional competitions and Jodie will be going up against some of the most talented bakers in all of Cornwall.

As to be expected, there's a bit of drama on set, including a spat between one of the long-time hosts, a well-loved drag queen, and a new man on the crew. That's not all though, it is a competition after all. Tensions run high. When a body is found on the grounds where the filming is taking place, the Roadshow becomes an active crime scene, allowing Jodie to combine her two favorite pastimes: cooking and homicide investigation.

Along with her now boyfriend, DCI Nathan Withers, Jodie dives deep into the backgrounds of everyone involved in the show. Is the killer still lurking amongst them? Somehow Jodie is able to keep it all straight, perfectly executing her bakes while also compiling and scrutinizing a long-list of suspects.

After being initially unsure with this one, it turned out to be so much fun. As with the earlier books in the series, I loved Jodie and following along with her investigation. Jodie is not your typical amateur sleuth. In fact, she's not an amateur at all. Jodie worked for the Met in London for decades. Thus, she does have the experience to back up all her poking around. The conclusion of this was fantastic. I was left squealing with delight over the ending and CANNOT wait to continue on with the series.

I adore it. A true Cozy, full of humor, drama-filled crimes and lovable characters. Before the release of the next installment, I definitely plan to read books 2 and 3.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm definitely in for the long haul with this series. Keep 'em coming!