This was an interesting cozy mystery. I enjoyed the element of the setting being a mystery festival. The characters were realistic and not overdone and could be people the reader would encounter in real life. There were plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing as to the identity of the perpetrator. I. would recommend this story to fans of cozy mysteries and will be looking for other books by this author...
I received a review copy from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I would recommend this book be proofread again before being published. There aren't a great many typos, but there were several and a couple of instances of wrong character names being used.

Val's grandad wasn't the only one who didn't like food writer Cynthia but murder? She stole his recipe, that's for sure, and now it turns out she might have done that more than once and mad someone a lot angrier than Grandad. They're all at a Murder Mystery baking competition where the rules honestly didn't make a lot of sense to me but it was a good reminder about a few fictional detectives that I'd forgotten about. I like this series for the characters- Val and Grandad- more than the mysteries (and if you've seen my other reviews, I always quibble about the setting). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A classic one with recipes.

BAKE OFFED is the eighth book in the Five-Ingredient Mystery series by Maya Corrigan. Protagonist, Val Deniston, and her granddad are attending the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest in support of Val’s best friend, who’s organized the event. On top of participating in all the mystery conference offers, Granddad is competing in the Deadly Desserts Bake-off, with a recipe inspired by Nero Wolfe’s chef. I just love the granddaughter-grandfather duo. They are wonderful characters and each complements the other in their quest to solve cases while showing great respect for the other. There’s a bit of witty humor on the pages and I always get a kick out of Granddad’s newspaper column, “Codger Cook”, which provides five-ingredient recipes. Ms. Corrigan has done an admirable job of character development over the course of the series for this pair. While this can be read as a standalone, it’s been a pleasure watching the two grow and change with each new story.

With a nod to Agatha Christie-style mysteries, this newest release provides the reader with a puzzling murder to solve and plenty of suspects who all seem to have alibis. And the setting of the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest ups the ante for a terrific backdrop for the crime… who would guess that an actual crime would be committed at a conference for amateur sleuth wannabes? Most of the attendees first believe that it’s a staged murder for them to solve. It doesn’t take long for Val and her granddad to begin asking questions and sifting through the lies and secrets the suspects impart. On top of the murder, an attempted murder, an unsolved case, and a missing valuable Nero Wolfe-inspired book box filled with recipes, the suspense mounts. The clues kept me guessing and when all was revealed, I was completely surprised by the clever twists and turns.

Ms. Corrigan always includes five-ingredient recipes at the back of each book, courtesy of the “Codger Cook”. I absolutely adore the theme of the Bake Offed recipes with its tribute to the game of Clue. While I don’t typically list the recipes included, I couldn’t pass up sharing their clever names: Mrs. Peacocktail, Hot Miss Scarlet Punch, Mr. Green Salad, Colonel Mustard Vinaigrette, Mrs. White Bean Chili, Professor Plum Cake, and as two bonus recipes, Nero Wolfe’s Lemon Sponge Cake and Beeramisu.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bake Offed is the 8th book in the Five-Ingredient Mystery series. This book can be read without reading the previous books in this series. Any references to prior events are explained without overwhelming detail.

Val Deniston and her grandfather, Don Myer, are attending the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest. Granddad is participating in the cooking competition, where each contestant portrays a cook to famous fictional sleuths. The competition heats up when Granddad finds out that a rival, Cynthia Sweet, is also competing. When Cynthia is found dead in her hotel room with a whistling teakettle, Val and Don start investigating to figure out who killed Cynthia and how were they able to do it. The setting and timing of the murder provide some additional interest as the evidence keeps shifting the identity of the killer between multiple suspects.

I liked the setting of this story and the references to other fictional detectives. The story moved along at a good pace as Val works to uncover the killer before the end of the Fan Fest. I enjoyed this book and plan to continue reading this series. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bake Offed by Maya Corrigan is book #8 In A Five-Ingredient Mystery series. I loved the setting - the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest. Including what normally occurs at a book con (excluding a murder) made this book especially enjoyable for me. Val Dennison and her grandfather, Don Myer are attending the conference, Val as a volunteer and Don as a competitor in the con's dessert competition. The way they both went about collecting clues and brainstorming about what might have happened held my attention throughout the book. Don's ideas to ferret out clues were very creative. I look forward to the next book in the series. What a fun whodunit!

This offering in Maya Corrigan's A Five-Ingredient Mystery series was ponderous. It was so hard for me to engage that it took me days to read it. I have enjoyed previous books in the series, but this was an outlier for me. Hopefully future offerings will be back on track with a better pace.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I totally enjoyed this unique cozy mystery. Val and her Grandad attended a sort of writers retreat where one of the authors is found murdered. This book had all kinds of mystery references which made this so fun to read. Plus they added a bit of a culinary aspect that was so fun and classically well crafted. I enjoyed the journey of this story. It was fun to see how the characters figured out how-dun-it instead of the normal whodunit. Totally recommend this one if you are a mystery fan. You'll get a real kick out of it!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Allow a day for this delightful family-friendly cozy mystery set at the Maryland Mystery Fun Fest convention in a hotel in Frederick County, Maryland where Val Deniston and her Granddad Don Meyer have traveled from Bayport on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I had an ARC from NetGalley and this is my voluntary review.

Val and her Granddad went to a Mystery Festival for the weekend. Granddad was in the cooking contest and Val was a volunteer as was her friend Bethany. Not long after the fest started, a woman was found dead in her room. Was it natural causes, murder?? Cynthia, the victim, her husband had just died not more than six months ago. We meet many characters that could have wanted Cynthia dead. Val and her Granddad take the challenge to see if they can figure it out. A fast paced page turner with great suspects and lot of motive. Great Book.

Baked Off by Maya Corrigan is a great read and I love this series as Val and Granddad go off to a bake-off festival and encounter a mystery, murder and bake-off contest for Granddad. Her friend Val is in charge of the festival and Val comes along to host a trivia contest and gets involved in investigating a murder with a former ex- boyfriend of her friend Val. Thank you Maya for a wonderful book and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Readers, you will not be disappointed and don’t miss this great read.🙋‍♀️🇨🇦🥰📚👏🤗

Maya Corrigan is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors, and I was so excited to see her authoring a new book in the Five Ingredient series! This new installment takes place at a Mystery Fan Fest--swoon--and, despite the murder, I wish I could be there myself! When Val and her granddad attend the festival, they hope for fun and a cooking competition victory for grandad. But instead grandad's rival newspaper cooking columnist ends up dead in her hotel room, tea kettle a-whistling...

With a fun location, loads of suspects, and just enough puzzle pieces to may things fun for those of us who like a good whodunit, Bake Offed delivers another intricate mystery that I easily devoured.

Thanks to Kensington Books for my eARC and finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

Absolutely loved this series! I was hooked with the plot and enjoyed the main characters. This book had a very good pace and kept me interested til the end. I am going back to read other titles in the series. I definitely recommend this book!

This is a fun, entertaining cozy set at a Maryland mystery fan conference. All the usual fan fiction events are there--lectures, mingling with authors, auctions, games, and here, even a bake off.

One of the bake off contestants is found dead and, unlike most mysteries, timing, to the minute, is of the essence here.

A clever plot, great characters, and fun. Who could ask for more.

Highly recommended!!

Once again Maya Corrigan captured the attention of this reader with her latest addition to her Five Ingredient Mystery. I absolutely enjoy Val and Granddad and the adventures they get up to while solving murders and this story didn't disappoint. I liked the story taking place in a location different then their normal bay side town. It adds a bit of spice to the series. I was glad that Bram and Bethany were included to make it feel a bit homey. And the cherry on top the whole story taking place at a mystery fan convention. A great cozy murder mystery.

Bake Offed follows Val to the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest organised by her friend, Bethany, where her Grandad is entering the Deadly Desserts bake-off and Val is helping out.

Some of the cook-off's competitors receive threats before the event and after it's over one is found dead!
Val takes it upon herself to find out what happened before the weekend is over.

Lots of fun mystery novel/movie references and some great characters kept me entertained throughout.
A Great Read.

A gathering of mystery authors and fans turns deadly - the second such event to do so at this same hotel. Val, her Granddad (I love his character) and friends, new and old, piece together cludes not only to solve this crime but to prevent more.
I loved every minute of this book. It made me long to attend more author events!

The characters are marvelous, the clues fantastic, and overall the mystery was complex and deeply layered.
This book is difficult to put down. The series is wonderful.

Cafe Manager Val and her grandfather are looking forward to the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest. Grandpa will be competing in a fun dessert competition where the cooks must pretend to be the cook for a famous detective. He gets Nero Wolf, whose chef, Fritz is proving a challenge for him until he finds a goldmine in the attic!

His competition seems a bit sketchy, especially when they pick up their packets and someone has slipped a note inside warning them about Cynthia Sweet. She isn’t anyone’s favorite person, but could she be a saboteur? Grandpa is sure she stole his idea for Five-Ingredient recipes in the local paper.

But her bad behavior comes to an end when she is found dead in her room. Now they must get to the bottom of things before more people end up dead.

I love this series. Humor, good cooking, and a mystery to solve!


NetGalley/ November 29, 2022, Kensington/ Kensington Cozies

This book is my introduction to the A Five-Ingredient Mystery series. I liked that the story was centered in Maryland. The characters were fun, and the story a wonderful read.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. I look forward to reading more of A Five-Ingredient Mystery series!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I have read one book in this series previously and had a hard time really getting into the characters. This story was much easier to read and enjoy.

When Val and her grandfather Don are invited to a Murder Mystery Fest that her friend Bethany is organizing, they knew they were in for a fun filled Clue like mystery weekend. Grandpa Don would be premiering his beeramisu for the Dessert Cook-Off but received an ominous warning to keep his friends close but enemies closer to avoid a possible sabotage from a nemesis.

However when her grandfather's nemesis Cynthia, who he also believes stole his 5 ingredient idea as her own not only attends but ends up murdered, their detecting skills kick in.

Being a huge fan of food, murder mysteries and the game of Clue, this book is right up my alley. Although it is the 8th installment in this Five Ingredient Cozy Mystery Series, this can definitely be read as a standalone.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review