Another fun entry in the Hayley Snow Food Critic mysteries series. The delightful Scottish Scone Sisters, Violet and Bettina Booth, make a reappearance. They are visiting Miss Gloria and Hayley in Key West to host a baking contest. As always something happens – arson, theft, murder – and no matter what friends or family say, Hayley is off and running to solve the crime, of course with Miss Gloria at her side. All your favorite characters are back, Hayley is as much of a treat as ever, and it’s a good mystery with lots of clues, twists and turns, delicious food and a satisfying ending.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of A Clue in the Crumbs. Great read. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

The Scone Sisters, friends of Hayley, arrive in Key West to host The UK Bakes--Key West Addition tv cooking competition. But the action isn't limited to the kitchen or the set when there is a fire at the B&B they are staying at and one of the competitors is a suspect of arson. When a body shows up and the murder weapon points to the Scone Sisters, Hayley & company must find the real culprit.

Fun. I love the Scone Sisters. They add some spice to the story. Decent mystery, good characters and some recipes I want to try out. All the ingredients for a perfect recipe of mystery!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

A Clue in the Crumbs is yet another winner in the deliciously cozy Key West Food Critic series by author Lucy Burdette - and this particular story brings the Scone sisters to Key West all the way from their native Scotland! When Bettina and Violet make Key West the first stop on their UK Bakes! American tour, their pals Miss Gloria and Hayley are glad to help in any way they can. But when a contestant's husband is murdered and then their agent disappears, the ladies (plus Nathan!) decide they need to investigate. A fun and fast read, and a great addition to the series! A+++

A Clue in the Crumbs is the thirteenth book in the Key West Food Critic series.

Hayley Snow lives in Key West, Florida and works for Key West Style, for an e-magazine as a food critic. She is married to Nathan Bransford, a police detective. They live on Houseboat Row. Gloria is her neighbor who lives next to her. Hayle and Gloria are friends, but Haley also keeps an eye on her.

Haley and Gloria are on their way to the airport to pick up Violet and Bettina Booth, the Scone Sisters from Scotland. They are coming to the U.S. to promote their show UK Bakes Key West edition. Martha Hubbard is the local chef heading the contest for the show.

The B&B where they are planning on staying has had a fire Gloria invites them to stay with her. The next day they go and meet the contestants who will be competing in the show. Rayna Humboldt, Harry Sweeting and Martina Bevis. This sets the stage for a murder and for Haley and Gloria to get in the middle of it all.

This is a cozy mystery which was fun to read. I enjoyed the characters and the great relationship between Haley and Gloria.

Hayley and Miss Gloria are hosting the Scone Sisters who have come to Key West to bring their TV show to America. When one of the bakers in their competition has a series of unfortunate things happen, all four women are on the case! I loved this story of the four women working together. I especially enjoyed the scone sisters being in this book. Great story and interesting plot line. I loved how the sleuths and the reader overlook the most likely killer.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for a review.

That Miss Gloria’s something else! She’s always been my fave of Hayley’s friends and in the last few books, she’s gotten even more of a presence which I absolutely love! Put her together with Bettina and Violet from Scotland and you’ve got a pretty awesome senior sleuthing trio. Those ladies even after a long flight from Scotland never stopped going and definitely kept Hayley on the move as well.

I eventually suspected whodunit but none of the exact details. The Scone Sisters’ agent was an odd character but he ended up with quite the tale to tell after he’d vanished right after the murder. The showdown was a crazy one, but everyone ended up back at Hayley’s for food, friendship and a little debriefing about the case. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Scone Sisters visit again, only maybe next time not have a baking contest, just some good old tourism mayhem! I’m sure there’d still be plenty for those ladies to see and do. Don’t miss this latest installment when it releases August 8, 2023.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

The Scone sisters from Scotland are visiting Key West to tape a baking show. Haley and her husband Nathan met the Scone sisters while on their home in Scotland.
When a body is discovered Haley, Miss Gloria and the sisters start sleuthing to find the killer.
A fun read, mystery, great description of food, cooking, including recipes. Always a fun trip back to Key West.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book.

5/5 stars: It's a joy to catch up on the sleuthing adventures of Burdette's Florida food writer and critic Hayley Snow, her detective husband and her octogenarian best pal, Gloria. Burdette's characters are incredibly likable. Gloria is a gem and it was great seeing Violet and Bettina again (they first appeared in A Scone of Contention, when Hayley and friends traveled to Scotland). Burdette's mystery perfectly blends the right balance of clues, red herrings and suspects that will leave you guessing the whodunit 'til the last page. Oh and you will not want to miss out on the deliciously yummy recipes included. This is the thirteenth book in the Key West Food Critic series, so be sure to pick up An Appetite For Murder, book one.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS is the thirteenth book in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette. From the inviting cover that makes you want to jump right in to sample the yummy goodies, to the premise of a TV reality baking show featuring the utterly charming Scottish Scone Sister, I was hooked from the very start. The setting of tropical Key West is described in such splendid detail, with bits of history thrown in, that I felt like I was on vacation myself. I love how the author brought the two Scottish characters featured in her last book, to Key West. They fit right in with protagonist Hayley Snow, and her sidekick, octogenarian Miss Gloria. Ms. Burdette’s characters are what make this series so beloved, and this newest release didn’t disappoint. The core characters are people you’d like to call friends and jump in to assist others when the need arises. This book can easily be read as a standalone, with just enough backstory provided without dragging down the plot.

The mystery itself was multilayered and kept me on my toes as I followed along in the investigation with Hayley and her pals. From a fire that comes close to destroying a local B&B, to the owner of said B&B threatening his talented chef wife competing on the show, to his body being discovered, there are many suspects to consider. Along with that, where did the Scone Sisters’ culinary equipment disappear to and how did their unique knife end up being the murder weapon? And why is their agent ghosting them? And who is sabotaging the baking show? I just adore how Hayley, Miss Gloria, and the Scone Sisters put their heads together to hunt down clues and track down suspects. Together, they make a formidable team. With a thrilling reveal that includes a tiki boat, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens next. Ms. Burdette has written another terrific addition to her charming series that has me waiting, impatiently, for the next book!

Between entertaining their Scottish guests and the baking show competition, there is yummy food mentioned throughout the story. The author has thoughtfully included several recipes at the back of the book for the home cook to try.

Another delightful visit to Key West. The characters are charming and varied. The murder mystery kept me guessing. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Hayley Snow and Miss Gloria eagerly await the visit of Violet and Bettina Booth, aka the Scottish Scone Sisters, to Key West. The unlikely hosts of the popular UK Bakes! TV show have arrived to film the first US episode but things go wrong from the beginning. Their B&B is damaged by an unknown arsonist so the sisters take refuge on Miss Gloria's boat. The 3 local bakers competing in the contest are a strange bunch. The B&B owner's wife Rayna is the most talented contestant but she is also a person of interest in the fire. When a dogwalker find the body of Rayna's husband Victor with a distinctive knife in his back, the Scone Sisters become prime suspects.

As the competition continues, Hayley is determined to identify the real culprit while also showing the sisters the dining highlights of Key West. This was another enjoyable entry in the long-running Key West Food Critic mystery series.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

Another clear winner from Burdette. My summer is not complete without a new installment of my favorite mystery series: the Key West Food Critic. We're back on the sunny rock that is Key West. Cats, houseboats, quirky characters and plenty of amazing food. Not to mention, murder.

My second visit to Hayley Snow and her home on a houseboat in Key West. In this episode Hayley and Gloria are assisting two friends from Scotland who are visiting America and presenting a Bake Off show. Of course nothing ever goes smoothly, a body is discovered, and the four women work together to try and discover the murderer.

I enjoyed the mystery and guessed the culprit long before our team of sleuths did. I liked reading about life on a houseboat and in Key West in general. And of course my mouth watered at the beautiful restaurant meals and some of the bake off items, all lovingly described by the author who must be a foodaholic herself.

An excellent series and I must get around to reading the earlier books which I missed.

I love Lucy Burdette so much that I just reread all of her Key West novels. All of the characters are well-developed. It’s been a pleasure to watch them grow.. From Hailey to Ms.Gloria and Lorenzo, there’s someone for everyone. With a return twist of some special sisters from Scotland,, this in a novel to get lost in.

Fantastic read as always. I love Hayley and Miss Gloria so much (her sons not so much). Love Nathan the Scone sisters. Excited to try the recipes in the book! This was a fun book that kept me guessing. Always love a great story with Hayley and the gang!

Another winning book in this Key West cozy series. We get the Scottish sisters visiting in Key West, more Gloria and more murder. This mystery had a bit of a tangled web that I found interesting and kept my attention throughout. And again, there are so many references to food with recipes at the end to try out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the arc.

A Clue in the Crumbs is book 13 in Lucy Burdette's A Key West Food Critic Mystery series. I had not previously read any of the books in the series, and although there appear to be recurring characters, I found it easy to follow so reading previous books is not necessary.

Hayley and her friend Gloria are excited when their friends The Scottish Scone Sisters and their show UK Bakes come to Key West to film an episode of their show. When the husband of one of the contestants is killed, Hayley and Gloria, alongside the sisters, Violet and Bettina, try to solve the man's murder.

This was a fun cozy mystery, the old ladies were quite funny, as was Gloria. The filming segments were quite comical as well, and made the reader wonder just why these people, who seemed to have no idea how to bake, would try out for a bake-off show.

There were enough suspects to keep me guessing here, but not so many that it seemed ridiculous, which I enjoyed. I liked the food related quotes at the beginning of each chapter, that was a nice touch, and I thought it was cute that they were occasionally referenced in the story.

I really enjoyed A Clue in the Crumbs, and will probably go back and read some of the earlier books in the series. The main characters seemed likeable, and I would like to see how their story begins and the development of the relationship between Hayley and her relatively new husband, and police officer, Nathan.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Seriously-the Key West version of UK Bakes should have been a good time for all but........Violet and Bettina, the Scone Sisters, seem to have brought bad vibes with them. Hayley and her friend Gloria pick the pair up at the airport and drive right into a big mess, starting with the fact that the B&B where they were meant to stay has burned down. And then Vincent, one of the owners, is found murdered with a knife the women sent from the UK. Of course Hayley and her merry band of friends must investigate (even if her husband Nathan, a police detective, isn't happy about it). This is classic cozy territory which means that fans of the genre should be fine hopping in and reading this as a standalone and that fans of the series will be happy to spend time with good characters and the wonderful setting. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

The Scottish Sisters arrive in Key West and trouble seems to come with them. Their B&B catches fire before they can check in. The equipment they need for their contest hasn't shown up. They have pitifully few contestants who can show up. Miss Gloria and Hayley do their best to help out and show their friends a good time. That would seem to be a tall order with arson, murder, and a disappearing agent. This is a wonderfully involved story that left me lusting for the food featured!

Amateur sleuth and Key West food critic Hayley Snow welcomes the Scone Sisters, visiting from Scotland, as the pair enter a baking show in Hayley's home town. Things get a little dicey when someone dies and the sisters are accused of murder. Hayley jumps in to help investigate and solve the murder before her friends are thrown into the slammer for good.

This was the 13th book in this series and was a lot of fun! Having not read any of the previous installments, I didn't feel lost as I feared. I enjoyed the characters of Hayley, Miss Gloria, Nathan, and the Scone Sisters, and look forward to reading backlist titles in this series. A fun and interesting cozy with recipes at the end...which is always my favorite!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!