The Cookie Crumbles is an intriguing mystery that feels like a mashup of Eli Over Easy & Murder on the Orient Express!
Told through alternating POV between Laila (baker par excellence) & Lucy (reporter extraordinaire), it follows a kids’ cooking competition- for a much-coveted prize of a full scholarship to a prestigious school. When Laila’s cookie recipe seems to cause one of the judges to have a near-fatal reaction, the pressure is on- for each contestant to prove their innocence, & to find the real criminal.

I was really into this one for the first 40% of so, but then I just couldn't buy into the premise anymore--there's no way those middle-school kids would have been left alone with three adults with no childcare experience and completely cut off from everyone else at the school with no custodial staff or dining or anything. I was also confused about how the roads were supposedly inaccessible when everything else in the town was presumably operational. And I found the solution to the mystery extremely obvious and disappointing--the authors just didn't give us enough suspects, and the motives were also very obvious. I also thought the sub-mystery that Pamela and Maeve were secretly dating was super obvious, but I think it's because that trope has become a cliche in middle grade at this point--I was waiting to find out which character(s) was queer. This one will definitely appeal to fans of baking shows, though.

I was interested from the cover and so glad I was able to read this, it had everything that I was looking for in this type of book it uses the "Great British Bake Off meets Knives Out" perfectly and glad it was so well written. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and thought they worked with the story being told. The authors were wonderfully written and glad it was so well done for a children's fiction book. The concept was wonderfully written and glad I was able to read this.

Pitch perfect middle grade mystery. Even if a young reader isn’t necessarily into baking, there’s plenty that they will love in this story. I’d love to see more from this duo!

**Thank you to HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books, the authors, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will release June 11, 2024.**

*The Cookie Crumbles* features best friends Laila and Lucy, two almost-eighth graders who are highly driven when it comes to their respective passions—baking and journalism—especially when they realize that they’ll be going to different high schools unless Laila can win the Golden Cookie competition and a scholarship to a boarding school that has amazing programs for both friends. And then the competition begins, a celebrity judge collapses after eating Laila’s creation, and a storm prevents any outside contact, leaving the two girls to investigate and clear Laila’s name.

I was so excited about this book, I broke my self-imposed eARC ban to read and review it, and I’m glad I did. The authors did a fantastic job with this concept (I mean, a middle grade mystery that’s *GBBO x Knives Out???*) and I accidentally read it in one sitting.

“Accidentally.”

This book is the perfect blend of the setting and atmosphere of a traditional mystery, and some of the situations and elements common in contemporary middle grade. I loved investigating alongside Laila and Lucy, and probably should’ve had cookies on hand. I know that Alechia Dow used to be a pastry chef and does an Instagram series where she bakes a cookie inspired by a certain title and discusses the book with its author; maybe the final version of *The Cookie Crumbles* will have its own recipe featured?

I also discovered that this book is going to have a SEQUEL, so sign me up! I can never have enough food-centric books, especially in the middle grade space (I actually have Tracy Badua’s *The Takeout* on hold at the library right now), and I love cozy mysteries, so a fun series that combines the two takes the cake.

This was such a fun read! Lucy and Laila t tangled up in something bigger than them at a weekend baking competition. All Laila wants to do is bake and win, while Lucy wants to crack a great story for her journalism scholarship.
What they get is more than they bargain for. They make some new friends, find some clues and solve a mystery.
I liked that their friendship wobbled for a minute, like all real friendships do sometimes. But they were still there for each other.
Loved the baking and the baked goods.
A fun elementary read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!