A Catered Bake-Off is the latest in Isis Crawford's long running cozy Mystery with Recipes series. I had read a few in the series in the past and enjoyed them so was curious to give this one a peak since I'm a fan of The Great British Baking Show something that the New York based competition in the story took inspiration from.

The Simmons sisters Bernie and Libby run a catering company A Little Taste of Heaven and are excited to participate in the baking competition, but from the start of the first run through in preparations for filming, disasters abound; some like a herd of goats in the tent are funny, but when a judge receives life-threatening injuries from an espresso machine, it becomes much more serious. A creepy anonymous prologue which sets the suspenseful tone for the story, lets the reader in on the fact that these aren't just horrible accidents. The sisters must solve the mystery before the killer comes for them.

The story weaves in some contemporary issues like the real estate crisis which keep it feeling current. It was easy also to jump in to the drama even not having read all of the other novels that came before this one since the novel largely focused on a group of new characters rather than a huge cast of reoccurring ones. The author adds a personal element by including 3 recipes from family and friends at the end of the story. Fans of cozy mysteries like Donna Andrews's Meg Langslow Mysteries should enjoy this tasty treat.

I've read every entry in this series and have enjoyed them all. This one seemed a bit off. There was alot of running back and forth between places along with more characters than usual to keep up with. However, I enjoy the relationship between the sisters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc.

Sisters and business partners Bernie and Libby Simmons are excited to take part in a local reality TV bake-off competition. The organizers have booked a picturesque local estate for the filming, and have invited several pairs of bakers to compete, in a twist on the usual format of individual contestants. As they own a catering company and bakery, the Simmons sisters feel more than ready to go toe to toe with anyone in the fight for first place.

They’re not the only ones feeling competitively feisty. As they learn the rules and get ready to rehearse, they discover that the other bakers can be outright cutthroat when it comes to hoarding the show’s limited ingredients. But when a series of strange incidents and seeming accidents start befalling the assembled cast and crew, Bernie and Libby can’t help but wonder whether an ulterior motive far worse than mere reality TV rivalry is at play.

Tragedy strikes when a piece of on-set equipment explodes and one of the judges is killed. It would be hard enough to dismiss his death as accidental if there weren’t already a slew of malicious incidents targeting the production. But was it just a matter of someone’s efforts at sabotage going too far or was the dead man deliberately targeted?

Bernie and Libby are on the case again, with the help of their father, retired Police Detective Sean Simmons. What they uncover will lead them to distant places and times, as the secrets of the past come roaring back to haunt the present. Will the sisters be able to sift through the myriad shadowy motives and shifting identities that they encounter, in order to figure out whodunnit before anyone else gets hurt?

Series fans will enjoy catching up with the sister’s latest antics, as level-headed Libbie tries to rein in her more impulsive sister’s excesses. The detecting duo find themselves in more than one sticky situation as they confront an entire host of less than cooperative people. The final reveal of whodunnit and why gives a fascinating look into the kind of small town crime you don’t usually find addressed in culinary cozies.

But, as with all good culinary cozies, there were recipes included here! Since it’s been hot enough recently that any recipe which requires minimal heat to prepare is ideal, I decided to try out this one of the three in the back (though I also admittedly love a delicious dip for chips or crackers any time):

QUOTE
Vegetarian Chopped Liver

1 small can of Le Sueur peas, drained
2 medium onions, diced and sauteed in oil until golden brown
½ cup of lightly toasted walnuts
2 hard-boiled eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Chop walnuts until very fine in a food processor. Add peas, onions, and eggs and process thoroughly. Add salt and pepper, to taste. This can be frozen. You can double the recipe and freeze half.
END QUOTE

I didn’t have any Le Seuer available to me so made do with store brand sweet peas, which I felt were definitely tender enough to adequately substitute. I toasted the walnuts at 350°F for ten minutes to get them nicely golden while I sauteed the onions down. That latter was definitely the part of this preparation that took the longest, especially since I bought my eggs already hard-boiled. Blending everything together took very little time though, and the result was so surprisingly close to a chopped liver pate that I wouldn’t have suspected this dip was vegetarian if I hadn’t made it myself. It’s got a great mouthfeel and a delicious umami, without any of the bitterness that occasionally makes regular chopped liver unpalatable to sensitive taste buds.

I served this with a variety of crackers and pretzels, and found I liked the spicy options best, as they balance well with the creaminess of the dip. I’d definitely recommend making this for your next gathering, fancy or otherwise, especially if you’re serving vegetarians.

Next week, we sip on an unusual cocktail while enjoying a retrospective of classic mystery and thriller movies. Do join me!

The Simmons sisters are going to be on a new baking reality television show couldn't be more excited. It is being filmed at a lovely estate and they will be competing against people who have done this before. Things start off bad and only get worse from there. Mishaps in their kitchen keep happening like they are given the wrong ingredients and their appliances don't wok properly. They keep moving forward but aren't happy and things really turn sour when a judge dies. The two are determined to figure out who has been causing them their problems as well as who murdered the judge. They start to make some headway and then another death occurs can the sisters find a killer before they end up on the chopping block?

A CATERED BAKE-OFF is the nineteenth book in the Mystery with Recipes series by Isis Crawford. This is the first I’ve read in the series (and now I want to read the remaining 18!) but it easily read as a standalone. The author does an admirable job in giving the reader just enough backstory so I never felt lost, yet kept the plot pacing on target. I enjoyed the sisters working together not only at their catering company, but as a team at a baking competition, and solving mysteries together. Their banter adds some humor and their skills—baking and investigating—brings great results. There was a lot of action going on as the baking competition is sabotaged on multiple occasions, and lots of suspects on who could be the culprit. All in all, a delightful read with great characters!

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

A Catered Bake-Off is book #18 in the Mystery With Recipes series by Isis Crawford.

I like watching bake-off shows, so was happy to see that Bernie and Libby Simmons were going to take part in a reality show bake-off. There are a lot of unfortunate events that take place. Then it becomes serious when a judge is murdered. Bernie and Libby start investigating. Will they find the killer in time? There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Before filming even begins, a baking competition inspired by a popular television show is plagued by suspicious accidents. I've got really mixed feelings about this one. It's the eighteenth book in the series, so I'm missing a LOT of backstory (I did read the previous book when it came out and had managed to completely forget it until I went back and checked my notes.) The plot is extremely fast paced, with more time spent on the investigation than the cooking competition. That's probably a good thing, but it was the detailed descriptions of the cooking that I found myself enjoying most.

Book 18 As fresh and exciting as the first in series. Sisters Bernie and Libby are back catering a baking competition in upper New York.. What could go wrong? Murder! A solid mystery that keeps the reader guessing. Lots of red herrings. Great characters that I've come to enjoy. Always a great experience reading this author! Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I have been reading this series for a long time now. Gosh, I didn’t realize just how long until I realized this is book 18! Each and every entry in the series has been a fabulous read. The author waves together a solid mystery refilled with twist, turns, red herrings, and two sisters, who always managed to figure out who done it before the killer ends them. If you haven’t read one in the series yet, feel free to dig in and start here because each one reads fine as a standalone. But heck, you’ve got 17 more to go back and binge on when you’re done. And you will want to, for sure!

This has a unique murder-death by exploding espresso machine! This latest in a long running series sees Bernie and Libby diverted from the cooking competition they're meant to be in to investigating a murder, No one liked the victim but who could figure out how to kill this way? The sisters have a good, often bickering relati0nship. They've got the advantage of a dad who was in law enforcement. This is a cozy so it's all very light but it's still a good read for fans of the genre. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. And- recipes!

Lizzy and Bernie are in a local bake off. When things begin to go wrong and contestants begin dying, they are on the case. There are accidents that keep happening and a strange connection between all the participants. Can they figure it out before they become the next victims? A fun, quick read. The characters are always fun and this story line was well thought out.
I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review. #kensingtonbooks

A classic cozy mystery that kept me guessing and I enjoyed.
Well done, solid plot
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun little cozy mystery. The pacing was pretty quick, but there were moments where things were overexplained or went into maybe too much detail. I loved the cooking show aspect and the fact that the author talked a lot about baking and the specifics of it, because it felt like we were truly with the characters of Bernie and Libby. Speaking of them, their dynamic was really good, and I adored their sisterly relationship. The plot itself was interesting, with things moving in unexpected ways for me. I was a little surprised by the reveal of the culprit. I read this quickly and enjoyed it!

This was such a cute read. I thoroughly enjoyed it so much that I didn't want it to end.
I adored Bernie and Libby! Their sleuthing ways had me giggling in certain places.
They had me turning the pages quickly to see what happened next.
This book will definitely make you drool over the food. I'm a foodie fan so this was a plus for me. I loved the idea of the cooking show. I used to watch Rachel Ray. So this in a way reminds me of that show and Hells Kitchen.
I loved the guessing who done it. The author did well with this one. I was surprised at who it was at the end.
It isn't who y'all think it is either! Wow!
There were a few of the contestants that I didn't like but I did like the idea of my name in a book lol.
The cover of this book had me curious so I picked it up. I wasn't disappointed. Loved every minute of it.
5 stars for a job well done. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Sisters Libby and Bernie are asked to participate in a new reality bake-off show, filmed on the grounds of a large estate. When a judge is killed by an exploding expresso machine, the sisters try and find the culprit before anyone else gets hurt. This is one of my very favorite series. The characters are great. I love the dynamics between the sisters and their Dad, who is a retired cop. This book has all the elements of a good cozy. A good plot, lots of suspects, and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one as soon as it comes out! Thank you netgalley!!!

One of my favorite authors to read. I always look forward to reading her books when they come out. If you haven't read this series yet. I highly recommend doing so. Each book gets better .

Bernie and Libby have entered a cooking show. Accidents keep happening on set. The contestants all get threatening notes left at their homes. Things come to a head when one of the accidents results in a death. Libby and Bernie investigate to find the culprit.
It has been a while since I picked up a book in this series, but I was reminded why I enjoyed it so much. The characters are great. I love the relationship Bernie and Libby have with their father. The mystery was great, and I loved the cooking show aspect to the story. I received an ARC copy from net galley and Kensington publishing in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a pretty good culinary mystery, love the setting and definitely liked this book. Would recommend

Thank you to Isis Crawford, NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book

The squabbling sisters have taken their show on the road to enter into a Bake-Off, but someone keeps performing nasty pranks and seems to want to sabotage the bake-off completely even to the point of killing one of the judges via exploding espresso machine. Teen style humor and an interesting approach to the almost constant need for investigation.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Pub Date Jun 24, 2025
#ACateredBakeOff by Isis Crawford #MysteryWithRecipesBk19 @kensingtonbooks #cozymystery #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones *****Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @kobo #recipes #sabotage #amateurinvestigators #thriller #suspense #snipingsisters #nastycompetitors #gallivantinggoats
#womensfiction #amateursleuths #murders #locallaw

#ACateredBakeOff #NetGalley is another great book in this long running series. Sisters Libby and Bernie are participating in a local bake off, and while they know there may be killer competition, they aren't prepared for the actual killing that takes place.
Someone intentionally invited these specific bakers to take part in this bake off, and it's up to Bernie and Libby to sort the clues and find the reason why.
The author has done a great job with this book, I enjoy the sister's bantering, but no matter what, they always have each others back.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.