A Recipe for Robbery By: Colleen Nelson

The LaRue Detective Agency has been crushing it, with a 100% success rate. They are hired to solve the recipe robbery. Chef Sebastian’s recipes were stolen and he needs them back for the opening of his new pastry shop. Who took the recipes? Will LaRue Detective Agency get them back before the opening?

This was a nice quick read for me. I love children’s books. I loved the characters and the illustrations! Definitely adds to the story! If you love Harriet the spy, you will love this book! That was one of my favorite movies growing up so I’m not surprised I love this series.

Be sure to check out A Recipe for Robbery on August 26 2025!

Thank you NetGalley, Colleen and Publisher Spotlight for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨ ✨✨

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This was a delightful read with fun and vibrant characters! I was rooting for everyone really and loved the resolution of the crime and how it was solved. I would have loved this series as a kid.

** “She was proof that it didn’t matter what your goal was — training as a stuntperson, opening a detective agency, or becoming a pastry chef — believing in yourself was the most important part of achieving it.” **

Colleen Nelson creates a fun story of determination and mystery in “A Recipe for Robbery,” also illustrated by Peggy Collins.

Eleven-year-old Elodie LaRue and her LaRue Detective Agency — her friend Oscar and dog Carnegie — is called into action to solve another mystery at the Biltmore apartment building. Resident Chef Sebastian’s recipes have gone missing the day before he’s set to open his new bakery … including the recipe for his new, top-secret cruffin recipe. “It’s a cruffin conundrum!”

As they dig into the mystery, the gang realizes there is more to the story. Will they find the missing recipes, and the reason behind their disappearance?

Nelson creates a fun story that all ages will enjoy. She highlights the importance of friendship, loyalty and determination, as well as other good themes like to consider unexpected angles, because mysteries rarely have straightforward answers; the recipe to success is “believing in yourself, supportive friends, and a dash of inspiration”; you have to try even if you don’t succeed; always notice the clues you can find in your surroundings; having confidence in one’s abilities; and to always follow your dreams.

The illustrations provided by Peggy Collins are delightful, filled with color and whimsy.

Fans of series like “Minerva Keen’s Detective Club” by James Patterson and Keir Graff and “Confessions of a Junior Spy” by Rosaria Munda will love “A Recipe for Robbery,” which is due out Sept. 23.

Five stars out of five.

Pajama Press provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Review to come mid-September on blog/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I always love a good Middle Grade/Children's Books mystery! So when I spotted this one on Netgalley of course I could resist. I was curious to meet Elodie and her detective agency and see what mystery she would solve in this one. 

In this delightful book we meet a girl named Elodie who lives in a big apartment building and solves mysteries! She is aided by her best friend Oscar and adorable dog Carnegie (seriously, Carnegie was the cutest). She gets a request to help solve a mystery. There is a chef cook/baker in the building and his special recipe got stolen. He needs it back for a special event and he hopes that our duo can solve the case! I loved that the baker took our kids seriously and was very helpful in providing with details. Of course what is next is figuring out the whoddunit and the whereisit and the kids go through the building to figure things out, from asking neighbours and friends to searching for clues. And Carnegie, in her way, also helps out. And as for me? I was eagerly reading on to see if I could discover some clues as well or figure things out before the two kids. I always love seeing if I can solve the mystery. 

The mystery just became more and more fun with each page and each new revelation/new information. It isn't a simple a to b mystery, there is so much to it. And I loved how it all came together in the end and see what truly happened and why! 

Also a cruffin? MAN, I would love that! *drools* It seems they really exists so I desperately need one. Well provided I can eat them given so many people going for almond or soy flour these days. 

The illustrations were fabulous and I love that they were all in colour. I have read plenty of children's books but quite often the illustrations are black/white or have a few tones of colour here and there. So I am delighted with this one. And the style was so cute and fun. 

All in all, a delightful mystery and I would love to read more of the series!

This was the second Biltmore mystery that my daughters and I read. My girls love a mystery read and the LaRue Detective Agency is such a fun one to follow. The illustrations and characters are wonderful and the story gives Harriet the Spy vibes.