What do you think?
Rate this book
The Great British Bump-Off #1-4
The Great British Bump-Off
An Agatha Christie-style murder mystery set in the world of English competitive baking from Giant Days’ John Allison and Max Sarin.
When she enters her country’s most beloved baking competition, Shauna Wickle’s goal is to delight the judges, charm the nation, and make a few friends along the way. But when a fellow contestant is poisoned, it falls to her to apprehend the culprit while avoiding premature elimination from the UK Bakery Tent…and being the poisoner’s next victim!
Collects issues #1–#4 of Dark Horse Comics series The Great British Bump-Off.
When she enters her country’s most beloved baking competition, Shauna Wickle’s goal is to delight the judges, charm the nation, and make a few friends along the way. But when a fellow contestant is poisoned, it falls to her to apprehend the culprit while avoiding premature elimination from the UK Bakery Tent…and being the poisoner’s next victim!
Collects issues #1–#4 of Dark Horse Comics series The Great British Bump-Off.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2023
15 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
John Allison
320 books829 followersJohn Allison is the author and artist of the British webcomics Scary Go Round and Bad Machinery.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
January 28, 2025
Enjoyable silliness, that mostly works because of Max Sarin's excellent artwork. Allison drops us in the middle of his Great British Bake-Off knock off, barely explaining what the hell we're reading or what's happening, but you just have to let it wash over you, and you'll be fine.
The not-quite-murder mystery is as uninspired and McGuffin-y as you'd expect. Look, we're here for the jokes, and there are a lot of those, and most of them work.
And I will forever love Sarin's depiction of Primrose, the new presenter cat.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
January 11, 2024
I think you pretty much have to be a fan of the actual GBBO to get this, but I found it absolutely hilarious, if just a little cramped at four issues. All the little nods and easter eggs were fantastic, especially that final montage telling us what happened to contestants since the season wrapped up. Also, that movie-based cake challenge was perfect and I would love to see it on the actual show.
July 8, 2024
The Great British Bump-Off by John Allison is a graphic novel featuring two favorites of British culture, the Great British Bake Off (or in this case UK Bakery Tent) and an Agatha Christiesque mystery. Basically lots of fun and games and some baking.
The group has arrived for a new season of the Bakery Tent, including one Shauna, a student and this season's Quirky one. Things go off the rails quite quickly when Neal, the Meteorologist is poisoned for being kind of obstreperous. Shauna takes it upon herself to investigate, while still trying to stay in the competition.
She makes friends with Jill, the 'elderly' one and Sunil, the 'Cool' one and begins making notes on the other contestants to see who might be the attempted killer. She makes enemies as well, especially Maisie, who finds her notes and thinks she's trying to ruin the competition.
As I mentioned, it's got lots of fun and games. It's beautifully drawn and the character's are most expressive. Just enjoyable to read and to see who might be the killer and whether Shauna will survive to bake another day. Most enjoyable. (3.0 stars)
The group has arrived for a new season of the Bakery Tent, including one Shauna, a student and this season's Quirky one. Things go off the rails quite quickly when Neal, the Meteorologist is poisoned for being kind of obstreperous. Shauna takes it upon herself to investigate, while still trying to stay in the competition.
She makes friends with Jill, the 'elderly' one and Sunil, the 'Cool' one and begins making notes on the other contestants to see who might be the attempted killer. She makes enemies as well, especially Maisie, who finds her notes and thinks she's trying to ruin the competition.
As I mentioned, it's got lots of fun and games. It's beautifully drawn and the character's are most expressive. Just enjoyable to read and to see who might be the killer and whether Shauna will survive to bake another day. Most enjoyable. (3.0 stars)
November 11, 2023
A cute, fun, quick read!
June 9, 2024
This was silly, campy, and cute. The perfect rainy Sunday read.
All the characters are very much caricatures of Bake Off contestants which allow you to easily get thrown into what is a rather short story.
I wouldn't say the mystery was all too successful, however. No clues are given for you to actually figure this out on your own. The reveal comes with new information that explains things that you could not have picked up on prior. Not my favorite way to do a reveal.
But all in all, this was still an over the top, fun way to spend an hour of your time. The writing was clever and the art was super cute. Not stodgy in the least.
All the characters are very much caricatures of Bake Off contestants which allow you to easily get thrown into what is a rather short story.
I wouldn't say the mystery was all too successful, however. No clues are given for you to actually figure this out on your own. The reveal comes with new information that explains things that you could not have picked up on prior. Not my favorite way to do a reveal.
But all in all, this was still an over the top, fun way to spend an hour of your time. The writing was clever and the art was super cute. Not stodgy in the least.
August 13, 2023
"overdosed on batter" 😂
The cat is the best character in the whole comic!
Black cats rule!!!!
Anyway, very predictable and the main character is obviously incapable of doing more tasks at once. She is stressing out, not aware of her surroundings and not only does she has favorites, she also doesn't seem to care about her own wellbeing.
Other than that; this has been a fun read.
The cat is the best character in the whole comic!
Black cats rule!!!!
Anyway, very predictable and the main character is obviously incapable of doing more tasks at once. She is stressing out, not aware of her surroundings and not only does she has favorites, she also doesn't seem to care about her own wellbeing.
Other than that; this has been a fun read.
November 29, 2025
Fun parody of GBBO. Super light and I was able to guess who was the attempted murderer. I liked nods and slight commentary on the classic tropes on the show and overall this was just a fun read.
Read
December 12, 2023Despite having zero interest in food shows (unless it's Keith Floyd) or competition shows (unless it's Taskmaster), the prospect of the Giant Days team reunited for a murder mystery on the set of 'UK Bakery Tent' seemed like a winner, but unusually for John Allison, this didn't do it for me. I don't think it's even my vague annoyance that, despite the title and blurb, nobody actually dies - strictly attempted murder. But where normally Allison's offbeat notions (Fanny Cradock as one of the judges) and unique way with words can carry me through any old nonsense, here they felt like crumbs in something which didn't work as a whole. Obviously there were still occasional gems - cakes themed around Suspiria, or the 25th anniversary of Netscape Navigator. And Sarin's art is as winning as ever, especially when it comes to new host Primrose the cat. Maybe I just dislike the format even more than I'd realised.
June 13, 2024
4.5 stars
From the same exceptional, impeccable team behind Giant Days comes an hilarious behind the scenes murder mystery at TV hit show UK Bakery Tent...not to be confused with The Great British Bake Off!
Despite me never having watched an episode of TGBBO, I've seen enough clips and other comic takes to know the tropes, baking 'delights' and UK television talent contest form to follow in the comic book footsteps of contestant Shauna Wickles as she acts detective to find out who is behind the poisonings on set. Max Sarin's artwork is amazing as ever, showing emotions, heartaches and the excitement of the case as Shauna whittles down her suspects and John Allison's script made me laugh out loud many times throughout: Primrose the cat, the Endgame cake, the Suspiria cake and the 112 years old Fanny Cradock (who I reckon is actually some sort of baking Peter android), to name just a few.
An excellent read.
From the same exceptional, impeccable team behind Giant Days comes an hilarious behind the scenes murder mystery at TV hit show UK Bakery Tent...not to be confused with The Great British Bake Off!
Despite me never having watched an episode of TGBBO, I've seen enough clips and other comic takes to know the tropes, baking 'delights' and UK television talent contest form to follow in the comic book footsteps of contestant Shauna Wickles as she acts detective to find out who is behind the poisonings on set. Max Sarin's artwork is amazing as ever, showing emotions, heartaches and the excitement of the case as Shauna whittles down her suspects and John Allison's script made me laugh out loud many times throughout: Primrose the cat, the Endgame cake, the Suspiria cake and the 112 years old Fanny Cradock (who I reckon is actually some sort of baking Peter android), to name just a few.
An excellent read.
January 23, 2024
This is fine but more a series of references to GBBO than a story, know what I mean? You know what I mean.
If I was on that show, I think I’d be the lovable but hapless goofball who’s doomed to go out week 1 but perhaps holds on a couple weeks because someone royally screws up or someone is sick and can’t be in the tent for a week, and they send no one home as a result. I’d show up for the final picnic thing and I’d have been out so long that people would not even really remember me unless I decided to adopt a very loud personal style that would jog the memory.
If I was on that show, I think I’d be the lovable but hapless goofball who’s doomed to go out week 1 but perhaps holds on a couple weeks because someone royally screws up or someone is sick and can’t be in the tent for a week, and they send no one home as a result. I’d show up for the final picnic thing and I’d have been out so long that people would not even really remember me unless I decided to adopt a very loud personal style that would jog the memory.
September 8, 2024
The Agatha Christie comparison is a real head scratcher. Two things being "British" does not a good comparison make. Forced humor and a quirky, spastic butterfly of a heroine who is the first cousin of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. So not my thing.
October 8, 2024
It's the start of a new season of UK Bakery Tent, and Shauna, a student and one of the new contestants, is delighted to spend time with all these fellow bakers. She's sure it will be an experience filled with good vibes and baking togetherness...until she finds one of the other contestants face down in a bowl of batter, apparently poisoned (but not dead, FYI).
In order to save the show, Shauna promises to find the poisoner before the end of the first episode, while simultaneously completing the baking challenges along with the rest of the contestants. The only two contestants she's sure she can trust are Jill (a retired midwife) and Sunil (a yoga instructor).
If you're not at least somewhat familiar with The Great British Bake Off (or Great British Baking Show), this may not work for you. As a mystery, this was a mess, and I had trouble believing that Shauna could solve everything with as little as she had to work with.
However, as a loving parody of the show, it was fabulous. I've only ever watched the first few seasons, with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, so there may have been references I missed. Still, I got a kick out of Pete Holyrood ("just back from the baking wars") and the various baking challenges, which honestly could have been real challenges from the show.
The artwork was amazing and fit the quirky, wacky vibe of the story perfectly.
All in all, I loved this, even though it was rushed and over way too soon. Speaking of which, I was confused by the number 1 on the spine - from what I could tell, this was complete in one volume, summing up the results of the rest of the season in the last page. Is there supposed to be more to this series? If so, I'm there for it, however it manages to happen. I loved the energy of this volume.
Extras:
Cover art for the original issues and six pages of character sketches.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
In order to save the show, Shauna promises to find the poisoner before the end of the first episode, while simultaneously completing the baking challenges along with the rest of the contestants. The only two contestants she's sure she can trust are Jill (a retired midwife) and Sunil (a yoga instructor).
If you're not at least somewhat familiar with The Great British Bake Off (or Great British Baking Show), this may not work for you. As a mystery, this was a mess, and I had trouble believing that Shauna could solve everything with as little as she had to work with.
However, as a loving parody of the show, it was fabulous. I've only ever watched the first few seasons, with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, so there may have been references I missed. Still, I got a kick out of Pete Holyrood ("just back from the baking wars") and the various baking challenges, which honestly could have been real challenges from the show.
The artwork was amazing and fit the quirky, wacky vibe of the story perfectly.
All in all, I loved this, even though it was rushed and over way too soon. Speaking of which, I was confused by the number 1 on the spine - from what I could tell, this was complete in one volume, summing up the results of the rest of the season in the last page. Is there supposed to be more to this series? If so, I'm there for it, however it manages to happen. I loved the energy of this volume.
Extras:
Cover art for the original issues and six pages of character sketches.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
June 27, 2024
En mi caso esta vez termino el cómic bastante decepcionada. El dibujo es cuqui, pero la trama no es nada del otro jueves y en serio, es agotador, repetitivo, cero arriesgado, nula imaginación, totalmente cliché, seguir utilizando alusiones a la locura ("estar cucú, se le va la pinza") como equivalencias de violencia o en este caso como pistas para descubrir culpables o descartar sospechosos.
Si se va a elegir seguir alimentando ese binomio independientemente de lo dañino que sea seguir agrandando el estereotipo "loco=peligroso", al menos que se sea consciente de que en lo literario es también un cliché sobadisimo y manido. Igual va siendo hora de abandonarlo, sea por estigmatizante y dañino, sea por tópico de tópicos, sea por restar valor literario y demostrar poca imaginación o sea por estar en 2024 y ya vale del temita, ¿no?
Si se va a elegir seguir alimentando ese binomio independientemente de lo dañino que sea seguir agrandando el estereotipo "loco=peligroso", al menos que se sea consciente de que en lo literario es también un cliché sobadisimo y manido. Igual va siendo hora de abandonarlo, sea por estigmatizante y dañino, sea por tópico de tópicos, sea por restar valor literario y demostrar poca imaginación o sea por estar en 2024 y ya vale del temita, ¿no?
February 22, 2024
Most likely I’m the only one to blame for expecting the new project by the team of the wonderful and extremely wholesome GIANT DAYS to be a dark comedy, but what I got was too short to play to the team’s strength and didn’t have anything of similar value to offer.
Lovely art and my no means bad but a bit too slight for my taste.
Lovely art and my no means bad but a bit too slight for my taste.
December 14, 2024
I am a sucker for this artwork I really love this authors other series it makes my heart happy. But this one is fairly cringe worthy. It’s a cute concept and I’m glad to have read it but it’s not one I would really recommend.
February 10, 2024
Not going to lie but this might be the text book definition of cozy crime. While I have never personally liked the term, this comic is what cozy crime, fun, harmless and a way to distract yourself from th world. I enjoyed it a lot and the art was fun and great, I just want to know, in just what type of world this characters live. Because I fear cake jail.
October 23, 2025
La resolución se la sacan de la manga y apenas hay desarrollo. De los whodunit más tristes que he visto, y eso que empieza bien 😑
Es como si me hubiesen puesto un chupito de una botella más grande, una patata solitaria en un supuesto plato gourmet. Así me siento.
Es como si me hubiesen puesto un chupito de una botella más grande, una patata solitaria en un supuesto plato gourmet. Así me siento.
December 24, 2023
Good fun parody of GBBO mixed with a (not quite) murder mystery.
January 17, 2024
Fun Great British Baking Show inspired mystery in graphic novel style! Lots of laugh and great illustrations!
May 6, 2024
Muy divertido, el dibujo y el diseño de personajes espectacular
June 29, 2024
Silly and fun. Could have used another issue or two to let the story develop more naturally.
July 13, 2024
A quick read best described as sweet murder mystery meets Great British Bake Off fan fiction.
July 21, 2024
The character who is a meaner version of Prue is fun, but otherwise, this is fairly meh.
August 11, 2024
some thoughts:
- i was able to predict the ending which is rare for me. this comic was a bit too obvious.
- tonally this book felt a bit strange. i think it was trying to be a funny mystery comic but i didn't find it funny at all.
- the main character kind of got on my nerves. i did not enjoy her quirkyness.
- i was able to predict the ending which is rare for me. this comic was a bit too obvious.
- tonally this book felt a bit strange. i think it was trying to be a funny mystery comic but i didn't find it funny at all.
- the main character kind of got on my nerves. i did not enjoy her quirkyness.
October 9, 2024
3.75 I thought this was a lot of fun and very cozy.
January 8, 2025
Fun little mystery. The characters were easier to identify than expected. I don't think the ending is completely satisfying though.
February 7, 2025
Kinda disappointed, tbh. Everything is really over the top and the mystery just isn't very compelling.
February 23, 2025
Listened to the GBBO soundtrack the whole time and was genuinely cackling. Witty and charming, with some brilliant details. Shrek cake!!
Read
March 31, 2025fun little thing to read after watching some reality tv
tag under “my cousin would love this i should get it for her”
tag under “my cousin would love this i should get it for her”
May 19, 2024
Es divertido, tiene personajes muy exagerados y el dibujo es muy expresivo. El ritmo quizá es demasiado rápido para mi gusto, me hubiera gustado más tiempo para desarrollar la trama y ver la dinámica del concurso. Recomendado después de una lectura intensa para desconectar un poco.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews