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Sticky Toffee Pudding and Suspicion: A Cold Case Murder Mystery Full of Twists and Turns
Barker Brown has found his father. He is serving life for murder.Julia hands the café to Sue, packs Olivia’s one-eyed penguin, and drives the family north to Windermere, where Barker’s newly found half-sister runs a B&B and has spent forty years campaigning for the release of Johnathan Stone, the man the papers called the Windermere Strangler. Barker has a visiting order, a lifetime of questions, and no idea whether he wants the answers.
The night they arrive, the witness whose word put Johnathan away dies on her own stairs. By morning the local DI has called it an accident. By lunchtime Julia has found a stair carpet that somebody nailed down and a bird box that sees more than it should.
Between a prison visiting hall, a campsite run by a man who won’t say Pam’s name, and a grand house on the lake with a film club nobody is invited to, the family pulls at a story that was settled in 1978. The visiting order runs out on Monday. Julia has until then to work out who settled it.
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Suspicion is the thirty-sixth Peridale Café Mystery.
The night they arrive, the witness whose word put Johnathan away dies on her own stairs. By morning the local DI has called it an accident. By lunchtime Julia has found a stair carpet that somebody nailed down and a bird box that sees more than it should.
Between a prison visiting hall, a campsite run by a man who won’t say Pam’s name, and a grand house on the lake with a film club nobody is invited to, the family pulls at a story that was settled in 1978. The visiting order runs out on Monday. Julia has until then to work out who settled it.
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Suspicion is the thirty-sixth Peridale Café Mystery.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 27, 2026
About the author
Agatha Frost
69 books611 followersAGATHA FROST, an Amazon bestselling author, has written over thirty mystery novels. She lives in the North West English county of Lancashire with her two cuddly beagles and one cat.
When Agatha isn’t writing, she loves reading head-scratching mysteries and thrillers, coffee, baking, and exploring her local countryside on long dog walks.
From a young age, Agatha devoured the great British murder mystery books and television shows, ample inspiration for her Peridale Café and Claire’s Candles series. She loves writing about family women who juggle their ordinary village lives with the challenges of amateur sleuthing.
Add in some good food, close friends and family, cute pets, and plenty of twists and turns, and you have a classic Agatha Frost mystery.
Sign up to the newsletter at www.agathafrost.com
When Agatha isn’t writing, she loves reading head-scratching mysteries and thrillers, coffee, baking, and exploring her local countryside on long dog walks.
From a young age, Agatha devoured the great British murder mystery books and television shows, ample inspiration for her Peridale Café and Claire’s Candles series. She loves writing about family women who juggle their ordinary village lives with the challenges of amateur sleuthing.
Add in some good food, close friends and family, cute pets, and plenty of twists and turns, and you have a classic Agatha Frost mystery.
Sign up to the newsletter at www.agathafrost.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 2, 2026
Ive said it once and I will say it again, this is the best book in the series. So nice to have it set in the lakes.
Can't wait till the next book comes out .
Can't wait till the next book comes out .
October 6, 2026
With this book, the overarching theme of "Who is Barker's father?" and "What did "Barker's father do?" featured in several of the last books comes to a close. Barker has decided to visit his father in prison, and Julia, Jessie, Billy, and Olivia all come with him to stay at Barker's newfound sister Pam's B&B. This was a different entry, in that all of the Peridale regulars simply appear in the beginning pages, again at the end, and once in a while through phone calls. Otherwise, it's all the immediate family. And as with recent books, the POV alternates between chapters told from Julia's, Barker's, and Jessie's perspectives.
Almost as soon as Julia and the rest of the family arrive in Windermere, they begin to encounter people who have formed negative opinions about Pam as well as Barker's father. Julia, Jessie, and Barker all begin to investigate the cold case that landed Barker's father in prison. I enjoyed this book, although I'll admit I guessed quite early who the actual "Windermere strangler" really was.
For once, there was no hanging mystery at the end of the book, just Julia facing Olivia's upcoming entry into school for the first time. I'm wondering now if the next in the series will introduce a new overarching mystery, or if the author will go back to completely stand-alone books.
Almost as soon as Julia and the rest of the family arrive in Windermere, they begin to encounter people who have formed negative opinions about Pam as well as Barker's father. Julia, Jessie, and Barker all begin to investigate the cold case that landed Barker's father in prison. I enjoyed this book, although I'll admit I guessed quite early who the actual "Windermere strangler" really was.
For once, there was no hanging mystery at the end of the book, just Julia facing Olivia's upcoming entry into school for the first time. I'm wondering now if the next in the series will introduce a new overarching mystery, or if the author will go back to completely stand-alone books.
October 6, 2026
★★★★★
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Suspicion is a wonderfully entertaining cozy mystery that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The combination of a cold case, delicious food, buried secrets, and plenty of unexpected twists made this such an enjoyable read. I especially loved how the mystery slowly unfolded, with new clues and suspicions appearing just when I thought I had everything figured out.
The pacing is excellent, and the story strikes a great balance between suspense, charm, and the comforting atmosphere that makes cozy mysteries so addictive. The characters are engaging, the setting feels inviting, and the investigation is packed with enough surprises to keep the pages turning.
I also loved the culinary touches throughout the story. They add warmth and personality without taking away from the central mystery. The cold case element gives the book an extra layer of intrigue and makes the investigation feel particularly satisfying.
A fun, clever, and deliciously suspenseful mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Perfect for readers who enjoy cozy culinary mysteries, amateur sleuths, small-town secrets, and a good puzzle to solve. Definitely a five-star read!
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Suspicion is a wonderfully entertaining cozy mystery that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The combination of a cold case, delicious food, buried secrets, and plenty of unexpected twists made this such an enjoyable read. I especially loved how the mystery slowly unfolded, with new clues and suspicions appearing just when I thought I had everything figured out.
The pacing is excellent, and the story strikes a great balance between suspense, charm, and the comforting atmosphere that makes cozy mysteries so addictive. The characters are engaging, the setting feels inviting, and the investigation is packed with enough surprises to keep the pages turning.
I also loved the culinary touches throughout the story. They add warmth and personality without taking away from the central mystery. The cold case element gives the book an extra layer of intrigue and makes the investigation feel particularly satisfying.
A fun, clever, and deliciously suspenseful mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Perfect for readers who enjoy cozy culinary mysteries, amateur sleuths, small-town secrets, and a good puzzle to solve. Definitely a five-star read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2026
Riveting! Intense! Extremely Entertaining!
I have read every book in this wonderful series, some of them more than once, but this one was powerful! Intriguing from start to finish with enough twists and turns to make you dizzy! Barker has finally located his father, a man he never knew—not even a name. His mum never wanted him to know; his half-brother has always been evasive about details of any kind. Finally, he, Julia, and their daughter Olivia, along with grown daughter Jesse and her friend Billy, are going on a journey to meet his biological father.
Mixed feelings, tension, angst, and emotions of every conceivable kind are bubbling just beneath the surface. And not just with Barker, but there are those who do not want certain secrets revealed and will do anything to keep them hidden.
This was a fantastic read, one of the few in the series not taking place in Peridale. Highly recommended! You won't be disappointed!
I have read every book in this wonderful series, some of them more than once, but this one was powerful! Intriguing from start to finish with enough twists and turns to make you dizzy! Barker has finally located his father, a man he never knew—not even a name. His mum never wanted him to know; his half-brother has always been evasive about details of any kind. Finally, he, Julia, and their daughter Olivia, along with grown daughter Jesse and her friend Billy, are going on a journey to meet his biological father.
Mixed feelings, tension, angst, and emotions of every conceivable kind are bubbling just beneath the surface. And not just with Barker, but there are those who do not want certain secrets revealed and will do anything to keep them hidden.
This was a fantastic read, one of the few in the series not taking place in Peridale. Highly recommended! You won't be disappointed!
September 27, 2026
Satisfying denouement
In this very personal cold case, Barker and Julia (and Olivia and Jessie and Billy) travel to the Lakes District where Barker will finally meet his long-incarcerated father, the Windermere Strangler. Since they can never let a cold case rest, they follow the twists, turns, murders, attempted murders, and an assortment of bad guys to determine the long-buried truth.
In this very personal cold case, Barker and Julia (and Olivia and Jessie and Billy) travel to the Lakes District where Barker will finally meet his long-incarcerated father, the Windermere Strangler. Since they can never let a cold case rest, they follow the twists, turns, murders, attempted murders, and an assortment of bad guys to determine the long-buried truth.
September 30, 2026
Best Yet
This was my favorite book in the series. I loved all the twists and turns. This book didn't disappoint. This book's main characters from previous books focus on Julia and Barker as he goes to meet his dad. Also present are Olivia, Jessie and Billy. There are brief interactions with the other characters from previous books. The gang is off to Pam find the evidence that could deem Barker's dad innocent
This was my favorite book in the series. I loved all the twists and turns. This book didn't disappoint. This book's main characters from previous books focus on Julia and Barker as he goes to meet his dad. Also present are Olivia, Jessie and Billy. There are brief interactions with the other characters from previous books. The gang is off to Pam find the evidence that could deem Barker's dad innocent
October 1, 2026
loved the story, well worth the wait...
October 4, 2026
FANTASTIC!
I have read everyone of the Peridale Cafe series and this one is beyond fantastic! Absolutely super!! Now….I need to try to make that Sticky Toffee Pudding!
I have read everyone of the Peridale Cafe series and this one is beyond fantastic! Absolutely super!! Now….I need to try to make that Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews