What do you think?
Rate this book
Pancake House Mystery #1
The Crêpes of Wrath
In the debut of a delightful cozy mystery series, Sarah Fox introduces a charming new heroine who finds herself in a sticky situation: stacking pancakes, pouring coffee, and investigating murder.
When Marley McKinney’s aging cousin, Jimmy, is hospitalized with pneumonia, she agrees to help run his pancake house while he recovers. With its rustic interior and syrupy scent, the Flip Side Pancake House is just as she pictured it—and the surly chef is a wizard with crêpes. Marley expects to spend a leisurely week or two in Wildwood Cove, the quaint, coastal community where she used to spend her summers, but then Cousin Jimmy is found murdered, sprawled on the rocks beneath a nearby cliff.
After she stumbles across evidence of stolen goods in Jimmy’s workshop, Marley is determined to find out what’s really going on in the not-so-quiet town of Wildwood Cove. With help from her childhood crush and her adopted cat, Flapjack, Marley sinks her teeth into the investigation. But if she’s not careful, she’s going to get burned by a killer who’s only interested in serving up trouble.
When Marley McKinney’s aging cousin, Jimmy, is hospitalized with pneumonia, she agrees to help run his pancake house while he recovers. With its rustic interior and syrupy scent, the Flip Side Pancake House is just as she pictured it—and the surly chef is a wizard with crêpes. Marley expects to spend a leisurely week or two in Wildwood Cove, the quaint, coastal community where she used to spend her summers, but then Cousin Jimmy is found murdered, sprawled on the rocks beneath a nearby cliff.
After she stumbles across evidence of stolen goods in Jimmy’s workshop, Marley is determined to find out what’s really going on in the not-so-quiet town of Wildwood Cove. With help from her childhood crush and her adopted cat, Flapjack, Marley sinks her teeth into the investigation. But if she’s not careful, she’s going to get burned by a killer who’s only interested in serving up trouble.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2016
417 people are currently reading
1975 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Fox
23 books736 followersSarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel.
Sarah is the author of the Literary Pub Mysteries, the Pancake House Mysteries, and the Music Lover's Mysteries.
Sarah is the author of the Literary Pub Mysteries, the Pancake House Mysteries, and the Music Lover's Mysteries.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 578 reviews
March 25, 2020
Let me start by saying I rate my cozy mysteries different than all other genres of books I read. I still use a five star rating system (or with cozies I like to think instead of stars how many cups of coffee/tea.….which is my idea of cozy). The following is how I rate my cozies:
1 cup of coffee- did not finish or will not continue on in series.
2 cups of coffee- this book has potential, but on the fence about whether I will read the next book.
3 cups of coffee- good- will definitely continue series, but did have some issues
4 cups of coffee- great- will definitely continue series- minor issues
5 cups of coffee-EXCEPTIONAL!
What I think about when I give my ratings:
1.) There called cozies for a reason, and that being said I know they are not for everybody. I love them!! Therefore the first thing I think about is how cozy are they? The more cheese the better for me…lol. The horrible puns in the titles…LOVE THEM. Yes…if you’re wondering... I am the person who loves laffy taffy jokes.
2.) Characters/ and relationships with secondary characters
3.) Setting/theme
4.) The mystery
Immediately I was thrown into waiting tables with Marley at the flipside cafe. We had come from Seattle to help out cousin Jimmy while he was in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. I realized right away that this town had quite a cast of characters...including a childhood crush..that had turned into a very handsome and charming man. Our time in Wildwood Cove is turned upside down (not to mention...extended) when Jimmy is murdered on his way home from the hospital. Marley and I were determined to figure out what happened to our cousin Jimmy.
This is the first book in the pancake house mystery series. I'm giving this book three cups of coffee. I'm starting with the title...two thumbs up...the pun is great! I love the setting of Wildwood cove...even the name sounds cozy to me, and the cast of quirky characters were enjoyable. Thank you Sarah Fox for NOT following into the love triangle trap that happens so often in cozies!!!
The mystery kept me intrigued until the end, and was well developed. I at one point suspected everybody in our cast of characters..which to me is saying..the author did her job...well done!!
I recommend you spend some time with Marley, at the flipside...I know ill be back for more of Ivan's wonderful crepes!
Check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
Hope everyday is a great reading day!!
1 cup of coffee- did not finish or will not continue on in series.
2 cups of coffee- this book has potential, but on the fence about whether I will read the next book.
3 cups of coffee- good- will definitely continue series, but did have some issues
4 cups of coffee- great- will definitely continue series- minor issues
5 cups of coffee-EXCEPTIONAL!
What I think about when I give my ratings:
1.) There called cozies for a reason, and that being said I know they are not for everybody. I love them!! Therefore the first thing I think about is how cozy are they? The more cheese the better for me…lol. The horrible puns in the titles…LOVE THEM. Yes…if you’re wondering... I am the person who loves laffy taffy jokes.
2.) Characters/ and relationships with secondary characters
3.) Setting/theme
4.) The mystery
Immediately I was thrown into waiting tables with Marley at the flipside cafe. We had come from Seattle to help out cousin Jimmy while he was in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. I realized right away that this town had quite a cast of characters...including a childhood crush..that had turned into a very handsome and charming man. Our time in Wildwood Cove is turned upside down (not to mention...extended) when Jimmy is murdered on his way home from the hospital. Marley and I were determined to figure out what happened to our cousin Jimmy.
This is the first book in the pancake house mystery series. I'm giving this book three cups of coffee. I'm starting with the title...two thumbs up...the pun is great! I love the setting of Wildwood cove...even the name sounds cozy to me, and the cast of quirky characters were enjoyable. Thank you Sarah Fox for NOT following into the love triangle trap that happens so often in cozies!!!
The mystery kept me intrigued until the end, and was well developed. I at one point suspected everybody in our cast of characters..which to me is saying..the author did her job...well done!!
I recommend you spend some time with Marley, at the flipside...I know ill be back for more of Ivan's wonderful crepes!
Check out my blog at: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
Hope everyday is a great reading day!!
August 23, 2016
This delicious first in a new series has left me hungry for more!
I absolutely adored THE CRÊPES OF WRATH. From chapter one I was already hooked and enjoying myself. The first chapter does a lot of character introductions, and location descriptions, so the reader gets to know protagonist, Marley, and many of the supporting cast early on.
Because of author Sarah Fox’s style of writing, you would never know this was the first book in a series. The characters are do well developed, that I had the feeling of already knowing them. Marley is a great series lead. She’s intelligent, strong, and has a wonderful heart. She reminds me of many dear friends I know. I could easily see myself being friends with so many of these people.
The mystery of who killed Marley’s cousin, Jimmy (which really threw me off, because I jumped into this story without reading the back), was truly exceptional. With several red herrings to cause me to suspect more than a few people, I had no idea who the killer was until I read the heart pounding reveal.
As satisfying as a belly full of pancakes, THE CRÊPES OF WRATH is a tasty treat you’ll want to savor.
Don’t forget to check the yummy recipes!
I absolutely adored THE CRÊPES OF WRATH. From chapter one I was already hooked and enjoying myself. The first chapter does a lot of character introductions, and location descriptions, so the reader gets to know protagonist, Marley, and many of the supporting cast early on.
Because of author Sarah Fox’s style of writing, you would never know this was the first book in a series. The characters are do well developed, that I had the feeling of already knowing them. Marley is a great series lead. She’s intelligent, strong, and has a wonderful heart. She reminds me of many dear friends I know. I could easily see myself being friends with so many of these people.
The mystery of who killed Marley’s cousin, Jimmy (which really threw me off, because I jumped into this story without reading the back), was truly exceptional. With several red herrings to cause me to suspect more than a few people, I had no idea who the killer was until I read the heart pounding reveal.
As satisfying as a belly full of pancakes, THE CRÊPES OF WRATH is a tasty treat you’ll want to savor.
Don’t forget to check the yummy recipes!
September 23, 2018
The Pancake House Mystery series is off to a great start. I really enjoyed the Crepes of Wrath. The author starts off strong with the introduction of the protagonist Marley and some of the other main characters. They are very well developed and it feels like they are all friends, even though Marley has only been there a few weeks while her cousin Jimmy recuperates from pneumonia at the local hospital. When he checks himself out of the hospital early and comes home by taxi, disaster strikes as his body is found on the nearby rocks. With Sheriff Ray determining it was murder, Marley is thrown into a mystery. Marley is a great character, she is smart, strong, kind yet at a crossroads in her life. It is easy to see how she attracts so many new friends and fits into this lovely seaside community so well. With some red herrings thrown in, the mystery is well written, although I did figure out who the murderer was quite early in the story. This is a great introduction to a new series and I will be checking out he rest of them. There are also some great pancake recipes at the back of the book that I am going to try out. A great book for cozy mystery lovers, but make sure you already eat before you read it.
June 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this start to a new series. No cop boyfriend. No romantic triangle.
November 27, 2017
Flip me another pancake...I'm ready for more! What a charming cozy mystery this was. Marley is such a likeable and gutsy protagonist, and the author's descriptions of Wildwood Cove made me want to head there and settle in for good. The mystery itself was a puzzler, with enough suspects to keep me guessing right up to the satisfying reveal. I'm looking forward to my next visit to The Flip Side and Wildwood Cove!
August 9, 2016
My first #ARCAugust read completed!
I received a free copy for review from Great Escapes Tours, but since my review is...less than stellar I'm no longer part of the tour. I'm posting this ahead of time to not clash.
Cozy mysteries are known for their fun, amateur sleuths, mischief, and of course, mystery. The Crepes of Wrath is more somber than others. Marley has a tragic past and it gets worse with her cousin Jimmy dying while she’s watching The Flip Side. From seeing his body, people lurking around Jimmy’s house, hanging out with an old flame, and finding stolen valuables, her life is now a whirlwind.
She used to know exactly what she wanted and was satisfied with her life in Seattle working for a lawyer. Now? Things look quite different in Wildwood Cove. She wants to figure it all out, the first step is catching Jimmy’s killer. Her involvement begins reluctantly but her mind won’t let the mystery go and the unknown actors won’t let her go either.
There’s nothing wrong with Marley or her cast and crew. It was just hard to feeling anything and I think that’s mostly due to the writing. It was so lifeless. It would be chapters shorter without all the ‘she’s so sad and confused and the ocean soothes her’. Again, it makes sense for her character and circumstances, but I couldn’t connect and the mystery left something to be desired.
Maybe I haven’t read cozies for too long but her tactics are ridiculous. She took evidence from the scene in front of the officer’s son who didn’t say anything. Then she notices blood where it wasn’t there yesterday and waves it off until days later. I just…no. She also hasn’t seen Jimmy in a while or kept in touch, yet she’s the only one that notices the cab usage is odd. Huh? Then she’s the one that tracks down the cabbie… It’s a small town, where were the police and why weren’t they interviewing everyone?
If the investigator is sharing progress with you at dinner with his family, why aren’t you getting better information? Why didn’t they mention working on the cell phone number? Checking the broken glass? And what happened with the lock? Did they really break in, find his spare key, and replace the lock with their own?
Ugh. Some interesting pieces up in the air but how it unfolded with Marley at the helm left a lot to be desired.
A lot of time is spent at The Flip Side restaurant and while we meet Marley while waitressing that doesn’t happen often. She’s mostly stuck in the office doing paperwork which is realistic but dull. The townspeople are really nice cardboard cutouts except for the baddies in play. And the man of few words chef Marley tip-toes around? I felt so bad for him. It didn’t seem fair at all. Though the interviews were at least interesting.
I think The Crepes of Wrath would’ve worked better as a prequel after the series was started with Marley already living in Wildwood Cove running The Flip Side, and on her second case. I’m sure she’ll be happier and more involved in the sequel but after this run, I don’t think I’ll bother.
I received a free copy for review from Great Escapes Tours, but since my review is...less than stellar I'm no longer part of the tour. I'm posting this ahead of time to not clash.
Cozy mysteries are known for their fun, amateur sleuths, mischief, and of course, mystery. The Crepes of Wrath is more somber than others. Marley has a tragic past and it gets worse with her cousin Jimmy dying while she’s watching The Flip Side. From seeing his body, people lurking around Jimmy’s house, hanging out with an old flame, and finding stolen valuables, her life is now a whirlwind.
She used to know exactly what she wanted and was satisfied with her life in Seattle working for a lawyer. Now? Things look quite different in Wildwood Cove. She wants to figure it all out, the first step is catching Jimmy’s killer. Her involvement begins reluctantly but her mind won’t let the mystery go and the unknown actors won’t let her go either.
There’s nothing wrong with Marley or her cast and crew. It was just hard to feeling anything and I think that’s mostly due to the writing. It was so lifeless. It would be chapters shorter without all the ‘she’s so sad and confused and the ocean soothes her’. Again, it makes sense for her character and circumstances, but I couldn’t connect and the mystery left something to be desired.
Maybe I haven’t read cozies for too long but her tactics are ridiculous. She took evidence from the scene in front of the officer’s son who didn’t say anything. Then she notices blood where it wasn’t there yesterday and waves it off until days later. I just…no. She also hasn’t seen Jimmy in a while or kept in touch, yet she’s the only one that notices the cab usage is odd. Huh? Then she’s the one that tracks down the cabbie… It’s a small town, where were the police and why weren’t they interviewing everyone?
If the investigator is sharing progress with you at dinner with his family, why aren’t you getting better information? Why didn’t they mention working on the cell phone number? Checking the broken glass? And what happened with the lock? Did they really break in, find his spare key, and replace the lock with their own?
Ugh. Some interesting pieces up in the air but how it unfolded with Marley at the helm left a lot to be desired.
A lot of time is spent at The Flip Side restaurant and while we meet Marley while waitressing that doesn’t happen often. She’s mostly stuck in the office doing paperwork which is realistic but dull. The townspeople are really nice cardboard cutouts except for the baddies in play. And the man of few words chef Marley tip-toes around? I felt so bad for him. It didn’t seem fair at all. Though the interviews were at least interesting.
I think The Crepes of Wrath would’ve worked better as a prequel after the series was started with Marley already living in Wildwood Cove running The Flip Side, and on her second case. I’m sure she’ll be happier and more involved in the sequel but after this run, I don’t think I’ll bother.
January 21, 2020
3 ½ stars
This was a good first in a series cozy and I liked it more then Fox’s other series that I’d previously read, Music Lover’s Mystery. The characters and mystery were top notch, the setting is where the book is a bit of a letdown.
Just really felt generic, it could have been any beach on any ocean in the world.
Cozies Reading Challenge
This was a good first in a series cozy and I liked it more then Fox’s other series that I’d previously read, Music Lover’s Mystery. The characters and mystery were top notch, the setting is where the book is a bit of a letdown.
Wildwood Cove, the quaint, coastal community
Just really felt generic, it could have been any beach on any ocean in the world.
Cozies Reading Challenge
August 18, 2016
I love getting in the ground floor of new cozy mystery series. I, also, love pancakes so I couldn’t resist this one which is set in a pancake house. Marley McKinney agrees to help her cousin Jimmy with the pancake house while Jimmy is hospitalized with an illness. When Jimmy is murdered, Marley’s life is completely turned upside down.
She has to decide between returning home to Seattle and her own job or continuing Jimmy’s legacy in Wildwood Cove. In the meantime, Marley is determined to find the killer. She can’t imagine that anyone would try to kill her beloved cousin, but obviously someone did and Marley intends to find out who that someone is.
The author does a wonderful job at giving the readers an abundance of both suspects and clues. I played amateur sleuth right along with Marley, but she is better at it that I am. This is a mystery that will throw readers off the track with a wide range of characters and clues. Each one will make readers suspicious.
This is an enjoyable read with a strong cast of characters. I absolutely adored Marley. She’s one of a few amateur sleuths that didn’t make me want to hit her over the head. LOL She’s strong and has a good, solid motivation for investigating her cousin’s death.
The Crepes of Wrath is the first book in the Pancake House Mysteries and it’s off to an amazing start. I’m so looking forward to future books in this series. Excellent job!
FTC Disclosure: NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
She has to decide between returning home to Seattle and her own job or continuing Jimmy’s legacy in Wildwood Cove. In the meantime, Marley is determined to find the killer. She can’t imagine that anyone would try to kill her beloved cousin, but obviously someone did and Marley intends to find out who that someone is.
The author does a wonderful job at giving the readers an abundance of both suspects and clues. I played amateur sleuth right along with Marley, but she is better at it that I am. This is a mystery that will throw readers off the track with a wide range of characters and clues. Each one will make readers suspicious.
This is an enjoyable read with a strong cast of characters. I absolutely adored Marley. She’s one of a few amateur sleuths that didn’t make me want to hit her over the head. LOL She’s strong and has a good, solid motivation for investigating her cousin’s death.
The Crepes of Wrath is the first book in the Pancake House Mysteries and it’s off to an amazing start. I’m so looking forward to future books in this series. Excellent job!
FTC Disclosure: NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 21, 2019
I absolutely loved this book and now I wish I hadn't waited so long to start the series! The main characters are awesome, and if Marley doesn't grab Brett and marry him, I'll grab him for my own daughter, lol! Seriously, I thought it was so refreshing to have the main character meet and connect with her old hometown crush instead of a) being mad at him for dumping her or not paying attention to her, or b) not having the nerve to even look at him or going after someone else to make him jealous. Marley knew what she wanted and didn't hesitate to act on it--in a civilized way of course. The only uncivilized person was the killer. I honestly had this person targeted from fairly early on a hunch, but with so many good red herrings, I found myself doubting that at times. The showdown was exciting, and I'm anxious to read the next book!
July 13, 2016
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
The Crepes of Wrath is a fun cozy mystery set in a seaside town where the main character temporarily works in a pancake house. The set-up was fun and I think the setting with the seaside town and the pancake house was what really made the book shine for me. There's lot of scenes involving the beach and the pancake house and I thought both gave something original and fun to this cozy mystery. And all the descriptions of delicious pancakes and crepes sure had me craving pancakes while reading this.
However for some reason something kept me from fully enjoying this book as much as I would've liked. Maybe it's because I just finished a really good cozy mystery before this one? Or maybe it was because I never fully cared about the characters or side characters? Or maybe it's just one of those books you don't enjoy as much as you would like and can't put your finger on the way. While I enjoyed reading this one, I never fully got into the story. Again not sure why, it was a fun read, but something prevented me from really enjoying it.
The mystery aspect somehow fell a bit flat for me. The murder victim is the main character her cousin, so that's the reason she gets involved. Maybe involved isn't even the right word as mostly what she does is ask some questions, then again the police seemed to not get anywhere themselves, so it was good she helped. Although the police were nice and helpful in this book, it just felt like the main character came up with the big clues which made me wonder what the police were doing. The mystery had some interesting twists and turns towards the end, although the murderer didn't come as a too big of a surprise either. And at first the mystery seemed to progress a bit slowly. I guess the reason for the murder just bothered me a bit, it seemed so silly and a few things surrounding the murder didn't really fully add up in my opinion. Some why questions remained that I would've like seeing answered.
The main character Marley was okay enough as a main character. Unlike in most cozies you really feel her struggles and sadness about Jimmy his passing. She's temporarily staying in this town she always loved visiting as a kid. She loves the sea and she loves the pancake restaurant. There wasn't anything that really stood out about her, but I liked her well enough as a main character. There is a bit of a romance thrown in which worked pretty well and felt genuine.
One of the main problems I had with this book was the big amount of side characters and for some reason I had a lot of trouble remembering who was who. I just didn't seem to be able to attach much of a personality to any of them and they just turned into a big mash of names. Which made it difficult at times to keep the plot straight. Maybe that's just me, but I would've liked to get to know the side characters a bit more so it would've been easier to remember who was who. My favorite side character would've been Ivan as he did seem to have some personality and I thought he was interesting.
To summarize: This was a fun cozy mystery with a great setting. Although I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I hoped. I really liked the focus on the small beach town and the pancake house was great too and all the pancake mentions made me crave pancakes. The mystery felt a bit off somehow, but there were some nice twists. I just would've liked to see a few open question get answered as well. The main character was likeable enough and although I never fully felt like I got to know her. There were a lot of side characters and I had some trouble remembering who was who and I would've liked it they had a bit more personality. Overall a fun read and I will be interested to see how the series continues.
The Crepes of Wrath is a fun cozy mystery set in a seaside town where the main character temporarily works in a pancake house. The set-up was fun and I think the setting with the seaside town and the pancake house was what really made the book shine for me. There's lot of scenes involving the beach and the pancake house and I thought both gave something original and fun to this cozy mystery. And all the descriptions of delicious pancakes and crepes sure had me craving pancakes while reading this.
However for some reason something kept me from fully enjoying this book as much as I would've liked. Maybe it's because I just finished a really good cozy mystery before this one? Or maybe it was because I never fully cared about the characters or side characters? Or maybe it's just one of those books you don't enjoy as much as you would like and can't put your finger on the way. While I enjoyed reading this one, I never fully got into the story. Again not sure why, it was a fun read, but something prevented me from really enjoying it.
The mystery aspect somehow fell a bit flat for me. The murder victim is the main character her cousin, so that's the reason she gets involved. Maybe involved isn't even the right word as mostly what she does is ask some questions, then again the police seemed to not get anywhere themselves, so it was good she helped. Although the police were nice and helpful in this book, it just felt like the main character came up with the big clues which made me wonder what the police were doing. The mystery had some interesting twists and turns towards the end, although the murderer didn't come as a too big of a surprise either. And at first the mystery seemed to progress a bit slowly. I guess the reason for the murder just bothered me a bit, it seemed so silly and a few things surrounding the murder didn't really fully add up in my opinion. Some why questions remained that I would've like seeing answered.
The main character Marley was okay enough as a main character. Unlike in most cozies you really feel her struggles and sadness about Jimmy his passing. She's temporarily staying in this town she always loved visiting as a kid. She loves the sea and she loves the pancake restaurant. There wasn't anything that really stood out about her, but I liked her well enough as a main character. There is a bit of a romance thrown in which worked pretty well and felt genuine.
One of the main problems I had with this book was the big amount of side characters and for some reason I had a lot of trouble remembering who was who. I just didn't seem to be able to attach much of a personality to any of them and they just turned into a big mash of names. Which made it difficult at times to keep the plot straight. Maybe that's just me, but I would've liked to get to know the side characters a bit more so it would've been easier to remember who was who. My favorite side character would've been Ivan as he did seem to have some personality and I thought he was interesting.
To summarize: This was a fun cozy mystery with a great setting. Although I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I hoped. I really liked the focus on the small beach town and the pancake house was great too and all the pancake mentions made me crave pancakes. The mystery felt a bit off somehow, but there were some nice twists. I just would've liked to see a few open question get answered as well. The main character was likeable enough and although I never fully felt like I got to know her. There were a lot of side characters and I had some trouble remembering who was who and I would've liked it they had a bit more personality. Overall a fun read and I will be interested to see how the series continues.
August 7, 2021
Book 1 Marley went to Wildwood Cove from Seattle to help out Uncle Jimmy in his Pancake resturant. Flip Side Pancake House. (And stay there for a month or two)/ Where they make pancake, waffles, crepes ( Crepes are my favorite breakfast treats at IHOP) and sausage and bacon. Ivan was the chef ( he looked really tough but after 2 weeks Marley started warming up to him) Leigh worked there too. (Leigh had 2 kids and a husband. ) Marley was at Pancake House with some regular costumers. They were asking where Leigh was.Marley was a newbie there so they did not warm up to her yet. Awhile later Unlce Jimmy was dead outside ( off a bluff) Marley was trying to find out who had hurt him ( was it an accident or did some one push him) She was helping the sheriff Ray to figure out who it was because Leigh was number one suspect. I like this book. It brings back memories of diners that served Sweet breakfasts only and stayed open in wee hours. I recommend it
April 19, 2021
Amazing cozy, full of twists and turns. Marley comes to Wildwood cove for a few days to take care of cousin Jimmy's pancake House but when Jimmy gets murdered, she's dragged into solving his murder. There are a lot of things going on in Wildwood Cove and Marley is worried that Jimmy's name might be trashed because of rumours spreading in the small town.
I loved Marley's character, she is very realistic and not stupid and given what has happened in her family, she shows the right emotion. The romance between her and Brett is so so sweet. And I hope to see more of Ivan in the other books. He was a fun character and would love to see how he and Tommy would work in the kitchen. The mystery was really very well done. There was never a dull moment in the book. I really couldn't figure out the whodunnit till it was revealed.
I loved Marley's character, she is very realistic and not stupid and given what has happened in her family, she shows the right emotion. The romance between her and Brett is so so sweet. And I hope to see more of Ivan in the other books. He was a fun character and would love to see how he and Tommy would work in the kitchen. The mystery was really very well done. There was never a dull moment in the book. I really couldn't figure out the whodunnit till it was revealed.
August 16, 2016
The first of a new series which I thoroughly enjoyed. Marley McKennedy returns to Wildwood Cove to run his Pancake House for her cousin Jimmy while he recovers from his current illness. Only to find Cousin Jimmy dead on the rocks near the sea, looking through his house she finds stolen art objects. Surprise that she inherits most of Jimmy of property including his cat, Flapjack. There are surprising turns in the story. Marley feels she must clear her cousin's name.
I highly recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Alibi through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
I highly recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Alibi through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
August 22, 2016
THE CREPES OF WRATH offered up a mystery that just couldn't live up to its catchy title. With equal emphasis on what was ordered at the pancake house as who was murdered and why, I couldn't help but feel the author left out a key ingredient in the recipe -- suspense. My thanks to Random House for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review...
October 26, 2017
Very good start to a new [to me] series. I really enjoyed this one, even if I had the murdered figured out near the middle of the book. I like the characters and the small town atmosphere. I think these could be very very good.
February 11, 2018
Marley McKinney's cousin Jimmy has pneumonia and Marley agrees to run his pancake house in Wildwood Cove until he recovers. Marley thinks this will be a few weeks but when Jimmy is released from the hospital, he is murdered and Marley continues to run the pancake house while trying to discover the murderer. Her office in the pancake house and Jimmy's home (where she is living) are both broken into. Someone is searching for something. There are several suspects and Marley gets the help of an old crush and Jimmy's cat, Flapjack. Unfortunately, I figured out the murderer as soon as the character was introduced; just a guess. But the book was still enjoyable.
February 1, 2023
3.5 stars
August 15, 2016
This book was given to me for free as part of the #randomhousemystery chat pack from HouseParty.com.
This is supposed to be a mystery, set in the good ol' Pacific Northwest.
It's not very mysterious. The killer is given away at the beginning of the book. And even all the off shoots fail terribly at derailing you from your suspicions.
There were a few issues I had aside from the transparency though. One was the emotionless state of Marley, especially considering everything she is forced through. It wasn't lost on me that she was judging another woman for her emotionlessness, or theatrics, when she herself was guilty of what she was judging.
The unrealistic nature of how everything went down was also disappointing. Nothing flowed or felt natural--or even remotely plausible.
Marley is stupid. She does every stupid thing that should never be done in the situations she finds herself in--which only added to the forcefulness behind the plot, ruining any flow that could have been had here.
But what really ruins it, is the great unloading by the killer at the end, putting everything in place. I despise this. It's lazy, and I lose any respect I possibly have for the read when this takes place.
Aside from all that, this book was tedious. There is no excitement. It's boring, transparent and a difficult read. I wouldn't have bothered finishing it had I not been committed because of how I received the book.
Anywho, this book isn't for me. I'm sure there are some who would enjoy it, I mean there is a reader for pretty much every book.
This is supposed to be a mystery, set in the good ol' Pacific Northwest.
It's not very mysterious. The killer is given away at the beginning of the book. And even all the off shoots fail terribly at derailing you from your suspicions.
There were a few issues I had aside from the transparency though. One was the emotionless state of Marley, especially considering everything she is forced through. It wasn't lost on me that she was judging another woman for her emotionlessness, or theatrics, when she herself was guilty of what she was judging.
The unrealistic nature of how everything went down was also disappointing. Nothing flowed or felt natural--or even remotely plausible.
Marley is stupid. She does every stupid thing that should never be done in the situations she finds herself in--which only added to the forcefulness behind the plot, ruining any flow that could have been had here.
But what really ruins it, is the great unloading by the killer at the end, putting everything in place. I despise this. It's lazy, and I lose any respect I possibly have for the read when this takes place.
Aside from all that, this book was tedious. There is no excitement. It's boring, transparent and a difficult read. I wouldn't have bothered finishing it had I not been committed because of how I received the book.
Anywho, this book isn't for me. I'm sure there are some who would enjoy it, I mean there is a reader for pretty much every book.
July 19, 2017
My first cozy mystery on audio. And honestly, it is something else when you hear of a murder than when you read it. At least for me. Through out the whole book I was all, poor Jimmy! Why did they have to kill poor Jimmy!?
Marley is helping her gran's cousin when he is the hospital. He owns a pancake house and I guess these people really love their pancakes since the place is still standing (but they do have this awesome chef that makes the best pancakes). And then Jimmy is found murdered! How could they?! Sure I never even met Jimmy alive, but what a way to go.
Marley was nice and most importantly, curious. You can not have a cozy mystery otherwise. And it does not make it better when weird things happen around her, who would not be curious and want to go to the bottom of things.
And there is a hot guy too, if anyone was wondering. Of course who has time for that when strange things happens and her cousin was killed.
I enjoyed it.
Narrator Marguerite Gavin
I guess her voice fit cozy mystery books. Well I have only listened to her once, but she fitted the genre if that makes sense. She did a good job
Marley is helping her gran's cousin when he is the hospital. He owns a pancake house and I guess these people really love their pancakes since the place is still standing (but they do have this awesome chef that makes the best pancakes). And then Jimmy is found murdered! How could they?! Sure I never even met Jimmy alive, but what a way to go.
Marley was nice and most importantly, curious. You can not have a cozy mystery otherwise. And it does not make it better when weird things happen around her, who would not be curious and want to go to the bottom of things.
And there is a hot guy too, if anyone was wondering. Of course who has time for that when strange things happens and her cousin was killed.
I enjoyed it.
Narrator Marguerite Gavin
I guess her voice fit cozy mystery books. Well I have only listened to her once, but she fitted the genre if that makes sense. She did a good job
March 10, 2021
The Crepes of Wrath by Sarah Fox is the first book in the Pancake House Mystery series. Marley McKinney is helping her cousin Jimmy run the Flip Side Pancake House in Wildwood Cove while he is recovering in hospital from pneumonia when, unfortunately, her cousin is murdered soon after being discharged. A lovely start to the series where we get to learn a little about the town and its characters. I loved the Pancake House where the food sounds delicious and luckily some recipes are provided. The mystery itself was a bit weak and rather obvious but the food and setting made up for this. An interesting and enjoyable book.
June 16, 2024
This was a great start to the series! I really liked the characters and setting. Life would be so much better if you knew you were in a book and could come to the forgone conclusion. I’m glad Marley finally caught on to hers. The mystery kept me guessing and the ending was exciting. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
March 22, 2017
Absolutely loved this book. Great Characters and a great mystery, lots of twists and turns, even some scary moments! Looking forward to the next one!
December 25, 2017
Pretty decent first in series. Without the main character a) being accused of the murder, and b) a serious love triangle. I'll definitely read more of these.
July 6, 2022
This was cute. 3.5-3.8 stars. It took me a while to warm up to the story so that’s probably why I had a hard time eating it. Overall the mystery wasn’t bad, I guessed the bad guy 3/4 way through but there were enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I do like the authors attempt to realistically portray the doubts and uncertainties the MC faced in making major life decisions. Also, unlike other books, I did like that she immediately contacted the police when she found clues instead of doing stupid things and pretending she knew more than they did and investigating on her own, so 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾. Marley (MC) is pragmatic but willing to go with her heart. Happily this is a book with ZERO love triangle!!!!
August 22, 2016
The cover of this book just screams "cozy mystery" to me, and that is exactly what it gives you! The title also makes me kind of hungry. It has been quite a while since I have eaten any crepes, despite how much I like them, and it makes me want to go out and get some.
Actually, there are quite a few moments in this book where you are going to find yourself really wanting a pancake... Thankfully though, there are a couple recipes at the end so that you can make a few of them yourself!
But enough about how this book is going to make you hungry. I am sure you are really here to find out what the book is about and a few of my non spoilerish thoughts.
The Crepes of Wrath is about Marley. Marley has traveled back to a town she hasn't visited in quite a few years to help out her uncle while he is in the hospital. She doesn't really know how to run a pancake house or anything, but she loves her uncle and is doing it to help him out.
Then her uncle gets out of the hospital at least a day earlier than expected - which is ok... Until they find his body at the bottom of a cliff...
The rest of the story is about Marley trying to figure out the hows and whys of her uncle ended up at the bottom of the cliff.
Along with trying to figure out the mystery, we get to meet a lot of the townsfolk and see Marley make various types of relationships with them. Also, we follow along with her struggle of losing her uncle Jimmy and wondering what to do with her life.
All in all, this was a nice fast paced read. It did, however, lag a bit here and there. There just wasn't much going on during those times, so I guess it is to be expected.
And like I said, it will make you hungry for breakfast food (specifically pancakes), so just be ready for that.
I think The Crepes of Wrath is a great introduction to a new cast of characters and small town. It will be interesting to see where this story goes to next!
My Rating
3 Stars
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher through the Chatterbox program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
Actually, there are quite a few moments in this book where you are going to find yourself really wanting a pancake... Thankfully though, there are a couple recipes at the end so that you can make a few of them yourself!
But enough about how this book is going to make you hungry. I am sure you are really here to find out what the book is about and a few of my non spoilerish thoughts.
The Crepes of Wrath is about Marley. Marley has traveled back to a town she hasn't visited in quite a few years to help out her uncle while he is in the hospital. She doesn't really know how to run a pancake house or anything, but she loves her uncle and is doing it to help him out.
Then her uncle gets out of the hospital at least a day earlier than expected - which is ok... Until they find his body at the bottom of a cliff...
The rest of the story is about Marley trying to figure out the hows and whys of her uncle ended up at the bottom of the cliff.
Along with trying to figure out the mystery, we get to meet a lot of the townsfolk and see Marley make various types of relationships with them. Also, we follow along with her struggle of losing her uncle Jimmy and wondering what to do with her life.
All in all, this was a nice fast paced read. It did, however, lag a bit here and there. There just wasn't much going on during those times, so I guess it is to be expected.
And like I said, it will make you hungry for breakfast food (specifically pancakes), so just be ready for that.
I think The Crepes of Wrath is a great introduction to a new cast of characters and small town. It will be interesting to see where this story goes to next!
My Rating
3 Stars
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher through the Chatterbox program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
February 13, 2020
The murderer made an incriminating mistake, so I was just waiting for them to realize that. It took some time.
How they go after Marley thinking she knows everything is almost comical, she gets chased around a lot. Marley seem to be equally worried about her family, the pancake house and her love life, maybe not so much about the murder.
The romance was cute, they already knew each other so it grown fast. I liked it, wasn't perfect but it's flaws weren't particularly irritating. The actual rating is more like 2½ but I was feeling generous and rounded up.
How they go after Marley thinking she knows everything is almost comical, she gets chased around a lot. Marley seem to be equally worried about her family, the pancake house and her love life, maybe not so much about the murder.
The romance was cute, they already knew each other so it grown fast. I liked it, wasn't perfect but it's flaws weren't particularly irritating. The actual rating is more like 2½ but I was feeling generous and rounded up.
July 2, 2023
Pancakes AND the Olympic Peninsula for a setting? Yes, please! This cozy mystery was absolutely delightful! Marley takes a break from her corporate job in Seattle when her cousin Jimmy ends up in the hospital and needs someone to run his pancake house, Flip Side Pancake House. The small town feel made all of the characters feel charming and kind -except maybe the chef...he would take a little warming up still.
Just as it seems Jimmy is set to come home, he is found.....murdered. But who would ever want to hurt him? He was a staple in this small town. With the sheriff's department investigating a string of thefts and a few shifty characters on the horizon, Marley may just have solved a crime or two -unexpectedly.
Again, pancakes....need I say more? Orders up!
(And seriously, order this one today!)
Just as it seems Jimmy is set to come home, he is found.....murdered. But who would ever want to hurt him? He was a staple in this small town. With the sheriff's department investigating a string of thefts and a few shifty characters on the horizon, Marley may just have solved a crime or two -unexpectedly.
Again, pancakes....need I say more? Orders up!
(And seriously, order this one today!)
June 27, 2018
What a tasty first-in-series! From main character Marley to her coworkers at their pancake restaurant, The Flip Side, to their small town on the Olympic Peninsula, this cozy mystery has a lot going for it! I was drawn into all the suspicious happenings surrounding Marley, most notably the murder or her cousin Jimmy, and had a great time picking up clues along the way. As Marley investigates all the strange and scary things happening around her, there were some great suspects and motives, and I didn't find out who was behind everything until it was revealed.
This is my first book by Sarah Fox and it won't be my last! Looking forward to reading more in the Pancake House series!
This is my first book by Sarah Fox and it won't be my last! Looking forward to reading more in the Pancake House series!
August 19, 2020
3.5 stars
A nice start to a cozy mystery series.
A nice start to a cozy mystery series.
November 11, 2020
A very enjoyable cozy mystery. The characters were interesting and the story moved quickly. I hope to read the rest of the series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 578 reviews