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Peridale Cafe #18
Cheesecake and Confusion
When Julia South-Brown agreed to babysit her little brother at Peridale Manor, she didn't expect to get caught up in the middle of a burglary, but that is precisely what happened. As horrifying an incident as it was, however, it soon becomes another problem to add to the ever-growing pile.
With Julia's husband having book trouble, her adopted daughter having boy trouble, her father and stepmother having money trouble, and her own life-changing news, she has her hands full without a mystery to solve.
It feels like everyone in Julia's family has received bad news, but despite all this, she can't stand by and watch her father struggle as a result of the robbery. She promises to help him, but are any of the people on the list of names he gives her connected or has she been sent on a fool's errand?
With Julia's husband having book trouble, her adopted daughter having boy trouble, her father and stepmother having money trouble, and her own life-changing news, she has her hands full without a mystery to solve.
It feels like everyone in Julia's family has received bad news, but despite all this, she can't stand by and watch her father struggle as a result of the robbery. She promises to help him, but are any of the people on the list of names he gives her connected or has she been sent on a fool's errand?
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 27, 2019
733 people are currently reading
384 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Frost
76 books600 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 - 30 of 85 reviews
October 2, 2024
There was no actual murder in this one so.......
November 23, 2023
I’ve really enjoyed this one. So many changes in Julia’s life and I’m here for it.
January 4, 2021
Another great addition to this series. I love the main characters so much. This story had a different feel to it, since there wasn’t a murder forefront that Julia had to solve. You learn more about Brian and Katie in this book, which honestly, was off-putting. At least the end was somewhat redeeming for these characters, but overall I felt let down by them. This story also left many of the characters in limbo in their lives: Barker, Julia, Billy, Katie, and Brian. I cannot wait to see what is in store for them.
March 14, 2021
Family forgiveness
An excellent series by author Agatha Frost and covers that make the reader drool. The book is a quick easy read because of the easy flow and interesting story. The plot is very strong and we'll developed.
Julia and her family and friends become the reader's family as progressing through the series. Each book is totally different yet had the characters as a constant glue.
Julia discovers that she is pregnant amid frightening circumstances and yet finds joy in telling her friends but not seeming to get the chance to give Barker, her husband the news.
There are so many twists and turns in this story and yet everything remains clear to the reader. The conclusion was certainly unexpected and I feel sure we will hear about it in future books.
An excellent series by author Agatha Frost and covers that make the reader drool. The book is a quick easy read because of the easy flow and interesting story. The plot is very strong and we'll developed.
Julia and her family and friends become the reader's family as progressing through the series. Each book is totally different yet had the characters as a constant glue.
Julia discovers that she is pregnant amid frightening circumstances and yet finds joy in telling her friends but not seeming to get the chance to give Barker, her husband the news.
There are so many twists and turns in this story and yet everything remains clear to the reader. The conclusion was certainly unexpected and I feel sure we will hear about it in future books.
October 17, 2022
This was another good mystery in the series. In this one Julia is babysitting her little brother. The manor is robbed. On top of that someone was killed in a hit and run. Julia spends the book trying to figure out who is behind them. Of course she solves it and all is well for now.
September 29, 2019
This latest Peridale Cafe Mystery is even better than I expected. I could not put it down!
As always, I know when I pick up a book in this series, I will not be disappointed.
I highly recommend you read the series from the beginning. I love the characters and their development over the series.
The characters are written realistically with honesty and warmth and never come across as caricatures.
The whodunit was (as always) top notch, with plenty of twists to keep me guessing and entertained right up to the end!
I cannot wait to read the next one!
As always, I know when I pick up a book in this series, I will not be disappointed.
I highly recommend you read the series from the beginning. I love the characters and their development over the series.
The characters are written realistically with honesty and warmth and never come across as caricatures.
The whodunit was (as always) top notch, with plenty of twists to keep me guessing and entertained right up to the end!
I cannot wait to read the next one!
October 17, 2022
April
This story involves antiques, robbery, two deaths, one pregnancy, and cheesecakes. The mystery was interesting and fun. I didn't expect it to go the way it did. I didn't like the way it ended though. I thought something else should have happened. I also didn't like that one of the characters that I like is leaving. I also didn't like that so much of the story involved the pregnancy. I could have done without all of that in the story.
This story involves antiques, robbery, two deaths, one pregnancy, and cheesecakes. The mystery was interesting and fun. I didn't expect it to go the way it did. I didn't like the way it ended though. I thought something else should have happened. I also didn't like that one of the characters that I like is leaving. I also didn't like that so much of the story involved the pregnancy. I could have done without all of that in the story.
August 28, 2023
Finished this book during rainy Sunday afternoon. Seems Julia can't keep a mystery from surrounding her. This time it's close to home. With everything going on in her life, the new Jessica Fletcher, has a surprise for Peridale.
A cozy mixture of mystery, family drama, and blessings. An easy read that's less on the graphical side and more on the general audience scenario.
A cozy mixture of mystery, family drama, and blessings. An easy read that's less on the graphical side and more on the general audience scenario.
July 16, 2024
Questa è stata la lettura semplice e veloce che mi aspettavo.
January 16, 2021
Free download from the author for the pandemic. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.
Julia South-Brown is eager to babysit her new little brother Vinnie. While her experience with toddlers is limited, the last time she watched him, they bonded and it will be good practice for when she has one of her own. (SOON! Hopefully! They're trying! No, no new news yet, thanks for asking). Julia never bargained on trying to calm down a nervous young maid, dealing with a nasty housekeeper and having a bad reaction to nail polish. OMG could she be pregnant? Tossing and turning all night over the tempting unused pregnancy tests in the downstairs bathroom, Julia slips down in the middle of the night to try her luck. As she awaits the results, she'd rudely pulled from the bathroom and held at gunpoint on the floor while two men clear the downstairs of the manor of all the family heirlooms! Terrified, Julia fears for her life but fortunately survives the ordeal. Not so lucky is Brian and Katie's relationship. When they return to a bare house they are glad for the safety of their loved ones but when Katie learns Brian cancelled the insurance, she's furious. Brian privately reveals to Julia that the Wellington fortune is long gone and only is job at the Antiques Barn is keeping them afloat. He begs Julia to question a few long-time employees suspecting an inside job. Julia prefers to stay out of it but she really wants to help her dad. Julia's investigation takes her once again to the Ferndale estate housing project and she learns more about the world the village tries hard to ignore. When Julia learns a young woman from Ferndale has been killed in an accident, she links to young woman to the nervous maid and feels responsible for not seeing the girl home safely. Julia's investigation reveals the darker side of life in the Cotswolds and what she learns surprises her. With Barker away off and on dealing with book publishing drama, she hardly has time to see him. Will the Wellington family drama spill over into the Brown family? Julia hopes not.
This story is more simple and unrealistic than some of the others in the story. The whodunit was SO completely obvious the culprit had a neon sign over their head. However, there were TWO men robbing the manor that night and the identity of the second was a little bit of a surprise. I didn't like the spillover into the Ferndale estate yet it is a part of modern British life. I suppose it was good to know the same problems exist there too and life in the Cotswolds is not as idyllic as it seems when one pops into a charming village on vacation or sees it on TV in a period drama. Ferndale sounds a little nicer than some of the projects around here though and they have a warehouse store! I didn't even know those things existed in England. The village gossip hotline plot was silly but fun. I knew that was going to happen. The source of the leak was a surprise though. What happened was inevitable and I was glad Barker wasn't mad. The story contained a spoiler for who didn't do it in a previous book but just that one bit of information. The ending is just... bad. It's weak and silly and unrealistic.
There's too much pregnancy planning and talk in this story for me. Blech. Why? I don't need to know all about Julia's diet, her leaflets and everything else about having a baby. It is a little different in the UK than the U.S. it sounds like.
There are lots of new developments in Julia's life since the last book I read. It's been a year and she's now happily married to Barker and trying to start a family. At 38 it can't be that easy but she shouldn't be in despair just yet. She hasn't been married long and Katie is around the same age and has a baby. Julia keeps her cheerful optimism throughout her worries. She bakes a lot to relieve stress and tries out some new cheesecake recipes. I like how she doesn't enjoy gossiping but knows she has to share a tidbit or two of information to keep the locals satisfied. I also love her relationship with Jessie, now 19. Jessie is fun and funny. She's having boy troubles and she and Julia are more like friends than mother and daughter now. Julia has a bit of OCD about cleaning and that's really the only time she acts like Jessie's mum when she sees her daughter's mess. Jessie is an eager and willing participant in the investigation proving that nurture can be as strong an influence as nature. Jessie is sweet and protective of Julia as Julia has been with her. Barker is very busy in this book. He's dealing with some publishing drama and worries over money. He still takes the time to be sweet and romantic with Julia- with some disastrously funny results. He takes everything in stride. I like him much better now.
The regular cast of characters appears briefly in the café. Dot takes a back seat to her son and his wife but she does have two big scenes. As always, she's a hoot and I always wonder what she'll be into next. In this book we get to know Julia's father Brian. I had gotten the impression Julia and her father were estranged but I guess they've reconnected. Now she's an adult, she realizes he was so in shock at losing her mother to cancer he couldn't cope. Brian doesn't seem to have developed coping skills in the ensuing years. His response is to put his head in his hands and push the responsibility on someone else. I don't like him too much. I'm sympathetic to his money troubles though. Haven't we learned anything from Downton Abbey? Those grand homes are gorgeous but they're money pits! That's why so many went the way of the wrecking ball or turned over to heritage organizations. Peridale Manor is not one of them. Katie should put her get rick quick efforts into the Manor instead of silly things like fake tans and nail technician. MANY movies and TV shows film in the Costwolds and would love to film at a stately old home like Peridale Manor. Open a B&B for period drama fans wanting to stay in a great home. Don't hide the money trouble. Of course Katie does have a lot on her plate so Brian thought he could protect her. Katie's father's illness is very sad. I don't like how she's in denial about it and how she goes postal over putting him in a PUBLIC hospital OMG! Does she know how many Americans are literally dying for the quality of care in their PUBLIC hospital? #sorrynotsorry #richpeopleproblems. Katie comes across as rather spoiled and Brian isn't helping. She's very earnest and loving but she needs a reality check and then the love of her husband. Can their relationship survive this setback?
Housekeeper Hilary Boyle is worse than the starchiest butler and housekeeper found in any period drama. Who has maids these days? Hilary is an absolute tyrant to Samantha. She is rude and unnecessarily mean. It's Samantha's first day and she shouldn't be made to feel so small and hopeless. Yes she's from the Ferndale estate but that doesn't mean she's stupid. She seems like a sweet girl just trying to make a living to advance forward in life. Nothing wrong with that. Her death is a real tragedy. DCI John Christie (wink wink) is a decent man but overworked. He doesn't have the energy or resources to put into solving the robbery. He's honest and open with the Souths about it at least and doesn't try to railroad any suspects just because they're from Ferndale. Also new is Brian's employee, Leon. Leon is a sleazy guy right out of the 1950s. He's young to be so slimy. I don't like him at all. Julia is too polite to him but Jessie knows what's what and sets him straight.
There are three suspects: Dale Michaels, the former Gardener; Conor O’Flannigan, an Electrician and Louise Henshaw, the Former Housekeeper. Louise is the easiest to track down. She once held Samantha's job for many years but quit because she wasn't being paid. She is proud but polite enough to answer Julia's questions. She helps Julia realize the realities of the class system and how the people from Ferndale have to work twice as hard to make it in life. Louise is also Black which makes it extra difficult. Even though Louise is a bit snippy, I think she's a nice person and was a good friend to Samantha. Conor O'Flannigan seems the likeliest suspect. He did a terrible job rewiring the Manor according to Brian and when Brian refused to pay, Conor turned against Brian. Conor is willing and quick to bad mouth a former client and I suspect he may have taken the antiques as payment. If he really did do such a terrible job then he should be reported and put out of business! Dale Michaels is a bit mysterious. We don't learn much about him right away. He also isn't a very pleasant fellow and doesn't feel kindly towards Brian. Julia suspects there may be a 4th suspect, Jessie's brother Alfie. I hope for Jessie's sake he didn't do it. It seems unlikely even though he'd led a rough life. Julia has a good reason to suspect him though. I'm not sure his alibi is airtight. I think those who care about him would lie for him.
Anyway, I have one more freebie to read in this series and if I sign up for KU again, I may go back and fill in the blanks. I need to go forward a few too!
Julia South-Brown is eager to babysit her new little brother Vinnie. While her experience with toddlers is limited, the last time she watched him, they bonded and it will be good practice for when she has one of her own. (SOON! Hopefully! They're trying! No, no new news yet, thanks for asking). Julia never bargained on trying to calm down a nervous young maid, dealing with a nasty housekeeper and having a bad reaction to nail polish. OMG could she be pregnant? Tossing and turning all night over the tempting unused pregnancy tests in the downstairs bathroom, Julia slips down in the middle of the night to try her luck. As she awaits the results, she'd rudely pulled from the bathroom and held at gunpoint on the floor while two men clear the downstairs of the manor of all the family heirlooms! Terrified, Julia fears for her life but fortunately survives the ordeal. Not so lucky is Brian and Katie's relationship. When they return to a bare house they are glad for the safety of their loved ones but when Katie learns Brian cancelled the insurance, she's furious. Brian privately reveals to Julia that the Wellington fortune is long gone and only is job at the Antiques Barn is keeping them afloat. He begs Julia to question a few long-time employees suspecting an inside job. Julia prefers to stay out of it but she really wants to help her dad. Julia's investigation takes her once again to the Ferndale estate housing project and she learns more about the world the village tries hard to ignore. When Julia learns a young woman from Ferndale has been killed in an accident, she links to young woman to the nervous maid and feels responsible for not seeing the girl home safely. Julia's investigation reveals the darker side of life in the Cotswolds and what she learns surprises her. With Barker away off and on dealing with book publishing drama, she hardly has time to see him. Will the Wellington family drama spill over into the Brown family? Julia hopes not.
This story is more simple and unrealistic than some of the others in the story. The whodunit was SO completely obvious the culprit had a neon sign over their head. However, there were TWO men robbing the manor that night and the identity of the second was a little bit of a surprise. I didn't like the spillover into the Ferndale estate yet it is a part of modern British life. I suppose it was good to know the same problems exist there too and life in the Cotswolds is not as idyllic as it seems when one pops into a charming village on vacation or sees it on TV in a period drama. Ferndale sounds a little nicer than some of the projects around here though and they have a warehouse store! I didn't even know those things existed in England. The village gossip hotline plot was silly but fun. I knew that was going to happen. The source of the leak was a surprise though. What happened was inevitable and I was glad Barker wasn't mad. The story contained a spoiler for who didn't do it in a previous book but just that one bit of information. The ending is just... bad. It's weak and silly and unrealistic.
There's too much pregnancy planning and talk in this story for me. Blech. Why? I don't need to know all about Julia's diet, her leaflets and everything else about having a baby. It is a little different in the UK than the U.S. it sounds like.
There are lots of new developments in Julia's life since the last book I read. It's been a year and she's now happily married to Barker and trying to start a family. At 38 it can't be that easy but she shouldn't be in despair just yet. She hasn't been married long and Katie is around the same age and has a baby. Julia keeps her cheerful optimism throughout her worries. She bakes a lot to relieve stress and tries out some new cheesecake recipes. I like how she doesn't enjoy gossiping but knows she has to share a tidbit or two of information to keep the locals satisfied. I also love her relationship with Jessie, now 19. Jessie is fun and funny. She's having boy troubles and she and Julia are more like friends than mother and daughter now. Julia has a bit of OCD about cleaning and that's really the only time she acts like Jessie's mum when she sees her daughter's mess. Jessie is an eager and willing participant in the investigation proving that nurture can be as strong an influence as nature. Jessie is sweet and protective of Julia as Julia has been with her. Barker is very busy in this book. He's dealing with some publishing drama and worries over money. He still takes the time to be sweet and romantic with Julia- with some disastrously funny results. He takes everything in stride. I like him much better now.
The regular cast of characters appears briefly in the café. Dot takes a back seat to her son and his wife but she does have two big scenes. As always, she's a hoot and I always wonder what she'll be into next. In this book we get to know Julia's father Brian. I had gotten the impression Julia and her father were estranged but I guess they've reconnected. Now she's an adult, she realizes he was so in shock at losing her mother to cancer he couldn't cope. Brian doesn't seem to have developed coping skills in the ensuing years. His response is to put his head in his hands and push the responsibility on someone else. I don't like him too much. I'm sympathetic to his money troubles though. Haven't we learned anything from Downton Abbey? Those grand homes are gorgeous but they're money pits! That's why so many went the way of the wrecking ball or turned over to heritage organizations. Peridale Manor is not one of them. Katie should put her get rick quick efforts into the Manor instead of silly things like fake tans and nail technician. MANY movies and TV shows film in the Costwolds and would love to film at a stately old home like Peridale Manor. Open a B&B for period drama fans wanting to stay in a great home. Don't hide the money trouble. Of course Katie does have a lot on her plate so Brian thought he could protect her. Katie's father's illness is very sad. I don't like how she's in denial about it and how she goes postal over putting him in a PUBLIC hospital OMG! Does she know how many Americans are literally dying for the quality of care in their PUBLIC hospital? #sorrynotsorry #richpeopleproblems. Katie comes across as rather spoiled and Brian isn't helping. She's very earnest and loving but she needs a reality check and then the love of her husband. Can their relationship survive this setback?
Housekeeper Hilary Boyle is worse than the starchiest butler and housekeeper found in any period drama. Who has maids these days? Hilary is an absolute tyrant to Samantha. She is rude and unnecessarily mean. It's Samantha's first day and she shouldn't be made to feel so small and hopeless. Yes she's from the Ferndale estate but that doesn't mean she's stupid. She seems like a sweet girl just trying to make a living to advance forward in life. Nothing wrong with that. Her death is a real tragedy. DCI John Christie (wink wink) is a decent man but overworked. He doesn't have the energy or resources to put into solving the robbery. He's honest and open with the Souths about it at least and doesn't try to railroad any suspects just because they're from Ferndale. Also new is Brian's employee, Leon. Leon is a sleazy guy right out of the 1950s. He's young to be so slimy. I don't like him at all. Julia is too polite to him but Jessie knows what's what and sets him straight.
There are three suspects: Dale Michaels, the former Gardener; Conor O’Flannigan, an Electrician and Louise Henshaw, the Former Housekeeper. Louise is the easiest to track down. She once held Samantha's job for many years but quit because she wasn't being paid. She is proud but polite enough to answer Julia's questions. She helps Julia realize the realities of the class system and how the people from Ferndale have to work twice as hard to make it in life. Louise is also Black which makes it extra difficult. Even though Louise is a bit snippy, I think she's a nice person and was a good friend to Samantha. Conor O'Flannigan seems the likeliest suspect. He did a terrible job rewiring the Manor according to Brian and when Brian refused to pay, Conor turned against Brian. Conor is willing and quick to bad mouth a former client and I suspect he may have taken the antiques as payment. If he really did do such a terrible job then he should be reported and put out of business! Dale Michaels is a bit mysterious. We don't learn much about him right away. He also isn't a very pleasant fellow and doesn't feel kindly towards Brian. Julia suspects there may be a 4th suspect, Jessie's brother Alfie. I hope for Jessie's sake he didn't do it. It seems unlikely even though he'd led a rough life. Julia has a good reason to suspect him though. I'm not sure his alibi is airtight. I think those who care about him would lie for him.
Anyway, I have one more freebie to read in this series and if I sign up for KU again, I may go back and fill in the blanks. I need to go forward a few too!
October 12, 2019
2019 bk 326. Julia South-Brown and her family are back. Life still centers around her bakery, but her husband's second novel is in trouble, her father's home is burgled while Julia is there babysitting her step brother, and she learns that her father and stepmother are broke, very broke. Julia works on helping her father, but she has a secret she needs to share with her husband (he is here to day in London tomorrow at the publisher's throughout the book) before everyone in the town knows.
As enjoyable as the earlier books, but without the focus on a new, separate focus social issue as earlier books. She does re-visit poverty and viewing people in poverty as non-people, but for the most part this deals with the 'secret'.
As enjoyable as the earlier books, but without the focus on a new, separate focus social issue as earlier books. She does re-visit poverty and viewing people in poverty as non-people, but for the most part this deals with the 'secret'.
November 10, 2023
Cheesecake and Confusion by Agatha Frost is an entertaining book. A lot is happening to the folks of Peridale. Newlywed Julia South-Brown has agreed to watch her 16 month old brother, Vinnie, while her husband, Barker, is in London discussing his latest book release. While she is at the Peridale Manor, lightning causes the electricity to go off and then two men break in the house to rob it. Julia is held at gunpoint and unable to stop them. Of course later, Julia agrees to help her father discover who was behind the robbery since he believes it was an inside job. This installment of the Peridale Cafe mysteries, focuses a lot on what is going on in the lives of the main characters. The more the author shares about the characters the more they seem like acquaintances! I continue to enjoy this series and hope there are many more books to come.
February 5, 2023
Another delicious journey to Peridale
I do feel that I have run out of adjectives as to how describe these novels! They are utterly brilliant and I can't get enough of them! How I would so love to be there! Might be easier if I go out and find my own Peridale! As for this instalment there is a robbery at Peridale Manor where Julia's father lives with his second wife. On the night in question Julia is baby sitting their son and gets caught up in the robbery. There are some red herrings on the loose but you do get caught up in it all and as always Julia is there to sort it all out! Another delightful romp!
I do feel that I have run out of adjectives as to how describe these novels! They are utterly brilliant and I can't get enough of them! How I would so love to be there! Might be easier if I go out and find my own Peridale! As for this instalment there is a robbery at Peridale Manor where Julia's father lives with his second wife. On the night in question Julia is baby sitting their son and gets caught up in the robbery. There are some red herrings on the loose but you do get caught up in it all and as always Julia is there to sort it all out! Another delightful romp!
January 29, 2024
While Julia is babysitting for her father’s new kiddo robbers come into his house and steal all the valuables as if the knew ahead of time which ones to nick. At the same time Julia makes a big revelation about herself and spends much of the book keeping it from Barker. I enjoyed the more mystery based cozy this book offered because you got to see Julia and how her mind worked and how decisions many people made caused the story to have done shocking twists and turns. I have to admit I actually said out loud OMG! Really surprised me but I saw how all the pieces fit and I was ready to see where it would go from there. Definitely a great story snd one I know I will remember.
March 24, 2020
Its was a okay book for me. Julia & her husband were trying to have a child for a long time. Her dad Brian inherited a mansion . But they were soon going broke but he didn't tell his wife. Then the home was burglarized of some art work and other things. Julia used to be a detective so she decided to look into the theft. Then she became pregnant . She soon had a few suspects. The wife seemed to be involved. Then she found out there was no money left at all. They would have to sell the mansion in order to survive .
January 9, 2020
Cute series
An enjoyable, light hearted series. Well written with good plots. I have decided to leave this series with this book 18. It's the end of one era and the beginning of a whole new direction for all the main characters. I am happy to leave the future up to my imagination. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for light entertainment.
An enjoyable, light hearted series. Well written with good plots. I have decided to leave this series with this book 18. It's the end of one era and the beginning of a whole new direction for all the main characters. I am happy to leave the future up to my imagination. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for light entertainment.
May 23, 2021
Unlike others in the Peridale Cafe Cosy Mystery series that I have read, this one, while being intriguing, ended up feeling like a cop-out. And I was getting annoyed that the husband was the person to hear about his wife's good news, he had to hear it through the grapevine, and he wasn't angry about that!
July 30, 2024
Wow this one was full of so much! And so many surprises. I'm still floored at the ending and who was involved in what. And some of the surprises were very good. I'm so happy for everyone but it's almost sad too because everyone is growing up and starting their lives, etc. But it's been so great seeing it from the start. I love this series so much!
November 18, 2025
With all the tragedy going on you have to smile because everytime Julia tried to tell Barker she was pregnant something happened. So the folks have to move on with Brian and Katie selling the castle, Billy leaving and joining the Army and Barker has to think of what to do next now that his book has failed. Life goes on!!!
January 4, 2020
So pleased to see Julia and her family back where they belong, in the pages of a book waiting to be read.
Good story and characters as usual, will Julia get her 'man' again?
Looking forward to reading the next book already.
Good story and characters as usual, will Julia get her 'man' again?
Looking forward to reading the next book already.
April 24, 2020
Fun mystery
This won't keep you from a night's sleep, but has enough twists to make it a good read. I love the characters and feeling like I could pick them out on any village street.
This won't keep you from a night's sleep, but has enough twists to make it a good read. I love the characters and feeling like I could pick them out on any village street.
April 28, 2020
Agatha Frost's best book so far!!!
I give Cheesecake and Confusion a very enthusiastic 5 stars, for its tightly wound plot, fun mystery, and all of the secrets and lies among the South-Wellington-Brown family members. I am also so pleased for Julia and her !!!
I give Cheesecake and Confusion a very enthusiastic 5 stars, for its tightly wound plot, fun mystery, and all of the secrets and lies among the South-Wellington-Brown family members. I am also so pleased for Julia and her !!!
May 6, 2020
Cheesecake and Confusion
Really a spectacular read. Spectacular characters and storyline. Gets you into it at the very beginning. Running a shop of baked goods and having a husband who is trying writing. Just so much to read about, this is a definite must read for all readers
Really a spectacular read. Spectacular characters and storyline. Gets you into it at the very beginning. Running a shop of baked goods and having a husband who is trying writing. Just so much to read about, this is a definite must read for all readers
July 18, 2021
Dysfunctional family mystery
I liked the characters but in the beginning it was difficult knowing who was who and how they were related. The author did a great job weaving it all together and blending their lives together. A good thinking who done it.
I liked the characters but in the beginning it was difficult knowing who was who and how they were related. The author did a great job weaving it all together and blending their lives together. A good thinking who done it.
November 29, 2021
Peridale Cafe 18
This story is a genuine tear jerker. Lots of love going round. New babies to come too. Suspicious robbery and silent murder. Some things are better than others when reading. See how ya like this one .
This story is a genuine tear jerker. Lots of love going round. New babies to come too. Suspicious robbery and silent murder. Some things are better than others when reading. See how ya like this one .
February 22, 2022
a little choppy
There are a few styles in this book. Suspense is part of the story. A little bit of humor that doesn’t really come off. Finally sadness also not very well done. It just didn’t mix well or make a decent story
There are a few styles in this book. Suspense is part of the story. A little bit of humor that doesn’t really come off. Finally sadness also not very well done. It just didn’t mix well or make a decent story
July 15, 2023
Family drama
Julia was off her game for this book and it definitely did not feel cohesive. To echo other reviews, Katie and Brian are difficult to like in this story. However, if you are a fan of the series, fun developments do occur.
Julia was off her game for this book and it definitely did not feel cohesive. To echo other reviews, Katie and Brian are difficult to like in this story. However, if you are a fan of the series, fun developments do occur.
February 20, 2024
A fantastic addition to the series.
The characters are wonderful and quirky. The plot is twisty and convoluted. The world building is great. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
The characters are wonderful and quirky. The plot is twisty and convoluted. The world building is great. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
January 10, 2020
Fun little book to read. Several little twists thrown in too.
January 24, 2020
Loved it!
Loved it doesn’t even cover it. I would give this book 6 stars if I could. Have read every book in the series so far, and can’t wait to read the next one.
Loved it doesn’t even cover it. I would give this book 6 stars if I could. Have read every book in the series so far, and can’t wait to read the next one.
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