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Arya Winters #1
Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death
"An edgier riff on Agatha Christie. Murray takes common tropes and pierces them with darker realities to great effect."— Oprah Daily Arya Winters is your typical cozy heroine. She lives in a cottage in a small English village, and bakes for a living - well, she specializes in macabre desserts. She has nosy neighbors, who she avoids ruthlessly due to her social anxiety. And she has a keen interest in all things sexy, especially Branwell Beam, the writer next door.
When her neighbor Tobias Yards turns up dead after eating poisoned tiramisu (definitely not poisoned when she baked it), no one seems to connect it to Arya's Auntie Meera's recent death. Instead, they blame her excruciatingly average ex-boyfriend—and Tobias’s nephew—and so she takes matters into her own hands. Now all she has to do to uncover the truth is to get over her aversion to Other People. Besides that, it's just a matter of getting beyond some yellow tape, dodging her former BFF Tallulah from secondary school, and getting into Branwell's pants—he seems strangely reluctant. What Arya doesn't realize is that the murderer is dangerous, preying on lonely people who've experienced trauma, and that she might have to do all she can not to become the next victim.
When her neighbor Tobias Yards turns up dead after eating poisoned tiramisu (definitely not poisoned when she baked it), no one seems to connect it to Arya's Auntie Meera's recent death. Instead, they blame her excruciatingly average ex-boyfriend—and Tobias’s nephew—and so she takes matters into her own hands. Now all she has to do to uncover the truth is to get over her aversion to Other People. Besides that, it's just a matter of getting beyond some yellow tape, dodging her former BFF Tallulah from secondary school, and getting into Branwell's pants—he seems strangely reluctant. What Arya doesn't realize is that the murderer is dangerous, preying on lonely people who've experienced trauma, and that she might have to do all she can not to become the next victim.
295 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2021
About the author
Amita Murray
12 books203 followersAmita is a writer, based in London. She writes in two genres: contemporary mystery and historical mystery romance. Her Arya Winters series of mysteries is published with Agora. The first came out in 2021. Her mystery novel Thirteenth Night won the Exeter Novel Prize in 2022. Her first novel The Trouble with Rose came out with Harper Collins in 2019. Get in touch @AmitaMurray and amitamurray.Wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
January 10, 2022
A new twist on the cozy genre that I am glad I read. If you're very strict about your cozy bounds, you may want to skip this one but if you want a new twist, this one may be for you.
Be warned Arya Winters is A Lot to warm up to. She has social anxiety and Tourette's and it makes many of her interactions with people challenging. Also what makes things challenging is that Arya is herself and she has some off-putting characteristics. She tends to like to keep people at a distance and dump them before they dump her but she also is truly affronted when her boyfriend (who she didn't like much anyway) dumped her and when a guy she does like doesn't run over when she crooks her finger. She is a rollercoaster of contradictions that tend to irritate (or at least irritate me) but she had some growth by the end and it was enough for me to want to see what happens next for her. I'm rooting for her and the pets she's acquired along the way. What did help is that she knew she had problems. She also had good reason to want to keep people at a distance as her parents abandoned her to her aunt at a young age because they found her too difficult. Awful.
But, I still held Arya responsible for the harsh ways she treated others because she definitely knew love, care and kindness, first from the aunt who raised her, a childhood friend she later had a falling out with and some others. Her absolutely ruthless cruelty to others often came off as unwarranted and was particularly cutting as it was usually focused on the characteristics that made them stand apart from others. I didn't quite know how to reconcile my empathy for her because it was always limited by her lack of it for others (especially as she knew it was terrible as she was doing it). Additionally, she was able to corral her sharp tongue with the dishy guy she wanted to bed with no problem so it seemed she had some agency when focused. I've no idea if this is typical of real-world people like Arya but as a reader of fiction, it made me quirk an eyebrow.
Still, Arya had some wonderful insights and it was clear that she was often in a lot of pain. That's a theme in the story. Pain and loneliness. That aspect kept me reading and really grounded Arya's more extreme ways. Her relationships with people is always fraught and most interesting to watch. She puts herself into situations she'd rather not be in because she wants answers to the death of a friend and I appreciated that. It cost her to do it but she did it anyway. A very bright and shining characteristic in a complicated woman. She was worth following along with for that alone. In that way, she reminded me of the main character in The Woman in the Window .
Alas, the murderer of this story seemed to be painted in brightest neon with arrows pointing to them and was easily pegged. YMMV. I didn't mind however because I was invested in the story and getting to know the characters in this little community. Centenarian Olga was my favourite but others were well rendered. As with all cozies, there's a dark side to the chocolate box setting. This one has naked escapades in the woods, the chance of secret shagging happening and a cheap sex toy in amongst a drawer of high-end ones that is likely a relevant clue. I know some may argue this isn't cozy because of naked corpses and the sex mentioned but this was like an episode of Midsomer Murders and that's still within bounds for me.
So to sum up, because this is getting long, I'd recommend it. I enjoyed it, not because Arya was always easy but because she was interesting to me. She's still got a crap ton of issues and one in particular that I am holding against her that crops up in the preview chapter for the second book, but baby steps and I want to see where this goes. In book-likes, I feel if you can enjoy The Thursday Murder Club books (because it's kinda cozy but kinda not) and The Maid because the main character is not the usual sort then you may enjoy this one.
Though I'd put Arya's baked creations up against any cozy baker around and hers sound AWESOME and speak to next-level creativity. She needed to make bile for an oozing stomach cake (she makes macabre baked creations) and was breaking out avocados and all sorts to get the shade and consistency right. She's a cake queen, people!
Recommended.
Be warned Arya Winters is A Lot to warm up to. She has social anxiety and Tourette's and it makes many of her interactions with people challenging. Also what makes things challenging is that Arya is herself and she has some off-putting characteristics. She tends to like to keep people at a distance and dump them before they dump her but she also is truly affronted when her boyfriend (who she didn't like much anyway) dumped her and when a guy she does like doesn't run over when she crooks her finger. She is a rollercoaster of contradictions that tend to irritate (or at least irritate me) but she had some growth by the end and it was enough for me to want to see what happens next for her. I'm rooting for her and the pets she's acquired along the way. What did help is that she knew she had problems. She also had good reason to want to keep people at a distance as her parents abandoned her to her aunt at a young age because they found her too difficult. Awful.
But, I still held Arya responsible for the harsh ways she treated others because she definitely knew love, care and kindness, first from the aunt who raised her, a childhood friend she later had a falling out with and some others. Her absolutely ruthless cruelty to others often came off as unwarranted and was particularly cutting as it was usually focused on the characteristics that made them stand apart from others. I didn't quite know how to reconcile my empathy for her because it was always limited by her lack of it for others (especially as she knew it was terrible as she was doing it). Additionally, she was able to corral her sharp tongue with the dishy guy she wanted to bed with no problem so it seemed she had some agency when focused. I've no idea if this is typical of real-world people like Arya but as a reader of fiction, it made me quirk an eyebrow.
Still, Arya had some wonderful insights and it was clear that she was often in a lot of pain. That's a theme in the story. Pain and loneliness. That aspect kept me reading and really grounded Arya's more extreme ways. Her relationships with people is always fraught and most interesting to watch. She puts herself into situations she'd rather not be in because she wants answers to the death of a friend and I appreciated that. It cost her to do it but she did it anyway. A very bright and shining characteristic in a complicated woman. She was worth following along with for that alone. In that way, she reminded me of the main character in The Woman in the Window .
Alas, the murderer of this story seemed to be painted in brightest neon with arrows pointing to them and was easily pegged. YMMV. I didn't mind however because I was invested in the story and getting to know the characters in this little community. Centenarian Olga was my favourite but others were well rendered. As with all cozies, there's a dark side to the chocolate box setting. This one has naked escapades in the woods, the chance of secret shagging happening and a cheap sex toy in amongst a drawer of high-end ones that is likely a relevant clue. I know some may argue this isn't cozy because of naked corpses and the sex mentioned but this was like an episode of Midsomer Murders and that's still within bounds for me.
So to sum up, because this is getting long, I'd recommend it. I enjoyed it, not because Arya was always easy but because she was interesting to me. She's still got a crap ton of issues and one in particular that I am holding against her that crops up in the preview chapter for the second book, but baby steps and I want to see where this goes. In book-likes, I feel if you can enjoy The Thursday Murder Club books (because it's kinda cozy but kinda not) and The Maid because the main character is not the usual sort then you may enjoy this one.
Though I'd put Arya's baked creations up against any cozy baker around and hers sound AWESOME and speak to next-level creativity. She needed to make bile for an oozing stomach cake (she makes macabre baked creations) and was breaking out avocados and all sorts to get the shade and consistency right. She's a cake queen, people!
Recommended.
October 8, 2021
I love that how on the surface it's got all the ingredients of a quaint English cozy. (Village, baking, eccentric characters) but is told from the POV of a VERY millennial/gen Z main character. This definitely is not your (grand)mother's mystery! Such a fun read.
September 20, 2021
A quirky, witty, and macabre mystery. Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death had me laughing out loud as I kept turning pages. Arya isn't your typical cozy mystery heroine, and while the tone is lighthearted I'm not sure I'd call it a cozy -- but I would call it a terrific book.
January 29, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was probably one of the most entertaining books I have read in a long time. A very well written cozy mystery with grit, spice, and a ton of humor. The "heroine" has severe social anxiety, and what I believe to be is tourettes (?) To say I loved Arya Winters would be an understatement. I am pretty sure she is my "social anxiety spirit animal" 😂 Honestly, her thoughts and some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth had me laughing out loud. On top of that, we have a plethora of hilarious and quirky side characters, a delightful small English Village setting, and a plot that kept me guessing right until the end. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series. At least I hope it will be a series because they leave us on a bit of a cliffy and I desperately need more Arya in my life! 😂
**ARC Via NetGalley**
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July 14, 2024
A small English village, a character who bakes for a living and of course a murder. Sounds like your typical cozy but it isn’t quite. Arya Winters, the main character, does not believe in the little white lies that grease the wheel of social interactions. In fact, she can be abrasive which makes her hard to warm up to. She has issues which makes her interesting and some one I can identify with. She is also a millennial with the taste of the macabre (she specializes in macabre desserts).
A solid mystery with surprises, it also is a little more graphic than many cozies and the talking of sex will surprise some people. But if you want something more than just a fluffy cozy, something that has more substance and a bit more realistic (along with some quirky, questionable behavior and humor) this might be right up your alley. I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
A solid mystery with surprises, it also is a little more graphic than many cozies and the talking of sex will surprise some people. But if you want something more than just a fluffy cozy, something that has more substance and a bit more realistic (along with some quirky, questionable behavior and humor) this might be right up your alley. I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
February 11, 2022
Picked it up on a whim off the library shelf and found it to be great fun. A heroine who has no internal filter and blurts out what she is thinking and hates to be around people? Yes please.
August 6, 2022
Eek, another DNF. I categorically went off "male profession's female relative" books a few years ago, and I just abruptly went off this new thing, too - stories set in a world where it matters that the main character has a describable set of behaviors, and often those behaviors make them unhappy and could benefit from support, but there's no such thing as a diagnosis, so nobody in-universe ever says "autism" or "Tourette's" or "OCD" or "sensory processing" or whatever so it's just like the mental health equivalent of fluttering eyelashes coyly for a couple hundred pages. I read the first half, so maybe it's not so prudish by the end - apologies if so. But I am hating this new fiction trend.
January 7, 2022
Cover said it was a macabre cozy mystery. Not cozy, and not macabre, more freaky. Unlikeable main character, lots of sex talk and fat phobia. Not for me.
October 30, 2025
Clever story and writing. The characters were also interesting and funny. I did tire a bit of the angst,
Tourette’s exclamations, and cleaning. I do wonder about using neurodivergence as humor. The Rosie Project did a good job of using it, but this one became predictable.
Tourette’s exclamations, and cleaning. I do wonder about using neurodivergence as humor. The Rosie Project did a good job of using it, but this one became predictable.
June 3, 2025
Very good but my library doesn't have the second one! I have requested they buy it so I can find out what happens next 😤
January 12, 2022
I really enjoyed the plot and was always on my toes with Arya wondering who had done it, but the ending was not what I wanted.
Arya Winters moves to Trucklewood and into the home of her late Auntie Meera, who had been murdered in her own home. Arya is not very social, but starts making friends and acquaintances in order to figure out what happened to her aunt.
When they revealed who had done it, it made sense. I did not ever think it was the person. It was a surprise to me, which I love about mysteries. I just wish the ending was happier. However, the book was still an easy read.
Thanks to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Arya Winters moves to Trucklewood and into the home of her late Auntie Meera, who had been murdered in her own home. Arya is not very social, but starts making friends and acquaintances in order to figure out what happened to her aunt.
When they revealed who had done it, it made sense. I did not ever think it was the person. It was a surprise to me, which I love about mysteries. I just wish the ending was happier. However, the book was still an easy read.
Thanks to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2021
Touted as a cozy mystery, Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death by Anita Murray is anything but. Cozies are novels that contain everything that is in a good mystery such as suspense, misdirection, intrigue, criminality, and even murder without any graphic sex, violence, or profanity. Cozies are generally good reads for all ages. Murray’s new series, and this novel, starring Arya Winters doesn’t have any graphic violence, but has plenty of profanity and sex. Not only is this novel not suitable for younger readers, it shouldn’t be considered a cozy, since it doesn’t follow cozy guidelines.
The protagonist, Arya Winters, is a total nutcase, with deep psychological problems. She is not likeable, and says terrible things to her neighbors. She is not your traditional cozy protagonist. One thing she does, however, is run a successful baking business (macabre baked goods) and luckily bakes out of her home rather than interact with others. When one of Arya’s neighbors, Tobias Yards, is found murdered, Arya wants to find the murderer, and the more she learns, the more she sees that her neighbor’s murder has many things in common with the murder of her Auntie. Arya’s Auntie Meera left her the cottage she lives in presently and is the reason she lives in the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, this so-called-cozy (that isn’t) doesn’t even have recipes, which is expected of cozies that deal with cooks, bakers, caterers, etc., who are protagonists. Arya has the pushiness that it takes to solve a mystery, and makes readers feel a bit uncomfortable when she pushes her way into people’s lives and gets her information.
It might be a good idea for Murray to review the definition of a cozy and re-label the novels in this series.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
The protagonist, Arya Winters, is a total nutcase, with deep psychological problems. She is not likeable, and says terrible things to her neighbors. She is not your traditional cozy protagonist. One thing she does, however, is run a successful baking business (macabre baked goods) and luckily bakes out of her home rather than interact with others. When one of Arya’s neighbors, Tobias Yards, is found murdered, Arya wants to find the murderer, and the more she learns, the more she sees that her neighbor’s murder has many things in common with the murder of her Auntie. Arya’s Auntie Meera left her the cottage she lives in presently and is the reason she lives in the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, this so-called-cozy (that isn’t) doesn’t even have recipes, which is expected of cozies that deal with cooks, bakers, caterers, etc., who are protagonists. Arya has the pushiness that it takes to solve a mystery, and makes readers feel a bit uncomfortable when she pushes her way into people’s lives and gets her information.
It might be a good idea for Murray to review the definition of a cozy and re-label the novels in this series.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
January 22, 2022
The overarching story was fine, it is your standard whodunnit mystery. Albeit the culprit was easier to spot than a solar eclipse.
* SLIGHT SPOILER UNDERNEATH *
The pacing could have been better, the whole sex cult thing did not have any deeper repercussions on the plot itself and was only there as a plot driver. Although there isn't anything inherently wrong with that, it just made the story meandering. The writing, and this is a personal opinion, was a bit too on the nose with the innuendos. Nothing is worse that having to explain a joke!
The protagonist was complex enough to read through to the end, but her quirks (the entirely non-Tourette ones) had me annoyed at times. I laud the author's choice to not tie up everything with a happily-ever-after bow. Although that may have been because this is definitely supposed to be a duology if not a series, given the predicament the heroine finds herself in by the end of it.
Overall, I'd give it a one time read if you're in a reading rut!
* SLIGHT SPOILER UNDERNEATH *
The pacing could have been better, the whole sex cult thing did not have any deeper repercussions on the plot itself and was only there as a plot driver. Although there isn't anything inherently wrong with that, it just made the story meandering. The writing, and this is a personal opinion, was a bit too on the nose with the innuendos. Nothing is worse that having to explain a joke!
The protagonist was complex enough to read through to the end, but her quirks (the entirely non-Tourette ones) had me annoyed at times. I laud the author's choice to not tie up everything with a happily-ever-after bow. Although that may have been because this is definitely supposed to be a duology if not a series, given the predicament the heroine finds herself in by the end of it.
Overall, I'd give it a one time read if you're in a reading rut!
August 31, 2021
Arya Winters makes delicious but macabre treats and cakes that are in demand. A loner, Arya is different from others and likes to be alone, thought she misses her aunt, who was murdered, quite a bit. When a local man Arya knew is found dead, she can’t help but come to see some connection between his murder and that of her aunt. But how to prove it and how to stop the killer who seems to be preying on lonely people. Of course sleuthing means Arya will have to talk to people, taking her outside of her comfort zone. Now she has to hope the discomfort or the murderer doesn’t kill her before she can solve the case.
First off, I liked the whodunit, it was well plotted and had lots of red herrings. However I find the protagonist strange and hard to understand her logic at times and her name a take on a certain Game of Thrones character from the cold North and kept waiting for other references, which didn’t come. Also, this isn’t a true cozy as it has some sex and language thrown in. This doe#not bother me, but It may bother s one others, so a heads up for some. On the flip side, I found Arya a bit too much to take and suspect she is on the autism spectrum, but still, a little too much at times. I’ll read the next entry in the series and see how I feel, usually I’m good with the second book as I’ve gotten to know the character better.
First off, I liked the whodunit, it was well plotted and had lots of red herrings. However I find the protagonist strange and hard to understand her logic at times and her name a take on a certain Game of Thrones character from the cold North and kept waiting for other references, which didn’t come. Also, this isn’t a true cozy as it has some sex and language thrown in. This doe#not bother me, but It may bother s one others, so a heads up for some. On the flip side, I found Arya a bit too much to take and suspect she is on the autism spectrum, but still, a little too much at times. I’ll read the next entry in the series and see how I feel, usually I’m good with the second book as I’ve gotten to know the character better.
March 15, 2022
i have so many thoughts on this book. it was great on so many levels.
arya winters is unlike any main character i’ve ever read about. and i mean that in a good way. while i hate to admit it, arya is the first main character that i’ve come across with tourettes. i found it absolutely refreshing.
to be fair, she wasn’t the nicest person. but i liked how she kept pushing herself forward instead of retreating into her home and hiding away. she’s headstrong and determined. she does things i disagree with (she does things she disagrees with).
aside from arya, the mystery itself was good and the writing was fantastic. however, i didn’t like how the murderer was revealed. i felt i wasn’t given a proper chance to consider them as a suspect.
aside from that minor blemish, arya winters and the tiramisu of death was an excellent mystery novel. i really loved how arya seemed to adopt people’s cats.
while this book is classed as adult, it may not be suitable for younger readers (mainly due to the frequent references to sex and that arya likes to practice it regularly).
arya winters is unlike any main character i’ve ever read about. and i mean that in a good way. while i hate to admit it, arya is the first main character that i’ve come across with tourettes. i found it absolutely refreshing.
to be fair, she wasn’t the nicest person. but i liked how she kept pushing herself forward instead of retreating into her home and hiding away. she’s headstrong and determined. she does things i disagree with (she does things she disagrees with).
aside from arya, the mystery itself was good and the writing was fantastic. however, i didn’t like how the murderer was revealed. i felt i wasn’t given a proper chance to consider them as a suspect.
aside from that minor blemish, arya winters and the tiramisu of death was an excellent mystery novel. i really loved how arya seemed to adopt people’s cats.
while this book is classed as adult, it may not be suitable for younger readers (mainly due to the frequent references to sex and that arya likes to practice it regularly).
June 24, 2022
I have such mixed feelings about this book. In some ways I enjoyed the main character, Arya, and her neuro divergent personality. In fact, her character largely contributed to the uniqueness of the book. However, at times the author meandered on sub plots that caused the book to lag
in places. This is billed as mystery, but it is definitely character driven. Had I gone into it expecting that I probably would’ve enjoyed it more. I give this 3.5 stars and may try the second one aware that it will be heavily character driven.
in places. This is billed as mystery, but it is definitely character driven. Had I gone into it expecting that I probably would’ve enjoyed it more. I give this 3.5 stars and may try the second one aware that it will be heavily character driven.
May 17, 2022
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Arya's story weaves together so many threads about unhealed childhood trauma, neurological processing distinctions, cultural and familial nuances, isolation and more into the context of a cozy mystery that's intentionally laugh aloud hilarious and painfully awkward, just like Arya, who embodies an irresistible protagonist. More installments asap, please.
Arya's story weaves together so many threads about unhealed childhood trauma, neurological processing distinctions, cultural and familial nuances, isolation and more into the context of a cozy mystery that's intentionally laugh aloud hilarious and painfully awkward, just like Arya, who embodies an irresistible protagonist. More installments asap, please.
August 19, 2022
“Arya Winters is your typical cozy heroine” is how the description of the book starts and it’s total crap. Nothing about her a typical, cozy heroine or not. She’s not like a me. She’s not even a nice person.
The mystery is unique, as people die around Arya in the same manner and she puts the pieces together. You could see some things coming for sure, it was pretty predictable. The unique personality, coupled with social anxiety and Tourette’s makes this anything but your typical cozy mystery.
The mystery is unique, as people die around Arya in the same manner and she puts the pieces together. You could see some things coming for sure, it was pretty predictable. The unique personality, coupled with social anxiety and Tourette’s makes this anything but your typical cozy mystery.
January 18, 2023
Arya Winters is not your typical protagonist, but I really enjoyed her. I literally laughed out loud at some of the things she said. Enjoyed the audiobook narration as well. I will definitely check out future additions to the series.
January 20, 2022
oh, i really enjoyed this one. the mystery was engaging and well-paced. the narrator was wacky and unique and [charmingly -- but don't tell her I said that] damaged.
can't wait to read the next one!
can't wait to read the next one!
Read
May 5, 2022Enjoyed this quirky cozy mystery set in an English village with a desi protagonist!
March 9, 2023
Promising premise. Just poorly written :/
May 18, 2022
A really good cozy but with a bit more weight to it. I liked the characters, the town, the desserts, and the overall mystery. If you are looking for something light, this isn’t quite it. But if you like the genre and want to get into more character development, check it out.
June 12, 2022
I was in an inner war within myself as to how to rate this book. Somedays this book left me turning the pages and other days I just wanted to throw it in the trash. I was thinking about giving this a 3 Star but at the end felt that it might be too much for this book.
Where do I begin....well let's begin with the positives, which is not alot by the way.
- I liked some of the surrounding characters. I think they were very well structured and played well with the plot of this book.
- I enjoyed the writing. I think the author has a good way of telling a story but I truly believe that this was not the story for her to tell. And honestly it was the way she wrote this book that made me keep going with this otherwise I would have stopped early on.
And here are the cons....
- I have high regards about the author's writing however we all know that writing alone is not going to help with writing phenomenal book. Along with writing comes proper forming of plot, climax, characters and so on. And these are some that I found the author to be lacking.
- the protagonist, Arya Winters...my God she was annoying. I understand that no one is perfect and we should not have a set characteristics of what a heroine should be. But Arya Winters was not likable at all. I am aware she went through a lot in her childhood and thus the way she is. However, her self destructiveness makes no sense sometimes. She gets mad when her friend cancels plans (like normal people do sometimes) and almost wants to hurt her buuuuut she is ok if she herself ignores people and their calls. Arya is extremely self obsessed, spoilt in some sense, selfish, and her reasons for the way she decides to present herself in front of people are quite warped. She seems to only think of herself 100% of the time.
- the romantic relationship between Arya and Bran - I didn't feel any romance. Sure there were some intense looking and some flowery words...but all I felt was lust between both parties. Even with Branwell trying to stay away from touching Arya, it just seemed like even during those moments there wasn't any romance felt...if anything, the romance felt forced.
- the antagonist, Willie Arnott. God, this was so easy to see. I knew it was him the minute he was introduced and my heart never wavered on that. There were already obvious clues in his introduction and really wish that the author would have done a good job on keeping us on our toes when it came to the murderer.
Overall, I'm just I'm happy I'm done with this book and can move on.
Where do I begin....well let's begin with the positives, which is not alot by the way.
- I liked some of the surrounding characters. I think they were very well structured and played well with the plot of this book.
- I enjoyed the writing. I think the author has a good way of telling a story but I truly believe that this was not the story for her to tell. And honestly it was the way she wrote this book that made me keep going with this otherwise I would have stopped early on.
And here are the cons....
- I have high regards about the author's writing however we all know that writing alone is not going to help with writing phenomenal book. Along with writing comes proper forming of plot, climax, characters and so on. And these are some that I found the author to be lacking.
- the protagonist, Arya Winters...my God she was annoying. I understand that no one is perfect and we should not have a set characteristics of what a heroine should be. But Arya Winters was not likable at all. I am aware she went through a lot in her childhood and thus the way she is. However, her self destructiveness makes no sense sometimes. She gets mad when her friend cancels plans (like normal people do sometimes) and almost wants to hurt her buuuuut she is ok if she herself ignores people and their calls. Arya is extremely self obsessed, spoilt in some sense, selfish, and her reasons for the way she decides to present herself in front of people are quite warped. She seems to only think of herself 100% of the time.
- the romantic relationship between Arya and Bran - I didn't feel any romance. Sure there were some intense looking and some flowery words...but all I felt was lust between both parties. Even with Branwell trying to stay away from touching Arya, it just seemed like even during those moments there wasn't any romance felt...if anything, the romance felt forced.
- the antagonist, Willie Arnott. God, this was so easy to see. I knew it was him the minute he was introduced and my heart never wavered on that. There were already obvious clues in his introduction and really wish that the author would have done a good job on keeping us on our toes when it came to the murderer.
Overall, I'm just I'm happy I'm done with this book and can move on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2022
Arya Winters (GoT inspo?---Arya Stark/Winter Is Coming) is a speciality cake baker who has moved back to a small town after the murder of her aunt.
There she befriends a few people, and one of them, Tobias Yards, actually dies after eating tiramisu made by her. What could the motive and connection between the two murders possibly be? There are a bunch of quirky characters in town, and all have a secret or two to spill. Throw in a secret meeting of people in the forest carrying out some kind of a ritual (a sex cult?) and things take a bit of a bonkers turn.
Honestly, I thought the plot had promise, and the author has created some great quirky characters that I could imagine vividly. The banter between Arya and her love interest was cute and funny. But Arya was sooooo annoying! I understand how her childhood was not ideal and that made her reclusive and unapproachable, but it got old after a while. There's introverted, and then there's TRYING TOO HARD to maintain the image of a standoffish loner by being rude and dismissive towards everyone, Tourette's notwithstanding.
And what's with the throwing herself at the and arm-twisting Branwell Beam to try and get him to sleep with her? Cringe. She is the kind of self-deprecating, self-sabotaging hot mess nobody wants to be around.
I figured out who the killer was just a bit before it was revealed, and it was kind of anticlimactic for me since I didn't think the motive was solid enough. I prefer the twists and reveals that take my breath away and make me feel like I've been punched in the gut, but this didn't have those. Some of the bits of the book were repetitive (Arya going on and on about 'the look' her Aunt and had before they died, multiple times through the book)and some aspects of the plot were just plain...unnecessary.
Overall, I gave this three stars anyway because of the characters, the setting and some of the witty banter, though in the end, not a memorable read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Agora Books and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There she befriends a few people, and one of them, Tobias Yards, actually dies after eating tiramisu made by her. What could the motive and connection between the two murders possibly be? There are a bunch of quirky characters in town, and all have a secret or two to spill. Throw in a secret meeting of people in the forest carrying out some kind of a ritual (a sex cult?) and things take a bit of a bonkers turn.
Honestly, I thought the plot had promise, and the author has created some great quirky characters that I could imagine vividly. The banter between Arya and her love interest was cute and funny. But Arya was sooooo annoying! I understand how her childhood was not ideal and that made her reclusive and unapproachable, but it got old after a while. There's introverted, and then there's TRYING TOO HARD to maintain the image of a standoffish loner by being rude and dismissive towards everyone, Tourette's notwithstanding.
And what's with the throwing herself at the and arm-twisting Branwell Beam to try and get him to sleep with her? Cringe. She is the kind of self-deprecating, self-sabotaging hot mess nobody wants to be around.
I figured out who the killer was just a bit before it was revealed, and it was kind of anticlimactic for me since I didn't think the motive was solid enough. I prefer the twists and reveals that take my breath away and make me feel like I've been punched in the gut, but this didn't have those. Some of the bits of the book were repetitive (Arya going on and on about 'the look' her Aunt and had before they died, multiple times through the book)and some aspects of the plot were just plain...unnecessary.
Overall, I gave this three stars anyway because of the characters, the setting and some of the witty banter, though in the end, not a memorable read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Agora Books and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 1, 2021
"Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death" is a fun novel, not as cozy as you'd think the sub-genre's staples tend to be but "not cozy" enough to fit into another sub-genre.
Arya is a baker extraordinaire, happiest to be left alone, living in a very interestingly-named town called Trucklewood, where she has moved soon after her aunt (and closest relation) has passed away. In her brief stay, Arya has made herself as unavailable to her fellow citizens as she can, working tirelessly to keep up with the constant stream of orders that come her way.
When her ex's uncle is found murdered almost ritualistically, Arya plunges into getting to the bottom of the mystery, even though it forces her to make contact with other people, the sort of thing she prefers not to do.
Amita Murray should first be congratulated for coming up with Arya: rare are the instances where we get women with as much agency as Arya, and as much self-awareness. She knows exactly what she wants, how she feels, what she's doing. She wears all the bullet points about herself very lightly - notably her Tourette's, something she never overtly explains to anyone in the novel.
There is a great deftness with which Murray gets down to deconstructing her plot, and though there are multiple occasions where one tires of Arya, it's a mark of just how well the writing works. We aren't meant to love her at all. Just like her enough as a person to go along on this journey.
The novel probes some very interesting spaces that seem almost totally detached from the mystery, so much so that it almost feels like a stream-of-consciousness piece than a murder mystery.
I particularly enjoyed the little details Murray adds, and the fact that a reader has an almost equal chance of guessing the murderer before the denouement.
Would definitely return to Murray's work for seconds.
Arya is a baker extraordinaire, happiest to be left alone, living in a very interestingly-named town called Trucklewood, where she has moved soon after her aunt (and closest relation) has passed away. In her brief stay, Arya has made herself as unavailable to her fellow citizens as she can, working tirelessly to keep up with the constant stream of orders that come her way.
When her ex's uncle is found murdered almost ritualistically, Arya plunges into getting to the bottom of the mystery, even though it forces her to make contact with other people, the sort of thing she prefers not to do.
Amita Murray should first be congratulated for coming up with Arya: rare are the instances where we get women with as much agency as Arya, and as much self-awareness. She knows exactly what she wants, how she feels, what she's doing. She wears all the bullet points about herself very lightly - notably her Tourette's, something she never overtly explains to anyone in the novel.
There is a great deftness with which Murray gets down to deconstructing her plot, and though there are multiple occasions where one tires of Arya, it's a mark of just how well the writing works. We aren't meant to love her at all. Just like her enough as a person to go along on this journey.
The novel probes some very interesting spaces that seem almost totally detached from the mystery, so much so that it almost feels like a stream-of-consciousness piece than a murder mystery.
I particularly enjoyed the little details Murray adds, and the fact that a reader has an almost equal chance of guessing the murderer before the denouement.
Would definitely return to Murray's work for seconds.
May 10, 2022
Some of my favorite cozy mystery series involve a slightly anti-social, crotchety, and curious senior citizen who asks blunt questions in the village while trying to solve a murder or two. Baked goods are often involved and some interesting townsfolk who could be the sleuth's friends or could be the prime suspect.
Arya Winters is that main character you expect in a cozy. Only she's 30 and her delicious baked goods lean toward the macabre. She's trying to connect the murder of her beloved Auntie Meera with another murder in the village. This forces her out of her comfort zone and out into the public. Her inner dialogues and the way she often breaks the fourth wall to address the reader are fantastic.
I do wish there was a recipe for the black widow / spider granola that is mentioned several times in the book.I'm so curious as to what makes it spidery.
I would definitely read another installment in this series.
*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.
Arya Winters is that main character you expect in a cozy. Only she's 30 and her delicious baked goods lean toward the macabre. She's trying to connect the murder of her beloved Auntie Meera with another murder in the village. This forces her out of her comfort zone and out into the public. Her inner dialogues and the way she often breaks the fourth wall to address the reader are fantastic.
I do wish there was a recipe for the black widow / spider granola that is mentioned several times in the book.I'm so curious as to what makes it spidery.
I would definitely read another installment in this series.
*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.
September 7, 2021
I loved this book! It starts off strong and is compelling right away. I found the central character, Arya, quirky and I immediately wanted to know more about her. She has a unique voice, which I loved. As the story progresses, it gets creepier (some of the scenes were downright scary!). I thought the ending was really well done and I definitely did not see it coming. The decadent desserts described throughout the book were a great touch as well and I found myself constantly wanting to be in Arya’s kitchen. It’s a masterfully done Christie meets Fleabag meets Bake Off and I can’t wait to read the next instalment!
February 26, 2022
This cozy mystery seemed to be a little convoluted (although that could also be because I listened to the audio version). I did enjoy reading about a main character with Tourette’s. The main character had a good story arc but then they seemed to throw that entire arc away at the end which was frustrating. Also this British author and the British narrator clearly don’t understand how the one character from Texas should talk. The over the top accent is one thing but no one uses the term “Y’all” to refer to just a single individual. It grated on my ears each time.
April 4, 2024
All the mc talks about is how much other people hate her and I am definitely one of them
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