A Clue in the Crumbs (A Key West Food Critic Mystery #1… (2024)

My second visit to Hayley Snow and her home on a houseboat in Key West. In this episode Hayley and Gloria are assisting two friends from Scotland who are visiting America and presenting a Bake Off show. Of course nothing ever goes smoothly, a body is discovered, and the four women work together to try and discover the murderer.

I enjoyed the mystery and guessed the culprit long before our team of sleuths did. I liked reading about life on a houseboat and in Key West in general. And of course my mouth watered at the beautiful restaurant meals and some of the bake off items, all lovingly described by the author who must be a foodaholic herself.

An excellent series and I must get around to reading the earlier books which I missed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Clue in the Crumbs is the 13th book in the Key West Food Critic series. Hayley Snow is the main character who lives in Key West, Florida and works for Key West Style, an e-magazine. She is married to Nathan Bransford, a police detective. They live on a houseboat on Houseboat Row. Gloria is her elderly neighbor who lives on the houseboat next to her. They are good friends.

Violet and Bettina Booth are the scone sisters from England who are coming to the U.S. to promote their show UK Bakes Key West edition. The show will take place at Williams Hall in town. Their best friend, Martha Hubbard and local chef is heading the contest for the show. The sisters are staying at a B&B run by Vincent and Rayna Humboldt. After they are picked up at the airport by Gloria and Hayley they find out that their B&B they are suppose to be staying has had a fire and have to find another place to stay. Gloria invites them to stay with her at her houseboat. The next day they go to the hall and meet the contestants who will be competing in the show. Rayna Humboldt, Harry Sweeting and Martina Bevis. While baking the different cakes things start to happen that takes the reader on an adventure. Vincent Humboldt is found murdered in an alley near their home. Killed by a knife. It appears that the knife is part of the sister's things that were sent from England. Gloria, Violet, Bettina and Hayley decide to find who killed Vincent. Other great characters are introduced to the story which builds up into an exciting ending.

The sister's agent Avid Smith/Tim Trahant is another part of the story who turns out not to be who he says he is. This is another mystery to the story.

I enjoyed the story which is a quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC

This is quite a long series and this is the first I’ve read and I really liked it ! The mystery was good, and I loved all the characters ..

I do enjoy a good cosy mystery, add in some yummy food and a great setting, Key West and a house boat and some wonderful fun characters and this one was a thoroughly enjoyable read that had me guessing. This was my first time meeting food critic Hayley Snow and her off-sider Miss Gloria and it was good to meet them.

Hayley and Miss Gloria are thrilled to be welcoming the Scottish Scone Sisters Violet and Bettina to their home town to do a new TV bake off show, Key West Edition, but things go upside down when the B & B they are supposed to be staying in goes up in flames, easily fixed they can stay on the houseboat with Miss Gloria but when the owner of the B & B is found murdered and it turns out that his wife Rayna is one of the contestants in the show, Hayley and Miss Gloria go into full investigative mode with the help of Violet and Bettina.

Will they find the fire bug and the killer before anyone is hurt, are they the same person? Will the bake off show still go ahead? I am glad I picked this one up and I look forward to getting around to reading more in this series, I do recommend this one to anyone who loves a good cosy mystery.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

A Clue in the Crumbs is book thirteen in the Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette. During her honeymoon in Scotland, food critic Hayley Snow met the Scottish Scone Sisters Violet and Bettina Booth and was so excited they were coming to Key West. On the first day of shooting the Key West Edition of their show, Rayna's husband dies, and Violet and Bettina become the prime suspect. Hayley Snow started to help her husband with the investigation to clear Violet and Bettina's name. The readers will continue to follow Hayley Snow to discover what happens.

A Clue in the Crumbs is another fantastic addition to this excellent series by Lucy Burdette. I also enjoy the recipes in her books, and I will try Lucy Burdette's scones recipe, hoping it will finally help me make them. I love Lucy Burdette's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. A Cue in the Crumbs is well-written and researched by Lucy Burdette. I like Lucy Burdette's description of the settings of A Clue in the Crumbs, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

The readers of A Clue in the Crumbs will learn how to make good scones. Also, the readers of A Clue in the Crumbs will learn about the consequences of swindling money out of people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC for an honest review. I recommend this book.

Hayley, a food critic in Key West, finds herself helping with a new baking program showcasing the Scone Sisters, two older women from Scotland. The sisters are supposed to be judging the contest, but the contestants leave a lot to be desired, from using prepackaged foods to making a yeasted bread on quick bread day. Then there is an arson fire and a murder, and of course Hayley, her friend Gloria, and the sisters decide to investigate, despite warnings from Hayley's police officer husband, Nate. The Key West setting is fun, and recipes are included. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another five-star review from Lucy Burdette in the Key West Food Critic Mysteries. The baking contest featuring the charming Scone sisters from Scotland had me intrigued. One of the competitors' husband was murdered, which was an intriguing twist in the drama surrounding the competition. Hayley Snow, the Key West food critic, remains one of my favorite characters. Her friends and family make this series a must-read every time.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was an honest review

I had a blast reading A Clue in the Crumbs.
Haley Snow, Miss Gloria, Nathan, and all the other wonderful characters made this book so much fun!
The Scone Sisters, a pair of Scottish older ladies, are heading to Key West!
Known for their fabulous scones, the sisters are part of a baking show, and their first stop is murder.
I couldn't get enough of the mystery or of the laugh out loud parts, especially all the "ma dears."
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Dollycas's Thoughts

Violet and Bettina Booth, aka the Scottish Scone Sisters,have come to Key West to visit Hayley and Miss Gloria and to host the UK Bakes!—Key West Edition. Due to a fire at the B&B where they were supposed to stay the sisters end up staying on Miss Gloria's houseboat, right next door to Hayley.

They all arrive on the set where the cooking show will be filmed to meet the three local bakers. One is Rayna, she and her husband own the B&B that had the fire. The other contestants are Harry Sweeting and Martina Bevis. Rayna's husband storms the set to get Rayna to drop out and come home and the next night he is found dead with evidence that lands Scottish Scone Sisters at the top of the suspect list.

Do the sisters have a recipe to get them out of trouble? While UK Bakes!—Key West Edition continues, Violet, Bettina, Gloria, and Hayley keep their eyes peeled for any clues. They report everything they learn to Haley's police detective husband, Nathan, but the murderer is right on their tail. Can the killer be caught or will UK Bakes! lose its hosts and two of its biggest fans?

___

These characters are so much fun. I love the relationship that Miss Gloria and Hayley have, it feels so real and true to life. Hayley and Nathan's relationship is so comfortable. Nathan is so patient and kind with Miss Gloria and in this story with Bettina, and Violet. Having Hayley's mom and Sam nearby enables them to participate in everything Hayley gets wrapped up in. I also like Lorenzo, Hayley's Tarot Card reading friend. Sometimes he is very involved in the story, sometimes she only visits him once. This time he was actually invited to dinner on her houseboat and that let him know and us readers too how important he is to Hayley. I loved that Bettina and Violet were able to visit Key West, they are just so much fun. Miss Burdette has created such strong characters and they continue to grow and be relevant. That is not easy to do in a long-running series.

The author has put forth a complicated mystery starting first with the fire that was clearly arson, then the murder which led to other events, including a missing agent. All kept the pages turning quickly. It is always fun when Miss Gloria tags along with Hayley in a quest to get answers but adding the Scone Sisters was marvelous. They were up for everything and anything and took to snooping like pros. Ms. Burdette threw some nice twists to shake things up and misdirect. I had discounted the actual guilty party completely. The exciting showdown and reveal surprised me. And what a showdown it was!

As always Ms. Burdette's descriptive style sets each scene wonderfully. I was able to visualize every place from Williams Hall where the baking show was filmed to Miss Gloria's and Hayley's houseboats to all the places around Key West where the characters traveled. She also had me drooling over the food descriptions too. Yes, there are recipes at the back of the book. It was like a little virtual vacation.

A Crumb in the Clues was such an entertaining read! Fabulous characters and a divinely plotted mystery with plenty of humor make it A Perfect Escape. I hope this isn't the last we see of Betina and Violet. Until next year, Ms. Burdette. I can hardly wait.

Key West on Saint Patrick's Day meets the Scottish Scene Sisters who are visiting to tape a baking show. All your favorite characters are there in this lively and delicious cozy with an exceptionally knotty plot. Lots of fun with great description food and a few recipes to boot. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to be Miss Gloria when I get old! I love her spunk and vitality! She definitely drags Haley, the main character, into some interesting situations. Add in two elderly visitors from Scotland who also like to get into the thick of things and you have a fun time following the antics of all involved as they quickly try to unravel the mystery of who the arsonist and killer are. Could it be separate criminals or just one spreading their evil over multiple crimes. I love how the author weaves her stories with the personal lives of the characters, multiple potential suspects, yummy food and a great setting to make the mystery an experience rather than just a story. This one in particular was wrought with potential suspects and misdeeds so it was fun to be along for the ride while the characters unraveled the mystery! I can't wait to see what antics are in store for Haley and Miss Gloria in the future!

"A Clue in the Crumbs" the 13th instalment in the "A Key West Food Critic" Mystery series by Lucy Burdette. This is one of my favourite foodie cozy mystery series.

I really enjoyed this story and hanging out with Haley, Miss Gloria, and the Scone Sisters! I must say I really do love octogenarian Miss Gloria and now Violet and Bettina.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I liked trying to figure out who killed the overbearing B&B owner. I kept second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

That Miss Gloria’s something else! She’s always been my fave of Hayley’s friends and in the last few books, she’s gotten even more of a presence which I absolutely love! Put her together with Bettina and Violet from Scotland and you’ve got a pretty awesome senior sleuthing trio. Those ladies even after a long flight from Scotland never stopped going and definitely kept Hayley on the move as well.

I eventually suspected whodunit but none of the exact details. The Scone Sisters’ agent was an odd character but he ended up with quite the tale to tell after he’d vanished right after the murder. The showdown was a crazy one, but everyone ended up back at Hayley’s for food, friendship and a little debriefing about the case. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Scone Sisters visit again, only maybe next time not have a baking contest, just some good old tourism mayhem! I’m sure there’d still be plenty for those ladies to see and do. Don’t miss this latest installment when it releases August 8, 2023.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in advance of its publication in return for a review.

A Clue in the Crumbs is the 13th book in Lucy Burdette’s A Key West Food Critic Mystery Series, and is certainly was a lucky number 13 to me.

This book was absolutely charming. It doesn’t suffer some of the problems I’ve had with jumping into other cozy series midstream. Although all the characters come to you fully formed with extensive backstories, you don’t really feel like you’re missing any pieces of them at all. Their relationships all felt really full and real without having to explain how they fitted together. Well done.

This book follows our protagonist Hayley and her next door neighbour and best friend Miss Gloria as they welcome two friends from Scotland, Violet and Bettina, The Scone Sisters, to key west to film the first leg of their cook show based in the states. It becomes clear that it is not going to be a smooth visit when they find out that the hotel that The Scone Sisters were suppose to stay at has had a fire, and shortly afterwards the owner was murdered. This sends the team of four women, and one tired husband/detective, on a journey to figure out what’s happening and try to save the show.

This book didn’t have a lot of twists and turns, and although the mystery element was there it wasn’t always front and centre for me. What did hold all of my attention was the characters and their relationships with each other. They all felt so lived in and like they were a real community. I loved it.

This has been the first book that I’ve read that’s been set in the Florida keys and it was a really delightful setting! I wish the book was a little longer so I had more time to luxuriate in its setting. Luckily for me there are 12 other books in the series I can read to soak in all that sun and Jimmy Buffett

This would be a great book for any cozy fan who’s looking for an escape to the south, or anyone who wants to enjoy a quaint little story about some wonderful characters.

Hayley is a food critic and her husband Nathan is a police detective.
This time she shares the sleuthing not only with her fantastic octogenarian neighbor Ms. Gloria but with two elder friends, the Scone Sisters, that she and husband met while on their honeymoon in Scotland. The sisters have turned their win on a British baking show into a line of bakeware as well as a TV touring. But their hotel goes up in flames, their agent goes MIA, and then there's the murder. Well done and full of surprises. Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Scottish sisters that we met in A Scone of Contention come to Key West to do a US version of their TV baking contest show. None of the contestants is very good, but the best one's husband is killed, and Hailey, Miss Gloria and the sisters set out to find the killer so the show can go on. Lots of red herrings in this one. I was sure I had the killer nailed, but I was wrong. Includes recipes.

I want to be Miss Gloria when I get old! I love her spunk and vitality! She definitely drags Haley, the main character, into some interesting situations. Add in two elderly visitors from Scotland who also like to get into the thick of things and you have a fun time following the antics of all involved as they quickly try to unravel the mystery of who the arsonist and killer are. Could it be separate criminals or just one spreading their evil over multiple crimes. I love how the author weaves her stories with the personal lives of the characters, multiple potential suspects, yummy food and a great setting to make the mystery an experience rather than just a story. This one in particular was wrought with potential suspects and misdeeds so it was fun to be along for the ride while the characters unraveled the mystery! I can't wait to see what antics are in store for Haley and Miss Gloria in the future!

The Scottish Scone Sisters have come to Key West and Hayley Snow couldn't be happier. They have come to host The UK Bakes for the Key West edition. Things start off horribly for the sisters when the first thing to happen when.they get to town is their lodging is set on fire. The show must go on though and the three bakers who are a part of the event are ready together started the next day. When one of the contestants husband is found dead and the sisters are the main suspects Hayley jumps right in. Making sure that the show gets finished as well as investigating is Hayley's main objective. When she starts to make headway in figuring out who the killer is she realizes she has.put herself in danger. Will Hayley be able to name the murderer before she ends up as the next victim?

The Scottish Scone Sisters have come to Key West and Hayley Snow couldn't be happier. They have come to host The UK Bakes for the Key West edition. Things start off horribly for the sisters when the first thing to happen when.they get to town is their lodging is set on fire. The show must go on though and the three bakers who are a part of the event are ready together started the next day. When one of the contestants husband is found dead and the sisters are the main suspects Hayley jumps right in. Making sure that the show gets finished as well as investigating is Hayley's main objective. When she starts to make headway in figuring out who the killer is she realizes she has.put herself in danger. Will Hayley be able to name the murderer before she ends up as the next victim?

This is another fun cozy mystery all about food. It was interesting to get some insights as to how a baking contest is organized and produced for television. Haley is a good amateur sleuth, aided by her older friend, Miss Gloria. I loved the Scone Sisters and their dialogue and quips. I like the setting too. Having visited Key West years ago, it was fun too be reminded of the interesting places. And there are recipes included at the end of the book. That's a good thing as the food descriptions sound luscious.

This is a good cozy mystery for readers who enjoy a novel with many references to food, a good amateur sleuth and an interesting location.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I listened to this volume in the series rather than read it in print format and I think that might have had an impact on my enjoyment. The narrator took a little getting used to but she was by no means, a deterrent to my pleasure. It just changed the way I interacted with the characters. For some books, the narration is a key component to the storytelling, but I think I prefer this series in print. Most of what I like about this series are the characters. The mysteries are secondary, so I need to slow down and enjoy them and not zip through the plot like an audiobook can do. Time to wait for a print copy when the 2024 edition comes out.

A Clue in the Crumbs is yet another winner in the deliciously cozy Key West Food Critic series by author Lucy Burdette - and this particular story brings the Scone sisters to Key West all the way from their native Scotland! When Bettina and Violet make Key West the first stop on their UK Bakes! American tour, their pals Miss Gloria and Hayley are glad to help in any way they can. But when a contestant's husband is murdered and then their agent disappears, the ladies (plus Nathan!) decide they need to investigate. A fun and fast read, and a great addition to the series! A+++

Cozy mysterys my thing, you know?

I never realized this was part of a series, thats a good thing you know, know I have a entire series to read. I loved hayley and miss Gloria and Nathan 👀 (he's part of the force, I love mmcs that are in the force). Please, I never could have guessed the killer 😥😟.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for a eARC in return of a honest review

Number 13 wasn't lucky enough for me. I still like the characters, but Key West is a small place to have all these murders ( I know, a recent book in the series was set in Scotland), but I am tired of Hayley always writing restaurant reviews under pressure and the world of food and baking contests. This is a me problem; I love series, but I do get bored by them.

Fantastic read as always. I love Hayley and Miss Gloria so much (her sons not so much). Love Nathan the Scone sisters. Excited to try the recipes in the book! This was a fun book that kept me guessing. Always love a great story with Hayley and the gang!

When the two Scottish sisters who gained fame from their scone baking visit Key West to bring their baking program to America, they end up staying on the houseboat next door to food critic Hayley and her policeman-husband, after the bed and breakfast where they had reservations has a arson fire. There's trouble with the filming, too, and with a disappearing agent.

Number 13 in the Key West Mysteries! LOVE them! Hayley Snow and her next door neighbor, 80+ year old Gloria host two baking sisters from Scotland that they met on Hayley's honeymoon. They are in Key West to launch the American tour of their cooking show. Mayhem and wonderful recipes ensue. A perfect read for the holidays!

This is a good series. I love Hayley and her friends who help her solve mysteries. I love the descriptions of Key West. It makes me want to visit there. This book revolves around a visit from the Scottish sisters she met in book #11. The mystery was layered and kept me guessing. I really like the sense of community and family found in these books.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. Hayley, Miss Gloria, and their two Scottish friends are just a hoot and I loved following them around in their adventures, although sometimes I find it unbelievable that they have so much energy. This is my first Lucy Burdette book for this won't be the last.

Book 13 of Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic Mystery series brings the Scone sisters from Scotland to Key West. There, they will be hosting a baking show contest, but things seem to be falling apart. First, the sisters’ B&B was burned down, then two of the three contestants don’t actually seem to know how to bake, the third contestant shows up with an angry husband on her heels, and finally said husband ends up murdered. The sisters also cannot find their agent or their equipment.

This is not one of my favorites. I actually had a hard time getting through this one. The mystery didn’t flow smoothly in my opinion, and the reasonings for everything was off. Suspects and evidence didn’t feel fully formed and I just couldn’t understand the killers reasoning for anything. Nor did I understand how they were caught.

However, I did enjoy the main characters and their relationships. I didn’t understand Gloria’s sons and how they thought they could order their mother into an assisted living. This isn’t the 1800’s or even the early 1900’s, next of kin cannot force relatives into homes with proof/evidence of the inability to care for themselves. But I did enjoy how much energy the Scone sisters had, and how Hayley tried to be there for them all. I hope that the next book connects the dots better, as well as follows Hayley’s job better.

Overall, I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars.