The Golden Spoon is the debut novel of Jessa Maxwell. It involves a baking show, a very popular baking show, it's been on the air for many years. Recently however, in fact, with this season of the 'bake off' the producers decided it needed some spicing up and brought in a co-host. He also has a baking show, but one that is much edgier. Six contestants have been selected from the hundreds that have applied. Each day there is a new challenge, each day someone will be eliminated. All have a different reason for wanting to be on the show. They all have a history, of course. Things start to happen: one contestant finds salt in a sugar container, there is gasoline in another's syrup. It started out well, but now tempers flare and then everything falls apart when a body is found. Nicely done.

Ivy Galloway and her rescue dog (a border collier) are the proud owners of a hobby farm she plans on turning into a B&B. The rescue of Keats was rough (original owner was abusive) and Ivy is happy to return to the small town of Clover Grove. At least until the body of the local (and unpopular) dog catcher Lloyd Boyce is found dead in the rye field. This could impact her plans, for sure. And, it looks like Boyce might not be the only target, could she be next? She needs to solve this mystery, and quickly! Dogcatcher in the Rye is the first in the Bought the Farm Mystery by Ellen Riggs.

Reading Hermit With Dog