Dying To Bake (A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery, #8) by Helen Golden

Dying To Bake (A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery, #8) Reviews

• 
  Kay Cobbold

  There is only one negative thing about this book, and that’s I’ve now finished it and, already, missing my new friends! It was, definitely, “a keep reading but don’t want it to end” book! Being from England, I felt very “cosy/cozy” with the English references and loved the whole “Bake Off Wars” idea, which reminded me of one of my favourite T.V. programmes. Golden, skilfully, manipulates the main plot and sub plots smoothly, and her characters are realistic. She creates believable relationships and makes the reader invest in her characters. I loved Bea and enjoyed reading about her growing closeness to Rich; Perry and Simon are delightful and, I think, it’s impossible not to love Daisy. Golden’s setting introduces her reader to an unfamiliar, to many, insight into life as a member of a royal family, and the problems and restrictions that such a life brings. I could write much more about this delightful book, but I don’t want to give too much away about the plot. All I can say is, if you are looking for a substantial read with lots of twists and surprises, then this book is for you.
• 
  Dallass

  A fun cosy for a rainy day.
  
  I only recently discovered this cute series. I typically devour these books in one sitting as I find myself getting swept away with Lady Bea as she gets tangled in whatever the current investigation is - thanks to Perry - and having to deal with everything that is thrown her way.
  
  Thankfully after all these adventures, we are finally getting a little pay off in the ‘will they, or won’t they’ tension that’s been building between Bea and Rich since the beginning. Then there’s the other revelation that hit Perry and Simon, and will definitely surprise the others when they find out.
  
  A great little cozy series, heavy on the amateur investigating, but with some great characters. Definitely need to read in order, but well worth it.
  
  4.5 stars
• 
  Inishowen Cailín

  In Dying to Bake Lady Beatrice reluctantly takes on a new investigation after TV chef Vera Bolt is murdered at Francis Court. She follows various suspects through a twisting path of red herrings and danger. The plot is cleverly contrived and easy to read with a great cast of characters. The familiar group of friends and family appear, and Daisy, the dog, is always a delight.
  Suspense and drama unfold at a rapid pace with a second murder and it isn't long before Lady Bea finds herself confronting a killer.
  The relationship between Richard and Beatrice takes a new turn, signalling some life changes for them.
• 
  Lori Hendel

  Dying to Bake is the latest book in the Right Royal Investigation series. A Baking Cook-off show is being filmed on the grounds of Fenshire Castle and one of the judges is killed. Although Lady Beatrice and her sidekick Perrry Jukes try to stay out of the investigation, they are pulled in by none other than Bea's brother Lord Fred! Lord Fred also pulls Richard Fitzwilliam, the still recovering PaIRs investigator, into the mix as the investigator sent by PaIRs is ineffective. A surprising story with a bunch of plot twists results in another delightful adventure for our favorite characters. A thoroughly enjoyable book!
• 
  Alison

  Another great book in this delightful series. Bea and Fitzwilliam have a new heat that isn’t tempers! There’s also a host of characters who seem like they could have done it, leaving readers guessing and second guessing. The core group is all together and working well together and still manage to find themselves in a tight spot. It felt a little slow getting started, but then it soon hit its stride and was a good page-turner!
  
  I received a free advance copy from the author. My opinion is voluntary and my own.
• 
  Michelle

  What a lovely story! A tricky murder mystery that has plenty of twists and turns and even a red herring or two. There’s an amazing backdrop of Francis Court and the world within a world it contains. I enjoyed the relationships that developed and are developing as well as appearances from friends and some others. A fun, lighthearted book with an amazing mystery to try and solve before Bea and co. Just absolutely delightful!.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  M.J.

  Dying to Bake is a fab addition to the Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery series. I've read all the books, including the short stories.
  The series has gone from strength to strength, and our investigative team of Bea, Perry, Simon and Fitzwilliam are now a well-oiled machine, even if they sometimes work at cross-purposes with one another.
  When the quest to find the killer of our renowned chef gets a little too personal for Bea, she and her reliable team of allies assemble to uncover the truth.
  Once more, the mystery is assured and well-plotted, the clues there for those who can spot them as we move towards the big reveal.
  I just love this series. It's a real joy to read, and I'm so pleased the stories continue to be so well-structured and confidently resolved.
  
• 
  Delphia Von Heeder

  Dying to Bake is Book 9 in A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery by Helen Golden. This book is written in British English and I believe that this makes the story feel real. I like the characters. I thought that there were surprises and unexpected things happened.. I found the book enjoyable. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
• 
  Brenda

  In a shocking announcement this afternoon, Vera Bolt’s agent confirmed that the Bake Off Wars judge and national treasure died yesterday.Who killed her? This is a good mystery.
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
• 
  jyweniverel

  I am so disappointed…..now I have to wait and watch for the next book! I don’t know how I will cope not knowing what’s going to happen. Things really ramped up with Lady Bea and Fitzwilliam and the news for Simon!?!? Don’t hurry, but hurry and write it. Aaaahhh so good. 8)
• 
  Bridging's Books

  Full review and more can be found on
  Bridging's Books - Dying To Bake Review
  
  Our Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
  
  Dying To Bake is the latest book in Helen Golden’s A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series mostly centred around Lady Beatrice, the Countess of Rossex and the Seventeenth in line to the British Throne, and her endeavours to help solve crimes that happen around her. And Dying To Bake is no different…
  
  Bake Off Wars is Back! Get your aprons on and let the sleuthing begin!
  
  One of the hosts of the hit show Vera Bolt is found dead in the competition tent. She has been killed. Lady Beatrice has every intention to try and stay out of it, that is until her brother’s rumoured new girlfriend; Summer York, is the main suspect from the new royal investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Hayden Saunders.
  
  And now Lady Bea is in a race against time to clear Summer’s name before Saunders decides he has enough evidence to throw the book at her. Will she be able to navigate the labyrinth of secrets and lies and evade danger?
  
  Let me first begin that this was my first entry into Helen Golden’s A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series and so for the most part I found myself feeling like I was stuck on the back foot. I was spending most of my time trying to catch-up and understand each of the characters, their histories and their relationships with each other. Throughout there was a lot of references to what I am presuming was involved in earlier books in the series. And so because of this, unfortunately, I found it quite hard to get into Dying To Bake. Now I fully understand that this is more of a me problem than Helen Golden’s and so I will be doing my best to have this not be a factor for the rest of the review (as best I can).
  
  I Found some of the characters to act quite entitled, one of them being the main protagonist herself; Lady Beatrice. Now this could be a good portrayal of royalty, or something I may be used to if I had read through the series from the beginning. But throughout Dying To Bake, I found that she just seemed to think that she knew best, (regardless of the fact that she did indeed know best) and because the murder happened in the vicinity of her she thought it was perfectly okay to meddle and try and work it out for herself…
  
  There were a few moments with some character conversations where I found that it didn’t matter if they were saying their thoughts out loud or not as everyone seemed to be responding to their inner thoughts and monologues as if they had been spoken. If this only happened once or twice, I maybe wouldn’t have noticed it or been bothered by it, but it was quite a frequent occurrence and for me was the worst part of the read.
  
  And now that’s enough doom and gloom, time for the good stuff.
  
  The whodunnit aspect to Dying To Bake was deftly handled throughout. While the characters may have been a bit annoying to follow in places or to understand their dynamics, I stayed with this for the plot. I was intrigued to know who had indeed done it. And I was not disappointed. The story weaved an intricate and intriguing story. Helen Golden led you down a path, sometimes making it feel just a little bit too easy to then add in a new weave that would lead you down another path. I found the ending, the mystery being solved to be a very satisfying end, which can be difficult to pull off well.
  
  There was fair few moments of light-heartedness and humour which helped to make it a lot more enjoyable to go through. Lifting up the mood when it felt like our characters were in a lull, unable how to clear their friends name, and find the real culprit of Vera Bolt’s murder.
  
  A lot is promised and built up from the first couple of chapters that you’re just not sure how it’s all going to be fulfilled, but everything is answered and there is not a single stone that is not left unturned, and with a promise of more to come for all the characters.
  
  Overall, while I struggled to get to grips with the characters involved, sometimes finding the dialogue to come along a little too convenient with sometimes everyone seeming to have the power of reading minds, the plot of Dying To Bake was enjoyable to read.
  
  While most of my cons most definitely come from not reading the series from the beginning, I do think their is enough there to be able to enjoy this book as a great addition to her series and I will be looking to back track to the beginning and picking up Helen Golden’s A Right Royal Cozy Investigation from the very start. And if you are fan of the cozy whodunnit’s then I would recommend you to do the same. It won’t be long until Helen Golden’s name is well known in the genre.
• 
  Barbara Rogers

  Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
  Series: A Right Royal Cozy Investigation
  Publication Date: 3/25/24
  Period: Contemporary
  Number of Pages: 330
  
  It seems those Bake Off shows just can’t catch a break. The latest series of Bake Off Wars is being filmed at Francis Court estate, a compound that is home to Her Royal Highness Princess Helen and her husband, their son Fred, and their daughter Beatrice, widowed Countess of Rossex. The filming has only made it through one episode before one of the judges is murdered. Oops! The victim, sixty-six-year-old Vera Bolt, is not well-loved on the set, so there is a plethora of suspects.
  
  With Richard Fitzwilliam still recuperating from the gunshot wound he received in an earlier case, a new detective is assigned from the special force that is responsible for protecting the royals. DCI Hayden Saunders is a man with a chip on his shoulder and he doesn’t appreciate help or input from anyone – even a royal. Oops!
  
  Bea and her best friend and business partner, Perry Juke, swear to stay out of the investigation – and they keep to that vow until it becomes personal. The disagreeable DCI Saunders almost immediately zeroes in on Summer York who is a presenter on the show – and Bea’s brother’s girlfriend. When Fred asks for help – how can they say no?
  
  This is another excellent addition to this author’s A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series. The characters are warm and inviting and feel more and more like family with each new book – especially with the lovable West Highland Terrier, Daisy. I was so excited to see the relationship between Fitzwilliam and Bea take a significant step forward and will be looking forward to the next book to see the progress there. The mystery was excellently plotted and there were plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. While this can be read as a standalone book, I highly recommend reading the series in order from the beginning to get the full feel for the characters and their relationships.
  
  I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
  
• 
  loopyloulaura

  A TV baking show leads to frayed nerves and murder. The Countess of Rossex and her business partner are thrown into an investigation to prove her brother's girlfriend is innocent...
  Dying To Bake is part of the Right Royal Investigations series of cosy murder mysteries.
  When a TV cook/personality is murdered on set at a royal residence, Bea's brother Fred calls upon her, Perry and Rich to prove his girlfriend's innocence. Vera seems to have made plenty of enemies so there is a wide range of suspects and motives for the sleuths to unpick. However, it is Summer that the police are focussed upon. Bea and Rich's efforts are not welcomed by the police officer in charge so they have to use their contacts to help find crucial information to unravel the case.
  I'll be honest and say that I was a little disappointed by the last book but this one is back up to the usual high standard! I loved being immersed in the fictional royal family again and this had the added enjoyment of a popular baking show as the backdrop to the plot. There is a subplot about a mysterious young woman: I figured out her identity immediately but this didn't spoil my enjoyment as I waited for the characters to work it out.
  Rich is recovering from being shot and is recuperating on the royal estate so is frustrated that he cannot play an official role in the investigation. Bea and Perry are finishing off the refurbishments so that she can move back in to the Dower House and I felt happy that she is finally ready to move on with her life after the death of her husband many years previously. Daisy the dog features prominently throughout the book, hurrah! The romantic tension between Rich and Bea is almost unbearable as they both want to give in to their attraction (no spoilers about whether they do!)
  Dying To Bake is a hugely enjoyable cosy murder mystery.
• 
  Lucille

  Book Sirens gave me the opportunity to read an ARC of Dying to Bake by Helen Golden, the latest instalment of A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, in return for an honest review.
  
  Having thoroughly enjoyed the first books of the series, I was looking forward to reading this one and, as usual, not at all disappointed. Many of the same characters that played such an important role in the earlier books are present again in this one: Lady Beatrice, niece to the King of England, a rather persistent would-be detective who says she will not investigate because of her upcoming move to the Dower House; her assistant Perry Juke and his new husband, Simon Lattimore (a former CID police officer turned crime writer and amateur chef); DCI Richard Fitzwilliam, who, having been injured in a previous case, is staying in one of the cottages on site and is forbidden by his superior to get involved, but cannot stay on the sideline when Lord Frederick Astley, Lady Beatrice’s brother Fred asks them to help clear his love interest’s name; and of course, Daisy, the West Highland white terrier, who is not such a sleuth this time, but does find the murder weapon!
  This series is one of my favourite cosy mysteries! As always, there are plenty of suspects and different twists in the storyline that will keep you guessing.
  
  It is a fast-pacing read, relating the progress of the investigation, as well as the development of the relationship between Lady Bea and Fitzwilliam and, almost as an afterthought, a new development in Simon Lattimore’s life. The storyline is well-developed and I could really connect with all of the characters.
  
  The book gets a well-deserved five stars and I will certainly read the upcoming instalment in the series.
  
  
• 
  Mayda

  A very popular cooking show is being filmed at Francis Court. Everyone is excited except perhaps for Lady Beatrice who has other more pressing interests. But when the star of the show is found dead from a knife wound, well, that gets everyone’s attention. Bea is now doing some undercover work, along with Detective Chief Inspector Richard Fitzwilliam, who is still recovering from an injury and not supposed to be working. Neither can stay away from this interesting case. The more people they talk to, the more secrets they uncover. Who knew that a cooking show was really a boiling pot of subterfuge! This cozy is filled with twists along the way, with some red herrings thrown in for good measure. A large cast of characters may make it difficult to keep track of who’s who, but it helps that a list and description of characters was kindly provided by the author. After a somewhat slow start, the book really gained momentum. There is more than just a mystery to keep reader’s interest in the story: a budding romance seems to be blossoming between Bea and Rich. The royal setting is quite intriguing, and characters are well drawn and interesting. This novel is part of the series “A Right Royal Cozy Investigation,” and reading the series from the beginning will benefit reader’s understanding of the characters and their relationships. Cozy mystery readers looking for something a bit different will enjoy this novel.
  
  I received a free copy of this title through Book Sirens, and my review is my own opinion, freely given.