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Great Witches Baking Show #1
The Great Witches Baking Show
A baker with secrets
Witches in trouble
The cameras are rolling
Ready, set, die.
Poppy Wilkinson is thrilled to be chosen as a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest. As an American with English roots, winning the crown as Britain’s Best Baker would open doors she’s dreamed of. In more ways than one. Appearing on the reality show is her chance to get into Broomewode Hall and uncover the secrets of her past.
But strange things are happening on the show’s set: accusations of sabotage, a black cat that shadows Poppy, suspiciously unsociable residents at Broomewode Hall—and the judges can be real witches.
There are murmurs that Broomewode is an energy vortex. It certainly makes Poppy see and do things that aren’t exactly normal, and seems to draw interesting characters to the neighborhood.
When a fellow contestant dies in mysterious circumstances, Poppy has more to worry about than burned pies and cakes that won’t rise. There’s a murderer on the loose and it’s up to Poppy and her new friends to solve the crime before it becomes a real show-stopper.
From USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Warren, this delicious series of cozy paranormal mysteries will have you guessing until the end. Includes recipes.
Witches in trouble
The cameras are rolling
Ready, set, die.
Poppy Wilkinson is thrilled to be chosen as a contestant on The Great British Baking Contest. As an American with English roots, winning the crown as Britain’s Best Baker would open doors she’s dreamed of. In more ways than one. Appearing on the reality show is her chance to get into Broomewode Hall and uncover the secrets of her past.
But strange things are happening on the show’s set: accusations of sabotage, a black cat that shadows Poppy, suspiciously unsociable residents at Broomewode Hall—and the judges can be real witches.
There are murmurs that Broomewode is an energy vortex. It certainly makes Poppy see and do things that aren’t exactly normal, and seems to draw interesting characters to the neighborhood.
When a fellow contestant dies in mysterious circumstances, Poppy has more to worry about than burned pies and cakes that won’t rise. There’s a murderer on the loose and it’s up to Poppy and her new friends to solve the crime before it becomes a real show-stopper.
From USA Today Bestselling Author Nancy Warren, this delicious series of cozy paranormal mysteries will have you guessing until the end. Includes recipes.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
About the author
Nancy Warren
320 books1,744 followersNancy Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 novels.
She’s known for writing funny, sexy and suspenseful tales. She’s an avid hiker, animal lover, wine drinker and chocolate fiend. Favorite moments in her career include being featured on the front page of the New York Times, being the answer to a crossword puzzle clue in Canada’s National Post newspaper and being a finalist three times in the Rita awards. She has won the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine.
Get a free short story when you sign up for Nancy's newsletter at www.NancyWarrenAuthor.com or join Nancy in her private Facebook group to talk about books, knitting, pets & life.
www.facebook.com/groups/NancyWarrenKn...
She’s known for writing funny, sexy and suspenseful tales. She’s an avid hiker, animal lover, wine drinker and chocolate fiend. Favorite moments in her career include being featured on the front page of the New York Times, being the answer to a crossword puzzle clue in Canada’s National Post newspaper and being a finalist three times in the Rita awards. She has won the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine.
Get a free short story when you sign up for Nancy's newsletter at www.NancyWarrenAuthor.com or join Nancy in her private Facebook group to talk about books, knitting, pets & life.
www.facebook.com/groups/NancyWarrenKn...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
May 17, 2021
My Rating: 4 stars
Genre Paranormal Cozy Mystery | Witches
Review Snapshot : This book has been sitting on my kindle for AGES! I was in the mood and decided to start reading to see if I’d like it and I can happily say I did! Paranormal cozy mysteries are so much fun, and this is a first in a series that I know I’ll be reading through to the end.
︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙
I’ve been feeling the blogger burnout for months. I debate with myself if this is something I want to continue or if I want to do it in a slightly different manner and I think that’s what I’m going to do (for now). One of the things I’m accomplishing is reading my OWN books and NOT signing up for any early reader copies; it’s too much stress without the reward and I am so tired of it. So instead, what I’ve been doing is going through all my books and just picking out what I want without feeling the stress of having to read the books too quickly and on a schedule. Let me tell you IT FEELS GOOD! This is one of the books I chose, and I am delighted with this paranormal cozy mystery series.
This is the first book in a series that follows main character, Poppy, as she not only competes in a baking competition but searches for her birthmother too. You see, there’s something strange going on with Poppy (it’s no secret, she’s a witch) and she wants to know where her newfound power comes from! But that’s not all either. There is a murder that she has to solve too in order to help a new friend find peace and go to the other side! But this murder investigation could get sticky for Poppy….
Nancy Warren has captured my attention with this series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Poppy’s adventures! So far, it looks like this series is going to follow Poppy through the baking competition as she not only competes but does some searching for her birth mother too. I’m excited to see where it all goes!
Genre Paranormal Cozy Mystery | Witches
Review Snapshot : This book has been sitting on my kindle for AGES! I was in the mood and decided to start reading to see if I’d like it and I can happily say I did! Paranormal cozy mysteries are so much fun, and this is a first in a series that I know I’ll be reading through to the end.
︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙︙
I’ve been feeling the blogger burnout for months. I debate with myself if this is something I want to continue or if I want to do it in a slightly different manner and I think that’s what I’m going to do (for now). One of the things I’m accomplishing is reading my OWN books and NOT signing up for any early reader copies; it’s too much stress without the reward and I am so tired of it. So instead, what I’ve been doing is going through all my books and just picking out what I want without feeling the stress of having to read the books too quickly and on a schedule. Let me tell you IT FEELS GOOD! This is one of the books I chose, and I am delighted with this paranormal cozy mystery series.
This is the first book in a series that follows main character, Poppy, as she not only competes in a baking competition but searches for her birthmother too. You see, there’s something strange going on with Poppy (it’s no secret, she’s a witch) and she wants to know where her newfound power comes from! But that’s not all either. There is a murder that she has to solve too in order to help a new friend find peace and go to the other side! But this murder investigation could get sticky for Poppy….
Nancy Warren has captured my attention with this series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Poppy’s adventures! So far, it looks like this series is going to follow Poppy through the baking competition as she not only competes but does some searching for her birth mother too. I’m excited to see where it all goes!
October 23, 2020
2nd read: october 2020
It was even better the 2nd time around, and amazingly I even remembered who did the deed(after I read like 1/2 of the book LOL)
1st read: January 2020
This is the 1st in a new series by Nancy Warren and what a good 1st it is. I loved the cast of characters, they all have distinct personalities and they are people I'd like to meet in real life. There is a mystery in this book. that I have a feeling that'll continue in all the next ones.
I like the idea that Poppy is getting better at backing and she's not amazing at it from the first. I think this will be the same with learning witchcraft. I enjoyed the recipe in the back and I know I'll try it since i absolutely LOVE lemon tarts. I can't wait to see what other recipes ms Warren will include.
All in all, if you're in the mood for a fun read with humor and sprinkle of mystery, and you also enjoy backing and/or backing competitions you'll love this book and this series.
It was even better the 2nd time around, and amazingly I even remembered who did the deed(after I read like 1/2 of the book LOL)
1st read: January 2020
This is the 1st in a new series by Nancy Warren and what a good 1st it is. I loved the cast of characters, they all have distinct personalities and they are people I'd like to meet in real life. There is a mystery in this book. that I have a feeling that'll continue in all the next ones.
I like the idea that Poppy is getting better at backing and she's not amazing at it from the first. I think this will be the same with learning witchcraft. I enjoyed the recipe in the back and I know I'll try it since i absolutely LOVE lemon tarts. I can't wait to see what other recipes ms Warren will include.
All in all, if you're in the mood for a fun read with humor and sprinkle of mystery, and you also enjoy backing and/or backing competitions you'll love this book and this series.
January 25, 2020
A fun loving new cozy mystery series. Very well written with a great cast of characters that keep you wondering what will happen next.
March 4, 2020
I received a free code for the audiobook version of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.
I've been enjoying this author's other series The Vampire Knitting Club and I was excited when she released this first book in a new series. I like paranormal cozy mystery books and add in the baking theme as well as a baking competition seemed so much fun. I was so happy to get my hands on the audiobook for this one and started listening as soon as I finished my current book.
The Great Witches Baking Show follows the story of Poppy. Poppy is one of the contestants, but she's not here for the competition, her main goal is to find out more about her past and she thinks it might be connected to Broomewode Hall where the show is being held. She's a great baker as well and has trained hard to be on this show. I thought it was interesting how she had an extra goal for being there. There are also some fun baking related scenes.
The story started off a bit slow for me, there is a lot of information to get first. From how the show works to Poppy's past and background to why she's here. Then there is the first episode of baking and only after that the mystery really starts, although I didn't mind this set-up and had expected the mystery to start later in the book as that's what happens in this author's other series as well. And while I liked the baking part, I only got really into it once the mystery started as it felt that only then the story really took off. And the other side plot lines start progressing around then as well.
I liked the mystery, even though it takes some time to really start there area bunch of clues and set-ups in the first part before the murder occurs, which was great. I also liked that even though it gets solved relatively fast it was still an interesting mystery and there are some well done red herrings and a nice twist when the real murderer and motive is revealed. I liked how things got wrapped up at the end and we got a few more scenes before the book ended.
Besides the mystery there also is the paranormal storyline. Poppy finds out she's a witch in this book and she has to figure out what that means and how to handle it. I liked how there is some information about the whole witches thing, but it's spaced throughout the book and not everything is revealed at once, which made it easier to absorb the information we got. I liked the paranormal aspect so far and how there are different type of witches and I look forward to finding out more. The paranormal theme was nicely woven throughout the book.
I liked Poppy as a main character. She did seem a bit too focused on finding out where she came for, but it did give her a good motivation and extra interest in being here. I also liked how she wanted to solve the mystery. She was very determined to get the answers she is looking for. I liked how she dealt with finding out she's a witch, yes she accepts things quite quickly, but I liked that and through it fit the book. There is no long going back and forth and while she's a bit unsure about her powers it's clear quickly that she really is a witch and I liked she has a few instances where she used her powers already. The cat Gateau also was a fun addition. And I liked how she already made a witchy friend who could help her along.
There is a huge cast of characters, which took some gettign used to. Especially at first it was hard to remember who was who. It helped when partway through the book some characters played a lesser role so it was easier to get a feel for the characters that were more involved with this mystery. The different voices the narrator had for the different characters helped me along a bit to slowly start to remember who was who. By the end of the book I was doing decently with remember the more common side characters and luckily throughout the book there are enough hints and reminder so it's easy to get reminded of why a certain character is.
The mystery got resolved in this book, but the quest for answers about Poppy's family and the baking show contest will probably be ongoing plot lines that continue throughout the series. I liked how both of those plot lines made some progress here, but there is clearly still a lot to uncover too.
This was a new to me narrator and while I had to get used to her style a bit at first, I ended up liking her narration for this book. She did a great job with giving characters different voices and accents, which also helped me get a better feel for the characters. I thought she did a great job narrating this book and am hoping the rest of the series will be in audio as well.
To summarize: This was a fun first book in a new series by this author. I like the way the mystery, paranormal and other elements get blended in an interesting story. The story started off a bit slow, but I was interested from the start to see where things went. The mystery is a good one and I liked how there were some red herrings and interesting twists. The paranormal aspect is introduced as well when Poppy finds out she's a witch, I liked how that was handled and how the paranormal part was woven throughout the series. The baking show contest and Poppy's search for answers about her birth family seem like they will be continuing plot lines throughout the series, but both storylines made progress in this book already. I liked Poppy as main character and look forward to reading more about her. With the large group of side characters it was a bit hard to remember who was who at first, but it got easier as the story progressed. And the different voices and accents the narrator gave to them also helped. It took me a bit of time to get used to this new to me narrator, but I ended up liking her style for this book. I hope the rest of the series will be audio as well so I can listen to those as well.
I've been enjoying this author's other series The Vampire Knitting Club and I was excited when she released this first book in a new series. I like paranormal cozy mystery books and add in the baking theme as well as a baking competition seemed so much fun. I was so happy to get my hands on the audiobook for this one and started listening as soon as I finished my current book.
The Great Witches Baking Show follows the story of Poppy. Poppy is one of the contestants, but she's not here for the competition, her main goal is to find out more about her past and she thinks it might be connected to Broomewode Hall where the show is being held. She's a great baker as well and has trained hard to be on this show. I thought it was interesting how she had an extra goal for being there. There are also some fun baking related scenes.
The story started off a bit slow for me, there is a lot of information to get first. From how the show works to Poppy's past and background to why she's here. Then there is the first episode of baking and only after that the mystery really starts, although I didn't mind this set-up and had expected the mystery to start later in the book as that's what happens in this author's other series as well. And while I liked the baking part, I only got really into it once the mystery started as it felt that only then the story really took off. And the other side plot lines start progressing around then as well.
I liked the mystery, even though it takes some time to really start there area bunch of clues and set-ups in the first part before the murder occurs, which was great. I also liked that even though it gets solved relatively fast it was still an interesting mystery and there are some well done red herrings and a nice twist when the real murderer and motive is revealed. I liked how things got wrapped up at the end and we got a few more scenes before the book ended.
Besides the mystery there also is the paranormal storyline. Poppy finds out she's a witch in this book and she has to figure out what that means and how to handle it. I liked how there is some information about the whole witches thing, but it's spaced throughout the book and not everything is revealed at once, which made it easier to absorb the information we got. I liked the paranormal aspect so far and how there are different type of witches and I look forward to finding out more. The paranormal theme was nicely woven throughout the book.
I liked Poppy as a main character. She did seem a bit too focused on finding out where she came for, but it did give her a good motivation and extra interest in being here. I also liked how she wanted to solve the mystery. She was very determined to get the answers she is looking for. I liked how she dealt with finding out she's a witch, yes she accepts things quite quickly, but I liked that and through it fit the book. There is no long going back and forth and while she's a bit unsure about her powers it's clear quickly that she really is a witch and I liked she has a few instances where she used her powers already. The cat Gateau also was a fun addition. And I liked how she already made a witchy friend who could help her along.
There is a huge cast of characters, which took some gettign used to. Especially at first it was hard to remember who was who. It helped when partway through the book some characters played a lesser role so it was easier to get a feel for the characters that were more involved with this mystery. The different voices the narrator had for the different characters helped me along a bit to slowly start to remember who was who. By the end of the book I was doing decently with remember the more common side characters and luckily throughout the book there are enough hints and reminder so it's easy to get reminded of why a certain character is.
The mystery got resolved in this book, but the quest for answers about Poppy's family and the baking show contest will probably be ongoing plot lines that continue throughout the series. I liked how both of those plot lines made some progress here, but there is clearly still a lot to uncover too.
This was a new to me narrator and while I had to get used to her style a bit at first, I ended up liking her narration for this book. She did a great job with giving characters different voices and accents, which also helped me get a better feel for the characters. I thought she did a great job narrating this book and am hoping the rest of the series will be in audio as well.
To summarize: This was a fun first book in a new series by this author. I like the way the mystery, paranormal and other elements get blended in an interesting story. The story started off a bit slow, but I was interested from the start to see where things went. The mystery is a good one and I liked how there were some red herrings and interesting twists. The paranormal aspect is introduced as well when Poppy finds out she's a witch, I liked how that was handled and how the paranormal part was woven throughout the series. The baking show contest and Poppy's search for answers about her birth family seem like they will be continuing plot lines throughout the series, but both storylines made progress in this book already. I liked Poppy as main character and look forward to reading more about her. With the large group of side characters it was a bit hard to remember who was who at first, but it got easier as the story progressed. And the different voices and accents the narrator gave to them also helped. It took me a bit of time to get used to this new to me narrator, but I ended up liking her style for this book. I hope the rest of the series will be audio as well so I can listen to those as well.
July 15, 2020
Poppy Wilkinson has landed herself a spot on The Great British Baking Contest. While it would be lovely to win, and the exposure from being on the show is bound to be great for her, she has her own reasons for becoming a contestant. You see, Poppy was abandoned when she was a baby. The show gives her a chance to sneak her way into Broomewode Hall and check out something she recognized: the pattern on her baby blanket in one of their old paintings. Unfortunately for Poppy, her past isn’t the only mystery on the baking show. One of the contestants is being sabotaged and when they turn up dead on set, their unfortunate demise becomes the most important mystery to solve.
When I saw this series, I knew I had to read it. It sounded right up my alley and the perfect kind of fluffy book until you get to the murder mystery. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. This book has a great cast of characters, majority of which seem like sweet and wonderful people. Poppy is such a fun and sweet character. I related to her worries about being on camera and the nervousness about baking on camera. I would be going through the same thing if I was in her shoes. I can also see why the characters began to develop friendships with one another so fast because they seem like cool people I’d love to meet.
The book has two mysteries. The main one is Poppy’s background and how that connects to the supernatural world that she’s a member of, which is the mystery that will continue throughout the series. I think that there was a great introduction to the supernatural world, but I do with there was more than what we got. The second mystery is the murder, which takes a bit of time before it starts but is well thought out and I didn’t catch on to the killer until a bit before they were revealed.
All in all, I think this is a great book that’s fun and entertaining. I’m looking forward to seeing how Poppy and company develop as the series continues and the baking competition starts to get hot. I’m also looking forward to seeing how big the supernatural community is and what else Poppy can do as the series continues. It’s also neat that there’s a recipe at the end, so I’m excited to see what other recipes will pop up since I love baking.
When I saw this series, I knew I had to read it. It sounded right up my alley and the perfect kind of fluffy book until you get to the murder mystery. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. This book has a great cast of characters, majority of which seem like sweet and wonderful people. Poppy is such a fun and sweet character. I related to her worries about being on camera and the nervousness about baking on camera. I would be going through the same thing if I was in her shoes. I can also see why the characters began to develop friendships with one another so fast because they seem like cool people I’d love to meet.
The book has two mysteries. The main one is Poppy’s background and how that connects to the supernatural world that she’s a member of, which is the mystery that will continue throughout the series. I think that there was a great introduction to the supernatural world, but I do with there was more than what we got. The second mystery is the murder, which takes a bit of time before it starts but is well thought out and I didn’t catch on to the killer until a bit before they were revealed.
All in all, I think this is a great book that’s fun and entertaining. I’m looking forward to seeing how Poppy and company develop as the series continues and the baking competition starts to get hot. I’m also looking forward to seeing how big the supernatural community is and what else Poppy can do as the series continues. It’s also neat that there’s a recipe at the end, so I’m excited to see what other recipes will pop up since I love baking.
January 7, 2020
4.5 Star review of The Great Witches Baking Show (The Great Witches Baking Show #1) by Nancy Warren
Nancy Warren is a new author to me and I have no idea why that is. I loved this book from start to finish. It’s a cozy mystery and one that I found entertaining. This was a a book filled with secrets, miss communication and enough clues to satisfy my detective spirit. The intrigue and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this story about Poppy Wilkinson and her friends.
Being a contestant on the show, Poppy hopes to be able to investigate and find clues at Broomewode Hall to the secrets of her past. Being adopted, she yearns to learn more and believes that the opportunity has been put in front of her for a reason.
There are certainly some twists, turns and surprises in The Great Witches Baking Show as Poppy and her new friends investigates the murder of a fellow contestant, whilst searching for clues about her family.
This book was funny, sweet and had a good amount of mystery and suspense which kept me invested throughout. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.
Nancy Warren is a new author to me and I have no idea why that is. I loved this book from start to finish. It’s a cozy mystery and one that I found entertaining. This was a a book filled with secrets, miss communication and enough clues to satisfy my detective spirit. The intrigue and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this story about Poppy Wilkinson and her friends.
Being a contestant on the show, Poppy hopes to be able to investigate and find clues at Broomewode Hall to the secrets of her past. Being adopted, she yearns to learn more and believes that the opportunity has been put in front of her for a reason.
There are certainly some twists, turns and surprises in The Great Witches Baking Show as Poppy and her new friends investigates the murder of a fellow contestant, whilst searching for clues about her family.
This book was funny, sweet and had a good amount of mystery and suspense which kept me invested throughout. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.
July 25, 2021
This is the first in this series.
I've previously read other series by Nancy Warren and loved them , so I was really looking forward to this one too.
I wasn't surprised that I loved this book .
I love the characters, poppy especially.
There is so much more to come, you can just feel it all through the book and I'm so glad, it really gives you something to keep reading for. I was glad I had the next book to go straight onto.
I've previously read other series by Nancy Warren and loved them , so I was really looking forward to this one too.
I wasn't surprised that I loved this book .
I love the characters, poppy especially.
There is so much more to come, you can just feel it all through the book and I'm so glad, it really gives you something to keep reading for. I was glad I had the next book to go straight onto.
January 15, 2020
Poppy is thrilled when she is chosen as a contestant for The Great British Baking Contest for two reasons, not only does she love to bake but she's also hoping that returning to the area she was born in will give her the chance to try and trace the family that gave her away when she was just a baby. Taking part in the show is both nerve wracking and great fun but it goes downhill fast when one of the other contestants is murdered. Now Poppy finds herself with more than one mystery on her hands and she's determined to solve them both.
I've heard great things about Nancy Warren's Vampire Knitting Club series but as soon as I heard about The Great Witches Baking Show I knew I had to start here. The Great British Bake Off is a show that most Brits are obsessed with, it's one of those comforts that always makes you smile no matter how bad the world is and this story is the same but in book form. As the first book in the series we're only just starting to get to know the characters but I really liked Poppy and the other contestants mostly seem like a supportive group. The judges were fun and I'm particularly curious about Poppy's search for her birth family.
As a cozy mystery this book is light hearted and humorous in spite of the murder and I found it a very fast and fun read. I think there is a lot more to uncover about Poppy and her newly discovered abilities and I'm glad that the next two books are being released so quickly (Baker's Coven in March & A Rolling Scone in May) so I won't have to wait too long to find out what happens next.
I've heard great things about Nancy Warren's Vampire Knitting Club series but as soon as I heard about The Great Witches Baking Show I knew I had to start here. The Great British Bake Off is a show that most Brits are obsessed with, it's one of those comforts that always makes you smile no matter how bad the world is and this story is the same but in book form. As the first book in the series we're only just starting to get to know the characters but I really liked Poppy and the other contestants mostly seem like a supportive group. The judges were fun and I'm particularly curious about Poppy's search for her birth family.
As a cozy mystery this book is light hearted and humorous in spite of the murder and I found it a very fast and fun read. I think there is a lot more to uncover about Poppy and her newly discovered abilities and I'm glad that the next two books are being released so quickly (Baker's Coven in March & A Rolling Scone in May) so I won't have to wait too long to find out what happens next.
May 8, 2021
Finally! A cozy mystery I liked! I knew it was possible to find one, I just had to do some digging. So I know for future reference that my cozy mysteries need to have some sort of paranormal stuff going on lol.
Everything that's ever annoyed me about cozy mysteries in the past were absent here. No stupid insta love romance that doesn't make sense, no lady character that's rude to the police for no reason, no random family member that makes stupid comments to turn the MC into the main suspect. Honestly, now that I know there are cozy mysteries out there like this that don't have all those annoying things, I'm more open to reading themand probably more likely to one star the ones that do
I guessed the iller at about the 40% mark, but it was honestly a shot in the dark, and I figured I was wrong because I usually am. So I was an equal mix or surprised and not surprised. Not surprised by the killer, but surprised that I was actually right for once. I look forward to reading more from this series
Everything that's ever annoyed me about cozy mysteries in the past were absent here. No stupid insta love romance that doesn't make sense, no lady character that's rude to the police for no reason, no random family member that makes stupid comments to turn the MC into the main suspect. Honestly, now that I know there are cozy mysteries out there like this that don't have all those annoying things, I'm more open to reading them
I guessed the iller at about the 40% mark, but it was honestly a shot in the dark, and I figured I was wrong because I usually am. So I was an equal mix or surprised and not surprised. Not surprised by the killer, but surprised that I was actually right for once. I look forward to reading more from this series
January 23, 2020
3.5 stars
Nancy Warren’s The Great Witches Baking Show got off to a really, really slow start for me. I'll admit that at times I wanted to put the book down. I’m glad that I stuck with it.
Poppy Wilkinson is a twenty-something-year-old American who was born in Britain. Her background isn't that simple. Poppy was left in a box as an infant on the doorstep of a bakery. She was adopted by a couple who later moved the family to the United States. Poppy's origins are unknown. The only thing she has that could possibly lead her to her birth parents is the blanket she was wrapped in.
Poppy loves to bake and is pretty okay for a home baker. Her skills land her on the British baking show, The Great British Baking Contest. Poppy isn’t on the show to showcase her skills, make a name for herself, or win the top prize. Poppy’s sole purpose for being on the show is because it’s filmed at Broomewode Hall. During an earlier season on the show, one of the owners of the property gave a behind the scenes tour. Poppy spotted a portrait of a lady wearing a shawl that closely resembled her baby blanket. Poppy is sure that if she can get into Broomewode Hall she’ll be able to find out more about her birth family.
The first episode of a new season is being filmed over a weekend at the manor, with the twelve contestants staying at a nearby hotel. Before the weekend of filming is over, Poppy will have a horrible encounter with a resident of Broomwode Hall, stumble upon the dead body of a fellow contestant, see and communicate with a ghost, oh and be told she’s a witch. Not much to take in at all.
There’s a long list of characters which means when the murder happens there’s a long list of suspects. Luckily, not every contestant is mentioned by name. The mystery was in my opinion extremely good. There were several red herrings. In the end, the big reveal was dramatic and I loved every second of it.
The series continues with the remaining contestants returning to film the next episode. I get the impression that Poppy’s looking for her birth mother and her continuing to embrace her new witchhood is something that will play out over the course of the series.
**Received a copy from the author and reviewed voluntarily.**
Nancy Warren’s The Great Witches Baking Show got off to a really, really slow start for me. I'll admit that at times I wanted to put the book down. I’m glad that I stuck with it.
Poppy Wilkinson is a twenty-something-year-old American who was born in Britain. Her background isn't that simple. Poppy was left in a box as an infant on the doorstep of a bakery. She was adopted by a couple who later moved the family to the United States. Poppy's origins are unknown. The only thing she has that could possibly lead her to her birth parents is the blanket she was wrapped in.
Poppy loves to bake and is pretty okay for a home baker. Her skills land her on the British baking show, The Great British Baking Contest. Poppy isn’t on the show to showcase her skills, make a name for herself, or win the top prize. Poppy’s sole purpose for being on the show is because it’s filmed at Broomewode Hall. During an earlier season on the show, one of the owners of the property gave a behind the scenes tour. Poppy spotted a portrait of a lady wearing a shawl that closely resembled her baby blanket. Poppy is sure that if she can get into Broomewode Hall she’ll be able to find out more about her birth family.
The first episode of a new season is being filmed over a weekend at the manor, with the twelve contestants staying at a nearby hotel. Before the weekend of filming is over, Poppy will have a horrible encounter with a resident of Broomwode Hall, stumble upon the dead body of a fellow contestant, see and communicate with a ghost, oh and be told she’s a witch. Not much to take in at all.
There’s a long list of characters which means when the murder happens there’s a long list of suspects. Luckily, not every contestant is mentioned by name. The mystery was in my opinion extremely good. There were several red herrings. In the end, the big reveal was dramatic and I loved every second of it.
The series continues with the remaining contestants returning to film the next episode. I get the impression that Poppy’s looking for her birth mother and her continuing to embrace her new witchhood is something that will play out over the course of the series.
**Received a copy from the author and reviewed voluntarily.**
April 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this first book in a new to me culinary cozy mystery series. The MC is Poppy, a young woman who was given up at birth. She can see ghosts, and she is trying to find out about her past. She enters the Great British Baking Show, and finds out she is a witch and helps solve a mystery where someone she met was murdered. I thought the characters were great, and the story was really fun. I look forward to reading more stories in this series.
August 1, 2024
Poppy was a likable character but there were quite many characters and sometimes it was hard to remember who was who.
This was a really cozy read and there was even a scene that made me laugh.
The beginning was a bit slow but the story was more interesting after mysterious things started to happen.
This was a really cozy read and there was even a scene that made me laugh.
The beginning was a bit slow but the story was more interesting after mysterious things started to happen.
August 24, 2022
Fun start to a series that looks to be a light and cozy one about witches, baking competitions, murder and the complications that arise when all the three are combined together!
Poppy is a fun character and I look forward to reading the next book.
Poppy is a fun character and I look forward to reading the next book.
December 11, 2022
Really a 3.5 but rounding up. I love the concept of a cozy mystery set at the Great British Bake Off. The main mystery was good, but the B and C plots weren’t fleshed out a lot. I liked the characters though so am interested to see how things progress. Definitely a starter story in a series.
August 3, 2021
Not as well written as the Vampire knitting club series. Too much “I added the sugar and beat in the eggs. Then I whipped the cream. I was very nervous.” In other words it’s rather prescriptive about the baking, the MC does some bone headed things, like finding out Gerry’s tart got ruined and forgetting to mention that she’d seen one of the other contestants messing with Gerry’s ingredients. Next issue: Poppy got a handle on her witch powers much too fast— in a couple of days she goes from not knowing anything to figuring out how to handle several emergencies with her powers alone. Poppy is also rather clueless about people, especially Gerry who comes across as a complete tool. Poppy continues to insist, no matter who tells her to watch out for him, that he’s actually nice. Very nice. Really. Last issue: the murderer’s reason for killing is thoroughly unbelievable.
Not up to par for Ms Warren, so I’m not going to read the rest of the series.
Not up to par for Ms Warren, so I’m not going to read the rest of the series.
February 4, 2020
Would you like something sweet? If yes, treat yourself with The Great Witches Baking Show. Nancy Warren cooked it especially for you. Curious about her recipe and the ingredients she had used? Let’s try to find out:
Ingredients:
- one young woman to play the amateur sleuth; carefully developed, intelligent, insecure and with a secret (of the paranormal species) enough to add a particular pleasant flavor;
- some herrings… better said, some red herrings, in the perfect amount to don’t spoil the taste, but sufficient to raise and keep the curiosity; maybe also some red herrings about the red herrings…
- two plots that intersect each other at the right moments and will make people want more; each of them with their specific elements and curiosities;
- intrigues as much as it’s necessary;
- several possible suspects (with motivations for all of them) and several real clues here and there;
- one or two teaspoons of some action in a naïve but believable way;
- other (innocent) characters who have a suspicious vibe to resist until consumption of the last gobbet.
Method: - it’s secret; I can only say that I discovered; Nancy Warren:
- mixed the plots – attention this is a very tricky business but in this case, nicely done;
- then took in the right amount the above ingredients – this is the real art of…cooking a cozy mystery;
- added them at the right time and in the right drops in the mixed plots;
- boiled them all softly in a cauldron of the small community; not too long, the time (and pages) will flow immediately!
The result: a nice puzzle to elucidate and the challenge to work it out before the end of the book. One plot seems solved, the other will continue in the next volume of this new series. I’ll keep an eye on it, you do well and do the same! After all, from time to time, all of us need something sweet, cooked by the good witch Nancy Warren.
https://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/20...
Ingredients:
- one young woman to play the amateur sleuth; carefully developed, intelligent, insecure and with a secret (of the paranormal species) enough to add a particular pleasant flavor;
- some herrings… better said, some red herrings, in the perfect amount to don’t spoil the taste, but sufficient to raise and keep the curiosity; maybe also some red herrings about the red herrings…
- two plots that intersect each other at the right moments and will make people want more; each of them with their specific elements and curiosities;
- intrigues as much as it’s necessary;
- several possible suspects (with motivations for all of them) and several real clues here and there;
- one or two teaspoons of some action in a naïve but believable way;
- other (innocent) characters who have a suspicious vibe to resist until consumption of the last gobbet.
"We’re looking for interesting flavors and some artistic imagination."
Method: - it’s secret; I can only say that I discovered; Nancy Warren:
- mixed the plots – attention this is a very tricky business but in this case, nicely done;
- then took in the right amount the above ingredients – this is the real art of…cooking a cozy mystery;
- added them at the right time and in the right drops in the mixed plots;
- boiled them all softly in a cauldron of the small community; not too long, the time (and pages) will flow immediately!
The result: a nice puzzle to elucidate and the challenge to work it out before the end of the book. One plot seems solved, the other will continue in the next volume of this new series. I’ll keep an eye on it, you do well and do the same! After all, from time to time, all of us need something sweet, cooked by the good witch Nancy Warren.
https://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/20...
February 15, 2020
If you are fan of The Great British Baking Show then this cozy mystery is the perfect choice for you! The narrator even sounds like the same one from the tv series! This version of the baking show sprinkles a bit of witchcraft, a lot of mystery and of course a murder to make the perfectly baked plot to entertain you for hours! The main character is a 25 ur old who is on a quest to find the birth mother who left her on the bakery steps and joins the baking show cast to get closer to the answers. What she doesn’t bargain for is finding out more about herself and of course finding a dead body wasn’t on her list either! Well plotted, excellent characters and the narrator really brings the story, particularly the baking show part to life. Ironically I’ve been watching the latest Great British Bake on Netflix and this book just appeared at the perfect time to enhance both the book & the show for me! I absolutely can't wait to listen to the next book in the series!
April 6, 2023
So... I went through a little cozy mysteries kick in Fall and early-Winter. But found myself disappointed in the genre overall. This book is the first cozy mystery I've read this calendar year, and honestly, it's probably my favorite experience I've had within the genre! It was a little more sunshiny and I appreciated that it didn't go on and on. It was a pleasant 200 page book. It hit a sweet spot for me within the genre, and I could potentially see myself continuing the series at some point!
January 8, 2020
This is my first book by this author, but I will definitely read more of her books.
it is a wonderful paranormal cozy murder mystery, there is no romance. I love the great British Baking show, so this book was perfect for me, because it showed about it is for the contestants and for Poppy there is an extra element. She is a bit different than the other contestants. and is looking for finding ut moree her past.
It is a wonderful, funny and heartwarming book.
it is a wonderful paranormal cozy murder mystery, there is no romance. I love the great British Baking show, so this book was perfect for me, because it showed about it is for the contestants and for Poppy there is an extra element. She is a bit different than the other contestants. and is looking for finding ut moree her past.
It is a wonderful, funny and heartwarming book.
March 14, 2024
I've read a few books in this series out of order (which is totally fine btw), but it's nice to get the start of this clever tale. Fans of cozy mysteries? Fans of reality baking shows? Fans of the supernatural? I definitely rec this series :).
The audio series is charmingly performed by Hollis McCarthy.
The audio series is charmingly performed by Hollis McCarthy.
April 4, 2021
Poppy Wilkinson was left wrapped in blanket
inside a box at a British bakery. The family who
adopted Poppy later moved the family over to
the United States.
Now Poppy has qualified for The Great British
Baking contest at Broomewode Hall. She has
learned to bake from the kitchen witch ghost
who lives with her. Poopy is on her own to try
and win plus hope she is not the first voted out
of the competition. She also has an ulterior
motive of being on the show. While watching a
television show, Poppy spotted a blanket in a
picture exactly like the one she was wrapped
up in as a baby. Poppy hopes to sneak into
Broomewode Hall to see if she can learn about
her family.
A creatively cast of characters in a well plotted
murder mystery with witches, magic plus good
eating will keep the reader’s attention.
inside a box at a British bakery. The family who
adopted Poppy later moved the family over to
the United States.
Now Poppy has qualified for The Great British
Baking contest at Broomewode Hall. She has
learned to bake from the kitchen witch ghost
who lives with her. Poopy is on her own to try
and win plus hope she is not the first voted out
of the competition. She also has an ulterior
motive of being on the show. While watching a
television show, Poppy spotted a blanket in a
picture exactly like the one she was wrapped
up in as a baby. Poppy hopes to sneak into
Broomewode Hall to see if she can learn about
her family.
A creatively cast of characters in a well plotted
murder mystery with witches, magic plus good
eating will keep the reader’s attention.
March 20, 2022
I loved this story - baking show on an estate in the English countryside, a contestant trying to discover her past, and kitchen witches! This had a little bit of everything. The mystery was solid and was not lost in the baking competition, which was the main focus. I was more intrigued, however, with the ongoing story of Poppy trying to find her family. I can't wait to see what she discovers throughout the series.
June 5, 2023
This was a great cozy mystery, I really enjoyed the characters and the mysteries and the fact that it happens in a baking show is the cherry on top.
April 19, 2024
While I prefer the Vampire Knitting Club series, I think I'll end up liking this protagonist better. Poppy isn't as vapid as Lucy, and has some agency and determination.
The identity of the "bad guy" became clear before the great reveal, but I appreciated that there were some hints and red herrings, though the motive stretched the suspension of disbelief a bit far.
All in all, I enjoyed the setting, characters and story. My only complaint is the continuing obsession with how old everyone is, but that seemed to ease up a bit as the story progressed.
After the horror show the Hannah Swenson series has become, this was a breath of fresh air. An actual story! No inane banter! #bliss
The identity of the "bad guy" became clear before the great reveal, but I appreciated that there were some hints and red herrings, though the motive stretched the suspension of disbelief a bit far.
All in all, I enjoyed the setting, characters and story. My only complaint is the continuing obsession with how old everyone is, but that seemed to ease up a bit as the story progressed.
After the horror show the Hannah Swenson series has become, this was a breath of fresh air. An actual story! No inane banter! #bliss
January 6, 2020
The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren a surprising five-star read. This is the first novel in a new series and I will be popping by to grab some more from this author as I loved it. I didn’t know what to expect from this one, the cozy genre isn’t one I always like, but this was brilliant, the mystery really kept me going and the sweetness just made me all warm and fuzzy. Poppy Wilkinson is a great main character; you can feel her emotions and story leaping off the page at you. The rest of the characters are just as fun and sweet, or are they?? There is a great supernatural storyline to the story as well and I loved how the author managed to pull all of the characters and plot lines together. This was a very well done story and I for one a very eager for number two, I also cant wait to get the second recipe of the series.
December 26, 2020
The Great Witches Baking Show is a wonderful first book in a new series by Nancy Warren. As a fan of the television show The Great British Bake Off, the premise of this book piqued my interest. I was not disappointed at all in book one.
The Great Witches Baking Show begins the adventure of Poppy Wilkinson, born in England, raised in America, and recently returned to England. Happy to be back in Europe, Poppy has more than one reason for entering the The Great British Baking Contest. She's looking for ties to her birth mother and any family members she can find. She also discovers certain traits she possesses are not all that unfamiliar to the show's hosts.
The baking contest gets off to a rough start when one of the contestant's continues to have his baking station sabotaged. Things escalate and the contestant is later found dead by his oven after hours. Now there may be a murderer in their midst. Poppy then feels obligated to figure out what happened to the contestant. Already nervous to be in the televised baking contests, Poppy finds herself completely overwhelmed with everything going on around her.
All of the characters are great. Poppy is a wonderful, down-to-earth person who just wants to know and understand her heritage. She learns a few things about her past in hopes of finding her birth parents but also discovers additional parts of her heritage that is a total surprise. The hosts, other contestants, crew, and estate residents all lend realism to this wonderful story.
Filled with paranormal and witchy references, this story is fantastic and pulled me into a fabulously created world with realistic and likable characters. The murder mystery was engaging and I was just as focused on solving the mystery as Poppy. The author did an amazing job keeping the identity of the murder under wraps until the appropriate time. I may have had a tiny idea of the culprit but wasn't entirely sure until the person was revealed. I look forward to the continuation of the series.
I was provided a copy of this book to read.
The Great Witches Baking Show begins the adventure of Poppy Wilkinson, born in England, raised in America, and recently returned to England. Happy to be back in Europe, Poppy has more than one reason for entering the The Great British Baking Contest. She's looking for ties to her birth mother and any family members she can find. She also discovers certain traits she possesses are not all that unfamiliar to the show's hosts.
The baking contest gets off to a rough start when one of the contestant's continues to have his baking station sabotaged. Things escalate and the contestant is later found dead by his oven after hours. Now there may be a murderer in their midst. Poppy then feels obligated to figure out what happened to the contestant. Already nervous to be in the televised baking contests, Poppy finds herself completely overwhelmed with everything going on around her.
All of the characters are great. Poppy is a wonderful, down-to-earth person who just wants to know and understand her heritage. She learns a few things about her past in hopes of finding her birth parents but also discovers additional parts of her heritage that is a total surprise. The hosts, other contestants, crew, and estate residents all lend realism to this wonderful story.
Filled with paranormal and witchy references, this story is fantastic and pulled me into a fabulously created world with realistic and likable characters. The murder mystery was engaging and I was just as focused on solving the mystery as Poppy. The author did an amazing job keeping the identity of the murder under wraps until the appropriate time. I may have had a tiny idea of the culprit but wasn't entirely sure until the person was revealed. I look forward to the continuation of the series.
I was provided a copy of this book to read.
April 28, 2020
I was hoping for a fun, light, cozy mystery with a little witch magic thrown in. But the book didn't really work well for me. For being labeled a cozy mystery, there wasn't much focus on the mystery. Yes, it was driving the plot a bit. But it happened later in the book that I'd expect and basically solved itself with little real input from characters. The main focus on the story was Poppy, her trying to figure out where she came from (which was also a bit poorly played out), and a little bit about her being a possible witch. I think there was a good outline to this book, but the execution bringing it all together didn't work in the end. It if was just a story about a character figuring out where she came from, it would have had more time to develop that and be a great story. Throwing the "mystery/murder" in there clouded too many things maybe.
I'm hoping to try another of Warren's series out, but I don't think I'll be continuing this one.
I'm hoping to try another of Warren's series out, but I don't think I'll be continuing this one.
January 25, 2020
This is the second book I have read by this author. The first book I recently read by this author was The Vampire Knitting Club. That book had me laughing with pure enjoyment. Thus I could not wait to pick up another book by this author.
When I got the chance to read this book in a new series from this author, I jumped at the chance. While, I might not have laughed as hard; I did enjoy reading this book. Poppy is a great lead character. Although, she might be a bit "too nice". Don't get me wrong as being too nice is not a bad thing but if you are going to be an investigator, you have to be a bit tough. I am sure that as Poppy learns more about her witch skills she will grow strong. She reminds me of Nancy Drew, if Nancy was a witch. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
When I got the chance to read this book in a new series from this author, I jumped at the chance. While, I might not have laughed as hard; I did enjoy reading this book. Poppy is a great lead character. Although, she might be a bit "too nice". Don't get me wrong as being too nice is not a bad thing but if you are going to be an investigator, you have to be a bit tough. I am sure that as Poppy learns more about her witch skills she will grow strong. She reminds me of Nancy Drew, if Nancy was a witch. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
April 7, 2020
This was a fun witchy cozy mystery book. I listened to the audiobook version of it, and I can’t praise the narrator enough. She was fabulous, as was the story itself. I completely fell in love with Poppy.
Poppy is a witch, only she doesn’t yet have many powers, or at least not much skill with them or awareness of them, but she’s learning. She worked hard to earn her place on the Great Witches Baking Show, and she wants to do well on it. Unfortunately, with the show barely underway, one of the contestants turns up dead. Poppy tries her best to figure out what happened to poor Jerry.
The book takes some interesting twists and turns, especially as Poppy investigates her history. She was adopted, and she has only the barest of clues to try to help her figure out who her parents might have been. Every time she thinks she’s onto a lead, things take a turn, leaving her more confused than ever.
This was a lovely, well-written, light listen. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it if you enjoy witchy cozies.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author. She and her assistant had to jump through some hoops to get me an Audible code that worked, and I thank them for going to the effort. I appreciate her generosity, also, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review express my true and honest reactions to listening to this audiobook. Also, I tried to create the audiobook page for this book on Goodreads, but I couldn't because this kindle version uses the AISN number meant for the audiobook. It doesn't matter to me. I enjoyed it.
Poppy is a witch, only she doesn’t yet have many powers, or at least not much skill with them or awareness of them, but she’s learning. She worked hard to earn her place on the Great Witches Baking Show, and she wants to do well on it. Unfortunately, with the show barely underway, one of the contestants turns up dead. Poppy tries her best to figure out what happened to poor Jerry.
The book takes some interesting twists and turns, especially as Poppy investigates her history. She was adopted, and she has only the barest of clues to try to help her figure out who her parents might have been. Every time she thinks she’s onto a lead, things take a turn, leaving her more confused than ever.
This was a lovely, well-written, light listen. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it if you enjoy witchy cozies.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author. She and her assistant had to jump through some hoops to get me an Audible code that worked, and I thank them for going to the effort. I appreciate her generosity, also, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review express my true and honest reactions to listening to this audiobook. Also, I tried to create the audiobook page for this book on Goodreads, but I couldn't because this kindle version uses the AISN number meant for the audiobook. It doesn't matter to me. I enjoyed it.
April 13, 2020
Well, that was perfect. Poppy, a 25-year-old who was adopted when she was a baby, is on a quest to find her birth family. She also happens to be an excellent baker, so she signs up for a baking show taking place on what she thinks is her family estate. Oh, and Poppy, it turns out, is a witch.
Absolutely wonderful, frothy cozy mystery. Here were my favourite things:
- The writing is really good in every scene, there isn't a single false note.
- The characters are really well drawn. I completely fell in love with Gerry, Elspeth, Florence and of course Poppy. You have a great sense of who they are by the end of the book.
- This book has several mysteries, and all of them were riveting - who killed a contestant, who's Poppy's family, what else can witches do.
- The baking was mouthwatering. Great descriptions of the food, including a tarte au citron, which is one of my favourite ever pastries.
- If you're familiar with The Great British Bake Off (and if you aren't, you should be), this is great, as it's both familiar enough to be comforting while being just this side of original. The author obviously read a lot about how the show was made - I had no problem thinking this is what takes place behind the scenes.
I loved this so much! What a treat it was. Great, great new series, I highly recommend it.
Absolutely wonderful, frothy cozy mystery. Here were my favourite things:
- The writing is really good in every scene, there isn't a single false note.
- The characters are really well drawn. I completely fell in love with Gerry, Elspeth, Florence and of course Poppy. You have a great sense of who they are by the end of the book.
- This book has several mysteries, and all of them were riveting - who killed a contestant, who's Poppy's family, what else can witches do.
- The baking was mouthwatering. Great descriptions of the food, including a tarte au citron, which is one of my favourite ever pastries.
- If you're familiar with The Great British Bake Off (and if you aren't, you should be), this is great, as it's both familiar enough to be comforting while being just this side of original. The author obviously read a lot about how the show was made - I had no problem thinking this is what takes place behind the scenes.
I loved this so much! What a treat it was. Great, great new series, I highly recommend it.
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