Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When Zoe Faust sees the ghost of a murdered young woman, is it really a spirit-or a flesh and blood woman who stopped aging because she's a fellow alchemist?

Sixteen years ago, high school student Ridley Price discovered a secret she planned to reveal through a party game-but someone killed her first. The baffling crime was never solved. Zoe's friend Heather has always wondered: which of the seven guests at the party killed Ridley? When the newly-appeared ghost turns dangerous, threatening people they love, Zoe teams up with her gargoyle roommate Dorian to unmask the supposed specter.

Review:

This is the sixth book in the Accidental Alchemist mystery series by author Gigi Pandian.  I started to read this series a few years ago, out of order.  But the wonderful thing about this series is that it isn't absolutely necessary to read it from book one.  Each book gives enough of the backstory that the reader is never lost.  But, having said that, it would actually be best to read this series from the beginning, if only to feel the delight in how these characters have developed over time.

I love this series for the wonderful cast of characters, from the main character, Zoe Faust (a 300 year-old alchemist), to her ex-police detective boyfriend, Max, to the lovable gargoyle (yes, gargoyle), and gourmet chef, Dorian.  There is also a wonderful feeling of community in this book, as well.  Zoe's friends are artists, artisans, small business owners, and several young teens.  She seems to create a vibe that is full of positivity.  Maybe this is because Zoe is an herbalist and vegan, but she has a way about her that is full of living a healthy and happy life. Her friends, and the reader are pulled in.

But, above all, this is a mystery novel.  I appreciate that not all of the novels are murder mysteries, but this one actually is.  But, in this case, the murder in question happened sixteen years earlier.  There was a clear list of suspects, but the author had me guessing until nearly the end of the book!  The details were fun, and full of twists and turns.  I enjoyed the use of the language of flowers, and poetry as they relate to the riddles that helped solve the case.

There is really so much to love about this book.  With fully realized characters, romance, a puzzling mystery, and vegan recipes, this novel checks all the boxes for an enjoyable book.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 30, 2022

Author:  Gigi Pandian

Publisher:  Gargoyle Girl Productions

Genre:  Mystery

Page Length:  256 Pages

Source:  Author

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  This is a fun mystery series filled with great characters, an intriguing mystery to solve, and recipes!  I highly recommend this book. 

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis(from Goodreads):

Pancake house owner Marley McKinney takes a break from the Flip Side for a romantic getaway. But soon, instead of mixing batter, she’s mixed up with murder . . .

Marley and her new husband Brett need some quality couple time before the holiday madness, so they drive up into the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula to charming Holly Lodge. Before long they’re enjoying snowshoe excursions, hot chocolates, and cuddling in front of a roaring fire. Despite some barely concealed marital tension between the owners of the lodge, they’re finally able to unwind . . .

Until one morning when they notice a glove sticking out of a snowbank outside of the lodge. Inside the glove is a hand connected to a frozen corpse buried beneath the snow—lodge owner Kevin Manning has been murdered. Presented with a stack of suspects and eventually stranded at the lodge by a blizzard, Marley has to catch the cold-hearted killer before someone else gets iced . . .

Review:

I really enjoy books set in small towns, and love it when a whole series revolves around one.  That is the charm of the Pancake Mystery series by Sarah Fox.  Unfortunately, A Room With a Roux, takes Marley, and her husband Brett, out of Wildwood Cove and to a mountain retreat instead.    While this was an enjoyable novel, I believe this was a mistake on the author's part.  Thankfully, the characters return home to Wildwood Cove and that saved the book for me. 

What I Liked:

As always, I love the scenes set in the small town of Wildwood Cove.  Having Marley interact with the various townspeople is wonderful.  There's even a subplot where someone is taking Christmas tree ornaments in the midst of a decorating competition.  I enjoyed how that mystery played out.

What I Didn't Like:

Lack of Character Development:

As I said in the introduction, I don't feel having a murder at a hotel worked in the story.   The reader really didn't get a feel for who the other characters were, as Marley's interactions with them were limited.  The author has to paint each character in really broad strokes, like having Ambrose, the poet, be overly emotional to show he's a deep thinker.  Or Zarha, the daughter of one of the hotel's owners, being suspected of the murder because she dresses in goth clothing and has a partially shaved head.  usually, in these books, Marley would dig into these peoples backgrounds and find something that would bring more of the character's motivations to life. This didn't happen much in this book.

Overly Descriptive at the Wrong Time:

Much of the book is filled with minute description of Marley's day.  It drones on and on about what she had for lunch, what she was going to wear, and her going window shopping.  This felt like filler, as these things had nothing to do with the plot.  There was very little actual action, until the finale.  It seemed to me that the author needed to stretch out the book in order to get to the good bits.

Rating: 

Release Date:  January 12th, 2021

Author:  Sarah Fox

Publisher:  Lyrical Press/Kensington Publishing Corporation

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Page Length:  214 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-book

Recommendation:  I think this is a library pick, at best.  This book just doesn't live up to the other books in the series.