Cobblered to Death

Written by Rosemarie Ross

Narrated by Callie Beaulieu

Out of the frying pan, into the fire . . .

Courtney Archer is known for hosting the show Cooking with the Farmer's Daughter . . . despite the fact that she's actually a pediatrician's daughter. Now she's signed on for a role on The American Baking Battle. On this reality show, she can start developing a more authentic image for herself-and as a bonus, the usual backstabbing and manufactured drama isn't part of the Baking Battle script. But genuine drama is heating up behind the scenes . . .

During a film shoot in the scenic Pocono Mountains, Courtney has to juggle career commitments like pots on a six-burner stove. Adding to the stress is Mick, a contestant who finds out about her fake farm-girl story. Determined to succeed at her new gig, she whips up a cherry cobbler in a cast-iron fry pan one evening and leaves it out to cool. But the next morning, it's Mick's body that's cooling-right next to Courtney's pan, now classified as a murder weapon . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781977347220

Reviews for Cobblered to Death

[joannefm2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Courtney Archer, successful show host of Cooking with the Farmer's Daughter, signs on to cohost a new show being filmed in the Poconos, she thinks it will be nice to be out of a studio and all the drama that goes with it. She's also tired of pretending she grew up on a farm, but her producer Eric tells her that she hasn't a choice since it's in her contract. However, their conversation was overheard by one of the contestants, Mick Henderson, and he hints that her secret is safe with him.But she also needs to film episodes of her own show while she's there, so she spends one evening making a cherry cobbler for her show the next day. The next morning she goes to pick up her cobbler and finds Mick on the floor dead with her cobbler surrounding him. Now she's considered a person of interest in the murder, and Courtney, against the wishes of Eric and security chief Drake Nolan, decides to investigate on her own to clear her name. But even when she angers some of the contestants, she doesn't stop hunting. Unfortunately, she's also drawing the attentions of a killer, who decides it might be time to put her out to pasture permanently...This is the first book in a new series and I have to say it's very good. While I felt it started slow, so slow I almost didn't pursue the book, I'm glad I stayed with it as it picked up soon enough and then became interesting. The plot was done well, and the dialogue fit the book so there were no lags after the first chapter or so.The only thing that bothered me was the possibility of a love triangle, and I absolutely abhor them, so I'm hoping the author doesn't continue in this vein in future books (don't worry, this isn't really a spoiler as it becomes apparent early on in the book). I always say that if it were a man stringing along two women you'd think him a hound, or worse; so why is is okay for a woman to string along two men? It's not. Period.Anyway...when Courtney decides she needs to prove her innocence, she uses the Internet to do so. In that, she digs up information about a couple of the characters in the book, and she has her eye set on one in particular she thinks is the murderer. However, she doesn't overtly go into peoples' rooms to search, or stalk them, and I did like this point of the book. It gets tiresome with the stalking angle.She does make a new friend in Shannon Collins, host of her own television show, and I did like Shannon quite a bit, and I'd like to see more of her. I don't feel that we got to involve ourselves in Eric much, though; he seemed to only pop in and out now and then, much as the show contestants.All in all, when the ending comes and the murderer is discovered, it was a bit of a surprise, but that's not a bad thing. The reason for the murder came down to a motive as old as man itself, so it was believable. I did like the ending quite a bit, and I look forward to reading the next in the series. Recommended.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cobblered to Death by Rosemarie Ross has readers enjoying the Pocono Mountains in May. Courtney Archer is the host of Cooking with the Farmer’s Daughter even though she has never stepped foot on a farm in her life. Courtney is now co-hosting The American Baking Battle on location while filming episodes of her own show. The one thing Courtney wishes is to present her real self to the audience, but her contract precludes her from revealing the truth. She finds it even more challenging working alongside Shannon Collins, host of Southern Comfort Foods, who is so genuine and extends friendship to Courtney. There is drama on the set between the baking contests and problems off screen thanks to contestant Mick who overheard a conversation between Courtney and her producer. Courtney sheds her worries while baking a cheery cobbler in a cast-iron pan for her show the next day. The next morning, she stops to pick it up and finds it on the floor alongside a very dead Mick. With Courtney in the hot seat as the police’s top suspect, she digs in to find the true culprit. Cobblered to Death is the debut of A Courtney Archer Mystery series. Courtney was a mixed bag for me. I liked her, but I also found her frustrating. If you are presenting yourself as a farmer’s daughter on air, would you not visit a farm and do research? I did not understand why the author has Courtney floundering after hosting the show for three years especially when Eric’s family owns a farm. I hope in the next book we get to know more about Courtney besides she likes to carve fruit, from Chicago, and dislikes lying to her viewers. I liked Courtney’s friend and producer, Eric Iverson. I found him friendly and caring. I also enjoyed the blossoming friendship between Courtney and Shannon Collins. Shannon was my favorite character in the story. There is baking galore for those readers who enjoy culinary cozies. I loved the descriptions of the red mixers on the lovely blue countertops (my two favorite colors). The mystery was lacking. It was obvious who would die and who would be blamed. I was easily able to solve this whodunit. There was an absence of suspects and pointed clues. I wanted less of Courtney upset about her situation (not being a farmer’s daughter, the clause in her contract) and a more solid mystery. There are two love interests for Courtney (of course). Cobblered to Death is what I call a light and breezy cozy mystery. Cobblered to Death is a new culinary cozy mystery with a crushing cherry cobbler, an abundance of baking, a complaining contestant, and a carking contract clause.