The Golden Spoon: A Novel

Written by Jessa Maxwell

Narrated by Andrea Emmes, Andy Garcia-Ruse, Graham Halstead and 5 more

“This delicious combination of Clue and The Great British Bake Off kept me turning the pages all night!” —Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Only Murders in the Building meets The Maid in this “deliciously entertaining whodunit” (Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author) where someone turns up dead on the set of TV’s hottest baking competition—perfect for fans of Nita Prose, Richard Osman, and Anthony Horowitz.

Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin.

The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage—sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned to high—but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.

A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is “as addictive as bingeing your favorite culinary competition and as satisfying as a piece of your favorite cake” (Kellye Garrett, author of Like a Sister).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Mar 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781797153445

Jessa Maxwell

Jessa Maxwell is the author of The Golden Spoon and I Need You to Read This. She is also the author and illustrator of five picture books for children. Her comics and cartoons have been published in The New Yorker and The New York Times and her writing has been published in Slate, Marie Claire, and many others. She now lives in Jamestown, Rhode Island with her husband, two cats and three-legged dog. 

Reviews for The Golden Spoon

[Jessica Carsrud · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you like competitive baking shows, you would probably like this! Predictable, beach read.

[Amanda Cunningham · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I may not finish listening to the last 20 mins. Extremely predictable. No twists or turns. The cadence of the audiobook narrators was very, very odd. It made me dislike the characters even more.

[Marta Em · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A very mediocre read with very little thrill and mystery. Very forgettable.

[alexx · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was ok. Really didn’t care for 2 of the narrator’s

[Karin Kvist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the calmest water...
Who would have thought...surely not....OMG!
The characters, in the audio version I listened to, all were read by different narrators/actors. It made them all come alive. For good and bad...could hardly s t a n d the voice of Stella!

Story evolving around a bake-off show that in time will reveal so much more
Intriguing, well written and I could not put it down!
Needed to see "who's done it"....

[Theresa Regan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I like the concept but the formatting of having multiple characters telling their stories for so long was boring to me. I never felt attached to the characters or interested in what was happening to them. Very slow paced.

[charlotte · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was an okay read but the characters were not as interesting as I had hoped. There could have been more drama but an okay read.

[Julia Fanzeres · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun cozy Murder mystery and an enjoyable read

[Ashleigh Lindstrom · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Mah. It wasn't bad, but it was just drama rather than a mystery.

[Katie Pierpaoli · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 !
I liked this especially with the baking elements!

[Valerie Woodstra · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I couldn't put this down! It was like watching a movie the way the text flowed. The food descriptions were divine as well. Can't wait to read another by this author.

[Savvy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 I enjoyed my time with this, but not alot happened til the end. The setting was great and the food they talked about.

[Gloriana · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought it was enjoyable. Each characters’s voice is done by a different narrator.

[Amy Hagberg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If I’m honest, the first half of the book had me yawning, and the ending felt like a sprint to the finish line. However, a delightful twist at the end caught me by surprise.

The Golden Spoon is a light, intriguing read. If you like authors such as Joanne Fluke, M.C. Beaton, Alan Bradley, Richard Osman, Rhys Bowen, or Lillian Jackson Braun, this book could be perfect for you. For me, it was just okay. It’s slated to become a limited series on Hulu, so if you are a fan of Hallmark and Lifetime movies, it could be an enjoyable watch.

[Syndria Mecham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A really fun listen; quirky characters and plot twists til the end. An excellent production, loved the multiple readers. Give it whirl this Summer !

[Carah Marquez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story idea. Whodunit mixed (pun intended) with a cooking show. What could go wrong? Not much here. Good pace, interesting characters, good twist. Just when I was about to abort thinking it was getting boring - the plot kept me engaged. Read it!

[Julie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book was very enjoyable. A nice escape!

[stefanie bush · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I wasn’t expecting to like this book but it pulled me in and kept me guessing till the end.