Review: Death at Breakfast by Beth Gutcheon

Death at Breakfast

by Beth Gutcheon

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 288

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Retired New York City private school head Maggie Detweiler and her old friend, society matron Hope Babbin, are off on a weeklong vacation to Maine, to visit Hope’s son and attend a master cooking class at the picturesque Oquossoc Mountain Inn. The worst tragedy they anticipate is a boring fellow guest or a fallen soufflé. 

But their quiet idyll is disrupted by the arrival at the inn of a boorish couple, Alexander and Lisa Antippas, and Lisa’s sister, Glory. Imperious Hollywood one-percenters, Alex and Lisa are also the parents of the latest pop sensation, teen icon Artemis. Discord enters with the family, closely followed by disaster. When a suspicious late-night fire at the inn is brought under control, Alex’s charred body is found in the ashes. 

Enter the local deputy sheriff, Buster Babbin, who is Hope’s long-estranged son and a former student of Maggie’s. Buster needs a success, and Hope and Maggie, informed by a lifetime of observing human nature, coupled with a certain cynicism about small town justice and a healthy dose of curiosity, decide there is role for them to play here.


Kritters Thoughts:  Two friends go on vacation and end up in the middle of a murder/crime scene and become quite intrigued to help out the local jurisdiction with their investigation - it helps that one of them is the mother of the local policeman.

The location of this story was great.  I loved the secluded inn in a small town in Maine.  I read very few books that take place in Maine and have never travelled there, so reading a book set there is always fun.  For me this was the highlight of the book.

What didn't work for me was the pacing and plot.  This was a shorter book, with less than 300 pages and it moved very slow.  I didn't enjoy the pace at all and wanted things to move a little more swiftly.  

I don't know how to describe it, but the book felt bland, it was just ok.  Maybe I read too many mystery thrillers and my standards are high, but this one just so so and if at the end there is a hint for a sequel, I am not sure I would pick it up.

Even though I didn't love this one, it doesn't rule out this author and I am still wanting to read some of her other books.


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.