Debut author Jessa Maxwell’s mystery The Golden Spoon instantly sent a ripple of excitement through our editorial team, as ardent fans of both cozy competition and cleverly plotted whodunits. I chatted with Maxwell about her influences, what it felt like to hear the ensemble performance of her eight main suspects—er, characters—and of course, what she’s baking now.
Audible: Janet Evanovich describes The Golden Spoon as Clue meets The Great British Baking Show. Tell us about your influences and what inspired you to combine reality TV with a murder mystery.
Jessa Maxwell: I had wanted to write a mystery for many years and had been looking for just the right story line to pursue. I was brainstorming one day, and suddenly the image of a televised baking competition popped into my head. It would be perfect, I thought. So many kinds of people and personalities come on those shows, and what better combination than baking and murder?
A listen like this deserves an ensemble cast—and you’ve got eight great narrators on board. How did you envision the story being told in audio, and how do you feel about the end result?
I just love it! It’s so interesting to hear how people interpret the characters and events that I have only ever heard in my imagination, and I think they did a marvelous job. I was really fortunate to be able to hear each voice actor’s clips ahead of time and approve them. I am so impressed by the way these actors are able to bring life to the words on the page while also making the story clear and easy for listeners to follow.
Are you a baker yourself? Any listens you enjoy while baking?
I love to bake—bread, cookies, the occasional cake—and also to cook meals for my family. I use it as a way to relieve stress and break up my writing day. Sometimes I’ll listen to music, often I listen to the evening news. Right now, I’m listening to Raven Black by Ann Cleeves on Audible and loving it.
