A Recipe for Robbery - (Mystery at the Biltmore) by Colleen Nelson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Elodie LaRue is back for a new page-turning mystery. Someone has stolen Chef Sebastian's recipes and with few suspects, a tight timeline, and the LaRue Detective Agency's perfect success rate on the line, could Elodie be biting off more than she can chew?

Book Synopsis

"Nelson's lively writing and expert pacing sustain just-right tension while adding... sprinklings of wisdom [to] flavor the text."--Kirkus Reviews

With a 100% success rate, it is no wonder The LaRue Detective Agency has become the investigators to call at The Biltmore. But could the recipe robbery become Elodie's own recipe for disaster?

Biltmore resident, Chef Sebastian, plans to open a new pastry shop where he will unveil his mouthwatering masterpiece--the cruffin (part muffin, part croissant, entirely delicious). That is until all of Chef's recipes are stolen from his apartment. With a 100% success rate, it is no wonder The LaRue Detective Agency is hired to solve the recipe robbery, but when the mystery appears as layered as a French croissant--one may wonder: is a mystery this complicated worth risking a perfect reputation?

Full-color illustrations by award-winning artist Peggy Collins are scattered throughout the story, bringing additional humor to the cast of quirky characters and enhancing the reading experience for new independent readers.

From the award-winning author of The Umbrella House, Colleen Nelson brings another New York apartment building to life in Mystery at the Biltmore #3: A Recipe for Robbery. Written with charm and wit, Mystery at The Biltmore is Only Murders in the Building meets Harriet the Spy.

Review Quotes

Praise for Mystery at the Biltmore #3: A Recipe for Robbery

2025 Children's Book Center "September Hot Off the Press" Feature

"Nelson's lively writing and expert pacing sustain just-right tension while adding... sprinklings of wisdom [to] flavor the text."--Kirkus Reviews

"An engaging trio of detectives in a stylish New York City setting make this delectable mystery 100% successful."--Alison
Hughes, author of Watch Out

"A pawsitively delicious sleuthing!"--Sylvia McNicoll, author of The Great Mistake Mystery Series

"Just like previous installments of The Biltmore Serires, Nelson's latest mystery is a clever caper full of quirky characters and surprising twists. Readers are sure to fall in love with The Biltmore, its residents, and even New York City as they join the LaRuse Detective Agency to solve yet another riveting mystery!"--Chrystine Morell, author of The Curse of the Dead Man's Diamond

"Recipe for Robbery's absorbing blend of humor and "whodunnit" makes it an ideal story for early readers."--Laura Segal Stegman, author of The Chambered Nautilus