In this charming mystery series set in an ice cream shop, no case is too cold to crack! Bronwyn Crewse is delighted that Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, is restored to its former glory and serving sweet frozen treats to happy customers in the picturesque small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. But when a big city developer comes to town intent on building a mall, … building a mall, a killer with a frozen heart takes him out.
After literally stumbling across the body, one of Win’s closest friends becomes the prime suspect, and to make things worse, Win’s aunt has come to town with the intention of taking command of Crewse Creamery. Even though Win has a rocky road ahead to help her friend and keep her ice cream shop, it’ll take more than a sprinkle of murder to stop her from solving the crime and saving the day.
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I have been looking forward to this next book by Abby Collette ever since I finished A Deadly Inside Scoop! I love the diverse characters, spanning a variety of ethnicities and cultures, and the combination of several different, strong (and quirky) personalities. I also love that it’s set in a Black owned business in a charming small town – and the yummy ice cream Win creates doesn’t hurt either! (Except maybe my waistline lol)
Bronwyn Crewse is a great cozy mystery heroine, and her best friends are a study in opposites. From feisty, kick-butt Riya to impetuous, free spirit Maisie to fashion-obsessed coffee addict Rory – each friend has a distinct personality, and each represents a side of Win’s own character as well. Add in her endearing Pop-Pop, her close-knit family, her newly returned Aunt Jack, Maisie’s perceptive grandmother, and a whole host of quirky village residents/shop owners with their fair share of secrets … and you’ve got yourself a delightful mix of characters who keep you invested in the story from beginning to end. (side note: Maisie & Win remind me of Lucy & Ethel, respectively)
I did miss seeing more of Detective Beverly this go-around (because his character intrigued me in book 1) and I felt as though Win’s potential love interest got sorta swept to the side in this book, with only a couple of token appearances – I would have loved the romance factor to be a little stronger, given how much time was focused on him in the first book. But that’s just minor preferences, and I’m sure they’ll show back up again in future books.
The mystery in A Game of Cones is complex with plenty of suspects and red herrings throughout. I kept changing my mind about whodunit and whydunit until the very last few pages before the mystery was solved. There’s still a little bit of mystery left around a couple of the town’s residents, and I’m curious to see how that plays out (or doesn’t) in the rest of the series.
Bottom Line: A Game of Cones is engaging and entertaining, and I grinned most of the way through it. The plot is well-crafted and easily holds your interest, and even though I had an inkling of who the murderer was I was going down a totally different road until just before the reveal when everything clicked into place for me. I love Bronwyn’s family (the one she was born into and the one she’s gathered around her), and I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters in the future.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
I read and enjoyed the first book in the series. I did not enjoy this 2nd book as much. All the same characters are back with a few new ones and there is another murder in Chagrin Falls. For some reason Win and the gang decide to try and solve the crime. They run around town accusing everyone without any evidence. There were way too many characters and not all were necessary to the story. They did not solve the crime nor do any real investigation, even when the murderer was confessing they remained in the dark. I do like Win’s family, the small town setting and the ice cream but I struggled to finish the book.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and the family-owned Crewse Creamery now managed by Bronwyn (Win) Crewse. She has really turned the business around with fresh and unique ice cream flavors, but her aunt is back in town with her own ideas for the shop and plans to push Win out. Bronwyn and other Chagrin Falls business owners also have a huge new concern. A developer has come to town with plans to buy up all the stores and businesses and erect a high-rise mall on the town triangle. Win’s friend and former co-worker Rory has also come to town on a mission to lure Win back to her old job with a big raise and more benefits.
The community is up in arms about the mall. So much so, someone killed off the developer. The police are investigating but it is Rory that lands on the top of the suspect list when she reveals she is the one that found the body and a key piece of evidence belongs to her. She has no motive and claims she didn’t kill the man and Win believes her friend. Now they just have to find the real killer and clear Rory’s name.
I love ice cream and mysteries so this story was perfect for me!
Ms. Collette has written a strong leading lady in Bronwyn Crewse. She took a real chance leaving her career in the big city behind to come home and revive the family ice cream parlor. She has some great ideas and seems very happy with her decision. I love the relationship she has with her PopPop. They meet bright and early every day for breakfast before she heads off to create the yummy ice cream flavors of the day. He then shows up and spends several hours at the shop visiting with customers, keeping an eye on things, and giving Win advice as needed. She has a few employees but her crazy friend Maisie and friend Rita, also help out when they can. When it comes to sleuthing Maisie and Riya are Win’s sidekicks. Maisie comes up with the most outrageous ideas and theories. She has learned everything about solving mysteries from watching every television drama out there, making her an “expert”. She is a real hoot and a half. These core characters are so well crafted. Diverse and engaging, with very believable family dynamics, these are characters I love after just 2 books in the series.
Readers are introduced to several new characters including Win’s friend from New York, Rory. She was welcomed into the family immediately. A true coffee connoisseur, it was so funny to follow her on her quest to find the perfect cup in the small town of Chagrin Falls. I really liked this character and the way she evolved over the course of the story. I hope she pops up again in future books.
The mystery itself was very complicated with a lot of characters involved. I was using the notes feature on my Kindle to keep everyone straight. Even using that feature I was unable to solve the case before all was revealed. The developer wanting to revitalize the downtown area is a current-day hot topic many communities are facing. Thankfully most handle it without murder
A Game of Cones is a great addition to this series and a great escape. I am already packed for my next mini vacay to Chagrin Falls. My only complaint is that the book doesn’t come with free ice cream samples to devour while we are reading. You may want to pick up a pint or two before you start the book
A GAME OF CONES by Abby Collette
The Second Ice Cream Parlor Mystery
Although not yet a member, Bronwyn Crewse attends a meeting of the Chagrin Falls shop keepers association when things get heated. Zeke Reynolds claims a mall will be built in the midst of the village. No one in the charming village wants a mall and everyone openly shows their disapproval. The next morning Zeke is found shot dead. Happy with the success of her family’s ice cream parlor since she’s taken the helm Win is content to make ice cream and let the police solve the murder, but her good friend Maisie has other ideas. Will Bronwyn become embroiled in another murder?
Developers make great fodder for murder mysteries. So it’s no surprise when the spokesman for the company that wants to build a mall in the picturesque village of Chagrin Falls winds up killed before the second chapter starts! Revealing possible suspects and motives takes much longer, continuing until the very end with clues finally clicking into place in the last pages. It’s a slower paced investigation, with Win willing to allow the police to do their job without interference despite Maisie’s prodding…at least until things hit closer to home.
I really like Bronwyn and her down to earth attitude. She’s the rock between her two over the top best friends. Another friend is added to the mix in the second Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, another over the top friend at that. Evidence, combined with her friend’s questionable behavior lead Win to worrisome thoughts about her old friend. Could she be a murderer? Win also has to confront some unpleasant thoughts about her Aunt who has returned to town and is criticizing all of the changes Win has made to the family business. Does her aunt really want to resume management of Crewse Creamery? As Win deals with these two women she learns more about herself, her abilities, and what she wants out of life.
A GAME OF CONES is a fun mystery celebrating friends and family. I enjoy the close family relationships, the laughter, and the ice cream, and I can’t wait to return to Chagrin Falls.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it
Why would Bronwyn “Win” Crewse leave her prestigious position at a Manhattan ad agency to return to the quaint village of Chagrin Falls in Ohio? Love for her family. Love for her hometown. Love for the legacy of her grandparents, who opened the first African American business, Crewse Creamery, half a century ago. Win’s late grandmother had the best recipes for hand-made flavors of ice cream the likes of which not seen by any of the big competitors. I love Win’s family and friends; they are defined well through actions and conversations. Determining whodunit was a challenge, and I simply couldn’t do it.
Win’s grandfather, PopPop, decided it was time to turn the ice cream shop over to her to remodel and manage. She had the heart for it that nobody else in her generation does, and the talent to produce ice cream as good as Grandma Kay made. Her opening day was greeted by a snowstorm and a dead body. Her father was the primary suspect despite being a respected surgeon. Win and best friends Maisie and Riya tested their sleuthing skills to find who really did it and get her dad off the hook.
New companies are coming into the village; Rhys Enterprises is buying the buildings in the business area to demo and build a mini mall. Most people were not aware of it, so it was a surprise when the three friends went to the shop owners’ meeting and met the man representing the company trying to buy the building that Maisie wants. She plans to have a community room and gathering place to help those in need. She also oversees the community garden that helps feed residents and provide spices for places like Win’s shop; the company wants to buy that from the village.
Zeke is not welcomed at the meeting, as the village wants to retain its small-town feel, and a mall instead of their business district will destroy it. Somebody’s displeasure is evident when Zeke is found murdered in the wee hours. Maisie, who loves mysteries, wants to jump into another investigation with both feet, but Win came too close to dying last time and won’t do that again.
As if that isn’t enough news for one day, Rory, one of Win’s former co-workers from Manhattan, drove 400 miles to Ohio to present an offer to Win. Rory doesn’t like doing Win’s job, and really wants to get back into art and design, so the offer is beyond what Win would have anticipated. Win doesn’t want to leave Ohio, despite her old friend’s pleas. What she doesn’t find out until putting together the pieces of Rory’s unusual behavior is that Rory came into town a night before she said she did, the night Zeke was killed. She got lost, turned in the alley, and tripped over Zeke’s body. She got blood on her favorite pair of Louboutin heels, and tossed them in a dumpster a couple blocks away. The local detective was not happy that she didn’t report it at the time, then picked her as the primary suspect.
Win, Maisie, and Riya get together to find the real whodunit so Rory can get back to the big city, and the fun begins. Maisie adds to the suspect list regularly, rarely letting anyone off the list. The whodunit was quite the surprise, not just who, but why. I highly recommend this to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries, charming small-town, Midwest settings, and all the ice cream one can eat!
From a Thankful Heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Deliciously fun and fresh second book in this cozy mystery series, an Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series! Let’s meet these delightful diverse characters:
Bronwyn Crewse ~ AKA Win. Slightly quirky, but relatable with some feisty best friends and family members. Owner of Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, and restored to serve sweet frozen treats in the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
We enter book two with a big city developer intent on building a mall in the middle of their town that would take over several of the small town’s shops and businesses.
Witty with the right amount of humor and smartly written. Lots of characters were written into this one from Win’s past in New York so not only was her time split between them, but the minute times she was able to actually work in her shop, and solving the murder her friend Rory is the person of interest in. Secrets are unearthed and the mystery was a bit more challenging this time compared to the first book.
Overall a fun cozy mystery, but the number of characters does make my head spin due to not only new ones, but almost all the ones from the first book in the series. While it is genuinely nice to read / watch all their personalities intertwine, some of them are, in my opinion, annoyingly written (whispers Maisie and Jacqueline). However, you can’t hall a cast of all agreeable characters, right? Always need all those hands in the deck of cards.
Thanks to Berkley Books, Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and NetGalley for an ARC!
Finish off your read with some of her refreshingly sweet recipes:
Rory’s Mint Mojito Coffee Ice Cream, Aunt Jack’s Peppermint Candy Ice Cream, and Win’s Easy Summer Mango Sorbet!
This book was fun,suspenseful and full of creamy goodness. Well developed characters and believable situations . A very good who-dun-it!
Win Crewse has put a whole lot of time and money into bringing new life into her family business, the Crewse Creamery. Business is good but there is danger on the horizon for the shops that call the town square (really a triangle) home. A developer from Dallas wants to turn it all into a mall. Just the word ‘mall’ is enough to set tempers flaring and voices up to full volume. When the merchants attend a presentation by a couple of envoys of the developers it devolves into a real mess. Win, her grandfather and her friends all have a lot to lose if the property is bought for the mall and the very life of the village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio will be changed. All reasons to want to put a stop to the plans but enough to commit murder? Within hours of the meeting the corpse of the man who made the development presentation the night before is found behind one of the town square shops.The list of suspects is long and Win wants nothing to do with any amateur sleuthing. Been there done that and no repeats, please. Turns out finding the killer isn’t the only addition to her life. Her aunt comes to town with the intention of taking over control of the Creamery.
More than just a very well written mystery this is full of family relationships and the bonds of friends. I love her mom and her grandfather, PopPop. Somehow I missed the first book in the series and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
My thanks to the publisher Berkley Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
A Game of Cones is the second book in author Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor mystery series. Set in the small village of Chagrin Falls, a Cleveland suburb, this book begins with a meeting of the local shop owners who are being presented with a plan to buy out a section of the village triangle and put up a mini mall. This is not well received and the presenter, Zeke Reynolds, is booed and a shoe may or may not have been thrown at him. When this company representative is found shot to death in a back alley much later that night, the die is cast for Bronwyn (Win) Crewse to be pulled into another investigation.
While her friend Maisie Solomon is eager to get involved, Win is not. However, when her visiting friend, Rory Hunter, who has come to Chagrin Falls to lure Win back to New York City and the job she left behind, becomes implicated, Win, too, becomes more eager to uncover the actual villain and get her friend out of the crosshairs of Detective Liam Beverly.
As Win struggles with running her business, Crewse Creamery, convincing her friend she has no interest in returning to New York, and investigating the murder, her Aunt Jack arrives back in town, perhaps to take over the family business and push Win aside. With this worry on top of all else, Win is burning the candle at both ends.
In a twisting plot with many potential suspects and revealed secrets, Win once more is in the right place at the wrong time and is able to bring the case to conclusion. This is another well woven mystery by Ms. Collette. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!!
I wanted to love this book, I really did. It had such a cute cover and concept and punny title, and there aren’t enough cozies featuring women of color. But I just couldn’t get into this book. It was a little to predictable and a little too all over the place at the same time. I get that in a mystery you need lots of characters so you can’t easily figure out whodunnit, but new ones kept popping up all the time, making it hard to keep track. And by popping up, I really do mean popping up. All of a sudden a person would just appear, like a dog getting pulled on a leash in a new direction. I also couldn’t get past our main heroine’s best friend Maisie asking every intrusive probing question in the world, seemingly unaware of how rude (and unhelpful) she was being in the name of a murder investigation. I had hoped this modern take on a cozy mystery would bring something new to the table, but it was really just a rehash of the same formula without the effortlessness of some other cozies. I liked hearing about our main character’s family and the process of making ice cream almost more than the mystery. I would love to see the author try women’s fiction or romance, because there’s good bones–especially on the character front–there, I just don’t think it came together as a romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars – 5/10