Halloween on Mackinac Island is a season of fun tricks, but finding a corpse is no treat for fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy . . . NIGHT OF THE REALLY DEAD It’s late October, off-season for tourists, but locals are up and lurching for the annual zombie walk charity event. Though everyone’s living it up, trouble is just a few pawprints away. Allie follows the bloody tracks of her calico cat, … tracks of her calico cat, Carmella, to a body in the alley behind the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Unlike the island’s other walking dead, this one’s flatlined for good. It seems that someone is using the zombie fest as the perfect backdrop for murder. Now amateur sleuth Allie and dreamboat officer Rex Manning must use every trick in their treat bag to unmask a killer in disguise.
Praise for Nancy Coco and the Candy-Coated Mysteries
“Memorable characters, a charming locale, and a satisfying mystery.”—Barbara Allan
“It’s probably best not to read this while you’re too hungry, as the assorted fudge recipes may send you right to the kitchen.”
—The Oakland Tribune
“I will be counting down the days until the next mystery with Allie McMurphy.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
Help support pet adoption – see details inside.
Includes an excerpt from Nancy Coco’s new and upcoming Oregon Honeybee Mystery series!
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
What happens on Mackinac Island in the off-season for Halloween? A Zombie Walk! It’s for charity and a lot of fun until one of the “zombies” is found dead. Allie’s calico cat, Carmella appears to have been the first at the scene because she is all bloody when she is found in the alley behind the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Everyone knows Allie McMurphy is on the case but an unexpected visitor has returned to the island with a proposition. Can she stayed focused and catch the killer?
This time Nancy Coco has pulled out all the stops and blown up a mystery everyone will love.
Allie wants to be a year-round resident of the island but with her friend Liz off living in Chicago, she is a little lonely and missing her sleuthing buddy. She has contracted the renovation of one of the floors of the hotel and the addition of a rooftop deck this offseason. Newlyweds Frances and Mr. Devaney are there to help her out as she comes up with a few ideas on how to investigate the murder without venturing too far from the hotel. I really enjoyed the way the community came together throughout the story. A little peek into those people the stay on the island the full year or until the snow starts to fly was nice too.
Ms. Coco has filled these pages with action and drama and a huge moment that brought tears to my eyes. The mystery ties into the past in a surprising way. There is even a second body found. A plethora of twists and turns distract and lead both Allie and readers along before the real story comes into focus. A subplot opens a door for Allie and I was cheering as she made her choice.
You will want to take a BIG bite of Fudge Bites! It has fantastic characters, a well-written mystery with suspense, drama, humor, a little bit of romance, and a whole lot of FUDGE. Like Allie, I did miss Liz, With the way to book ends, I think Allie is going to need her friend even more in the next book in the series. I truly can’t wait to see what happens next.
Fudge Bites by Nancy Coco is the seventh A Candy-Coated Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to this sweet series. Allie McMurphy loves living on Mackinac Island and looks forward to her first winter on the island. She has renovation planned for the second floor plus adding a rooftop deck. Allie is feeling a little lonely with her best friend, Jenn living in Chicago and others departing the island for the winter. Allie is a developed character who is friendly and relatable. She has some important decisions to make in Fudge Bites. I enjoyed the twisty whodunit with multiple suspects and unexpected action. I always enjoy a mystery that keeps you on your toes. Nancy Coco gives us beautiful descriptions of Mackinac Island in the fall. I can see how it can be challenging to live on Mackinac Island in the winter with the freezing temperatures, lack of activities and no ferry. Allie’s fudge making will have your mouth watering. There are recipes for brownies and various types of fudge included (Apple Cinnamon White Chocolate Fudge for instance). There is an excerpt from Death Bee Comes Her which is the beginning of a new cozy mystery series for Nancy Coco. I am curious to find out what happens next for Allie and the McMurphy. Fudge Bites is a spooktacular cozy mystery with fabulous fudge, roof renovations, a canine with a keen sniffer, twinkling treasure, zany zombies, and suspicious suspects.
I have to be honest I have not read the entire series… yet. I have read three of the eight and my plan is to read the rest before the next one comes out. I am so invested in Allie and The Murphy. Plus I want to know if she picks Rex. Sigh.. I hope she does. I really think he is the sugar that sweetens her world.
Fudge Bites has everything from murder and mayhem to love. I thought I had the mystery figured out but I was proven wrong. Coco is very good at keeping it hidden until the right time.
Pick this series up with any book and you will be fine. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you that you will be addicted.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
“Fudge Bites” by Nancy Coco is the 7th book in the “Candy-Coated Mystery” series. I think I have only read about 3 of the previous books but I remember I really liked the series, this installment does not disappoint. I am glad I chose it and highly recommend to cozy fans.
Halloween on Mackinac Island is a season of fun tricks, but finding a corpse is no treat for fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy . . .
NIGHT OF THE REALLY DEAD
It’s late October, off-season for tourists, but locals are up and lurching for the annual zombie walk charity event. Though everyone’s living it up, trouble is just a few pawprints away. Allie follows the bloody tracks of her calico cat, Carmella, to a body in the alley behind the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Unlike the island’s other walking dead, this one’s flatlined for good. It seems that someone is using the zombie fest as the perfect backdrop for murder. Now amateur sleuth Allie and dreamboat officer Rex Manning must use every trick in their treat bag to unmask a killer in disguise.
I requested and received an Advanced readers Copy from Kensington Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Halloween is fast approaching idyllic Mackinac Island, MI, and the historic McMurphy Hotel & Fudge Shop owned by Allie McMurphy. During the annual Zombie Walk, the bloody paw prints of Carmella, Allie’s stray cat, lead to a gruesome murder scene.
I thought Author Nancy Coco’s writing was in it’s prime as I read this spooktacular story. There are constant twists and turns, and the surprises don’t end until the shocking reveal! I’ve been waiting for Allie to choose her man, and she finally does. Book #7 is a great addition to a long-running series—A Candy-Coated Mystery.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
Fudge Bites
A Candy-coated Mystery, Book #7
Nancy Coco
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Halloween on Mackinac Island is a season of fun tricks, but finding a corpse is no treat for fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy . . .
NIGHT OF THE REALLY DEAD
It’s late October, off-season for tourists, but locals are up and lurching for the annual zombie walk charity event. Though everyone’s living it up, trouble is a just a few pawprints away. Allie’s followed the bloody tracks of her calico cat, Carmella, to a body in the alley behind the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Unlike the island’s other walking dead, this one’s flatlined for good. It seems that someone is using the zombie fest as the perfect backdrop for murder. Now amateur sleuth Allie and dreamboat officer Rex Manning must use every trick in their treat bag to unmask a killer in disguise.
Praise for Nancy Coco and the Candy-Coated Mysteries
“Memorable characters, a charming locale, and a satisfying mystery.”
—Barbara Allan
“It’s probably best not to read this while you’re too hungry, as the assorted fudge recipes may send you right to the kitchen.”
—The Oakland Tribune
“I will be counting down the days until the next mystery with Allie McMurphy.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
Help support pet adoption – see details inside.
***Includes an excerpt from Nancy Coco’s new and upcoming Oregon Honeybee Mystery series!*** (Goodreads)
Review:
The writing style flows smoothly and this book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. Mackinac Island seems like I place I would really like to visit, especially in the fall.
The characters are well wounded and well developed. I was a little sad that Jenn, Holly’s best friend, was not in this book, causing trouble with Allie. But I did get to hang out with some of her other friends and got to know them a little better. I am sorry to say that the love triangle is still in play, but I am hoping that Allie has made up her mind for the next book.
There was quite a bit of action taking place in this book. I couple of times my jaw dropped open from what was happening in the story. There were a few things that I did not expect, which is a great thing. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved. I had about four suspects that I was sure were guilty, one of them was right!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This whole series is great and I think you should check it out.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
The setting for this book is Mackinac Island in Michigan. I have visited the island several times and the book is true to the actual location. The names of the businesses have been changed of course. A man is mysteriously killed the night of the charity Vampire Walk (near Halloween) and Allie, the owner of the fudge shop/hotel, finds the body. She of course investigates. There is romantic tension between her and two of the men on the island. She is in the process of remodeling her hotel which she inherited. She spent summers on the island before inheriting the hotel and wants to live there full time, but most of the island closes during the winter. There are also a dog and a cat involved in the story. Interesting mystery, good character development..
The Fudge books are great. Each is a great read. Can’t wait until the next one
Enjoyed this book very much. Easy, quick reading and entertaining.
I absolutely loved this story, the characters were great! I love how it all turn out, the setting is brilliant! I loved the mystery in it I’m looking forward to the next one in this series. I highly recommend reading this series.
Nice seasonal book with very likeable characters.
I ordered it because it took place on Mackinaw Island where I have spent much time during my years. It was fun to visualize where things were taking place. I can almost picture where the McMurphy hotel was. Know where the grocery store is for sure. One of the churches mentioned was easy to locate. The other church was more vague.
Very, very light reading b
A fun book that takes on one of my favorite places to visit, Mackinac Island. Easily read as a stand-alone, but with great characters I would enjoy reading more about
This was my first cozy mystery to read. I have watched Hallmark mysteries, so I had somewhat of an idea of what to expect of the genre. Fudge Bites was a really fun book and I read it in two nights because I wanted to find out what was going on. It was also extra fun because I read it with some booksta friends. There were some surprises along the way which kept it interesting. The story included fudge making (of course), elderly neighbors, and cute pets, keeping it cozy. This is book #7 of the series, so there were a lot of characters that I wasn’t familiar with. However, it wasn’t too hard to keep track of who was who and I got a pretty good grasp of the community. Allie is involved in some kind of a love triangle, but yet she seemed pretty set on one guy. Maybe this would have made more sense if I had read the previous books in the series, but it just seemed kind of odd. The romance wasn’t a big part of the story at all, so it didn’t seem to matter. I enjoyed the seasonal appropriateness. It has been warm here in Texas, so it was nice to read about colder temps up north.
A delightful cozy mystery. Enjoyed the fudge recipe s especially!
This was the first book I’ve read in this series, but the cover was cute and it was on sale and I love fudge.
Our heroine Allie is gearing up for winter on Mackinaw Island (basically the fudge capital of the world), where only true locals stay during the winter. Determined to prove to everyone she’s not just a “fudgie” (i.e. tourist) she plans to keep the hotel and fudge shop inherited up and running all winter. But when her cat stumbles upon a dead body during the Zombie Walk night for charity, she, once again, puts herself in the middle of a murder investigation.
This was cute, for a cozy mystery. It had delicious food descriptions and recipes (a must for cozies), vague love interests, pets, and a healthy senior citizen presence. I think Allie could be a bit frustrating at times (she’s a bit of a gossip and indecisive when it comes to men), and it felt like a little bit of a clean Stephanie Plum book, but I overall liked it. I don’t want to say too much without spoiling the mystery.
Overall, I think fans of cozies would really enjoy this one, but may not be the best to start with if you’re new to the genre.
4 stars – 6/10
I really enjoy this series. It is October on Mackinac Island and Allie is looking for word to the slower place, doing some remodeling on her hotel and dressing up for the Zombie run. Instead her cat discovers a dead body and she sets out to solve the murder. I really enjoy the setting and the characters. The mystery was good and there were some red herrings to make it interesting. I look for word to reading the next book in this series. Enjoy
Halloween is a fun time on Mackinac Island, well usually but for Allie McMurphy, this Halloween has been anything but fun. While getting ready for the annual zombie walk Abby and her cat Carmella find a body. This body is not part of the undead citizens that are filling the streets in town the body is truly dead. Allie can’t help but wonder if someone was using the zombie walk as a cover for murder. Allie with the help of officer Rex Manning is determined to solve this murder before someone can perform more unwanted tricks.
This is the seventh book in the series but my first. I was definitely able to enjoy this book as a stand-alone mystery but I know if I’d read the previous books in the series I would understand the characters’ backstories better. The characters are relatable and likable. The mystery had no shortage of suspects. The story moved at a quick steady pace with several twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I love that the storyline tied the present day to a legend of the town’s past history. This was a very entertaining read anytime but a must of the Fall/Halloween Season.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
“Fudge Bites” earns 5/5 Favorite Fudgy Treats…Delicious Entertainment!
Yes, of course! It’s in the title…fudge, candy-coated, and recipes! So, why not! Delicious, easy-to-follow recipes from flourless brownies to truffles to various flavors of fudge are interspersed throughout the book, but it’s the story that kept me totally engaged. Nancy Coco’s seventh book in her Candy-Coated Mystery series puts the ghouls of Halloween on full display with Mackinac Island’s charity zombie walk. But it’s the bloody paw print trail leading Allie to a dead body behind her historic hotel and fudge shop that makes things all too ghoulish. Using an enjoyable first-person narrative from Allie’s perspective, Nancy’s writing style is quite engaging with descriptive language, a bit of humor, romantic triangle dilemmas, dialogue illustrating personalities, twists, turns, and a “trick” of an ending. Sidekicks are always an important role in cozies, and Nancy Coco includes some clever ones with a group of senior citizens, a local detective, a reporter, and Mella the cat. I’m new to the series, and would have liked a bit more background for clarity since the past popped up in the investigation, but it didn’t effect my enjoyment. I don’t know what others expect from a book set at Halloween, and although this isn’t all pumpkins (except the Pumpkin Spice Fudge recipe), ghouls (except some costumed zombies), and trick or treaters (did I mention the recipes?), it is a delightful read for the holidays.