In Dorothy St. James’s third delectable Southern Chocolate Shop mystery, a new batch of chocolate and troubles of the heart cause a string of disasters for the Chocolate Box’s new owner, Charity Penn.The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world’s richest dark … richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box’s owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island’s moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean.
Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton—the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box—holding the gun. It’s an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody’s young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can’t say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it’s too late for Penn and for those she loves in Dorothy St. James’s third rich installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop mysteries, In Cold Chocolate.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
Bullets! Missing turtle eggs! Missing chocolate turtles! The quiet seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina is having a crime wave. A local man is dead and someone is stealing sea turtle eggs from the nests on the beach, and Sea Salt Chocolate Turtles are disappearing almost right before Charity Penn’s eyes from her shop. Jody Dalton has accused Penn of lying to get The Chocolate Box Sweet Shop and taunts her almost daily about it, but when she is arrested for Cassidy Jones murder Penn just can’t believe it. Then Jody’s young son begs Penn to help get his mother out of jail. She finds herself quickly promising that she will do just that. There is nothing sweet about the point Penn finds herself in. There are several suspects in addition to Jody, but Penn needs to be careful or she may end up the killer’s next victim.
Penn has so much on her plate in this third Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery. Penn has found her mother, but the family has opened up yet another lawsuit to try to take The Chocolate Shop away from her. The shop is busy so she needs to hire more help and she is still trying diligently to learn all she can about making luscious chocolate treats. She has started observing with the sea turtle watch team her friend Althea Bays is in charge of. Her relationship with Harley, Jody’s ex, is starting to move in a new direction. And on top of all that she has told Harley and Jody’s son, she will get his mom out of jail before school starts next week.
I really enjoy how all the recurring characters not only grow from book to book but within the pages of this story. Penn is getting comfortable in Camellia Beach and is meeting new people and making friends. She is still struggling with the chocolate making but the woman does not give up. She has a great core of support when any sort o trouble arrives, but she is learning to stand up for herself much better when her family tries to take her shop away. She learns something in this story that shakes and bends her but doesn’t break her.
The author has written a dynamic story with a couple of mysteries swirled together with family drama. I really like the way all the subplots flowed together with the main plot almost effortlessly. This seaside mystery does have its share of red herrings and diversions that keep us readers on our toes. Penn seems to hone in on one individual but my mind kept pulling me in another direction. In my mind, the answer really depended on if the mysteries are separate or connected. The family battle over Penn’s inheritance gets a new twist that made me dislike members of that family even more. The ending left me surprised and wondering how I was going to wait the approximately 6 months until the next book comes out.
It was fun learning about the sea turtles and the great lengths people go to to protect their eggs and the species.
Oh and the chocolate! I have learned to have some nearby while reading this series. It doesn’t come close to what Penn and Bertie create for The Chocolate Box, but it takes care of my cravings.
Ms. St. James has penned another delectable treat for her readers to enjoy. I hope she writes the next one fast!
Excellent southern cozy mystery. The plot held a few surprises for me, plus I also found it educational. I’ve always wanted to be present when some baby sea turtles hatch, and it’s that time of the summer in the small island town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina where Charity Penn has inherited her grandmother’s chocolate shop, the Chocolate Box.
Penn’s best friend, Althea, has an emotional crisis over some missing sea turtle eggs, and Penn later discovers she’s interfered in Penn’s personal life in a way that’s very upsetting. Family, hearth, and home is on display and in the danger zone when Harley’s ex-wife, Jody; who’s somewhat of a loose cannon, is arrested for shooting and killing a local ladies’ man, Cassidy Jones. Unsure of Jody’s guilt, however, Penn promises Jody and Harley’s young son, Gavin, that his mom will be out of jail in time to take him to his first day of school.
The author adds several unusual red herrings using both characters and crime scene evidence which make for an absorbing and compelling storyline that Cozy readers are sure to enjoy. I was happy to see that Stella, the small Papillion that Penn’s ex dumped on her has finally won Penn’s heart. Recipes included for your enjoyment.
I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.
Penn is at it again in this third installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries. The Maybanks are still contesting the will and Penn is determined to keep her shop. But when a dark secret is revealed by her best friend, Penn is blindsided. This secret could cause her to lose it all.
On top of all that Jody is framed for murder and Penn makes a promise to Gavin, to prove her innocence. While sea turtles and chocolates keep disappearing, Penn is determined to figure out the mystery, even as the death threats roll in. With her life in danger, Penn’s time might just run out and wouldn’t that be a shame with things heating up between Harley and her. Can Penn solve the mystery in time? Or will this mystery be her death?
I really enjoy this series. I was really excited with this book, because Harley and Penn finally start to move forward in their relationship. I love Harley. He is the small time cute lawyer with a heart of gold. It is about time Penn had someone on her side to love her.
In this book things really get heated with Penn and her mother. A lot of secrets and truths are revealed and it is not pretty. I cried reading this book. It was sad and heart breaking at times. This book is a steady pace cozy mystery, with fun-loving characters that will make you giggle. I have fallen in love with these characters and look forward to more from Penn and the gang. Especially since the ending has left me wondering who she is. You will see what I am talking about when you read this one. I can’t say more without ruining the book for you.
You could try and read this book as a standalone, but it would make more sense to read in order so you don’t feel like you are missing something. I haven’t read book 1 Asking for Truffle, but I did read book 2 Playing With Bonbon Fire. Sometimes I wish I would have read book 1 so I could get the whole story on how Penn came about to be the owner of the chocolate shop.
So if you are looking for a good cozy mystery with wonderful characters, then this book is for you. So grab some truffles and bonbons and curl up with this book. You are sure to enjoy.
Synopsis:
In Dorothy St. James’s third delectable Southern Chocolate Shop mystery, a new batch of chocolate and troubles of the heart cause a string of disasters for the Chocolate Box’s new owner, Charity Penn.
The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world’s richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box’s owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island’s moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean.
Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton—the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box—holding the gun. It’s an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody’s young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can’t say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it’s too late for Penn and for those she loves in Dorothy St. James’s third rich installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop mysteries, In Cold Chocolate. (Amazon)
Review:
Penn is a smart hardworking woman. She is the owner of The Chocolate Box and she loves what she is doing and is proud of what she has accomplished. But she has family members that want to claim the chocolate shop as their own. So she knows that she has a fight on her hands, one that she does not intend to lose. And when someone is killed, and a woman she does not like is accused of the crime, she knows that she has to find the killer, because the suspect’s young son begs her to bring his mom back. The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoyed reading about her relationships with the citizens of Camellia Beach. And I thought the dog, Stella, was really cute and a fun addition to the book.
I especially liked the time she spent with her best friend, Althea Bays, and the time spent with the sea turtles. I felt that this added another dimension to the story. I learned some things that I did not know and that always makes me happy.
The writing style flows smoothly and defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and she brought the seaside town to life in my mind. The mystery was well plotted and nicely paced. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through, which made it difficult to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. There is a lot of action and a few mysteries to solve and you will be hooked from the start.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate
Great book in this delightful series! In this book, sea turtle eggs go missing, a man is murdered with Harley’s ex-wife being the prime suspect, and Penn has more legal issues with her family. Penn promises Harley’s son, Gavin, that she will investigate, but soon starts getting into trouble. I love the setting of this book as the beach is one of my favorite spots. The characters are intriguing and great chocolate recipes. I can’t wait to read more of this series and see Harley and Penn’s romantic relationship develop!
This series is just getting better and better.
As always there were several different things going on in this mystery which didn’t seem connected at first but in the end were tied all neatly together.
I love how the characters are developing and I especially liked how the relationship between Penn and her sweet little dog is improving.
This book can stand on its own but due to the background story it is so much more interesting to read the series in order.
I had a great time reading this book and am looking already forward to the next installment.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Crooked Lane Books and the author provided me with an advance copy.
Chocolate shop owner Charity Penn is facing numerous problems but what worries her most is her promise to a ten year old boy to help get his mom out of jail by his first day of the new school year. Not only does she need to clear the person who was caught holding the gun at the scene but that person shot her too.
This story has a great flow with relatable characters but what I enjoyed the most was the wide range of little mysteries within the big mystery.
This is the third book in A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
What isn’t there to like about In Cold Chocolate? It has a beautiful setting, chocolates, sea turtles, several mysteries, and a bit of romance. It was a perfect way to spend my day, getting to know the residents of the quaint little town of Camellia Beach!
Penn is settling into her life running The Chocolate Box, the little shop her grandmother left her. Trouble comes knocking at her door soon enough though in the form of her nemesis, Jody Dalton, family secrets, and even murder. Wouldn’t you know it…Penn is in the center of it all!!!
Cassidy Jones, a realtor and the town’s Casanova is found dead on the beach one night. All signs point to Jody as she is the one who was shooting guns in the dark night, and she was supposedly involved with him. However, not all things are as they appear. There was a list of women who might have wanted Cassidy dead. No matter how Penn feels about Jody, she will do what she has to for justice.
Murder wasn’t the only plot going on in the book. Penn’s relatives aren’t happy with her inheriting her grandmother’s shop, and they will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. They aren’t convinced Penn is really who she says she is, and they mean to prove it. Don’t underestimate Penn. She is quite the fighter, and she won’t give up easily. Harley, her lawyer and Jody’s ex, is standing by her side, and there might just be some sparks between him and Penn.
As one mystery is solved, Penn’s questions about her past haven’t been completely answered yet. Camellia Beach appears to be a little peace of paradise, but underneath that beautiful veneer lies secrets that many don’t want unearthed. That little foreshadowing tells me that Penn’s questions won’t result in easy answers.
The icing on the cake are the recipes at the end. Of course, my favorite is the Moon Benne Wafer Cookies…benne wafers are a Charleston treat! I, myself, am a South Carolina girl who was borned and raised in the Lowcountry, so any book I get my hands on about this area is a plus for me. Seriously, if you are looking for a book that has just about everything, look no further than In Cold Chocolate. Pardon the pun, but it’s a real treat. Looking forward to heading back to the beautiful lowcountry of South Carolina and Penn’s new adventure!
Hatching baby sea turtles, chocolate seasalt turtles, secrets, lies, threats and MURDER!
Another exciting adventure in Camellia Beach, South Carolina Penn can not seem to avoid being dead center of. Even when the prime suspect is a woman Penn would be better off without her presence in life, Penn can’t turn her back on justice and the hopes of a little boy.
Besides the new trouble in town, there is still controversy about Penn’s ownership/inheritance of the chocolate shop. Are Penn’s struggles to renovate and increase business all in vain?
When it seems even friends are telling her to back off and leave secrets buried, who can she trust?
And then there is Stella…
Another delicious 5 star dangerous investigation
Charity Penn (Penn to her friends) is learning the chocolate trade and running the Chocolate Box which she has inherited from her grandmother. While joining the Althea Bays turtle watch team to witness a new generation of sea turtles hatch, shots ring out and the body of Cassidy Jones (local Casanova) is found dead. Fingers point to Jody Dalton who is standing with the smoking gun in hand; a case closed in the eyes of the law. However, when Jody’s young son pleads for Penn’s help, she finds herself immersed in the case.
What I liked most about the book is the character of Penn. She has not had an easy life and still struggles with her newly found family, who don’t want to claim her as one of their own. In fact, every chance they get they are trying to claim her inheritance as their own. Penn is a kind-hearted individual and even though she personally doesn’t like Jody, she will do anything for Jody’s son and ex-husband.
This is the third book in the Southern Chocolate Shop series and can be read as a standalone. However, the story is very well thought out and written with a great plot that readers will want to catch up and read books 1 & 2.
“In Cold Chocolate” earns 5/5 Chocolatey Delights…Very Clever!
Ok, first, it says “chocolate,” so it’s a no-brainer that I’d pick up this book to read. I also love cozies, and the premise is common for the cozy mystery genre: girl is minding her own business, dead body is found, someone ends up in personal jeopardy, and justice is served. However, Dorothy St. James has gone beyond the formula by penning a clever mystery with a bit of Karma attached, well-defined characters that act and respond realistically, excellent descriptions of setting and inner thoughts, delightful banter, intriguing side dramas, and three recipes related to characters in the story. I am new to her work, but St. James provided enough background and character connections to keep me engaged. Most issues have a satisfying resolution, but the side story about Charity and the argument with her family continues into the next installment. This third book in her Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series is a new favorite!
With a first-person narrative, St. James pens an engaging mystery easily read…page-turner dipped in chocolate! Charity Penn inherited The Chocolate Box shop in the seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina. She is excited her role on the turtle watch protecting the area to assure the new batch of sea turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean safely, but it is interrupted by a gunshot, a dead lothario, and a lover holding a gun. Making matters worse the “lover” and Charity have had “issues,” but hard to ignore pleas to find answers puts Charity on the case. Beyond the mystery, suspects and motives, the investigation, and an “Oh, my!” ending, we have missing turtle eggs, “best of intentions” interferences, family squabbles, and lots of chocolate! I highly recommend this book, and as for me, the other two books have been moved up on the “TBR” queue.
I missed the second book in this series so I had to go and buy it. Not much in the way of spoilers but just enough information that I realized I had skipped a book. The third book in this series remains as amazing as the first. I absolutely am a fan of the series. Still not the most popular resident of Camellia Beach, Charity Penn continues to poor her heart into her shop, the Chocolate Box. Still not the most adept in the kitchen, she is finding her way with new additions she is coming up with on her own. She just needs Bertie to help her make the ideas come together into the yummy treat she knows they can be. She continues to have an excellent head for business but her heart gets her into as much trouble as ever as she promises Harley’s son, Gavin, that she will help his mom out of a bit of trouble she found herself in and she’d do it in under a week. All of this while her shop is being renovated and she’s volunteered to be an observer of the sea turtles and their hatching under the oversight of her best friend Althea. Unfortunately, someone is stealing the eggs. With a few mysteries on her hands, a little boy’s hope weighing on her shoulders, and her biological family back to playing games and trying to steal back her shop, Penn has more on her plate than she can possibly handle.
I literally could not put this book down. I read it out loud – to everyone. If you called me? I read a snippet to you. Then, I hung up. The school year has just gotten started so thankfully, there hasn’t been much in the way of homework or I’ve no idea what my kid would have done. Probably asked her brother to help her. I definitely recommend it.
Once again, there are recipes at the end of the book. This time, they are Penn’s Moon Benne Wafer Cookies, Bubba’s Spicy Cocoa Pork Tenderloin, and Bertie’s Cheer-Me-Up Chocolate Chip Pancakes.
Thank you to Dorothy St. James, NetGalley, and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the chance to read this and share my thoughts and opinions with others.
I really liked this book. The town is a small seaside community and The Chocolate Box is where everyone meets to have coffee, delicious chocolaty treats and catch up on the town’s gossip. The characters are a fun group of young and older residents. They watch over Penn as she is settling into her new surroundings. They inject humor into the story that made me laugh out loud. The book has a mystery with the mystery. While trying to figure out the main mystery, I love to figure out how both stories fit together.
This is the first book I’ve read in this series. It pulled me right into the story from the first page. It kept me engaged until the end. I wanted to keep reading to find out how it all came together. This book was so good, that I want to read the first two of the series to learn more about the characters and what other adventures Penn has. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery that pulls you in and won’t let you go until the very end.
I received and ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Publishing.
In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James is the third story in A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series. In Cold Chocolate can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Charity Penn owns The Chocolate Box in Camellia Beach, South Carolina where she is currently finishing up renovations to the shop. The sea turtles will soon be hatching so Penn has created a delectable treat in their honor that is flying off the shelves. On the night of the hatching, Cassidy Jones is killed, and it looks like antagonistic Jody Dalton is responsible. Penn would love to avoid this investigation, but Jody’s son asks her to please help his mommy. Despite being warned to keep her nose out of the case, Penn is soon knee deep in suspects. I wanted to give this series another chance after not having been enthralled with Asking for Truffle. Charity Penn is a nice character and I just love the descriptions of the chocolates that she creates for the shop (they have me pining for a chocolatey treat). The island sounds like a lovely place to live, but there are too many mean people in this story for my liking. There were some slow sections that could have been peppier and some areas that could have been eliminated completely (seemed like filler). It was interesting to learn about the hatching of sea turtles. I had no idea they were considered a delicacy (that is just terrible and disgusting). I see why they need people to keep an eye on the hatching ground. The mystery was uncomplicated, and the guilty party can be identified before the coroner removes the body. I did enjoy the dog, Stella and her antics. She was a delightful addition to In Cold Chocolate. While In Cold Chocolate was not the right fit for me, I suggest you obtain a sample to judge for yourself. In Cold Chocolate is a light-hearted cozy mystery with sun, sand, sweets and sea turtles.
The atmospheric and multilayered In Cold Chocolate is an impressive, compelling, and engrossing read. It not only fulfilled all my expectations for an enjoyable cozy read, but took everything several steps higher. The writing itself is excellent and Dorothy St. James knows how to craft a story that draws readers in from the very first page. Reading the previous two series books would probably have given me a better sense of all that’s going on with the regular characters, but sufficient background is provided so that this story works well as a standalone.
Tightly-knit plot, rich characters, and beautiful setting are skillfully woven together and contribute equally to the story’s pull. South Carolina’s Lowcountry setting is vividly conveyed and so integral to the story that it almost becomes a major character. I was literally transported to the seaside town of Camellia Beach, home to Charity Penn and her delightful chocolate shop. Missing turtle eggs, family dynamics, and a question of parentage are just a few of the intriguing elements in this story. The rescue efforts of newly-hatched turtle babies is fascinating and I’m pretty sure I would be involved if I lived in a community like Camellia Beach.
In Cold Chocolate has an emotional hook – two or three, even – that drew me to these characters. Charity Penn is an appealing leading lady and I could easily relate to her work ethic and desire to be accepted into the community. Environmental and real estate development are in conflict with each other as the question of who Charity’s mother was and right to ownership of the chocolate shop continue to develop.
A murder case that seems to be open and shut, with the guilt of Charity’s nemesis being obvious, becomes anything but that when Jody Dalton’s ten-year-old son begs her to help prove his mother’s innocence. Whether in tension-filled moments or less stressful scenes, the pace moves steadily and I never wanted to put this book down. This is an excellent series and I hope for many more stories by Dorothy St. James.
Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Chocolate, baby sea turtles, and murder. Oh my!
In this third installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries, author Dorothy St. James offers up another sweet tale of murder and mayhem.
There are two mysteries between the covers of IN COLD CHOCOLATE. Both were extremely well done. And with all that was going on in this story, author James made it very difficult to solve either one of them. She has a true talent for deception. That is, in her books of course!
This book was so much fun to read, even if it did have me craving chocolate the entire time I was reading it. The cast of great characters kept me thoroughly entertained with some laugh out loud moments. The mystery aspect was intriguing and held me engrossed all the way through to the exciting end.
Give IN COLD CHOCOLATE a place on your bookshelves. It will have you excitedly awaiting the next title as much as I am.
Charity Penn is the new owner of the Chocolate
Box in Camellia Beach, South Carolina. This town
is the natural nesting place for sea turtles.
Charity inherited from the shop from her
grandmother. Much to her dismay, her
grandmother’s family is disputing this inheritance.
It is time for the sea turtles to hatch and head out
to sea. Charity joins her friend, Althea Bays and
the rest of the turtle watch team to see the baby
turtles hatch and go to sea.
But before any hatching occurs, there are gun
shots.
Jody Dalton, nemeses of Charity’s is shooting out
lights left on in a house near where the turtles hatch.
Then the local Casanova, Cassidy Jones is found shot
to death with Jody standing over the body. Jody claims
she is innocent of killing Cassidy.
A mysterious shooting, a mysterious woman who
disappears after the shooting, a turtle nest egg robber,
a sea turtle chocolate thief, a determined sleuth to
bring the correct murderer to justice all combine to
make this a very interesting and intriguing southern
town murder mystery.
The characters are vivid, very colorful, well define and
typical of a small town story. The plot has twists and
turns that make a titillating story. A real page turner
with a surprise ending.
Stella the Papillon adds to the story as a local trainer is
helping Penn with training techniques plus teaching Penn
how humans need to relate with their animals.
This is book # 3 in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery
series. It can be read as a stand alone.
I volunteered to read In Cold Chocolate. Thanks to the
Facebook Cozy Mystery Review Crew for the opportunity.
My opinion is my own.
Charity Penn is back in this new book in A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series. Penn thinks now she can finally settle in, run the Chocolate Box and be safe from her relatives. Sadly, her problems are only just beginning. Trouble with the woman she calls mother, a murder and more are brewing in this third installment of A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series.
In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James is a cozy mystery novel with twists, surprises, and a suspect list a mile long. Penn has definitely got her work cut out for her as she works through the town trying to figure out who had motive, means and opportunity to take out the local Casanova. As she digs she learns quite a bit about not just him, but those who were around him as well. This is a fun, engaging story with interesting characters. This is the first book that I have read by Dorothy St. James and I truly enjoyed it. While this book is part of a series, I was able to follow along with the storyline with ease. I still intend to go back and read the first two books in this series though. I can tell from the storyline that Penn has come a long way from how she was in the beginning. I appreciate the author for filling in some spots for me here and there with the main characters. This helps to keep me engaged in the story.
There isn’t much that I don’t like about this book. The mystery is well done and I enjoyed piecing together who the true culprit is. I like being able to figure out who the guilty party is before the big reveal and the author gives the reader just enough to do so. While Penn and Stella, her dog, had their annoying moments I truly enjoyed this book.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book is truly enjoyable, fun and even leaves you with a bit of a sweet tooth at the end. For chocolate lovers, this book is a must read, and if you just enjoy a good mystery novel then I highly recommend you grab up this book.
This series just keeps getting better. The characters have grown and developed so much over the three books so far. I find myself oddly invested in finding out if Penn will get to keep the Chocolate Shop, is she really related to the Maybank family and if so who is her mother and of course who is killing people this time around! The plot is interesting and the suspense is building to see who will turn out to be Penn’s mother and will that person be sweet or miserable like her father’s family. The murder plot was very interesting and intriguing that our main character ends up trying to free her nemesis from jail for a crime everyone thinks she committed. The guilty party was a bit obvious in this book, but it totally will not detract from the story, in fact, I found it enhanced it as you could see why they thought Jody was guilty and why others might be guilty, but Penn had to unravel the tangled information to lead them to the real killer. A very entertaining read and I definitely recommend the series!
Must.Love.Chocolate
A delicious little series! I had read book one so when I saw #3 was out I kicked myself for not noticing the publication of #2, but went ahead and snagged this tale from Netgalley. Enough information is provided that although I don’t have the details of the interim story, the continuity is comfortable and, I suspect, one reading this book first would not suffer greatly from not reading in order [other than missing out on the enjoyment of unveiling the first and/or second puzzle(s)].
OK, so if you read the blurb you know the dead man is a local lothario and one of his lovers is found literally holding the smoking gun. Certain of the issues are resolved (the central crimes are solved!) but others, in the larger story arc, remain a mystery. Little teasers! Modestly paced, you have time to wrap your mind around the pieces and help examine the clues. But Penn relies heavily on her intuition which is not her most reliable asset so you have to puzzle out for yourself what is and isn’t a valid conclusion. Fun! Or if you prefer to just relax and let yourself be surprised, that works, too.
And, as an added bonus, RECIPES!