Author: Christina Romeril
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 2022
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible
Description: Their chocolates are to die for—but things aren’t so sweet when a real killer comes to town, in this debut mystery perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs.
Identical twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates. But now, there’s a real killer in their midst. Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has taken up residence in the village. Unfortunately, she’s also shared her suspicions with town gossip Netta. The next morning, Alex shows up at Jane’s house to watch the show, but instead discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates nearby.
The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane’s will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen leaving the crime scene. But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects—townsfolk who’d recently been seen arguing with Jane.
When Alex gets hold of Jane’s journal, she begins to understand the truth. But a bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year—and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.
My Thoughts: A cute start to a series that features a bookshop that sells only mysteries and chocolates named after poisons as the backdrop is something that immediately piqued my interest. Alex and her identical twin sister, Hanna, own and operate Murder and Mayhem and it’s Christmas time in their small Montana village. When Alex is told by one of her elderly friends that there is a murderer hiding in their village and wants Alex to watch the true crime episode proving it, Alex goes over to her home and no surprise finds her body. The bad news is that Alex somehow ends up on the sheriff’s radar as a potential suspect.
I don’t read cozy mysteries looking for riveting or intense stories that pull the rug out from under me with jaw dropping suspense and surprise. Most cozy mysteries are fairly predictable and easy to suss out who the villain is. However, this one did surprise me with not only the identity of the killer but the lengths this person was willing to go to hide their tracks. I also have come to accept that the main characters in cozies put themselves in danger due to their investigating and I felt the usual frustration with Alex continuing to do so, even after she is specifically told to back off. Of course, if she had backed off, she may have well been arrested as the sheriff in this community seemed to be doing literally nothing to solve the crime.
I loved the atmosphere of this story. The village has a lot of charm and the bookstore gave me wonderful vibes. I also loved that the chocolates are all named after a type of poison and Alex’s dog is named Watson. There is definitely a lot to enjoy here and I look forward to what Alex and Hanna get into next.
My Final Verdict: I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries with a Christmas theme. The charm of the bookstore and the village will draw you in as you tag along with Alex on her adventure.
Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
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