Publishers Weekly
01/25/2021
The annual Cookie-Baking Contest is just a few days away in Graves’s well-crafted fourth Death by Chocolate mystery (after 2020’s Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut), and Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White, the owners of the Chocolate Moose bakery in Eastport, Maine, plan to enter, but they’re sidetracked by the hatchet murder of town curmudgeon Alvin Carter. The two ladies have developed a reputation as snoops, but they have good reason to get involved this time, since a loyal friend of theirs, Billy Breyer, who did yard work for Alvin and found the body, is the Eastport police chief’s prime suspect. Jake and Ellie, who are sure Billy is innocent, come to realize plenty of others might have had it in for Alvin, including Billy’s ramrod-stiff great-aunt, who spent a lot of time arguing with Alvin. More crimes occur, including a shooting, and a dangerous wildfire seems to be a case of arson directed at the bakery partners. Graves does a good job keeping readers guessing with multiple potential motives. Fans of cozies with a dark edge will have fun. Agent: Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for the Death by Chocolate Mysteries by Sarah Graves
“The lovingly described small-town island setting, the two principled main characters, and the familiar secondary characters will charm fans, as well as appealing to readers of Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone cozies, also set in coastal Maine.” —Booklist on Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle
“Graves does a good job keeping readers guessing with multiple potential motives. Fans of cozies with a dark edge will have fun.” —Publishers Weekly on Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle
“Another surprisingly wild ride of a culinary cozy here in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series. Jake and Ellie’s scrapes are by turns hilarious and exceedingly dangerous...The mystery was well-crafted, with layers that deftly obscured whodunnit.” —Criminal Element on Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle
“Filled with quirky characters and small-town appeal, this fun mystery returns readers to The Chocolate Moose bakeshop." —Woman's World on Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
“Entertaining…Plenty of suspects and a mysterious sailing ship make for an intriguing puzzle. Cozy fans are sure to have fun.” —Publishers Weekly on Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut
“Plenty of appealing elements…The ever-sympathetic main characters, the close relationships Jake has with her multigenerational family, the beautifully described coastal Maine setting, and the baking frame.” —Booklist on Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut
“It’s especially nice to get to know all the members of Jake’s large household as they plan together for the future, unaware of the peril that looms over Eastport in the form of the mysterious ship.” —Criminal Element on Death by Chocolate Frosted Donut “Graves pulls the story together at the end with an exciting scene that identifies the real culprit and brings that individual to justice.” —The New York Journal of Books on Death by Chocolate Frosted Donut
“Filled with quirky characters and small-town appeal, this fun mystery returns readers to The Chocolate Moose bakeshop.” —Woman’s World on Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
“Graves' second case of chocolate murder offers fans of the genre a trifecta of coziness: plucky heroines, sweet treats, and just enough puzzlement to keep you on your toes.”—Kirkus Reviews on Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
“Enjoyable...Lively characters, an intricate plot, and enticing descriptions of Down East Maine make this cozy a winner.” —Publishers Weekly on Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
“The story’s suspense, clues, red herrings and action scenes are well worth it. Have somebody taste test that next chocolate milkshake, just in case.” —The Kennebec Journal on Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
Kirkus Reviews
2021-01-13
A small-town shop owner investigates the murder of a nasty old geezer.
No one in the island community of Eastport, Maine, has much good to say about Alvin Carter. His ramshackle house is an eyesore, and he treats anyone foolish enough to work for him to short wages and an abusive tongue. It gets so bad that the only one he can get to do his housework is sturdy, rawboned Mary Sipp, who carries a pistol in her purse and tolerates nonsense from nobody. But when Mary has to hack her way through the overgrowth with a machete to get to Alvin’s front door, he agrees to hire Jake Tiptree’s son, Sam, to do some landscaping. Sam and his partner, Billy Breyer, are making headway when Billy finds Alvin with a hatchet in his skull. Eastporters, including local police chief Bob Arnold, agree there’s no way Billy could have killed Alvin; Billy wouldn’t hurt a fly. But the folks on the state’s murder investigation team arrest Billy anyway, prejudiced by the fact that a few years back, he killed his father. Jake, known best to her Eastport neighbors for the treats she sells at the Chocolate Moose, puts on her deerstalker, determined to crack this case both to save her son’s business and to keep Billy’s tyrannical aunt, Prunia Devereaux, from seizing custody of Billy’s orphaned sisters, who are under his guardianship. What happens next is a series of disjointed episodes featuring Jake breaking into various venues, assisted by her best friend, her elderly stepmom, her daughter-in-law, who seems to be suffering from postpartum depression, and even the chief of police.
Preposterous.
