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A Chocoholic Mystery #8
The Chocolate Snowman Murders
The much anticipated Winter Arts festival is here, and as treasurer of Winterfest, Lee is up to her elbows in mix-ups behind the scenes. When the art show's guest juror shows up drunk, Lee lets him sleep it off, only to find out later that someone's put the visiting dignitary into a permanent state of repose.
Lee and Joe were the last people spotted near the crime scene. In a seriously sticky situation, it's up to them to find the real killer before someone else comes to a bitter end...
Lee and Joe were the last people spotted near the crime scene. In a seriously sticky situation, it's up to them to find the real killer before someone else comes to a bitter end...
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2008
49 people are currently reading
932 people want to read
About the author
JoAnna Carl
34 books434 followersJOANNA CARL is the pseudonym for the multi-published mystery writer Eve K. Sandstrom. The author writes about the shores of Lake Michigan and has been reviewed in Michigan newspapers as a “regional writer.” She has also written about Southwest Oklahoma and once won an award for the best book of the year with an Oklahoma setting.
Eve K. Sandstrom is an Oklahoman to the teeth: she was born there, as were five previous generations of her mother’s family. Both her grandfathers and her father were in the oil business, once the backbone of Oklahoma’s economy. One grandmother was born in the Choctaw Nation, and Eve is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Eve and seven other members of her immediate family are graduates of the University of Oklahoma. Eve even knows the second verse of “Boomer Sooner.”
Eve wrote two mystery series: the “Down Home” books, set on a ranch in Southwest Oklahoma, and the Nell Matthews mysteries, semi-hard-boiled books laid in a mid-size city on the Southern Plains.
But Eve married a great guy whose family owned a cottage on the west coast of Lake Michigan, not far from the Michigan towns of Fennville, Saugatuck, and Douglas. Every summer for more than forty years she, her husband and various combinations of children and grandchildren have trekked to the community of Pier Cove for vacations that lasted from two weeks to three months.
The area features gorgeous beaches, lush orchards, thick woods, and beautiful Victorian houses. Eve grew to love it. So when her editor asked her to come up with a new, “cozy” mystery series, Eve set it in a West Michigan resort town, scrambling up Saugatuck, Douglas, South Haven, Holland, Manistee, Ludington and Muskegon with her own ideas of what a resort ought to be to create Warner Pier.
As further background, she plunked her heroine into a business which produces and sells luscious, luxurious, European-style bonbons, truffles and molded chocolates. Most small towns couldn’t support a business like this, but the resorts of West Michigan – with their wealthy “summer people” – can. The “Chocoholic Mysteries” were on their way.
Eve’s editor requested that she use a pen name for the new series, and Eve picked the middle names of her three children, Betsy Jo, Ruth Anna, and John Carl. “JoAnna Carl” was born. So that’s how JoAnna/Eve became a regional author in two widely separated regions.
JoAnna/Eve earned a degree in journalism at the University of Oklahoma and also studied with Carolyn G. Hart and Jack Bickham in the OU Creative Writing Program. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business, working as a reporter, editor, and columnist at The Lawton Constitution in Lawton, Oklahoma. She took an early retirement to write fiction full-time.
She and her husband, David F. Sandstrom, have three grandchildren, whom they love introducing to the lore of their two homes – Oklahoma and Michigan.
She spent 25 years in the newspaper business as a reporter, feature writer, editor, and columnist, most recently at the Lawton Constitution. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of OK and also studied in the O.U. Professional Writing program. She lives in Oklahoma but summers in Michigan where the Chocoholic Mystery series is set. She has one daughter who is a CPA and another who works for a chocolate company and provides yummy insider information on the chocolate business.
Eve K. Sandstrom is an Oklahoman to the teeth: she was born there, as were five previous generations of her mother’s family. Both her grandfathers and her father were in the oil business, once the backbone of Oklahoma’s economy. One grandmother was born in the Choctaw Nation, and Eve is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Eve and seven other members of her immediate family are graduates of the University of Oklahoma. Eve even knows the second verse of “Boomer Sooner.”
Eve wrote two mystery series: the “Down Home” books, set on a ranch in Southwest Oklahoma, and the Nell Matthews mysteries, semi-hard-boiled books laid in a mid-size city on the Southern Plains.
But Eve married a great guy whose family owned a cottage on the west coast of Lake Michigan, not far from the Michigan towns of Fennville, Saugatuck, and Douglas. Every summer for more than forty years she, her husband and various combinations of children and grandchildren have trekked to the community of Pier Cove for vacations that lasted from two weeks to three months.
The area features gorgeous beaches, lush orchards, thick woods, and beautiful Victorian houses. Eve grew to love it. So when her editor asked her to come up with a new, “cozy” mystery series, Eve set it in a West Michigan resort town, scrambling up Saugatuck, Douglas, South Haven, Holland, Manistee, Ludington and Muskegon with her own ideas of what a resort ought to be to create Warner Pier.
As further background, she plunked her heroine into a business which produces and sells luscious, luxurious, European-style bonbons, truffles and molded chocolates. Most small towns couldn’t support a business like this, but the resorts of West Michigan – with their wealthy “summer people” – can. The “Chocoholic Mysteries” were on their way.
Eve’s editor requested that she use a pen name for the new series, and Eve picked the middle names of her three children, Betsy Jo, Ruth Anna, and John Carl. “JoAnna Carl” was born. So that’s how JoAnna/Eve became a regional author in two widely separated regions.
JoAnna/Eve earned a degree in journalism at the University of Oklahoma and also studied with Carolyn G. Hart and Jack Bickham in the OU Creative Writing Program. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business, working as a reporter, editor, and columnist at The Lawton Constitution in Lawton, Oklahoma. She took an early retirement to write fiction full-time.
She and her husband, David F. Sandstrom, have three grandchildren, whom they love introducing to the lore of their two homes – Oklahoma and Michigan.
She spent 25 years in the newspaper business as a reporter, feature writer, editor, and columnist, most recently at the Lawton Constitution. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of OK and also studied in the O.U. Professional Writing program. She lives in Oklahoma but summers in Michigan where the Chocoholic Mystery series is set. She has one daughter who is a CPA and another who works for a chocolate company and provides yummy insider information on the chocolate business.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
March 7, 2016
Like it happens sometimes, a fair handful of characters were introduced what seems like simultaneously. I inferred from that crowd that one of them was going to be the victim. It was fun right from the start to guess who it would be to die. The fun in this book stayed constantly. I thought Mozelle was the one to bite it. I was wrong. When the true victim appeared in the story, I had my doubts absolved. Here was a revolting chap, ideal and all fattened up - not only literally - for sacrifice.
I was less joyful with the second murder. It seemed pointless. It was pointless. There is no more dangerous than a murderer who's paranoid. It looked like the guilty one had used up all goodwill from fate or whatever, and had run out of safe ground. In retrospect it seemed that the nice person, the second victim was lost forever, but then a superficial character found redemption and was the new nice person in the Warner Pier committee. I'm guessing that touch was intentional, but you never know what is the intent in a fast paced, solid if not brilliant book.
The one constant conclusion with this series is that each book differs from its siblings, although there is a common signature. I was pleased to be able to picture parts of the scenery and the landscape, and that's saying a lot as spatial recognition is not my forte. The tight, no nonsense, and suspenseful prose of the climax caught me unawares. I missed minor appearances like Tracy and Brenda. And aunt Nettie. The latter gave me the impression that she had retired and left the shop to Lee. It seemed that only the committee was present in Warner Pier.
I am surprised that Joe never once became annoying in the series. After all he's, quote unquote, the best catch in West Michigan. Nevertheless he was the state debate team winner and wrestling champ too. Maybe it's because the focus is on his wife, but I think he will always be more of a Mary Sue than a Gary Stu, if that makes sense. He's supposed to be rugged and virile but he's in the background. Having said that, there are more males than females in this story. There are more unpleasant male characters too. Whether I personally find that true in real life is an opinion that stays variable from day to day.
I've now read eight books of Joanna Carl and that's a relatively prolific output. Unless you're a writer and your name is Nora Roberts, or Barbara Cartland, or Danielle Steel, or Agatha Christie. Okay so J Carl is not so prolific but it has been a real treat to read these books of hers over the span of a year. I dread the day when I'll have naught to look forward to except the books of other authors. I've made my peace with reading all of Miss Marple books, and I hope to handle the loss of this series' unblemished presence better. At least it's not outstayed its welcome. Unlike this review, and unlike life, really. My next to go to series would be crucial. Until then let's hope for the best.
I was less joyful with the second murder. It seemed pointless. It was pointless. There is no more dangerous than a murderer who's paranoid. It looked like the guilty one had used up all goodwill from fate or whatever, and had run out of safe ground. In retrospect it seemed that the nice person, the second victim was lost forever, but then a superficial character found redemption and was the new nice person in the Warner Pier committee. I'm guessing that touch was intentional, but you never know what is the intent in a fast paced, solid if not brilliant book.
The one constant conclusion with this series is that each book differs from its siblings, although there is a common signature. I was pleased to be able to picture parts of the scenery and the landscape, and that's saying a lot as spatial recognition is not my forte. The tight, no nonsense, and suspenseful prose of the climax caught me unawares. I missed minor appearances like Tracy and Brenda. And aunt Nettie. The latter gave me the impression that she had retired and left the shop to Lee. It seemed that only the committee was present in Warner Pier.
I am surprised that Joe never once became annoying in the series. After all he's, quote unquote, the best catch in West Michigan. Nevertheless he was the state debate team winner and wrestling champ too. Maybe it's because the focus is on his wife, but I think he will always be more of a Mary Sue than a Gary Stu, if that makes sense. He's supposed to be rugged and virile but he's in the background. Having said that, there are more males than females in this story. There are more unpleasant male characters too. Whether I personally find that true in real life is an opinion that stays variable from day to day.
I've now read eight books of Joanna Carl and that's a relatively prolific output. Unless you're a writer and your name is Nora Roberts, or Barbara Cartland, or Danielle Steel, or Agatha Christie. Okay so J Carl is not so prolific but it has been a real treat to read these books of hers over the span of a year. I dread the day when I'll have naught to look forward to except the books of other authors. I've made my peace with reading all of Miss Marple books, and I hope to handle the loss of this series' unblemished presence better. At least it's not outstayed its welcome. Unlike this review, and unlike life, really. My next to go to series would be crucial. Until then let's hope for the best.
December 16, 2011
Sexual harassment and murder seem way out of place in a book that has been mostly frippery. But there is a body on page thirty-five. And another on page ninety-five.
When I compare this to the other books I am reading, I wonder what I am doing reading The Chocolate Snowman Murders. I must be in desperate need of a break from literature. Am I in no man’s land? Am I the only guy to have ever read this book? Maybe this is my way of exercising my feminine side. Or maybe just resting my brain.
This is the best line in the book. In fact, it may be the only good line.
Now, I want to explain my view of two stars: GRs says “It was OK.” That’s what I mean too. I have just learned about the cozy genre and this book is of that ilk. It may be that a cozy book can get no more than two stars from me. Apparently I have several more on my shelves that I will have to read when I get down off my high brow. Even more in this chocoholic series. And, to tell the truth, chocolate was the attraction.
When I compare this to the other books I am reading, I wonder what I am doing reading The Chocolate Snowman Murders. I must be in desperate need of a break from literature. Am I in no man’s land? Am I the only guy to have ever read this book? Maybe this is my way of exercising my feminine side. Or maybe just resting my brain.
This is the best line in the book. In fact, it may be the only good line.
“’Lee, I’m going to ask you to do something that you’re not going to want to do. Something you’re going to think is immoral, and that I know is illegal.”
I looked at her warily. “You don’t want me to put preservatives in the chocolate, do you?”
“Good heavens, no! I’d never do that.”
Now, I want to explain my view of two stars: GRs says “It was OK.” That’s what I mean too. I have just learned about the cozy genre and this book is of that ilk. It may be that a cozy book can get no more than two stars from me. Apparently I have several more on my shelves that I will have to read when I get down off my high brow. Even more in this chocoholic series. And, to tell the truth, chocolate was the attraction.
October 18, 2023
It was okay. A bit too young adult for me but a very quick read. Many little things I found annoying throughout the book like the main characters’ tongue twisting of words and how many times the words Warner Pier appeared throughout the book. I find it hard to believe this is book 8 in a series of 18. I can honestly say I won’t be reading any of them. It was pretty obvious early on who the killer was even though certain findings kept being pointed at the “obvious suspects”.
Anywho, 2 stars.
Anywho, 2 stars.
September 26, 2023
The Chocolate Snowman Murders by JoAnna Carl is the 8th book of the Chocoholic Mystery series set in contemporary Warner Pier, a fictitious small resort town on Lake Michigan.
Warner Pier's Winterfest adds to Lee's already full schedule at Ten Huis Chocolade, where she and her aunt craft European style fine chocolates. Lee goes to pick up the Winterfest art judge, who turns out to be a drunk and lecherous groper. She drops him off at a motel along the highway.
When he's found murdered, Lee and Joe are the prime suspects. Of course, Lee begins chatting up all the committee members, subtly (or not so subtly) questioning their alibis, seeking possible motives. When Lee responds to an urgent request for early delivery of a special chocolate order, it turns out to be an attack on her life - and the perp gets away. Lee's pressure intensifies when a second murder occurs, and evidence is planted in her van. An attentive reader will notice revealing clues to the identity of the killer.
Warner Pier's Winterfest adds to Lee's already full schedule at Ten Huis Chocolade, where she and her aunt craft European style fine chocolates. Lee goes to pick up the Winterfest art judge, who turns out to be a drunk and lecherous groper. She drops him off at a motel along the highway.
When he's found murdered, Lee and Joe are the prime suspects. Of course, Lee begins chatting up all the committee members, subtly (or not so subtly) questioning their alibis, seeking possible motives. When Lee responds to an urgent request for early delivery of a special chocolate order, it turns out to be an attack on her life - and the perp gets away. Lee's pressure intensifies when a second murder occurs, and evidence is planted in her van. An attentive reader will notice revealing clues to the identity of the killer.
December 10, 2016
Another good adventure in Warner Pier! I liked the WinterFest setting and the snowmen chocolates seemed so cute. I did find the culprit pretty obvious but since that doesn't happen to me often I did keep questioning my choice. A good Christmas story.
February 20, 2018
The small town of Warner Pier, Michigan is preparing for their annual Winter Arts Festival. Lee and her husband Joe are members of the WinterFest committee and this time of the year they are very busy. When the art show’s guest juror shows up drunk, Lee drops him off at a motel only to learn he has been found dead in the motel room the next day.
Lee becomes an instant suspect when the story of the short ride from the airport to the motel comes out. She refuses to be steamrolled by the local police and works on her own to find out what happened to the man.
I read the first five pages of this book twice. I felt like I couldn’t invest in the narrative at all. When I turned the page and began page five I finally became interested in the story. I feel that even though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series the author gives enough background throughout the book. That said, I still prefer to read the books in any series in order. The plot moves in waves. I prefer a steady pace. The characters are well developed, but again, I will I knew more of the history from previous books. I fluctuated between rating this a 3 or 4. I ultimately went with a 4 because the problems I had with the book were more about personal preference and not the actual writing or plot. I did enjoy the book and it peaked my interest in going back and reading book one. I did enjoy that the setting is in an area I am familiar with and love. The characters are relatable. I recommend giving this book a read.
Lee becomes an instant suspect when the story of the short ride from the airport to the motel comes out. She refuses to be steamrolled by the local police and works on her own to find out what happened to the man.
I read the first five pages of this book twice. I felt like I couldn’t invest in the narrative at all. When I turned the page and began page five I finally became interested in the story. I feel that even though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series the author gives enough background throughout the book. That said, I still prefer to read the books in any series in order. The plot moves in waves. I prefer a steady pace. The characters are well developed, but again, I will I knew more of the history from previous books. I fluctuated between rating this a 3 or 4. I ultimately went with a 4 because the problems I had with the book were more about personal preference and not the actual writing or plot. I did enjoy the book and it peaked my interest in going back and reading book one. I did enjoy that the setting is in an area I am familiar with and love. The characters are relatable. I recommend giving this book a read.
April 6, 2010
I hit the snowman with twenty pounds of chocolate.
Synopsis: She totally did. Then she had to run screaming through the snow like Jason XI: Jason Freezes His Tail Off.
When series heroine and chocolate entrepreneur Lee Woodyard agrees to sit on the board of the Warner's Pier, Michigan Winterfest, she's expecting a little bickering with the other board members and hopefully a lot of great publicity for the chocolate shop she runs with her great aunt. What she gets is, say it with me, a dead body. No scratch that, two dead bodies.
She also gets a mercifully plausible reason for being suspected by the police, and a chance to tell the story in her own uniquely mellow and readable voice.
See, I used to be mighty fond of culinary mysteries, and then as the field saturated, I either burned out on them or just read a whole string of them that sucked it, hard, so I don't read as many as I used to. But I'm a sucker for well-written small towns, for a start, and I have a thing about first-person narratives: they have to be really well done for me to go near them. Weird, right? Well, I do very much like Lee's voice. She's strong and capable and snarky and arrogant and sometimes she's just flat-out wrong, which are all characteristics I find myself empathizing with a great deal. Make of this what you will. :)
The scene in the blockquote is probably my favorite from recent cozy-culinary memory, btw. Lee's lured out to the abandoned conference center at dawn and then chased by a homicidal life-sized snowman over hill and dale. The scene is executed flawlessly, and it's only later, during The Big Reveal, that I realized there is no earthly reason for the murderer to have dressed up like a snowman. I sort of still don't care. It was that much fun of a scene.
But a facile voice can't carry a whole book. Facile doesn't mean artistic or compelling, and luckily this book was only a quarter (yes $0.25 and gods bless my crazy Hannafords used book bin) because it's headed right back out there. Notice that the title and quote are one and the same. That's because really, there were no other sentences in the book that made me perk up and take notice, made me stop and just admire the way the author wrote. It was almost as if oh hey, deadline for the next book's coming up, better take a week and crank this out. Soulless, kind of.
Just like a box of chocolates, I'll read one more from this series and then I'll stop, I swear.
March 26, 2012
My first dip into the world of the Chocoholic Mystery Series, and my first Joanna Carl book. I really enjoyed it - so much that I finished it in one day!
As usual, I grabbed a book that was about halfway through the series, but it didn't really seem to matter. I got an idea of the characters and location pretty quickly. I loved the little history of chocolate notes, and I learned white chocolate isn't really considered chocolate at all. Too bad because I love white chocolate the best! As an added bonus, I even got to knock Michigan off my 50 States list - I didn't know that when I picked the book up.
Was the book perfect? No, but some things were pretty accurate (like how dark it is in Michigan in the winter!), and the small town feel of the book completely over rode anything that seemed a little off. All in all, it was a quick cozy to that helped me take a very small break from school work. Just what I needed right now!
Challenges this book counts towards
Outdo Yourself
Cruisin' thru the Cozies
Support Your Local Library
Read the 50 States (Michigan)
~Kris~
As usual, I grabbed a book that was about halfway through the series, but it didn't really seem to matter. I got an idea of the characters and location pretty quickly. I loved the little history of chocolate notes, and I learned white chocolate isn't really considered chocolate at all. Too bad because I love white chocolate the best! As an added bonus, I even got to knock Michigan off my 50 States list - I didn't know that when I picked the book up.
Was the book perfect? No, but some things were pretty accurate (like how dark it is in Michigan in the winter!), and the small town feel of the book completely over rode anything that seemed a little off. All in all, it was a quick cozy to that helped me take a very small break from school work. Just what I needed right now!
Challenges this book counts towards
Outdo Yourself
Cruisin' thru the Cozies
Support Your Local Library
Read the 50 States (Michigan)
~Kris~
October 9, 2019
I can't say that I enjoyed this book. It was obvious pretty early on who the murderer was, if not the motive. Since I'm normally hopeless at figuring out who dunnit, that was enough to tell me that this wasn't a very good mystery. I also can't say I liked the protagonist--her tongue twister thing was honestly a bit annoying. The cops handling the case were insufferable and incredibly unprofessional, not to mention just flat out bad at their jobs. The attitude toward sexual assault was weird--he's only doing it to try to embarrass her because he was intimidated by her height? And that's a common, normal reason apparently. And she only felt vaguely disturbed by it, more angry than anything? Okaaay. Also, people from northern states have a reputation for being incredibly unhospitable and unfriendly. Who knew.
The only upside to this book was that it's pretty short and I didn't hate it so it didn't send me into another reading slump.
The only upside to this book was that it's pretty short and I didn't hate it so it didn't send me into another reading slump.
February 16, 2018
The Chocolate Snowman Murders by Joanna Carl is the 8th book in the Chocoholic Mystery series. The Warner Pier Winter Arts festival is marred by the murder of the guest art show judge after he was dropped off by Lee at a hotel when he had become drunk and obnoxious. The story was interesting but I found it difficult ti like any of the characters and Lee's speech slip ups become tired after a while. The chocolate facts were interesting although they did little to add to the story. The chocolate descriptions though sounded wonderful and delicious -dangerous if you are watching your weight.
June 27, 2015
This is the first cozy mystery I've read and I really enjoyed it. I've only ever read suspenseful mysteries and I'm in love with the cozy ones now. Joanna Carl had me guessing who the murder was until the very last chapter. I didn't expect who it was but once it was revealed it all made sense. I can't wait to read another cozy by Joanna Carl.
May 27, 2024
Quick little fun read. I’ve always loved this author and her writing style. I had a harder time getting into this one just due to the numerous amount of characters to try to keep up with.
Great ending and it really picks up about halfway through the book.
Great ending and it really picks up about halfway through the book.
January 8, 2019
Pretty generic read - not even very interesting chocolate facts! Characters not well developed, plot a little thin.
December 1, 2025
*SPOILER ALERT* Most of it was a good representation of a holiday, cozy murder mystery. The scene where the person (Amos) was trying to kill Lee was silly. First of all, he is wearing a snowman head with limited visibility, especially when it comes to peripheral. He had a hard time seeing where he was going, as evidenced by his use of the flashlight, let alone slipping in the snow. Second of all, unbeknown to Lee, he was an older man with slower reflexes. The character wouldn’t have known that with the snowman head on, but his bodily actions seem to prove that. We always have to suspend belief when it comes to books and movies to some degree, but it was a little far-fetched to suspend belief on that, which took me out of the story.
Also, you can always tell that the writer is an older woman, because while the author pointed out the misogynistic and harassment comments spoken to Lee, the main character just seemed to accept it as normal and didn’t call out the behavior to people, like her Lawyer- husband or chief of police uncle, who could have helped her do something about the unlawful behavior and words from both detective McCullough and the detective who cornered her in the restaurant. My guess is that women of older generations just had to take those comments.
Also, you can always tell that the writer is an older woman, because while the author pointed out the misogynistic and harassment comments spoken to Lee, the main character just seemed to accept it as normal and didn’t call out the behavior to people, like her Lawyer- husband or chief of police uncle, who could have helped her do something about the unlawful behavior and words from both detective McCullough and the detective who cornered her in the restaurant. My guess is that women of older generations just had to take those comments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2022
On a scale of coziness, this book fell somewhere between sandpaper and dried grass. The town and community was no more pleasant than my own, and the writing didn't transfer me to some cozy Christmas town as I was hoping it would. And you know what really isn't cozy? Rape-y vibes. Which happened twice in the early pages of this book.
The writing also left much to be desired. Too much addressing people directly by their name in a conversation (a pet peeve of mine), plus the "fun chocolate trivia" was not really fun at all - and to be honest, that was one of the things I was most excited for in the book.
As far as plot goes, the mystery of it was meh. Lee, our main sleuth, was kind of just in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time), and her family did the bulk of the heavy lifting for her.
I'm glad that I read it, because I needed to log at least one not great cozy Christmas mystery this season!
In short, I don't recommend this one, even if you're looking for something so bad it's good. This one doesn't fit the bill.
The writing also left much to be desired. Too much addressing people directly by their name in a conversation (a pet peeve of mine), plus the "fun chocolate trivia" was not really fun at all - and to be honest, that was one of the things I was most excited for in the book.
As far as plot goes, the mystery of it was meh. Lee, our main sleuth, was kind of just in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time), and her family did the bulk of the heavy lifting for her.
I'm glad that I read it, because I needed to log at least one not great cozy Christmas mystery this season!
In short, I don't recommend this one, even if you're looking for something so bad it's good. This one doesn't fit the bill.
March 12, 2020
Accountant Lee Woodyard works at her aunt's chocolate shop in the tourist town of Warner Pier, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Michigan. The town's Winter Arts Festival is just about to begin, and Lee is asked to pick up a last minute replacement judge at the airport for the art competition. As soon as she picks him up, the troubles begin. Lee quickly realizes the man is drunk, and even worse, he has no qualms about making the moves on Lee while she is trying to drive through rush hour traffic. Halfway home, Lee drops the letch off at a motel, so someone else can pick him up the next day, only there is no next day for the letch, as he has apparently offended someone else as well, enough so that they murdered him. Unfortunately, Lee and her husband, Joe, are the prime suspects and quite the subject of the local gossip mill. After a good cry, however, Lee, gets to work trying to determine who the real killer is, and there are plenty of possible suspects.
November 24, 2024
Takes place just before Christmas; the emphasis is on the mystery and solving the crime, not on romance and boyfriends. The best part was in the middle of the book when Lee is lured to make a delivery in the early morning and is attacked by a brute wearing a snowman's mask who tries to kill her; she fights him off and escapes. In many books of this genre the beautiful damsel cowers in fear and faints or gives up, so this was very unexpected and enjoyable action. The only drawback was I spotted the killer early on due to weird behavior, so it became a matter of seeing how the author developed the story line.
January 31, 2018
Man this book, is just good. The humor is amazing. Each chapter ends with suspense, making me turn the page each time. I might quick to jump to conclusions but I still managed to find who the killer was before the book did, so HA! Anyways back to praising this book.
My favorite part is the part with the snowman. That part is amazing. The suspense i got from that was fantastic. I was on the egde of my seat. I kept on anticipating things that don’t even happen. I should stop before i go crazy. 5/5, book of the year, would recommend.
My favorite part is the part with the snowman. That part is amazing. The suspense i got from that was fantastic. I was on the egde of my seat. I kept on anticipating things that don’t even happen. I should stop before i go crazy. 5/5, book of the year, would recommend.
October 15, 2019
Not my favorite in this series. Having reached book #8, I know I do love most of the characters and everyone, but I have to say this one seemed a little formulaic. We don't really have any of the characters developing, and there's the same two-murders-one-attack-on-Lee plot device as in most of the other books. I'm wondering what happened to Lindy and Dolly and some of the other regular characters that we've had pushed aside in this edition. None of these suspects were even that interesting.
March 7, 2018
An enjoyable read. There was twice she seemed to jump back a page or two after appearing to move on to the nest day which confused that portion of storyline. I loved the "flavor" of the story though, as well as some wonderful historical trivia leaving us "hungry" to learn more. I liked the characters, and am eagerly looking forward to reading more of her books.
September 1, 2022
There's always some twist at the end that I didn't remember. So I really thought it was the one suspect the whole way through! Dang! Missed it again! LOL
I love little cozy mysteries! Great job on this one!
I want to know, did those chocolates she was running with get used?? I would have tried to see if they were sellable, even at a discount. She could give them to me, lol.
Enjoy!
I love little cozy mysteries! Great job on this one!
I want to know, did those chocolates she was running with get used?? I would have tried to see if they were sellable, even at a discount. She could give them to me, lol.
Enjoy!
August 5, 2023
I have been reading this series for years, but you can read them independently. This book is one of my favorites. The characters are fabulously written, the plot keeps you guessing, the writing flows in such a way that I couldn't put it down. I was sorry to get to the end. Thank you for a great read.
December 29, 2025
It seems this book is in the middle of a series featuring these characters, and it probably didn't help that I hadn't read the others in the Chocolate Mysteries. The author does some filling in of background along the way, but that seemed to bog the narrative down somewhat. I did not enjoy it enough to search out the other books in the series. It was a so-so mystery.
November 17, 2018
Good read. I enjoyed it. The author was kind to us and didn't have Lee doing too many stupid things in this one. One incident early on revealed a person to be the murder or co-conspirator, but the incident seemed to be forgotten. But it all came together in the end, in a very inventive way.
May 9, 2021
Small town life draws in big-time crime but everyone falls for the chocolate. Can you spot the chocolate clue that trips up the killer? Lee and Joe are in the thick of it this time with their marriage in the middle of it. Another great Chocoholic Mystery.
December 18, 2022
I continue to fall in love with this series. The stories are well written and keep you guessing. Lee can’t stay out if trouble . It just finds her. Many funny moments, with a good solid mystery. Overall great cozy series
March 18, 2017
An easy read, but was able to spot the murderer early on. Nothing to special.
December 27, 2017
Enjoyable mystery. With Lee and hubby Joe as possible suspects in a murder of an obnoxious man.
February 14, 2018
I’m usually not too crazy about “cozy” mysteries, but this was surprisingly good!
August 18, 2018
Not a believable motive, but still an enjoyable community in which to spend some time
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