What do you think?
Rate this book
Sapphire Beach #4
Candy Canes and Cadavers
Candy Canes and Cadavers is Book Four of the Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Series.
Palm trees wrapped in holiday lights. A Fair Trade jewelry shop owner. A murder at the local playhouse.
Connie Petretta is thrilled that her family is spending Christmas with her in Sapphire Beach. They even come early to attend the opening of “A Christmas Carol,” performed in memory of her beloved Aunt Concetta. It has all the makings of a perfect holiday until one of the actors is murdered on opening night. With her mother and sister by her side, Connie puts her sleuthing skills to the test as she investigates the murder of her aunt’s friend and colleague.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat, loveable characters, and palm trees swaying in the breeze, you’ll love the Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Series.
Download Candy Canes and Cadavers and begin your getaway today!
Palm trees wrapped in holiday lights. A Fair Trade jewelry shop owner. A murder at the local playhouse.
Connie Petretta is thrilled that her family is spending Christmas with her in Sapphire Beach. They even come early to attend the opening of “A Christmas Carol,” performed in memory of her beloved Aunt Concetta. It has all the makings of a perfect holiday until one of the actors is murdered on opening night. With her mother and sister by her side, Connie puts her sleuthing skills to the test as she investigates the murder of her aunt’s friend and colleague.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat, loveable characters, and palm trees swaying in the breeze, you’ll love the Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Series.
Download Candy Canes and Cadavers and begin your getaway today!
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 12, 2019
236 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Angela K. Ryan
38 books76 followersAngela K. Ryan is the author of the Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Series, the Seaside Ice Cream Shop Mysteries, and the Cape Cod Cozy Mysteries. She writes clean, feel-good cozies for readers who love humor, lots of twists and turns, and happy-dance endings.
When she is not writing, Angela enjoys the outdoors, especially kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snowshoeing, and skiing. She lives in Massachusetts and loves all four of the New England seasons, but she looks forward to regular escapes to the white, sandy beaches of southwest Florida, where her mother resides.
It is fitting that Angela’s series take place in fictitious seaside towns in Massachusetts and Florida. These small towns would be idyllic if it weren’t for all the bodies that keep turning up!
Angela dreams of one day owning a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel like the sweet pup in her Sapphire Beach Series, but she isn’t home enough to take care of one. So, for now, lives vicariously through one of her main characters, Connie.
When she is not writing, Angela enjoys the outdoors, especially kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snowshoeing, and skiing. She lives in Massachusetts and loves all four of the New England seasons, but she looks forward to regular escapes to the white, sandy beaches of southwest Florida, where her mother resides.
It is fitting that Angela’s series take place in fictitious seaside towns in Massachusetts and Florida. These small towns would be idyllic if it weren’t for all the bodies that keep turning up!
Angela dreams of one day owning a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel like the sweet pup in her Sapphire Beach Series, but she isn’t home enough to take care of one. So, for now, lives vicariously through one of her main characters, Connie.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 8, 2024
This series is so much fun. I love the Florida setting, the jewelry store and the use of Fair Trade items. They have the same main character but can be read as stand alones. Looking forward to book 5!
December 20, 2023
This is my favourite serie and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this 4th book in the serie. It is set during Christmas and it is a light and nice read with cozy atmosphere. Looking forward to reading next one in the serie.
November 29, 2020
Very pleasant book, like all the books written by Angela K. Ryan.
This is the 4th book in the Sapphire Beach collection and each and everyone has been equally good
I couldn’t put it down until I came to the end
This is the 4th book in the Sapphire Beach collection and each and everyone has been equally good
I couldn’t put it down until I came to the end
December 13, 2022
“Candy Canes and Cadavers” (Sapphire Beach #4) by Angela K. Ryan ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Cozy Mystery. Location: Sapphire Beach, Florida, USA (just north of Naples, FL). Time: December, Present.
THE SERIES: Connie Petretta moves from Boston, Massachusetts to the southwest Florida Gulf Coast when she inherits her beloved aunt’s Sapphire Beach condo. In her new store, Just Jewelry, Connie happily sells her handmade creations plus Fair Trade pieces from Kenya and Ecuador, but mysteries keep finding her. Clever characters, endearing friendships, and mysteries comprise this wholesome series
THIS BOOK: Connie’s family is spending Christmas with her in Sapphire Beach. Murder intervenes when they attend a theater performance dedicated to their late Aunt Concetta. One of the actors, friend and colleague of the late aunt, is murdered on opening night. His body smells of bitter almond. And what was one of Connie’s handmade candy cane earrings doing beside his body?
Connie, family, and friends investigate the murder, although there is no reason to doubt that police are doing a good job. I realize it’s a just-for-fun cozy mystery, but the investigation felt a little off to me. There was no true vested interest in needing Connie and family to investigate. The dead man was a friend of the late aunt-not them, none of them were suspects, and it didn’t impact Connie’s business. Her sister said she wanted to see Connie’s sleuthing in person. And when Connie and her dad break into the theater office, her family jokes about it as if looking for a killer is just good, wholesome fun.
Author Ryan writes a few twists, turns, and red herrings into the plot to keep us interested. She adds a lovely Fair Trade angle to point out the need to help others. Her writing style is easy to follow, with just enough scenery description to make readers want to visit the Gulf Coast. It’s a solid 3 stars from me.🌵📚💁🏼♀️ Thank you to Freebooksy and Angela K. Ryan for the ebook.
THE SERIES: Connie Petretta moves from Boston, Massachusetts to the southwest Florida Gulf Coast when she inherits her beloved aunt’s Sapphire Beach condo. In her new store, Just Jewelry, Connie happily sells her handmade creations plus Fair Trade pieces from Kenya and Ecuador, but mysteries keep finding her. Clever characters, endearing friendships, and mysteries comprise this wholesome series
THIS BOOK: Connie’s family is spending Christmas with her in Sapphire Beach. Murder intervenes when they attend a theater performance dedicated to their late Aunt Concetta. One of the actors, friend and colleague of the late aunt, is murdered on opening night. His body smells of bitter almond. And what was one of Connie’s handmade candy cane earrings doing beside his body?
Connie, family, and friends investigate the murder, although there is no reason to doubt that police are doing a good job. I realize it’s a just-for-fun cozy mystery, but the investigation felt a little off to me. There was no true vested interest in needing Connie and family to investigate. The dead man was a friend of the late aunt-not them, none of them were suspects, and it didn’t impact Connie’s business. Her sister said she wanted to see Connie’s sleuthing in person. And when Connie and her dad break into the theater office, her family jokes about it as if looking for a killer is just good, wholesome fun.
Author Ryan writes a few twists, turns, and red herrings into the plot to keep us interested. She adds a lovely Fair Trade angle to point out the need to help others. Her writing style is easy to follow, with just enough scenery description to make readers want to visit the Gulf Coast. It’s a solid 3 stars from me.🌵📚💁🏼♀️ Thank you to Freebooksy and Angela K. Ryan for the ebook.
March 18, 2021
Don't judge a person by your first impression of them.
Connie is doing a fundraiser for her friend Dura's community to help feed the poor villagers by building a large chicken coop. She has to make and sell 200 candy cane earrings to meet the cost. Her family is also visiting her for Christmas. They have been invited to party in honor of her aunt who passed away for all she did for the Sapphire Beach Play house while she was on the board of directors. The play dedicated to her memory doesn't start do to the death of the lead actor.
Connie is doing a fundraiser for her friend Dura's community to help feed the poor villagers by building a large chicken coop. She has to make and sell 200 candy cane earrings to meet the cost. Her family is also visiting her for Christmas. They have been invited to party in honor of her aunt who passed away for all she did for the Sapphire Beach Play house while she was on the board of directors. The play dedicated to her memory doesn't start do to the death of the lead actor.
November 28, 2020
This is the 4th in the series. The main character is Connie. Connie owns a handmade jewelry shop and her family is coming to stay for the Christmas holidays. They are all invited to a play at the playhouse that her Aunt Concetta had helped keep running. They are doing Scrooge for the holiday and in honor of her Aunt. When the lead actor , who is a friend and an actor, is murdered before the opening act Connie can't help but investigate. Can she help figure this out before Christmas ?
November 17, 2019
Fantastic
This series keeps getting better. I enjoyed the donations from the earrings to create the chicken coop to help people in Africa. I liked learning more about her family and her friends. The candy cane earrings sounded great. I love anything made with colored crystals. A wonderful story for the holidays.
This series keeps getting better. I enjoyed the donations from the earrings to create the chicken coop to help people in Africa. I liked learning more about her family and her friends. The candy cane earrings sounded great. I love anything made with colored crystals. A wonderful story for the holidays.
November 23, 2020
Enjoyable book
I gave it 5* because it was impossible to put down. Connie's family visited her to spend Christmas in Sapphire Beach, but it was not as peaceful as they expected. I enjoyed the characters who were well crafted.
I gave it 5* because it was impossible to put down. Connie's family visited her to spend Christmas in Sapphire Beach, but it was not as peaceful as they expected. I enjoyed the characters who were well crafted.
November 23, 2019
Candy canes and cadavers
This was a good cozy Christmas mystery. The story was fast paced and the plot was good. I enjoyed this author
This was a good cozy Christmas mystery. The story was fast paced and the plot was good. I enjoyed this author
November 29, 2020
Sapphire Beach Christmas Mystery
When Connie's family came to Sapphire Beach for Christmas they never expected to find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery.
When Connie's family came to Sapphire Beach for Christmas they never expected to find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery.
January 5, 2021
Fun reading
I loved Connie the jewelry making heroine along with her friends and family. It was a charming mystery set at Christmas time. I didn't want to put itdown
I loved Connie the jewelry making heroine along with her friends and family. It was a charming mystery set at Christmas time. I didn't want to put itdown
March 19, 2021
Candy Canes and Cadavsrs
A delightful book easy to read and follow the plot. One of two twists and turns with a surprising ending.
A delightful book easy to read and follow the plot. One of two twists and turns with a surprising ending.
December 13, 2021
Delightful❣️Binge-worthy❣️You are hooked as soon as you start reading...
Very anxious to read more . . .
Next please🐿️ More and more difficult to put down
Very anxious to read more . . .
Next please🐿️ More and more difficult to put down
December 28, 2021
was good.
March 31, 2022
very boring
Well I got to chapter three and still nothing had happened, just a lot and I mean a lot of useless information.
Well I got to chapter three and still nothing had happened, just a lot and I mean a lot of useless information.
December 28, 2022
I still love the humanitarian efforts in the story, and the subtle faith elements.
December 6, 2025
I read the three books before this and came back for more. Cute, quick satisfying reads.
December 12, 2023
Fluff and cozy
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews