Chocolate Dipped Death

A Candy Shop Mystery #2

by Sammi Carter

When poisoned bon-bons lead to the demise of an obnoxious trophy wife--and the town troublemaker--during Divinity's Tenth Annual Confectionary Competition, candy shop owner Abby Shaw must find a sticky-fingered killer bent on sweet revenge. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Adult, Food, Mystery Thriller

254 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 7, 2006

About the author

Sammi Carter is the multi-published, award-winning author of the popular Candy Shop mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Abby Shaw. Sammi Carter is the pseudonym of Sherry Lewis.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice second book to the series, this time with a murder occurring when Abby is holding the annual candy contest at Divinity. The victim was pretty easy to guess although I didn't get the culprit at all. I liked the recipes in the back and the French toast one sounds pretty good. #readforkimberly

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby Shaw is a former corporate lawyer who trades in her stressful career and cheating husband or a quieter life in Paradise, Colorado when her Aunt Grace dies and leaves to her the Divinity Candy Shop. Mean girl turned trophy wife Savannah has returned to Paradise and most people are not too happy to have her back - including Abby. When Savannah enters the 10th Annual Confectionary Competition things turn from sweet to sour pretty quickly. Savannah never has a chance at winning though because someone takes her out of the competition permanently. A Candy Shop Mystery series are light-hearted, easy reads with likeable main characters and a relaxing pace. I’ve enjoyed them all so far.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the Candy Store Mysteries series. It is a fabulous cozy mystery. It has everything you've come to expect from this kind of book; a spunky heroine, a boyfriend in some area of law enforcement, an absolutely adorable pet, a shop of some sort and a dead body. (You mustn't forget the dead body!!)

What I loved about Abby is that she has a little of what readers love about Stephanie Plum, but she's not quite the Hot Mess, that Steph is. She has problems in her life; her family, trying to run a candy shop etc, dead bodies, but things don't blow up around her...well at least cars don't.

The mystery involves the murder of the town bad girl/trouble maker who has returned for a candy making contest at Abby's shop, Divinity. To say Savannah is disliked is an understatement, so when Abby finds her dead, there are a lot of suspects. Savannah was pretty much a nasty thing to everyone in Paradise, Colorado, when she was in high school. Oh and these people know how to hold grudges too! That makes it harder to figure out "whodunit."

I found Sammi's writing to be really great and I breezed through this book and now I'm longing to find the rest of the series, because I really enjoyed the characters and want to get to know them better. I also want to see how Abby's relationship with Jawarski develops over the next few books.

There were a few things that didn't quite sit right with me at the end...uh, you can't reach the PD? I'm sure there's a thing called 911 in Colorado, even in a small town. There were a few other things too, but nothing detracted me from the story.

Definitely a good afternoon read!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its ups and downs for me.  I loved the candy shop setting, but wish there were more description of the candy making (this is one of my favorite aspects of culinary mysteries).  There were some fun descriptions of the store, but maybe I need to go back to the first book to really get an imagine of what it looked like. I really like Abby a lot and how she takes no BS from her family, but I still can't really connect with her and she remains kind of a mystery to me.  We know pieces of her past and how she wants to be the "fun aunt", but is still so stand-offish with everyone in town, which is a bit disappointing that she doesn't have a close confidant, which is another fun piece of a cozy mystery investigation. Her family is absolutely awful, even as they claim to care for her, they treat her like an interloper and boss her around her own shop, which just kept making me so mad. Actually most of the characters in this book were awful. I found the mystery to be interesting and the ending was downright dramatic which was fun to read.  But a lot of the aspects never got explained ESPECIALLY the full motive for the murder! And why was the murdered person back in town anyway?  I feel like the story overall fell a bit short for me because I was left with many questions and don't yet have that connection with the characters and town.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby is keeping her Aunt’s tradition by holding Divinity’s annual candy contest. She didn’t count on one of the contestants dying. Abby also never expects her cousin to be a suspect in a murder investigation. Abby’s investigation of the murder uncovers secrets of several people, family, and acquaintances alike. Will one of those secrets help her find the murderer?
This is the second book in the Candy Shop Mystery series. I read the first book a long time ago and remember liking it. I did have some trouble remembering the back story of Abby and what brought her to Colorado. The character development in this book is good. I think if I had reread the first book I would have understood the tension between Abby and her family. The setting reminded me of several small towns in Colorado that I’ve visited. This story did keep me engaged and moved at a steady pace. I recommend this book but recommend reading the first book in the series first.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute fast reading cozy.

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2 in the Candy Shop Mystery cozy series

It's been a long time since I read the first in this series, but I fell right back into the characters and the setting within the first few pages. I like Abby, who left town years ago to go to college, became a lawyer, married, divorced, and came back because she inherited her aunt's candy shop. She's been working hard to make a go of it, with the help of her cousins. However, now it appears that there's some resentment about her inheriting and not them. The problems come to a head when the annual Divinity candy cooking competition is held and Abby allows Savannah Vance-Horne to enter. Savannah is pretty much universally disliked in the town, mostly based on her actions during high school, twenty years ago. When Savannah turns up dead, the contest is delayed and Abby becomes embroiled in the investigation, despite her best efforts to stay out of things. There's a bit more progress on the potential romance between Abby and Detective Jawarski. And we learn a bit more about cousin Karen who works in the shop. I liked revisiting with this series and plan to continue sooner rather than later.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Candy Shop Mystery series and a girl who no one liked when she was in school is back to compete in the candy competition at Divinity. Abby is worried her cousin will be blamed and when a box of chocolates from her store were found to have poisoned her she sets out to help the police find out who dun it.
Another great story line and the mystery will keep you guessing. The relationships of Abby's family and friends are so real that you feel like you know them. A great read and throw in slow moving romance and it is a must read.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in the candy shop mystery series.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of the others in the series. The main character got whiny and irritating, and I wanted to sit her down with an ice pack and a cup of coffee and tell her to pull herself together.
Overall however the mystery was good and had plenty of twists and turns although I did work out the murderer fairly early on. The other characters were believable and the story was of interest.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in love with the series of murder mysteries by Sammi Carter! Even though I started with the 5th and went to the 1st, and now 2nd, I can't wait to continue! The author has a great way of getting your attention and keeping you wanting to turn pages. This one really kept me guessing whodunnit, till almost the end.
On top of that, who wouldn't want a book that gives you homemade candy recipes at the end?

[Pam Sexton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note to self: Don’t buy a book because you love chocolate and assume it will just as good. A somewhat cute setting because who doesn’t love a candy shop and I did come away with a recipe for chocolate French toast. But otherwise I guessed the murderer from the beginning and kept hoping there would be a twist and I’d be wrong. Also not a great explanation at end of who and why.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Candy shop mystery book 2

Abby is running the Chocolate shop her aunt left her when during a chocolate making contest one of the contestants ends up murdered. With no shortage of suspects Abby begins to investigate. At the annoyance of the investigating officer who warns her not to. The ending is filled with many intense moments.

[Myra · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 2.5. Pretty standard cozy mystery. I did find the characters a bit melodramatic (more so than in many other series from this genre). Some of their reactions to things were just way too far over the top for me. I wouldn't avoid this series in the future, but I also won't be seeking it out.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in a series is always the test. Was the first one the best one? Will the second one be a rehash of the first? Nope, the second book moves along well. There is just eniugh rehashing to keep the continuity. Cant wait for #3!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killer was predictable, but I love 'who did it's.'
Nonetheless, well written.
And it made me very hungry with all of its yummy food referencing 😂

[Merrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good candy mystery read (pun interned)

[Julie Quinby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read better abs worse. Very mediocre.

[Wyshona D. Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series YEARS ago, and I don't know why it has taken me so long to get back into the series. This town has some interesting characters in it.

[Mary Newcomb]

A cozy mystery set in a candy shop. What more is there to say?

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery

[Joey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the adorable town, the characters, and the plot is always realistic. This had more information about the detective, and they still are going slow, which I like.

[Tabby Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Annual Confectionary Competition has become a staple of winter in the small town of Paradise, Colorado. Abby Shaw is doing her best to carry on the tradition. As the new owner of the candy shop Divinity, it is her responsibility to run the weekend. Things are running okay until Savannah Horne arrives.

Savannah hasn't been in town since high school, but memories are long in Paradise. When she was here, she made life miserable for everyone. Twenty years later, Abby thinks that Savannah might have changed, but the rest of the town isn't ready to forgive.

When Savannah wins the first night of the contest, Evie Rice is furious. The two women used to fight over everything in high school, and neither is quite ready to let the old rivalry go.

The next morning, however, Savannah disappears. After a day of searching, Abby finds her body. The list of suspects is long, including the obvious like Evie and Savannah's sister, who is hardly upset at her sibling's death.

Also on the suspect list is Abby's cousin Karen. Karen has been acting rather strange since Savannah showed up the first night and the evidence seems to keep pointing to her. While Abby had no intention of getting involved, she quickly determines that she will have to find the real killer to keep her cousin out of jail. Abby's resolve is only reinforced when the case takes a very personal turn.

Meanwhile, tensions in the family are brewing over Divinity. Abby inherited the shop from her aunt, and some of the cousins think they had more of a right to own the shop. Can Abby keep the peace and the store?

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blackmail, deceit, poisoned candy and a hit and run Oohh My!!!

I liked this book alot. It was an enjoyable read and I liked the way the murder was conducted, it was a well thought out process. The killer was a bit cliche, however I did like the underlying true identity to the murderer's character. I also liked how "Karen" the cousin to "Abby" got her turn in the hot seat for a while during this book. I'm not sure what it is about her, but she gets under my skin a little, so seeing her in some hot water felt a little satisfying. ;)

I felt there was a few unnecessary side plots though that deviated from the track of the book. For example when "Abby's" niece gets her tongue pierced and "Abby" has to go with "Dana" to tell her father what she did. Did we really need a whole chapter to tie family drama together?

I did like how the last few chapters really had me on the edge and wanting to race to the end, espeically after chapter twenty. The dramatic ending was also very well played out. So far I find this book has the best ending in the series. It's very suspenseful and adventurous.

This book did leave me with a few questions at the end though; For example, where the heck was "Jawarski" when "Abby" needed him? and how exactly were "Miles" and "Jason" connected in "Miles's" past? I guess we'll never know...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library and it was in large font format which actually took me longer to read than regular font! I had a hard time focusing on this one because I was very frustrated with the characters. I did not like how Karen was treating Abby, but once we got the explanation of her depression it made more sense. I did like that Abby and her niece were able to start developing a relationship, and that Abby and her brother were improving as well. I needed more of Abby and Pine, that was lacking. I was surprised that the killer was the husband; we did not know a lot about him so it was unexpected. He seemed to nice and genuinely upset. I will continue to read more from this series, but I am not in a state of must run out and get it.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series set in Colorado and a candy store.

Savannah has returned to Paradise to help her sister settle their mother's estate. She is married to an up and coming guy who has just accepted a new job in New York. Everyone remembers Savannah from school and the feelings of hate are still rampant. Evie accuses Savannah of cheating during the Confectionary Competition when she wins first prize. Abby tries to smooth things over but makes little progress.

Abby finds Savannah's body behind the hotel where she and Miles were staying. It looks like it was a hit and run but was it, and who might not have done it? A lot of people in Paradise are suspects.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Book two of the series, Abby is hosting the yearly 3 day Confectionary Competition. Her hopes for a smooth going are ruined when the much hated Savannah Horne shows up and wins the first night of the tasting. Savannah hasn't been in town for 20 years, but when she lived there, she hurt almost everyone in some way, so when she ends up dead, there are plenty of suspects.

When Abby's cousin, Karen is a suspect, she can't leave the sleuthing to the police alone, and goes in search of the real killer, putting herself in danger.

Abby's relationship with Jawarski gets a bit deeper, but she is still afraid to get too involved, due to the betrayal of her ex husband.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this second book of the Candy Shop Mystery series better than the first, Candy Apple Dead. It is much faster pace and carries a little more intrigue and drama. The ending felt a little rushed though, and I had to read the last few pages a second time because I felt like I was missing some information. Turns out I wasn't; it just wasn't all there. I would have liked a few more answers in the end, but I can appreciate that not everything was tied up in a too tight package like many cozy mysteries.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this cozy. Sammi Carter has a dry sense of humor that shines through this book. There were suspect aplenty but I did guess the murderer fairly early. There were great recipes in the back of the book but I would have liked more glimpses into chocolate candy making.

I loved the main character, Abby Shaw. When questioned why she would give up being a corporate attorney to run a candy shop, I loved her answer. You will need to read the book to find out what her retort was. There seemed a little too many suspects but that's OK.

[T.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this second entry in the Candy Shop Mystery series.
I've read the first one and found Abby, the protagonist, likable and believable as far as characters go. She doesn't do stupid things and she thinks logically.
Set against the backdrop of a candy store is interesting; recipes for candies mentioned in the book are provided at the end of the book.
Would I seek out other books in this series?
Yes. :)

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd in the candy shop series...better than the first, although I didn't like the end. How dumb can one chick be to go after a murderer? I know its a small town but are cops that clueless not to check into what someone reports, especially since it involved a death they are investigating??

I do like the slight romantic aspect between the main character and the cop, Jawarski. Looking forward to it developing in future books.