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Chocolate Cozy Mysteries #1
Cream of Sweet
Chocolate Cozy Mystery series can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.
Hazelnut pralines, coffee crèmes, strawberry mousse delights and chocolate drops – little bits of heaven that Olivia makes at the Block-a-Choc Shoppe; scrumptious. Could anything ever dampen these yummy treats? Maybe one thing.
Murder…
When Lizzy Couture, a less than liked member of the community, is found murdered, Olivia is a suspect. After one of her chocolate drops, with just a dash of arsenic was found to be what killed Lizzy, Olivia knows she must get to the bottom of this. Olivia is not a killer!
Olivia teams up with a P.I. for help, and on the way, they realise just how many people disliked Lizzy and were capable of killing her. Will they ever find the murderer? Will Olivia remain wrongfully accused? You’ll be guessing until the very, very end…
Hazelnut pralines, coffee crèmes, strawberry mousse delights and chocolate drops – little bits of heaven that Olivia makes at the Block-a-Choc Shoppe; scrumptious. Could anything ever dampen these yummy treats? Maybe one thing.
Murder…
When Lizzy Couture, a less than liked member of the community, is found murdered, Olivia is a suspect. After one of her chocolate drops, with just a dash of arsenic was found to be what killed Lizzy, Olivia knows she must get to the bottom of this. Olivia is not a killer!
Olivia teams up with a P.I. for help, and on the way, they realise just how many people disliked Lizzy and were capable of killing her. Will they ever find the murderer? Will Olivia remain wrongfully accused? You’ll be guessing until the very, very end…
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2017
457 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Meadows
187 books436 followersWendy Meadows is a USA Today bestselling cozy mystery author who creates the perfect escape for readers who love amateur sleuths, small-town secrets, and mysteries you can solve with a cup of tea in hand.
Her beloved series—including Sweetfern Harbor, Alaska Cozy Mysteries, and Travel Writer Mysteries—feature quirky characters, family bonds, and charming whodunits with no gore, just gentle intrigue that keeps you guessing.
When she's not plotting her next puzzle, she's spoiling her pets, enjoying time with her two adult children, and hunting for the perfect hybrid tea rose to inspire her peaceful settings.
Join her cozy community and get a free ebook plus behind-the-scenes peeks into her stories and characters.
Her beloved series—including Sweetfern Harbor, Alaska Cozy Mysteries, and Travel Writer Mysteries—feature quirky characters, family bonds, and charming whodunits with no gore, just gentle intrigue that keeps you guessing.
When she's not plotting her next puzzle, she's spoiling her pets, enjoying time with her two adult children, and hunting for the perfect hybrid tea rose to inspire her peaceful settings.
Join her cozy community and get a free ebook plus behind-the-scenes peeks into her stories and characters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 24, 2017
Olivia Cloud owns the chocolate shop, Block-a-Choc Shoppe in the small town of Chester . It’s fall festival time when one of Olivia’s arch enemies, Lizzy Couture, dies after eating one of her chocolates. Olivia becomes the prime suspect. With the help of her dog, Dodger, and a local private investigator, Jake Morgan, Olivia is determined to prove her innocence.
It doesn’t take long for Olivia and Jake to discover that Lizzy had quite a few enemies. Any one of them could be the killer. It’s up to them to prove it, since the police have settled on Olivia as the guilty party. Along the way, Olivia and Jake find they are quite attracted to each other. Will their attraction amount to anything?
This is a super quick read and perfect for those times when you don’t want to get involved in a long book. It’s a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It’s well written with a cast of interesting, quirky characters. I’ll definitely read the next one.
It doesn’t take long for Olivia and Jake to discover that Lizzy had quite a few enemies. Any one of them could be the killer. It’s up to them to prove it, since the police have settled on Olivia as the guilty party. Along the way, Olivia and Jake find they are quite attracted to each other. Will their attraction amount to anything?
This is a super quick read and perfect for those times when you don’t want to get involved in a long book. It’s a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It’s well written with a cast of interesting, quirky characters. I’ll definitely read the next one.
December 20, 2019
Good read
A good cozy mystery with a strong well developed plot. Good characters but I hope they will be expanded more in the coming books.
A good cozy mystery with a strong well developed plot. Good characters but I hope they will be expanded more in the coming books.
February 27, 2019
http://openbooksociety.com/article/cr...
Cream of Sweet
Chocolate Cozy Mystery, Book #1
By Wendy Meadows
ASIN: B06W9NYZ6Q
Author’s Website: http(://)wendymeadows(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary
Hazelnut pralines, coffee crèmes, strawberry mousse delights and chocolate drops – little bits of heaven that Olivia makes at the Block-a-Choc Shoppe; scrumptious. Could anything ever dampen these yummy treats? Maybe one thing.
Murder…
When Lizzy Couture, a less than liked member of the community, is found murdered, Olivia is a suspect. After one of her chocolate drops, with just a dash of arsenic was found to be what killed Lizzy, Olivia knows she must get to the bottom of this. Olivia is not a killer!
Olivia teams up with a P.I. for help, and on the way, they realize just how many people disliked Lizzy and were capable of killing her. Will they ever find the murderer? Will Olivia remain wrongfully accused? You’ll be guessing until the very, very end…
Review
Cream of Sweet is the first title I have read by author Wendy Meadows. I think this is one of the few cozy mysteries where the main amateur sleuth (Olivia Cloud) did not actually discover the body of the murder victim (Lizzy Couture).
I guess one the of the reasons I am not a huge fan of shorter stories is the lack of depth in the characters. Unfortunately, in this book, the story did not deliver the depth of the amateur sleuth I SO wanted. The story had many of the requisite components, but I just could not get into liking Olivia. Not surprisingly, I did not like the deceased either (but that was by the author’s design, I am sure). I found both characters rude and unrelatable:
Lizzy snapped. “And what’s going on here? Why haven’t you set up any booths yet? The festival is three days away, Olivia Cloud. I expected better. Not from the likes of you, though, I’ll admit,” she said, folding her twig-thin arms. “From ‘the likes of me’? What’s that supposed to mean?” How rude? Olivia had done nothing but try to help.
I did find the names of some of the other characters in the book rather interesting! For example: Jana Jujube and Kinks McGee.
And as with many cozy mysteries – the amateur sleuth is interested in one of the male leads (usually the lead detective but in this case – a private investigator). The relationship between Jake (the investigator) and Olivia was quite awkward at times. I found this odd since Olivia is a mature woman (with a grown son in fact). But it would be interesting to see where this relationship might go in future books in this series.
I did like the cover art for the book – one can never go wrong in my mind when a cute dog is on the cover ☺. And I must admit, I did not figure out “whodunit” until the reveal, which is a major plus for this title in my books. I would be interested in reading another title in this series as well as a longer story by this author to see if I can get into her writing. She is worth another try in my opinion, should time and opportunity permit.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Cream of Sweet
Chocolate Cozy Mystery, Book #1
By Wendy Meadows
ASIN: B06W9NYZ6Q
Author’s Website: http(://)wendymeadows(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary
Hazelnut pralines, coffee crèmes, strawberry mousse delights and chocolate drops – little bits of heaven that Olivia makes at the Block-a-Choc Shoppe; scrumptious. Could anything ever dampen these yummy treats? Maybe one thing.
Murder…
When Lizzy Couture, a less than liked member of the community, is found murdered, Olivia is a suspect. After one of her chocolate drops, with just a dash of arsenic was found to be what killed Lizzy, Olivia knows she must get to the bottom of this. Olivia is not a killer!
Olivia teams up with a P.I. for help, and on the way, they realize just how many people disliked Lizzy and were capable of killing her. Will they ever find the murderer? Will Olivia remain wrongfully accused? You’ll be guessing until the very, very end…
Review
Cream of Sweet is the first title I have read by author Wendy Meadows. I think this is one of the few cozy mysteries where the main amateur sleuth (Olivia Cloud) did not actually discover the body of the murder victim (Lizzy Couture).
I guess one the of the reasons I am not a huge fan of shorter stories is the lack of depth in the characters. Unfortunately, in this book, the story did not deliver the depth of the amateur sleuth I SO wanted. The story had many of the requisite components, but I just could not get into liking Olivia. Not surprisingly, I did not like the deceased either (but that was by the author’s design, I am sure). I found both characters rude and unrelatable:
Lizzy snapped. “And what’s going on here? Why haven’t you set up any booths yet? The festival is three days away, Olivia Cloud. I expected better. Not from the likes of you, though, I’ll admit,” she said, folding her twig-thin arms. “From ‘the likes of me’? What’s that supposed to mean?” How rude? Olivia had done nothing but try to help.
I did find the names of some of the other characters in the book rather interesting! For example: Jana Jujube and Kinks McGee.
And as with many cozy mysteries – the amateur sleuth is interested in one of the male leads (usually the lead detective but in this case – a private investigator). The relationship between Jake (the investigator) and Olivia was quite awkward at times. I found this odd since Olivia is a mature woman (with a grown son in fact). But it would be interesting to see where this relationship might go in future books in this series.
I did like the cover art for the book – one can never go wrong in my mind when a cute dog is on the cover ☺. And I must admit, I did not figure out “whodunit” until the reveal, which is a major plus for this title in my books. I would be interested in reading another title in this series as well as a longer story by this author to see if I can get into her writing. She is worth another try in my opinion, should time and opportunity permit.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
February 24, 2017
This was a very entertaining read. It was a fast read, it flowed well, which helped to make it a quick read. Even though it was not a full length novel, it had a lot of content. I enjoyed meeting Olivia, her three A's, her dog Dodger, and her new PI, Jake. There was not much information on the victim, though, but it was clear she was not liked, making for many suspects. Olivia gets off onto the wrong trail, but she soon figures out the mystery. If you are looking for a quick, fun read, then this is the book for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
November 21, 2018
Chocolate series:
Cream of Sweet #1 - This is my first read by this author and I was disappointed. The name of the shop is horrible, although it's explained. Besides the shop's name, I found I didn't care at all about the undeveloped and dithering characters or the simplistic storyline or the poor caliber of the writing style. 2*
Death Over Spilt Chowder #7 - After reading two books by this author already and being disappointed, I decided to give her one more shot since this book is her latest release in her Chocolate Cozy series. Forcing myself to read at least fifty percent, I had difficulty immersing myself into the simplistic story or liking the dithering characters and the worn out plot, along with ignoring the corrections needed.
The attempted PC that's forced on readers telling them to behave a certain way seems to be a favorite theme for Ms. Meadows; tell your story, don't instruct your readers how they should respond. Your characters aren't consistent with their actions when following PC anyway. Needs editing, especially titles, if using old expressions, use them correctly and check on the definition of a word before it's usage, same for hyphened words. I found this book on Booksprout. 2*
Chocolate series end.
Nether Edge series:
Murder & Spice #1 - I found this to be a typical, simplistic cozy, which had the same set up (formula) as found in Cream of Sweet, with the exception the main character is a bumbling, ditzy witch. The other characters were underdeveloped and dithering making it hard to care about any of the them, including the Texan. The silly storyline and poor writing style weren't for me. 2*
Cream of Sweet #1 - This is my first read by this author and I was disappointed. The name of the shop is horrible, although it's explained. Besides the shop's name, I found I didn't care at all about the undeveloped and dithering characters or the simplistic storyline or the poor caliber of the writing style. 2*
Death Over Spilt Chowder #7 - After reading two books by this author already and being disappointed, I decided to give her one more shot since this book is her latest release in her Chocolate Cozy series. Forcing myself to read at least fifty percent, I had difficulty immersing myself into the simplistic story or liking the dithering characters and the worn out plot, along with ignoring the corrections needed.
The attempted PC that's forced on readers telling them to behave a certain way seems to be a favorite theme for Ms. Meadows; tell your story, don't instruct your readers how they should respond. Your characters aren't consistent with their actions when following PC anyway. Needs editing, especially titles, if using old expressions, use them correctly and check on the definition of a word before it's usage, same for hyphened words. I found this book on Booksprout. 2*
Chocolate series end.
Nether Edge series:
Murder & Spice #1 - I found this to be a typical, simplistic cozy, which had the same set up (formula) as found in Cream of Sweet, with the exception the main character is a bumbling, ditzy witch. The other characters were underdeveloped and dithering making it hard to care about any of the them, including the Texan. The silly storyline and poor writing style weren't for me. 2*
August 6, 2017
I had a problem in that she made the male character weak in order to make the female lead stronger. It is not like the Alaska cozy she writes where both the male and female lead characters are strong people. I will read the second one to see if it improves. I do wonder how a small business can employee 3 people, though. There are holes everywhere in this story that suspends belief, which is fine since I read to escape anyway, but the series needs improvement.
July 7, 2019
I normally like cozy mysteries to clear my head after reading the really heavy duty stuff, but every once in a while I come across a book that just isn't a good fit for me and this was one of those books. The story had a lot of potential, but the main character is her own worst enemy and charges on determined to solve a murder in order to protect her business. Only problem is she doesn't verify her facts before making accusations, spins her wheels investigating even though she needs to spend the time getting her business off the ground, and ignores the advice of the private investigator she hired.
I realize these books don't have the same writing standard as a traditional mystery, but even a cozy can be a well written and well thought out book. With so many cozies to choose from, I most likely will not be reading any more of this series.
I realize these books don't have the same writing standard as a traditional mystery, but even a cozy can be a well written and well thought out book. With so many cozies to choose from, I most likely will not be reading any more of this series.
June 1, 2019
Olivia owns the Block-a-Choc Shoppe. As she is setting up her booth for the fall festival Lizzy Couture comes over and starts to fuss with her and her friend. As
Once Olivia is back at her shop the cops arrive to ask her questions about Lizzy as she was murdered and guess who the prime suspect is?
It seems no one liked Lizzy much and with the help of a PI Jake, they both look into the case to see who could have taken out Lizzy.
I like all the characters rom Olivia to her 3 A’s of her friends. Dodger, her dog is a hoot to read about. A nice short cozy with some turns that will keep you guessing.
The author did a wonderful job with the plot it flowed well and the characters where fun to get to know.
May 25, 2020
A light cozy
I like my mysteries lighthearted. This one was enjoyable, and pleasurable. I liked that the mystery starts almost immediately. It’s a story you can read in an hour or two, a quick read. Olivia is a very honest and straightforward person and I liked that about her. But she’s not very diplomatic in her investigations, to say the least. The accusatory tone she adopted in her conversations with possible suspects wasn’t very kind. Flies, honey, you know; she didn’t need to be that offensive. I am hoping that her character will be more developed over the next books in this series, so that I can connect with her more. I think that’s due to the fact that this is a novella, and while the mystery was well-developed, the characters could use a bit more. The case itself was good!
I like my mysteries lighthearted. This one was enjoyable, and pleasurable. I liked that the mystery starts almost immediately. It’s a story you can read in an hour or two, a quick read. Olivia is a very honest and straightforward person and I liked that about her. But she’s not very diplomatic in her investigations, to say the least. The accusatory tone she adopted in her conversations with possible suspects wasn’t very kind. Flies, honey, you know; she didn’t need to be that offensive. I am hoping that her character will be more developed over the next books in this series, so that I can connect with her more. I think that’s due to the fact that this is a novella, and while the mystery was well-developed, the characters could use a bit more. The case itself was good!
July 2, 2018
I really enjoyed this short cozy. Olivia is a great character that wants the best for everyone, and is determined to find the person who killed Lizzy, especially since she’s one of the first suspects. This wasn’t an easy task since most people in town disliked Lizzy.
In the process of the search, a relationship starts to bloom between her and Jake Morgan, the P.I. that Alberta, one of her employees, sets her up with to help solve the case.
I loved reading about Dodger, Olivia’s dog. I am a huge dog lover. Dodger and the other characters are an interesting bunch and the story kept me reading until the end.
This is book #1 in a 6 book series and I’m eager to start #2.
In the process of the search, a relationship starts to bloom between her and Jake Morgan, the P.I. that Alberta, one of her employees, sets her up with to help solve the case.
I loved reading about Dodger, Olivia’s dog. I am a huge dog lover. Dodger and the other characters are an interesting bunch and the story kept me reading until the end.
This is book #1 in a 6 book series and I’m eager to start #2.
April 19, 2019
Candy, arsenic, and murder
Your having a great day, doing what you love best candy. You're
Out with your friend and dog, then trouble with a capital T. hits
You right in your face. From a mean and ugly person, who loves
causing hurt and insults. You walk away, then you hear she's been
Murdered. With your candy sample no less. Now Olivia and Jake
must team up and solve the case fast, or Olivia is going up for murder.
Can they find the real killer in time? Read this great mystery and find out.
Debra H.
Your having a great day, doing what you love best candy. You're
Out with your friend and dog, then trouble with a capital T. hits
You right in your face. From a mean and ugly person, who loves
causing hurt and insults. You walk away, then you hear she's been
Murdered. With your candy sample no less. Now Olivia and Jake
must team up and solve the case fast, or Olivia is going up for murder.
Can they find the real killer in time? Read this great mystery and find out.
Debra H.
June 22, 2017
Too silly a story to say I hated it, but the best part was that it was short. So many things bothered me, like how can a chocolate shop in a small town employ 3 workers, give free coffee to all their friends, and stay in business? How can a private eye be so wishy washy? Plus, it may seem silly, but a person that can't manage a regular routine & training should not have a dog. I feel like this review is almost as long as the story :)
January 16, 2018
Fun Fast Read
This is the first book I have read by the author. I liked the characters and look forward to seeing where the relationship between Olivia & Jake goes. The mystery was not at all easy to solve. It was a fast read, which I liked a lot. I will read more books in this series.
This is the first book I have read by the author. I liked the characters and look forward to seeing where the relationship between Olivia & Jake goes. The mystery was not at all easy to solve. It was a fast read, which I liked a lot. I will read more books in this series.
August 2, 2018
Who doesn't love chocolate? Thank you Wendy for centered your series around chocolate. I liked the main character Olivia and her associates the "A's". The plot keep me going and I was surprised at the ending. This was a quick read. Perfect for a day at the beach, waiting in a doctor's office, or like myself, just enjoying another book by Wendy.
March 18, 2019
Very good
As I read this grave chocolates. I like Olivia and the three A s. Interesting murder. Jake tries so hard to get along with Olivia. I do like Det. Keene and thought some love interest between Olivia and Keene. Looking forward to future books with theses characters. Thank you.
As I read this grave chocolates. I like Olivia and the three A s. Interesting murder. Jake tries so hard to get along with Olivia. I do like Det. Keene and thought some love interest between Olivia and Keene. Looking forward to future books with theses characters. Thank you.
November 17, 2017
Chocolate
This was a fun quick read. Olivia is a quirky chocolate shop owner who doesn’t let anyone walk over her. When she puts her mind to something it happens. Enjoyed getting to know the three “A’s”. Looking forward to the next book.
This was a fun quick read. Olivia is a quirky chocolate shop owner who doesn’t let anyone walk over her. When she puts her mind to something it happens. Enjoyed getting to know the three “A’s”. Looking forward to the next book.
February 22, 2018
Chocolate mystery
Olivia Cloud is a chocolate maker in Chester. When Lizzy is murdered Olivia and Jake Morgan team up to discover the murderer. A delightful cozy mystery. Olivia is a little reckless but really enjoyed the story. Will definitely read more in this series.
Olivia Cloud is a chocolate maker in Chester. When Lizzy is murdered Olivia and Jake Morgan team up to discover the murderer. A delightful cozy mystery. Olivia is a little reckless but really enjoyed the story. Will definitely read more in this series.
February 26, 2018
A Chocolate Crime!
A busybody reporter ends up dead while sampling chocolate candy. The candy maker is accused of the murder and hunts down the real killer herself with the help of a private detective.
A busybody reporter ends up dead while sampling chocolate candy. The candy maker is accused of the murder and hunts down the real killer herself with the help of a private detective.
June 15, 2018
Arsenic and chocolate don't really go together
Terrific read. A chocolatier, a festival, arsenic, a rumpled PI and a death. Who wanted to kill the acerbic reporter? A list unfortunately is a long one. Can our chocolatier and PI join ranks to find the answer before the detective arrests her. Great lively characters and a really believable plot. Great little read
Terrific read. A chocolatier, a festival, arsenic, a rumpled PI and a death. Who wanted to kill the acerbic reporter? A list unfortunately is a long one. Can our chocolatier and PI join ranks to find the answer before the detective arrests her. Great lively characters and a really believable plot. Great little read
April 18, 2019
Yummy
Very good start to this new series. I love chocolate and Olivia’s shop sounds delicious. I wished there were recipes at the end. The chocolate drops made me crave something with chocolate. I liked the three “A’s. Jake Morgan is hot. 👍👍👍
Very good start to this new series. I love chocolate and Olivia’s shop sounds delicious. I wished there were recipes at the end. The chocolate drops made me crave something with chocolate. I liked the three “A’s. Jake Morgan is hot. 👍👍👍
February 15, 2020
Enjoyable
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters and storyline were interesting. I have read many of this author's books. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun quick read.
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters and storyline were interesting. I have read many of this author's books. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun quick read.
April 24, 2021
Enjoyable
A great cozy mystery! Well developed characters, mystery, suspense, twists, and a subtle romanace. Add in a playful yet obedient dog, a chocolate shop, and a private investigator and you've got the start to a great cozy mystery series!!
A great cozy mystery! Well developed characters, mystery, suspense, twists, and a subtle romanace. Add in a playful yet obedient dog, a chocolate shop, and a private investigator and you've got the start to a great cozy mystery series!!
March 13, 2018
Good
this woman in this book is one that is suspect in a murder mystery she is one that wants the murder sloved in a hurry.
this woman in this book is one that is suspect in a murder mystery she is one that wants the murder sloved in a hurry.
September 28, 2019
Nice
It's nice to read books without swearing and all of that. It was a cute story. The three A's were cute characters
It's nice to read books without swearing and all of that. It was a cute story. The three A's were cute characters
November 1, 2020
Not a bad story. Olivia needs to stop barging into everything and then getting herself into trouble. Good way to get herself killed.
December 17, 2020
A novella. Didn't feel the characters were developed and they all seem pretty weak. No mystery to the mystery.
December 13, 2021
Who killed Lizzy and why??? Well, maybe not why!!! It’s a good thing Olivia is on the ball, isn’t it???
March 22, 2017
Great stoty
Book kept me on edge the whole time I Read the whole thing in one night I really enjoyed it and would Read more of this series
Book kept me on edge the whole time I Read the whole thing in one night I really enjoyed it and would Read more of this series
May 5, 2021
BOOK # 1 OF 6 BOOK SET
March 14, 2017
Great new series
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read by Wendy. I really liked the characters and the storyline. I look forward to many more books in this series.
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read by Wendy. I really liked the characters and the storyline. I look forward to many more books in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews