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Thirteen Chocolates
Thirteen chocolates. Thirteen heirs. One stab at a decadent fortune.
Legendary chocolatier, Ulysses Chandler has died, leaving his historic Smoky mountain mansion and world-famous chocolate factory behind. Single mom, Anna Clementine, has left her minimum-wage waitress job to collect an inheritance from a man she never met.
The catch?
There are twelve other heirs,
with twelve killer personalities,
all competing for the same prize.
As chapters literally start counting down, confections and heirs simultaneously disappear. Until–
Then there was one…and it’s a KILLER.
Legendary chocolatier, Ulysses Chandler has died, leaving his historic Smoky mountain mansion and world-famous chocolate factory behind. Single mom, Anna Clementine, has left her minimum-wage waitress job to collect an inheritance from a man she never met.
The catch?
There are twelve other heirs,
with twelve killer personalities,
all competing for the same prize.
As chapters literally start counting down, confections and heirs simultaneously disappear. Until–
Then there was one…and it’s a KILLER.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2020
122 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Chocolats
8 books42 followersI like to think of Agatha Chocolats as my alter ego, a chocolate superhero of sorts. She may not be faster than a speeding bullet, but she happens to possess the greatest super power of all time. She can eat chocolate day and night, never gaining an ounce. Super power, indeed. (And now you know the reason I write fiction.)
Tales aside, I’m a Southern gal with a French inner passion, (meaning, one too many éclairs may have found their way to my hips.) I developed my adoration for chocolate early on. Simple tasks, such as licking the spoon after Mom mixed chocolate cake, or picking out a candy bar at the grocery store with Dad, translated into happiness.
When I’m not elbow-deep in chocolate or submerged in a dark and stormy mystery, I’m enjoying time with my family and dreaming of our next cabin getaway deep in the Smoky mountains.
Aside from that, I love to bake. I love to laugh. And I love connecting with readers and writers. So, send me a recipe. Or, send me a joke. You can find me on Twitter, or on my blog, AgathaChocolats.com.
Tales aside, I’m a Southern gal with a French inner passion, (meaning, one too many éclairs may have found their way to my hips.) I developed my adoration for chocolate early on. Simple tasks, such as licking the spoon after Mom mixed chocolate cake, or picking out a candy bar at the grocery store with Dad, translated into happiness.
When I’m not elbow-deep in chocolate or submerged in a dark and stormy mystery, I’m enjoying time with my family and dreaming of our next cabin getaway deep in the Smoky mountains.
Aside from that, I love to bake. I love to laugh. And I love connecting with readers and writers. So, send me a recipe. Or, send me a joke. You can find me on Twitter, or on my blog, AgathaChocolats.com.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 19, 2018
For most of the book, I thought I was going to rate this story as a three-and-a-half star mystery, rounded up to four. Unfortunately, the book made an abrupt turn near the end.
It was nearly impossible to set the book down due to the engaging words of the storyteller and main character, Anna. Her thoughts are pumped with humor, wry internal comments that are sure to put a smile on your face. Kudos also to author Agatha Chocolats for crafting a book without any of the cursing and swearing that many other authors feel their books cannot survive without (then again, this is a cozy, so the writing fits the genre). Great idea to start with Chapter Thirteen and work backwards to Chapter One. The use of chocolate as a part of the murders (including the candy descriptions) injected a wonderful flavor (pun intended) into the book.
While the large cast of characters created some confusion in the beginning, Ms. Chocolats separated them with various behavioral traits. This inserted some life into the story, allowing readers to become engaged as we developed affinities for some characters while disliking others.
The book appears to be self-edited, judging by the numerous punctuation and other errors. Again, the author’s use of Anna’s descriptions saved me from closing the book early on. While the plot was believable most of the way, I can only suspend disbelief so far, and the ending stretched those capabilities way past the breaking point. I originally considered pushing the rating to four stars, but too many loosely-tied strings at the end prevented this from happening.
Bottom Line – A fun, likeable book with a conclusion that you may find implausible. Three stars.
It was nearly impossible to set the book down due to the engaging words of the storyteller and main character, Anna. Her thoughts are pumped with humor, wry internal comments that are sure to put a smile on your face. Kudos also to author Agatha Chocolats for crafting a book without any of the cursing and swearing that many other authors feel their books cannot survive without (then again, this is a cozy, so the writing fits the genre). Great idea to start with Chapter Thirteen and work backwards to Chapter One. The use of chocolate as a part of the murders (including the candy descriptions) injected a wonderful flavor (pun intended) into the book.
While the large cast of characters created some confusion in the beginning, Ms. Chocolats separated them with various behavioral traits. This inserted some life into the story, allowing readers to become engaged as we developed affinities for some characters while disliking others.
The book appears to be self-edited, judging by the numerous punctuation and other errors. Again, the author’s use of Anna’s descriptions saved me from closing the book early on. While the plot was believable most of the way, I can only suspend disbelief so far, and the ending stretched those capabilities way past the breaking point. I originally considered pushing the rating to four stars, but too many loosely-tied strings at the end prevented this from happening.
Bottom Line – A fun, likeable book with a conclusion that you may find implausible. Three stars.
April 22, 2018
Well done cozy mystery by author Agatha Chocolats! Think Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and throw in a little Willy Wonka, and you've got the dysfunctional assortment of characters and twisted plot of Thirteen Chocolates. A handy scorecard is included (to keep track of the victims!) and as a fun twist the thirteen chapters run backward. A+
March 18, 2018
A remarkable Book!
Thirteen chocolates was a very good mystery! Well written and executed. Anna did not know what to except when she was picked up at the diner where she worked as a waitress.
She got caught up in the mystery of it all! She was sure that she would be blamed for the murder of the truck driver when she was found in the cab of his truck with the dead body! But it turned out to be a heart attack!
She kept counting the box of chocolates to see how many more of the cousins were left to die. The note on the box said that when all the pieces were gone the story would be over and the one left would be the cousin with all the money!
Thirteen chocolates was a very good mystery! Well written and executed. Anna did not know what to except when she was picked up at the diner where she worked as a waitress.
She got caught up in the mystery of it all! She was sure that she would be blamed for the murder of the truck driver when she was found in the cab of his truck with the dead body! But it turned out to be a heart attack!
She kept counting the box of chocolates to see how many more of the cousins were left to die. The note on the box said that when all the pieces were gone the story would be over and the one left would be the cousin with all the money!
November 25, 2017
Thirteen Chocolates
If you enjoyed the book or for me the old movies “Ten little Indian’s” you will enjoy reading this book. Same style, plot but different characters,!
If you enjoyed the book or for me the old movies “Ten little Indian’s” you will enjoy reading this book. Same style, plot but different characters,!
May 9, 2022
This was a very sweet cozy that could best be described as a cross between Willy Wonka and Agatha Christie. A group of individuals are told they are heirs to a huge chocolate empire (think Willy Wonka or Hershey) but they have to spend 2 weeks learning about the business and then pass a test. What they don't know is that one by one they will be killed off. I liked the concept of the box of chocolates with a candy assigned to each potential heir. I felt that some of the names were inappropriate and slightly offensive (one in particular). But I also thought that this device was higher underutilized. I thought the reader was supposed to be able to use the box as a way to try and guess the killer before it was revealed in the book. It wasn't. So much for the interactive portion! I was also incredibly surprised that my senses were so overwhelmed by the descriptions of chocolate that I was not craving chocolate the whole time I was reading the book. Normally I am very suggestable. I think because it literally surrounded and covered everything in the book I went quickly into overload. This was probably a good thing. Still, I wouldn't have minded recipes for a few items mentioned. And while the ending felt a little implausible, I was a cute read and I plan to read the second.
Thanks to the author and Cozy Mystery Review Crew for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to the author and Cozy Mystery Review Crew for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
February 28, 2018
An ingenious approach to a murder mystery, along the lines of the game Clue. Following the death of a famous chocolatier, family is called in from every nook and cranny to participate in the game. Many surprises are in store, and trying to guess the outcome is a real challenge. Thoroughly enjoyed!
July 10, 2018
As an avid fan of both cozy crime and Agatha Christie I must say I was enthralled by this book - I could not put it down! A lovely homage to "And Then There Were None". The first person point of view really hooks and reels you in as you invest in the characters. The red herrings and clues strewn across the story keep you double guessing. I liked the style of writing which was humorous and full of imagery and wonderful use of the language. Being familiar with the Agatha Christie classic I was able to figure out some of it, though. The unveiling of the crook at the end was not so much a surprise as I was expecting it - but I think that's just me! And the CHOCOLATES! The use of the 13 chocolates layout of the box at the beginning was a good idea. I loved the chapter numbering which was unique. And it left me wanting to raid the fridge for CHOCOLATE!
May 10, 2022
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and am providing my honest review.
“Her hatred for chocolate had frozen my tongue in shock. In all my life, I’d never encountered such a creature. Chocolate consumption is just part of human nature.” Ulysses Chandler has died and left his mansion and world-famous chocolate factory behind. When Anna, a down on her luck single mother, and twelve others are notified of Chandler’s passing, they are escorted to the mansion to find out they must compete against one another for the inheritance. Someone is not keen on the idea of giving up what belongs to them and begins to eliminate the heirs. Who will be the last man standing?
Thirteen Chocolates by Agatha Chocolats is the first book of the Chandler’s Chocolate Box Mystery series. Thirteen heirs are chosen to come to the factory for thirteen days to “claim” their inheritance. The book starts at chapter thirteen and counts down as the heirs are eliminated. The reader is provided a scorecard to play along to figure out whodunit while reading each chapter. This cozy suspenseful mystery is full of likeable, dysfunctional characters. There are many twists and turns in the plot that keep you wondering who could have committed the crimes. I personally had two characters in mind (I even suspected the dog). However, in the end neither of my predications were correct. Thirteen chocolates reminded me a lot of the board game Clue mixed with an adult version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
In the beginning there are many characters introduced in a vague manner. I found this confusing to keep track of who was who and I found myself rereading sections of the chapter to understand better. There was not enough detail provided about each character to make them memorable, making it hard for me to attach myself to them. At times I felt the transition from scene to scene was a little rough around the edges, again causing me to reread parts of the chapter.
Despite some confusion and rereading, I think Chocolats did an amazing job with this book. The writing was fast paced and engaging. It kept me wanting to read to the very end to find out who was the culprit of the killings. I am excited to get my hands on book number two: Thirteen Bitter Sweets. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to preview this book.
“Her hatred for chocolate had frozen my tongue in shock. In all my life, I’d never encountered such a creature. Chocolate consumption is just part of human nature.” Ulysses Chandler has died and left his mansion and world-famous chocolate factory behind. When Anna, a down on her luck single mother, and twelve others are notified of Chandler’s passing, they are escorted to the mansion to find out they must compete against one another for the inheritance. Someone is not keen on the idea of giving up what belongs to them and begins to eliminate the heirs. Who will be the last man standing?
Thirteen Chocolates by Agatha Chocolats is the first book of the Chandler’s Chocolate Box Mystery series. Thirteen heirs are chosen to come to the factory for thirteen days to “claim” their inheritance. The book starts at chapter thirteen and counts down as the heirs are eliminated. The reader is provided a scorecard to play along to figure out whodunit while reading each chapter. This cozy suspenseful mystery is full of likeable, dysfunctional characters. There are many twists and turns in the plot that keep you wondering who could have committed the crimes. I personally had two characters in mind (I even suspected the dog). However, in the end neither of my predications were correct. Thirteen chocolates reminded me a lot of the board game Clue mixed with an adult version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
In the beginning there are many characters introduced in a vague manner. I found this confusing to keep track of who was who and I found myself rereading sections of the chapter to understand better. There was not enough detail provided about each character to make them memorable, making it hard for me to attach myself to them. At times I felt the transition from scene to scene was a little rough around the edges, again causing me to reread parts of the chapter.
Despite some confusion and rereading, I think Chocolats did an amazing job with this book. The writing was fast paced and engaging. It kept me wanting to read to the very end to find out who was the culprit of the killings. I am excited to get my hands on book number two: Thirteen Bitter Sweets. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to preview this book.
May 18, 2022
Thirteen Chocolates by Agatha Chocolats is the first book in Chandler’s Chocolate Box Mystery series. Readers are introduced to Anna Clementine, a single mom working at a diner in the South, when an unexpected revelation turns her life upside down. Anna finds herself in a competition to inherit the estate of a well-known chocolatier. The thirteen competitors are staying at the Chandler Mansion in Paris Falls, Tennessee. The contest turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Someone is eliminating the contestants one by one. Anna wants to drop out and go home, but threats to her family keep her in the contest. Who will make it to the end of the competition?
The author invites readers to try and solve the mystery of who is responsible for eliminating competitors before the final reveal. A reproducible scorecard is provided for keeping tabs on the competitors. A specific and custom-made chocolate confection is associated with each contestant. Each chapter begins with a caption, and the chapters are arranged in descending order representing the countdown to the end of the competition.
Thirteen Chocolates is an entertaining chocoholic mystery that includes mouth-watering descriptions of confections and chocolate-themed settings. Chocolats has created a group of authentic characters with differing personalities and behaviors. An atmosphere of fear, tension, and apprehension surrounds the characters as they wonder which one of them will be the next target. Readers get to see how fellow contenders react to a challenging situation.
The Southern dialect and creative use of similes and metaphors by Chocolats spice up the story and paint vivid pictures in readers’ minds. The story is filled with unnerving incidents, friction among characters, threatening behaviors, deceit, intrapersonal challenges, a spoonful of humor, and newly formed relationships. There are also red herrings that keep readers guessing and a minuscule number of expletives. The author does a great job of ramping up the suspense to an exciting climax.
Anyone who enjoys Thirteen Chocolates will want to read Thirteen Bitter Sweets, the second book in this fun series that features Anna once again involved in another fun mystery with chocolate confections playing a significant role.
The author invites readers to try and solve the mystery of who is responsible for eliminating competitors before the final reveal. A reproducible scorecard is provided for keeping tabs on the competitors. A specific and custom-made chocolate confection is associated with each contestant. Each chapter begins with a caption, and the chapters are arranged in descending order representing the countdown to the end of the competition.
Thirteen Chocolates is an entertaining chocoholic mystery that includes mouth-watering descriptions of confections and chocolate-themed settings. Chocolats has created a group of authentic characters with differing personalities and behaviors. An atmosphere of fear, tension, and apprehension surrounds the characters as they wonder which one of them will be the next target. Readers get to see how fellow contenders react to a challenging situation.
The Southern dialect and creative use of similes and metaphors by Chocolats spice up the story and paint vivid pictures in readers’ minds. The story is filled with unnerving incidents, friction among characters, threatening behaviors, deceit, intrapersonal challenges, a spoonful of humor, and newly formed relationships. There are also red herrings that keep readers guessing and a minuscule number of expletives. The author does a great job of ramping up the suspense to an exciting climax.
Anyone who enjoys Thirteen Chocolates will want to read Thirteen Bitter Sweets, the second book in this fun series that features Anna once again involved in another fun mystery with chocolate confections playing a significant role.
May 19, 2022
Thirteen Chocolates is one of those rare books that literally took me back to my childhood in so many years. This book, for me, combines Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with And Then There Was One (also known as Ten Little Indians). I read that book when I was younger, and this book, Thirteen Chocolates took me back. This book was so much fun to read. A young waitress thinks that she's finally hit it big. A recently deceased, unknown family member has "called" her to come to his mansion because she is his heir. Well...surprise! She's not the only "heir." Seems like there is competition. I immediately thought - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! So I settled in for some fun and shenanigans. But in this case - it's a serious case of murder.
The author had a lot of fun with this book. From the chapter numbering (it literally threw me off for a minute. LOL), to the fun chocolate guide at the beginning of the book. The author puts so much work into making this book interactive for readers and seeing if we can piece together who the killer is before the end. I loved it! If you like books like this and enjoyed old-school noir-style novels then this is definitely a book to pick up. There is humor galore splashed through and plenty of twists to keep you page-turning to the end. I will admit, and you might agree a tiny bit, that Anna is a bit of ditz here and there. She's a bit scattered which lands her in some rather unexpected situations, but she's still an enjoyable character.
I will admit that I felt that the ending could have been a bit better, but it is a decent ending to the story since this is a series. So, you have to have someplace to move forward, right? I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars.
The author had a lot of fun with this book. From the chapter numbering (it literally threw me off for a minute. LOL), to the fun chocolate guide at the beginning of the book. The author puts so much work into making this book interactive for readers and seeing if we can piece together who the killer is before the end. I loved it! If you like books like this and enjoyed old-school noir-style novels then this is definitely a book to pick up. There is humor galore splashed through and plenty of twists to keep you page-turning to the end. I will admit, and you might agree a tiny bit, that Anna is a bit of ditz here and there. She's a bit scattered which lands her in some rather unexpected situations, but she's still an enjoyable character.
I will admit that I felt that the ending could have been a bit better, but it is a decent ending to the story since this is a series. So, you have to have someplace to move forward, right? I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars.
December 31, 2021
So much fun and such a similar mystery puzzle to Agatha Christie's 10 Little Indians! And what a wonderful creative idea linking it to chocolate. When Annabelle Clementine aka Anna and her little preschooler settle in Paris Falls, TN to work for her grandfather as a promoter of his new chocolate creation. Little did she know what she was in for! Her grandfather's Chandler's Chocolates is known nationwide and Anna has to become the new face of the company while running a beauty pageant since Chandler's Chocolates are sponsoring this long time pageant. The small town are so into this pageant that when the murder of the mayor who ran and judged the pageant for years happened, Anna thought they should cancel the pageant. But that was not to be, even though she becomes one of the suspects in the mayor's murder. She calls on her BFF Willie and grudgingly her sister who is pageant savvy to help with the pageant. But the detective, Ruby and her detective husband Eddie decide she is the murderer and they are going to prove it. So, Anna, Willie and her grandma who helps mostly by taking care of Anna's daughter. I loved how we went through the process of elimination and was very surprised at the ending! I also loved Anna's internal dialogue and sarcastic humor. This is a fun series and I highly recommend it if you like a cozy mystery with fun characters and a good murder mystery with twists and turns and Chocolate, you will love this one.
I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
April 27, 2022
I had previously read book #2 in the Chandler's Chocolate Box Mysteries so it was a treat to be able to see how Anna's journey at Chandler's Chocolates began.
A mysterious letter leads to Anna being whisked away to the reading of her grandfather's will and a competition amongst the heirs that leads to murder.
I love the scorecard provided in the front of these books to keep track of the suspects. The characters, one time and recurring, are funny, complex and at times either extremely likable or very evil. The author's writing style sucks the reader in from the very beginning and holds attention until the very end. The murder's identity always has me guessing. I thoroughly enjoy these books and highly recommend this series to all cozy mystery lovers.
A mysterious letter leads to Anna being whisked away to the reading of her grandfather's will and a competition amongst the heirs that leads to murder.
I love the scorecard provided in the front of these books to keep track of the suspects. The characters, one time and recurring, are funny, complex and at times either extremely likable or very evil. The author's writing style sucks the reader in from the very beginning and holds attention until the very end. The murder's identity always has me guessing. I thoroughly enjoy these books and highly recommend this series to all cozy mystery lovers.
May 3, 2022
Very enjoyable mystery. If Agatha Christie and Willy Wonka collaborated, Thirteen Chocolates would be the result. The Heirs are hooked into learning about the chocolate business in hopes of scoring the top grade on an end of training test and inheriting the business from the mysterious grandfather that none of them knew existed. Lots of twists and turns kept the story interesting. The main Character, Anna was likeable and engaging. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
April 22, 2022
I found this story to be quite entertaining. I would recommend this book and I think I might try to read the second book in the series. I really didn't know who the killer was until it was revealed. It was interesting that the chapters counted down backwards. That's pretty unique. I did get a little confused by the characters - who was who and why they were there. Reading the kindle version, it is a little harder to go back to read the list again.
I only gave 4 stars because of all of the errors in the book. There were many misplaced quotation marks and commas. Some words were wrong. So those things were a bit distracting. But it was a quick read and I enjoyed it.
I only gave 4 stars because of all of the errors in the book. There were many misplaced quotation marks and commas. Some words were wrong. So those things were a bit distracting. But it was a quick read and I enjoyed it.
April 30, 2022
With more twists and turns than a maze Thirteen Chocolates draws you in and keeps you guessing from page one. Nothing is as it seems in this mystery filled with murder and chocolate. Keeping track of all the characters and trying to solve the mystery will keep you reading to find out who is killed next and how. Unpredictable and full of twists you will be surprised at the end. Filled with humor and snark, it brings to mind one of Agatha Christie's famous novels. A secluded estate and a closed set of suspects, can you figure it out?
March 12, 2018
Wild ride
If you thought Wonka was a trip then woo-wee, sugar, hold on to your pants for this jaw-dropping ride! A discovered heir and deadly contest with more sweets than even Augustus Gloop can eat!
If you thought Wonka was a trip then woo-wee, sugar, hold on to your pants for this jaw-dropping ride! A discovered heir and deadly contest with more sweets than even Augustus Gloop can eat!
April 27, 2022
A deliciously wild ride! I absolutely wish this place actually existed. The mansion, factory, chocolate theme park, mouthwatering chocolate desserts around every turn. The characters are unique and distinct and tying their personalities to chocolates and the ominous candy box was a fun way to eliminate suspects. The book beginning at chapter 13 and counting down the remaining heirs was a nice touch. A couple places I felt could have benefited from more explanation or smoother transition between scenes, but there's so many twists and the writing fast-paced and engaging. I was pleased to see there's a sequel that I'll be checking out.
May 9, 2022
I don't think I can say enough about this book. It begins with a chocolate scorecard of sorts, where you can keep track of those that have been eliminated and the left one that's left is the killer. It's a take on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (which happens to be my favorite Christie mystery). I loved the author's style of storytelling. I especially enjoyed how the employees at the mansion were really brought into the story, unlike many stories where they are just cursory characters. Each person at the mansion had their own backstory which made it a very entertaining and quick read. I would totally recommend it and in fact just purchased the 2nd book in the series.
May 1, 2022
Fun Read
I really enjoyed this book! I love how the chapters count down. This fun read keeps you guessing. There is a fun play along page .
I really enjoyed this book! I love how the chapters count down. This fun read keeps you guessing. There is a fun play along page .
May 30, 2022
Thirteen Chocolates by Agatha Chocolats is a new book in a new series that I can’t wait to see where we go from here. The main character, Anna, is a witty and likable character that keeps you interested. You start off with a box of chocolates, 13 to be exact, and when you get to the last one that leaves one man or woman standing and unfortunately that will probably be the killer.
A quirky and interesting story like no other that I believe anyone can enjoy.
A quirky and interesting story like no other that I believe anyone can enjoy.
April 21, 2025
"Thirteen Chocolates" is book #1 in the "Chandler's Chocolate Box Mystery" series by Agatha Chocolats.
If you crossed Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" with "Willie Wonka" then threw in more chocolate themed settings, scents and enough chocolate goodies to feed a multitude and sprinkled it all with some good old southern sass, you get a pretty good idea of what this book is all about.
Some of the potential heirs were downright rude, arrogant and greedy. It was actually kind of fun to see how they would be, um, "disposed" of. As each one "left" a specific chocolate from a special box also disappeared!
For the most part, chocolate loving Anna, played things fairly smart - being cautious of who she trusted but also enjoying the tastes, sights and chocolate experiences. Granted, she did make a few errors but given the isolation of the mansion and the "disappearing" people and chocolates, nerves were a bit more strained later on.
Tessie is a hoot! I laughed so hard at some of the things that she said. Her and Anna made a great team!
One of the unglue things about this book is that the chapters count backwards as the "heirs" are eliminated. It is advised to keep a scorecard of who is out and which chocolate was associated with them. It does make it a bit more interesting!
I did try to figure it out as I read and thought I had when it was down to the last few, but that idea went sideways when something was revealed that proved to be a bit more complicated than I had suspected! Well done Ms. Chocolats!
There were a couple of heart pounding moments even before the ultimate showdown which got rather scary for the remaining people before a killer was revealed.
As a chocoholic, cozy mystery loving reader, this book was so much fun! Decadent chocolate, mysterious murders, quirky characters and a whole lot of sass/wit made for a thoroughly delicious cozy read! I've purchased the Kindle edition of book #2 in this series and it is on my TBR list!
If you crossed Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" with "Willie Wonka" then threw in more chocolate themed settings, scents and enough chocolate goodies to feed a multitude and sprinkled it all with some good old southern sass, you get a pretty good idea of what this book is all about.
Some of the potential heirs were downright rude, arrogant and greedy. It was actually kind of fun to see how they would be, um, "disposed" of. As each one "left" a specific chocolate from a special box also disappeared!
For the most part, chocolate loving Anna, played things fairly smart - being cautious of who she trusted but also enjoying the tastes, sights and chocolate experiences. Granted, she did make a few errors but given the isolation of the mansion and the "disappearing" people and chocolates, nerves were a bit more strained later on.
Tessie is a hoot! I laughed so hard at some of the things that she said. Her and Anna made a great team!
One of the unglue things about this book is that the chapters count backwards as the "heirs" are eliminated. It is advised to keep a scorecard of who is out and which chocolate was associated with them. It does make it a bit more interesting!
I did try to figure it out as I read and thought I had when it was down to the last few, but that idea went sideways when something was revealed that proved to be a bit more complicated than I had suspected! Well done Ms. Chocolats!
There were a couple of heart pounding moments even before the ultimate showdown which got rather scary for the remaining people before a killer was revealed.
As a chocoholic, cozy mystery loving reader, this book was so much fun! Decadent chocolate, mysterious murders, quirky characters and a whole lot of sass/wit made for a thoroughly delicious cozy read! I've purchased the Kindle edition of book #2 in this series and it is on my TBR list!
May 2, 2019
Agatha Christie’s mystery novel And Then There Were None was made into a movie in the 1940’s and a T.V. series in 2015 as well as several other versions of the book filmed under the title Ten Little Indians that have been made over the years (1965, 1974 and 1989). Needless to say, Christies’ book in all its’ incarnations has been around for decades. Now Agatha Chocolats (is the ladies first name a coincidence or a clue as to the writers source material?) presents us with yet another version of Ms. Christies work titled THIRTEEN CHOCOLATES, this one liberally sprinkled with quirky characters, humorous dialog and enough metaphors to sink a battleship.
Thirteen “heirs” are gathered together at the mansion of deceased chocolate tycoon Ulysses Chandler to see which one can “pass the test” and be the sole beneficiary of the Chandler fortune. In addition to being a chocolate guru, Ulysses took a page from the Walt Disney playbook by creating a family amusement park and hotel complex (this one focused on a chocolate theme rather than Minnie, Mickey and various movies).
The book begins with Chapter 13 and works its way backward to Chapter one as it reveals many unexpected and intertwined relationships and motivations.
Without giving too much away let me just say that this cozy is like the box of thirteen decadent chocolates first discovered early in the narrative by one of the heirs……it’s a lite read that’s delightfully surprising, pleasantly palatable and deliciously satisfying.
Thirteen “heirs” are gathered together at the mansion of deceased chocolate tycoon Ulysses Chandler to see which one can “pass the test” and be the sole beneficiary of the Chandler fortune. In addition to being a chocolate guru, Ulysses took a page from the Walt Disney playbook by creating a family amusement park and hotel complex (this one focused on a chocolate theme rather than Minnie, Mickey and various movies).
The book begins with Chapter 13 and works its way backward to Chapter one as it reveals many unexpected and intertwined relationships and motivations.
Without giving too much away let me just say that this cozy is like the box of thirteen decadent chocolates first discovered early in the narrative by one of the heirs……it’s a lite read that’s delightfully surprising, pleasantly palatable and deliciously satisfying.
September 28, 2022
Anna works in a diner for pittance, raising her daughter in her uncle's basement. But just like a fairy tale, she gets a message that she is the heir to the Chocolate emperor, Chandler. She has always been fond of baking and running a chocolate factory is like a dream come true.
But as always there is a catch. There are 12 more heirs to the empire and they have to comte against each other to earn the title. During the competition, everyone is being eliminated by murder one by one. And as someone gets eliminated, chocolate with their description gets removed from a mystery chocolate box. Will anyone survive?
Willy Wonka meets And then there were none (or Ten Indians)
Chocolate meets Agatha Christie and you have got @agathachocolats
The premise was really interesting and so were the descriptions of the chocolate laced food and drinks. Make you salivate for sure. The end was predictable though (the killer and his reasons to kill were not and also seems implausible that no one breaths a word about this to anyone for absurd reasons)
A cute read overall.
But as always there is a catch. There are 12 more heirs to the empire and they have to comte against each other to earn the title. During the competition, everyone is being eliminated by murder one by one. And as someone gets eliminated, chocolate with their description gets removed from a mystery chocolate box. Will anyone survive?
Willy Wonka meets And then there were none (or Ten Indians)
Chocolate meets Agatha Christie and you have got @agathachocolats
The premise was really interesting and so were the descriptions of the chocolate laced food and drinks. Make you salivate for sure. The end was predictable though (the killer and his reasons to kill were not and also seems implausible that no one breaths a word about this to anyone for absurd reasons)
A cute read overall.
December 9, 2017
I loved the idea of the story- And Then There Were None , but with chocolate. I thought the story was suspensful and fast moving. I liked the various sites in the contest, the mansion and grounds, the factory and the amusemunt park.
My main reason for not giving it 5 stars is it seriously needs more editing. There are several typos and awkward sentences and the scene changes are often confusing. I found myself going back rereading sections in confusion. Particularuly the beginning, although it was explained later I was very confused as to how someone would just end up in a limo after picking up their tip and a letter. The food sounded awesome so if you like mysteries with cooking its a real plus.
My main reason for not giving it 5 stars is it seriously needs more editing. There are several typos and awkward sentences and the scene changes are often confusing. I found myself going back rereading sections in confusion. Particularuly the beginning, although it was explained later I was very confused as to how someone would just end up in a limo after picking up their tip and a letter. The food sounded awesome so if you like mysteries with cooking its a real plus.
February 23, 2019
A Chocolate Conundrum
This wildly sweet mystery starts out like an Alfred Hitchcock introduction of all the mane characters .a challenge in human nature of morality. But that's ware things become all Agatha Chocolate,a more deviant twisted range of murder , mayhem and finesse would be a challenge for most any writer to top. This storey is one of the most memorable and enjoyable cozey mystery reads you will find today. This is a must read for those who enjoy a cozey murder mystery with slapstick humor and a puzzle unlikely to solve by the very best amateur slueth. 🤔🙄😘 Kat
This wildly sweet mystery starts out like an Alfred Hitchcock introduction of all the mane characters .a challenge in human nature of morality. But that's ware things become all Agatha Chocolate,a more deviant twisted range of murder , mayhem and finesse would be a challenge for most any writer to top. This storey is one of the most memorable and enjoyable cozey mystery reads you will find today. This is a must read for those who enjoy a cozey murder mystery with slapstick humor and a puzzle unlikely to solve by the very best amateur slueth. 🤔🙄😘 Kat
March 5, 2021
Thirteen Chocolates is a light mystery revolving around a down on her luck waitress who also happens to be a huge fan of chocolate.
It begins with a meeting of thirteen potential inheritors of a huge ‘chocolate’ fortune and they start getting murdered one by one.
My favourite part of the book is the integration of chocolate into the plot and also the creative locations that the characters visit. I did find some of the characters were so minor that it was hard to keep track of them.
Over-all, Thirteen Chocolates is a fun read.
It begins with a meeting of thirteen potential inheritors of a huge ‘chocolate’ fortune and they start getting murdered one by one.
My favourite part of the book is the integration of chocolate into the plot and also the creative locations that the characters visit. I did find some of the characters were so minor that it was hard to keep track of them.
Over-all, Thirteen Chocolates is a fun read.
August 8, 2022
Good first book in the series.
I enjoyed this mystery. This is a combination of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The plot is good with plenty of suspects. Some of the suspects are not nice. There are twists. I saw one plot twist coming a mile away. The plot kept me guessing who the murderer was.i give this four because I felt one character got off lightly. The book includes descriptions of the candy mentioned in the story, but it does not include recipes for them. I will be reading the rest of this series.
I enjoyed this mystery. This is a combination of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The plot is good with plenty of suspects. Some of the suspects are not nice. There are twists. I saw one plot twist coming a mile away. The plot kept me guessing who the murderer was.i give this four because I felt one character got off lightly. The book includes descriptions of the candy mentioned in the story, but it does not include recipes for them. I will be reading the rest of this series.
February 28, 2018
An exciting murder mystery
This is an exciting murder mystery, but I have a few things against it. It was too long and complicated at times. There were too many main characters. I couldn't keep up with them. I was confused a lot of the time. She did explain everything at the end, but I had almost lost interest by then. I love chocolate and I did like the way she kept introducing different ways to use it.
This is an exciting murder mystery, but I have a few things against it. It was too long and complicated at times. There were too many main characters. I couldn't keep up with them. I was confused a lot of the time. She did explain everything at the end, but I had almost lost interest by then. I love chocolate and I did like the way she kept introducing different ways to use it.
July 15, 2018
Unique concept....
but had to take away one star because clearly the person writing this is English. There are simply too many British slang terms slipped in for it not to be obvious. I'm hoping that the next book also drops Tessie's overly southern language , it's very close to being offensive. Otherwise this was a good cozy mystery and hopefully will find success going forward.
but had to take away one star because clearly the person writing this is English. There are simply too many British slang terms slipped in for it not to be obvious. I'm hoping that the next book also drops Tessie's overly southern language , it's very close to being offensive. Otherwise this was a good cozy mystery and hopefully will find success going forward.
November 20, 2018
Author Agatha Chocolats takes you down a mystery laden tale filled with many twists and turns as the characters battle it out to claim the Chandler inheritance. Main character Anna takes us through the adventure of a lifetime, always questioning who is friend and who is foe as she fights to inherit, and survive....The characters gave this reader many laughs and the chocolates, oh my! A very witty whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. A great read, highly recommended!
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