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Country Store Mystery #6.5
Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse
"Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse" by Maddie Day
When local businessman Jed Greenberg is found dead with a chocolate lab whimpering over his body, the police start sniffing around Robbie Jordan's country restaurant for answers. Was it something in Robbie's hot cocoa that killed Jed, or was it Cocoa the dog? As the suspects pile as high as her holiday tree, Robbie attempts to get to the bottom of the sickly-sweet murder...
When local businessman Jed Greenberg is found dead with a chocolate lab whimpering over his body, the police start sniffing around Robbie Jordan's country restaurant for answers. Was it something in Robbie's hot cocoa that killed Jed, or was it Cocoa the dog? As the suspects pile as high as her holiday tree, Robbie attempts to get to the bottom of the sickly-sweet murder...
Audible Audio
First published September 24, 2019
70 people are currently reading
669 people want to read
About the author
Maddie Day
28 books1,542 followersMaddie Day is a pseudonym for Agatha Award-winning mystery author Edith Maxwell.
As Maddie Day, Edith writes the Country Store Mysteries, from Kensington, set in southern Indiana. Maddie lived in the area some years ago and loves writing the adventures of Robbie Jordan, a country store owner and chef in South Lick, Indiana.
She also writes the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, with bike shop owner Mackenzie Almeida and her cozy mystery book group solving murders in a fictional Cape Cod village.
Her new Cece Barton Mysteries series, set northern California wine country, releases in fall, 2023
Please see Edith Maxwell's author page for more information about her other mystery series and her award-winning short stories.
As Maddie Day, Edith writes the Country Store Mysteries, from Kensington, set in southern Indiana. Maddie lived in the area some years ago and loves writing the adventures of Robbie Jordan, a country store owner and chef in South Lick, Indiana.
She also writes the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, with bike shop owner Mackenzie Almeida and her cozy mystery book group solving murders in a fictional Cape Cod village.
Her new Cece Barton Mysteries series, set northern California wine country, releases in fall, 2023
Please see Edith Maxwell's author page for more information about her other mystery series and her award-winning short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
October 14, 2023
Fun Christmas murder mystery. Short, in-between novella to get to know the characters. Great setting. Cool personalities. Well paced. Good to read around the holidays too.
Read
August 20, 2021Dnf 50% bc this is stupid. Why am I doing this to myself 😭
August 7, 2021
What's a girl to do when the parents of the guy she's in love with finds themselves in trouble? Why investigate of course! Once again Robbie is sleuthing to figure out who did it before Christmas is ruined for her boyfriend's family! Great characters, wonderful food descriptions, wonderful setting and a murderous plot make for a super entertaining read or listen as the case may be. If you are used to listening to the audio books, this one had a different narrator, but it didn't interrupt the feel the series at all. I quite enjoyed it.
November 5, 2022
It’s the week before Christmas, and business is booming at Robbie’s restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes. However, not everyone is in a festive mood. Local businessman Jed Greenburg is found dead on the sidewalk while he was out walking a Chocolate lab puppy, the spilled contents of a mug of Robbie’s special hot chocolate blend next to him. What happened?
It’s no surprise to me that I enjoyed this novella. Several of the series regulars are away for the holiday, which actually works out very well since this is a novella. We are able to focus on the characters important to mystery. Robbie’s boyfriend’s family are actually key to the events as they unfold, and it was great to get to know them a little better. The mystery was strong, and I enjoyed watching it unfold. As always, the scenes in the restaurant made my mouth water, and I am now craving breakfast foods. Fortunately, the novella includes a couple of recipes, including a special hot chocolate recipe.
NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Christmas Cocoa Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time to sit back and enjoy this Christmas mystery.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
It’s no surprise to me that I enjoyed this novella. Several of the series regulars are away for the holiday, which actually works out very well since this is a novella. We are able to focus on the characters important to mystery. Robbie’s boyfriend’s family are actually key to the events as they unfold, and it was great to get to know them a little better. The mystery was strong, and I enjoyed watching it unfold. As always, the scenes in the restaurant made my mouth water, and I am now craving breakfast foods. Fortunately, the novella includes a couple of recipes, including a special hot chocolate recipe.
NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Christmas Cocoa Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time to sit back and enjoy this Christmas mystery.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
December 9, 2021
It’s a cute, fast murder mystery. There’s only 3 hours of audio but the narrator isn’t great. Some audio books have great readers that can change characters well (or they have multiple readers). This is not one them. Her male impersonations are awful (although her Canadian accent is worse). But the story, overall, is decent (although the ending is disappointing).
Side notes regarding the story: The way domestic violence victims are discussed ruined it. But I also want to point out how ridiculous it was to say that this is an “equal opportunity city for religious celebration…at least for Christians and Jews” after a menorah is pointed out in the main part of town. This is partly good I guess, the author is acknowledging that there’s more than Christmas in December. But she’s also silently noting that there’s more that we won’t discuss. So why mention it at all? Aside from the title it’s not really even a Christmas book. It’s a murder mystery that occurs at Christmas time.
Side notes regarding the story: The way domestic violence victims are discussed ruined it. But I also want to point out how ridiculous it was to say that this is an “equal opportunity city for religious celebration…at least for Christians and Jews” after a menorah is pointed out in the main part of town. This is partly good I guess, the author is acknowledging that there’s more than Christmas in December. But she’s also silently noting that there’s more that we won’t discuss. So why mention it at all? Aside from the title it’s not really even a Christmas book. It’s a murder mystery that occurs at Christmas time.
December 18, 2023
Despite the main character not being a dog person (red flag if I ever heard one), this a quick cozy holiday mystery.
December 3, 2021
Needed a short Holiday read.
Decided to pick this one up, since I lived in Nashville for many years.
It’s okay, but just didn’t like the way they talked about a victim of domestic violence, so I removed a star from my original rating while listening.
Has two recipes at the end of story.
⭐️ 2 STARS ⭐️
Decided to pick this one up, since I lived in Nashville for many years.
It’s okay, but just didn’t like the way they talked about a victim of domestic violence, so I removed a star from my original rating while listening.
Has two recipes at the end of story.
⭐️ 2 STARS ⭐️
December 17, 2022
2.5 stars. Like most other peole said, I wasn't a huge fan of the way this book ended. However, it was a pretty quick Christmas time cozy to listen to while I wrapped presents.
December 17, 2023
A fun little cozy murder mystery that will have you craving Mexican Hot Chocolate!
November 7, 2024
Super cute, cozy holiday mystery. Part of a series but completely okay read or listened as a standalone!
December 21, 2022
Robbie Jordan is looking forward to Christmas break and snuggling with her honey in front of a warm fire. Right now she is swamped with customers ordering her holiday themed specials and buying up packets of Mexican hot chocolate. Robbie is pleased and surprised to be invited to Abe's parents' house for dinner. It's a big step in her relationship with Abe and she's eager to join them. Two other guests visit the O'Neill home that evening, Jed and Willa Greenberg. Jed, a former associate of Abe's father, is a cranky customer who doesn't seem very kind to his wife. When Sean's Christmas gift, a new puppy, arrives at his grandparents' while he's away, Willa comes to life. She offers to care for the puppy until Christmas when little Cocoa will be presented to Sean. The next morning, Buck comes into the cafe and informs Robbie that Jed has died. It appears he hit his head while out walking Cocoa but Oscar, the homicide detective, is coming to investigate the suspicious death. Robbie begins to wonder where the ice came from when there hasn't been rain or snow for weeks. Did someone deliberately set Jed up to fall? That could be murder! With Abe's father, Howard, the primary suspect, Robbie needs to figure this one out VERY quickly so the O'Neill family can have a merry Christmas!
PSA: No. No puppies for Christmas. Nope. This author doesn't seem to know much about rescue and how it works and even how to deal with a new puppy. The only thing she got right was crate and blankie but he needs more than that and telling him to explore his new home is a recipe for disaster!
This story takes place before Nacho Average Murder but Robbie is already in a California state of mind selling packets of Mexican hot chocolate mix. She's not so annoyingly smug about being Californian but she does sound uppity when thinking about the local accent and describes Buck as sounding like a "yokel." This is a novella so she has less time to be snooty and judgmental. Danna is the source of a lot of gossip and information about the victim and ultimately leads Robbie to figure things out. Danna's mother is not in this one but we meet her grandmother, Josie, for the first time. I thought we had met her earlier when she popped up in the newest book but I guess not. Josie is sophisticated, intelligent and very modern for a grandmother!
The O'Neills are just the nicest people. I was surprised to learn Abe's father teaches English at the high school and his wife, Frederika, is a musician. At least Robbie would be surprised and comment on how Abe and Don don't seem the cultured sorts. Abe learned to cook from his dad who is an even better cook than Abe. That's saying a lot! Frederika is lovely but maybe a bit scatterbrained because she has a lot on her plate.
The Greenbergs on the other hand present a contrast. Jed is always cranky. He makes rude comments about the menu at Pans n' Pancakes, makes a sexist comment at dinner and is generally rude. I don't see why anyone would want to invite him to dinner. Howard O'Neill and Jed Greenberg used to be business associates. The deal fell through but it makes Howard a suspect in Jed's possible murder! There's no way he'd kill Jed. Howard seems very nonchalant about the failed venture, accepting that sometimes they don't work out. Jed, on the other hand, may have lost a lot of money making him sour. If Howard had been the one to turn up dead, I'd totally haul Jed in for questioning. His wife, Willa Mae, seems like on her own she'd be a lovely person to hang out with but with Jed, she becomes a shadow, shrinking inside of herself whenever he admonishes her or puts her down. I wouldn't blame her if she killed him. Yet... she has knowledge of botanical poisons and that would be a much easier and sneakier way of killing someone.
Karinde Nilsson is a local dog rescuer. The O'Neill seniors have adopted a Chocolate Lab puppy from her for Sean's Christmas gift. Karinde doesn't seem to like Jed and there are rumors he was involved in a puppy mill venture. Karinde is kind of snippy and standoffish. She delivers the puppy without staying and only a few words about care. I don't know any rescuers who would do that. They'd stay and make sure the puppy was comfortable and there's a lot involved before that. All the rescuers I know are amazing, warm, caring individuals who work as a team to rescue and care for dogs in need of homes and match them with homes in need of dogs. Karinde is smart enough to know when she's being grilled by nosy Robbie though and doesn't like it one bit. She's angry enough to have killed Jed but did she do it? PLEASE don't let it be her. Dog rescuers have to play nice with the villains if they want to rescue more dogs! The ones I know simply would let the law or karma/God/whatever higher power take care of things. Cocoa is adorable and I want to kiss his big black puppy nose! Birdie is not so enthusiastic when they meet. How's THAT going to work out when Abe and Robbie get married?
I enjoyed this novella a bit more than the novels and I'd be open to reading the newest one. I need a little more Christmas than one or two scenes though.
PSA: No. No puppies for Christmas. Nope. This author doesn't seem to know much about rescue and how it works and even how to deal with a new puppy. The only thing she got right was crate and blankie but he needs more than that and telling him to explore his new home is a recipe for disaster!
This story takes place before Nacho Average Murder but Robbie is already in a California state of mind selling packets of Mexican hot chocolate mix. She's not so annoyingly smug about being Californian but she does sound uppity when thinking about the local accent and describes Buck as sounding like a "yokel." This is a novella so she has less time to be snooty and judgmental. Danna is the source of a lot of gossip and information about the victim and ultimately leads Robbie to figure things out. Danna's mother is not in this one but we meet her grandmother, Josie, for the first time. I thought we had met her earlier when she popped up in the newest book but I guess not. Josie is sophisticated, intelligent and very modern for a grandmother!
The O'Neills are just the nicest people. I was surprised to learn Abe's father teaches English at the high school and his wife, Frederika, is a musician. At least Robbie would be surprised and comment on how Abe and Don don't seem the cultured sorts. Abe learned to cook from his dad who is an even better cook than Abe. That's saying a lot! Frederika is lovely but maybe a bit scatterbrained because she has a lot on her plate.
The Greenbergs on the other hand present a contrast. Jed is always cranky. He makes rude comments about the menu at Pans n' Pancakes, makes a sexist comment at dinner and is generally rude. I don't see why anyone would want to invite him to dinner. Howard O'Neill and Jed Greenberg used to be business associates. The deal fell through but it makes Howard a suspect in Jed's possible murder! There's no way he'd kill Jed. Howard seems very nonchalant about the failed venture, accepting that sometimes they don't work out. Jed, on the other hand, may have lost a lot of money making him sour. If Howard had been the one to turn up dead, I'd totally haul Jed in for questioning. His wife, Willa Mae, seems like on her own she'd be a lovely person to hang out with but with Jed, she becomes a shadow, shrinking inside of herself whenever he admonishes her or puts her down. I wouldn't blame her if she killed him. Yet... she has knowledge of botanical poisons and that would be a much easier and sneakier way of killing someone.
Karinde Nilsson is a local dog rescuer. The O'Neill seniors have adopted a Chocolate Lab puppy from her for Sean's Christmas gift. Karinde doesn't seem to like Jed and there are rumors he was involved in a puppy mill venture. Karinde is kind of snippy and standoffish. She delivers the puppy without staying and only a few words about care. I don't know any rescuers who would do that. They'd stay and make sure the puppy was comfortable and there's a lot involved before that. All the rescuers I know are amazing, warm, caring individuals who work as a team to rescue and care for dogs in need of homes and match them with homes in need of dogs. Karinde is smart enough to know when she's being grilled by nosy Robbie though and doesn't like it one bit. She's angry enough to have killed Jed but did she do it? PLEASE don't let it be her. Dog rescuers have to play nice with the villains if they want to rescue more dogs! The ones I know simply would let the law or karma/God/whatever higher power take care of things. Cocoa is adorable and I want to kiss his big black puppy nose! Birdie is not so enthusiastic when they meet. How's THAT going to work out when Abe and Robbie get married?
I enjoyed this novella a bit more than the novels and I'd be open to reading the newest one. I need a little more Christmas than one or two scenes though.
December 20, 2022
This “murder mystery” was mostly about a woman running a cafe in Southern Indiana, and boy do they want you to know it with all the local Brown County/ Monroe County name drops. I only read this because it was very short and I wanted it to help me make my reading goal. It was the punishment I deserved for fudging my way to my reading goal.
November 26, 2023
3.5 stars.
I enjoyed this Christmas novella.
I enjoyed this Christmas novella.
July 25, 2023
Short read, fast paced murder mystery. Local businessman Jed Greenberg is found dead and local country restaurant owner Robbie Jordan's attempts to get to the bottom of the murder by turning into a detective. I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was. The author also went into a lot of detail about each characters clothing, but not about what they actually looked like so it was hard to form a full picture. Three recipes in the back of the book include; Mexican hot cocoa, Mexican bride cake cookies, and eggnog oatmeal.
December 16, 2022
Did I accidentally read this not realizing it was book 6.5 in a series? Yep… but lucky for me it read like a stand-alone and the whole thing still made sense! 😅
I did enjoy this book! It was a very simple, cozy murder/mystery story and also a nice little holiday read. There was nothing to deep about the plot or the characters but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I will say I did not love the narrator of the audiobook so do keep that in mind if you decide to read this before the holiday season is over!
I did enjoy this book! It was a very simple, cozy murder/mystery story and also a nice little holiday read. There was nothing to deep about the plot or the characters but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I will say I did not love the narrator of the audiobook so do keep that in mind if you decide to read this before the holiday season is over!
January 1, 2023
I love all of the regular characters of this series as well as the Pans N' Pancakes restuarant. I have read all ten books of the series and was DELIGHTED to discover this novella which is actually book #6.5. This novella gave me a closer look at Abe O'Neill's parents, Howard and Fredericka A/K/A Freddy. Honestly, I cannot get enough of this series!
January 10, 2025
A cute short murder mystery. It definitely provides a cozy atmosphere with all the descriptions of food, but it doesn’t really develop deep characters or provide many twists or turns with the mystery.
December 2, 2021
Fun and lighthearted. Definitely cozy mystery territory. I didn't know this was a series when I started, but it's not too hard to pick up on character history. Mild TW for mentions of domestic abuse.
December 23, 2021
I love the recipes included at the end. Especially the Mexican hot cocoa!
December 20, 2024
Slow all the way through. Hated the ending. Free my girl willamae!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2024
Not a great ending but I was a fan of the recipes at the end!
September 27, 2024
Set just days before Christmas in Salt Lick, Indiana, Robbie’s restaurant and store, Pans ‘n Pancakes is a busy hub for her town. Robbie manages to find herself in the middle of another murder when she dines with the victim and her boyfriend's parents the night before he dies. Robbie has to figure out what the motivation for the murder is. The victim is involved with questionable businesses, fraud, and even puppy mills.
This novel contains a recipe for Eggnog Oatmeal and I include a recipe for Egg-less Nog that is fantastic! Find them on my blog Literary Baker HERE
This novella has a number of plausible suspects. One of the best parts about this novella is its fast pace. In only 114 pages, author Maddie Day grabs our attention, provides several false leads before uncovering the killer and still manages to have a merry Christmas.
The fast paced mystery novella also includes some holiday recipes including Eggnog Oatmeal. I included a recipe for Eggless Nog since the grocery stores refuse to celebrate Christmas in July by stocking eggnog.
This novel contains a recipe for Eggnog Oatmeal and I include a recipe for Egg-less Nog that is fantastic! Find them on my blog Literary Baker HERE
This novella has a number of plausible suspects. One of the best parts about this novella is its fast pace. In only 114 pages, author Maddie Day grabs our attention, provides several false leads before uncovering the killer and still manages to have a merry Christmas.
The fast paced mystery novella also includes some holiday recipes including Eggnog Oatmeal. I included a recipe for Eggless Nog since the grocery stores refuse to celebrate Christmas in July by stocking eggnog.
January 22, 2024
Type of read: Commuter Read
What made me pick it up: I believe I picked this one out while looking for something for a TN READs prompt.
Overall rating: I had zero expectations going into 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse,' and that's probably a good thing. It's a simplistic story, perfect for when I read it because I was probably high on cold medicine and it made it easier to take in. Honestly, I didn't get a lot of out 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse.' I'm not against simple stories when they're good. When the writing, characters, and setting all lineup and mesh well to create a world I want to climb into. This just wasn't it. I was annoyed at the writing, which ultimately took me out of the book. Plus, I find it hard to believe that Robbie is that great of a cook for how often she got distracted and almost burnt something. I mean, I know there was the whole dead person thing to deal with but dang. Just not my vibe.
Reader's Note: 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse' includes themes of physical abuse, and obviously death/murder...it is a mystery.
What made me pick it up: I believe I picked this one out while looking for something for a TN READs prompt.
Overall rating: I had zero expectations going into 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse,' and that's probably a good thing. It's a simplistic story, perfect for when I read it because I was probably high on cold medicine and it made it easier to take in. Honestly, I didn't get a lot of out 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse.' I'm not against simple stories when they're good. When the writing, characters, and setting all lineup and mesh well to create a world I want to climb into. This just wasn't it. I was annoyed at the writing, which ultimately took me out of the book. Plus, I find it hard to believe that Robbie is that great of a cook for how often she got distracted and almost burnt something. I mean, I know there was the whole dead person thing to deal with but dang. Just not my vibe.
Reader's Note: 'Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse' includes themes of physical abuse, and obviously death/murder...it is a mystery.
December 6, 2023
I tried this last year and didn’t get into it but I’m glad I tried again as I really enjoyed it!
Even though this is mid series I felt it was clearly written enough to understand what had happened and no detail was missed that caused confusion. I enjoyed the plot and it kept me engaged throughout.
I think some of the characters could have done with some more development but granted, with a very short space of time this is hard to do. I also felt like some of the storyline was quite obvious in places and was easily explained, meaning the “twists” didn’t quite land. A short and interesting Christmassy read!
Even though this is mid series I felt it was clearly written enough to understand what had happened and no detail was missed that caused confusion. I enjoyed the plot and it kept me engaged throughout.
I think some of the characters could have done with some more development but granted, with a very short space of time this is hard to do. I also felt like some of the storyline was quite obvious in places and was easily explained, meaning the “twists” didn’t quite land. A short and interesting Christmassy read!
December 26, 2023
well, at least this was a far more enjoyable read than christmas cocoa murder!!
i really appreciate that while hot cocoa is served in this book, the title also refers to a chocolate lab puppy named cocoa! and the poor pupper witnesses a suspicious death!!
the diner setting is fun, and i liked that the sleuth is just a curious member of the community rather than an official detective in training.
but the reveal in the end is not great.
i really appreciate that while hot cocoa is served in this book, the title also refers to a chocolate lab puppy named cocoa! and the poor pupper witnesses a suspicious death!!
the diner setting is fun, and i liked that the sleuth is just a curious member of the community rather than an official detective in training.
but the reveal in the end is not great.
March 18, 2023
No one is sorry Jed is dead.
Robbie and Danna are working hard the week before Christmas. Robbie has made a Mexican hot chocolate mix to sell, but could someone have used a mix to add poison for Jed? Or was it the patch of ice on the sidewalk that caused his fall? There are quite a few people who disliked the lying, cheating, gruff man, but who actually killed him? Robbie solves another murder, while running her restaurant, baby sitting a puppy, spending time with her boyfriend, and getting to know the maybe in laws. All the week before Christmas. Whew!
Robbie and Danna are working hard the week before Christmas. Robbie has made a Mexican hot chocolate mix to sell, but could someone have used a mix to add poison for Jed? Or was it the patch of ice on the sidewalk that caused his fall? There are quite a few people who disliked the lying, cheating, gruff man, but who actually killed him? Robbie solves another murder, while running her restaurant, baby sitting a puppy, spending time with her boyfriend, and getting to know the maybe in laws. All the week before Christmas. Whew!
April 3, 2023
A suspicious death could be murder, or maybe an accident. Robbie is in the middle of this crime because it may be that her cocoa mix was poisoned and given to the deceased. Robbie needs to figure out what happened to save her reputation and her diner. She even gets her perhaps-future mother-in-law to do some sleuthing with her. It’s a nice touch to see them have so much in common - maybe they can work on future murders together! This tale deals with a serious issue, not that murder isn’t serious, but what led to the murder doesn’t lend itself to a Christmasy tale.
January 4, 2022
I always enjoy these books in the country Kitchen series. I read this in an anthology, but couldn't find the anthology listed. Anyhow, the mysteries are not all that suspenseful, but all the characters in south Lick are fun and/or interesting! It was a nice Holiday Mystery for me to enjoy and it had dogs in it! always a plus for me!
December 8, 2022
I wish I could give this a 3.5. I randomly chose this as an audiobook from Hoopla when looking for a quick holiday read. The story was cute, if a bit predictable. For me, the surprise was learning that the whole book is set in Brown County, IN, which is a beautiful area not far from my home. I loves the name-dropping of real local businesses. I will be reading more of this series!
May 28, 2025
This was a cute little mystery wedged between two bigger books.....I kinda figured it out but it was an easy one to figure out. It was a super FAST read because it was just around 100 pages.....now I have started the next book in the series.........
It was fun to read about a book taking place during the winter while it's 90+ degrees outside......it did cool me off some.....LOL
It was fun to read about a book taking place during the winter while it's 90+ degrees outside......it did cool me off some.....LOL
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews