What do you think?
Rate this book
Summer Meadows Mystery #2
Candy Coated Secrets
Who would have thought leading an elephant down Highway 64 could lead to murder?
When a carnival train crashes in front of Summer Meadows' house, she does what comes naturally—she acts without thinking and volunteers to lead an elephant a mile down the road to the fairground. The animal's trainer follows close behind but disappears when they reach their destination. When Summer goes looking for her, she finds something altogether different. A woman hanging dead in the shower of one of the trailers.
Despite her boyfriend, Ethan Banning's's advise, Summer sets out to solve this murder, resulting in a carnival slew of mishaps and adventure. Not only for herself, but for Ethan too. Not wanting her out of his sight, Ethan tags along on nighttime stakeouts, almost making Summer forget why they spied in the first place. When his life is in danger, Summer faces a life-long fear to rescue the man she loves.
When a carnival train crashes in front of Summer Meadows' house, she does what comes naturally—she acts without thinking and volunteers to lead an elephant a mile down the road to the fairground. The animal's trainer follows close behind but disappears when they reach their destination. When Summer goes looking for her, she finds something altogether different. A woman hanging dead in the shower of one of the trailers.
Despite her boyfriend, Ethan Banning's's advise, Summer sets out to solve this murder, resulting in a carnival slew of mishaps and adventure. Not only for herself, but for Ethan too. Not wanting her out of his sight, Ethan tags along on nighttime stakeouts, almost making Summer forget why they spied in the first place. When his life is in danger, Summer faces a life-long fear to rescue the man she loves.
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 20, 2009
28 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Hickey
468 books328 followersWebsite at www.cynthiahickey.com
Also www.forgetmenotromances.com
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.
Also www.forgetmenotromances.com
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 3, 2019
The elephant walk
Another great read full of zany adventure and mayhem. Which all started with the arrival of the carnival, an accident and an elephant. Add in murder, rampaging lions, stalking gorillas, missing money and disappearing people. Who or what is after Summer and why? The more she tries to find out the more her closest friends and family are threatened. Will she find out the truth before it's too late?
The characters are even more quirky then before and now she has started to infect her aunt and fiance with the bug. Why does she feel the need to get justice for victims? Is it to do with her past?
Another great read full of zany adventure and mayhem. Which all started with the arrival of the carnival, an accident and an elephant. Add in murder, rampaging lions, stalking gorillas, missing money and disappearing people. Who or what is after Summer and why? The more she tries to find out the more her closest friends and family are threatened. Will she find out the truth before it's too late?
The characters are even more quirky then before and now she has started to infect her aunt and fiance with the bug. Why does she feel the need to get justice for victims? Is it to do with her past?
May 28, 2020
Book 2 is tereffic
Ms Hickey your books are great. I love how Summer wants to solve the mysteries like Nancy Drew but really doesn’t know how. So she ends up bumbling around until she really does solve the mystery. Good thing in this book that she has a hard head:)
Ms Hickey your books are great. I love how Summer wants to solve the mysteries like Nancy Drew but really doesn’t know how. So she ends up bumbling around until she really does solve the mystery. Good thing in this book that she has a hard head:)
May 12, 2023
Loving this series. Great read
January 20, 2025
I dearly love this book - it is so so good. I give this Book 5/5 Stars. This book is so funny.
March 30, 2013
Title: Candy Coated Secrets (Summer Meadows Mystery Series Book 2)
Author: Cynthia Hickey
Kindle Edition
Synopsis:
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The Carnival has arrived to Mountain garden. When there is an accident in front of the Meadows home, Summer and her Aunt Eunice run outside to find animals running everywhere and fully grown elephant, by the name of Ginger running through and trampling her rose bushes. Summer tries to defend her roses with an umbrella no less. When Ginger charges, her trainer, Sally, gets her under control. Sally then convinces Summer to walk Ginger to the carnival Summer's property about a mile or so from her home. Luckily Ginger has decided Summer is her new best friend.
Upon arriving at the carnival grounds Summer goes in search of Sally to let her know Ginger has been delivered. Entering the trailer she believes is Sally's, Summer comes upon the body of the lovely "Laid Back" Millie hanging from the shower head. Letting loose a scream and running toward the door Summer calls her cousin Joe Parson, an officer with the Mountain Shadows Police Department. Joe enters the trailer shaking his head at Summer and wondering how he is suppose to keep his promise to Ethan and his Uncle Roy to watch over Summer and keep her out of trouble when she seems to attract it like a magnet.
Summer is quick to promise Joe, that she has no intention of getting involved in anyway with the death of the young woman. She then says the same thing to Ethan when he calls to tell her that the church mission group will be home in a few days. Unfortunately someone has other ideas. Summer is being stalked by two people in gorilla costumes, finding threats telling her to but out, and feels she is being watched while working Summer's Confection booth at the Carnival. April Banning, sister to Ethan and Summer's best friend, is wrapped up in her romance with Joe so Aunt Eunice offers herself to assist Summer in an investigation into what she and Summer believe is Millie's murder.
When Joe gets fed up with Summer's interference, Joe makes good on his threats to Summer and arrest her and Aunt Eunice. After a night in jail Aunt Eunice is no longer interested in helping investigate. Things continue to get more and more dangerous for April.
Review:
Once more you start Cynthia Hickey's book laughing at the circumstances Summer finds herself in. You will continue to laugh through out the book, as well as gasp and cringe as Summer finds herself stumbling from one situation to another. Ms Hickey offers you a fast moving story that you find yourself unable to put down until the last page. You will follow her, Aunt Eunice and later Ethan as he tries to keep Summer safe, as they try to find out who is behind all the incidents drawing danger closer and closer to Summer and anyone close to her.
When someone keeps drawing Summer into the mystery surrounding Laid Back Millie's death, the vandalism of the refrigerator at Summer's Confections' space at the carnival, the release of the wild lion, and the stalking of not one, but two, people gorilla costumes. She feels she has no choice but to solve the murder and unmask her stalkers before she becomes the next one found harmed in an unexplained accidents.
You will be delighted with the latest Summer Meadows mystery. From the first line to the last you will immerse yourself in Candy Coated Secrets. It is well written always hinting at why someone could be the villain without actually giving it away until the end. Follow along and see if you can unravel the clues before the end. Thank you so much Ms. Hickey, I enjoyed you book so much.
Author: Cynthia Hickey
Kindle Edition
Synopsis:
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The Carnival has arrived to Mountain garden. When there is an accident in front of the Meadows home, Summer and her Aunt Eunice run outside to find animals running everywhere and fully grown elephant, by the name of Ginger running through and trampling her rose bushes. Summer tries to defend her roses with an umbrella no less. When Ginger charges, her trainer, Sally, gets her under control. Sally then convinces Summer to walk Ginger to the carnival Summer's property about a mile or so from her home. Luckily Ginger has decided Summer is her new best friend.
Upon arriving at the carnival grounds Summer goes in search of Sally to let her know Ginger has been delivered. Entering the trailer she believes is Sally's, Summer comes upon the body of the lovely "Laid Back" Millie hanging from the shower head. Letting loose a scream and running toward the door Summer calls her cousin Joe Parson, an officer with the Mountain Shadows Police Department. Joe enters the trailer shaking his head at Summer and wondering how he is suppose to keep his promise to Ethan and his Uncle Roy to watch over Summer and keep her out of trouble when she seems to attract it like a magnet.
Summer is quick to promise Joe, that she has no intention of getting involved in anyway with the death of the young woman. She then says the same thing to Ethan when he calls to tell her that the church mission group will be home in a few days. Unfortunately someone has other ideas. Summer is being stalked by two people in gorilla costumes, finding threats telling her to but out, and feels she is being watched while working Summer's Confection booth at the Carnival. April Banning, sister to Ethan and Summer's best friend, is wrapped up in her romance with Joe so Aunt Eunice offers herself to assist Summer in an investigation into what she and Summer believe is Millie's murder.
When Joe gets fed up with Summer's interference, Joe makes good on his threats to Summer and arrest her and Aunt Eunice. After a night in jail Aunt Eunice is no longer interested in helping investigate. Things continue to get more and more dangerous for April.
Review:
Once more you start Cynthia Hickey's book laughing at the circumstances Summer finds herself in. You will continue to laugh through out the book, as well as gasp and cringe as Summer finds herself stumbling from one situation to another. Ms Hickey offers you a fast moving story that you find yourself unable to put down until the last page. You will follow her, Aunt Eunice and later Ethan as he tries to keep Summer safe, as they try to find out who is behind all the incidents drawing danger closer and closer to Summer and anyone close to her.
When someone keeps drawing Summer into the mystery surrounding Laid Back Millie's death, the vandalism of the refrigerator at Summer's Confections' space at the carnival, the release of the wild lion, and the stalking of not one, but two, people gorilla costumes. She feels she has no choice but to solve the murder and unmask her stalkers before she becomes the next one found harmed in an unexplained accidents.
You will be delighted with the latest Summer Meadows mystery. From the first line to the last you will immerse yourself in Candy Coated Secrets. It is well written always hinting at why someone could be the villain without actually giving it away until the end. Follow along and see if you can unravel the clues before the end. Thank you so much Ms. Hickey, I enjoyed you book so much.
November 3, 2014
I knew that this is a Christian fiction cozy before I started to read it but what I wasn't prepared for was the abundance of preaching. I love Christian fiction that just tells a lesson but it is my own personal preference to not have it too preachy. The author quoted scripture often and had so many references to God that were supposed to put in a funny way as joke that it got on my nerves. I like religion and cozies separate.
I love Amish fiction and so far all that I have read tells a moral or religious lesson but they are not preachy.
Also not all of the readers are Christian,some may be Jewish, Buddist, Hindu and so on. The messages came on too strong for me.
Some of the scenes like having been stalked by a man in a gorilla can be funny but stalking just doesn't seem like funny material to me.
The main character and narrator of the story was Summer and I could identify with her some because she was always bumping into things because she wasn't looking but she seemed stupid too and that is not the best behavior for dectectives. I didn't like the way that she put her life in danger by asking certain questions of the suspects. When she did that I began to like her. Shouldn't a young woman have at least some horse sense?
The carny people seemed sterotyped as as dressing wildly and not bathing. Summer's boyfriend also seemed "too good" to be true.
Her writing did hook to the story from the beginning, I kept reading to the end but I felt uncomfortable about it.
I would recommend this cozy to anyone who doesn't mind preachiness as to everyone else there are plenty of other great cozies out there.
I love Amish fiction and so far all that I have read tells a moral or religious lesson but they are not preachy.
Also not all of the readers are Christian,some may be Jewish, Buddist, Hindu and so on. The messages came on too strong for me.
Some of the scenes like having been stalked by a man in a gorilla can be funny but stalking just doesn't seem like funny material to me.
The main character and narrator of the story was Summer and I could identify with her some because she was always bumping into things because she wasn't looking but she seemed stupid too and that is not the best behavior for dectectives. I didn't like the way that she put her life in danger by asking certain questions of the suspects. When she did that I began to like her. Shouldn't a young woman have at least some horse sense?
The carny people seemed sterotyped as as dressing wildly and not bathing. Summer's boyfriend also seemed "too good" to be true.
Her writing did hook to the story from the beginning, I kept reading to the end but I felt uncomfortable about it.
I would recommend this cozy to anyone who doesn't mind preachiness as to everyone else there are plenty of other great cozies out there.
April 11, 2010
Summer Meadows doesn't seek out trouble, but it seems to find her at every turn.
It's not Summer's fault when a carnival train crashes in front of her house. And what Christian-minded, kind-hearted young woman wouldn't agree to help out in the midst of the chaos? But only Summer is likely to take on single-handedly escorting a cantankerous elephant to the fairgrounds. A full mile. On foot.
The elephant's trainer is nowhere to be found when Summer finally arrives, towing her over-sized charge. By now, having been sprayed with the contents of the animal's nose and repeatedly pushed and shoved by its massive trunk, our heroine is more than a little ill-tempered. She sets off in search of the missing woman, but finds instead a dead body hanging in a shower. It's plainly murder, and the feisty candy-store owner can't be persuaded to stay out of it.
What follows is a carnival house of fun and folly when wanna-be sleuth Summer, Aunt Eunice, and even boyfriend Ethan - to the extreme frustration of Summer's cousin, the chief of police - poke into shadowy corners of a third-rate carnival/circus seeking answers that become more elusive with every clue.
Candy-Coated Secrets is number two in the Summer Meadows Mystery collection from Heartsong Presents Mysteries. Author Cynthia Hickey delivers a well-written tale packed plumb full of family fun, quirky humor, a few moments of truly scary suspense, and even some porch swing romancin'. Truly enjoyable. Y'all won't wanta miss this little candy-coated confection!
It's not Summer's fault when a carnival train crashes in front of her house. And what Christian-minded, kind-hearted young woman wouldn't agree to help out in the midst of the chaos? But only Summer is likely to take on single-handedly escorting a cantankerous elephant to the fairgrounds. A full mile. On foot.
The elephant's trainer is nowhere to be found when Summer finally arrives, towing her over-sized charge. By now, having been sprayed with the contents of the animal's nose and repeatedly pushed and shoved by its massive trunk, our heroine is more than a little ill-tempered. She sets off in search of the missing woman, but finds instead a dead body hanging in a shower. It's plainly murder, and the feisty candy-store owner can't be persuaded to stay out of it.
What follows is a carnival house of fun and folly when wanna-be sleuth Summer, Aunt Eunice, and even boyfriend Ethan - to the extreme frustration of Summer's cousin, the chief of police - poke into shadowy corners of a third-rate carnival/circus seeking answers that become more elusive with every clue.
Candy-Coated Secrets is number two in the Summer Meadows Mystery collection from Heartsong Presents Mysteries. Author Cynthia Hickey delivers a well-written tale packed plumb full of family fun, quirky humor, a few moments of truly scary suspense, and even some porch swing romancin'. Truly enjoyable. Y'all won't wanta miss this little candy-coated confection!
September 14, 2012
Set in a small Arkansas town, this mystery is full of twists and turns, often leaving you to wonder where the story is going. Summer Meadows is a candy maker, fulfilling her dream job of owning her own candy store. It is fair time, and she is taking her operations to the fair, and selling candy there. However the story starts out at the beginning of the fair, with an accident right in front of Summer's house where she lives with her Aunt and Uncle. An overturned carnival truck, finds a rampaging elephant running amok in her yard. Nearly being injured by the big gray elephant, imagine every one's surprise when it turns out the elephant likes Summer. This is only the beginning of the troubles that will face Summer as the fair progresses. Her boyfriend Ethan is afraid that he will loose her to whoever seems to be trying to injure or even kill her. Summer finds one of the carnies dead in her trailer, it appears she may have killed herself, and it is believed it is all connected to an embezzlement case, so why does someone want to hurt Summer?
This was a good story, and having visited with the author about her writing I enjoyed picturing the places where this story took place. 256 pages 4 stars
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
This was a good story, and having visited with the author about her writing I enjoyed picturing the places where this story took place. 256 pages 4 stars
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
May 7, 2013
I really enjoyed this book better than I did the first one. They are both well-written with good story lines and unexpected twists. However, in Fudge Laced Felonies, it didn't really make sense why Summer suddenly felt she had to be the one who solved the current murder mystery. She just up & decided that she had to be involved. However, in Candy Coated Secrets a little more of Summer's back story is given and her drive to become involved is further explained. It made the story and her drive to get into the middle of everything make more sense. The characters in the book are well-developed and Summer's religious beliefs once again are in the forefront, but they aren't crammed down the reader's throat. They are simply a part of who Summer is and I really like that aspect. Would thoroughly recommend this book for people who like their mysteries light, twisty, and surprising.
January 27, 2011
This book was a sweet read and enjoyable romp through a carnival in Arkansas. The Sleuth is a young lady by the name of Summer Meadow. She owns her dream company, a candy making factory/store. Living with her Aunt and Uncle until her marriage, she tends to be a trouble-magnet.
However, how can the yearly carnival that tents on Summer's land become a worry? Well, it can when a murder is discovered prior the opening of festivities.
Summer, her finance, Ethan and their families and friends find themselves within a ring even more sinister than at first glance.
This book is a fine example of Christian mystery.
However, how can the yearly carnival that tents on Summer's land become a worry? Well, it can when a murder is discovered prior the opening of festivities.
Summer, her finance, Ethan and their families and friends find themselves within a ring even more sinister than at first glance.
This book is a fine example of Christian mystery.
July 11, 2015
i enjoyed this one as well! This is the second book in a new series that I picked up a couple of weeks ago, and I am glad I did! The protagonist and her fiance are good Christians struggling to live Godly lives and give God control of everything, and sometimes that's not easy to do. In the midst of all of this, the protagonist finds herself in the midst of another mystery to be solved, and how this plays out adds to her struggles to walk daily in the Lord. A good read, and a great series. I am already on book 3 in the series, and can hardly wait to get to book 4!
October 14, 2012
This is a good sequel to Fudge-Laced Felonies. Our heroine in the story seems to blunder her way along trying to solve crimes. She's a bit out of her league but it doesn't detract from the story at all. She also has a love interest who has to constantly bail her out of situations she gets into.
August 4, 2013
Did not like this at all. Everyone was busy telling Summer to stay out of trouble when she did nothing to get dragged in, and Summer is so busy looking for a side kick for whatever reason she thinks that is the way to solve mysteries. The storyline although it made sense in the end, there was no way the reader was figuring it out...unless I missed something...maybe I need a sidekick.
February 17, 2013
This is #2 in the Summer Meadows series and I enjoyed the story much more than the #1 book. Summer is still 30 and acting 17, but the story and the cast of characters in this book redeemed it for me. It was a FUN read.
February 28, 2010
What attracted me to this book was the cover.....made me think of the Nancy Drew books I read years ago. It was an easy read. Quite enjoyable.
July 11, 2012
Not my style
Read
October 24, 2014Really started this on Oct. 19 in between games at the volleyball tournament
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews