Ratings5
Average rating4.1
Their chocolates are to die for—but things aren’t so sweet when a real killer comes to town, in this debut mystery perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs. Identical twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates. But now, there’s a real killer in their midst. Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has taken up residence in the village. Unfortunately, she’s also shared her suspicions with town gossip Netta. The next morning, Alex shows up at Jane’s house to watch the show, but instead discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates nearby. The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane’s will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen leaving the crime scene. But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects—townsfolk who’d recently been seen arguing with Jane. When Alex gets hold of Jane’s journal, she begins to understand the truth. But a bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year—and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.
Featured Series
2 primary booksKiller Chocolate is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Christina Romeril.
Reviews with the most likes.
I loved the mystery and the investigation. I figured out the who about halfway through, but I did not guess the whole story. The reveal was well done.
I liked most of the characters, but they didn't feel completely unique yet. So I look forward to some more character development in future books. I liked the slow burn romance. It made sense with the character backstories. This was a good first novel in a series.
Finally, a cozy mystery that I enjoyed! I loved the set of characters, but my only drawback was that there were a lot of them, and sometimes I got them mixed up. Loved the small time vibes and the fun candy/bookstore with “poison” chocolates as a concept. While some of the dialogue was unnatural (what tends to make me put down cozies) it wasn't unbearable. I think this is a promising series, and while I won't rush for the next one, I probably would continue! The characters would be much easier to keep track of in future books, I assume.
Read my complete review at https://novelsalive.com/2022/10/21/4-star-review-a-christmas-candy-killing-by-christina-romeril/