Mint Chocolate Murder

"Mint Chocolate Murder is a delightful confection of wonderful characters, a yummy setting, and an intriguing, twisty, and multi-layered mystery. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a lazy summer afternoon—preferably with your favorite flavor of ice cream close to hand." --Elizabeth Penney, Edgar-nominated author of the Cambridge Bookshop Series Riley Rhodes returns in the second delicious cozy set in a New England ice cream shop, Meri Allen's Mint Chocolate Murder! When Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is summoned to Penniman’s Moy Mull Castle, it’s the cherry on top of a successful summer season. The gothic pile built by an eccentric New England Gilded Age millionaire has been transformed into a premiere arts colony by Maud Monaco, a reclusive former supermodel. As part of Moy Mull’s Fall Arts Festival, Maud is throwing a fantasy ice cream social and hires Riley to whip up unique treats to celebrate the opening of an exhibit by Adam Blasco, a photographer as obnoxious as he is talented. As Penniman fills up with Maud’s art-world friends arriving for the festival, gossip swirls around Blasco, who has a dark history of obsession with his models. Riley’s curiosity and instincts for sleuthing – she was a CIA librarian – are piqued, and she wonders at the hold the cold-hearted photographer has over the mistress of Moy Mull. But when Adam is found dead behind the locked door of Moy Mull’s dungeon, Riley realizes there’s more than one suspect who’d wanted to put the malicious photographer on ice.

An amateur sleuth, a handsome detective, and a dead body found in their cozy town… Can Nikki and Hawk solve this mysterious murder? From the moment Nikki first made Maple Hills, Vermont, her home, she has had a dark and dangerous cloud follow her. First she discovered a web of underground Mafia members and now there is a dead body at The Lodge – a dead body that just happens to hail from her own home town of Atlanta. As the newest, and arguably the nosiest, neighbor in the area, she knows all eyes will soon turn her way and tongues will start to wag. Nikki has no choice but to garner her new friends and put her extensive experience as a big city reporter to use, playing a modern day Nancy Drew against a backdrop of gorgeous hills and the Canadian border. Along with her pseudo partner and maybe love interest, Hawk, a local cop who just happens to be the Chief’s son, the duo must unravel a mystery that gets more complex by the minute – all the while trying to stay one step ahead of a murderer with murky, yet dire, motives. And to think… all Nikki really wanted to do when she moved to the quaint town was make chocolates…

“[A] fast-paced novel full of suspense” featuring the ultra-organized military wife and sleuth from the USA Today bestselling author (Fresh Fiction). For Ellie Avery, “a smart crime solver who successfully navigates the challenges of military life,” the hardest thing about hosting a reunion of her husband Mitch's extended Southern family is remembering everyone's name (Publishers Weekly). But this summer, the festivities are cut short by news that Mitch's Air Force squadron commander has been strangled. Then Mitch's look-alike cousin narrowly misses being shot during his daily workout, and Ellie realizes that someone wants to ground Mitch—permanently. Between her kids and her organizing business, she must unravel a perplexing mystery—or Mitch's afternoon jog may be a run for his life . . . Don't miss Ellie Avery's great tips for busy, budget-minded moms! Praise for the Ellie Avery Mystery series “A fun debut for an appealing young heroine.” —Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author “Crackles with intrigue, keeps you turning pages.” —Alesia Holliday, New York Times bestselling author “Sharp writing, tight plotting, a fascinating peek into the world of military wives. Jump in!” —Cynthia Baxter, author of the Lickety Splits Mysteries “Mystery with a 'mommy lit' flavor. A fun read.” —Armchair Interviews

Justice will be swirled by amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes in the first in Meri Allen's brand-new mystery series, The Rocky Road to Ruin! Riley Rhodes, travel food blogger and librarian at the CIA, makes a bittersweet return to her childhood home of Penniman, Connecticut – land of dairy farms and covered bridges - for a funeral. Despite the circumstances, Riley’s trip home is sprinkled with reunions with old friends, visits to her father’s cozy bookshop on the town green, and joyful hours behind the counter at the beloved Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. It feels like a time to help her friend Caroline rebuild after her mother’s death, and for Riley to do a bit of her own reflecting after a botched undercover mission in Italy. After all, it’s always good to be home. But Caroline and her brother Mike have to decide what to do with the assets they’ve inherited – the ice cream shop as well as the farm they grew up on – and they’ve never seen eye to eye. Trouble begins to swirl as Riley is spooked by reports of a stranger camping behind the farm and by the odd behavior of the shop’s mascot, Caroline’s snooty Persian, Sprinkles. When Mike turns up dead in the barn the morning after the funeral, the peace and quiet of Penniman seems upended for good. Can Riley find the killer before another body gets scooped?

“Snappy dialogue, a well-drawn supporting cast and an irresistible canine companion all add delicious flavor. Gulp this book down or savor it, but consuming it will guarantee a sustained sugar high.”– The New York Times Book Review In a brand-new culinary cozy series with a fresh edge and a delightful small-town setting, the acclaimed author introduces Maddy Montgomery, a social media expert who’s #StartingOver in small town Michigan after inheriting her great-aunt’s bakery…and a 200-pound English Mastiff named Baby. A CrimeReads Most Anticipated Book Of 2022 When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand—as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great-aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 250-pound English mastiff named Baby. Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka the Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is, until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife . . . Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions, too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation—and her life.

I'm Sunny Shaw, and regardless of what my name might suggest, my world has become rather dim as of late. With a bankrupt business to save, homeless kittens that need rescuing, and a new business partner distracting me with every glance, there seems to be a disaster waiting at every turn. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, a murder literally lands on my doorstep-or at least the corpse does. Now I'm struggling to figure out which problem to solve first! My business partner seems to want to share more than our lease, but I have to take that step very slowly. Of course, I can't in good conscience leave the kittens to wander the streets. Then again no business means no money. Decisions. Decisions.

Maybe--just maybe--Hawk will admit to Nikki that he's ready to go a step further by giving her a ring? But until he can, Nikki has to figure out who slipped poison in her chocolate peppermint and poisoned a customer. Lidia and Tori are the prime suspects, but the real killer is out there, watching and waiting! This cozy mystery is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language. It can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read. Read all the Maple Hills cozy mysteries: 1. Raspberry Truffle Murder 2. Peppermint Chocolate Murder 3. Blueberry Truffle Murder 4. Sea Salt Caramel Murder 5. Georgia Peach Truffle Murder 6. Gold Flake Chocolate Murder 7. Coconut Chocolate Murder 8. Turkey Truffle Murder 9. Christmas Chocolate Murder 10. Chocolate Heart Murder 11. Bear Truffle Murder

Sherry Oliveri is used to competing in cook-offs, but this time she's serving as a judge. The upside is that she gets to taste all the contestants' cookies. The downside is that one of the bakers will wind up dead... It's the long Thanksgiving weekend, and between cooking for her family and working her dad's store for Black Friday, Sherry has a full plate. Next, she has to judge the big cookie contest--and among the many entrants is her old high school home ec teacher, Mr. Currier. For old time's sake, Sherry invites him over for dinner, although sadly, the reunion will be short-lived. The next day, the prizes at the bake-off go missing--and later turn up at the marina, along with her ex-teacher's body. Now Sherry has to find out who would do such a thing... Includes Recipes from Sherry's Kitchen!