Criminally Cocoa

Amanda Flower

Feb 2019 · An Amish Candy Shop Mystery Book 3.5 · Kensington Books

About this eBook

Simple treats turn dangerously tricky on the set of an Amish cooking show in this mystery by the Agatha Award-winning author of Assaulted Caramel. For Easter this year, Charlotte Weaver is leaving Amish country with her cousin Bailey on her first trip to New York City. She’s thrilled to see the skyscrapers and Times Square, and even more excited to help Bailey on the set of her new cable TV show, Bailey’s Amish Sweets. For the first episode, Bailey is making her famous hand-woven chocolate Easter baskets. But what ought to be a seamless shoot keeps hitting snags, and Charlotte begins to wonder if someone is out to make her sweet cousin look bad.
 
With Bailey feeling nervous about being on camera, Charlotte decides to keep her suspicion of sabotage to herself. But she knows that Bailey has a dangerously jealous rival hiding among her fans at the Gourmet Television network. As the mishaps get increasingly dangerous, Charlotte will have to sift out the saboteur before her trip to the Big Apple turns fatally bitter.
 
Recipe Included!

Ratings and reviews

Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower is An Amish Candy Shop Mystery novella (No. 3.5). Charlotte Weaver is thrilled to be in New York City with her cousin, Bailey King for the filming of Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey is creating a hand woven chocolate Easter basket using tempered chocolate when the double boiler explodes. Glass and chocolate are sent flying around the set., but, thankfully, no one was injured. The next day, Juliet Brody and her comfort pig, Jethro arrive to be a part of the show and publicity photos. While shooting photographs in the park, a loud horn sounds which scares poor Jethro and sends him running into the park. Charlotte is concerned that someone is trying to sabotage the show as the small incidents continue. With Bailey already nervous about the filming, Charlotte decides to investigate on her own. Can Charlotte unmask the saboteur? Join Charlotte, Bailey, Cass and Jethro on their New York City adventure in Criminally Cocoa. Criminally Cocoa picks up where Premeditated Peppermint ended. We join Bailey, Charlotte and Cass in New York where they are filming the first season of Bailey’s Amish Sweets. Bailey asked Charlotte to come along and be her assistant on the show. Criminally Cocoa is told from Charlotte’s point-of-view. It was humorous to see New York City through Charlotte’s eyes. Charlotte grew up Amish and has yet to join the church. She views things differently from Englishers. I thought Criminally Cocoa was well-written with steady pacing. It was nice to learn more about Charlotte in this story. When Bailey blames herself for the explosion of the double boiler, Charlotte wants to help prove it was not her cousin’s fault. Charlotte has watched Bailey solve three crimes and puts that knowledge to use. The mystery was straightforward. Readers will have no problem solving it before the reveal. However, it is the right type of mystery for the length of the story. While the story focuses on the group in New York, we do get updates on their friends back home in Harvest, Ohio. I especially enjoyed the addition of Juliet Brody and her polka dotted pig, Jethro. Their antics provided me with plenty of laughs. It is always delightful to read one of Amanda Flower’s books. I am eager to read Toxic Toffee which is the next An Amish Candy Shop Mystery.

This was totally different from any of the other books as the entire story is done from what was previously a supporting character. It was surprising how well it worked for me and how much fun it was. The mystery was well done and the characters remained charming. Still, I can’t wait to get back to Bailey’s POV and life back in Harvest. Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda Flower, and Kensington Books for giving me the chance to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

Not good.

About the author

USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning mystery author Amanda Flower started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. She also writes mysteries as USA Today bestselling author Isabella Alan. Amanda is a former librarian and lives in Northeast Ohio. Readers can visit her online at www.amandaflower.com.