A Nutcracker Nightmare (A Killer Chocolate Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Montana
Crooked Lane Books (October 17, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs, when twin sisters Hanna and Alex help out at the local high school reunion, volunteering takes a turn when they find a former classmate’s dead body.

Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.

Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him.

But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.

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Review

If you are ready for the holidays and want a cozy to read, check out this new book. It is set during the holidays, has plenty of decorations to keep you in the spirit, and delicious chocolates that will leave you salivating.

This is a fun series, and I like that the main character is a little older (40’s), runs a bookstore, and is navigating the world of dating with neighbor Tom. She also has to deal with sniping from another neighbor, Penelope. I think Penelope is just jealous that Tom chose Alex over her. But, in this book, there is another potential love interest for Alex, Eddie. Will he make the cut?

I loved the mystery because I did not guess the killer. I was sure it was a certain character and almost thought I was right until things turned. I was very surprised in the end, and I think you will be too. I think I might have suspected this character, but it was fleeting, and there was nothing concrete to say it was them.

I love the chocolates that Hanna creates. I would like a box mailed to me, please!

This is a delicious series, and we give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Christina Romeril is the author of the Killer Chocolate Mystery series. The series is set in Montana at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, one of her favourite places to visit. She and her husband live a few hours away in a small village in Southern Alberta. When Christina isn’t writing she loves to hike in Waterton Lakes National Park, or just hang out there eating gourmet hot dogs and ice cream. When the former banker isn’t enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections. Not necessarily in that order.

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