Reviews

Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake by Sarah Graves

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thisandthatwithkaren's review against another edition

5.0

“Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake” is the 4th instalment in the "Death By Chocolate" mystery series by Sarah Graves. In the quaint island village of Eastport, Maine, Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White run the Chocolate Moose bakery, where delicious treats take the spotlight—but murder sometimes gets a walk-on role . . .

I enjoy this series set in the village of Eastport, Maine and really like protagonist Jake and her BFF Ellie. Plus I love her family especially Bella. We meet a loveable Irish Wolfhound named Igor who we will hopefully see in future books.

There were plenty of suspects amongst the guests at Cliff House and plenty of twists and turns to keep me wanting to find out what will happen next. I did suspect the killer early on but then second guessed myself. The book was engaging from start to finish, grabbing your attention from the very beginning.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

orion_the_muppet's review against another edition

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I'd like to get back to it, but it came up due at the library, and it didn't seem worth renewing a book that I wasn't really enjoying reading

jitterbun's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

caitz's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

dollycas's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious tense

5.0

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Movie icon Ingrid Merryfield has come to Eastport, Maine and her first stop is the Chocolate Moose Bakery. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White are a little starstruck and surprised when the actress says she has come “home” to Eastport and purchased Cliff House, a house known for being haunted. She asks Jake and Ellie to cater the desserts for her upcoming party and will pay them handsomely to stay overnight to cater to the guests food needs as requested. Needing money to keep the bakery open they just can’t refuse.

The party starts off okay but soon the Ouija board is pulled out to try to lure some ghosts. The only thing that they seem to conjure up is a terrific storm that brings down a huge tree that blocks the only exit by road from the property leaving Ellie, Jake, Bella, and Mika trapped. Soon thereafter bodies start dropping like flies. One, off the cliff, another in the basement, and more to come. Ellie and Jake want out and go to great lengths to try to do that as soon as they realize there is a killer in their midst or a very angry ghost.

Jake and Ellie find themselves in trouble again and have taken Bella and Mika along for the ride. Mika’s husband Sam tries to help and even Jake’s dad gets in on the action. We see the supporting characters differently in this story. Everyone played an exciting role and I loved that. A surprising new character stole my heart and attention immediately. Igor, an Irish Wolfhound found himself in danger too and it made my heart skip a beat during a very tense scene.

This story unfolds at breakneck speed so readers have to hold on tight. Jake and Ellie took a lot of risks to free their family and friends from the Cliff House property. The killer was not their only worry. They had to battle a horrendous storm, high tides and big waves, earthquakes, falling trees, missing ladders, and more. They traveled through tunnels, spooky rooms, and hallways at Cliff House trying to find answers. They were in constant motion the entire story. I was exhausted for them and with them by the time I turned the final page.

Ms. Graves plotted out a whirlwind mystery and kept the pedal to the metal from start to finish. I was so caught up in the story I didn’t really form my own list of suspects and the actual reveal of the killer was a bit of a surprise. The pieces start to fall into place for me later in the book. This plot really kept me on my toes.

Ms. Graves took her characters on quite an adventure in Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake and in turn her readers. I really enjoyed this book a lot.

I am excited about the upcoming Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie set to hit shelves on April 25, 2023. I think both the characters and myself need a little time to catch our breath before we can handle whatever Ms. Sarah Graves dreams up next. We will all be ready by April.

that_bookaholic_gal's review against another edition

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3.0

The smell of simmering chocolate filled the kitchen as she spooned batter into a pan. The warmth of the ovens kept her comfortable with the chilly air blowing outside, and the sweet smelling pastries baking made her stomach rumble. The bell on the front door dinged, signaling a customer’s arrival. When she stepped out to see who it was, she was shocked!

Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake is a cozy mystery centered around the two main characters, Jacobia and Ellie, who own the local bakery. When someone buys the haunted house in the town and asks the women to cater a party there, the women are a little skeptical, but except the much needed job. But when a murder is committed at the party, Jacobia and Ellie need to find the murderer.

This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the small town atmosphere and the stormy night/scary house aspect. But I must say the characters’ reactions to murders weren’t as terrified as I’d expect when you know a murderer is on the loose. Plus the reason cops couldn’t come until the next day was also a bit odd… especially when there are dead people. This was a cute read and I enjoy a cozy mystery, it just had a few things that were off for me.

If you love cozy, locked room style mysteries, and desserts you may enjoy this book (and series).