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A review by ljwrites85
Black Cherry Betrayal by Agatha Frost
5.0
I really enjoyed the first in Claire's candles mystery series, Vanilla Bean Vengeance back in 2020, so I went out and bought the second, but of course me being the book hoarder that I am didn't get around to reading it until now.
This is the second in the series while it can be read as a standalone, but I would definitely recommend reading the first, as there are a few references to it in this book.
I was in the mood for a book on the lighter side after my last read and Black Cherry Betrayal was just what I needed!
Claire is on the verge of getting what she's always wanted; opening up a candle shop which stocks all of her handmade candles. Tragedy strikes when she finds the body of Jane, former owner of her shop, in the attic. Jane was about to start her retirement. Why would anyone want to kill her? It's up to Claire to find out.
The book has all the ingredients for a good cozy mystery; a likeable sleuth, a small town setting, a good few suspects with plenty of clues and red herrings along the way.
What I liked about this book, apart from the mystery, was the character development. In the first book, I felt that Claire's mum was a little harsh on her and always nitpicking at her dress sense and size just to be mean. She still does that in this novel, but there's more of a sense of love there and the author explained more about why she was that way.
The book really kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the whodunnit until near the end, which I always enjoy.
Black Cherry Betrayal is a lighthearted mystery with a likeable sleuth and a puzzling mystery that keeps you guessing.
This is the second in the series while it can be read as a standalone, but I would definitely recommend reading the first, as there are a few references to it in this book.
I was in the mood for a book on the lighter side after my last read and Black Cherry Betrayal was just what I needed!
Claire is on the verge of getting what she's always wanted; opening up a candle shop which stocks all of her handmade candles. Tragedy strikes when she finds the body of Jane, former owner of her shop, in the attic. Jane was about to start her retirement. Why would anyone want to kill her? It's up to Claire to find out.
The book has all the ingredients for a good cozy mystery; a likeable sleuth, a small town setting, a good few suspects with plenty of clues and red herrings along the way.
What I liked about this book, apart from the mystery, was the character development. In the first book, I felt that Claire's mum was a little harsh on her and always nitpicking at her dress sense and size just to be mean. She still does that in this novel, but there's more of a sense of love there and the author explained more about why she was that way.
The book really kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the whodunnit until near the end, which I always enjoy.
Black Cherry Betrayal is a lighthearted mystery with a likeable sleuth and a puzzling mystery that keeps you guessing.