Book Review: Truffled to Death by Kathy Aarons (Chocolate Covered Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, fun and unique plot

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Robbery, murder

Lead to fun mystery with

Page turning story

Maya Danger

There is one advantage to being behind on books you want to read.  When you find a book you enjoy, it’s not that long until the sequel comes out.  That’s what happened to me with Kathy Aarons’s Chocolate Covered Mysteries.  I just read the first a couple months ago, and I already got to enjoy the sequel, Truffled to Death.

If you’ve missed this series, it centers on Michelle and Erica, best friends who have created a combined bookstore and chocolate shop.  If I stumbled upon their small Maryland town, I doubt I’d ever leave their store.  What more do you need, right?

Michelle and Erica are thrilled that their store, Chocolate and Chapters, has been chosen for a reception to celebrate the donation of Maya pottery from the Rivers family to the local museum.  Erica has displayed books on Maya culture, and Michelle has created some appropriate chocolate treats.

The reception goes wonderfully.  However, the next morning, the entire donated collection is missing.  With local rumor and accusations pointing at them as the culprit, Michelle and Erica try to find the missing pieces.  But then a dead body turns up, and the stakes are raised even higher.  Can the friends figure out what is happening?

The book starts strongly with conflict and crime happening quickly.  The twists and turns keep coming right until the wonderful climax.  Since the plot involves stolen artifacts, it goes beyond the typical cozy murder mystery elements, and I loved it more for that.  Life got in the way of my reading time while I was reading this book.  I was always hoping to get just a little more reading in since I needed to know what would happen next.

I had enjoyed the characters in the first book, and I was again drawn to them.  The returning characters are charming and well developed with some great growth here.  While Michelle is our narrator, she and Erica really do work on the case together, and I enjoyed seeing what each of them brought to unraveling the case.  I also enjoyed the romantic sub-plots; they felt real and an outgrowth of the characters while helping develop them at the same time.  The suspects were just as real and intriguing, which helps keep me guessing until the end.  Plus those suspects are unusual and fun, which I loved.

And yes, there are dessert recipes at the end.  In this case, we get two gourmet chocolates and a recipe for Banana Foster.  Yum!

Kathy Aarons has created a world I love to go and visit.  Truffled to Death was a wonderful return trip, and I can’t wait until I get to visit again.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you.  I will pick the winner next Monday, June 15th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM on 6/15.