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Death by Chocolate Mystery #4
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle
Jake Tiptree and Ellie White are fired up for Eastport, Maine’s Great Downeast Snickerdoodle Bake-Off, but when a cunning killer and a devastating fire threaten to ravage the quaint island town, Jake and Ellie must dip into another homemade homicide investigation before all they love goes up in smoke . . .
As co-owners of Eastport’s beloved waterfront bakery, The Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie know their customers expect them to cream the competition. But they’re really just in it for fun, hoping to get Jake’s daughter-in-law baking again. Those plans collapse when fearsome local curmudgeon Alvin Brown is murdered, and every crumb of evidence points to Tiptree family friend—and all-around sweet guy—Billy Sewell.
Billy’s sisters beg Jake and Ellie to prove his innocence. After all, lots of folks had gone sour on Alvin--the only thing the retired lawyer liked better than bilking widows was swindling orphans, and several victims of his long-ago schemes still lived in Eastport. But just as the ladies begin sifting through the suspects, a series of grassfires blaze across the island, cutting off access to the mainland. Could someone be trying to hide the truth about Alvin’s murder?
Now, Jake and Ellie will need all their courage—and an extra dash of that down-east Maine stubbornness—to sniff out the real killer before anyone else gets burned . . .
As co-owners of Eastport’s beloved waterfront bakery, The Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie know their customers expect them to cream the competition. But they’re really just in it for fun, hoping to get Jake’s daughter-in-law baking again. Those plans collapse when fearsome local curmudgeon Alvin Brown is murdered, and every crumb of evidence points to Tiptree family friend—and all-around sweet guy—Billy Sewell.
Billy’s sisters beg Jake and Ellie to prove his innocence. After all, lots of folks had gone sour on Alvin--the only thing the retired lawyer liked better than bilking widows was swindling orphans, and several victims of his long-ago schemes still lived in Eastport. But just as the ladies begin sifting through the suspects, a series of grassfires blaze across the island, cutting off access to the mainland. Could someone be trying to hide the truth about Alvin’s murder?
Now, Jake and Ellie will need all their courage—and an extra dash of that down-east Maine stubbornness—to sniff out the real killer before anyone else gets burned . . .
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2021
141 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Graves
34 books793 followersSarah Graves lives with her husband John, a musician and luthier, and their black Labrador Retriever in a house very much like the one Jacobia Tiptree is remodeling in Eastport, Maine. When she's not writing Jake's adventures, Sarah works with her husband on the house and she plays the 5-string banjo.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
June 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook
If you like the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier, you’ll enjoy this series! Small town Maine mystery.
If you like the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier, you’ll enjoy this series! Small town Maine mystery.
November 30, 2022
Two and a half stars
Jacobia, known as Jake, and friend Ellie are co-owners of The Chocolate Moose, a waterfront bakery. Customers expect the pair to enter and win the Eastport Cookie Baking Contest. But Jake and Ellie’s plan is to try and get Jake’s daughter in law, out of her post natal slump and back into baking. But then, local curmudgeon Alvin Carter is murdered. All the evidence points to the likeable family friend, Billy Breyer. Billy’s sisters beg Jake and Ellie to help and prove his innocence. But it seems someone is determined to try and hide the truth about Alvin’s murder? And can they prevent Aunt Prunia from taking control of the lives of Billy’s two sisters?
I had not read others in the Death by Chocolate series but it didn’t matter. I quite enjoyed the characters and the plot initially. However, the story tends to become far fetched the further on it goes. And incidents involving Jake being a klutz were not amusing and tended to have no real point.
Yes, I kept reading but doubt that I will read any more books in this series. Just an okay read as far as I am concerned.
Jacobia, known as Jake, and friend Ellie are co-owners of The Chocolate Moose, a waterfront bakery. Customers expect the pair to enter and win the Eastport Cookie Baking Contest. But Jake and Ellie’s plan is to try and get Jake’s daughter in law, out of her post natal slump and back into baking. But then, local curmudgeon Alvin Carter is murdered. All the evidence points to the likeable family friend, Billy Breyer. Billy’s sisters beg Jake and Ellie to help and prove his innocence. But it seems someone is determined to try and hide the truth about Alvin’s murder? And can they prevent Aunt Prunia from taking control of the lives of Billy’s two sisters?
I had not read others in the Death by Chocolate series but it didn’t matter. I quite enjoyed the characters and the plot initially. However, the story tends to become far fetched the further on it goes. And incidents involving Jake being a klutz were not amusing and tended to have no real point.
Yes, I kept reading but doubt that I will read any more books in this series. Just an okay read as far as I am concerned.
February 24, 2021
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle is the 4th book in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series by Sarah Graves. I picked up this series with Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake (book 2) and I also thoroughly enjoyed book 3, Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut.
In Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle, Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree and Ellie White, the owners of 'The Chocolate Moose' are enthusiastic about Eastport, Maine’s Great Downeast Snickerdoodle Bake-Off. They have entered the competition for fun but are aware that their customers are expecting great things from them. As they set about creating their delicious chocolate sensations with the help of Mika, Jake's daughter-in-law, their plans go awry when Jake's elderly father, Jacob, and her stepmother, Bella Diamond arrive, followed by Sam, her son. Sam drops a bombshell - a body has been found by Sam's co-worker, Billy Breyer. The dead man is grumpy old Alvin Carter the owner of inherited land holdings including a seaside estate and the biggest client of Sam's landscape business. He was found with a pruning hatchet embedded in his skull...
I really adore the way Sarah Graves brings to life this fictional, yet seemingly real, small-town of Eastport. The story is highly entertaining, with plenty of action and an ample choice of suspects. I was delighted with the dynamic among Jake's extended family, and the reveal at the end is fulfilling, thrilling and little shocking!
With its fabulous story and wonderful characters, I would recommend Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle to all lovers of cozy mysteries. If you prefer more suspense and mystery than humour to your cozy reading, then this would be a superb choice. I hope this series continues and I can keep following Jake and Ellie's madcap adventures. My rating is five out of five chocolate hearts! 🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle, Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree and Ellie White, the owners of 'The Chocolate Moose' are enthusiastic about Eastport, Maine’s Great Downeast Snickerdoodle Bake-Off. They have entered the competition for fun but are aware that their customers are expecting great things from them. As they set about creating their delicious chocolate sensations with the help of Mika, Jake's daughter-in-law, their plans go awry when Jake's elderly father, Jacob, and her stepmother, Bella Diamond arrive, followed by Sam, her son. Sam drops a bombshell - a body has been found by Sam's co-worker, Billy Breyer. The dead man is grumpy old Alvin Carter the owner of inherited land holdings including a seaside estate and the biggest client of Sam's landscape business. He was found with a pruning hatchet embedded in his skull...
I really adore the way Sarah Graves brings to life this fictional, yet seemingly real, small-town of Eastport. The story is highly entertaining, with plenty of action and an ample choice of suspects. I was delighted with the dynamic among Jake's extended family, and the reveal at the end is fulfilling, thrilling and little shocking!
With its fabulous story and wonderful characters, I would recommend Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle to all lovers of cozy mysteries. If you prefer more suspense and mystery than humour to your cozy reading, then this would be a superb choice. I hope this series continues and I can keep following Jake and Ellie's madcap adventures. My rating is five out of five chocolate hearts! 🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
August 26, 2023
I really liked the 4th book in the series. I never knew snickerdoodles were so complicated! I still like the wholesome feel of a good cozy mystery but there were a lot of dark topics in this which made it all the more enjoyable. The wildfires in the book were pretty scary and definitely hits close to home with them in various parts of the world right now 😔. The one guy who seemed obsessed with his sisters was creepy. People forging someone's will is just plain wrong. I know this can happen in real life, and has, I'm just not sure how anyone with a conscious could go through with it. I liked the cookie contest. These books always make me hungry and on that note, it's time to make dinner. I am loving this series and I have the 5th book ready! 🍪🍪🥛Happy reading! 🤎
December 3, 2020
I’ve been a huge fan of Jake and Ellie, and I was beyond thrilled when this series came out. I have a connection with Jake, and I’ve really become a fan of this series.
This investigation had me stumped and it took me a while to put the missing pieces into place.
I was glad that Mika, Sam’s wife, got to play a bigger role. I think she’s going to develop a really close relationship with Jake, and I’m looking forward to that.
I would definitely recommend this author and this series, as well as her previous series, the fixer upper mysteries.
This investigation had me stumped and it took me a while to put the missing pieces into place.
I was glad that Mika, Sam’s wife, got to play a bigger role. I think she’s going to develop a really close relationship with Jake, and I’m looking forward to that.
I would definitely recommend this author and this series, as well as her previous series, the fixer upper mysteries.
January 1, 2022
When I saw the title and cover of this book I just knew I had to read it.
Cozy mysteries involving baking are always a fun read.
A solid story that kept me guessing with it's many twists and turns.
Now I need to read the others in this series as well.
Pub Date: 23 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Cozy mysteries involving baking are always a fun read.
A solid story that kept me guessing with it's many twists and turns.
Now I need to read the others in this series as well.
Pub Date: 23 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
March 27, 2022
A little shaky in places and peopled by stubborn & quirky characters who sometimes do highly improbable and questionable things! Jake (short for Jacobia) and her bestie, Ellie, track down a murderer while dealing with their business, the Chocolate Moose in small town Maine. There are red herrings and lobsters galore, some dysfunction and brushfires, but family love & life prevail.
March 17, 2021
Jake and Ellie are getting ready for a cookie-baking contest mostly to get Jake’s daughter-in-law out of her slump. A local old man is murdered and a friend , Billy, of the family is blamed. Billy’s sister ask Jake and Ellie to find out who did it. A huge fire breaks out making it dangerous for Jake and Ellie.
August 22, 2021
What an intriguing, suspenseful, scary
read!!
Eastport, Maine is the home of Jacobia
“Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White and their
families. Together the two own and run
The Chocolate Moose which is the waterfront
bakery in Eastport.
When Jake’s son, Sam comes running into
Jake’s house and asks his mom to come with
him to where he and his business partner,
Billy are currently working, it is because Billy
found the towns, most disliked man dead
with a hatchet in his head. The man’s death
looks like it will be blamed on Billy.
Jake and Ellie decide to prove Billy innocence.
This leads to a lot of shenanigans on Jake
and Ellie’s part……breaking and entering,
someone already doing the same before them,
finding another body under a old barn, wills,
wills and more wills, a car explosion, a huge
wildfire plus a cast of quirky, colorful, some
unsavory, some plain noisy and mean characters
for the two amateur to encounter.
Meanwhile the bakery is entered into Eastport,
Maine’s Great Downeast Snickerdoodle Bake-Off.
On the home front, you will meet Jake’s
daughter-in-law who is dealing with the young
children fog, the elderly housekeeper who is slowing
down but won’t admit it, the elderly father who likes
to take his evening walks without announcing where
he is going…..of course, Jake and Ellie deal with all
these problems. The reader will love meeting all the
family characters.
I felt right at home with them as they were very, well
defined and relatable with regular family life.
For a great read, I recommend this book.
read!!
Eastport, Maine is the home of Jacobia
“Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White and their
families. Together the two own and run
The Chocolate Moose which is the waterfront
bakery in Eastport.
When Jake’s son, Sam comes running into
Jake’s house and asks his mom to come with
him to where he and his business partner,
Billy are currently working, it is because Billy
found the towns, most disliked man dead
with a hatchet in his head. The man’s death
looks like it will be blamed on Billy.
Jake and Ellie decide to prove Billy innocence.
This leads to a lot of shenanigans on Jake
and Ellie’s part……breaking and entering,
someone already doing the same before them,
finding another body under a old barn, wills,
wills and more wills, a car explosion, a huge
wildfire plus a cast of quirky, colorful, some
unsavory, some plain noisy and mean characters
for the two amateur to encounter.
Meanwhile the bakery is entered into Eastport,
Maine’s Great Downeast Snickerdoodle Bake-Off.
On the home front, you will meet Jake’s
daughter-in-law who is dealing with the young
children fog, the elderly housekeeper who is slowing
down but won’t admit it, the elderly father who likes
to take his evening walks without announcing where
he is going…..of course, Jake and Ellie deal with all
these problems. The reader will love meeting all the
family characters.
I felt right at home with them as they were very, well
defined and relatable with regular family life.
For a great read, I recommend this book.
February 8, 2021
I have been a reader of this mystery duo since they were in the Home repair and now this chocolate series. I did think this book was better than the previous one, it still felt silly. The pratfalls that Jake describes in the book become ridiculous after awhile and so utterly unbeliveable. The relationships among the characters seem odd, we see mostly a focus on that of Jake and Ellie with everyone else a a bit part.
February 26, 2021
This is the second book I read in this series and I loved it.
It's an entertaining and engrossing story that kept me hooked.
The characters are fleshed out and likable, the mystery is full of twists and turns. It kept me guessing.
I look forward to the next installment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's an entertaining and engrossing story that kept me hooked.
The characters are fleshed out and likable, the mystery is full of twists and turns. It kept me guessing.
I look forward to the next installment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
January 27, 2021
Sarah Graves knocks it out of the park again with her newest Death by Chocolate book! This mystery really kept me guessing til the very end. When her son's employee is the only suspect in the murder of an unlikable man in Eastport, protagonist Jake does her best to keep him from life in prison away from his dependent teenage sisters. All signs point to Billy, but Jake knows better, so she resumes her amateur sleuth ways, with some help from her best friend and business partner, Ellie. What I love about this series: the cozy, coastal Maine setting, Jake and Ellie's chocolate shop and all the delicious sounding treats they make, the characters I've followed through her Home Repair is Homicide series and this series, and the story lines that keep me on the edge of my seat! Although I feel this can be a standalone story, I recommend starting at the beginning for all the character development and back stories - or start with this book and then go to the beginning to enjoy it all.
As always, I look forward to Sarah Graves' next book!
I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
As always, I look forward to Sarah Graves' next book!
I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
July 5, 2021
(2.5*) I’ll start by admitting this impulse grab at the library was my first cozy mystery. I readily acknowledge that I may have missed out on character or relationship development by not starting at the beginning of the series. That being said, I was pretty disappointed in this book.
I would be able to appreciate a protagonist in a cozy mystery with skills that lend themselves to crime-solving or a sharp approach to exploring curious happenings in the community. There were no such qualities to draw me in here. While I’m happy to suspend belief and see where a story takes me, there wasn’t a payoff that made up for such irresponsible (and ridiculous) behavior, lack of regard for law, and storylines wandering in and out when convenient.
Jake’s constant klutziness made me roll my eyes when I saw this was becoming a “thing” of hers. ( Her getting stuck in chicken wire under Alvin’s porch felt like the loooooongest scene and didn’t read on the page well for me.) If I were Ellie, I would have given up on exploring questionable murders out of pure frustration with my crime-solving partner’s slapstick antics.
Another aspect that didn’t sit well with me was the strange lack of connection drawn between Jake and her husband, Wade. His role felt like an afterthought. I was so sure she and Police Chief Bob Arnold were going to have sparks (which would have been at least *some* reason he didn’t hold Jake’s feet to the fire for her constant interfering with crime scenes).
The Chocolate Snickerdoodle referred to in the title felt like a cheap device to keep this tied to the bakeshop theme. I enjoyed that the cookie contest helped give Mika purpose, as well as shed a light on difficulties some mothers struggle with after childbirth. Beyond that, with Jake and Ellie always off searching for ways to clear Billy’s name, and the completely forgotten Elks Lodge order, I couldn’t help but question what keeps this business running.
All of the loose string and questions building up throughout the story were a bit carelessly tied up at the last moment. At least we got answers, but the journey wasn’t nearly as engaging as I’d hoped. Not so sure about giving cozy mysteries another try after this.
I would be able to appreciate a protagonist in a cozy mystery with skills that lend themselves to crime-solving or a sharp approach to exploring curious happenings in the community. There were no such qualities to draw me in here. While I’m happy to suspend belief and see where a story takes me, there wasn’t a payoff that made up for such irresponsible (and ridiculous) behavior, lack of regard for law, and storylines wandering in and out when convenient.
Jake’s constant klutziness made me roll my eyes when I saw this was becoming a “thing” of hers. ( Her getting stuck in chicken wire under Alvin’s porch felt like the loooooongest scene and didn’t read on the page well for me.) If I were Ellie, I would have given up on exploring questionable murders out of pure frustration with my crime-solving partner’s slapstick antics.
Another aspect that didn’t sit well with me was the strange lack of connection drawn between Jake and her husband, Wade. His role felt like an afterthought. I was so sure she and Police Chief Bob Arnold were going to have sparks (which would have been at least *some* reason he didn’t hold Jake’s feet to the fire for her constant interfering with crime scenes).
The Chocolate Snickerdoodle referred to in the title felt like a cheap device to keep this tied to the bakeshop theme. I enjoyed that the cookie contest helped give Mika purpose, as well as shed a light on difficulties some mothers struggle with after childbirth. Beyond that, with Jake and Ellie always off searching for ways to clear Billy’s name, and the completely forgotten Elks Lodge order, I couldn’t help but question what keeps this business running.
All of the loose string and questions building up throughout the story were a bit carelessly tied up at the last moment. At least we got answers, but the journey wasn’t nearly as engaging as I’d hoped. Not so sure about giving cozy mysteries another try after this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2022
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Jake and Ellie really have their hands full in this Death by Chocolate Mystery. The town’s annual cookie-baking contest is right around the corner and they are hoping that putting Mika in charge of the entry will cure her baby blues. Her husband Sam has some blues of his own. His employee Billy Breyer found one of their client’s dead body when he arrived for work and sadly all the evidence points to him as the killer. The victim was not a nice man and had made his share of enemies. So with a long suspect list, Jake and Ellie agree to do their best to get Billy out of jail and the real guilty party there in his place.
Wildfires, wild wills, and wild rides! Sarah Graves takes us readers on a wild trip to find out who killed cranky old Alvin Carter and why.
Jake and Ellie are great characters with their fingers in everything that happens in Eastport, Maine. They are smart and creative but have a real tendency to leap into action without thinking through all the consequences that can occur as they try to get to the truth and a killer.
I really enjoyed that Sam and Mika had a bigger part in this story. So many women deal with baby blues, postpartum depression, baby brain, etc. following the birth of a baby. I appreciated the way Ellie and Jake helped her see her way through a tough time.
Jake’s stepmother is also having issues and the whole family knows it but it is hard to get through to a woman as independent as Bella. The author did an excellent job with this situation.
I also like meeting Billy’s sisters, Anna and Helen. These are young women with hopes and dreams with plans to make them come true. Their Aunt Prunia, such an appropriate name, has totally different ideas for their future. The girls and their brother Billy have had tragedy in their lives and I was thrilled to see such positive attitudes from all of them.
Pinning down a killer this time was really tough especially with grass fires popping up everywhere. Ellie and Jake took some crazy risks. I wanted to jump into the book and reel them in but that being impossible I scooched up to the edge of my seat a few times as the pages flew. I was 82% into the book when a bird hit a window and from there I was sitting up straight and everything in the room around me disappeared. I was caught spellbound by what was happening on the pages. Things settled down by 93% and things were explained and cookie-baking winners were revealed but it took me a couple of minutes to catch my breath.
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle was a blast to read. I think Ms. Graves hit it out of the park with this story. I loved it!
Jake and Ellie really have their hands full in this Death by Chocolate Mystery. The town’s annual cookie-baking contest is right around the corner and they are hoping that putting Mika in charge of the entry will cure her baby blues. Her husband Sam has some blues of his own. His employee Billy Breyer found one of their client’s dead body when he arrived for work and sadly all the evidence points to him as the killer. The victim was not a nice man and had made his share of enemies. So with a long suspect list, Jake and Ellie agree to do their best to get Billy out of jail and the real guilty party there in his place.
Wildfires, wild wills, and wild rides! Sarah Graves takes us readers on a wild trip to find out who killed cranky old Alvin Carter and why.
Jake and Ellie are great characters with their fingers in everything that happens in Eastport, Maine. They are smart and creative but have a real tendency to leap into action without thinking through all the consequences that can occur as they try to get to the truth and a killer.
I really enjoyed that Sam and Mika had a bigger part in this story. So many women deal with baby blues, postpartum depression, baby brain, etc. following the birth of a baby. I appreciated the way Ellie and Jake helped her see her way through a tough time.
Jake’s stepmother is also having issues and the whole family knows it but it is hard to get through to a woman as independent as Bella. The author did an excellent job with this situation.
I also like meeting Billy’s sisters, Anna and Helen. These are young women with hopes and dreams with plans to make them come true. Their Aunt Prunia, such an appropriate name, has totally different ideas for their future. The girls and their brother Billy have had tragedy in their lives and I was thrilled to see such positive attitudes from all of them.
Pinning down a killer this time was really tough especially with grass fires popping up everywhere. Ellie and Jake took some crazy risks. I wanted to jump into the book and reel them in but that being impossible I scooched up to the edge of my seat a few times as the pages flew. I was 82% into the book when a bird hit a window and from there I was sitting up straight and everything in the room around me disappeared. I was caught spellbound by what was happening on the pages. Things settled down by 93% and things were explained and cookie-baking winners were revealed but it took me a couple of minutes to catch my breath.
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle was a blast to read. I think Ms. Graves hit it out of the park with this story. I loved it!
February 23, 2021
It is always delightful to return to the picturesque setting of Eastport Maine and our favorite bakers turned sleuths. I love the atmospheric setting of a beautiful village in Maine, the small town and the well crafted charcters.
This is the 4th Death by Chocolate Mystery by cozy author Sarah Graves. I highly recommend this series. This book can be read as a stand alone.
In this next in series our favorite bakers Jake and Ellie enter the towns Snickerdoodle bake off. They are popular bakers in town but have some stiff competition. When a local lawyer is accused of murder they agree to help his family prove his innocence although they find more people against him then for him due to his nefarious past. As fires break out causing chaos across the town they are at the center of the controversy and chasing suspects and clues.
I loved this next in series. The sleuth kept me guessing to conclusion. The charcters are fun and all add to the story. I look forward to the next in series.
This is the 4th Death by Chocolate Mystery by cozy author Sarah Graves. I highly recommend this series. This book can be read as a stand alone.
In this next in series our favorite bakers Jake and Ellie enter the towns Snickerdoodle bake off. They are popular bakers in town but have some stiff competition. When a local lawyer is accused of murder they agree to help his family prove his innocence although they find more people against him then for him due to his nefarious past. As fires break out causing chaos across the town they are at the center of the controversy and chasing suspects and clues.
I loved this next in series. The sleuth kept me guessing to conclusion. The charcters are fun and all add to the story. I look forward to the next in series.
January 29, 2021
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle by Sarah Graves is a delightfully clear page turner with fully developed characters who live in Eastport, Maine. The heroine, Jake, flees to Maine with her son, Sam, to reinvent herself and finds this remote Northeast town to be just right. Fast forward a few years as Sam grows up, marries and has two children and Jake finds the man of her dreams, too. She and her friend, Ellie, own a bakery and are as good at solving the town's murders as creating delicious chocolate sensations. If you enjoy a cozy mystery that keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is from beginning to end, this is the one for you! Thank you to Kensington Publishing Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for my review.
January 12, 2021
I enjoy cozy mysteries, and when I saw this one that mentioned one of my favorite cookies, I was excited to check it out.
I haven't read the rest of the series, but I'm inclined to check them out, as I really enjoyed this one. It's a quirky story with solid, enjoyable characters and an enjoyable mystery. It was fun to sleuth things out with the characters.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
I haven't read the rest of the series, but I'm inclined to check them out, as I really enjoyed this one. It's a quirky story with solid, enjoyable characters and an enjoyable mystery. It was fun to sleuth things out with the characters.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
March 9, 2021
This takes place in September. The story is about a unlikeable old man, his murder, and a bunch of wills. There is a cookie contest and a series of mishaps too. I didn't like the cookie contest. I was hoping that it would be different than it was. I did like the mystery. I thought it would be someone and something different, but I like the way it ended even though it was over-the-top.
July 19, 2021
I really enjoy this series so I was glad to read and review it. I love everything about this series and the characters are just so likable. As a definite chocoholic The Chocolate Moose definitely appeals to me and so do Jake and Ellie's adventures. This book was extra fun because Mika played a bigger role than usual. With a current murder and an old murder Jake has her hands full in this book.
March 9, 2021
This was another good mystery in the series. A man is found murdered. They think one person did it. However, Jake and Ellie don't believe that they did it. So they go and figure out who did actually do it. Thankfully the crime is solved and all is well for now.
May 17, 2024
this book was okay, tbh a little on the boring side but what really lowered the rating for me was the situation with Perry :/ I like to think Jake and Ellie are nice people- berating a mentally ill person is not nice people behavior. boo.
December 16, 2022
I'm really enjoying this series! This book was original, entertaining, creative, and held my attention all the way through. Well worth the time to read. Looking forward to the next in the series.
March 21, 2021
Cozy, Bake shop mystery
New England life
Snoopy middle aged investigators
Makes a passable read 2.5 stars
Not enough backstory to appeal on main characters. Didn't even include the snickerdoodle recipe.
New England life
Snoopy middle aged investigators
Makes a passable read 2.5 stars
Not enough backstory to appeal on main characters. Didn't even include the snickerdoodle recipe.
March 15, 2023
I have the feeling that while all cosy mysteries follow a similar pattern, this series specifically has always the same tropes.
A murder happens and includes the main characters or someone very close to them and if they are arrested the world will collapse, Bob the policeman tells them to stay out of it but also tells them everything, they break and enter about 5 houses per book, Jake hits her head at least twice and gets a various amount of injuries when falling constantly, Ellie is always there to scrape her from the floor, some boat sinks, Jake is scared of bugs/animals/inanimate objects, things rustle “but surely it’s just the wind in the leaves”, there’s some uninteresting and unnecessary family drama that’s not even drama, and irritating amount of “Ellie? Ellie! Ellie?!” and a lot of eeek ugh isk mmm scat ugh which I really didn’t like hearing on the audiobook.
And of course the 25 attempts at the lives of our heroines and a final act that gets more and more unbelievable.
If you wonder why there is no mention of chocolate or the bakery or sweets in the recipe for these books, it’s because there is no mention in the books indeed. The bakery is never open, and I swear NEVER. We have a small chat about snickerdoodles but the topic is that adding chocolate makes them disgusting, and they are definitely not something that causes death like implied by the title.
Jake is a heroine we really don’t need. Ellie is so much cooler and interesting and smart, while we are left in the brain of a bumbling idiot that drops everything and keeps falling.
In the review for the past book, I listed the things she is scared of.
Here is the additions to that list:
Patterns in a rug??? Because they look like snakes???
Dogs
A cemetery
A house
Ghosts??
Dogs that she is super convinced will eat her despite the existence of people-eating dogs still has not been confirmed
Her behaviours are also very stupid. Especially in the moments of higher tension, she stops and gets distracted or falls or stuff. Like, she got into someone’s house to steal a will, so what she does is of course grabbing the will and opening it there and then when someone is obviously coming down the stairs???? She then proceeds to almost fall, is saved by Ellie and again she falls and slams her hand on a piano and the other hand on a pot of flowers that crashes to the floor. Ok, maybe less Sarah? Maybe some more believable accident or means to have the owner come down and discover them??
And when the policeman friend appears to save them at one point, she has the GUTS to tell him that she and Ellie are law abiding citizens and he shouldn’t have followed her when he is the police and can actually do that??? And they had just broken and entered??? JAKE??? Law abiding my ass!
The ending is absolutely ridiculous. Starting from the fact that Jake, Ellie and some other person are in a house that’s on fire and are surrounded by a bush fire. In real life they would be very dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. The whole affair of the culprit truly belongs in a fantasy book.
And of course the culprit once again is quite literally every single person involved with the victim. Here there are 5 people that are introduced, 3 of which are the culprit and one knew. I guess it’s great to see such a strong community where even murder is never done alone, but Sarah can we have please a murder where the murderer is one person only? Please???
I have another book on Scribd from this series but I think I will take a break and try some other books for a while.
A murder happens and includes the main characters or someone very close to them and if they are arrested the world will collapse, Bob the policeman tells them to stay out of it but also tells them everything, they break and enter about 5 houses per book, Jake hits her head at least twice and gets a various amount of injuries when falling constantly, Ellie is always there to scrape her from the floor, some boat sinks, Jake is scared of bugs/animals/inanimate objects, things rustle “but surely it’s just the wind in the leaves”, there’s some uninteresting and unnecessary family drama that’s not even drama, and irritating amount of “Ellie? Ellie! Ellie?!” and a lot of eeek ugh isk mmm scat ugh which I really didn’t like hearing on the audiobook.
And of course the 25 attempts at the lives of our heroines and a final act that gets more and more unbelievable.
If you wonder why there is no mention of chocolate or the bakery or sweets in the recipe for these books, it’s because there is no mention in the books indeed. The bakery is never open, and I swear NEVER. We have a small chat about snickerdoodles but the topic is that adding chocolate makes them disgusting, and they are definitely not something that causes death like implied by the title.
Jake is a heroine we really don’t need. Ellie is so much cooler and interesting and smart, while we are left in the brain of a bumbling idiot that drops everything and keeps falling.
In the review for the past book, I listed the things she is scared of.
Here is the additions to that list:
Patterns in a rug??? Because they look like snakes???
Dogs
A cemetery
A house
Ghosts??
Dogs that she is super convinced will eat her despite the existence of people-eating dogs still has not been confirmed
Her behaviours are also very stupid. Especially in the moments of higher tension, she stops and gets distracted or falls or stuff. Like, she got into someone’s house to steal a will, so what she does is of course grabbing the will and opening it there and then when someone is obviously coming down the stairs???? She then proceeds to almost fall, is saved by Ellie and again she falls and slams her hand on a piano and the other hand on a pot of flowers that crashes to the floor. Ok, maybe less Sarah? Maybe some more believable accident or means to have the owner come down and discover them??
And when the policeman friend appears to save them at one point, she has the GUTS to tell him that she and Ellie are law abiding citizens and he shouldn’t have followed her when he is the police and can actually do that??? And they had just broken and entered??? JAKE??? Law abiding my ass!
The ending is absolutely ridiculous. Starting from the fact that Jake, Ellie and some other person are in a house that’s on fire and are surrounded by a bush fire. In real life they would be very dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. The whole affair of the culprit truly belongs in a fantasy book.
And of course the culprit once again is quite literally every single person involved with the victim. Here there are 5 people that are introduced, 3 of which are the culprit and one knew. I guess it’s great to see such a strong community where even murder is never done alone, but Sarah can we have please a murder where the murderer is one person only? Please???
I have another book on Scribd from this series but I think I will take a break and try some other books for a while.
May 19, 2021
While I could find nothing to like about the last book in this series (“Death by Chocolate Frosted Donut”), I enjoy Sarah Graves’ work, and the protagonist Jake Tiptree. I loved the Home Repair Is Homicide series, which also featured Jake and her family and friends. I wanted desperately to love this book, and I did for the first several chapters. Warning bells were ringing in my brain early on, but I overlooked them and carried on reading.
Unfortunately, despite a good start, the author once again went over the top by turning Jake, who was once a strong and capable woman, into a bumbling klutz. Jake fell into an open grave while walking through a dark cemetery alone. Okay, so she’s clumsy now, I get it. However, there was no reason for this entire episode. It did nothing to further the story and served no purpose.
Later in the book, it seemed as though Graves was intent on not only injuring every part of Jake’s body but also turning a “cozy” mystery into some sort of thriller ready to be made into a Hollywood over-the-top violent movie.
I am so disappointed. I was delighted with the first half of the book only to be let down and let down hard.
The only way I can see out of this is for this series to have been a series of nightmares that Jake had after a head injury. Then, Graves could go back to the “Home Repair is Homicide” series with Jake returning as the woman she used to be, living in a small town and solving “cozy” mysteries.
Unfortunately, despite a good start, the author once again went over the top by turning Jake, who was once a strong and capable woman, into a bumbling klutz. Jake fell into an open grave while walking through a dark cemetery alone. Okay, so she’s clumsy now, I get it. However, there was no reason for this entire episode. It did nothing to further the story and served no purpose.
Later in the book, it seemed as though Graves was intent on not only injuring every part of Jake’s body but also turning a “cozy” mystery into some sort of thriller ready to be made into a Hollywood over-the-top violent movie.
I am so disappointed. I was delighted with the first half of the book only to be let down and let down hard.
The only way I can see out of this is for this series to have been a series of nightmares that Jake had after a head injury. Then, Graves could go back to the “Home Repair is Homicide” series with Jake returning as the woman she used to be, living in a small town and solving “cozy” mysteries.
August 17, 2022
Normally this series is fun with a great sarcastic vein of humor running through it, but this one really disappointed. The mystery and the humor were there, but one of the main characters was clearly suffering from post-partum depression/anxiety and instead of recommending that she get help from her doctor, they think that she just needs "her confidence back" and plan to help her win a baking contest instead. Poor choice of solution and very tone-deaf. This book is new-ish enough to have known better.
October 22, 2022
At least this time the town's emergency was wildfire, which is far more believable than a random attack by a pirate ship. Jake cannot possibly trip over every root and rock in Maine, but it sure seems like it. I could not believe the amount of time spent on Jake's dramatic ouchies. Seriously, without Jake's accidents and the dramatic family problems (you know, the kind the average person deals with daily), the whole book would be less than 100 pages.
Read
May 7, 2024Great series and a very down home Maine mystery. Who killed a man and left several people as suspects.
March 21, 2025
I have read SO many of Sarah Graves’ books, and I have liked some better than others. There’s been enough that I’ve liked that I’ve kept coming back to the series, but I always seem to end up annoyed with her books at some point. They always start off pretty strong, but all too often they tank into some frankly ridiculous shenanigans and some truly annoying tangents and inconsistencies. This one may be the worst.
I read the Home Repairs series first, and struggled through some of those, but enjoyed them more than not. I eventually abandoned the series for the reasons mentioned above, and started into what promised to be a tangential series involving all the same characters, but in more of a “cozy” setting. Cozies don’t always work for me…all too often they embrace a “Hallmark movie of the week” vibe that comes off as sappy and shallow, and my hope was that the grittier nature of the characters and the landscape would provide a cozy with some substance.
Honestly, I’m not really sure why the author switched (or tried to switch) into the cozy genre, other than they tend to be very popular. This one started off cozy with the first 2-3 books, then devolved back into the same bad habits that caused me to abandon the Home Repairs series. The fact that they own a chocolate shop is the ONLY thing that fits these books into the cozy genre, and nothing else, and less and less of the storyline has anything to do with the shop. In fact, the author occasionally plugs in some little blurb that fits into the cozy genre, then carries on back into the grittier plot line. “The murderer stalked through the woods behind me. I could see the glint of the steel of his axe as it reflected the beautiful Maine moonlight, which I paused to enjoy before running for my life.” Not a direct quote, but might as well be.
Issues:
Jake’s general brashness and clumsiness has been charming for the most part. This book takes her into full-blown klutz territory, to the point of ridiculousness. It stopped being funny after the third pratfall.
Believability. Overall the plot was interesting but extremely convoluted. Plus, any licensed notary would know that they could never get away with naming themselves in a forged last will and testament and notarizing it themselves. They wouldn’t be inheriting, they would be going to prison.
Continuity. The kidnapper is piercing Jake’s side with a hunting knife while in his truck, then in the next moment is using his right hand to dig a cigar butt out of the ashtray while steering with one hand? She didn’t notice that he had apparently put down the knife? And why the hell would he bother trying to light a cigar when they were basically skirting boulders on a shoreline amidst wildfires?
Plausibility. Ellie’s car explodes, presumably as a threat by one of the big bads to either warn her off or silence her permanently. The Tiptrees insist that she stay with them for her own safety, while also mentioning that her husband is out of town, but her teenage daughter is at home alone, asleep in bed. Yet NO ONE suggests going to get her to bring her to the Tiptree home for HER safety. It occurs to no one that SHE could be in danger, not even her own mother.
And we’re supposed to just accept that the mummified body Jake finds under the porch and Bob Arnold later mentions that was exhumed was actually a department store mannequin? Uh, right. It seems more like that the author got distracted with the rest of the story and forgot about it, but had to wrap it up somehow, and she picked that. Okay, sure.
Also, this book came out in 2021. WHY THE HELL DO NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE CELL PHONES ON THEM, EVER?!?!? Seriously! And it’s offhandedly mentioned at the end…oh, they loaned their phones to their kids. Right before they chase after murderers and sneak into empty houses of murder victims.
Editing. The author repeats phrases and explanations of certain things more than once in the book, verbatim. This has happened in several other SG books. Who is this author’s editor, and how do they still have a job?
Lastly, a BIG rule in the cozy genre is that you NEVER use an animal simply as a rescue device then abandon it from the story. They encounter a black cat on their first visit to Alvin’s house, and the cat is repeatedly mentioned after that. Mary even mentions making arrangements to rescue the cat from the now empty house, but never does. Ellie and Jake rescue the cat during the wildfires, and manage to keep it with them during their harrowing kidnapping and subsequent escape, the cat being a quintessential force in their rescue. Yet after the cat attacks their kidnapper, it apparently runs off into the wildfires and is never mentioned again. The author couldn’t have found a way to bring the cat back into the story and have it rescued and given a home? Nope, not a single mention.
I think I’m done with Sarah Graves. She needs to pick a genre, find a better editor, and decide exactly what she’s going to write, because this is not good.
I read the Home Repairs series first, and struggled through some of those, but enjoyed them more than not. I eventually abandoned the series for the reasons mentioned above, and started into what promised to be a tangential series involving all the same characters, but in more of a “cozy” setting. Cozies don’t always work for me…all too often they embrace a “Hallmark movie of the week” vibe that comes off as sappy and shallow, and my hope was that the grittier nature of the characters and the landscape would provide a cozy with some substance.
Honestly, I’m not really sure why the author switched (or tried to switch) into the cozy genre, other than they tend to be very popular. This one started off cozy with the first 2-3 books, then devolved back into the same bad habits that caused me to abandon the Home Repairs series. The fact that they own a chocolate shop is the ONLY thing that fits these books into the cozy genre, and nothing else, and less and less of the storyline has anything to do with the shop. In fact, the author occasionally plugs in some little blurb that fits into the cozy genre, then carries on back into the grittier plot line. “The murderer stalked through the woods behind me. I could see the glint of the steel of his axe as it reflected the beautiful Maine moonlight, which I paused to enjoy before running for my life.” Not a direct quote, but might as well be.
Issues:
Jake’s general brashness and clumsiness has been charming for the most part. This book takes her into full-blown klutz territory, to the point of ridiculousness. It stopped being funny after the third pratfall.
Believability. Overall the plot was interesting but extremely convoluted. Plus, any licensed notary would know that they could never get away with naming themselves in a forged last will and testament and notarizing it themselves. They wouldn’t be inheriting, they would be going to prison.
Continuity. The kidnapper is piercing Jake’s side with a hunting knife while in his truck, then in the next moment is using his right hand to dig a cigar butt out of the ashtray while steering with one hand? She didn’t notice that he had apparently put down the knife? And why the hell would he bother trying to light a cigar when they were basically skirting boulders on a shoreline amidst wildfires?
Plausibility. Ellie’s car explodes, presumably as a threat by one of the big bads to either warn her off or silence her permanently. The Tiptrees insist that she stay with them for her own safety, while also mentioning that her husband is out of town, but her teenage daughter is at home alone, asleep in bed. Yet NO ONE suggests going to get her to bring her to the Tiptree home for HER safety. It occurs to no one that SHE could be in danger, not even her own mother.
And we’re supposed to just accept that the mummified body Jake finds under the porch and Bob Arnold later mentions that was exhumed was actually a department store mannequin? Uh, right. It seems more like that the author got distracted with the rest of the story and forgot about it, but had to wrap it up somehow, and she picked that. Okay, sure.
Also, this book came out in 2021. WHY THE HELL DO NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE CELL PHONES ON THEM, EVER?!?!? Seriously! And it’s offhandedly mentioned at the end…oh, they loaned their phones to their kids. Right before they chase after murderers and sneak into empty houses of murder victims.
Editing. The author repeats phrases and explanations of certain things more than once in the book, verbatim. This has happened in several other SG books. Who is this author’s editor, and how do they still have a job?
Lastly, a BIG rule in the cozy genre is that you NEVER use an animal simply as a rescue device then abandon it from the story. They encounter a black cat on their first visit to Alvin’s house, and the cat is repeatedly mentioned after that. Mary even mentions making arrangements to rescue the cat from the now empty house, but never does. Ellie and Jake rescue the cat during the wildfires, and manage to keep it with them during their harrowing kidnapping and subsequent escape, the cat being a quintessential force in their rescue. Yet after the cat attacks their kidnapper, it apparently runs off into the wildfires and is never mentioned again. The author couldn’t have found a way to bring the cat back into the story and have it rescued and given a home? Nope, not a single mention.
I think I’m done with Sarah Graves. She needs to pick a genre, find a better editor, and decide exactly what she’s going to write, because this is not good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2021
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle is the fourth in this series, but can be read as a standalone. Having said that, this is a great series and once you read this one you will want to read them all, so you may as well start at the beginning. I really enjoy this series with its humour, quirky characters and wonderful family and friends. Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree runs The Chocolate Moose with her BFF Ellie. This book finds the town in the midst of their annual cooking baking contest and the partners are planning to enter, just for fun. Before the contest even starts up, Jake's son informs her that the town's retired lawyer, recluse, swindler etc., Alvin Carter, has been killed, found with a hatchet in his skull. Sam's employee and family friend, Billy Breyer, is the main suspect and subsequently is arrested. His two younger sisters who live with him come to Jake for help. They do not want to have to go and live with their Aunt Prunia. She has to prove his innocence. With Jake and Ellie on the investigation, police chief Bob Arnold is going to have more on his hands than finding the killer.
This was another fun, interesting, well-written and plotted story. I love Jake and her friends. They get into such predicaments during their investigations, you have to laugh. They are lucky to have family and friends to pull them out of the frying pan before they end up in the fire. Poor Bob is constantly threatening to arrest them, but hasn't had to yet. I do enjoy their banter, and you know he always seems to know what they are up to. The mystery was interesting and I did not know who the culprit was, but there sure were plenty of suspects in this one. The final showdown was exciting and dangerous, but the ladies ended up okay with the help of Bob and some others. I like that Sarah Graves includes the life of Jake's family and friends in the stories. Mika, Jake's sister-in-law, is dealing with post-partum life and the issues that come with it. It is handled in a wonderful way in this story, as a normal part of life and she will be playing a more prominent role in future books. I also enjoyed Helen's and Anna's side story. Dealing with an upheaval in your life, not once but twice when you are in your teens is difficult, but these young ladies came out on top and I hope they will make an appearance in the next book as well. I definitely recommend this book and series to cozy mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
This was another fun, interesting, well-written and plotted story. I love Jake and her friends. They get into such predicaments during their investigations, you have to laugh. They are lucky to have family and friends to pull them out of the frying pan before they end up in the fire. Poor Bob is constantly threatening to arrest them, but hasn't had to yet. I do enjoy their banter, and you know he always seems to know what they are up to. The mystery was interesting and I did not know who the culprit was, but there sure were plenty of suspects in this one. The final showdown was exciting and dangerous, but the ladies ended up okay with the help of Bob and some others. I like that Sarah Graves includes the life of Jake's family and friends in the stories. Mika, Jake's sister-in-law, is dealing with post-partum life and the issues that come with it. It is handled in a wonderful way in this story, as a normal part of life and she will be playing a more prominent role in future books. I also enjoyed Helen's and Anna's side story. Dealing with an upheaval in your life, not once but twice when you are in your teens is difficult, but these young ladies came out on top and I hope they will make an appearance in the next book as well. I definitely recommend this book and series to cozy mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
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