Christmas cheer has sent the griddle into overdrive at Robbie Jordan’s popular country store and café. And this year, there’s a new seasonal special to feast on — murder!
As December sweeps through South Lick, Indiana, Robbie’s life seems merry and bright like the string lights glistening around town. But strange happenings signal a bumpy ride into the holidays.
First, a man raises eyebrows at Pans ‘N Pancakes when he claims to be the long-lost half-brother of Robbie’s assistant. Then a fire destroys the home of a controversial anesthesiologist, exposing skeletal remains in his attic.
Helplessly intrigued, all Robbie wants for Christmas is to stop her winter wonderland from becoming a real nightmare. With a decades-old mystery taking shape, can she run as fast as she can in pursuit of a killer who’s harder to crack than a stale gingerbread man?
Titles in the Country Store Mystery series include – Flipped for Murder – Grilled for Murder – When the Grits Hit the Fan – Biscuits and Slashed Browns – Death Over Easy – Strangled Eggs and Ham – Nacho Average Murder – Candy Slain Murder – No Grater Crime –
Title: Candy Slain Murder
Series: Country Store Mystery #8
Author: Maddie Day
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Kensington Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Although Candy Slain Murder was my first time in the Country Story Mystery series, I will most definitely be going back for the earlier stories for this is a charming, engaging story with a down-home appeal… and some intriguing mysteries to try to solve. Since I’m beginning the series here there were, of course, nuances and relationships that I had to figure out along the way. What was absolutely necessary for me to understand in this story was described in dialogue or the narrative. But that did not take away from a really good mystery and the engaging characters I met here.
One skeleton discovered within a burned-out home brings suspicions upon a local anesthesiologist who already had people talking about him will provide lots of digging to get to the bottom of who really is the murderer. And a long-lost (so-called) relative will spin a few yarns, upset a few people, and add a second mystery to challenge Robbie. Since I do not read Cozy Mysteries to sharpen my detective skills but for the story of why and how the crime happened – it was fascinating to watch Robbie sort through the clues and come up with answers. I had my suspect for one, and my suspicions about the second – but you’ll enjoy it all so much more if I don’t give away spoilers.
In all, I had fun with Candy Slain Murder. It’s an engaging story that kept me turning pages, puzzling out clues, and enjoying getting to know the main (and secondary characters) that make up this world. If you love a good puzzle, and Cozy Mysteries are your delight any time of the year, then you’d enjoy this one.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Available in paperback, audio, or your favorite e-reader, mine is the Kindle.
