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A Christmas Candy Killing

A Killer Chocolate Mystery, Book 1

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A Christmas Candy Killing

By: Christina Romeril
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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About this listen

Identical twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of Murder and Mayhem, a mystery bookshop that sells their famous poison-themed Killer Chocolates. But now, there’s a real killer in their midst. Shortly before Christmas, their septuagenarian neighbor, Jane, confides to Alex that a murderer from a true-crime show has taken up residence in the village. Unfortunately, she’s also shared her suspicions with town gossip Netta. The next morning, Alex shows up at Jane’s house to watch the show, but instead she discovers Jane's body, with a box of Killer Chocolates nearby.

The sheriff quickly zeroes in on two suspects: Alex, a beneficiary in Jane’s will, and Zack, a handyman who was seen leaving the crime scene. But Alex maintains her innocence and sets out to draft a list of other potential suspects—townsfolk who’d recently been seen arguing with Jane.

When Alex gets hold of Jane’s journal, she begins to understand the truth. But a bearer of ill tidings is arriving early this year—and Alex just might not make it to Christmas.

©2022 Christina Romeril (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC Cosy Crime Culinary Adventures Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Holidays Murder Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Christmas Winter Holiday Cosy
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The story is reasonable - it all fits together in the end (albeit pretty much as a paint by numbers cosy murder mystery) and you’re kept guessing until fairly late on. However, there are lots of outdated stereotypes, particularly about women, and far too many fat-phobic references to the ‘horrors’ of potential weight gain. At some points there are nods to more modern attitudes towards women, but the author seems totally unaware of the biases in their writing that uphold sexist tropes.

If you love outdated tropes you’ll love this book

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Cosy Crime always has the problem that-while it's supposed to be cosy-it's still about murder. Some authors handle that better than others, and here the nonchalant way everybody reacts to the extremely violent murder of a close friend, is chilling at times. Slight "Bedfort Wives" vibe as well.

The author is skilled, just not quite so sensitive when it comes to atmosphere and human emotions. Plus hardly any of the characters grows on you (not even the ones making chocolates) even though they're clearly meant to. That's one place I certainly wouldn't want to live... not so much due to the crimes as due to the inhabitants of that little town.

Unintentionally chilling Cosy Crime

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