Death of a Chocoholic

Hello, everyone! It's been a while since I've posted and I apologize for not updating my blog a little more regularly. Let's just say that life has been a little crazy for me during the past year or so. But I've rediscovered an old passion of mine: food themed mysteries!

This week's food themed mystery is "Death of a Chocoholic" by Lee Hollis. Hiding within these pages are at least 5 different chocolate recipes and a whole lot of cats. The story starts off a little weird with the main character, Hayley Powell, going on a blind date who shows up 30 minutes later than the planned time. But there seems to be a silver lining in the clouds when Hayley is told that she'll be running her food column and someone else's crime column with double the paycheck.

Things actually take a while to get rolling and the actual mystery doesn't start until chapter 12, a third of the way through the book. There are a lot more characters than I expected but Hollis makes sure to keep things clear and simple for the new readers. I will admit the love interests are slightly cliched with the young vet who's just recently moved into town and mentions of a few too many heartthrob celebrities. It keeps a bit of a small town feel though where the only thing you can do is either go to the local bowling/bar or go to another town for something fun! Minor warning though: there is a large mention of alcohol in the story (for younger readers or those who wish to avoid the mention) and a couple of mentions of doing the dirty but a good book otherwise!