The Chocolate Cupid Killings: A Chocoholic Mystery [Hardcover]

JoAnna Carl (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chocoholic Mystery | Publication Date: October 6, 2009

Ninth in the scrumptious-and national bestselling-Chocoholic Mystery series.

TenHuis Chocolade is wall-to- wall with chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day. But Lee is getting no love from Private Detective Derrick Valentine.

He's looking for their employee-a woman Lee and her Aunt Nettie have been harboring for an underground railroad-type organization that aids abused women. Luckily, they manage to not spill the cocoa beans and clue him in.

But the situation becomes a complex confection when Valentine meets his end. And it's Aunt Nettie who becomes a suspect. Lee will have to find a way to free Nettie of guilt without exposing the innocent-and find a killer with a bitter heart that's definitely not made of chocolate...

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JoAnna Carl is the pseudonym of a multipublished mystery writer. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business, working as a reporter, feature writer, editor and columnist. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and also studied in the OU Professional Writing Program. She lives in Oklahoma but spends much of her summer at a cottage on Lake Michigan near several communities similar to the fictional town of Warner Pier.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover; First Edition edition (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451227972
• ISBN-13: 978-0451227973
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #759,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JoAnna Carl is the pseudonym for a multipublished mystery writer. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid and Enjoyable Entry, October 12, 2009

By 

Ms. Jessica - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chocolate Cupid Killings: A Chocoholic Mystery (Hardcover)

The Chocolate Cupid Killings was a quick read a nice update on the characters of Warner Pier. The mystery is more involved in this entry and there are a number of interesting side mysteries as well. Lee was likeable and kept the tongue twisters to a minimum; however, her husband, Joe was slightly irritating in this book. By the end of the book, I hardly cared what his secret was since I was so annoyed at how he excluded Lee. Overall, this isn't my favorite Chocoholic book, but I didn't have the mystery completely figured out until the very end and I still really enjoyed the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars super amateur sleuth, November 5, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chocolate Cupid Killings: A Chocoholic Mystery (Hardcover)

Lee McKinney Woodyard is the business manager of TenHuis Chocolade owned by her Aunt Nettie; who is harboring an abused woman in her home. Her friend Sara Jane Harding, owner of a B & BB, is involved in the underground railroad that helps women in danger of being killed by an abuser to obtain new identities, homes, and money in order to start over elsewhere. Currently Christina Meacham who uses the name Pamela Thompson is staying with the aunt and niece until they can find a place for her to begin anew.

Pamela's husband Harold ran a chop shop that had mob connections; he released his stress by beating her up. She testified against him in court leading to his sentencing of five years in prison. Now he is free and hunting his spouse. Private Detective Derrick Valentine visited TenHuis asking for Christina; Lee lies, but also knows her ward must leave town immediately. That night Nettie finds a dead Valentine near the dumpster; the women conclude Harold is involved. Pamela leaves town escorted by another woman on the railroad, an underground conductor, but when they assume they are finished with Christina, she returns.

Readers should not taste this amateur sleuth on an empty stomach because of the mouthwatering descriptions of chocolates, which lead to snacking. The plot is cleverly constructed with false leads and intriguing twists leaving the mystery unpredictable, plausible and entertaining. JoAnna Carl provides a terrific thriller.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tasty, February 3, 2010

By 

R. Fink "Armchair traveler," (Harrisburg, Pa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chocolate Cupid Killings: A Chocoholic Mystery (Hardcover)

A fun, fast read, my first foray into this series. As with many "cozy mysteries" it is the characters, not the puzzles, that are center stage, and that is the case here. These are fun people, ones you would like to know. And once we learn we have all been misled, we feel a real kinship with them. I surely will want to sample another piece from this chocolate box in the future.