Fun cozy mystery that stays on theme. Story arc and conclusion were just a bit too dramatic for my taste.

**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This first in a series follows the typical cozy mystery storyline - independent woman finds herself in a small town with a murder taking place, and she is inevitably one of the suspects. In this case, Penn travels from Wisconsin to Camellia Beach, South Carolina, to find out who murdered her best friend. Her best friend was investigating why Penn received a special invitation to the local chocolate shop. What Penn discovers upon arrival to Camellia Beach is a lot of secrets and deceptions. And chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.

Admittedly, I am not a fan of Penn, and I think it's this feeling about her that turned me away from really liking this book. The formulaic cozy mystery setup is fun, and all of the descriptions of chocolate (plus the recipes at the end) sound tantalizing. The support characters are quirky and whimsical and mysterious, which are perfect for a cozy mystery. And yet, Penn presents to me as not an easy character to know and appreciate. Granted, her backstory is very sad, and so one can understand why she views the world the way she does. But, she at times presents as rather unsympathetic, and it's her actions and reactions to situations that made me a bit less interested in this.

Great idea for a book and really well executed. A thoroughly good read. Highly recommended. .

I really enjoyed Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James. I love chocolate, I love the beach, and I love cozy mysteries! The cast of charming, quirky characters is delightful, and the setting makes me want to move to the town of Camellia Beach and visit the Chocolate Shop!

I figured out who the killer was about halfway through, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book. There were red herrings a-plenty, so I wasn't sure if I was actually correct until the end.

However, I did have to admit that the main character, Penn, had many "too stupid to live" moments. By the end of the book, she had mostly redeemed herself (at least enough for me to want to read the second book). I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries that deal with food and small towns.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun and interesting beginning to a new series. When Charity Penn heads to Camellia Beach, South Carolina she has no idea what is awaiting her there. She feels responsible for the death of her friend "Skinny" McGee and wants to see if she can find out what happened to him. Penn comes from wealthy family on her father's side, and has not idea who her mother is. When she arrives in town, she finds out that Skinny was found dead in a vat of chocolate, at the shop where she has supposedly won cooking lessons. The shop seems rather dilapitated and Penn assumes that the owners are trying to get her to invest money in the shop. When she meets the two older women who run the shop, she actually develops a friendly relationship with them and enjoys learning how to make chocolate. When Mabel, the owner who is teaching her, dies, things get even more complicated.

I love the unique characters and situations in this book. The setting of this story is a quaint beach town that is in need of some repairs, but the funds are not there. The town is full of people who love it, but they do not want it to become some big touristy area. I love Bertie and Althea, who live above the chocolate shop and Bertie helps run it as well. There is Penn's lawyer, Harley Dalton, who might become a love interest in future books and the animals are also a fun addition to the story. Penn has a feisty dog who tends to sink her teeth into shoes, hands and pants, and Harley's sphinx cat. The main character in this story is Charity Penn, aka just Penn. An heiress/illegitimate daughter of the family, she has never really had a place to call home. When she winds up in Camelia Beach and starts learning how to make chocolates from Mabel she starts wondering the real reason why Mable wanted her to come to Camelia Beach. She doesn't actively investigate the murder so much as talk to people and end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. She also does not know who to trust and speaks out when she should play her cards close to her vest.

Overall this was a fun book to read/listen to. I loved the descriptions and information about chocolate. It gave me a new appreciation of why chocolate goodies in these stores are a bit more expensive. The plot is nicely paced, with plenty of surprises. There were a few things I figured out pretty quickly, but I did not figure out the ending at all. The many suspects threw a lot of red herrings into the mix. The one thing I got tired of in this book was the constant whining and commenting about people being after Penn's money, and about her grandmother who treated her quite badly. I know this is an important part of her background and is an important part of the story, but it was a bit much. I did enjoy this book and the narration of the audio book that I listened to. I recommend this series to cozy mystery lovers who enjoy small towns, culinary cozies, and those that have some family issues and secrets.

I cannot believe how absolutely amazing this book was. Not only are there (technically) 4 recipes including yummy chocolate, but the writing was incredible! I could feel the difference between the two main locations, the conflict among the residents at Camellia Beach, the internal conflict of Charity, and was sucked into the pages. I could not put this book down.

Parts of the plot I saw coming but there was a loose end that I'm certain is going to be addressed in future books. It has to be. I'm far too invested in these characters for it not to be. Without spoiling too much, I didn't just laugh during this book, I cried. Tears streaming down my face, I kept reading while my eldest reminding me that if it was too emotional, perhaps I should take a break. No. No break. None. Until the last page, I could not be torn away. Suspense, laughter, heart warming events, confusion, and all the feels were showcased in their shining glory within these pages.

I recommend this book to fans of culinary books, cozies, and anyone looking for a quick escape. Warning: Do not begin this book with the idea you can put it down and randomly pick it back up later.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Dorothy St. James for allowing me the opportunity to read such a truly amazing story and share my honest opinion with others.

This interview will appear on 5/16/18
I’ve read Dorothy St. James’s work for many years. Her first cozy mysteries, the White House Gardener series, comprised three books. Her new cozy series, A Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries, debuted in September, 2017. I read Asking for Truffle, the first in the series, but I waited until the second book, Playing with Bonbon Fire came out before asking author Dorothy St. James for an interview. Why?

I was overrun with fall/holiday releases. Publishers stack a heavy fall lineup. With the second in the series released in late March, I finally was able to fit her into our schedule. Although the books can stand alone, you will enjoy the series more reading them in order.

Main character, Charity Penn, has an interesting and most unfortunate backstory. She chooses to go by the name Penn rather than Charity because her cold paternal grandmother named her—and that’s all Penn was to her grandmother—a charity project. She doesn’t know who her mother is. She only knows she was dumped at her father’s family mansion by her mother, who then disappeared. By necessity, Penn has a hard shell. But she’s been burned in more ways than one. As a character, Penn solves mysteries, but she, in and of herself, is a mystery—one she is also tracking down and trying to solve.

I thought the chocolate shop idea was a unique hook for a cozy. While I never completely warmed to the characters, I do think I would be interested in seeing what the next book in the series is like, as I did enjoy the writing.

A delightful new series with a terrific setting and mis-mash of characters. What a great mystery full of twists and turns. I never saw the ending coming! I can't wait to read the second book!

was given a copy of this by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery more than most that I have read recently. Penn was left on her father's doorstep as a newborn and has been the black sheep ever since, never really feeling like she had family.

She receives a mysterious letter telling her she had won cooking lessons that she never entered to win. Her friend travels down south to investigate, and therein begins the mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. Penn has issues due to her family relationships, but she is likable. The supporting characters are interesting, and the mystery was good. I had a good idea of who the killer was, but had enough doubt that it stayed interesting. I can't wait to read more in this series.

This book was okay. Was a fast read. It was not bad. I had to wait to review it and it slipped my mind which is why I forgot to come back to it. The characters were not memorable. Some parts were totally unbelievable. However, some parts were entertaining. I think overall, the author is a good writer and I do look forward to reading more from her as she comes into her own. as a writer. I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.

I got an ARC of this book from netgalley and Crooked Lane Books.
Charity Penn. Penn, as she prefers to be called, is living in Madison, Wisconsin with Granny Mae, her grandmother's former housekeeper when she receives a note that she's won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina and free cooking lessons in a chocolate shop.
Suspicious of the prize since she didn't enter a contest, Penn asks her best friend Craig "Skinny" McGee to investigate who sent her the note. Skinny leaves an excited yet cryptic message on her cell phone saying that she needs to come to Camellia Beach and that is the last Penn hears from him. The next day Skinny's body is found having drowned in a vat of chocolate..

Determined to find out what happened to her friend and discover who sent her the mysterious prize, Penn sets out across country with her Papillon, Stella. Upon her arrival, she meets Mabel Mayback, the long-time owner of the Chocolate Box and her partner, Bertie, as well as many other of the small town's residents. As she digs deeper into Skinny's death, she finds herself in the middle of another mystery. This seemingly benign beach town holds many dark secrets and Penn's own life may just be ticking away!

The mystery is well plotted and the many red herrings keeps the reader in suspense until the end, and the characters are well rounded and interesting.

Sadly, I found the storyline in this book somewhat muddled and did not finish it.

This is the first book that I have read from this author. She will use a tale that is both humorous and loving

Penn knows she never entered a contest for chocolate making lessons so when she receives the notice that she has won, she believes that she is being targeted for her family money. She asks her friend Skinny if he would go and found out more information but he turns up murdered in a vat of chocolate! Feeling guilty for her request, she heads out to discover who killed her friend and why.

The characters were so much fun and the mystery entertaining as my efforts to discover the murder before Penn grew. I definitely know that I will be looking for a followup on this first!

Asking for Truffle, book #1 of A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery is one of my favorite new series for 2017. The author skillfully weaves so many mysteries and layers into the story. For me, it felt like a combination Nancy Drew meets Willie Wonka with a splash of Cinderella. Once I started reading, I couldn’t book this book down.

I love the unique characters and situations in this book. The setting of this story, a quaint beach town that is in need of some refurbishing but is still full of folks who love their community is the perfect location. The quirky array of locals make wonderful additions to the series and give the author plenty of options on how to develop each one as the books progress. The main character in this story is Charity Penn, aka just Penn. An heiress/black sheep of the family, she has never really had a place to call home and is in search of just such a place. When she winds up in Camelia Beach and starts learning how to make chocolates from Mabel she starts wondering the real reason why Mable wanted her to come to Camelia Beach.

The chocolate shop is intriguing. It sounds like it could use some TLC, but I love that the “magical” chocolate speaks for itself and draws the customers back time and time again. Penn’s temperamental Papillon, Stella, is a hilarious sidekick. I thought the writing in this story was superb. The plot was excellent with many twists and turns that kept me guessing. There are other questions that arise in addition to who the killer is and the way that part of the story plays out was charming and in a way surprising. The reveal of the killer was a total shocker. All of the talk about chocolate and the recipes included will have your sweet tooth wanting more. I can’t wait for the next book to be released!

A huge thank you to the author, Crooked Lane, and NetGalley for the opportunity to voluntarily read and review an advance readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although this novel had an interesting premise I couldn’t care about the characters as they were 1 dimensional to me. Little depth to people, places and relationships

Penn gets a letter saying she has won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina and free cooking lessons at the town’s seaside chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box. But Penn is suspicious since she never entered any contest. Her former prep school and computer nerd friend Skinny offers to look into the phony prize and ends up being murdered, drowned in a vat of chocolate. Struck with guilt, Penn heads to Camellia Beach to investigate why Skinny was killed. Penn starts taking chocolate making lessons from the shop's elderly owner Mabel Maybank and her partner, Bertie Bays, and then another death occurs. Penn is stunned to learn Mabel has left her the Chocolate Box and the contract for her unique fair trade Amar chocolate in her will. Mabel's children are not happy with Penn inheriting their mother's property. Although she wants to go back home, Penn is convinced to keep the shop open until a local chocolate festival that will give her chocolate attention and the town a great chance for increasing business. The book's plot was slow at the beginning and a bit uneven throughout the story but was a good debut mystery.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

When Charity Penn receives a letter saying she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina complete with free cooking lessons at the town's seaside chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box, she's immediately skeptical. She never entered any contest. Her former prep school friend offers to look into the phony prize--only to end up drowned in a vat of chocolate. Struck with guilt, Penn heads to the southern beach town to investigate why he was killed. But as wary as she is of the locals, she finds herself lured into their eccentric vibe, letting her defenses melt away and even learning the art of crafting delicious chocolates. That is, until delight turns bittersweet as she steps straight into the midst of a deadly plot to destroy the seaside town. Now, only Penn's quick thinking and a mysterious cask of rare chocolate can save the town she's learning to love. Rich and decadent, Asking for Truffle, the first in a new cozy series by Dorothy St. James, is sure to be a delectable read for fans of JoAnna Carl and Joanne Fluke. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters were well rounded and well developed. I must say the Penn was a hard person to like. Between her not wanting anyone to touch her, her constant reminders about her loveless family and the fact that she thought everyone was after her money, it got a little old. I just felt like she did not have a lot of redeeming qualities. That is only my opinion and others may not feel the same way. Some of the other characters were enjoyable to me and I liked getting to know them better. I think Althea was my favorite character, she was quirky, mysterious and likable.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place. I felt like I could smell the chocolate found in the candy store. I enjoyed the fact that there were chocolate recipes in the back of the book for the reader to try.

The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book. With enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through, this was not an easy mystery to solve. Although I considered the culprit, along with a couple of other suspects, I did not know for sure until it was revealed at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery. I will definitely read the next book in the series when it is published.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Charity Penn, who goes by her last name of “Penn”, is confused when she receives a letter congratulating her for winning a trip to Camilla Beach, South Carolina. The prize includes free cooking lessons at “The Chocolate Bar”, which sounds intriguing to Penn except she never entered a contest. Her friend “Skinny” travels to South Carolina to do some digging for her, but ends up dead! Penn feels guilty that Skinny died doing a favor for her and is determined to take action. She soon follows to the small beach town to look into her friend’s death and solve the mystery of how she won a contest she didn’t enter.

I am a fan of the author’s White House Gardener series and thought the premise of this new series sounded fun. After reading the book, I still think the series has promise but the debut book isn’t up to the standards of the gardening series. Part of this is because it’s hard to connect with Penn. Her upbringing wasn’t ideal and she is constantly afraid people are taking advantage of her for her money. Her rehashing of the past and her suspicions get old and slow down the investigative part of the story, which is already slow to unfold. Once Penn starts looking into Skinny’s death, too much time is spent seeing her going over the same ground with the locals with everyone accusing each other and Penn believing whichever story she hears last. It takes a while before any real progress is made in the investigation.

Things pick up toward the end and although the ultimate solution is somewhat predictable, it is satisfying and sets the stage for a sequel. With all of Penn’s backstory out of the way in this book, new books in the series have the potential to be very good. The setting is interesting and Penn makes a likable friend in Althea and also has a potential love interest for the future. So even though the book is flawed, this is a series to watch.

~ Christine