I love Harley.

I want to go work at The Chocolate Box.

St. James' writes yet another great book in this series. The characters are well developed. I also really love that this book included the environmental concerns in the area it is set in. It was an incredible unique plot line for a cozy mystery.

In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James is the third story in A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series. In Cold Chocolate can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Charity Penn owns The Chocolate Box in Camellia Beach, South Carolina where she is currently finishing up renovations to the shop. The sea turtles will soon be hatching so Penn has created a delectable treat in their honor that is flying off the shelves. On the night of the hatching, Cassidy Jones is killed, and it looks like antagonistic Jody Dalton is responsible. Penn would love to avoid this investigation, but Jody’s son asks her to please help his mommy. Despite being warned to keep her nose out of the case, Penn is soon knee deep in suspects. I wanted to give this series another chance after not having been enthralled with Asking for Truffle. Charity Penn is a nice character and I just love the descriptions of the chocolates that she creates for the shop (they have me pining for a chocolatey treat). The island sounds like a lovely place to live, but there are too many mean people in this story for my liking. There were some slow sections that could have been peppier and some areas that could have been eliminated completely (seemed like filler). It was interesting to learn about the hatching of sea turtles. I had no idea they were considered a delicacy (that is just terrible and disgusting). I see why they need people to keep an eye on the hatching ground. The mystery was uncomplicated, and the guilty party can be identified before the coroner removes the body. I did enjoy the dog, Stella and her antics. She was a delightful addition to In Cold Chocolate. While In Cold Chocolate was not the right fit for me, I suggest you obtain a sample to judge for yourself. In Cold Chocolate is a light-hearted cozy mystery with sun, sand, sweets and sea turtles.

Charity Penn has been working at the Chocolate Box for 7 months ever since she "found" her grandmother (she was abandoned as a baby). and inherited. She has been trying to make friends among the locals because her new "family" doesn't want anything to do with her. A new friend, Jody, invites her to observe the hatching of the baby sea turtles - but things aren't going well. The baby nests have been tampered with and a realtor who wants that land is found dead. Jody is the prime suspect. Penn not only has to haggle with her "relatives" but find a murderer.

These characters are great and the setting very enjoyable. Wish I could taste some of that chocolate!

The atmospheric and multilayered In Cold Chocolate is an impressive, compelling, and engrossing read. It not only fulfilled all my expectations for an enjoyable cozy read, but took everything several steps higher. The writing itself is excellent and Dorothy St. James knows how to craft a story that draws readers in from the very first page. Reading the previous two series books would probably have given me a better sense of all that’s going on with the regular characters, but sufficient background is provided so that this story works well as a standalone.

Tightly-knit plot, rich characters, and beautiful setting are skillfully woven together and contribute equally to the story’s pull. South Carolina’s Lowcountry setting is vividly conveyed and so integral to the story that it almost becomes a major character. I was literally transported to the seaside town of Camellia Beach, home to Charity Penn and her delightful chocolate shop. Missing turtle eggs, family dynamics, and a question of parentage are just a few of the intriguing elements in this story. The rescue efforts of newly-hatched turtle babies is fascinating and I’m pretty sure I would be involved if I lived in a community like Camellia Beach.

In Cold Chocolate has an emotional hook – two or three, even – that drew me to these characters. Charity Penn is an appealing leading lady and I could easily relate to her work ethic and desire to be accepted into the community. Environmental and real estate development are in conflict with each other as the question of who Charity’s mother was and right to ownership of the chocolate shop continue to develop.

A murder case that seems to be open and shut, with the guilt of Charity’s nemesis being obvious, becomes anything but that when Jody Dalton’s ten-year-old son begs her to help prove his mother’s innocence. Whether in tension-filled moments or less stressful scenes, the pace moves steadily and I never wanted to put this book down. This is an excellent series and I hope for many more stories by Dorothy St. James.

Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I love this series. The characters are like family and the excellent plot kept me reading well into the night.

I can't wait to see what happens next!

A sweet mystery! I love this series and the sweet tooth cravings it is always giving me to solve a good mystery. It is engaging and fun!

I chose this book to read on a long flight but found that it did not hold my attention. It was too easy to guess where the story was going and I found it rather tedious.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a preview copy.

Who wouldn't like a story that involves sea turtles and chocolates. Such an interesting tale of love and treachery with a dash of romance, selflessness, and sweet treats. Charity Penn is a well developed character who you can't help but like. Such a selfless person who only wants to help, even if it's to help her boyfriend's ex-wife to clear her name in spite of the fact that the woman is as mean as a snake. Now if it wasn't for the boyfriend's young son pleading with Charity to help his mom chances are that Charity would let her rot. In the middle of all this is the sea turtle migration from birth to the ocean and the strange case of the chocolate turtle thief. Great story, this review reminded me that I need to see if the next installment is coming out soon.

Even thought I was never read books before this for the Southern Chocolate Shop series, I liked it. Maybe somethings were quite odd but if I read other books before that In Cold Chocolate, it might helps, I think. Any way In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James was nice, cozy and sweet mystery with elements which are familiar, if you know any things for southern styles etc. So many thats for author, publisher and NetGalley who gives to me this ARC. I enjoy this book even thought maybe now I try to find other books of this series as well.

Charity Penn, called Penn by her friends, is a relatively new resident to the town of Camellia Beach. She is now the owner of the Chocolate Box, which serves the world’s richest chocolates and some people are not happy about that. These include her estranged family and at least one of the town’s residents, Jody Dalton.

One night the town gathers to witness a batch of baby sea turtles hatching to in order to watch their journey into the ocean. However, while are approaching the ocean, they hear gunshots. A man is dead. His name was Cassidy Jones and he was the local Casanova. Oddly enough, Jody Dalton, the same woman that threatened to destroy the chocolate shop, is seen wielding two guns. It seems quite evident that she is the killer. The woman’s son begs Penn to prove that his mother is innocent. What a task!

This is not the first time that Penn has become involved in a murder investigation. As she begins to ask questions, much to the annoyance of the local police, it becomes quite possible that Jody is not the killer. Well, why did she have the guns in the first place, and if she is indeed innocent, who was it that killed Cassidy?

There is more going on than the murder. Turtle eggs on the beach are missing and chocolate turtles are being stolen from Penn’s shop - very expensive chocolate turtles. Meanwhile, there is a lawsuit pending against Penn and her shop is in a state of disrepair.

So with quite a bit facing Penn, along with her attraction to her neighbor, she seeks to divide her time in order to find answers. She has put herself in danger due to her actions. In this fast-paced story there are a lot of questions that need answering. Dorothy St. James does a great job at pulling many of these things together while capturing the readers’ attention, but there are some things that we are left to look forward to in the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

My first book by this author, I was eager to jump in after it had been sitting in my TBR pile a little longer than I had planned. While I haven't read the first two books in the series, and there were references to things that happened previously, I didn't feel like I had to go back and read them to understand what was going on. The issue? Charity Penn, I just didn't care for her. After growing up with a con artist mom who abandoned her when she was a baby, she finds out that she is the granddaughter of a chocolate shop owner. Long story short, grandma dies, leaves the business to her, and grandma's children are mmmmmmmaaaaaaad. Toss in the good ole fashioned murder for the island cassanova, and here we are. Back to Penn. She was obnoxious, and she needs therapy. She puts all of her issues on everyone else and is going to destroy everything she's got if she doesn't grow up. There's potential there, and some of her comebacks were witty as all get out so I have hope that there will be some improvement. I'll be keeping my eye out for the next one!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2598728108

Charity Penn is a more complex character than I first thought. The arc about her parentage still resonated throughout, even though she is ensconced and successfully running her late grandmother's chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box. When her friend Althea allows her to attend a night sea turtle hatching on the beach (as an observer, there is a long list to become a turtle volunteer), the subsequent chaos reveals a body on the beach. Naturally, one of the town's more unpleasant people seems to be a slam dunk for the murder, but a small boy's plea makes Penn take another look at the events of that night. All in all, a very engrossing read.

In Cold Chocolate: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery

By Dorothy St. James

Crooked Lane

September 2018



Review by Cynthia Chow



Despite having lived in Camellia Beach, South Carolina for only a few months, Charity Penn finally feels like she’s home. After unexpectedly inheriting the Chocolate Box specialty chocolate store, Penn has found a close group of friends of coworkers. Her wish to discover the identity of her birth mother has been less joyful than expected though, with Florence Maybank now denying their connection and the family accusing Penn of stealing their inheritance. A confrontation with her attorney’s ex-wife is just what Penn doesn’t need, especially when it results in her accidentally being shot during a beach baby turtle hatching. Jody admits to shooting Penn, but denies having also shot Cassidy Jones, Jody’s now very ex-boyfriend and whose body they just discovered in the sand.



While Penn would be more than happy to let Jody languish in jail, her son’s plea to Penn forces her into investigating and prove Jody’s innocence. With a deadline to have Jody freed before an annual mother-son school shopping trip, Penn and her friend Althea Bays begin tracking down the many reasons someone wanted Cassidy Jones dead. Looming in the background for Penn is the court appearance in which she will face down her alleged relatives, where a new DNA test will finally prove her truthfulness…or possibly shatter the new life she has created. Not even break-ins at the Chocolate Box, scoldings from the police, stolen candy turtles, or a shootout at her store are enough though to have Penn break her promise to a heart-broken Gavin.



This fourth in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series succeeds in balancing the elements of a small, gossipy town with heart-wrenching moments of Penn’s emotional turmoil. Her past has taught her that to trust is to be hurt, which means that nothing is more terrifying than the risk of a new romantic relationship. It’s impossible not to feel for Penn when she is vilified by the Maybank family who openly accuse her of lying and being worthless. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of this novel is how relatable and sympathetic Penn becomes, especially when she is attacked by those she so desperately wishes to please. Thankfully these moments are alleviated by the jubilant Althea and her eager assistance as they get into trouble tracking down those with shaky alibis. A visiting chef allows Penn to share her extensive knowledge of chocolate making and her rare Amar chocolates, and recipes at the end of the novel will have readers eager to grab a mixing bowl. Cozy readers will be more than satisfied with the light-hearted humor of the Camellia Beach residents, not to mention Penn’s adorably prickly Papillon Stella. The answers Penn finds by the end of this delightful novel create even more questions for her future, which looks to be promising whatever next step she chooses to make.

This installment definitely didn't disappoint! It was a real page turner at times and even though Penn got some weird news at one point, the book still had a good ending.

Penn's new relatives have been making it really hard for her by continuing to contest the will and spreading rumors that she'll lose the shop. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, the most disliked woman in town, Jody (Harley's ex) was found standing over her dead lover on the beach. Harley's son begged Penn to find the killer so his mom could come home. Not wanting to disappoint a little boy, Penn ignored the danger that could be and was involved in investigating. The real perp was flushed out, a little boy was happy again...and so was Penn.

I really love the character of Frank Gibbons, the detective that has been on all three of the books' cases. He's so much more understanding than Chief Byrd. While Byrd thinks Penn is just a menace who brought mainland killers to the island with her, Gibbons honestly cares about her well-being. She has a feeling that if her own dad had been a normal father, this is what it would be like to have someone care what happens to you. I was happy that she and Harley came to a good understanding, making a little more progress in their relationship. Penn and Althea had a falling-out, but I'm sure by the next book, Penn will be ready to forgive her and move on.

I also thought it was cool that even though Penn has issues following Mabel's recipes, she's becoming really creative in the candy kitchen and developing some flavors and products herself. I think she'll always be grateful for Bertie since Penn's attempts at Mabel's recipes usually result in the waste of good chocolate lol. Little Stella the Papillon got some more story this time since a local woman named Lidia is helping Penn to train the little ankle biter. She told Penn that Stella is picking up on her fear of love. As Penn progresses with her own life, hopefully Stella will too! The cover pics of Stella are so stinking cute that I really hope she turns into a nice, behaved dog.

I did guess the killer correctly and eventually figured out the why before it was revealed. But it was still fun watching Penn and her friends track them down. The showdown was really good!

I'm so anxious now for the next book but I'm sure it might be awhile. That's the only drawback when you binge-read everything so far in a series. ;) There are more recipes in the back of this book. I like how there's a little comment before each one--it's supposed to look like they've been published in the local newspaper.

Synopsis:

In Dorothy St. James’s third delectable Southern Chocolate Shop mystery, a new batch of chocolate and troubles of the heart cause a string of disasters for the Chocolate Box’s new owner, Charity Penn.

The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world’s richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box’s owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island’s moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean.

Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton—the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box—holding the gun. It’s an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody’s young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can’t say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it’s too late for Penn and for those she loves in Dorothy St. James’s third rich installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop mysteries, In Cold Chocolate. (Amazon)


Review:

Penn is a smart hardworking woman. She is the owner of The Chocolate Box and she loves what she is doing and is proud of what she has accomplished. But she has family members that want to claim the chocolate shop as their own. So she knows that she has a fight on her hands, one that she does not intend to lose. And when someone is killed, and a woman she does not like is accused of the crime, she knows that she has to find the killer, because the suspect’s young son begs her to bring his mom back. The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoyed reading about her relationships with the citizens of Camellia Beach. And I thought the dog, Stella, was really cute and a fun addition to the book.

I especially liked the time she spent with her best friend, Althea Bays, and the time spent with the sea turtles. I felt that this added another dimension to the story. I learned some things that I did not know and that always makes me happy.

The writing style flows smoothly and defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and she brought the seaside town to life in my mind. The mystery was well plotted and nicely paced. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through, which made it difficult to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. There is a lot of action and a few mysteries to solve and you will be hooked from the start.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate

This was a fun read and even though it is the third in the series I didn't feel as though I had missed much as the back story was cleverly woven in (mind you I WILL be getting the previous books and reading them!), this has Southern Charm and Midwestern tenacity in abundance and I want more!

Charity Penn is settling in to her life in Camellia Beach, she is slowly learning the art and skill of chocolate making, she also wishes to become involved in the Sea Turtle rescue (her good friend Althea is running the scheme this year), on a night checking the nests a previous volunteer goes crazy shooting out some lights, and then a dead body is discovered (oh and Penn is shot as well - luckily not seriously wounded), the victim seems to have annoyed most people and therefore there are no end of potential suspects, but Jody (the light shooter) is arrested and the police don't really seem to be looking at other prospects, so Penn does.

With a young boy wanting his mother home, another attempt to get the will that left the chocolate shop to Penn overturned, oh and a lady wanting to help train Penn's dog, there is a lot happening in Penn's world and danger doesn't seem to far away.

Seven months since Charity Penn inherited her grandmother's chocolate shop, and her family are still trying to prove she is not who she says she is. Legal wranglings continue to try and turn over Mabel's will but Charity is trying to make a go of the shop, The Chocolate Box, in Camellia Beach, SC. Althea tries to help Penn forget her troubles by inviting her to observe with the "turtle watch team". This is a serious activity as sea turtles are endangered and there are a lot of rules and laws revolving around sea turtle hatching time. When local real estate agent and playboy, Cassidy Jones, is shot dead on the beach, Jody is arrested for the killing. Penn has a very difficult relationship with Jody, as she is always threatening her shop and it's ownership, but she promises Gavin, Harley's son, that she will help get her out of jail in time for his first day of school.

This book had a little bit of everything that is good about cozy mysteries: chocolate, murder, lots of sleuthing, secrets, quirky characters, some romance and family dynamics. The mystery moved along at a nice speed, with plenty of suspects and twists. The plot isn't overly complex, but held my attention. There is a lot going on in the second mystery of who is Penn's mother, but I will not spill the beans about where that goes. Then there is the side story about Penn's dog. She is working with a dog trainer to try and get her to listen, but there is still a ways to go in that story line. I really enjoy how Dorothy St. James' series is more than just a quick mystery. There has been a lot of growth and development in Penn's character and I have really liked that. You would be able to follow this story without reading the others in this series, but I recommend you start at the beginning to get the full story of Penn and the Chocolate Shop. I will definitely keep reading this series. Looking forward to the next book! The publisher, Crooked Lane Books, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, ideas and opinions are my own.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase it here : https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Chocolate-Southern-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B078M3N9TC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538070073&sr=1-1&keywords=in+cold+chocolate

This book includes mystery, chocolate and sea turtles, what is not to like? We begin in the ocean in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The Chocolate Box is the main location in this book, surrounded by drama and controversy. We begin with quite a situation where Jody tries to break into her ex-husband's apartment to allegedly retrieve something of her son's. Charity is threatened by Jody and mentions that the chocolate shop soon will no longer be hers. This chocolate shop was left to Charity in her Grandmother's will. We are then taken on an adventure trying to help Sea Turtles find their way. There is a shooting that happens and someone is shot. Chocolates go missing, the sea turtle shaped chocolates, nontheless, This book is packed full of drama, mystery and adventure. I binged this book in no time at all and it left me wanting more. Lucky for me, she has written plenty of books for me to catch up on.
For those of you who live in the south, the author Dorothy St. James will be making an appearance on Sunday October 7th at 3pm at Buxton Books on 2-A Cumberland Street, Charleston, SC, 29401.

Penn (Charity Penn) is managing her shop, The Chocolate Box on Camellia Island, SC when she becomes involved in a mystery. A man is shot on the beach, turtle eggs go missing, and her new turtle shape chocolates also disappear. Penn determines to solve all three mysteries.

In Cold Chocolate is my first read in the Chocolate Shop Mystery series. It took me a few chapters to sort out the characters, but by that time I was thoroughly engrossed in the mystery and enjoying the book as a standalone read. (Note: I did purchase and download the first two books for Kindle tonight. I have to read them!)

There is so much I loved about this book. First, I loved the setting. I spent my early years in Savannah and loved the Lowcountry South Carolina beach setting.


I found the sea turtle storyline in this novel fascinating! The author provided a wealth of interesting details about how sea turtles lay eggs and hatch, and I really enjoyed learning as I read.

The chocolate making details in this book were also interesting. There were even recipes included in the back of the book! I love benne wafers and want to try that recipe.

I also am a dog lover and enjoyed all the scenes with Stella. She is a dog with a very quirky but lovable personality!

Penn is a likable, relatable character. I enjoyed the way she balanced her work at the Chocolate Box, her amateur detective search, her friendships, and her budding romance with Harley.

I liked the layers of the mystery -- the murder, the sea turtle eggs, and the missing chocolates storyline. I figured the murderer's identity out early on, but enjoyed reading the way that Penn solved the mystery in the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed In Cold Chocolate and recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries, especially anyone who loves Southern beach settings, animals and nature, or food and cooking. You are in for a treat with this novel!

Penn owns The Chocolate Box and in addition to her job at the chocolate shop, she goes along to the beach with her friend Althea to protect the baby sea turtles who are about to hatch. The night they go on the sea turtle watch, they hear gun shots and find out that the local Casanova is dead. When they arrived at the crime scene they saw a local woman Jody with two guns in her hands and everybody is convinced that she did it, but when Jody's little son pleads Penn to bring his mother back for the day he goes to school, Penn agrees, without knowing what is all going to happen, when she starts digging into the case.
It's the third book in the series, but first I read and it worked well as a standalone, but to have more background on the characters and the overall story it's better to start from the beginning. I loved the chocolate shop and the southern feel to the book. The mystery and all the twists were done well and I throughly enjoyed reading the book.