Dollycas’s Thoughts

Jacobia (Jake) and Ellie own The Chocolate Moose bakeshop in Eastport, Maine. Keeping the doors open is getting difficult in the colder months and they may have to close. Jake has resigned to their fate but Ellie is holding out hope that the whoopie pie wedding cake they are baking for Sharon Sweetwater and Andy Devine will save their shop.

Then Sharon’s ex is killed, poisoned with milkshake just like Ellie and Jake make in their shop except this time the secret ingredient appears to be arsenic. Eastport’s favorite lovebirds find themselves in dire trouble. Andy is arrested and Sharon shocks everyone with her confession. With the wedding canceled Jake and Ellie know the only way to save The Chocolate Moose is to find out who really killed Toby. But can that do it in time to save their shop and get the young couple’s wedding back on track?

This series is a continuation/spinoff of Sarah Graves’ A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series but they can easily be read on their own.

I really like that Jacobia’s whole family lives in her huge Victorian and that they all play active parts in the story. Ellie’s husband has to travel for work and tries to be home with his wife and daughter at least one day a week. She and Jake make a wonderful team, best friends, partners in business, and sleuthing partners too. Jake’s dad has had some medical issues and he makes some choices in this story that concern his family. While my medical issues aren’t the same I did identify with him a lot in this story. Families can be a little much sometimes even when their hearts are in the right place.

I really enjoyed the mystery the author has crafted. I immediately had the same question Jake did and it was fun the way she theorized to get answers to that question and others and she pieced all the clues together. Chief of Police Bob Arnold has the patience of a saint. Jake and Ellie crossed some huge lines but he accepted it, moved on, and just voiced his concern for their safety. After some clever twists and turns, the big reveal was very exciting. The ending was heartwarming and very satisfying.

Believable characters with real-life problems mixed together with an intriguing mystery make Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake a very entertaining read. I am looking forward to visiting these characters again soon and getting caught up on this series.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake is the second installment in the A Death by Chocolate Mystery series set in the small coastal town of Eastport, Maine and featuring Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree. The Chocolate Moose, the shop Jake owns with best friend Ellie, is in danger of having to close. There just isn't enough business to keep them afloat and the ladies are going to need a major miracle.

The duo is banking on the upcoming wedding of Sharon Sweetwater and Andy Devine, and the whoopie pie wedding cake they have been commissioned to create in order to pay the this months bills. However, when Sharon's ex-boyfriend Toby Moran is found dead behind the Rubber Ducky bar, things go downhill quickly. An empty Chocolate Moose milkshake cup is found next to his body with traces of poison, Andy was seen arguing with the man and is arrested, then Sharon is also taken in for questioning. Desperate to clear their friend's names and salvage what they can of their business, Jake and Ellie set out to shake out a killer.

An entertaining plot that is interwoven with the plight of two women struggling to make ends meet and the challenges of caring for an elderly parent. While the book can read as a standalone I would suggest reading the author's previous series - Home Repair is Homicide in order to get a better understanding of the main cast of characters.

I received an advanced copy of Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the A Death by Chocolate Mystery series. I recommend reading the books in order. You can read them separately but I recommend in order.

Jake Tiptree and her friend Ellie have a bake shop and are preparing for the wedding of the summer. Sharon Sweetwater a kindergarten teacher and Coast Guard Captain Andy Devine plan to marry when all is ruined by foul murder. When Sharon’s bitter ex-boyfriend Toby is poisoned with an arsenic-laced milkshake, Andy is arrested and the wedding is cancelled. Then Sharon makes a shocking confession and Now both the bride and groom are behind bars. And with the fate of The Chocolate Moose at stake, it’s up to Jake and Ellie to clear their names and make sure justice is served.

I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. The book was a quick and fun read.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

In this second addition to the Death by Chocolate mystery series, readers return to the quaint little Maine town of Eastbrook.  Jake and Ellie are struggling with the reality that they may not be able to keep their shop open for much longer.  Winters are long and hard on the small town and Jake has come to grips with the fact that running a bakery is expensive and it might be time for them to throw in the towel.  On the other hand, Ellie, who is forever an optimist, believes their recent order for a whoopee themed wedding cake might be all they need to make it through.  However, when the bride and groom come under suspicion for murdering the town's womanizing abusive jerk, the two friends become determined to clear their names and ensure the wedding goes forth.

I found that I have mixed emotions about this particular novel.  As with the previous one, there are just so many different plot lines being thrown into one novel.  A man is murdered, copper pipes are being stolen, a baby is taken from its home, an older women is found tied up in her home, another older woman is found floating in the water after being assaulted, etc.  It's a lot of drama for what is supposed to be a quiet little town and it's a lot for the reader to digest.  I wish the author would cut back on the drama, but I also understand some of the events are needed to uncover who the murderer is.  Plus, Jake and Ellie are bakers, not police officers or detectives. So there isn't any place for a lot of the standard police procedural that can fill out a crime/mystery novel.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel at its core.  Once I could push through some of the side plots (or just flat-out ignore them), I found myself invested in uncovering who murdered the town jerk and if The Chocolate Moose was going to be able to survive.  Also, this series stems from a longer series that I have not read.  In the previous novel, I was confused by a lot of the storylines because of this tie-in.  In this novel, I felt the author did a great job of backing up and helping to give some insight for Jake's past for newer readers.  I don't feel like she has to do this every novel (unless it helps to explain some background on newer crimes/plots), but I'm so thankful that she did because it gave me some much needed clarity into Jake.  It also helped to make Jake into a more developed character.

This series has a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing what's next for Jake and the rest of the Eastport clan.

This was the second book in the series, and I liked it. It's a nice cozy mystery. The Maine setting is well described and the characters are fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Business hasn’t been good for The Chocolate Moose. Jake and Ellie fear they will have to close shop for good. With a wedding gala to cater, they believe they can get their business in the black. This may be just the break they new. However, their luck changes when someone gets poisoned from a chocolate malted shake.

This is a fun cozy mystery read. It is the second in the series but my first and was able to enjoy it as a stand-alone. The mystery was well-plotted with several twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end. The characters are relatable but quirky. Recipe included.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced by anyone.

Jake Tiptree and her friend Ellie White are having a rough go keeping their beloved Bakery, The Chocolate Moose, in business. They are on the brink of having to close, they are only able to see a bit of daylight because of an order for a wedding cake from Andy Devine (CG Captain) and his fiancée Sharon Sweetwater, kindergarten teacher. However, things aren't looking promising when Sharon's ex-boyfriend is fund murdered after he was fighting with Andy. Jake and Ellie have to find the real murderer or close their bakery.

I didn't really see the plot working well - seemed far-fetched to think that one cake could save it all.
I like the characters but this one fell a bit flat.

Jake (Jacobia) and Ellie own The Chocolate Moose, a small bakeshop in the small fishing village of Eastport Maine. There business is slow, and they don’t want to close, so when they get a large order for a wedding, they are excited. However, the order that may save their bake shop is in jeopardy when a very unpopular person gets murdered after supposedly drinking one of the shakes from The Chocolate Moose, and the groom is blamed. Jake and Ellie must investigate to save their shop. There is plenty of dry humor to make this series even more enjoyable.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake is a cute, light cozy with a mouthwatering recipe for Ginger Chocolate Biscotti. This is a fun, well-written series that is light and easy to read. The characters are well-developed, and readers will want to read the rest of the series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this novel.

“Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake” by Sarah Graves is the second book in the ‘A Death by Chocolate Mystery’ series and it was an excellent read. The first one in the series was ‘Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake’, although I have yet to read it. I don’t think this hindered my enjoyment of this one in any way.

What a highly entertaining mix of mystery, mayhem and tension! This was a wonderful cozy mystery which was both enjoyable and suspenseful. It made perfect reading for me between other more intense novels. It was gratifying and amusing with a fantastic plot.

I loved the author’s great talent for describing the charming coastal setting that brought every aspect of the town of Eastport in Maine to life. The setting of a chocolate shop called ‘Chocolate Moose’ was also a stroke of genius for me. The characters were very well drawn by Sarah Graves and I especially liked the protagonist, Jake. She made a wonderful and determined amateur sleuth and I liked that she was a generous and gregarious character who was a fixture and loved by the locals in the town. The many and varied supporting characters all added great depth to the story.

This book was a great package of fun and excitement and it was a perfect book to enjoy whilst relaxing on the sofa with a large mug of hot chocolate and a slice of cake.

I really appreciated the clever writing from Sarah Graves in this novel which kept me intrigued right to the end. There was plenty of substance to this mystery along with some red herrings to mislead the reader. There was great comedic value, too.

With its fabulous story and wonderful characters, I would recommend “Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake” to all lovers of cozy mysteries. If you prefer more suspense and mystery than humour to your cozy reading, then this would be a good choice.

I will be looking out for the next book in the series which is due to be released next year.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Jake and Ellie are partners in the Chocolate Moose. The store is in trouble and if they don't get more business, they are in danger of going under. They get a job for a wedding cake that will help them out, but when there is a murder in town, the groom and then the bride are arrested for the murder. If the girls can not free them, all the money they spent on ingredients will be lost. As well, it appears that the murder weapon was a poison laced milkshake from the Chocolate Moose. The girls need to clear their friends as well as their business.

One of the things I enjoy about this series is that the characters are quite real to me. Running a business is tough and they need to pinch pennies and work hard for every cent. They are both happily married, so there is no romance of love triangles. Ellie's husband has had to travel for a job and left her and their daughter home. This is a difficult situation, and they are considering having to move. Bob Arnold, the local police chief is always incredibly patient with their snooping. He never threatened to toss them in jail, but he seemed genuinely concerned for their well-being. Set in a small town, this is somewhat believable, but we all know police want to solve their own crimes. Finally, there is Jake's dad. He is a feisty, aging hippie who is recovering from a recent heart attack. He wants to be independent and does not want to be babied. He bought himself a new truck and zips around town sticking his nose into other's business. He is a hoot and I hope I am like him when I get to that age. The pace of this story varies. There are some slow spots, but overall it is a good story, with some tense and exciting times. I did not figure out the killer until the reveal, so that always makes a good mystery for me.

A wedding in a beach town, an ice cream shop as the setting. Ok I was drawn in immediately. I liked this book, the characters are well developed, the plot is full of twists, and the setting made me feel like I could almost hear the ocean roar. I am a Sarah Graves fan and this book satisfied me. I will read more books in this series.

I am a long time reader of the Home Repair is Homicide series also by Sara Graves and thoroughly enjoyed the series. I am not quite as fond of the Death by Chocolate series. Jake’s family and friends from Home Repair remain in place and are welcome as old friends. The downhome Maine atmosphere is still enjoyably in place. I found the struggling Chocolate Moose too similar to many other cozy mystery series themes. The book is still a good fast read.

Rockport, Maine, is a pretty little town dependent on the summer tourists to keep the community going. In fact, Jake (Jacobia) and Ellie are in such dire financial straights that closing The Chocolate Moose, their dream bakery, seems inevitable. And that was even before the death of someone after drinking one of their signature milkshakes. The only thing that might be able to save them is getting paid for the specialty cakes for Andy and Sharon's upcoming wedding. A wedding that may not happen as Andy is the prime suspect in the milkshake murder. Although this is only the. second book in this series, the earlier home repair is homicide series was peopled by the same characters in the same locale. So we already know and care about these characters. Visiting Rockport and Jake is always a pleasure.

When Jacobia and Ellie opened the Chocolate Moose Ice Cream parlor in Eastport, Maine they didn't anticipate failing but they are very close to that. Money is tight and when the wedding reception they cater isn't paid on time they are looking at closing the doors for good. Sharon and Andy's wedding reception has a murder and the groom is in jail until Jake and her friends can prove he's innocent. This is book 2 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series and can be read as a stand alone.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves is about a murder which disrupts the wedding of Sharon Sweetwater and Coast Guard Captain Andy Devine. Sharon’s bitter ex-boyfriend Toby is poisoned and Andy is jailed as the prime suspect. The wedding is cancelled and the couple is behind bars. Jake and Ellie own the waterfront bake shop, The Chocolate Moose. They decide they need to catch the killer behind someone else has trouble. Ellie and Jake always manage to get in trouble while trying to solve murders, but it’s good to be back in Eastport, Maine. This book has a good plot, great characters, many twists and turns, and lots of drama. I felt like I was right there in the beach town.

It is just plain wrong to use a chocolate malted shake to commit a crime! Using chocolate in such a way is a crime in and of itself. Not to mention the havoc is creates for Jake and Ellie. Their shop is facing financial challenges and the Whoopie Pie wedding cake that will save the day might be a never was if the above board Coast Guard groom and the super sweet school teacher bride aren't exonerated for a murder they are individually being held on for circumstantial evidence! No one is really sorry that the deceased is gone any many people had reasons for doing it, except for Jake and Ellie who's beloved Chocolate Moose hangs in the balance. The ladies do what they can and what they must to save the bridal couple, save their shop, and save themselves. Who knew a small town in Michigan could have so much drama!

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves is the second Death by Chocolate Mystery. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree co-owns The Chocolate Moose with her best friend, Ellie White in Eastport, Maine. They have been commissioned by Sharon Sweetwater and Andy Devine to make a whoopie pie cake for their upcoming nuptials. Jake and Ellie need the influx of cash or they will be forced to close their doors. Then Jake hears that Sharon’s ex-boyfriend turned stalker, Toby Moran was found dead near the Rubber Ducky Bar & Grille with a poisoned milkshake from their shop nearby. Andy, a captain in the Coast Guard, is arrested for Toby’s murder since he was seen arguing with the victim at the bar. People are shocked when Sharon confesses to the murder. With the bride and groom behind bars, the wedding is canceled. Ellie then confides in Jake that if The Chocolate Moose closes, she will be forced to move away. Jake has no intention of losing her best friend and commences asking probing questions around town. Toby was not well-liked and managed to anger numerous townspeople. Jake and Ellie need to stir together the clues and see which of their likely suspects rises to the top.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake may be the second book in Death by Chocolate Mystery series, but I discovered it is a continuation of A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series. It can, though, be read as a standalone. The characters are established. There is Jake’s large family, Ellie’s family and the offbeat residents of Eastport. I did find it hard to keep track of Jake’s extended family who all seem to live with her. Jake’s father, Jake (I am not kidding) is feeling spry after his recent health scare and ready to zip about town upsetting his wife and daughter. He really stands out with his various antics and rebellious spirit. Jakes loves her family and cares about her friends. I like the setting of Eastport, Maine and the description of the Jake’s large home. It sounds like a charming small town with quaint shops that rely on tourists. The winter months are tough times for the citizens of this small town as Jake and Ellie have learned. The wedding of Sharon and Andy will keep the doors of The Chocolate Moose open until the tourist trade picks up (I am not sure why they do not advertise or sell products online). When the happy couple find themselves in the slammer, Jake one again dons her sleuthing cap to save their chocolate bake shop. Jake has no qualms about putting herself in harms way. The murder of Toby Moran has a couple of suspects, pointed clues and a red herring. I did not feel it was right for Jake to tamper with evidence (even in fiction) no matter her justification. Unfortunately, I solved the whodunit very early in the book (the author served up the solution on a silver platter). I appreciated that the mystery had a solid wrap up with facts from the police. I could have done without the repetition of case details. When one person learns a key detail or clue, they share it with Jake or Jake share it with a family member (and so on). This happens frequently throughout the book and not just with the mystery. I liked the descriptions of the items served up at The Chocolate Moose and the little chocolate moose sprinkles are a cute touch to their milkshakes. There is plenty of baking and eating taking place in Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake. I am giving Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake 3 out of 5 stars. I thought the pace was too slow and I did not enjoy the endless dialogue. Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake is for those readers who enjoy light, humorous cozy mysteries.

Absolutely loved this book. Sarah Graves is a fantastic author and I am so happy that she began another series with all of my favorite characters.

This book has a fun cozy premise and, if you like all things chocolate, this book will not disappoint! I found the beginning to have a bit of a "woe is me" vibe with the main characters incessantly talking about how they might lose their shop but once they got past that I enjoyed the well planned mystery and the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. I definitely would love to read more books in this series.