very nice cozy! it was your average, but i enjoyed it. i really enjoyed the recipes as well, i love when cozies include recipes because it makes me feel more connected to the setting. however, i didn't feel very connected to the characters themselves. i feel like they could've been introduced and fleshed out a bit better. all and all, a very nice, light cozy!

Loved this book! Two sisters own a candy shop where all the candies are named after poisons! After a couple suspicious murders happen, one of them becomes a suspect and they both try to solve the murder s on their own. Of course this lands them into trouble and warnings about interference with the investigation., but their trail finally leads them to the killer.

A Christmas Candy Killing is the debut of the A Killer Chocolate Mystery series set in Harriston, Montana and featuring twin sisters Alex and Hanna Wright, co-owners of Murder and Mayhem: Killer Chocolates and Bookshop. It's Christmas season and Alex and Hanna have created an array of chocolates all named after the poisons commonly used in the mysteries that their book club, Sleuth love to read each month.

Alex has become very fond of the elderly Jane Burrows, Sleuth member and president of the local horticultural and historical societies. Jane has a penchant for watching true crime shows and has mistakenly claimed several times that "wanted" criminals were living in their quaint town. So, when Jane asks Alex at the end of their Sleuth meeting to come to her house the next morning and watch one of the shows because she has positively identified a person accused of murdering four people, Alex suspects it's just another case of Jane's imagination. Upon arrival at Jane's house the next morning, Alex discovers the woman dead, victim of a vicious stabbing.

Based upon clues that Jane has left in her journal, Alex fears that this time Jane was right and there really is a killer in their midst. Zach Roberts, local handyman is arrested for the crime but Alex knows that the man wouldn't have killed Jane. Alex and Hanna team up alongside neighbor and pastor Tom Kennedy to clear Zach's name and quickly discover there are quite a few members of their community with secrets in their past they would like to keep hidden.

An enjoyable read with likeable characters, a captivating plot and plenty of suspects, not to mention mouthwatering chocolate recipes. There are a few loose ends that perhaps will be explained in the next addition to the series, and of course a hint of romance on the horizon for both sisters.

I received an advanced copy of A Christmas Candy Killing from NetGalley via Crooked Lane Books. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

The characters could have used some better introductions. I felt it was just what they call it a cozy mystery meaning its cute. I found it enjoyable. I liked how they gave the chocolate recipes even if i would not make them. It just made me hungry. I think this would be a cute book around the holiday for mystery lovers.

A Christmas Candy Killing is a murder mystery written by Christina Romeril. It is book one in the A Killer Chocolate Mystery series.

Summary: Sisters Alex and Hannah have their hands full with their bookstore/chocolate shop Murder and Mayhem. It’s almost Christmas, and business is booming.

But a murder leaves their small Montana community reeling. Who would want to kill one of Alex’s best friends in cold blood?

When Alex becomes a suspect, she does everything she can to find out who the real murderer is, and clear her name. But, getting closer to the truth has its own dangers……

My Thoughts: I liked this book. It wasn’t bad. I am a big fan of Hallmark’s Murder and Mystery shows, and this followed in that same vein. In fact, it was quite similar in a lot of ways to the series Murder She Baked, which is one of my favorites.

I liked the setting of the bookshop, and the creative murder-themed chocolates the sisters produced. It was also fun following along with Alex as she uncovered the clues, but the book fell a little flat for me. I think because it was just so similar to something that I already really like.

I enjoyed reading it, but don’t know that I would want to continue reading the series.

I would like to thank Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, in return for an honest review. This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. Moving to Harriston, Montana, twin sisters, Alex and Hannah, opened a mystery bookstore and chocolatier shop, Murder and Mayhem. Alex runs the bookstore side while Hannah makes the amazing ‘poison-themed’ Killer Chocolates, like Veronal Vanilla Creams or Belladonna Black Currant. The Killer Chocolates are a huge hit, bringing lots of business to their new hometown.
Just before Christmas, after the book club meeting, Alex is approached by Jane, one of the grande dames of the town and a good friend. Jane believes she’s seen a murderer in town that was featured on a true-crime show the previous night. The trouble is that Jane’s made this claim before so not many people believe her. Alex agrees to stop by the next morning and watch the show with Jane. Unfortunately, Alex’s visit results in her finding Jane’s murdered body and suddenly Alex is a prime suspect, along with Jane’s handyman, Zach. Determined to clear her name, Alex enlists her sister, friends and neighbors to track down alibis and motives. This was a fun cozy with potential for a strong series. I look forward to the next one!

What’s better than chocolate and books?
It was a fun quick read with amazing recipes. I like that Alex and Hannah are sisters running their business. I am looking forward to getting to know the characters more.
#AChristmasCandyKilling #NetGalley

A nicely convoluted tale with vast amounts of chocolate, which is a fabulous combo. This was a light enjoyable read and I felt as if I were sitting down to a mug of hot chocolate.

This was such a great mystery read. The age range of the characters were older than what I usually read but I still enjoyed this book. Also, I loved the chocolate recipes Included at the end. It's always a great touch and helps immerse readers more into the books world I feel.

I love cozy mysteries, but to be honest, I picked this one up because of a main character named Hannah (or Hanna). I enjoyed the story, and the mystery managed to fool me for quite a while, but I did solve it long before Alex. Some of the characters are interesting, and I particularly like Tom, so I’m interested to see that relationship develop. I was caught off guard by the ending because several loose ends were not resolved. I know that a series always has to leave something hanging, but these loose ends felt more like oversights than foreshadowing. I would consider reading more in the series but likely only if I came across it— I wouldn’t seek it out.

This was a really cute fun read. i enjoyed that characters and the recipes at the end. Although the book did seem longer than it need to. I want to thank net galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

Quick, easy read! Will be a fun book to read every holiday. I loved the recipes and the quirky characters.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I enjoyed this book although I did find the lack of progress in finding the killer frustrating throughout the book. I wasn’t completely surprised by who the killer is. The characters are interesting. #AChristmasCandyKilling #NetGalley

Montana, small-business, small-town, chocolatier, bookseller, family, family-dynamics, friction, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, situational-humor, competitive-people, pets, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement*****

Some of the characters truly are (!) and all of them are believable. Looks like this will be a good series of cozy mysteries with plenty of twists, red herrings, and even a local sheriff who only wants to close the case (right or wrong). The twin sisters have relocated from elsewhere a time ago and now run an imaginative chocolate candy shop and a bookstore as well as hosting several special interest groups. The publisher's blurb is a good hook, and no spoilers here. There are recipes for chocolate candies at the end. I loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Crooked Lane Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

First in a new cozy mystery series, it didn’t disappoint. Quirky townspeople, neighbors, main characters. Well-written story I look forward to more.

The first book in a new series is always the hardest. How much background information is needed, how do the characters mesh, is the protagonist likable, and most of all, is the whodunit solid? This first entry did a good job and delivers a solid whodunit. Though a Novella might have been a good teaser to give some background as the book tends to be a little heavy in some areas.

Overall, it’s a solid first entry and I’m looking forward to more mayhem and mysteries with Alex and Hannah.

A great new cozy mystery set in a small Montana town at Christmas. Twin sisters who own a mystery book store and chocolate shop are the main characters with lots of quirky neighbors. Recipes are included, hoping that this is the first entry in a long running series fun setting, great characters, chocolate, mystery book store what more do we need.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Christmas Candy Killing is the first in a new series of cozy mysteries set in Montana. The main character is Alex, who owns a bookstore and bakery combo with her twin sister Hanna. One of her good friends, an elderly busybody as many of the town see her, ends up dead after confiding in Alex that she thinks a serial killer has been living in their town. Alex must solve the crime before she too ends up dead.

Overall, I liked this book. I felt like it went on a bit too much in places - it just felt longer than I think it needed to be. It also feels like there should be more books before this one because events/people are referenced like you already know who they are or that they happened.

Like many culinary mysteries, there were recipes at the end. All the recipes here were for molded chocolate. I wish there had been others as there were some yummy sounding dishes throughout the book, not just the chocolate.

I enjoyed this Christmas cozy mystery. Though I kind of wish that I read the first two books in the series first. But it was till a sweet read.

Quick and enjoyable, read this in one sitting. Not much else to say. I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere and despite it being a mystery thriller I felt really cozy while reading this.