Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Fatal Fudge Swirl is the third book in the Ice Cream Shop Mysteries series. The main character, Riley, is a fun character, with a CIA background. Flo and Gerri add to the charm of the series. The setting, murder and a Halloween wedding, was absolutely unique. There many suspects to keep you guessing, and the storyline is strong, with Riley trying to solve the mystery. I recommend this book to readers who love good mysteries, great characters, Halloween and ice cream. An enjoyable book with which to relax at the end of the day or on the weekend.

This was an opportunity. I wanted to get back to the Inn, see why there’d been something bothering me since I’d seen Diantha’s body…. Unfortunately, it also meant I had to scrub bathrooms and vacuum. Poirot never had this problem.
Meri Allen, Fatal Fudge Swirl, Kindle Loc. 943

Former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes is loving her fresh start as the manager of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. The leaves are turning, tourists are leaf-peeping, and Penniman, Connecticut is putting finishing touches on the weekend long Halloween Happening. But the village is also buzzing. Former child star Cooper Collins is overseeing the production of a romantic comedy that’s filming on the town green and his domineering socialite mother, Diantha, is planning her lavish Halloween themed wedding at her Inn on the Green. Her fiancé has run the Inn's kitchen for years, ably aided by his recent ex-wife, chef Mary Ann Dumas. An old friend of Riley’s, Mary Ann turns to her when the bride requests a spooky ice cream wedding cake.

But the weekend takes a frightful turn when Diantha is found dead and suspicion falls on Mary Ann. The cast of potential suspects is long―each wedding guest had a chilling motive to kill the vicious heiress. Can Riley unmask the murderer before another guest ends up on ice?
Amazon.com

This is the third book in An Ice Cream Shop mystery series written by Meri Allen, who, of course, is none other than our own Shari Randall. Shari set up main character Riley to have quite a few problems in Fatal Fudge Swirl among them solving the murder. While Riley is making a Halloween themed ice cream wedding cake, she’s also been enlisted to read the newly-found Collins family letters from the colonial era. Unfortunately, they’re as boring as yesteryear’s grocery list.

On top of that, she’s creating fall/holiday ice cream flavors, such as Pumpkin Spice and Spiced Eggnog. Her application for Gelato school has been accepted. Not only could she attend the course in New York City, but also in Rome, Italy, a place she’d love to revisit. But, she got into big trouble there with her old employer, the CIA.

This is a great time of year to read a book based on ice cream.
E. B. Davis

To concoct the ice cream cake, in which the bride requested a black layer of chai-latte, Riley uses culinary-grade charcoal to get the black color. It’s favorless. Why is culinary-grade charcoal so popular now? It has medical uses, but what are its qualities for use in food? One thing that has fascinated me since I started writing mysteries involving food is culinary fads. Culinary-grade charcoal has found its way into ice cream because it looks amazing - check out all the images of black ice cream on Instagram at Halloween. Diantha Collins is not only mad for the spooky holiday, she’s a savvy businesswoman who will share every detail of her Halloween wedding on social media.

How do Riley and Mary Ann know one another? Riley and Mary Ann went to high school together. They weren’t close friends – they were several years apart – but were teammates on the track team. They reconnected at the Penniman Women in Business Club. Riley definitely sympathizes with Mary Ann, who has to cater the wedding of her ex and his new bride.

Chef Dominic, Mary Ann’s ex and the bridegroom, is into molecular gastronomy. What is that? Is he like Alton Brown, explaining the chemical reactions that happen in cooking/baking?
Molecular gastronomy is two things: one, the science of food and cooking (what Alton does); and two, the use of scientific techniques to create unique dishes. You see this on shows like Top Chef, when a contestant uses liquid nitrogen to make instant ice cream, or foams, or tiny spheres of olive oil that look like caviar. Chef Dominic has become famous for his molecular gastronomy, which put Penniman on the foodie map.

When using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream, it isn’t used directly in the ice cream, it’s used to cool and freeze the ice cream ingredients, right? Or is it added to the ingredients and evaporates out? Dry ice could be used in the same way. Do both give off the fog when they “melt?” Is it really minus 109 degrees at room temperature? Here’s a video to explain making treats with liquid nitrogen, and why you should take care when you do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M1CFpvXJSs


Who is Marley Wagner, and why does Riley find him smarmy? Marley is a chef at the Inn on the Green who dreams of opening a restaurant with celebrity Chef Dom. Riley keeps catching Marley eavesdropping and snooping around the hotel, so she’s sure he’s up to no good.

Diantha’s family, the Collins, were one of the original settlers of Penniman. She owns the Inn on the Green as well as several other historic buildings near the Inn. Riley’s former Girl Scout leader, Ruthie, and her granddaughter Lucretia, live in one of those buildings. A retired teacher, Ruthie provides maid services at the Inn. Why does she fear for her job, and that she’ll be kicked out of her house? Ruthie is the sole support for her granddaughter, Lucretia. Lucretia’s father has never been in the picture, and her mother abandoned her as a baby, so Ruthie is the only family Lucretia has. Lucretia is a high school senior and is looking at college, and Ruthie doesn’t know how she’s going to pay for it.

Riley’s mother died when she was three. She and her dad, now owner of a bookstore in town, were alone for all of her upbringing. Her dad married the irritating Paulette five years ago. What is it about Paulette that irritates Riley so much? Oh, Paulette! She’s one of those people who’s just a little too perfect, plus her not-so-subtle attempts at matchmaking keep Riley on her toes.

To seal the deal of using the bookstore as a set in the movie, Paulette offers to use Sprinkles as the bookstore cat when the movie producers ask about adding a cat. Riley is irritated, but secretly, she’s amused. Why? Riley thinks that Paulette has met her match in Sprinkles. The neurotic furball has scared off her pet psychologist and Riley thinks it’s only a matter of time until Sprinkles melts down again. She thinks it would be just desserts if a meltdown happened while Paulette was wrangling Sprinkles for the movie.

Tillie picks up a side gig in this book. What’s she doing? As we all know, Tillie longs for adventure beyond what she finds as the administrative assistant at the Penniman Police Services building. Tillie has started her own private investigation firm, and winds up with a very famous and demanding client – the star of the Skylark movie that’s shooting in Penniman.

Caroline and Riley pick men whose time is not their own. Are they undermining their romantic success? This is an interesting point I’d never considered. (Elaine, you ask the best questions!) Caroline is inexperienced in love, and has simply fallen head-over-heels. Riley let a dangerous attraction get the better of her, and now is second guessing her instincts when it comes to dating.

Jack seems passive-aggressive in this book. He calls Riley ”Penniman’s own Jessica Fletcher.” What’s with him? Jack, the police chief, is a perfect example of the saying still waters run deep. I threw a lot at him in this book. He has a media circus with the murder of a socialite and the movie filming in town. He’s facing an emotional and romantic crisis, plus he’s been walking a fine line with Riley, whose unofficial sleuthing has solved several murders. He’s smart enough to know that she’s an asset, but she’s also “not by the book” and he’s a by-the-book guy. I think he needs a nice, quiet murder-free vacation at his cabin in the woods. Will I give him one? Hmmm….unlikely.

I thought church bells rang to get people into service. Why do Penniman’s church bells ring at the close of service? Are they celebrating getting that chore over for the week? Penniman’s beautiful old church on the green has bells that chime on the hour. Still, I bet some of the churchgoers are celebrating!

Why doesn’t Udderly use no-churn recipes? Isn’t gelato no-churn? Udderly’s ice cream is top quality, made in small batches with the freshest organic ingredients. If you don’t have an ice cream machine to churn the ice cream, you can make ice cream in the freezer using sweetened condensed milk instead of the traditional custard base. Not churning means you give up a lot in terms of texture and taste.

Gelato (Italian style ice cream) has a lower fat content than ice cream and is churned at a slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream. Less fat means that you experience more of the flavoring of the gelato as opposed to the creaminess of ice cream, so gelato flavors are more intense. Gelato is also stored at a lower temperature, so it will melt faster on the tongue, another attribute that gives more depth of flavor.
I have learned way too much about the science of ice cream with these books!

I was shocked when Riley got the note from Paolo, her former boyfriend in Rome. And then she didn’t open it for the longest time—why? It was exasperating! Everyone’s dying to know what’s in that note! Riley’s struggling with her feelings for the handsome thief she left behind in Rome. That’s all I can say without spoilers!

What are amuse-bouches? An amuse bouche is a small, savory appetizer – usually only a bite or two – that’s offered free of charge by the chef to guests. It translates from French as “amuse the mouth” and is meant to be a showcase of the chef’s creativity.

What was Newgate? Where was it? Newgate was a notorious Connecticut prison that housed Tories during the Revolutionary War. The prison had been constructed over an old copper mine, and prisoners were housed in underground caverns and shafts, allowed above ground only during daylight hours. It was a cruel and filthy place, and eventually closed down by prison reformers in the 1800s.

What is a black box theater? They’re simple, unadorned performance spaces - usually the walls are painted black, which gives this type of theater its name.

Will we go to Rome with Riley next? Must you do research there? Research in Rome is definitely on my bucket list!

This book made me want Halloween to get here! I love Halloween and Fall and this book just made me want a nice cozy fire to read in front of. If you are looking for a book about small town, glamorous and everyday people, many many suspects, touches of romance, and fast moving then this book is for you. I highly recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Great follow up in the series! The mystery was fun, we saw a ton of our side characters, so and plenty of time spent with our MC actually sleuthing, but in a safe way. The series has continued to grow and I can’t wait to read the next book!

I enjoyed this fun cozy with a Halloween setting and an entertaining mystery. I love the ice cream shop angle of this series and was craving ice cream from page one. Highly recommend to cozy fans.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Fun and fast-paced cozy mystery with great characters, an interesting mystery with many twists and turns, a Halloween-themed wedding, a picturesque small town, and an ice cream store...could you need anything more for an entertaining cozy? I really don't think so. I was hooked from the very first page.
Highly recommend.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Fatal Fudge Swirl brings us back to Penniman, Connecticut with Riley Rhodes. Riley is still running Udderly Delicious Ice Cream shop for her best friend, Caroline Spooner. However, the big news in town right now is Diantha and Dominic's wedding and the Skylark movie being shot at Diantha's Inn, Inn on the Green. The producer is Diantha's step son, Chip and assistant producer is her son, Cooper. However, before the events an happen someone dies or was it murder? Even though there are no signs of foul play Riley an tell things just don't seem right.
Fatal Fudge Swirl was very fast paced and kept my attention and left me wondering what happened right to the very end.

Fatal Fudge Swirl is a cozy mystery told from the MC POV. Riley Rhodes is a CIA librarian turned ice cream shop owner who lives in a small, New England town. After being present the day a body is discovered she makes it her goal to solve the mysterious death.

This book is a fun, fast paced read with a bevy of quirky characters. I enjoyed the storyline, setting and appreciated the sub-context of the antiquated letters.

This book is a stand alone, but third in the Ice Cream Shop mysteries. I will definitely be reading the other books, if for no other reason than to find out more about how one becomes a CIA librarian. I highly recommend this delightful cozy mystery read that will leave you hungering for more!

Thank you to publisher @stmartinspress and the author for my ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

Fatal Fudge Swirl by Meri Allen is the third book in the Ice Cream Shop Mysteries.

It’s Halloween in Penniman. There is a movie crew in town and there is a Halloween themed wedding. I loved that!

I love Riley, who is the manager of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop.

The characters and the mystery are so fun and well written.

Riley, Caroline and Rocky are great. characters.

In Fatal Fudge Swirl, it’s the day before Halloween in small town Penniman, Connecticut. Diantha, the rich owner of the local 5-star inn, is planning her wedding for the following day complete with a black wedding gown and a Day of the Dead theme. The next morning, Diantha is found dead on her bed. How was she killed? Why? And by whom? All questions that ice cream shop owner and former CIA librarian, Riley, is trying to investigate without tripping over her best friend’s boyfriend, the local police chief.

There are so many characters in this book that the publisher lists them in the beginning, which will be incredibly helpful for readers new to the series. Yet, despite the sheer number of suspects, the murderer is obvious from the beginning of the book. Once the murderer is pinpointed, the why is also incredibly easy to determine. The best mystery here is the question of how the victim was murdered. And that was ingenious.

Overall, Fatal Fudge Swirl is a pleasant afternoon’s reading that won’t tax anyone’s armchair detective abilities. But that may be exactly what you are looking for. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Fatal Fudge Swirl the third Ice Cream Shop Mystery and features a unique main character. Ex-CIA librarian Riley Rhodes now manages an ice cream shop owned by her best friend. Another friend, Mary Anne Dumas, has agreed to make a cake for her ex's wedding being held at the luxury inn where she works. Riley gets involved when Mary Anne becomes a murder suspect.

The investigation is complicated by the fact that a movie is being filmed in town and the key players are staying at the inn. A few are related to the victim, so Riley needs to find someone with more of a motive for murder than her friend. The book kept my interest from the beginning until the end, even though I was able to figure out the solution to most of the subplots. The murder weapon is a creative one and although I guessed it would play some sort of role in the story because of hints given by the author, I would never have guessed how or by whom. The murder is solved, but the book ends on a mini-cliffhanger related to something in Riley's past which should lead to an interesting story when the series continues.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This is the third book in the fun cozy series by Meri Allen. The Ice Cream Shop Mystery series centers around Riley Rhodes, and XC I a librarian, who now works at her friends, ice cream shop as manager. as Halloween is approaching, Riley is hired to make a spooky cake for a Halloween themed wedding. at the same time there is also a movie being filmed at the same hotel. The brides famous Child star sign is doing the movie which only complicates matters when the bride is found dead in her room, the morning of the wedding. between the wedding, the movie, and employees at the hotel, there is no shortage of suspects with some having motives for wanting her dead. The wedding cake Riley made is quickly taken into evidence and her friend, Mary Ann, a chef at the hotel, is accused of the murder. Riley uses her time at the hotel, and her knowledge of some of the suspects to prove her friend is not a murderer.

I really enjoyed this new installment of this series and learning more about the characters already developed. The Halloween theme brings a spooky twist to the story. The plot was good with the addition of new people, and I was kept guessing as to who the murderer could be. This is becoming a must read cozy series for me.

Loved this quaint little cozy mystery. My first from this author and in this series and I loved it so much I will be going back to read the first two. The characters were well developed and I loved the dialogue all the way thru.

Feeling the heat? Maybe it’s time to read a cozy set at Halloween when the weather is cooler, the leaves are turning and winter will be coming.

I find the protagonist of this series unusual as she once worked for the CIA as a librarian and now is at an ice cream shop-quite a change! I enjoyed getting to know her.

This is entry number three in a series where all the titles refer to my favorite dessert of ice cream. This time amateur sleuth Riley will try to figure out the case of who killed Diantha.

The author does a nice job with the setting, the characters and the mystery. Readers of the genre may well enjoy this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

What do you get when you combine a celebrity-studded wedding, Halloween in a quaint New England town, and a mysterious death? A cozy mystery that's as tasty as any ice cream creation that might be found at the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop.

Fatal Fudge Swirl was something a little different for me, sort of like trying a new flavor at your favorite ice cream parlor. It may not be my new favorite, but it was a flavor worth trying. Three and a half stars!

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

FATAL FUDGE SWIRL by Meri Allen
The Third Ice Cream Shop Mystery

Despite the cooler temperatures of late October business is booming at Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop as tourists and locals alike line up for delicious frozen treats. Not only that, shop manager Riley Rhodes has been commissioned to make the Halloween themed wedding cake for the celebrated owner of the Inn on the Green. The whole town is buzzing with excitement, not only about Diantha's wedding, but the fact that a film company has come to town to film the latest Skylark production. There will be no happy wedding bells, however, when the bride-to-be is found dead. A tragic accident? Or something more nefarious?

If Halloween, a wedding, and a film crew aren't enough, add in relationship issues, staff shortages, and star struck citizens and you have an intricate mystery with lots of moving parts. I really enjoyed the twists and turns made by those movable pieces. Lots of new characters with overlapping connections and a variety of plotlines kept me involved, curious how everything would ultimately be tied together. While there was a lot going on, everything fit together without superfluous bits.

I love how Riley's CIA background makes her a smart and unobtrusive sleuth. Respectful of local law enforcement, with a keen eye and mind, she has a unique ability to ferret out the truth. I really got a kick out of Sprinkles, not only her behavior, but how others react to her! I enjoy this series so much, and the third Ice Cream Shop Mystery kept me involved with not only a great mystery, but delicious sounding ice creams (with an odd one or two), captivating relationships, and an exciting hint at what's coming next. It's not just gelato!

Multiple paths converge in FATAL FUDGE SWIRL creating a chilling new mystery.

The fall vibes are strong with this one! I was transported to fall in small town Connecticut. It was fabulous!
Then Riley goes to help out at the Inn and gets in the middle of the investigation. There are so many secrets! I like the pacing with how they were resolved. It was not rushed. We found out little by little what the secrets were. The bad guys were caught and then we got a wrap up of how things worked out after that.
I think this is my favorite of the series. So good!

Who wouldn't love to visit Penniman at Halloween? It sounded pretty awesome with all the decorations and cool pumpkin carvings. Riley had her hands full with having to wrangle Sprinkles, the very-much-not-an-angel cat onto a film set because she was wanted for filming. Too hilarious how the cat from you know where took a liking to the lead actor but sure didn't like the main actress, lol. And she had to keep up that America's sweetheart image too, now that was pretty funny! Good ole Sprinkles can always produce a laugh from somewhere! But she couldn't prevent murder.

The ending had a search going on for a young girl who might've witnessed the murder or heard something, so luckily she was found and the perp was named. Lots of family and friends time was enjoyed in the book as well. I thought Riley's dad and stepmom were just too cute how they ran that bookstore together and now were part of the movie being made. Nice nod to one of everyone's favorite cute romance/mystery channels too! The book releases on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 and I hope you'll find like I did it's nice little escape.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I love cozy mysteries, and the ones that take place around Halloween are always favorites! I love everything about this, the small town, the ice cream shop, the characters, and OMG Sprinkles is the Diva that steals whatever scenes she's in!

This is such a fun and entertaining story, with some great twists and turns that I didn't see coming! I can't wait to read more in this series, and see what shenanigans Riley will get herself in the middle of next!

Former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes is settling into her new life back in her hometown of Penniman, Connecticut and it’s Halloween time! This year, Halloween means the marriage of socialite Diantha Collins to celebrity chef Dominic Dominello. The upcoming nuptials also bring former child star (and Diantha’s son) Cooper Collins to town with the entire production of the new romantic comedy he is filming. The weekend takes a turn however when Diantha is found dead on the morning of her wedding and foul play is suspected.

As with the first two books in the series, the mystery takes its time unfolding. We follow along with Riley as she does her own investigation, much to the dismay of her best friend’s boyfriend (who also happens to be the Chief of Police). Though there are many clues dropped throughout the book, I was still unable to figure out who the murderer was until right before the reveal, which is always fun!

Also similarly to the first two books in the series, the reveal felt a bit anticlimactic. The story builds up to Riley figuring out who the killer is, but when we actually find out, it’s fairly lackluster. Which is not to say that the journey to get there isn’t enjoyable! There was suspense and drama and excitement along the way that kept me engaged and reading well into the wee hours of the morning just to get to the end.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read. Each of the characters had layers to be peeled away and there were a couple of storylines (aside from the main murder) that helped to flesh them out as well. While some of the side plots felt unnecessary to the story as a whole, I did appreciate how they gave depth to some of the side characters and hope to see them develop further in future books.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.