I do love a good mystery. Though the title... this chocolate pie was very background. It had a good storyline though!

This was my first foray into this series and a trip to Maine to visit the Chocolate Moose crew. I realize this was book six, but it was fairly easy to slide into the groove. I was really intrigued by Jake Tiptree and her questionable past. Rarely do we get a 'cozy mystery where our amateur sleuth does not have a 'squeaky clean' past and I loved it.

While I loved the story and how her and her son's past was potentially catching up with them I found myself wondering how they could keep their bakery open. They truly were never there. I was also constantly asking myself how old these sleuths are and how are they able to survive falls, hornet stings, and other various accidents! I was aching for them.

The story was good, but I was able to deduce the killer early. This allowed me to enjoy the hijinks of Jake and Ellie. It fit nicely into the niche that I like for my cozies and its got me wanting to pick up book one to see how it all began.

Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie is the 6th book in a mystery series by Sarah Graves. It was cute and extremely enjoyable. The main characters had pretty much figured out the murderer before I did. I loved the friendship between Jake and Ellie, and meeting their families. These are people you could really get attached to over the series I am sure, although I had not read any of the books previously. I also would love to visit their magical little town called Village of Eastport, Maine. It seems like such a sweet sea side. This is definitely a suggestion for all my cozy mystery buddies as well.

I thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this cozy mystery. However, I skipped so many parts, I did not enjoy this novel at all. I sat and wonder if I started this series at the beginning would it have changed my perception of this book. It was slow and forgettable that I can't even remember a week later how it ended.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sarah Graves for allowing me to listen to an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book for an honest review.

Death By Chocolate Marshmallow Pie was made available to the public on this past Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

If you are into cozy mysteries, this book (and series) is for you! To be honest, I’ve never read a lot of cozy mysteries but this book convinced me that I’m adding the genre to my favorite/most commonly read list.

The Chocolate Moose, a waterfront bakery, in Eastport, Maine is a popular hot spot for both locals and tourists. Owners Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White are just as sweet as the beloved desserts that they serve. That is until a new bakery opens in town and owner Brad Fairway’s life is threatened by the dynamic duo. Brad is found dead not too long after the confrontation. Will Jake and Ellie be able to put their undercover detective skills to use to solve the crime before Ellie is accused and imprisoned, all while perfecting the recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Pie? 🥧

Tropes:
Villainous Victim
Early Suspect
Everyone Is Quick To Point Fingers
Multiple Murders

What I Liked:
💕 Sarah Graves creates characters that are lovable and relatable.
💕 An unbelievable (yet intriguing) series of events.
💕 Female leads with strong deductive reasoning skills.
💕 Justice is served.

Had to skip so may parts of this book that it might as well been a DNF. I liked the author’s previous series, Home Repair is Homicide, with these same characters. I tried a couple of earlier books in this series and didn’t really like those either so not even sure why I tried this one.
Susan Boyce is a good narrator.

This was the sixth book in a series. I do think that reading the other books in the series first would be beneficial for the enjoyment factor. The main character frustrated me in parts but overall this was a fun read and good mystery. I did enjoy the narrator. Thank you #Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Interest and a good addition to the series. If anything, the audiobook is a little too slow and makes the narrative seem too convoluted. However, I did enjoy the book.

I love a good cozy mystery and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. It was a quick fun read and kept my interest. It also kept me guessing on whodunnit, which are the best ones out there.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance read

A cozy mystery where the mom is out running the mob, but also runs a chocolate shop. In 400% in. I loved every minute of this book. I

I think this cute mystery series has potential but the narrator could use some work. It took me a while to be able to identify the genders of the characters, however the narrators Maine accent was very fun and nostalgic to hear. They

It’s art festival time in the charming island village of Eastport, Maine. Jake and Ellie are gearing up for the tourist and all the sweet things that they will want at the Chocolate Moose this year, the girls have some competition on their hands when a new bakery moves its way into town. Poaching patrons from the shop is not cool. Ellie decides to give the shop owner, Brad, a piece of her mind. However, the next day Brad is found dead, and all the evidence is pointing straight at Ellie. Jake and Ellie no, it’s only a matter of time, and in the meanwhile, they jump through hoops to find out who the real culprit is.

I always love a trip to the cozy little town of Eastport Maine. Jake and her family are a trip. That's putting it lightly in the best way I possibly can. Jake and Ellie are loyal to one another that is for sure. The fact that they go to extreme links to press the truth will have you shaking your head and laughing all at the same time. Sarah Graves has once again given us an entertaining small town cozy with a lot of family and drama twisted in the mystery. I will say there’s a lot going on in the story, but there are many things that are going to make you laugh that is for sure.

As I've read the rest of the books in this series, I was nervous about switching to the audiobook. It wasn't an issue. The narrator did a great job, and she made some of the characters' questionable actions sound logical. Overall, I liked that the author revised Jake's past and dealt with it; that's always bugged me. Good mystery, and though I was pretty sure "who done it" early on, I still enjoyed following Jake's journey to solving it.

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

Title: Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie
Written by Sarah Graves
Narrated by Susan Boyce

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this audiobook through Netgalley.

This is the 6th book in the Death by Chocolate series… so I’m late to the party. I’m fairly certain I would have liked this book better if I got all the references.

That being said… this book managed to delight me with it’s mystery, suspense, humor, and abundance of loyalty.

One of my favorite tv shows has always been The Addams Family - a family that is chaotic and quirky and full of love, loyalty, devotion, appreciation, and encouragement.

This book is not similar in nature to the characters- but it is similar in the emotional intelligence part. The main character, Jake (Jacobia) is fiercely loyal with unwavering certainty about everyone in her inner circle. But, she’s not alone in her convictions about family - they are certain of her and each other too.

There are still bouts of bickering here and there - but the ties that bind these people together are thick and strong.

Jake and her best friend, Ellie, own a sweet shop together. Early on in the book they stumble upon a murder. They both go into amateur detective mode right off the bat (as if they’ve done this many times before).

I can say that I enjoyed this book a lot. The author and narrator both did a great job. There was something missing, but I honestly feel like it’s just because I came late to the party.

Plus, I love urban fantasy so much that I think I missed listening to a story with a vampire or two thrown in for good measure.

I recommend this book to people who enjoy mysteries and characters that are less than perfect. Nobody leaps tall buildings or swims dangerous canals in this book - it’s just got a small town charm to it. It was good!

A good read to fill in time while doing chores. I don’t remember exactly what happened, nothing jumped out at me in regards to amazing ness. I do remember she doesn’t like marshmallows!
Didn’t hate the narrator either which was nice.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to audibly read and review Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie.

Narrated by Susan Boyce
Published: 04/25/23

Argh. How many times can an author write the main character does not like marshmallows? The fact that marshmallows are part of the title is another issue. Sadly, I don't remember the ending. I remember the birthday girl being pleased with her pie. I remember the main character, oh did I mention recurring main character, doesn't like marshmallows.

The narration was pretty good. She did keep me going. However, the truth is we both agreed to do a job and we did it. She narrated, and I listened and am reviewing.

This just really didn't work for me. I like smart people and smart situations that are realistic. This was none of that. This was repetitive, simple, and tried too hard.

I love a good cosy mystery and, after a long week, this story fit the bill.

The protagonist is intelligent and intrepid with a hint of dangerous backstory. The plot rolled along with enough suspense to keep the reader engaged. I listened to the audio version thanks to NetGalley and found the narrator to be quite soothing.

This was the first novel in the series I have read but, with a soft spot for detectives who bake, I will be back to read the others.

Setting the Scene: In this 6th installment of Sarah Graves' Death By Chocolate Mysteries, Jake Tiptree's past may be about to catch up with her. The island village of Eastport, Maine, is gearing up for its annual arts festival, and Jake and her best friend Ellie White are baking up sweets at their waterfront bakery, The Chocolate Moose. Unfortunately, there is a new rival in town, and the owner of Choco is not playing fair. The slanderous lies he is spreading about Jake and Ellie's beloved bakery has a goal far worse than threatening the one business. His ultimate goal is to tear down much of Main St. and develop the waterfront area with condos and the like. When Jake confronts him she recognizes him as someone from her long ago past, but it is Ellie who finds his body and towards whom all evidence seems to point. It is up to Jake to figure out what is going on, how some local artists may be involved, and save Ellie from jail time.

What I Thought: There are those who will enjoy this book and series, finding the waterfront bakery, the Maine persona, and the somewhat unconventional characters entertaining. Jake's and Ellie's friendship and amateur sleuthing will appeal. However, those of us who read and enjoyed all of Sarah Graves' Home Repair is Homicide series introducing Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree, her family and best friend Ellie White, are less likely to do so. When she ended that series and transitioned Jake and Ellie to bakery owners, in this Death by Chocolate series, I was prepared to embrace the new series, but it simply has not lived up to the standard of the original series. In this outing, Jake is almost a caricature of her former self, falling and flailing, running around like the proverbial chicken with her head cut off, and spending so much time finding very little useful information. I almost did not finish the book, but I am glad that I did, only because the undercurrent of family issues that ran through the book were resolved, and I still love this family that I met so long ago in the original series.

Susan Boyce did an admirable job narrating this book.

3.5 stars
Not a ground breaking book by any means but a comfy cozy mystery. Major 80s/90s vibes Murder mysteries, which I went through a phase of reading so this was just so fun.