Oh Say Can You Fudge
by Nancy Coco
Very fast paced with lots of clues to keep the reader guessing. I was eager to turn each page to see what happened next. The reveal brought with it a total surprise.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews
I love this series , it is fun, well written and the characters make it a smashing hit.
~Shelley’s Book Case
If you enjoy cozy mysteries – all the elements are here. Somehow our heroine is in the middle of discovering a dead body, she has a cute dog, lots of friends, and some cantankerous folks that blame her for things out of her control.
~Lilac Reviews
With fireworks and Mal Allie’s wonderful dog you will be kept guessing until the end of who done it in this great mystery.
~Bab’s Book Bistro
Oh Say Can You Fudge
(A Candy-coated Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (April 28, 2015)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0758287144
E-Book ASIN: B00ONTR4U8
My Review
I was so excited and knew I had to read this book when I discovered it took place on Mackinac Island.
I visited there a few times and loved it. A ferry is the only access to the island and no cars are allowed. You can hire horse drawn carriages or bikes, or you can stroll and take in the loveliness. And the Marriott Grande Hotel is beautiful.
Hard to imagine a murder taking place there, but you know what they say, “I never would have believed it would happen here.”
This started out a bit slow for me in the beginning. It took me a bit to get all of the characters straight as I hadn’t read the first two books. Once I got everyone sorted out in my mind, it picked up.
I learned I’m a troll! People who live under the Mackinac Bridge (the lower peninsula of Michigan). I seem to recall that fact now.
Allie finagled her way into being in charge of the fireworks for the Star Spangled 4th celebration and everything is ready to go. And it does. It goes boom. She received an urgent call from the pyro tech warning her that the fireworks had been tampered with. When she was finally able to get to the warehouse, she discovered a dead body and barely got out before the building disintegrated.
Apparently, this isn’t the first dead body Allie’s stumbled over. I wonder if she’s contagious and next her friends will start finding dead bodies.
Allie knows the show must go on, but while scrambling to find more fireworks and a new pyro tech, plus running her hotel, the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop,and making the delicious fudge, she still finds time to do some snooping. She just can’t help it. She’s naturally nosy and this puts her in danger. The next dead body might be hers.
And what’s a cozy without some critters. Allie has Mal, her Bichon-poo puppy, and a stray calico cat that adopted her. I was always waiting for more scenes with these cuties.
Also there’s more than one kind of fireworks happening too. Allie’s rich, sexy boyfriend, Trent, and local police officer, Rex, who has a crush on her. It’s not a love triangle on her part, as she’s head over heels for Trent, but I thought Rex would be a better match for her. He’s bossy and stern when in cop mode, but all bashful when he’s not. Probably why he always appears in uniform when around her.
The cover art is adorable and perfect as it features her two furry friends and the main theme of the book, the fireworks. So cute and colorful.
Sprinkled at the end of about every other chapter are some yummy recipes. I’m going to try some of them. That’s a bonus, food and critters!
I always enjoy the colorful characters in cozy mysteries and there are plenty in this book. From snooty to quirky to grouchy, the author brought them to life.
I mentioned wanting to read this book because of the location. It was fun to flash back to my visits to the island. It helped me to visualize this story and relish it when I recognized something.
Great mystery too. It really was a surprise when the culprit was revealed.
I’ll be going back to read the first two books and any new ones that are released.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Allie McMurphy is busy making yummy fudge for the summer holiday–until murder gives her something else to chew on. . .
Red, White, And Boom
It’s not Fourth of July on Mackinac Island without fireworks and fudge. The Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is supplying the treats–and Allie has hired Rodney Rivers, the biggest name in aerial displays, to create an unforgettable spectacle. Unfortunately, Allie finds him dead, covered with screaming chicken fireworks, just before the entire warehouse of pyrotechnics goes up in smoke. Is it arson or is it murder? Allie and her bichonpoo, Mal, must sift through the suspects until the killer is caught and the island can enjoy a star-spangled celebration.
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About This Author
Best known for writing plucky heroines Nancy Coco AKA Nancy J. Parra has 15 books published-
Most recently Nancy has three cozy mystery book series going.
Gluten for Punishment and Murder Gone A-Rye are both part of the Gluten Free Baker’s Treat Mystery series. (Berkley Prime Crime)
All Fudge Up and To Fudge or Not To Fudge are part of the Candy Coated Mystery series (Kensington) -which Nancy writes as Nancy Coco
Then there is Engaged in Murder- the first in the Perfect Proposal series from Berkley Prime Crime.
All Fudged Up was Nancy’s first National Best seller.
Author Links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Purchase Links
Amazon
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Tour Participants
April 28 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post
April 29 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post
April 30 – Lilac Reviews – Review
May 1 – Babs Book Bistro – Review
May 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight
May 3 – A Chick Who Reads – Review
May 4 – Back Porchervations – Review
May 5 – Brooke Blogs – Review
May 5 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review
May 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review
May 7 – fuonlyknew – Review
May 8 – Laura’s Interests – Review
May 9 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Review
May 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
May 11 – View from the Birdhouse – Review
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
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Oh Say Can You Fudge sounds delightful! The cover is adorable. Thank you for a chance to win.
I had a blast with this one!
I’m looking forward to reading Oh Say Can You Fudge, for location, fudge, Mal and murder!
Yes to all of those things!
I seen this one for review but I am stickler for reading a series from the beginning so I didn’t get this one..pooh. It sounds like a really cute one and maybe some day I will be able to grab this series from the start. 🙂
I seem to be doing this a lot lately. LOL Starting a series not at the beginning.
Very cute cover and great review. I am very familiar with Mackinac Island too and it is a beautiful place to visit. 🙂
I’d like to go back there, wouldn’t you?!
I too gEt excited when a book is set in my hometown or in a place I visited and really liked. It makes the story richer and multi dimensional for me.
I know! It really put me there:)
I was so tempted by this tour and it sounds like such a fun one! The cover is so cute and I love the setting. It’s always fun to read a book set in a place you’re familiar with. I’ll definitely be adding this to my TBR!
Some great characters too. I’ll be going back and starting at the beginning!
sounds like a sweet read would love to win
Sweet and funny!
Cute cover and recipes looks like a fun read
Yummy recipes and plenty of them!
It sounds like it was a lot of fun! Who can resist fudge! Thanks for the review and chance to win!
Oh, it was! I eat cozies up!
sounds like my kind of book.i love the cover with a dog and cat.fireworks and fudge how could you go wrong
You can’t go wrong with this one. Good clean fun!