A charming mystery with an engaging cast of characters.

This was a delicious start to a great new cozy mystery series! Penn, the main character, was feisty and fun. I found her likable and relatable, especially when it came to her family issues. The town of Camellia Beach was charming and quirky. It sounded like such a beautiful place. It was like the town was its own character. The residents in the town were all pleasant and delightful—everyone was well-developed. The mystery itself was riveting and brilliantly plotted. I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series!

This was a cute book. At first I wasn't sure if I liked the characters, but as I continued to read, I found Penn was quite delightful. She had her quirks, but so did most of the characters. Lots of suspects to chose from and I wasn't sure who to blame. At the end, Penn figured out who the murderer was, but did not disclose it to the reader, so I had my guess, but wasn't positive. I would read the next in the series just to see what happens to Penn and her friends.

I really am a sucker for dogs on covers. But I mean, I love cozy mysteries, and this one promised to talk about chocolate. Can't go wrong there, right?

I'll just come right out and say it - you really have to stick with this one. Penn is awful for the majority of the book - she's self-centered, and has an enormous chip on her shoulder. For much of the novel, the secondary characters are the only thing keeping it alive. I kept reading because I wanted to know more about Mabel and Bertie and the rest of Camellia Beach.

But, by the end of the novel, I was actually rooting for Penn. She grows just a tiny bit, enough to make her tolerable. Same with her dog, Stella - actually, the two are kinda similar. Stella bites, and Penn probably would too if she were a dog. By the end, both are nipping instead of chomping...progress right?

The mystery was actually pretty strong, if a little hard to follow at times. I did think the murderer was obvious, but I don't fault the author for that. I read a ton of cozy mysteries, so I'm good at spotting the killer, and it's incredibly rare for me to be surprised.

I loved learning about chocolate, and the town spirit was rather enjoyable. I can see myself picking up the next book in the series to see how Penn's decision plays out.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book very much. It's a great cozy mystery that opens with a great plot set-up that really drew me in and made me want to read the entire book in one sitting. This is the first book in the Southern Chocolate Chop Mysteries and I'm looking forward to more!

Charity Penn was raised by a wealthy family but never felt that she fit in. She just lost her job when she receives a letter saying she's won a contest for a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina for free cooking lessons in a chocolate shop. The problem is, Charity never entered a contest and she's worried that people are only interested in her for her last name and her money.

She asks her best friend to go investigate, and gets a cryptic message from him that tells her to pack her bags and come down. Unfortunately, her friend Skinny is discovered dead in a vat of chocolate in the Chocolate Box, the shop where Charity has won lessons. She goes to Camellia Beach to investigate skinny's death and clear up the mystery of the contest.

Once she arrives, Charity is taken in by the Chocolate Box's owner, Mabel Maybanks and her assistant. Everyone in the shop seems to be expecting her, and she starts taking some lessons in the fine art of chocolate making when the unexpected happens. Charity gets more involved in the life, and with the people of, Camellia Beach than she ever thought possible.

I thought the character development was very good. Al the characters were interesting to read about. Dorothy St. James is a very good writer, and the plot was well-conceived and interesting. The descriptions of chocolate making were fascinating, from bean to bar. The recipes sounded delicious and I'll definitely be making the hot chocolate.

All in all, I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series.

Not as expected. The protagonist is not likeable and the plot just did not grab me.
I do not publicly post negative reviews so I will not share this.

When Charity Penn, aka just Penn, receives a mysterious letter stating that she won a trip to participate in a chocolate cooking lesson, she is beyond suspicious. She never entered a contest and is incredibly wary of strangers who want to take advantage of her estranged family's fortune. Her good friend, Craig "Skinny" McGee, eagerly takes it upon himself to go to the quaint coastal town of Camellia Beach and look into matters. However, Penn feels extremely guilty when Skinny winds up murdered in a vat of chocolate. In order to find out what happened to her friend and figure out who sent her the letter, Penn sets off with her temperamental Papilion, Stella, to start asking questions around this peculiar little town. What she finds is anything but sweet. Especially when another strange death occurs and she is named heir to the local chocolate shop. How is she connected to this place and who is not happy with her arrival?

I was very interested in this book the moment I heard about it. I've read and enjoyed the author's White House Gardener Mysteries so I was delighted to see that she has started a new cozy series! This was a good start, but there was a lot going on at times. What I did enjoy was the setting. Camellia Beach is full of a quirky array of locals. They will make wonderful additions to the series and give the author plenty of options on how to develop each one as the books progress. I was very intrigued by the chocolate shop. It sounds like it could use some good love, but I love that the sweet recipes speak for themselves and draw the customers back time and time again. I was very suspicious of the culprit fairly early on and ended up being right. However, that didn't take away from the mystery. It was very well played out and there were plenty of side stories and additional characters that made me second guess my theory several times.

I didn't really dislike the book, but several things could have been toned down a bit. I got a tad annoyed with Penn as she constantly reiterated the struggles she has had with her family and how people are always after her money. It was clear that she had a life full of trust issues, neglect and a confusion on her sense of belonging. She is an adult now and if she doesn't get over those bitter feelings soon, then she is no better than her family! Even her dog was snappy. I yearned for a character that was bubbly and acted as the comic relief. I had a tough time believing that a complete stranger could just swoop in and inherit everything too. Penn has no culinary experience which baffled me. It just seems like the author had a ton of great ideas and included them without really focusing and explaining a select few. I've seen this happen several times in new series so I'm hoping everything gets smoothed out in the sequel.

With that said, I'm still anxious to see the series continue. The chocolate descriptions and recipes sounds delicious. I am definitely curious about Penn's connection to Mabel. I'd also like to see how the author develops Harley, Althea, Bertie and The Chocolate Box.

I received this e-book to read and review for free by Crooked Lane Books. Asking for Truffle is the first book in the A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery by author Dorothy St. James. I really loved this book it was cute and upbeat. You can help but feel bad for Penn in regards to her family. You cheer her on as even as the underdog you want to triumph over everything and be a success which she is. I love the mystery surrounding her mother. I have an idea of who it might be, but you never know where the author might take it, I hope we see more about it book number two. And I hope she can go back and fix the mistakes that her ex did to her and puts him out of business. I am hoping that Granny Mae continues to be in the story line she is one tough old gal. I feel that Penn could have a potential love interest in her new town. I guess only time will tell. And I hope with the knowledge she has learned by the end of this book she can square of with her grandma and settle things once and for all. I loved the recipes at the end and can't wait to try. This book is a must read for any baker, cook, chocolate lover. This book would make a great birthday!! Can't wait for number two,

I liked Asking for Truffle. I just connected with the place and characters but there are some weaknesses. Penn was an abused child, not physically (that we know of), but emotionally as well as neglected and that is used often as an excuse for either lack of action or poor decision making. That got tedious. She seems to be a doormat despite tossing her cheating boyfriend over. At some point you have to pull up your socks and take control as an adult (such as changing her first name now that she can't be stopped). That she doesn't figure out immediately why she "won" a chocolate making class is absurd. There's also a blunder by the author regarding the way someone dies. The quickest of research would have shown the way it happened wasn't possible.

Despite all of the above and including a half sibling who apparently cares for Penn, a relationship that needed more back story because it doesn't fit with what we know about how Penn was raised, I was interested enough to race through the story and I would give a second book a chance if this becomes a series. I just hope the next book sets up Penn's family a bit better and that she gets some therapy (and doesn't unbelievably become a more stable character instantly).

I would suggest you try to get this book at a library when it comes out. While it was interesting to me to read a book with such a flawed, inept sleuth, I'd be really unhappy if I paid a hardcover price (or even $12.99 kindle). I can see why some people would give Truffle a harsh rating, but overall, I was satisfied enough, 3.5/5.

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

When Charity Penn receives a letter stating she has 'won' a contest she never entered, she asks her good friend Skinny McGee to check it out for her.
When Skinny is murdered..in the same chocolate shop she had 'won' lessons in, she immediately went to find out why. The quirky little town made her extremely nervous at first, but she came to care for it, even with finding out the death of the woman who brought her there was not the natural death they believed.
Creepy feelings and murder attempts not withstanding, Penn and the small group that had become her family sought answers....but one of them already had them.
Great little cozy that fairly flies as the suspects with their possible reasons change. The characters and town come alive in the descriptions.

2.5 stars

Charity Penn - an attractive, thirty-something, marketing executive - is a skeptical kind of gal. Her parents, an itinerant fortune teller who briefly hooked up with the young heir to a fortune, abandoned her right after birth. So Charity (who calls herself Penn) was raised by her paternal grandmother Cristobel, who never had a kind word for her. Still, Penn has a hefty trust fund, and always fears people are after her money.

So when Penn, who lives in Wisconsin, gets a letter saying she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina - complete with cooking lessons at a chocolate shop - she's sure it's some kind of scam. Penn asks her friend, Skinny McGee, to look into the matter and - since he's going south anyway - Skinny stops by Camellia Beach to see what's what. Shortly afterward Skinny calls Penn and excitedly says she MUST come to Camellia Beach to see something for herself! Not long afterward Skinny is found dead in a vat of chocolate.

Consumed with guilt, Penn accepts her 'prize trip.' She packs up her ill-tempered pooch Stella - who never saw a toe she didn't want to bite - and heads for Camellia Beach. There, Penn stays in a small hotel, meets the local residents, takes cooking lessons at 'The Chocolate Box' confectionary shop, and looks into Skinny's murder.

In less than a week there's another death, things get very complicated, and Penn herself becomes the target of a killer. Not sure who to trust, Penn has to race against time to expose the miscreant before she becomes the next victim.

The book has an intriguing premise and a variety of interesting characters, including: Althea - a woman who runs a crystal shop and has mystical thoughts; Mabel and Bertie - two elderly ladies who run the 'The Chocolate Box' and teach Penn to make heavenly sweets; Harley Dalton - a handsome attorney; Cal Dalton - a surfer who looks like an action hero; Jody - a real estate agent who wants to develop Camellia beach; Troubadour - a hairless cat who looks like a giant rodent; and more.

My biggest problem with the book is Penn, who needs to go to 'detective school' if she's going to be a cozy mystery sleuth. For example, after arriving in Camellia Beach Penn takes cooking lessons for four full days before she looks into Skinny's death. A real detective (even an amateur) would never do this! And when someone hands Penn an important envelope, she ignores it, thinking she already knows what it contains (she's wrong, of course). How long does it take to look into an envelope? Even in cozies, the gumshoe should be clever and resourceful.

I was also a little put off by Penn's personality. She constantly whines about people being after her money..... and about her cold and distant relatives. These are legitimate issues - and I get it - but I don't need to hear it over and over again.

There are also too many cooking scenes in the story. I enjoyed them - but this is a mystery, not a cookbook. (I do like the recipes at the end of the book.....which sound scrumptious.)

All in all, this isn't a bad book, but it could be better (IMO).

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Dorothy St. James), and the publisher (Crooked Lane Books) for a copy of the book.

I received this book from NetGalley for free in exchange for my honest review.

A quick and fun read. It is a quirky murder mystery that kept me entertained. I loved Penn and how she tried not to fall in love with the town and yet it grew on her. I guessed one of the twists in the book but did not figure out whodunit until almost the end.

There were recipes at the end of the book and I am going to try and make the hot cocoa recipe next winter.

I look forward to other books in the series.

Determined to find out what happened to her friend and discover who sent her the mysterious prize, Penn sets out across country with her Papillon, Stella. Quickly she finds herself caught up in a week long class at The Chocolate Box, owned by Mabel Maybank and her assistant Bertie Bays, and not long after Penn discovers that things around the candy shop aren't as sweet as they seem.

A terrific debut with well rounded and interesting characters that will draw you in from page one. The main murders are solved but several subplots are not by the end of the book and you'll most definitely want to pick up the next installment in the series to follow the adventures of Penn and Stella.

I received an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley via Crooked Lane Books. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

A delectable beginning to a promising new series! We are introduced to Penn, a loner trying to navigate her way through being unwanted and unappreciated by almost everyone. Yes, she seems to have the makings of happiness, trust fund, intelligence, a promising career. Yet she is unwanted by most of her wealthy family after being dropped off on their doorstep as an infant, and has had to navigate through life being wary that everyone was using her for her money. Feeling alone and unwanted her entire life, she is surprised and wary that she received notice that she won a contest to learn to make chocolates, a contest she never entered. She shares the notice of her winning with her friend Skinny, and he promises to look into things for her.
After a late voicemail message from Skinny, telling her she needs to get down to Camellia Beach where the letter originated from, and that it is nothing to fear, she never hears from him again. Later finding out that her dear friend was murdered in the very chocolate shop that sent her letter, she vows to find out what happened to Skinny. Little does she know she is about to find herself and finally begin to feel whole.
This book has all the makings of a great beginning to a culinary cozy mystery series. Likable characters, animals that have big personalities, and the main character being thrown into one mystery after another. The characters are well thought out and written and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat until you realize you have reached the end. With wonderful recipes included this book definitely leaves you craving more.

ASKING FOR TRUFFLE by Dorothy St.James published by interesting and wellCrooked Lane Books releases September 12 Choclate is eaten by savoring on the palate, not popping in one's mouth, because of a strange letter. From childhood Charity confided to Skinny, guy who is still a whiz at computers. He will be in area, and will check it out; leaves her a messsae to pack her bags. He knows who sent letter and it's really cool. Newspaper next day, Skinny been murder, at the Chocolate Box. Now going to Camellia Beach for another reason, for Skinny. Maybe to learn about classes, making chocolate delights, from someone who can't cook. It will give her a chance to explore this beach town and talk to people. Will she find the answers of why she got the letter, and what did Skinny stumble into. A delightful beginning to a new series, all will enjoy reading. Given ARC by Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

Now I may be overly picky but I really didn't like Charity Penn (or just Penn, not Penny). She was antagonistic, rude and not all likable. I get she has a horrible backstory/childhood but honestly, I was hoping she was the one who fell into the chocolate vat instead of her best friend from childhood. Penn hates her dog (which is a big no-no for me personally) and refuses to train it or rehome it.

When Penn finds out that she won a contest from a chocolate store in South Carolina---one she's never entered, her bestie surfer dude volunteers to head down toward Folly Beach. He calls her and leaves her with a mysterious "you've got to know" this message. Sadly, he dies and local police and community members think it was a drug related death. Penn immediately goes down there from Wisconsin and manages to insult a New Age shopkeeper who happens to be the daughter of one of the ladies who owns the candy store where the bestie died. Then there's a confusing relationship with the "Cheese King", Gretchen and Penn. It involves inherited money, investments and some cheating.

It's like the author opened the middle of the book in the first chapter. I didn't understand the first two chapters because of the history and my instant dislike of Penn. The actual plot/mystery was pretty darn good and the setting was colorful so kudos to the author for that.

The cover of this book is really appealing. The title was a cute play on words and I was hoping this book would be just as appealing.

The story was interesting and fun to read. Charity Penn is a fun new character and I was excited to learn about her in this debut of a new series by Dorothy St. James.
Charity Penn is not one to enter contests, so when she receives a notice declaring her the winner, she sees this as a scam.

When her friend volunteers to investigate the little town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina, home of The Chocolate Box, the venue of her cooking classes, Charity has no idea how deadly it can be.

I voluntarily read and ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

A great cozy with lots of suspects and twists- I really had a difficult time solving this one! The characters were well written- very believable. Hope this will be a series.

When Charity Penn gets a letter telling her she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina to learn the art of chocolate making at The Chocolate Box, she’s confused; she never entered any kind of contest. When an old friend investigating the “prize” on her behalf is found dead in a chocolate vat, Charity heads to Camellia Beach to find out what happened. She’s quickly caught up in the charm of the town and its residents and even discovers she has a talent for making chocolates. But not everything is so sweet in this little town, someone wants to see the village destroyed. Can Charity and her new friends save Camellia Beach? Fans of Diane Mott Davidson will love this foodie mystery