Dead and Ganache is the fourth installment in The Chocolate Whisperer series. Hayden Mundy Moore takes a trip to France’s Brittany region and anticipates seeing her old chocolate making mentor. However, when she arrives, she finds that the sweet old man has been murdered. Hayden’s money-man, Travis, arrives shortly thereafter, and she spends her time trying to solve the murder.

Readers of this fun series will be delighted, not only because of an interesting and unique plot, but also because of the well-developed and believable characters and the well-written prose. The references to chocolate foods are irresistible, and there are great chocolate recipes included. Nobody doesn’t like chocolate (at least nobody with a brain), and nobody won’t like this delightful series!

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this novel.

This was the first in this series that I've read since I volunteered to read and review an advance copy of it. I like how the author gets the reader up to speed with Hayden's narrative in the beginning--I had to double check to see if I was in the first book, that's how good of a job she did. I had never read about the two guys in her life, one bodyguard, one financial adviser but I sure felt like I knew them once I'd read only a little bit about them and said by them. Hayden's own background of how she became a wealthy traveling chocolate whisperer was explained briefly but with enough detail that a person can read this book without having read the previous books.

The descriptions of provincial France were detailed and pretty amazing because I could just picture the little street and even the chateau where Hayden and Travis were staying. I've never been to France at all. I've only ever seen pictures or videos online but the descriptions in the book are vivid.

There was definitely a lot of potential killers to choose from and I didn't guess who it was until I had read enough clues which I think the author tossed out there for us to find. The take down was pretty awesome. I wasn't sure about the police detective, Melanie, at first but was glad that she ended up being one of the types that treats the sleuth with respect and actually asks for their help.

It was kind of a complex case in a way, and there was a little side mystery that I had no clue about so that was a fun surprise. Despite Hayden's coming to be with her chocolatier mentor and having to be there while he was murdered, she was able to help out with the crime as well as make a few new friends and learn a thing or two about her previously mysterious voice-only financial adviser. I'm interested in reading the other three in this series now to see just how all this started. Hopefully I can get caught up with the series before the 5th book comes out!

I am always a little sad when a mentor is killed off in a mystery. I love Hayden's stories and the arrival of Travis on the scene makes for a great story. Plenty of references to chocolate wrap up the book well!

This is the fourth book of the series but can be read as a stand alone. I still felt connected to the characters being this is the first book I read in the series. Going back and reading the rest sounds like a good plan. I laughed hard when she called herself the "chocolate whisper." It is a great introduction to the book and series. This mystery has a LOT of Drama. Wow- can we say soap opera? The story kept my attention had me eager to turn the pages. This "new to me " author is a must read! Recipes included. Can I have some chocolate now?

This is a series that is getting better with each book. One of the best things about this book is that we finally get to 'meet' Travis. It is a well-written book that kept me reading until the end. Twists and turns kept it interesting.

Dead and Ganache is the fourth book in Colette London's Chocolate Whisperer mystery series. This series is a delight and the perfect cozy series with chocolate , murder and great characters. This book can be read as a stand alone however I do recommend the entire series. .
In this next in series our chocolate expert and baker Hayden Mundy Moore a/k/a the Chocolate Whisperer travels to France for a retirement party for her mentor. After a murder occurs she dives into the investigation where clues abound and she seeks the help of her friends to help her solve the murder.
This book was the perfect cozy read. It had a beautiful location, wonderful characters and a great sleuth. I enjoyed the series of clues and found it challenging to figure out the murderer.
This series is fast paced reading, a perfect mystery to enjoy for an afternoon and a great escape to France.
I highly recommend this to all cozy mystery fans .i look forward to the next in series .
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review. A highly enjoyable read !

This was a great change for me, I loved the setting being in France I felt like I was in vacation. I craved chocolate and goodies while reading the amazing descriptions of goodies that were created in this book. This has a great face paced mystery and I highly recommend it

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Chocolate, who wouldn't like a story about chocolate? Added bonus we get to learn a bit more about Harvard aka, Hayden's voice crush financial advisor who faces his fear of flying to be by her side (and she didn't even ask him to). The muscle of the story, Danny is laid up from eye surgery so we have a flip flop of roles. Hayden Mundy Moore, chocolate whisper, is in a small French village to wish her mentor Philippe Vetault, happy retirement when he is brutally murdered with a chocolate chipping tool that apparently no true chocolatier would ever use. So many possible culprits there is the Mentor's latest protégé to a French pop star's video crew to the rival company that is marrying into the Vetault family and even his own wife and her lover, not to mention the usual town suspects. Another great book with great recipes and I LOVE that Travis made a visceral appearance and hope to see him just as involved in future installments!

I wasn't drawn into the story by the characters but read it because of the French setting and chocolate. Never having read any of the other books in this series, I will probably go back and read them. The mystery was good and the premise of her having to travel in order to keep receiving her trust funds was a fresh twist. Having missed the previous books I'm pretty sure I missed out on some of the dynamics she has with her trustee and with her traveling companion. Honestly, the thought of traveling the world because of chocolate.....sounds like a nice gig.

I couldn't finish this book. I don't know why but I've grown tired of this series. It's not working for me anymore.

Colette London's Dead and Ganache is the fourth book in the Chocolate Whisperer Mystery series. I have read the previous books in this series, but it is not necessary. Hayden Mundy Moore is a chocolate whisperer. She heads to her mentor's hometown to celebrate his retirement. The party is cut very short when he is murdered. I enjoy the chocolate theme of this series, but I have a hard time liking Hayden. I keep expecting her to grow and mature, but I was disappointed yet again. She is haughty and a bit ditzy. This is a personal annoyance though, and you might find Hayden to be the perfect cozy heroine.

A traveling cozy! I'd not read the first books in this series but that wasn't a problem because London recapped The Who's who early on. Hayden is in France to visit her mentor but sadly, she sees him fall or be pushed at his chateau in St Malo. Did someone kill Philippe? If so, why? And, more importantly, who? Hayden is undeterred by the fact that she's in a foreign country because she's the recipient of an odd trust that requires her to travel. Her trustee, Travis, turns up (he's interesting) at this site. This is a classic, in some ways (intrepid female amateur, good setting, food) but it's got some twists. Not too complex but pretty entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one if you're a fan of the genre.

A Francophile would probably enjoy this book more than I. I do enjoy the series and this is an engaging addition. Some fun surprises and an interesting mystery to solve. I look forward to reading the next one.

This was a DNF at 30% for me. I had not read the previous 3 books but had no problem picking up the story line because the author spells it all out for the reader...to excess. She also describes the setting...to excess.

Keeping Travis so secretive is a hook and a bit far fetched, but I can see readers liking a bit of romance in their cozies would find this enjoyable especially since pay off by the beginning of book 4 isn't stretching it too far. However, Hayden finally meets him in this book and it falls flat. OMG! If I finally met the man I fantasized about and admit to having a crush on from his voice, I would show much more curiosity and enthusiasm than Hayden. I would have sat down with him and gotten some answers. As I said, I was new to the series and just from what I'd read up to the point they meet in this book I got such a strong impression of how Hayden would react to meeting him and it didn't happen.

So, by 30% I had no interest in the characters, the sleuthing hadn't really gotten started and I just didn't care to continue reading.

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

What can beat the combo of the French countryside and chocolate? This enjoyable read has me putting the previous books in the series on my to be read list. Very well written with lots of twists and turns to keep it interesting. So glad i picked this one to read.

Dead and Ganache is a fun cozy mystery with an delightful setting in the French countryside with engaging characters that kept my attention throughout the book. I enjoyed it very much, even though I had not read the previous books in the series.

Hayden Moore is known as the Chocolate Whisperer. She travels the world, helping with chocolate emergencies courtesy of her deceased uncle whose trust stipulates that she must travel or she loses voids the trust. Her trustee is a mysterious man named Travis Turner whom she's never met, but has lots of theories about, especially when discussing the subject with her close friend/bodyguard/ travel companion Danny Jamieson.

Hayden has worked with all kinds of chefs, restaurants and chocolate producers, but this time she's going to France for the retirement party of her mentor Phillipe Vetault. He taught her everything she knows about chocolate and she's his favorite pupil.

The party is timed to coincide with the town of Saint Malo's Fez-Noz, a celebration party held at night. The party is in full swing when Hayden sees Phillipe fall, and she sees a man standing over him. Hayden is devastated at Phillipe's death and is determined to investigate. Unfortunately, Danny isn't with Hayden this time due to an injury. Who murdered Phillipe? Was it his estranged wife? The latest pupil at the chocolate shop? His daughter's fiancee? Hayden is determined to investigate alone when suddenly her mystery trustee Travis shows up in Saint Malo. Together they try to solve Phillipe's murder.

I highly recommend this book. There were plenty of twists and turns and I didn't guess the murderer until close to the end. The writing was well-done and I'll be reading the other books in the series.

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

Chocolate, Intrigue, and Murder
Dead and Ganache is the fourth book in Colette London's Chocolate Whisperer mystery series. This book was an enjoyable, clean read, with an interesting mystery and touches of humor. There are lots of twists and turns and potential suspects to keep the reader engaged. The characters are colorful and entertaining and I was kept guessing “whodunit” until the reveal.

The main character is Hayden Mundy Moore a/k/a the Chocolate Whisperer and in this installment, she travels to Saint-Malo, France for the retirement party of Philippe Vetault, the mentor who led her down the path of chocolate appreciation. His retirement party was to coincide with the seaside town’s Fest-Noz, a Brittany nighttime party celebrated with fireworks, food, music, and dancing. Philippe has a special announcement, but before he has a chance to reveal it, Hayden sees that he has fallen to the ground, with a shadowy figure looming over him. She believes it’s an open and shut case, but Melanie Flamant of the local police refuse to arrest him. Hayden’s best friend/bodyguard, Danny Jamieson, is unable to travel because of a detached retina, but her financial adviser, Travis Turner, whom she’s never met, overcomes his fear of flying and unexpectedly shows up. Hayden, Danny (by phone), and Travis work together to identify the person who murdered Philippe. They uncover affairs, deceit, and no shortage of suspects.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Dead and Ganache: A Chocolate Whisperer Mystery
By Colette London
Kensington
October 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

Hayden Mundy Moore rarely receives credit for the work she does, preferring to labor behind-the-scenes as she secretly improves chocolate recipes for her clients. The self-described Chocolate Whisperer was traveling to Saint-Malo, France for the retirement party of the mentor who led her down the path of chocolate appreciation, chcolaterie owner Philippe Vetault. His au revoir party was to coincide with the seaside town’s Fest-Noz, a Brittany nighttime party celebrated with fireworks, food, music, and dancing. Before Philippe can make the special announcement he promised, Hayden finds him stabbed to death, with an angry man standing above him. Local police refuse to arrest the gardener Hayden nicknames “Angry Bloody Hands Man,” inciting Hayden into action and investigating on her own. With her usual best friend/bodyguard Danny Jamieson grounded due to a detached retina, there’s no one to reign in her impulsive, rather chaotic pursuit for justice. Enter financial adviser Travis Turner, who has made his way to France to surprise Hayden, only to once again find her mixing chocolate with murder.

Hayden has never met Travis Turner, but it’s not from lack of trying. The owner of the husky, undeniably sexy voice has proven to be frustratingly resistant to Hayden’s teasing come-ons, refusing to overcome his aviophobia to board a plane and meet his client in person. For someone with an abundance of curiosity and stubborn resilience, meeting her “keeper” and the one in charge of her finances has been the White Whale of Hayden’s existence. Until now.

Travis is the opposite of Danny’s all-in, going rogue, avoid-the-police approach to investigations. Au contraire, Travis has become very cozy with l ’agent Melanie Flamant, who takes a far more lackadaisical approach to her questioning of Philippe’s unmournful wife and his angry business neighbors. Of course, being involved in a multitude of murders has had its effect on Hayden, who nevertheless remains unwaveringly loyal to those in the chocolate business. The one opinion Danny and Travis share is that Hayden is far too trusting, placing her faith in people until proven otherwise. Yet it is Hayden’s plucky optimism that makes her such a delight for readers, not to mention her enthusiasm for all aspects of chocolate. The nuances of chocolate delicacies are only enhanced by the French setting, not to mention the sensual, gastronomical way of life. This is a genuinely fun mystery, helmed by a relentlessly positive character who perseveres despite the death around her. Chocolate, intrigue, and death has never been so entertaining.

Hayley Mundy Moore has the perfect life - she is a "chocolate whisperer", an expert on all things chocolate and has the enviable task of traveling all over the world doing chocolate consultations. She fixes recipes, and tweaks ingredients and techniques. But she also seems to be a bit of a "murder whisperer" finding crime and mayhem wherever she goes. And, along with the help of her friend and financial advisor Travis, she is as competent a criminal investigator as she is a chocolatier. In this story Hayley has come to the coast of Brittany in France to meet with the man who was her mentor early in her career, and when she finds that he was murdered she along with Travis will stop at nothing to find the guilty party. This is a great series with a wonderful setting, interesting characters, and, oh yes- lots of delicious chocolate. Have a box near you when you read this - you' want to dig into the chocolate and the mystery.