This book has a fun cozy premise and, if you like all things chocolate, this book will not disappoint! I found the beginning to have a bit of a "woe is me" vibe with the main characters incessantly talking about how they might lose their shop but once they got past that I enjoyed the well planned mystery and the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. I definitely would love to read more books in this series.

It seems like it's been a year or the better part of a year since I read the first book in the series, so I was glad to be able to get an ARC of this one from NetGalley. It was just as good a mystery and roller-coaster ride as I remember describing the first book.

This book doesn't need a romantic interest for main character Jake, she's already married to a great guy named Wade, and the same for her business partner at the Chocolate Moose, Ellie. Ellie is married to George, a construction worker who is gone a lot--but he and Ellie were very happy and had a daughter. It was sad that the girls were thinking of closing their shop, which had always been their dream, but if they couldn't get more business, it seemed inevitable. Of course, just as they were getting a nice-paying wedding cake job, there was a murder to investigate--and the bride and grooms were both in jail now. Bob Arnold, the local police chief was always incredibly patient with their snooping. He never threatened to toss them in jail, but he seemed genuinely concerned for their well-being.

I loved that some of the action was true edge-of-your seat type action! The showdown with the killer was great. I had never suspected this person at all! Jake's dad cracks me up. He's an aging hippie who has just bought a brand new truck and has recovered from a heart attack. He isn't happy about being babied, so he drives around town, but always stays within the law. Dad came in handy during the showdown, that's for sure.

I really appreciate the in-depth explanation the author gives for her mysteries. In this book, it took place a week later in the form of Bob and Jake talking, then Jake's dad had some pretty awesome news for her. I'll be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series!

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

I enjoyed this cozy entry very much and will continue to follow this series!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Jake and Ellie have a great business. Everyone loves their fare from the aforementioned milkshakes to the whoopie pie wedding cake they are contracted to concoct. Anything other than tourist season in rural Maine can be tough and finances tight and having a great product doesn’t change reality. In fact, they are so close to the edge they may have to close. The only thread that keeps them hanging on is the big wedding job.
But when the local sleaze bucket is murdered and both the bride and groom are suspects, there is a good chance the wedding may be off. To increase the pain, it looks like someone doctored one of their chocolate shakes and made it the murder weapon. The ladies are. doubly determined when a nice old lady is killed because of what she might know of the crime. Even with the approval of the local sheriff, these two manage to get themselves into some very big pickles.
But when they finally figure out who did it, the killer realizes they know too much. Once in a while you want to throw a show at Jake’s head but for the most part, she is not one of these heroines who should be nominated for a Darwin Award. Still, there are plenty of thrills and chills and a group of characters who are colourful and funny. Jake in particular has a wicked sense of humour.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake

by Sarah Graves

Jake (Jacobia) relates this tale from the first person point of view as she and her friend Ellie struggle to survive the low tourist season in Maine. In this delightful cozy mystery, Jake and Ellie own their dream shop, The Chocolate Moose. Having recently purchased a vintage, mint green milkshake maker, they have added chocolate milkshakes to the treats featured in their chocolate themed bakery. Unfortunately, an abusive local drunk is found dead with one of their milkshake cups beside him.

In Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves, questions swirl like a milkshake in a blender. Was the victim poisoned by the milkshake? Will the tampered milkshake rumors prove deadly to their struggling business? The ladies are counting on a whoopie-pie wedding cake to keep their business afloat; but with the groom suspected of murder, will the wedding even take place?

There are other suspects, interesting extended family members, a competent, sympathetic sheriff, lots of action, and more than a little danger as Jake and Ellie try to save their shop, keep Ellie and her family from having to move, discover the murderer and stay alive. I was surprised by the ending and the revelation of the murderer.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #2 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery Series, but will work as a standalone. It features a recipe for Ginger Chocolate Biscotti.

Publication: January 29, 2019—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

The landlady’s glare was so cold, you could’ve used it to freeze fish.

An old railroad trestle crossed the gap between two high bluffs over a grassy salt marsh. In the moonlight, the cattails in the marsh stood motionless as if at attention.

Basically, I thought, frogs lived in a puddle, ate flies, and never got warm; still they yelled out their happiness in doing it and I found that encouraging.

Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves is a fun read that will have you longing for good chocolate with friends by the coast. This is the second addition to the "Death by Chocolate Mystery" series . I have read and enjoyed the first in series and highly recommend the series. The seaside town of Eastport, Maine is the setting of the fabulous chocolate shop " The Chocolate Moose" and the home of our protagonist Jake and her family. The author has a talent for describing the coastal setting to the reader that brings every aspect of this charming town to life and the shop.

Jake is a generous likable character who is a fixture in her small coastal town and loved by the locals. When her shop is in danger of closing, she is worried that it may not be viable to keep it going during off season in coastal Maine. She and her husband will have to leave their beloved town if the shop closes. They hope to avoid moving away by making the shop a year around success.
When a murder occurs and the weapon is one of their milkshakes she is more worried and vows to take on the sleuth to save her business and her reputation.. Their one hope is catering a large wedding between a teacher, and Andy Devine, who is a Coast Guard officer. She knows this will save her business but its possible the police believe the groom may be a suspect . If so she will lose the business so she jumps into the sleuth and soon suspects abound with clues that have her on the right track with the support of the local police.

This was a fun read with a great sleuth that kept me guessing. The supporting charcters all add to the story and are likable. I like the premises of a seaside chocolate shop and the small town coastal village life in Maine.
I look forward to returning to the story in the next release. Well done to the author. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you to Net Galley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

“Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake” earns 4/5 Chocolatey Conundrums…Clever!

Marriage, Milkshakes, and Murder! Well, the marriage may be on hold when the bride and groom are both suspects, and the poisoned-milkshake murder weapon may put Jake and Elle’s bakery The Chocolate Moose out of business…so Jake and Elle again bake up ways to ask questions, seek evidence, and find a killer! For the second book in Sarah Graves’s Death by Chocolate series she uses the traditional cozy formula, but her writing style, clever mystery, developing characters, and an “I didn't see that coming” ending kept me turning the pages. Women scorned? She uses the “I” perspective to share Jake’s inner thoughts, vivid descriptions, and engaging character banter, but it's the various possibilities along with a couple of dead ends that kept my inner Sherlock guessing. And my favorite words! Not, “It's murder!” My favorite words are “Recipes Included!” Readers are treated to an easy-to-follow recipe for Ginger Chocolate Biscotti.
Side note: Jake and Elle are originally from Sarah Graves’s Home Repair is Homicide, and if this series is any indication of it being another entertaining read, I'm putting those sixteen books on my TBR list.

This is the second book in Sarah Graves second series featuring Jake and her Eastport, Maine community. I find her books a bit of a traditional female lead murder mystery/new cozy style hybrid, meaning they are a bit darker and less obvious than the modern cozy, yet the characters and setting are not are as charming. I do enjoy this reboot surrounding Jake and her friend Ellie's bakery better than the original series featuring the characters and you do not have to read the original series to follow this one.
This book follows the women as they try and save their bakery from closing due to the issues of running a business during the slow months in a tourist town. They only thing keeping them afloat is an upcoming wedding reception they're catering, but when the groom becomes the main suspect in a murder it's up to them to solve the crime in time to save him, the wedding and their shop. As usual, the woman make a lot of dangerous and unnecessary choices to try and figure out the crime that drives the reader crazy, yet if they didn't the book would have any drama now would it? I found the ending did have a few surprises and I found it and enjoyable read. I would continue on with the series.

The second book in this series finds Jake and Ellie, owners of the Chocolate Moose bakery making a wedding cake for locals Sharon and Andy's wedding. When Sharon's bitter ex shows up first to cause trouble, then poisoned by the cake, Jake and Ellie set out to not only prove neither Andy nor Sharon had anything to do with the murder, but that neither did their cake! This was a good story, but I still find myself wondering if I need to read the previous series that the main characters were part of. I really like them and the little town, along with all the characters, it really is worth reading.

I missed the first/previous book in this series so this is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Graves. I could follow the plot well enough anyway. I’d thought this book would be right up my alley but it actually turned out to be something of a slow burn for me. It seemed to be quite narration-heavy and evidence mostly was happened upon rather than being sought out or investigated and certain plot points were brought up/talked about ad nauseum, making it repetitive. All the characters (but especially the mains, Jake and Ellie) had this habit of explaining what they’d just said and I found that to be quite irritating. But the book picked up about halfway through in the humor department and I found myself laughing more and that made the minor irritations more tolerable. Another thing that struck me as odd was the use of off-colour language in the book. It was not gratuitous but it was there and I found it very out of place for the cozy genre. If I ever came across the opportunity to read another book in this series, or by this author, I would do so but I probably wouldn’t especially seek one out.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Death By Chocolate Series by Sarah Graves. Even though I did not read the first book, I had no trouble getting right into the story and getting to know the characters. The owners of the Chocolate Moose sweet shop, Jake (Jacobia) and Ellie are involved in figuring out a murder in their tiny island town in Maine. One of their signature milkshake cups was found at a murder scene, and they are determined to get to the bottom of this. I found the story of their shop very realistic, how they are a young business and struggling to make ends meet. They are depending on the income of a special Whoopie Pie shaped wedding cake to get them over the hump until tourist season, but the groom is the number one suspect! Because Jake and Ellie have a vested interest, and sales of their famous milkshakes have declined, they are on the case. There were parts of the story that made me laugh out loud, and I'd highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.

In this second book of the series the ladies are having a hard time, things aren't going well and it looks like they are going to have to close up their business. They have a wedding that may take them out of the red and put them in the black but only for a short time. When a local is murdered and it looks like one of their famous milkshakes with poison is the culprit things go from bad to worse. The groom has become the main suspect and it looks like the wedding they need might not happen. Jake and Ellie start looking into the death of the victim but soon learn that he had way more enemies than friends. With so much on the line they aren't willing to give up on the search for a murderer though. Follow along as they get themselves into one bad situation after another in the search for a killer. Will they have to close up shop in the end or will they pull out a miracle?

I'm so glad that Sarah Graves has given Jake and Ellie from Home Repair is Homicide a new platform. When the first series concluded I was sorry to say goodbye. Now they are back in this, the second mystery in their new series, Death By Chocolate. No matter what the season, chocolate is the most important food group. Winter or Summer, rain or shine, chocolate is a wonderful comfort food. However, in Maine it's a seasonal life style and money made in Summer carries the locals through into Spring. In this mystery we find Jake and Ellie in a tight financial situation. They won't make it through Winter if they don't have this wedding cake to cater, a Whoopee cake is the focus of their hopes to stay afloat or their business will go under.
All looks like it's coming together nicely as the wedding day for Sharon and Andy.......until Sharon's nasty ex-boyfriend makes his presence known when he is found dead. Things get very personal for everyone when it turns out he was poisoned with one of Jake and Ellie's new Moose Milkshakes with a side of insecticide. Perfect for the louse he was. The police focus on Andy, the groom because he was seen arguing with Toby, the ex-boyfriend/soon to be corpse at the bar. When Sharon also becomes a prime suspect, the wedding is no more. Jake and Ellie now have to find the real killer - the future of four people are on the line plus their families futures, as well.
As a cozy mystery this has it all with the small town, strong characters and toned down violence. This series is very character driven so that changes the pace. This book can be read as a stand alone but a reader new to this series will surely want to go back to the Home Repair is Homicide series to really get to know all about Jake, Ellie, Jake's father and the rest of the residents of Eastport, Maine. I'm looking forward to the third mystery that involves Jake and Ellie. It's like hanging out with friends.

Love the writing style of this author.
Interesting from the very first page, with lots of subplots to keep the story fun to read and engaging.
The characters are well developed and easy to connect.
Definitely recommend it.

Basically a standard cozy with a good plot, but way too much filling with food and personal stuff. There's endless dialogue, lots of repetition and a very slow pace. The last quarter or so of the book is much better, and the characters are excellent, so with a little tidying it could be a very good book.

And we're back at it again with our MCs Jake and Ellie, owners of The Chocolate Moose. 

This time, Jake and Ellie have hit rock bottom. Despite their culinary talents, they're short on customers, and therefore short of funds. Their only hope is the wedding catering gig, but the bride-to-be's loathsome ex was found dead, with The Chocolate Moose's newest product, chocolate milkshake. So Jake and Ellie have to solve the mystery to keep their beloved business.

The families, as support, remained the supporting cast, and did not take away any percentage of the limelight from Jake and Ellie, the stars of this show. This is something I very much appreciate in cozy mysteries, because the MCs are supposed to be our focus, since we get to know the story through their perspectives, and there is that danger of being bogged down by many characters and events that are not significant nor helps in the build up of the suspense and/or act as red herrings. 

I liked the desperation that the MCs felt. They were so desperate to keep the business (for very good reasons, actually), so the solving of the murder was first priority, disregarding anything bad that could possibly happen to them. This feels grounded and more realistic, and you can relate to the recklessness they have throughout the story. The mystery is still written with the right amount of suspense and elimination(?) of the suspects, and the huge reveal was satisfactorily done, but unlike with some of my favorite cozy mystery titles, I thought the real murderer was unsympathetic. 

In any case, this is a fun read. It's really more active and more action-packed than the usual cozy mystery. 

*** I got a copy of this book from NetGalley. These are all my own opinions. Official publication date is January 29, 2019.

This is the 2nd installment of the Death by Chocolate series. This series is linked to the author’s previous series (a fixer upper series). I have not read the first series and is not required to enjoy this series. The author gives plenty of background. Jacobia (Jake) and Ellie own a chocolate shop and they are close to having to close their doors. Summer months were good to their new business but winter months in Maine are not allowing them to have enough money to keep open. They have one last ditch effort for the upcoming wedding of Andy (local golden boy/coast guard) and Sharon (Kindergarten teacher) where they have been commissioned to make a “whoppie pie” cake. Unfortunately Andy and Sharon are suspects in the murder of local bad boy Toby Moran and ex-boyfriend of Sharon. Toby is found dead behind the bar he was kicked out of and Andy is seen leaving shortly thereafter. Next to Toby is the milkshake cup from Ellie and Jake’s Shop The Chocolate Moose. It appears Toby drank a poisoned milkshake. So everyone is staying clear of the Moose Milkshakes. Jake and Ellie feel the must investigate if they have any chance of keeping their business open and stop Ellie from moving away. Lots of twists and turns and I did not figure out who the murderer was until towards the end when the author wanted me too. I did enjoy the story and this series but found this one dragged on a little bit. Will definitely read the next in the series.

It's no surprise when Toby Moran turns up dead In an Eastport alley. What is surprising however is that he made it to the age of thirty, with a string of crimes and abusive relationships which morphed into stalking and blackmail. The problem is that the murder "weapon" appears to be one of The Chocolate Moose's signature chocolate milkshakes, laced with bug killer. More than that, Jacobia and Ellie, the Moose's owners are struggling. They are even considering closing the bakery after the winter's slump in sales. If so, Ellie and her husband, George, will have to sell up and move so that George can find steady work to provide for Ellie and their daughter. Ellie and George have been fixtures in Eastport for their entire lives, and the move will be a blow to the town and Jacobia in particular. Their one hope is catering a large wedding between Sharon Sweetwater, kindergarten teacher, and Andy Devine, Coast Guard officer. If the police look at them since Sharon is Toby's latest victim, the wedding will be off. Their last hope of staying afloat will disappear. Naturally, Jacobia and Ellie need to investigate. Even Bob Arnold, Eastport's Police Chief, doesn't seem to be averse to their activities this one time. And once again, Ellie and Jacobia find themselves in life-threatening situations.

I am always glad for another visit to Eastport and its citizens. Though the many books of the previous series, Home Repair is Homicide, all the main characters have become like old friends. Having visited Eastport, I can recognize many of the places described in the books. I also appreciate that Graves gives an accurate representation of just how hard it is for the people who welcome us summer visitors, to survive when the economy winds down for the winter. Work has always been hard to find in Maine: something that never seems to change, especially in the state's furthest reaches. Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake doesn't shy away from the hard facts of Maine life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

“What an interesting coincidence,” Ellie added under her breath.
“No Kidding.” If the hairs on the back of my neck had hairs of their own,
they’d have been bristling too. Because as far as I’m concerned, coincidence is right
up there with the Tooth Fairy, benevolent dictatorships, and the
even-halfway-edible all-you-can-eat buffet in the believability department.
Sarah Graves, Death by Malted Milkshake, Kindle Loc. 1547

The island fishing village of Eastport, Maine, has plenty of salty local character. It also has a sweet side, thanks to Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree, her best friend Ellie, and their waterfront bake shop, The Chocolate Moose. But when island life is disrupted by the occasional killer, Jake and Ellie put their chocolate treats aside to make sure justice is served.

This summer, Eastport’s favorite lovebirds, kindergarten teacher Sharon Sweetwater and Coast Guard Captain Andy Devine, are getting married. The gala reception is sure to be the fête of the season, especially with a wedding-cake-sized whoopie pie courtesy of The Chocolate Moose. For Jake and Ellie, the custom-ordered confection will finally reel in some much-needed profits. But the celebratory air, and sweet smell of success, are ruined by foul murder.

When Sharon’s bitter ex-boyfriend Toby is poisoned with an arsenic-laced milkshake, Andy is jailed as the prime suspect and the wedding is cancelled, whoopie pie and all. Then Sharon makes a shocking confession—one that sounds like a fishy attempt to get Andy off the hook. Now both the bride and groom are behind bars. And with the fate of The Chocolate Moose at stake, it’s up to Jake and Ellie to catch a poisonous predator before someone else sips their last dessert.
Amazon.com


Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake is the second book in the Death by Chocolate mystery series. I felt very at home reading this book. Normally, I hate to miss the first book in the series, but even so I enjoyed it. But start with the first book, Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake.

One of the reasons the book felt familiar, like home to me, is the setting. I live on Hatteras Island, NC. Like Eastport, ME, Hatteras is dependent on summer tourist dollars to support its economy. Many of the homes aren’t in the best shape due to the harsh marine environment, also the case in Eastport evidently. And the town population shrinks during the off season.

Another reason I liked this book was main character Jake Tiptree. Jake isn’t a typical cozy heroine. Her background is a bit sketchy. She’s worked for the mob in creative accounting. Her father likes to blow stuff up. She has four generations living in her one house. Sarah Graves has created a situation in which just living her life, Jake is under pressure. Top that off with a failing business and murder—it’s a winning and complex basis for amateur sleuths.

Please welcome Sarah Graves to WWK. E. B. Davis

What are the complications of writing a series in not only a real place, but one where you live?

I don’t put real people into my books, and I don’t put dead bodies into real houses other than my own. That seems to cover the two major complications I can think of, or anyway it’s worked so far. The real Eastport is actually a main character in the books: its beauty and charm, but also its remoteness and its dangers. It’s that combination that creates tension, I think.

What’s the population of Eastport, ME?

We have around 1100 or so people year-round, but that goes up a lot in the summer when the weather is so perfect. Between January and April it’s pretty quiet around here!

Is Tiptree a Native American name?

It’s not, actually. I chose it because I couldn’t find anyone whose last name it really was, except for the writer James Tiptree, Jr., whom I admire very much.

What is Moxie?

Moxie is a bitterish soft drink invented in the late 1800s and first called Moxie Nerve Food. It was invented by a Mainer, and in 2005 it became the official soft drink of Maine. But have I mentioned that it is bitter? You’ll either love it or hate it, I suspect.

Jake is a grandmother. Ellie’s daughter is still in school. How much older is Jake?

Jake was a very young mother, so she’s not a lot older than Ellie, who didn’t give in and marry George for quite a long time.

I was surprised the engaged couple wanted a Whoopie Pie wedding cake because I think of them as Amish. Are Whoopie Pies popular in Maine?

Oh, yes, they’ve been making them here for a hundred years and the Whoopie Pie is actually the official Maine state treat! As opposed to blueberry pie, which is the official dessert... so can a blueberry-cream filled chocolate whoopie pie be far behind? I think not!

Throughout the book, Jake advises the reader about recipes and baking within the story. Why did you decide to include this insight and perspective?

It seemed natural to me that Jake would be making these comments, since the whole baking thing is somewhat new to her and thus she’d be thinking about them rather than just doing them automatically out of habit. Also, in mysteries about art we get art details and in horse racing mysteries we get horsey details, so why not the same for baking?

Jenna’s an interesting character. She seems mean and yet she evokes sympathy. Why?

Oh, because she’s so miserable at heart. I mean, I guess some people are mean deliberately, but it’s obvious that she’s in pain and lashing out on account of it. Also, the way Jake and Ellie and Bella react to Jenna gives us a hint as to how we might want to react, too.

Although Mika is a violinist, she works at the chocolate shop. Is she trying to substitute baking for music to adapt to the local economy?

I think right now Mika’s just trying to find her way in this new family of hers, and she’s got this useful talent that she can help out with, so she does. You’re right, though, that moving to Eastport means adapting to the local economy and finding a way to thrive in it, because jobs a person can live on are even scarcer way out here than they are everywhere else.

Jake is more of the lead investigator, thinking and asking questions about the case. What does Ellie contribute to the team?

Ellie has a truly ridiculous amount of energy and nerve, as well as a lot of information about local history and local people – information that may hold the key to someone’s motive, for instance. Also she’s got a lot of heart, which inspires Jake, and she’s completely on Jake’s side, the kind of friend I think we all either feel grateful for, or wish for.

What’s a clam hod?

A clam hod is a slat-bottomed wooden basket with a handle, used by clam diggers to hold the clams they’ve dug.

Jacob, Jake’s dad, has had a heart attack. At what point does protecting him become dominating him? How does he deal with Bella and Jake’s behavior?

Yes, that’s the question, all right. They want to do their best for him, but that’s not always what is best for him. He deals with their behavior in his usual stubborn way, by rebelling against it – but that doesn’t mean he’s not listening to them. It just means that when he knows he’s right, he behaves accordingly and lets other people come around to his way of thinking in their own good time.

Is Pleasant Point a real place?

Yes! Pleasant Point is the Passamaquoddy tribe’s nearby reservation, home to about 700 people.

What other series do you write?

None right now, but Jake and Ellie had a previous series, also set in Eastport, called the Home Repair is Homicide series. The first one was The Dead Cat Bounce, and if you like the Death by Chocolate books you might like the Homicide series, too.

What’s next for Jake and Ellie?

Oh, they’re busy! Right now they’re making chocolate frosted doughnuts, so you can guess what the title of their next adventure will be. Other than that, all I can say is that it involves boat rescues, cannon explosions, a guy with a cutlass through his heart and a stuffed parrot on his shoulder, and the best chocolate mint cookie you ever tasted in your life. I can’t wait to learn how it all turns out!

'Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake' is the first book I have read by Sarah Graves, and I had a difficult time appreciating it. I was confused by the characters, as if I should have known all about them, Their relationships were disconcerting to me, especially the lack of connection between Jake and her husband. I felt I was the victim of the consequence of never being exposed to Jacobia before, in either of her series'. That being said, I was interested in the resolution of the murder and the impact on The Chocolate Moose. I suppose if I find time I can go back and obtain more Sarah Graves books and see if I develop more affection for the characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.