Dollycas’s Thoughts

We arrive in Eastport, Maine just in time for the annual Pirate Festival. Jake and Ellie are ready to welcome all the matey’s to The Chocolate Moose with the exception of celebrity foodie, Henry Hadlyme. The man definitely has a hidden agenda and the bakers want nothing to do with him. But that was not meant to be. When Jake goes to the basement for some cleaning supplies she finds the man’s dead body. What makes the tragedy even worse Jake becomes the police’s prime suspect. Shivers me timbers and batten down the hatches. Can she and Ellie clear her name or will she be joining some other scallywags behind bars?

Oh, what a fun story! This series is a continuation/spinoff of Sarah Graves’ A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series but they can easily be read on their own.

I really like the family aspect in this series and how close Jake and Ellie are. The whole dynamic can bring both humor and drama to the story. All the characters are very well-developed but the author always seems to introduce new things about them in each book.

The mystery really takes off when a huge mysterious ship arrives in the harbor setting off a large explosion that rocks Eastport. Could it be connected to the very dead Henry Hadlyme? Ms. Graves sets off a great set of twists and turns herself. The pace really picks up as we find Ellie and Jake in some dire situations that had this reader on the edge of my seat. I did think I had most of the mystery figured out but was gobsmacked when all was revealed.

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut was a wild mystery and a Perfect Escape. Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle is screaming at me from my TBR stack. I hope to indulge in that tasty morsel soon

What I love most about Sarah Graves' books is that they take place in a real place, Eastport, Maine! Every year they have their famous Pirate Festival and this time a food critic is found dead in their basement. Wonderful imagery and a good mystery make this book a win!

I have enjoyed the previous two books in this series and this one was even better. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and her best friend Ellie White are quite happy with how their shop, The Chocolate Moose, is finally becoming a successful business. Eastport, Maine is in the midst of the annual Pirate Festival and they are ready to welcome customers to the store. When Henry Hadlyme, a blogger and somewhat celebrity foodie, wants to film in their shop, Jake blocks his entrance and refuses his request. Their argument is heard by many and when he ends up dead in their basement, no less, she is the prime suspect. While not arrested yet, it gives her and Emily the time and opportunity to ask questions and follow up on leads they get.

This was an action packed story. From a rescue in the harbour, to a mysterious boat that has gun ports, a shot up store, and eventual kidnapping, these ladies seem to attract trouble. There are a few suspects, but many of the clues lead them into a cold case. Does it have anything to do with the recent murder? I really enjoy Jake and Ellie as the protagonists in these stories. They both seem to be down to earth, well accepted in the community, but put them together and they get into some pretty crazy situations. There is also some humour that had me giggling, especially when there are snakes involved. I am going to say, that you will have to suspend belief with this one, because some of the stuff that happens in this one is a bit over the top, even for a cozy mystery. The clues were there, but there was not a straight line to follow. I did figure out what was happening before the final reveal, but it was a lot of fun getting to the final climax of this one. If you enjoy a cozy mystery that is fun, adventurous and a bit hard to believe, then you will love this one.

The pirate festival is in full swing but Jake is too busy getting rid of an obnoxious podcaster who won't take no for an answer about an interview at the chocolate shop. A short time later he is found stabbed to death with a saber (owned by Jake's husband) in the basement of Jake's chocolate shop. So many little point to Jake as the killer so she and her partner Ellie are determined to find out who is trying to frame her for the murder.

I enjoyed the story once it started moving however, it was very slow at the beginning. There were also too many possibilities that kept getting in the way of the real mystery, I think this book could have stood some more editing.

A pirate festival always keeps things interesting but add a sweet shop to the mixture and you've got a mystery to enjoy. The characters and their relationships are continuing to grow. Also, the setting in Maine is very interesing to me. It was well-written and easy to read.

So glad to get back to Jack and Ellie. The story was great and there was some very interesting twists and turns. I love this series and can't wait for the next book

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

by Sarah Graves

Jake and Ellie continue to make delightful chocolate goodies at The Chocolate Moose when they are not being shot at, run off the road, or drowned. In Sarah Graves’ Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut, there is more than enough action, some strong female characters you will want to see survive, lots of suspects, and some confusing motives. I could relate more to the chocolate than the many nautical references which are, in fact, extremely important to the plot.

Jake lives in an old home bursting at the seams with extended family. Her sidekick Ellie is instrumental and often the leader in Jake’s dangerous investigations. As you read about the remote town of Eastport, Maine, where Jake put down roots twenty years before, you can understand why she decided to stay. As autumn closes in, the town is hosting the Eastport Pirate Festival which draws a huge tourist trade and, in this case, provides the perfect atmosphere for explosive action.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley 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: 1.This is #3 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery Series, but the author does an excellent job of supporting the reader so that this book can be a standalone.
2. The book concludes with a recipe for Double-Chocolate Ginger Cookies, featuring chocolate chips, white chocolate, and crystallized ginger.

Publication: February 25, 2020—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

His face, furrowed and grooved by age and the outdoors, was like something you might find carved into an old tree trunk, and his grip had felt as tough as bark.

I took a gulp of my hot drink and felt the brandy molecules percolating through my collapsed brain cells, reviving them. Or at least making them dance around very happily indeed, which was enough for me at the moment.

She was an overbearing old fussbudget, our Bella, but she would have stepped in front of a freight train for any one of us.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Jake and Ellie are not only best friends and owners of The Chocolate Moose but they are the worst influences on each other. In spite of being mothers and in Jake’s case, grandmother too, they get into one scrape after another. The reader can forgive them charging in where angels fear to tread. Jake finds an obnoxious food celebrity dead in the basement of the Moose. The fact that she had a very public spat with him and the murder weapon is an antique sword from her husband’s collection makes her a suspect. As the cherry on top, her grandson’s toy parrot is perched on the deceased shoulder.
Thankfully the local cop does not believe Jake is the killer and that the set up is just a bit too perfect. But that does not mean she will not be arrested so the two ladies decide to investigate,. These two get into so many scary and life threatening situations in the course of one book .Somehow it never crosses the line and remains fun.
The secondary theme- family- is equally engaging. Jake with four generations crammed into one house and another on the way is the poster child of a closely knit group. The villainous characters are products of loss, betrayal and abandonment. While the reader may think she has the mystery figured out, there are a couple of real twists that set the whole thing on its end. It makes for a great way to spend some hours.
Five purrs and two paws up.

This is the first book that I read in the series. I really liked the characters and everything with them except the mystery portion. The plot was so far out in left field. I could come up with hundreds of easier ways to get rid of someone. I do have serious doubts with how little sleep Jake and her friend Ellie can continue to function. I would like to like this book, but I prefer a more plausible plot.

A cozy mystery with so many suspects that the detectives are bewildered. So the suspects start investigating on their own....and so the cozy mystery goes. When a food critic that has more enemies than you would think possible, is found murdered in the basement of a sweets/pasties shop, the obvious primary suspect is the owner of sweet shop who was seen arguing with the critic. Set to a theme of a pirate ship event in a small town in Maine, the inevitable pirate jokes lend a couple of chuckles too. An entertaining afternoon of reading for me.

A yummy adventure full of twists, family, and shenanigans. Jake loves her life, the days and house full of life and to do lists. When someone obnoxious shows up in town to their pirate festival with a crew to do a podcast, Jake wants nothing to do with it
But as fate would have it, Mr Obnoxious ends up dead at her business and guess who the cops like for the murder?
So Jake and Ellie dig for the truth, even among the creepy crawlies (ew!).
I enjoy the sense of family and friendships that surround Jake. She always has her safety net when the tough get going. Definitely a great series.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington, much love for the ARC and the chance to share my own thoughts about this title.

This book continues the sleuthing by Jake and Ellie but this time, it is to save Jake from being sent to jail for a murder she didn't commit. This cozy mystery has pirates, a mysterious sailing ship, and antique weapons. Why would anyone want a rude and obnoxious food critic murdered? The twists and turns are endless and just what a cozy mystery fan loves.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I was hooked from the very first page. Looking forward to reading the rest in this series.

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut by Sarah Graves is about bakeshop owners Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and her best friend Ellie White. Jake and Ellie are ready for the bounty of tourists sure to flood their shop, the Chocolate Moose.. Their plans quickly sink when the body of celebrity foodie, Henry Hadlyme, is discovered in the Moose’s basement.

Jake and Ellie are horrified, but their shock turns to dismay when Jake is pegged for the murder. Now, to clear Jake’s name and save the shop, Jake and Ellie must figure out who among Henry’s numerous enemies scuttled him in the cellar. Jake and Ellie will have to get to the bottom of the case on their own and find the real killer.
I enjoyed this book as I enjoy all of her books. She has great characters. This book was no different. A great read. It has some complicated areas, but the end was well worth it. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an ARC for review. .

A cozy mystery that makes you want to pack up and move there (yep, even with MURDER!). Weird plot but with the great atmosphere and fantastic characters- everything that gives a cozy the charm we love!

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut is the latest installment in the Death by Chocolate series. I love the characters but this story was a little "out there" for me. I didnt hate it but it's just not my favorite book in the series.

Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut” is the 3rd instalment in the "Death By Chocolate" mystery series by Sarah Graves.

I enjoy stories set in coastal locations, and the village of Eastport, Maine is a perfect setting from the description of harbour, the shops, the people. The protagonist Jake and her BFF Ellie have a wonderful friendship, always got each other’s back, plus I love her family.

There were plenty of suspects and plenty of twists and turns to keep me wanting to find out what will happen next. I did suspect the killer early on but then second guessed myself. The book was engaging from start to finish, grabbing your attention from the very beginning.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's early September in Eastport ME, which means it's time for the Pirate Festival, a weekend full of fun, booze, and "Aargh." Partners in The Chocolate Moose bakery, Jake and Ellie, are hoping for a big weekend of sales at the end of the tourist season. Eastport is full of people, mostly those who are looking for fun in their pirate garb. Among those visitors are Harry Hadlyme, 'foodie' celebrity, and his camera crew. Harry is not out for fun, though. His purpose seems to be to trash all the food establishments in Eastport. A confrontation with Jake is soon big news all around the town, and when he is discovered dead in the basement of The Chocolate Moose, Jake becomes the prime and only suspect.

I always enjoy my fictional visits to Eastport. We took a very long drive to Eastport from our usual Maine vacation spot a few years ago on the strength of Grave's previous series, Home Repair is Homicide. It's a lovely small town with gorgeous 19th-century houses and vivid history. Sarah Graves captures the look and feel of the place beautifully. Jake and Ellie are a bit of a "Lucy and Ethel" pair of sleuths. The difference is that they are capable women who manage to get themselves out of their sometimes hare-brained plans. This time they cut it very close. I always enjoy the supporting characters whom I have become to know so well. Ellie's ever-expanding family in the big old house on Key Street plays a part in this story as well.

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

I hate to leave a bad review but this book was really that bad.
Plot made no sense at all and the story just dragged on.
It took everything I had to finish this and just kept dreading having to pick it up each time to read a little more to get to the end.
Definitely not going to be a best seller here.

I feel like this book just wasn't for me. Too much happens, too quickly, and this goes beyond the fun levels of unrealistic and into the "hard to read" parts. It was..challenging to get through. There were still fun parts, like I loved the baking and the pirate part...but other than that this wasnt a good fit for me.