A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first book in the new Ice Cream Parlor mystery series by Abby Colette. In a fun and twisty romp, Bronwyn Crewse stumbles upon a dead body in the snow as she is out gathering the freshest, purest snow to make her dear Grandmother’s snow cream. It is the first day for the grand reopening of the Crewse Creamery, a family business that she has recently inherited. Unfortunately, an early autumn snowstorm has made for an abysmal opening with not one customer all day.

As Win learns more about the victim, it is discovered that there was bad blood between him and most store owners in the small Chagrin Falls shopping area, including her family. When the mode of murder indicates that a medical professional would have best access to the substance, Win’s father, Dr. James Graham Crewse, becomes a prime suspect. Feeling little confidence in the detective in charge, Win and her best friends Maisie and Riya make it their mission to find something to clear Win’s dad.

In a sometimes comical and often bumbling investigation, they begin amassing clues until the puzzle pieces begin sliding into place; this at Win’s peril. With a cast of quirky characters and a lovely small town vibe, I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

A strong start to a new series. The beginning made me feel comfortable with the Crewse family and chuckling over Bronwyn's thoughts about her new acquaintance "Mr. Penny for Your Thoughts Guy" who she felt was a stalker. It turns out she has a lot bigger problems when she discovers a body and her Dad seems to be the most likely suspect in the case thus she becomes a reluctant sleuth.

The Ice Cream Parlor setting was charming and all the ice cream flavors are sure to make you hungry. I liked the characters in this story but we just got teasers about the law professor (stalker) and the detective so I look forward to learning more about them in future stories in the An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series..

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for approving me for this advanced read!

This book has been described “cozy” by some & I couldn’t agree more. Bronwyn Crewse took over her family’s ice cream business in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The first day she opened, things got off to a rocky start. To top it off, she uh FOUND A DEAD BODY. When someone she loves is accused of this crime, she goes into detective mode & is joined by her best friend (& eventually friends) to find the true killer.

I had fun reading this:) This is actually the first murder mystery novel I’ve read that has 1) been written by a Black woman & 2) a predominately Black list of characters. Win’s family screamed Black excellence, from having prominent jobs to being entrepreneurs & I just loved it.

I’m not going to lie, the first chapter was a bit slow. HOWEVER, the author’s writing will hook you & then you won’t be able to stop reading. The plot twist was completely unexpected!

This book comes out tomorrow, May 12th. If you’re looking for something to read on a rainy day, this is def a great pick! What makes this book extra cute & unique is that the author adds a few ice cream recipes.

Fabulous start to a new series! Soon after re-opening the family ice cream shop, Win finds the body of a man who once caused her family to suffer. When her father becomes a suspect in the murder, she and her best pal set out to find the real killer. Skillfully plotted and brilliantly written, this mystery kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. The characters are interesting and I look forward to getting to know them better in future books. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

A Deadly Inside Scoop kicks off the Ice Cream Parlor mystery series by Abby Collette, and while it's such a treat! Main character Win (Bronwyn if you're not a friend yet) has returned to Chagrin Falls to take over and reimagine her family's ice cream shop. It's got a new look and she's ready to serve up their homemade creations when a man who terribly wronged her family and many of the other local merchants shows up again. If you've read a cozy, you probably know what happens to him.
This was a quick read, and it didn't fall into the trap that sometimes new cozy series have of trying to tell readers too much about the town and side characters and sacrificing a story along the way. I read a LOT of cozy series starters and this was refreshing and a great new addition!

Nice start to a cozy mystery series. The ice cream flavors sounded yummy. I look forward to visiting this ice cream parlor any time of year. Interesting and delightful characters. Lots of potential for romance, delicious desserts, and mystery is this suburb of Cleveland.

This was an awesome first for this new series, and I really love these characters! I think my faves were Maisie and PopPop. It was hilarious to read about Win and Maisie sleuthing together with sensible, non-risk taking Win trying her best to keep Maisie out of trouble. When their other bestie Riya joined in and beat up a guy, sleuthing was just taken to a new level with them. PopPop made a good ice cream shop helper, since he'd founded the place to begin with, but he was also a pretty good snooping partner and drove Win to where he felt like she needed to ask questions.

A few clues toward the end led me to think about guessing who the killer was, and I was on the right track. The showdown was a good one, and PopPop got to help too. I was so happy to see the ice cream shop's success under Win's new management and that a sleuth came home for once just because she wanted to be with her family, not to escape some loser guy she'd broken up with or divorced. I'm anxious to see what other adventures Win and her friends and family get into.

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

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away.

To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It's not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she'll catch the killer.

I wish 3.5 was an option.
Having been to Chagrin Falls, I liked that I recognized the town and its waterfall. Bronwyn was solid narrator and I liked her a lot, although her best friend drove me nuts. As sidekick, Maisie was a little too much for me. At times, she fell in the too-dumb-to-live category, going off half cocked, wanting to accuse everyone of the crime. Win didn't really start thinking clearly until she listened to her grandfather. Maisie is a very loyal friend, though, so I can only hope that she calms down in the next entry. Also, the continued assertions that one of the side characters liked Win got old, especially since Win wasn't showing any interest in him.
The close family (her grandfather is the best) and the ice cream saved this for me. The flavors sounded yummy.
I will gladly read the second in the series when it comes out.

She was wearing a black wool overcoat, mid-calf-high boots. Her hair was brown,
parted on the side and cut even with her mouth, her face pale from the cold.
She looked as if she could have been the Prada version of the Grim Reaper,
but I wasn’t sold on her facts of the case.
Abby Collette, A Deadly Inside Scoop, Kindle Loc. 1152

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away.

To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It's not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she'll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown...
Amazon.com

Abby L. Vandiver, writing as Abby Collette, has done it again. She’s created a new series that is as compelling to read as her Romaine Wilder or Logan Dickerson cozy series. The action is set in the newly remodeled family ice cream store, which her main character, Bronwyn (Win) Crewse, is managing while creating its product.

Win is a young, talented, and capable young woman born into a family of ice cream makers and medical men. And it is all about family to Win whether making the family ice cream store a success or defending her family members against unfair and unjust charges.

Here’s a sample of the ice cream flavors Win creates:
Chocolate-Espresso, Lemon Luscious Ice Box Pie, Pralines and Cream, Almond Rocky Road, Candycopia, Ghoulish Blueberry, Strawberry Shortcake, Pumpkin Spice, Banana Nut, Caramel Popcorn, Chocolate Decadence, Cherry Almond and Raspberry Java. It’s a book you can dig into!

Please welcome Abby back to WWK. E. B. Davis
Is Chagrin Falls, OH based on a real town? Is it a suburb of Cleveland? Yes! I don’t do real cities often in my books, it’s only the second time I’ve done it in a series. Chagrin Falls, Ohio is an actual suburb of Cleveland where I live. It actually has a falls and there is a store over it, just like in my book. It’s a quaint village and a great place to go when visiting the area.

What is a Pumpkin Roll? A race? Many of the streets of Chagrin Falls are on an incline and N. Main Street’s is pretty steep. So in real life at Halloween, people stand at the top of the hill and roll pumpkins down it. Of course, they break on the way down making a mess in the street. The fictional grandfather in A Deadly Inside Scoop isn’t too keen on it, and from what I understand it’s mostly young people who participated.


You were a lawyer by profession, and yet, many of your characters are in the medical field. Do you have relatives who are doctors, dentists, or nurses? Actually, I wanted to be a doctor for much of my life. I have a minor in Biology as I’d almost finished my undergraduate in that area before I switched over to Economics.

Win’s mother’s name is Ailbhe. How is it pronounced? Ailbhe is an Irish Gaelic name and in Irish legend is the name of a female warrior. In my book it is pronounced “Al-be,” although the Gaelic pronunciation may be different.

After getting an MBA and working in NYC in PR/Marketing, Win came home. Why? Win came home because she was homesick. She’d also had gotten a little sick and she wanted her father, who is a doctor, to be close. In fact, everything was going good in NYC—no boyfriend or job problems—and ***spoiler alert*** in the next book, A Game of Cones, her job even tries to recruit her to come back. But as you can read in A Deadly Inside Scoop, the Crewse family are a tight-knit group and Win just couldn’t stand being so far from home.

Win thinks her dad is much like his dad, her PopPop. But Win’s dad thinks his father is grumpy. Would he be surprised at Win’s assessment? No! PopPop knows he’s grumpy. Win perhaps thinks he’s that way on purpose, that’s why she tries to get him to be more cooperative. Of course that doesn’t work.

Why does Win decide to investigate? Win decides to investigate because the police are zooming in on her father as a prime suspect in the murder of Stephen Bayard. Win feels that if she doesn’t help to clear her father, he might just end up exchanging his green scrubs for an orange prison uniform.

I agree with Ailbhe. Win is thoughtful, systematic, and careful. But her investigation is less than systematic. Is this lack due to Maisie? Lol. I’ve heard that Maisie is over the top in some early reviews. Maisie’s personality is based on a good friend of mine, Molly, and I’ve think I must’ve captured it well. So, I’d say yes, some of it is due to Maisie. But Win is not so systematic because she’s a reluctant sleuth and doesn’t know what she’s doing. It’s all new to her. But stick around, Win will get the hang of it.

Maisie jumps to conclusions. She’s impetuous, but she also has good instincts. Why doesn’t she stay in a job for long? Is she hyperactive? Yes, Maisie is certainly hyperactive. She has trouble finding something she can stick with. The reason why will come out in later books. Maisie is also excited to do what she’s seen done so many times in many of her favorite television shows, and it’s hard to keep her enthusiasm contained.

Win and Maisie have an interesting debate about whether the MO indicates a male or a female perpetrator. What’s the debate about? What is succinylcholine? A quote from A Deadly Inside Scoop: “Women, when they commit murder like to use poisons and heavy objects. Men like guns and knives.” That was from Maisie, and she derived that assumption after watching her television shows. Win doesn’t think anyone can find a murderer from watching TV. Succiylcholine, as explained in the book is a muscle relaxer that is used as part of a lethal injection, but in controlled environments, is used in surgery.

I was surprised that Win didn’t ask O for more direction in the case. Why is she resistant to O? Win is independent. Plus, she’s running a business and has no time for dating. She’s reminded often by Maisie that O wants more from her than she wants to give, so she steers clear of him.

How can PopPop love ice cream, but doesn’t like cream in his coffee? Many people don’t like all the derivatives of cow milk. I, like PopPop, drink my coffee black, but am a lover of ice cream.

What is it about sitting in a parking lot that attracts Ailbhe when she’s feeling low or depressed? Like mentioned in the story, sometime you have to just “be still.” But, Ailbhe’s sitting in parking lots was fashioned after me. I do that often when I’m worried or depressed. I can’t tell you why, it just calms me.

Rivkah lives on the second floor of the ice cream shop. Her cat, Felice, seems to live mostly in the shop. Does Rivkah let her out every day to roam? How did Felice pick out the window seat fabric? Felice does what she wants, sometimes without Rivkah’s knowledge. She is referenced as Her Royal Highness! Felice picked out the fabric with a point of her paw.

How often does ice cream need to be replaced for selling? Win’s ice cream doesn’t last long because it sells well. But normally, the shelf life of ice cream in a freezer is 2-3 months.

Riya Amacarelli has weird and violent personality flips making her physically dangerous. But, she is also a doctor. What is her practice? And could this put her patients in danger? Riya’s anger is not totally out of control, and she’s working to keep it better under control. It does not put her patients in danger, in fact, I don’t think, and neither do the people in the book think, she’s dangerous. In their words, she has a bad temper, which many people do. Riya is a general practitioner and works in the emergency department.

How can Win and Maisie possibly eat Cheetos and drink Cotton Club Cherry Strawberry soda for breakfast? Because it’s good! Junk food, in this instance, is good for brainstorming.

How does the frozen cart work? Is it electric? There are many ways to keep a cart frozen and all of them are too technical to talk about in a cozy mystery. But, the gist of it is that some carts can be plugged in to get them cold, then can be unplugged and put on the move like you see at carnivals and amusement parks. You can also use cold packs or a refrigeration system. In A Deadly Inside Scoop, Win is inside where plugs are easily accessible so her cart could work just like a kitchen freezer.

What is a ten-piece slicer? A ten-piece slicer is a round kitchen utensil with ten blades. Placed over a cake or pie, it slices it into ten equal pieces.

What’s next for Win Crewse? You’ll have to read A Game of Cones, the next book in the series to find out!

Win is finally re-opening her family’s ice cream shop in small town Ohio in A Deadly Inside Scoop. Construction delays have forced her to open Crewse Creamery on the first snow day of the year. In Ohio. Not exactly ice cream weather.

Even Win knows what to do on the first snow day. Scoop up some snow and make snow ice cream—no ice cream maker required. Unfortunately, while scooping she finds the dead body of her family’s arch enemy. The number one suspect? Her father! Win feels obligated to clear her father’s name by finding the real killer.

It is so nice to find such an engaging, loving, and ethnically diverse cast of characters in a cozy mystery. Win’s family are clearly devoted to one another. I’m envious of her relationship with her two best friends (since kindergarten!).

While the characters were my favorite part of A Deadly Inside Scoop, the mystery was challenging too. Plus it has four recipes for ice cream: snow, cherry chocolate chunk amaretto, pumpkin spice roll, and carmel corn.

With cold ice cream, warm family relationships, and a hot mystery to solve, this is a cozy mystery you will love! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to Berkley, NetGalley, and Great Escape Virtual Book Tours for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mysteries are my jam. In high school, I would rush home from soccer practice just so that I could catch Murder She Wrote reruns. Cozy mysteries are essentially Murder She Wrote in book form - quick reads, with minimal violence, featuring everyday people (usually women) solving crimes. Most cozy series also feature a theme - a bookstore, crafts, magic, cats, magical cats, etcetera - and part of the fun is finding a series with a theme you will enjoy. When I saw the first book in the Ice Cream Parlor series was A Deadly Inside Scoop, I was hooked. Murder mysteries + ice cream + punny title = my love language.

Bronwyn (or Win as she prefers), is returning to her small Ohio hometown. She is on a mission to restore her family’s ice cream shop to its former glory - including decadent handmade treats. Things start a bit rough, as delays push her opening date all the way back to a snowy day in October. Things continue to go down hill, when an unexpected visitor from her family’s past shows up and to top it off, Win finds a dead body. Win is content to let the police do their work until her father ends up as a potential suspect. Once that happens, Win and a cast of her friends and family, stop at nothing to find the true murderer.

For a new series, this book shows a lot of promise. The first book in cozy mysteries can be a bit rough as the main character figures out the basics of being a detective and Deadly Inside Scoop is no exception. Win has a ways to go before she becomes a master detective and at times it was a bit painful to watch her miss obvious clues.The mystery itself was not the hardest to figure out, but the book was still enjoyable and had a great cast of diverse characters. Bonus points for delicious descriptions of ice cream with several recipes included.

Bronwyn (Win) Crewse has her work cut out for her. She’s determined to re-open her family ice cream shop in the small town of Chagrin Falls in Ohio. Win intends to make the shop as big a success as her grandmother before her did. It’s not an easy feat, however, to sell ice cream during a snow storm. In fact, she doesn’t get one customer on her opening day, but she does manage to find a dead body in the snow.

To add to her troubles, Win learns that the dead guy was an old enemy of her family. The police narrow in on one suspect - Win’s father. Win isn’t going to take this without a fight. Along with her best friend, Maisie, she vows to find a killer. At the same time, she’s determined to make the ice cream shop a success. She’s just not sure she can do both at the same time.

What a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series. The author gives us a charming set of characters starting with our amateur sleuth, Win. Her determination to save her father, as well as the family business, is both realistic and strong. Her sidekick Maisie is so sweet and quirky. Her P.I. “skills” come directly from reading and watching amateur sleuths in books and on TV. She adds the perfect amount of fun to this story. Win's family from her grandfather to her mother to her father are the perfect characters to support Win.

The setting is perfect for a cozy mystery. The author created a compelling mystery that kept me guessing. The storyline is fast-paced and I was surprised at the ending. The killer wasn’t on my radar so that was an extra added bonus for me. This is a solid start to this new series.

I’m looking forward to getting to know these characters even better in future books. The only problem - it left me with a huge craving for ice cream. LOL

Bronwyn is taking over her family's old ice cream parlor and returning it to its roots: unique ice cream flavors made in store with her grandmother's old recipes. But her plans for re-opening day are foiled when she finds a dead body outside the shop. When her father becomes the lead suspect, she must balance running her business with clearing her father's name.

I had so much fun reading this #ownvoices cozy mystery! The ice cream descriptions were drool-worthy, and I love the community around Bronwyn established in the first book. Honestly, the mystery was probably the least compelling part of the book for me, but that's just fine. I enjoyed hanging out in Bronwyn's ice cream parlor for a while and getting to know her, and I look forward to reading more of the Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries in the near future!

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the An Ice Cream Parlor mystery series by Abby Collette.

Basic premise: Brownyn “Wen” Crewse has taken over running her family’s ice cream business. Even her Grandfather PopPop has gifted her with her grandma’s recipe box. Then a man rides into town and talks to Wen when she opens the first day. He really seems to know her family. Later, when she is feeling down after a day of lackluster sales, she stumbles over the dead body of the same man. Apparently, this man had made a lot of enemies in her little community and there is no lacking in suspects. But her father is at the top of the detective’s list.

Since this is the first book in a series, we learned about a lot of different people. I really enjoyed Detective Beverley probably the most. I am a sucker for a good detective. This story reminded me of how we never really truly know our neighbors. Lots of secrets around this town. Should prove to be wonderful fodder for future stories.

I am surprised this book is coming out in May since it is set in later October near Halloween. But I guess books just come out when they come out these days.

The mystery really kept me interested and as Wen traveled around we got to dig into the lives of so many people. That meant suspects galore and Wen and her friends had to weed out whodunit.

This story was just fun and I look forward to reading more from this author. Definitely going to put her on my must read list.

If you are looking for a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

My taste in mystery/thrillers rarely encompasses the "cozy" kind - mostly because the "heroine" typically is a woman who has no common sense and charges ahead to put her own life, and sometimes the lives of others, at risk simply because she won't listen to anyone else. This one spoke to me, though, because it's set in Chagrin Falls, Ohio - almost, but not quite, in my own back yard - I've been there many times.

And then I found out the heroine - in this case, ice cream shop owner Bronwyn Crewse - doesn't fit that typical cozy mold, which kept me interested (well, that and an intriguing story that begins when Bronwyn ("Win" for short) bumps into a friendly stranger who claims to have found a lost puppy and is looking for its owner. Not long thereafter, she finds the guy again next to the town's waterfall - where she'd gone to collect newly fallen snow to make ice cream - only this time he's very dead.

She also learns that the stranger not only isn't friendly, but he's a familiar, if unwelcome, person in town. In fact, he's a con man who pulled some shady deals last time he made an appearance; quite a few folks, including Win's physician father, aren't particularly unhappy that he's dead. But when the police get wind of who the guy was and what he'd done, they zero in on her father. Understandably, Win pledges to gather evidence that will clear his heretofore stellar name.

Woven throughout the rest of the book, besides her attempts at amateur investigation, are her efforts to make the just-renovated long-time family ice cream store a success (even in the middle of winter in Ohio) that include a big catering job for the local college. Alas, in the middle of all this entertaining drama is this: Remember how happy I was that Win didn't exhibit that bull-in-the-china-shop attitude common to most cozy heroines? Well, the same can't be said about her friend and part-time employee, Maisie, who is absolutely insufferable - honestly, she's one of the most annoying characters I've run into in a long, long time. I hope she finds a job in New York or California before the next book in this series is released.

Otherwise, though, this is a very enjoyable - delightful, even - book and I look forward to the next one, especially if the author adds some of those yummy-sounding ice cream recipes at the end as she did here. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

Old school ice cream shop complete with a soda fountain owned and operated by a black woman? I'm not even the biggest ice cream fan but I couldn't wait to salivate over her concoctions! Caramel popcorn, ghoulish blueberry, pumpkin roll, decadent chocolate... Yum!

This was a well written, diverse mystery with a likable cast of characters worth checking out. The mystery does take it's time to start but the story keeps you entertained throughout.

See in depth review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-deadly-inside-scoop-by-abby-collette.html?m=1

I recieved an arc from Netgalley and Berkeley in exchange forvan honest review.

This was a fun start to a new series! I'm a sucker for cozies that feature a main character returning home, a big supportive family/group of friends (with even bigger personalities!), and food...did I mention there's a ton of ice cream in this book? The ice cream descriptions made me hungry every time I read the book! Win (short for Bronwyn) was a main character I could get behind. I'm curious to see how her relationship with a certain someone develops...I can't wait to read the next installment in the series to see what Win and her family/friends are up to...and I can't wait to see what ice cream flavors she'll come up with next!

A DEADLY INSIDE SCOOP, the first book in the Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries by Abby Collette, is a sweet start to a brand new cozy series! The reader is introduced to protagonist Bronwyn “Win” Crewse and her close-knit family, including her grandfather, Pop Pop. I’m always thrilled to find books that feature families that care for each other and support each other without a lot of angst going on. While Pop Pop may have some quirks that might annoy the family, he’s super close to his granddaughter and I loved how he bonded with her over her desire to clear her father’s name after the murder takes place. Ms. Collette also creates a cast of supporting characters with quirky sidekicks for the protagonist. While they, at times, could be a bit over the top, it did provide some humorous moments as Win’s amateur investigation unfolds. I greatly enjoyed the way she and her friends based their investigation on fictional television and book characters, ones easily recognizable to readers.

The author effectively used the murder of the man who had cheated Win’s family many years previous, to introduce backstory without slowing down the plot or detracting from the central theme. As Win delves into the victim’s life she finds almost everyone in town had reasons to extract revenge for his past crimes so there are suspects galore. With a surprising reveal that includes some heart-pounding action, I found I never had the killer on my radar at all. I also enjoyed that the author takes the time to wrap up all the threads of the subplots without leaving readers hanging. I look forward to reading the next book in this yummy series!

With Win creating so many delectable ice cream flavors for her family’s ice cream shop in the book, be prepared to crave ice cream. Or better yet, make a batch from one of the recipes at the back of the book and enjoy it while reading A DEADLY INSIDE SCOOP!

A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first book in the new Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series by Abby Collette. There is no fiction sweeter than a charming cozy mystery set in an ice cream parlor. The bonus is if it features a woman of color. Introducing Bronwyn "Win" Crewse! The recent MBA grad left New York to return home and run the family's ice cream parlor in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. She has worked hard to renovate Crewse Creamery from a novelty shop with a lottery machine to an upscale spot with a view of falls and custom ice cream made in-house by hand.

Just her luck, there were construction delays causing opening day to fall on the same day as early first snow. Who wants ice cream on a cold winter day? The entire first day goes by without any customers. What is worse is Win finds a body in the snow in the wee hours. It is not her business and she has no interest in solving the murder until her father is named a suspect.

Like all small town cozy mysteries, murder rarely happens. The small town outside of Cleveland, Ohio, is no exception. Though the pacing is a bit off. The dead body wasn't discovered until the very last sentence of Chapter 6. The victim was finally identified a third into the book. Kind of a late start to the mystery peppered with minor grammatical errors. Nevertheless, Win and her slightly annoying best friend, Maisie, are natural amateur sleuths. I like their teamwork, ideas and dialogue. Win's supportive close-knit family is also a bonus. I'm looking forward to the next book in series and recommend to all.

Kudos to the author for her descriptive narrative. I could picture the entire look of the shop through words. It was the right amount of detail without becoming too wordy. I could almost taste the ice cream flavors: Ghoulish Blueberry with fresh blueberries from a local farm; Caramel Corn made with actual corn from a cob; Cherry Chocolate Chunk Amaretto; Pralines and Cream made with sweet caramel, salty pecans and split vanilla beans. Even better, the author gifts readers with select ice cream recipes. What a yummy treat!

Happy Early Pub Day, Abby Collette! A Deadly Inside Scoop will be available Tuesday, May 12.

LiteraryMarie

I liked this book a lot and I am including it in my store's summer newsletter! Here is the review I wrote for that:

Bronwyn Crewse inherited an ice-cream shop from her grandmother and wants to bring it to its former glory -- but the construction delay means opening her shop when is town is buried in snow. Ever the entrepreneur, Brownyn decides to collect said snow for an ice-cream... only to stumble upon a dead body!
"A Deadly Inside Scoop" hits the sweet spot with a perfect balance of ice-cream shop sheninegans, amateur sleuthing, and strong family ties. Quirky and socially astute, this #ownvoices cozy mystery about a young Black woman trying to help exonerate her father after he is suspected of murder is a rare treat.

Thank you for the arc! Looking forward to more adventures of Bronwyn and her family.