I really enjoyed this installment in the Chocoholic Mystery Book series, set in Warner Pier Michigan. Some robbers knick-named the "Cookie Monsters" are breaking in to local businesses and stealing snacks, candies and other junk food. Why is this happening? And why did someone kill the young female police officer? What did she know? I love how Lee Woodyard and her husband Joe help the police investigate the crime and find out who is responsible. And Lee barely escapes with her life at the end...I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

this is book 18 in the Chocoholics Mystery series and it's another winner. Can be read as a stand alone but you'll enjoy the whole series once you get into this book. Lee and her aunt are still running TenHuis Chocolade and this small Michigan town is experiencing a rash of burglaries that has snacks disappearing. It's funny until they find the dead body. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lee can't help but be involved given her history of solving mysteries, and now with Dolly implicated. At first neither Dolly nor Mike want to explain why his truck was parked down the street from the burglary, when he claims he wasn't there. This was a pattern the sweet-toothed burglar must have figured out. As the situation becomes more tense, additional measures and varying Mike's schedule are put in place. Lee puts it all together from her vantage point at the TenHuis Chocolade.

This is a fun read and then there's the chocolate. The characters are easy to relate to, with a touch of suspense and romance. For sure, if you've enjoyed the rest of the series, you will enjoy this one. I think I've only read one other in the series, some time ago, and it was easy to pick up on the histories of the characters and relationships. This can easily be read as a stand alone mystery, and is the newest addition to the series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

I tend to feel very frustrated with the number of typos and grammatical errors in this series. While the stories are fun, the lack of editing has put a damper on how much I enjoy the series. This is not a new series, nor an inexperienced author. However, the writing tends to come across as amateurish.

The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole is the 18th installment in JoAnna Carl’s Chocoholic Mystery Series. In this novel, Lee Woodyard, the protagonist, must solve a weird mystery which includes a series of break-ins of local businesses where the only things taken include foodie treats. That doesn’t last, however, when a dead body is found, and Lee must work her hardest while still running the chocolate company, TenHuis Chocolade, and keeping her friends safe.
This novel is part of a bestselling series, and has gone on for years, it includes characters that readers know. And while the characters are familiar, they don’t seem real. Some even have unlikely names like “Dolly Jolly,” “Jerry Cherry,” and “Phil McNeal.” Reading this series is like reading comic books where the characters aren’t supposed to be real, and the scenarios aren’t supposed to be things that really happen. That is not a negative, however, and these mysteries, including The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole are feel good books with no stress and very little (but some) suspense. Readers already know that their favorite characters are going to be all right, but it’s fun to read and see just what they have to go through to find the bad guys and see that everything is now all right in their world. One of the best things about this culinary mystery is the fact that it includes chocolate recipes and trivia – fun information,

This series is a good one for all ages, and like a good cozy, does not contain graphic violence, profanity, or sex.

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

One of the tenets of the cozy genre involves an otherwise idyllic community suddenly dropped into chaos after a murder. Author JoAnna Carl, though, offers a refreshing change of pace in her eighteenth Chocoholic Mystery. The denizens of Warner Pier are on high alert after being plagued by a series of break-ins. The weird part? The thieves aren’t stealing anything of much value—just food. However, when yet another burglary results in police suspecting an innocent man, it’s up to master chocolatier to Lee Woodyard to take the case and clear his name … and deal with a rambunctious raccoon problem along the way.

Carl shaking thigs up starting with the first page is a great trick. One of the biggest struggles, I assume, when writing a long-running series is keeping things feeling fresh and new. After all, how many murders can Lee truly solve in what’s supposed to be an otherwise sleepy town? That Carl has chosen to highlight a series of thefts and the mood they cast over the community immediately sets this book apart from others in the series.

That’s not to suggest there’s a massive deviation from the seventeen previous titles. No, Lee is still out there running her own investigations and occasionally muttering malapropisms—mixing-up similar words—all while working at TenHuis Chocolade. Carl still weaves in plenty of chocolate facts, breaking them between chapters that are filled with the shenanigans involving her large cast of old favorite characters. Above all, her humor is on full display, and things never get too heavy—even when a dead body finally makes an appearance.

And it does take a while. While there’s a mystery from the very beginning, the traditional murder develops slowly, leading to some tension as delicious as finest truffles. Regular readers of cozies know that one should be coming, yet Carl holds off as long as possible, creating a thick sense of anticipation. It’s incredibly effective, and ultimately makes Lee’s investigation and all that follows feel particularly rewarding.

As fresh as the morning display at TenHuis Chocolade, The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole is the perfect addition to a great series.

WITCHES GET STITCHES is the third book in the “Stay a Spell” series by Juliette Cross. This story with a supernatural setting, has a witchy heroine who struggles trying to deny her attraction to a hot werewolf. Violet Savoie met Nico Cruz, had one sizzling encounter but then ghosted him. Nico was left enthralled and been knowingly or unknowingly pursuing Violet ever since. Violet’s reason’s for resisting her feelings are twofold. Her sister is romantically involved with his cousin, and she doesn’t want to ruin a family relationship. Also, she had a reading of her future and she interpreted it with a negative slant when it comes to Nico. As a result, hottie though he is, Nico has an uphill battle when it comes to convincing Violet to give them a chance.

I love Nico’s gentle persuasion. While he’s a charmer for sure, he’s not aggressive or obnoxious as he tries to subtly woo Violet. He becomes her business partner in Violet’s tattoo shop, Empress Ink, and gives her enough space while still showing her what she’s missing by not getting with him. I like when a hero has some sense of fate when it comes to romance and fidelity. Juliette Cross does a good job of making Violets fears seem credible and something the reader can understand. The element of danger in WITCHES GET STITCHES comes from within and from outside forces. Because of his past, Nico is a little freaked out when members of his old pack show up in town. He assumes nothing good can come of the outsiders. Nico also worries his werewolf ferocity might cause him to hurt Violet in some way. With the latter, she and Nico work together using their love of tattooing and magic to try and help him and any other werewolf tone down some of their bestial tendencies when desired. The chemistry between the two main characters was on point and led to some super steamy scenes.

WITCHES GET STITCHES is a fun romance full of wonderful witchy woo and werewolf hotness galore. Juliette Cross steers clear of paranormal stereotypes in WITCHES GET STICHES and more than one character surprised me. I liked learning about more supernatural characters in this book & look forward to seeing which get matched up to Violet’s other sisters. I can’t wait to read the next book in this wildly entertaining “Stay a Spell” series!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I tremendously enjoyed this new offering in The Chocoholic Mystery series! It was wonderful to visit the folks in Warner Pier, Michigan again and meet some new folks. I could almost “see” the little town with the author’s picturesque descriptions. This armchair sleuth couldn’t figure out who the bad guys were and was in as much denial when identified as a few of those in the story.

I’m a confirmed chocoholic and wish I could get samples of TenHuis Chocolade’s “Luxury Chocolates in the Dutch Tradition”! Every time Lee mentions having a bonbon of the day, she gives a description – wow!! This summer, the specialty chocolates are in the shape of four woodland animals, including a raccoon.

Nettie, Lee’s favorite aunt, began the shop many years ago with her late husband after learning the secrets of chocolate making in Amsterdam. Lee came to Michigan from Texas to help Nettie and is the business manager. Since then, she met and married Joe, an attorney in nearby Holland, with a boat restoration business in Warner Pier, and is its volunteer city attorney. Lee, with the help of hubby Joe and Nettie, have been known to help Nettie’s husband Hogan, the chief of police, with murders and other mysteries that often involve family or friends.

Dolly is Nettie’s right hand assistant in chocolate making. She and Mike, a night watchman for the Warner Pier PD, have romance brewing. Many evenings he can be found at Dolly’s during his work break. Late one night, Dolly called Lee in a panic. Paige, a deputy for the county sheriff’s office, is holding Mike at gunpoint after responding to a break in at the neighboring jewelry store.

When Lee, Joe, Hogan, and the sheriff respond, they go into the back room of the jewelry store. There was no evidence of a break in, but they heard a muffled pounding. The owner, Alex, was tied and gagged Inside a storage closet. Two unidentified people had gotten into the shop and stuffed him in the closet. The store has not yet opened, so he had no jewelry. The only thing missing is – cookies? It was the same as a couple other shops broken into recently. The news dubbed them as the Cookie Monsters.

There is a rash of urban raccoons in town, including a mama and babies under the steps at TenHuis. Lee hired a man named Watt to capture and release them, but this mama raccoon was one smart bandit. Late one night, Watt was found, badly injured, lying next to the humane trap he was checking. Days later, a shocking death was discovered; this is clearly not a good start to the tourist season.

I appreciate Lee and Joe, and Aunt Nettie and Hogan, in the way they treat, respect, and love each other. I also like the mixture of residents, from college grads and professional people to tradespeople, and even an old hippie. Most get along with others very well, as there is minimal social distinction. In a town of 2,500, most people are “in it” together.

The mystery was intriguing! I was impressed with some details that seemed almost trivial until reading further into the novel. Nabbing the bad guys turned into a race against time as Lee and Nettie tried to escape their clutches! The resolutions were perfect, and all loose ends were tied up. That includes the raccoons, who played a major role throughout the novel. One can read this as a standalone mystery, as in most cases sufficient backstory is provided for the new fans. I highly recommend this addicting chocolate novel that includes recipes and information about chocolate!

I never read any of the previous book in this series but I was invited to read this book, the cover was cute, and the story sounded good to someone who like cozy mysteries so I was looking forward to reading it.

Lee is a chocolatier, her husband is lawyer and her uncle is the police chief. I definitely think I missed out of some character development and relationships by starting with the 18th book in the series, but I was absolutely expecting that so it really didn’t take away any enjoyment from reading.

There’s been recent break-ins that have been quirky, snacks are the only things that have been taken. Of course, that’s not actually the only mystery of the book because things lead to murder and then Lee and co. are really starting to investigate what happened.

The mystery was good with plenty of red herrings. It was certainly a funny and more amusing cozy than some others out there. It certainly makes me want to go back and start with the first book of the series!

This is the "18th" mystery in this charming cozy mystery series. I have enjoyed most of the series and was pleased to receive this for review. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinion is my own.

This was a fun addition to the series. A funny premise of burglaries that are occuring yet nothing is taken but snack foods. This is concerning for our protagnist and her shop of gourmet chocolate TenHuis Chocolade. As Lee and friends investigate these hungry burglars antics abound including racoons and townspeople that add to the madness. I enjoyed this sleuth that kept me guessing to completion. A rousing good read that will have you laughing out loud.

What a fun word, rigmarole, it is not used nearly enough in today’s conversations. It has been a while since I read a TenHuis chocolate mystery, it is good to be back in Warner Pier, Michigan. I had forgotten about the fun idioms that Lee uses and I don’t mean her malapropism, I mean the phrases such as “not getting a nickel’s worth of sleep” the stuff that her Texas grandmother would say. Chock full of fun characters some of which are a little nutty, plus who doesn’t like reading about chocolate! The plot hits the ground running, and what an unusual start to a story, a mass of break-ins caused by snack stealing thieves and urban raccoons on the loose. Surely the raccoons aren’t casing the joint? Plenty of clues and red herrings, I didn’t figure out the “who” but was pretty sure about the why. Looking forward to making some potato soup and finding a recipe for Kahlua bon bons!

Someone has been breaking into local businesses but not taking anything of value only snacks. It seems like a harmless crime until someone ends up dead. Lee wants to help with the investigation any way she can because her good friend Dolly has gotten mixed up on the mess and might be in danger. Dolly's new boyfriend has also gotten mixed up in the mess and the two are in hiding until the police find the killer. Meanwhile Lee is having to deal with an invasion of raccoons behind her store and removing them doesn't seem to be an easy job. Follow along as Lee digs into the clues left behind, can she bribe the right people with chocolate to get some real answers. This is such an entertaining series filled with full fun plots, great characters, and yummy chocolate recipes.

I didn't remember much from the previous book I'd read in this series other then that I had enjoyed it. This book features Lee, her husband Joe as they fall into the investigation of just who is breaking into local businesses and stealing only sweet treats. Lee is a bit more concerned about the local Cookie Monsters the other business owners because sweet treats ARE her business. But of course the mystery doesn't stay limited to the sweets but soon evolves into assault and murder.

This is a cozier cozy with a fun setting and likable characters. Both Lee and Joe are legitimately involved with the investigation and are working with the Chief of Police. There are chocolate facts and recipes sprinkled throughout and the descriptions of the yummy treats are mouthwatering.

The mystery is good with some red herrings and some characters with mysterious pasts. I really wasn't sure who did it until the end which was fun. This was a lighter fluffier or cozy but isn't so cutesy as to be silly. Because I'm jumping in at book #18 there were a lot of characters to keep track of it and Lee has a couple of quirks that weren't really explained. However, these were minor complaints and I enjoyed this one enough that I am definitely planning on rolling this series into my series project!

3.5 Stars

Sudden break-ins start to occur in the quaint businesses, in the quiet town of Warner Pier, in west Michigan. Confusing and stranger yet, that nothing was stolen. It will take a village to solve this crime and absolve the obvious suspects.

A chocolatier of luxury chocolates, Lee McKinney Woodyard, has a good eye for sleuthing and solving puzzling situations. Lee is always in the loop of things and it helps that her husband is the town’s part-time lawyer, and her uncle is the town’s Police Chief, thus landing Lee, most times, at the right place, wrong time situation. Details and trouble abound around Lee and I liked her easy-going personality and her willingness to help others.

The supportive characters in this mystery are minimal and are mostly Lee’s close family and shop assistant. I found my interest focus on the extra characters in this story. I like how some carried on a change in their characterization and how others didn’t. Some characters are mysteries that refuse divulge their secrets and I like how the author developed them throughout the arc of the story. You would never guess who the villain is, because some characters carried too much complexity in this mystery, which helped this story maintain my momentum.

Although, I enjoyed the character development in this story, I felt the actual plot and turn of events fell a little flat. The story seemed to go on and on and I often found myself losing interest in the mystery itself. Nevertheless, it was a good story, but I personally prefer a fast and suspenseful murder-mystery read. I did enjoy the plot twist, the hero of the story, a broken umbrella and a racoon mama? (ha!)

This was a good read, with some delicious recipes included, a funny villain capture and some excellent character development that I hope you will enjoy.

~ Patricia

About The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole: In this eighteenth mystery in the national bestselling Chocoholic series, a gang of crooks with a wicked sweet tooth wreaks havoc on the resort town of Warner Pier, and it's up to Lee Woodyard to rout the hungry rascals.

A frantic late-night phone call from her right-hand woman Dolly Jolly brings Lee Woodyard to the scene of a break-in at the Warner Pier jewellery store next door to TenHuis Chocolade. To her shock, the suspect being held at gunpoint by police is Dolly's boyfriend, Mike Westerly, who was recently hired as a night watchman specifically to prevent break-ins. Dolly hopes Lee can help straighten out the crazy misunderstanding.

Even crazier? The thieves took nothing of value from the jewellery store, only swiping some snacks. It's another in a series of break-ins by burglars the media has dubbed the Cookie Monsters. They've been hitting shops selling everything from sunglasses to shoes but stealing only sweets: lollipops, cookies, even chewing gum!

It all seems pretty funny--until the discovery of a dead body. With her friends and community in danger, Lee must stop one very sour killer before someone else comes to a bitter end.

My Thoughts: I jumped headfirst into JoAnna Carl's series featuring Lee McKinney Woodyard here at book 18 so I'm very much a latecomer!

Lee helps to run TenHuis Chocolade, a gourmet chocolate making business located on the Great Lakes, Warner Pier, a resort town in Michigan. She looks after the mail order side of things and the retail shop, whilst Dolly Jolly is Lee's Aunt Nessie TenHuis Jones's chief assistant chocolatier. It's the start of a busy season and the shops in the area are being burgled. On the night the jewellery store next to TenHuis Chocolade takes a hit, a suspect is held at gunpoint, and it's someone Lee knows so she steps in to help.

This was an amusing, brilliant story that worked well for me as a stand-alone read. The plot was tight and full of little surprises. The author's characterisation was excellent and I wished that some of the cast were actually in my life. I delighted over all of the choccy trivia and recipes and I will be reading all of this series although it might take some time! Very highly recommended and a well deserved five stars.

Disclosure: Thank you to Berkley Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole by JoAnna Carl for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It’s the beginning of tourist season, so Lee Woodyard is trying to prepare for the busyness that brings to the shop of TenHuis Chocolade. However, that’s hard to do with the series of burglaries that have been happening on the town’s main street. Someone is breaking into the shops in Warner Pier’s downtown. However, all they are taking is snack food. Still, when your business is a gourmet chocolate maker, that is worrisome. The stakes are raised when someone Lee knows is held at gunpoint as a suspect on the night the thieves hit the jewelry store next door, but again, they didn’t steal anything of value. Will Lee figure out what is going on?

It’s always a pleasure to slip back into the resort town of Warner Pier, and this book was no exception. While many of the supporting characters stay in the background, I felt we got to see more of them than usual, which I enjoyed. The oddest thing with the characters is that we have two named Mike here. One is a main part of the story, and the other is in the background, which helps. I never had a problem keeping them straight as I was reading. The plot was light, even for this series, but it kept me engaged the entire time. The trivia in this book is actually a collection of the rare recipe we’ve gotten in earlier books in the series. Since we’ve had very few, those who like the recipes will enjoy having them all in one place. When you are looking for a light, relaxing mystery, this is the book to pick up.

“For marketing reasons, we do a lot of themes at the shop, and this summer’s special chocolates centered around small wild animals of the area, using molds representing beavers, squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons. My favorites are the chocolate squirrels. Somehow they taste nuttier.” Ba dum tss 🔔

I have been reading a lot of heavy thrillers lately and boy am I in need of a fun and light book centered around chocolate. This installment in the Chocoholic Mystery series, a series that is nearing on 20 years old, follows Lee Woodyard as she tries to solve the mystery of the Warner Pier jewelry store break in. She is called to the scene by her right hand woman, Dolly Jolly, but is shocked to find that Dolly’s boyfriend Mike is shaping up to be the prime suspect. But then a dead body is discovered and Mike again finds himself a prime suspect. Can Lee find the real killer before more lives are destroyed?

This book has recipes sprinkled throughout its pages. Umm yes, please! This was such a cute, lighthearted read. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you enjoy Hallmark movies and sweet cozy mysteries, this one is for you! Don’t be put off by the fact that this is a well established series. This is the first one that I’ve read and I had no issues getting sucked right in.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, Netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Unexplained break-ins have plagued the town of Warner Pier, Michigan, for weeks and when Deputy Paige Timothy spots Mike Westerly, a part-time police officer for the town, in a dark alley she tries to arrest him. Paige was answering a call about a break-in at the soon-to-be-opened jewelry shop when she spotted Mike. Mike is a huge man and a relative newcomer to the town. Paige claimed she didn’t recognize him, which was odd because, as Mike later reveals, he was introduced to Paige some time earlier.
The phone call about the break-in still needs checked out, and Lee McKinney, business manager and co-owner of TenHuis Chocolade along with her friend Dolly Jolly are helping the police when loud noises start in the front of the jewelry store. Inside a storage closet is Alex Gold, hands bound behind him. He’d returned to the store after dinner and surprised two men in ski masks. They had tied him up and locked him in the closet. Like the other break-ins, nothing is stolen except snacks and junk food.

Mysterious break-ins aren’t the town’s only problem. Urban racoons have become a nuisance and Lee hires Watt Wicker to catch the racoon family living under TenHuis Chocolade’s back porch. Watt is later found sprawled in the alley with an empty trap. Someone hit him in the head with a brick and left him unconscious and bleeding.
Not long after, Deputy Paige goes missing. Her body is found in a garage across the alley from Lee’s business. Why would someone want the deputy dead? Will solving the murder help in solving the break-ins, or are they unrelated? Lee and her husband Joe assist the Warner Pier’s police chief in solving not only the break-ins, but the murder as well. But those who’ve killed once won’t hesitate at killing again. Will Lee or her husband be next?
Recommendation
It took me a while to get into this story. I put it down for a short time before picking it back up again; it took a bit for the mystery-side of the story to grab me. But grab me it did, and the identity of the murderers caught me by surprise. The Chocolate Racoon Rigamarole was a quick read once I got into the story.
Chocolate trivia is interspersed throughout the book, instead of recipes at the end. For me, they interrupted the flow of the book and I found myself skimming them instead of reading them. But other than the placement of the trivia and the slow-for-me start, The Chocolate Racoon Rigamarole was an entertaining way to spend an evening.
The Chocolate Racoon Rigamarole is the latest in a series that spans twenty-years.

In the mood for a light comedic culinary cozy mystery? The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole will enchant with a raccoon infestation, a possibly corrupt deputy, and hungry burglars who only steal snack foods. The small town feel of rural Michigan is as fully developed as the main characters.

“Bob, I’ve killed a lot of guys for minimum wage. I’ll be over to see you this afternoon, and I’m not bringing a lawyer.“

The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole is the perfect light summer read. The mystery is relatively easy to solve so no stress there. 3 stars!

Thanks to Berkley Book and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Chocolate Raccoon Rigamarole is the eighteenth book in The Chocoholic Mystery series.

The residents and businesses of Warner Pier are unsure if they should laugh at or be worried about what is going on in town. There have been several break-ins around town that have been nicknamed the “Cookie Monster” burglaries. So far, the only thing that has been stolen is snacks.

When Lee is informed that there is a mama raccoon with babies, she hires Watt Wicker to catch the raccoons and release them into the countryside. But on the evening he goes to trap them, he is attacked with a brick and has to be hospitalized. Soon, Lee also hears an incriminating phone conversation, new Deputy Paige Timothy, is having on her cell phone. When Lee hears a disturbance in the alley behind TenHuis, her aunt’s chocolate shop, she sees what is going on and learns someone was seen leaving a garage. The police arrive and enter the garage. There, in her squad car, is Deputy Paige Timothy, dead. The police feel that her death is a suicide, but Lee has her doubts. Lee, with her employee, Dolly Jolly’s boyfriend Mike, being suspected of assaulting Watt, is determined to clear his name.

I love this series and have read all but two books. The books are well-written and plotted and have a well-developed and believable cast of characters. Previous books in the series have had interesting tidbits on chocolate, but in this book, Ms. Carl has included delicious-sounding recipes using chocolate.

I will be watching for the next book in this series.