Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake

by Sarah Graves

Most cozy mysteries are fairly tame. They have an interesting plot with a great whodunnit puzzle, a little action, and a sprinkling or two of danger. With Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake, you can take those expectations and turn them upside down. Then double the pace, add lots of adventure, and throw in some creepiness.

The settings are extremely important to the plot. Main character Jacobia (Jake) and her friend Ellie own a chocolate-themed bakery, The Chocolate Moose, in the island village of Eastport, Maine. A lot of the action takes place at a remote cliffside house recently purchased by Ingrid Merryfield, a past-her-prime actress. Formerly glorious but currently decaying, Cliff House sits at the end of a narrow peninsula. With one way in by car, boat access when the tides are right, earthquakes, swamps, and secret tunnels, Sarah Graves has created a setting that is the perfect background for her plot.

Merryfield is hosting a party to ostensibly show off her new house to old friends even before any remodeling has been done. The guests who are staying overnight are plunged into sudden danger as they are trapped when a ginormous tree is uprooted and blocks the egress just as someone starts murdering them one by one. Instead of a locked room mystery, we can call it a sealed island mystery.

Ellie and Jake have been hired and paid well to provide chocolate desserts with the proviso that they stay overnight to serve and clean up. Things go from bad to worse as Jake tries to save Ellie, Jake’s stepmother, and Jake’s daughter-in-law and get them off the island. Graves goes into great detail with the setting helping the reader picture the dangerous cliffs and rising tides.

Sorting through the characters, their motivations, and the numerous plot twists is a full-time job. In the conclusion, everything is spelled out and loose ends are tied up. Jake and Ellie are brave, self-sacrificing, and ingenious ladies, but two of my favorite characters critical to the plot are not main characters. My semi-heroes are Igor the Irish Wolfhound who has a recurrent role and Jake’s elderly father who should not be underestimated. Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake is not the book for a calm afternoon’s read, but a cup of hot tea might go with it well as there are some wet, cold scenes.

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. #5 in the Death by Chocolate Series. It could be read as a standalone, but would be enjoyed better with more character background.
2. Minor swearing (about 5 occasions)

Publication: March 29, 2021—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

…there are no dumb housewives in Maine. If there were, they’d get eaten by bears, poisoned by toadstools masquerading as mushrooms, or bled dry by mosquitoes so big they could stand flat-footed and look right over the barn at you.

So the whole line of thought was a vicious circle and for now I set it aside turning instead to thoughts of our imminent journey: Life jacket, check. Iron grip on the rail, check.

On the hearth, flames licked hungrily at the logs, curling their splinters to frizzled wisps.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Movie icon Ingrid Merryfield has come to Eastport, Maine and her first stop is the Chocolate Moose Bakery. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White are a little starstruck and surprised when the actress says she has come “home” to Eastport and purchased Cliff House, a house known for being haunted. She asks Jake and Ellie to cater the desserts for her upcoming party and will pay them handsomely to stay overnight to cater to the guests food needs as requested. Needing money to keep the bakery open they just can’t refuse.

The party starts off okay but soon the Ouija board is pulled out to try to lure some ghosts. The only thing that they seem to conjure up is a terrific storm that brings down a huge tree that blocks the only exit by road from the property leaving Ellie, Jake, Bella, and Mika trapped. Soon thereafter bodies start dropping like flies. One, off the cliff, another in the basement, and more to come. Ellie and Jake want out and go to great lengths to try to do that as soon as they realize there is a killer in their midst or a very angry ghost.

Jake and Ellie find themselves in trouble again and have taken Bella and Mika along for the ride. Mika’s husband Sam tries to help and even Jake’s dad gets in on the action. We see the supporting characters differently in this story. Everyone played an exciting role and I loved that. A surprising new character stole my heart and attention immediately. Igor, an Irish Wolfhound found himself in danger too and it made my heart skip a beat during a very tense scene.

This story unfolds at breakneck speed so readers have to hold on tight. Jake and Ellie took a lot of risks to free their family and friends from the Cliff House property. The killer was not their only worry. They had to battle a horrendous storm, high tides and big waves, earthquakes, falling trees, missing ladders, and more. They traveled through tunnels, spooky rooms, and hallways at Cliff House trying to find answers. They were in constant motion the entire story. I was exhausted for them and with them by the time I turned the final page.

Ms. Graves plotted out a whirlwind mystery and kept the pedal to the metal from start to finish. I was so caught up in the story I didn’t really form my own list of suspects and the actual reveal of the killer was a bit of a surprise. The pieces start to fall into place for me later in the book. This plot really kept me on my toes.

Ms. Graves took her characters on quite an adventure in Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake and in turn her readers. I really enjoyed this book a lot.

I am excited about the upcoming Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie set to hit shelves on April 25, 2023. I think both the characters and myself need a little time to catch our breath before we can handle whatever Ms. Sarah Graves dreams up next. We will all be ready by April.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the publisher for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This the fifth book in the death by series and it is just as good as the rest of them. The writing style sucks you in from the first page. I enjoyed Jacobia (Jake) and Ellie's characters. This series is set in Maine. I would definitely highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This book is in stores for $26.00 (USD).

Intriguing tale, With all the damage that happens to Jake in these stories, it seems like she should be done for. How she keeps surviving is anyone's guess. This book needs a proofreader. This might should have been named Death by Chocolate Pizza.

This book started off well with Jake and Ellie are anxious about how their bakery will survive the Maine winter. In walks a movie star with a request they cater desserts at a party at her new home, a mysterious reportedly haunted house. I feel like it was all downhill from there. Readers get bodies piling up, a huge storm, earthquakes, an enormous tree blocking the only access out, secret tunnels, rope ladders, and a crumbling cliff. It was simply too much. I wonder if some people read a different book based on the five star reviews. One of the above problems would have been sufficient to build suspense in a cozy mystery. This was apocalypse than cozy.

I enjoy books that are set in tourist areas during the off season. Eastport Maine is not a winter destination and the Chocolate Moose Bakery is trying to perfect a chocolate pizza to get them through the winter months. When a Hollywood celebrity moves into Cliff House and asks them to cater a dinner it's just what they need. When one of the guests is pushed over the cliff, Jake and Ellie must help solve the murder. Can be read as a stand alone, This is book 5 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Jake and Ellie, owners of the Chocolate Moose, are hired to cater an event at the haunted mansion on the cliff which has just been purchased by a celebrity. The owner wants them to spend the night which neither Jake or Ellie wish to do, but Mother Nature pretty much decides for them when gigantic trees fall during a storm knocking out power, communications and a way to escape. Bodies start turning up and Jake and Ellie work to save their friends from becoming the next victims.

Great story, action packed! fun and thrills galore!

Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake

This one had a distinct Agatha Christie feel to it but instead of Miss Marple you get Jacoba (just call her Jake) and Ellie partners in the Chocolate Moose, chocolate themed bakery. Picture this, a dark and stormy night, a strange cast of Hollywood types, a mysterious murder, and catering by Jake and Ellie with assistance from members of Jake’s family. Yep sounds like an Agatha Christie whodunit to me. Strange sounds and an even stranger hostess; Ingrid Merryfield, but she is from Hollywood after all. Sometime what sounds like a great opportunity, a great way to get the money you need to do an upgrade or two and make it through the offseason is not all it is cracked up to be. Spooky does not begin to cover it and you cannot help but to continue to read. Jake and Ellie are the perfect tag team/dynamic duo, always having each other’s back. Jake is generally trying to look out for everyone and is usually pretty successful at it, she has past experience of being able to walk away from the Mob and not have to worry about looking back. I was in the dark when it came to figuring out the guilty party, even when they were able to move the giant tree and get the power restored; I was still in the dark. Obviously with a book title invoking a delicious baked good, there has to be recipes, right? Ellie goes out of her way in each book to come up with something new and tasty and while I REALLY appreciate the inclusion of a recipe and a chocolate one at that, I REALLY wish that the book title baked good recipe would also be included. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal opinion. Jake and Ellie, who are business partners in a bakeshop called "The Chocolate Moose Bakery", are hired to cater an event at a home in the town that is falling apart and supposedly haunted. It is helmed by a Hollywood actress and as expected, there is a murder to solve. I absolutely adored the Irish wolfhound Igor, but the story just seemed like a lot going on and hard to keep pace with. I enjoy a good cozy mystery, which this was, but it just doesn't feel like the character of Jake is using her common sense which is not usually the case for her. Enjoyable read all the same.

In Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake we once again find Jake Tiptree and Ellie White struggling to keep their business afloat during the off season. They take on a catering job that is paying a generous amount for their services. The even is hosted by movie icon Ingrid Merryfield, at her new home, Cliff House, which has a reputation for being haunted. The upstairs rooms where Jake and Ellie are supposed to stay are full of cobwebs and spooky vibrations. That is not the worst though, an unexpected storm takes down a huge tree and traps them all in the mansion until the tree can be cleared. As the story progresses, there is more than one murder and some harrowing events that keep everyone on their toes.

I am used to seeing Jake and Ellie in more sedate situations, but this one was full of action. The setting of Cliff House gave it a creepy vibe from the start and it ratcheted up as the story progressed. Jake and Ellie need to get out before they end up joining the victim list, but that is easier said than done with a cliffside home. With Jake's dad and his housekeeper/partner also on the property, she needs to make sure they are also safe. This book has a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I didn't figure out the murderer or the motive, but Sarah Graves does a great job of wrapping up all the loose ends with a satisfying conclusion. I'm not sure what is next for this group, but it will take something exciting to top this latest Death by Chocolate Mystery. If you are a cozy mystery lover, I definitely recommend this book and series.

Princess Fuzzypants here: As hard as Jake and Ellie are finding the secret to keep the creams from liquifying in the cupcakes, they have no idea the challenges they will face when they accept a job catering for a big movie star who has just bought a derelict old house and is throwing a big party. The house in question has a rather dark history and of course is considered haunted. The “ghosts” are not the danger to those in the house. It is the other guests who are very scary.

There is lots of atmosphere with climbs up and down a cliff face multiple times, some very wild boat experiences and a tree that falls over in a storm blocking off an escape or help arriving. It is a merry chase, if you do not do a body count. Corpses are turning up with frightening regularity and except for Jake, Ellie, Bella and Mika, they would be wise to trust no one. The history of the house and the connections of some of the characters to it are interesting and the tension is non stop. When the killer(s) are revealed and the motive is discovered, it is rather tawdry.

But our heroines and their family members do make an escape in the nick of time and all ends well for them. And for the reader once she gets through all the twists, turns and tunnels. Four purrs and two paws up.

Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake is the fifth in a series that those who like sweets and mysteries are sure to enjoy. It features Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree who was the protagonist in the author’s earlier “Home Repair” series. I read several of those.

This time, Jake and her friend (and conspirator in chocolate) are invited to cater desserts for a party given by a glamorous (is there any other kind?) actress. Taking a page from Agatha Christie, there is a storm and guests are stranded in what might be a haunted house.

Of course, there is a murder. Someone is thrown over a cliff. There are suspects and a case to solve. No spoiler, it may not be easy, but Jake will do just that.

Those who like Maine and enjoy traditional mysteries may want to give this title a look. They may then want to read the entire series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

A home run from Sarah Graves! This book kept me guessing until the end and even then, I was wrong. I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down. I like the characters, who are weird and fun. I feel connected to them. This mystery was bizarre, in a good way, and unique. I really recommend this book!

This book bordered on the not so cozy genre, which isn't bad, just not what I was expecting. There were a LOT of bodies, killed in various ways, but it was not graphic. That said, it was overall an enjoyable book, I really liked the main characters and the setting. The main character, Jake, had very real life problems - a house full of family, including her son's family; older parents; a struggling business. While this book was a little dark for me, I would like to go back and read the books that came before.

And Then There Were None, anyone? Jacobia (Jake) and Ellie run a bakery in their small town. Winter is coming and since they rely on tourists, business is slow. So when they get an opportunity to provide desserts and snacks for a famous movie star, who wouldn't jump at the chance. The only problem is the creepy mansion. They are required to stay overnight. Bumps and mysterious scratching noise are nothing compared to the guests who start dying. A storm moves in and cuts off communication and their way of escape as a big tree comes down across the only road out. Such a fun a scary book. Jake doesn't believe in ghosts, but who is the killer and could they be next?

I really enjoyed this book. So many suspects and frustrating because they can't call for help. A few wild adventures involving cliffs and collapsing tunnels and you have a great escape. The style of writing is easy-to-read and the characters are enjoyable. The plot had me guessing and turning the page.

I love pretty much anything chocolate, so I was thrilled to be able to read this book. It was definitely a yummy delicious treat. I loved the chocolate that was mentioned, the intriguing mystery, and the interesting characters. The storyline read ok as a stand-alone, but I think I would have benefited from reading the previous books first.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read several of Sarah Graves’ books featuring Jacobia, “Jake”, Tiptree years ago. I remember enjoying them very much. When I saw this new series on NetGalley, I thought it would be fun to return to the character.

I am sad to say that I found this book very disappointing. There is a huge recurring cast of characters plus a large number of new characters. There is a “haunted” house, a thunderstorm, earthquakes, falling objects– so many things going on. There is an attempt at a locked room mystery. Also considering the reason Jake and Ellie go to the house is for a catering job, there is a lack of food descriptions.

I would only recommend this book to the most diehard fans of this series and the previous one. I gave this two stars.

Sarah Graves has done it again. Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake is the 5th in her Death By Chocolate series. Set in a small town in Maine, this cozy mystery is full of fun ingredients. The owners of the Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie, are hired to cater a party in a house recently purchased by a Hollywood star. The house is said to be haunted.
Unafraid, Ellie and Jake prepare for a fabulous party that soon becomes quite spooky. Storm begins to rage..tree falls and blocks any exit/entrance and a body appears at the bottom of a cliff. What more do you want in a thriller?
It is up to our caterers to follow the clue and solve the mystery.
What a fast and satisfying read!