In Christmas Candy Killing by Christian Romeril, Twin sisters Alex and Hannah are the owners of a candy and mystery bookshop. While at a Sleuth club meeting Jane, a good friend of theirs tells Alex she knows there is a murder of a cold case in town and can she meet the next morning to see what she thinks. When Alex goes to Janes house she finds the house Jane Murdered with a box of her shops chocolates on the end table. Soon Alex is the number one suspect and has to find the muder so she can prove she's innocent and find justice for her friend.

I'm loving this book but it does have alot of parallels to the first Aurora Teagarden book Real Murders. Once you get past that it's a great book.

The characters are so charming. I love how the neighbors all look out for eachother and formed a family. The plot was well written and kept you interested till the very end. I especially like how the murder was finally discovered. It was a nice slow reveal and made sense.

You how learn about candy making and how the candy shop works with the theme of the mystery Book store. All the chocolates are named after poisions found in Mystery books which is a fun twist. I also enjoyed learning about German cookies and culture through the main characters. It was nice to see a different culture explored

This was a great start to a new Cozy Mystery series and I can't wait for the second in the series!

Thank you Netgallery and Crooked Lane books the ARC

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy of A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril in exchange for an honest review. It published October 11, 2022.
This was a wonderful first book in a new cozy mystery series. I had a lot of fun with this, I loved the poison chocolates theme, I thought it was so clever and unique and a little meta, too!
I loved that the main character is a twin and I found the setting to be fun, I love Montana!
I think if you're a cozy fan, you'll definitely enjoy this one!

The author has written a fine coy mystery centered around a combination mystery bookshop/candy store. Alex and her twin sister, Hanna, ran the store located in the small Rocky Mountain village of Harriston, Montana. Alex, visiting an elderly friend, finds her dead - stabbed to death. The sheriff accusses another friend of the crime, bui A;ex is not so sure. She and a collection of friends and neighbors will spend the days before Christmas searching for the real killer while not being killed themselves.

It was fun getting to know the members of the Harriston community - both their strengths and their faults. The author drops enough clues for the reader to track the guilty party, without giving the culprit away till the book reaches its climax. When combined with the cany recipes, the book is well done.


Hopefully this becomes the first book in a new series - after all, “This is the first time there’s been a murder in Harriston in over a hundred years. What are chance of another … in our lifetimes.” I give this cozy mystery four-stars.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

I really enjoyed the background of this first book in a new series. A Mystery Bookstore/Chocolate Shop that sells chocolates with poisonous names. Twin sisters Alex and Hannah have moved to Montana from Michigan to open and operate the shop. Hannah makes the chocolates and Alex runs the rest of the shop. After a book club meeting Jane asks Alex to stop be her house to watch a true crime show. Jane is sure the killer is living in their town. When Alex shows up she finds Jane dead. The Sheriff thinks Alex might be the killer so she sets out to clear her name and solve the crime. I liked the characters and the small town setting. I had a problem with the mystery and the way Alex went about solving or not solving it. It was very obvious who the killer was yet Alex like the Sheriff keeps ignoring them. She spends a lot of time going around in circles uncovering people's secrets that have nothing to do mystery yet never questions the real killer. I was really surprised when Alex made a few too stupid to live moves. At the end I felt like the author paid more attention to her chocolate recipes, which look quite good, than the mystery. Overall it was a quick light Holiday Read

his was a decent cozy mystery. I did find it predictable, though. I definitely could have done without the book about a chocolate shop talking so much about how the characters don’t want to get fat.

Chocolate and murder in a Christmas mystery? I couldn't resist! In the book store Alex and Hannah ran, I was enchanted by their poison-themed chocolates and books. As a fan of true crime shows, I enjoyed A Christmas Candy Killing's inclusion of Jane, a retired woman convinced that there was a killer in their community.

Even though there were many characters to keep track of in this small town and there was a lot of gossip, I enjoyed it. A fast-paced book. Alex soon became a suspect following Jane's murder. Despite this, Alex does not hold back when it comes to catching a killer before Christmas.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for a copy of this this book. This was a honest review.

I'd probably do a 3.5/5; this one grew on me as it went on.

It felt really great to actually read a Christmas book at the start of the season instead of the weird not-thriller I wound up with on Christmas Eve last year. I have to say I adore the cover; it helped put me in a cozy Christmas space. Also, I think I quite like the mystery bookstore/chocolate shop idea. The recipes at the back actually have me pretty interested in giving chocolate making a go just for the heck of it.

I'm not sure I'm particularly enamored with any of the characters; I think the book's biggest mistake was in who we lost fairly early on. I had been expecting said person to be a staple character in the series and I think we would have really enjoyed them in that role.
There were a few lines that just threw me way off from some of the town residents and suspects; they were a bit too over the top. *cough* Netta *cough*
At times it seemed hard to believe how little an impact the death seemed to have in a tight knit community, but I have to remember that tending towards the ridiculous is kind of a real thing in small towns even if people are grieving... I lived in one for so long as the daughter of one of the funeral directors. I should know better than most!

I noticed a lot of reviews pointed out the book's pretty frequent jokes about weight. I'm caught in the middle here; I do think the author should find a different schtick going forward. But, it is part of a larger trend in the cozy genre we could stand to re-examine. I don't think there was any ill will, and I make cracks about how much I'm eating through the holidays all the time... it was more the ones about scales moving the wrong way that I think could be retooled more respectfully.

I think one setup was a bit obvious towards the end, and the twins could be weirdly blunt in their sleuthing at times- however I make that complaint about most of the cozies I read, and now that I'm trying to write one, ya know what? I get it.
If we make the characters going forward a bit more stand out I think this will be quite a solid series. I humbly suggest yeeting Duncan; the less cops in these books the better, and I can't stand the police love interest trope. It's at least like, 40% of cozies. It's true, you can google it

Since the mystery of this book was pretty solid; lots of questions, physical clues, inconsistencies, etc... I'll probably be back for more of this series. I may even come back and round this up to a 4... it needs to marinate

Shoutout to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an e-ARC to read in exchange for honest review, and Merry Christmas!

This series introduction is set in a shop that sells books and chocolate- my favorite things! I would have enjoyed the book just for the cleverly named (after poisons) chocolates but the mystery and characters were also interesting.

I expected some obvious cozy mystery tropes to happen, given the setup, but the story went in different directions- yay! And no love triangle!

I'd recommend this as a fun, solid cozy mystery.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Great cover on this one!

This was a decent start to the <b>Killer Chocolate</b> series. The writing was good. It was well paced. I really love the setting. Especially a mystery bookstore that sells handmade chocolates named after poisons. I thought that was quite original! The plot was engaging and kept me guessing with plenty of suspects and red herrings. Alex is a good main sleuth, and the secondary characters are likable. And of course, it wouldn't be a cozy without a few recipes to end us off! I look forward to diving into the next book in this series. 👍🏻👍🏻

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Alex convinces her twin Hanna to leave their parents shop in PA and open up a new venture in a small Montana town--a way for both to start fresh. The store, Murder and Mayhem, does well with its' focus on mystery books and candies based on real poisons that Hanna creates. One of the older residents, Jane, loves mysteries and true crime podcasts. As a regular at the store, she tells Alex she thinks someone in their small community is on the run after she listens to a new podcast. When she is found murdered, Alex is named beneficiary and number one suspect. This was a good read, with great characters, sense of place and twisty murder trail.

This is a fun cozy mystery with emphasis on cozy. There is really no gruesome details at all and no suspense until the very end. It is a good debut effort. It will appeal to readers who like bookstore settings as the heroine owns one. It will also appeal to foodies as delicious candies are involved, some deadly though not by initial design.

Romeril's writing style is good and kept me engaged. There is mostly an emphasis on character discussion, such as trying to find out one's history, in the course of amateur sleuthing. There are plenty of suspects and a few red herrings to keep the mystery going. And I was happy to see recipes included for the most delicious sounding treats.

This will be an author to watch for more tantalizing cozy mysteries.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

This was a really fun start to a series, For a series to start off at the holidays, well that is a win win for me. I love middle aged protagonists, the fact that they were twin sisters made it more fun. I was really sad by the characters that were victims in this story, usually in cozies its unknown characters.

I had a suspicion of the who dunnit but not the true why. Obviously, there was something to hide, but I was shocked when revealed. It reminds me a lot of my best friend and I watching the ID channel and talking about the stories.

I will definitely continue on with this series.

I wasn't taken with the narration to start but it got so much better once the story took off.

What a great book to kick off the start of my holiday reading!

I have been pining for this book ever since the cover reveal on Instagram. I mean seriously, how cute is it with the Christmas decorations and chocolates? Adorable!

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series and I really enjoyed the setting of a bookstore/chocolate shop. As much as I love a good bookstore/bakery/coffee shop, this was a fun twist that I really liked. And I appreciated the inclusion of instructions of how to make your own chocolates at the end!

Overall I really enjoyed the story. I liked the way the mystery unraveled and event though I did figure out who the killer was before the sleuth did, I still found myself enjoying the reveal. If I'm being honest, the setting and the vibes are really what did it for me with this book. I loved the small town and Alex and Hanna's shop so much.

This was a solid first in a new series and I do plan on picking up the future books. I saw on instagram that the author (who is Canadian, which is always a bonus for me) is currently working on the third book which is also Christmas themed and I am SO excited about that!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy a cute Christmas cozy, so I was excited to see this one become available on NetGalley, it is the first in a new series by Christina Romeril.
While I enjoyed the two sisters, I felt it moved a little slow, but I feel that way about most first in series, I’m curious to see how this series develops as it continues.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

There is promise in this debut but when the amateur sleuth goes around blantantly asking people where they were the night of the murder, shows there are opportunities where some hard editing could have been made. I really wanted to love this being as it's the author's debut novel, but the writing needed to be flushed out more and futher editing. Because of this, it was hard to fully enjoy the story.

This debut novel in a delectable new cozy mystery series will surely put fans in the mood for Christmas and chocolate.

"A Christmas Candy Killing" is the first book in a delicious new cozy mystery series, "Killer Chocolate," by Christina Romeril. The main characters, Alex and Hanna, are warm, curious, and capable sleuths but the small Montana village and its residents are real gems. Despite the murder, it's sure to put readers in a holiday spirit.

The action begins quickly, with the murder occurring within the first couple of chapters. With Christmas only days away, the sheriff is pushing to successfully close the case before the holiday and make up her mind right away on who's to blame. As Alex is a prime suspect, trying to clear her name justifies her determined snooping. I thought it was fun and pretty realistic that the people she questioned were not shy about telling her to butt out. It happened often enough that you could play a drinking game involving taking a shot every time one of the characters told Alex to "mind your own business" or similar. It wouldn't take long for all participants to find themselves in a stupor. Fun times. But Alex is focused and thick-skinned enough to barrel on ahead.

There is an entertaining subplot involving Alex, her neighbor, Tom, and Penelope Shaw, the single (again) woman who lives across the street from them and views Alex as her rival for Tom's affections. I laughed out loud over Alex's dream that featured Penelope and one of her frozen casseroles.

With an engaging amateur sleuth and several plausible red herrings with excellent motives for mischief, I recommend A CHRISTMAS CANDY KILLING to cozy mystery readers who enjoy culinary-themed stores, settings in small-town Montana, or chocolate. (Recipes for some of Hanna's delectable handmade treats are included.)

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Killer Chocolates and mysteries are what you will find at twin sisters Alex and Hanna’s Murder and Mayhem shop in Harriston, Montana. With names like Strychnine Strawberry, Ricin Raspberry Creams, Cotton Candy Coniine, and Veronal Vanilla Cream, the candies are flying out the door as Christmas approaches. While these poison theme candies have fun names, and no poison is used in the creations there may be a real killer nearby. Alex’s elderly friend Jane watches every true crime television show she can. She tells Alex that she knows one of the killers she has seen on television is living in Harriston. She confesses she also told her friend Nessa, who has never met a piece of gossip she hasn’t spread. Alex reluctantly agrees to visit Jane the next day to watch the program.

When Alex arrives at Jane’s house the next day she finds Jane dead . . . with a box of Killer Chocolates too close for comfort.

Alex is beside herself when she is named as a suspect along with a handyman, Zach who did a lot of work for Jane. Hanna knows she is innocent and she believes Zach is too. She just needs to prove it and fast. She has no desire to spend the holiday behind bars.

This new series is off to a fabulous start.

I really like these twin sisters. Alex runs the book part of the shop and Hanna makes the chocolate creations, but they crossover to help each other and work with the customers because most usually leave the place with a least one book and a box of candy. Their relationship is comfortable and relatable. Alex has a real knack for getting people to open up to her especially if she is offering candy. These characters are well-developed for the first book in the series. Ms. Romeril has left plenty of room for them to continue to evolve as the series continues though.

The author took the first couple of chapters to introduce readers to Alex, Hanna, and their dog Miss Watson. We also meet their neighbor Pastor Tom Kennedy, Penelope Shaw, a divorcee, who lives across the street from Tom, and her sights on him as her next husband, Duncan Fletcher who dated Hanna for about 2 months and then he put her in the friend zone and Gary, owner of Harriston Bloom greenhouse. These characters as well as others we meet in the story are all cleverly crafted.

The mystery was very well-plotted. I really enjoyed the way Alex attacked her investigation. Her former career in banking for 20 years gave her the instincts and knowledge needed to be a pretty good amateur sleuth. I was delighted to follow along with her step by step as she worked through the clues. A key piece of evidence reveals the truth she was looking for and everything started to fall into place. The ending was exciting. I loved the way it played out with a surprising hero.

What more could you want? Candy and books are what this girl loves and to have them both in one place is Perfect!

A Christmas Candy Killing was such an entertaining cozy. With characters I can’t wait to visit again, a sweet mystery, a unique theme, a fun setting, and humor in all the right places, this book is A Perfect Escape. I am excited about the next Killer Chocolate Mystery.

3.5 stars
I enjoyed the mystery and loved the poison-themed chocolates. A perfect treat while browsing in a mystery bookshop. I didn't warm up to the characters immediately but by the end I was invested. I did think Tom moved on a little fast from his wife's passing. Overall, it was a good read and I'll probably watch for the next in the series.

A pair of sisters looking into a murder suspect to clear one's name. A cozy mystery that has you eager to figure out what comes next. Look forward to seeing what comes next in the series.

I enjoyed this one! Alex and Hanna are endearing protagonists, and I enjoyed following their journey in solving the mystery. I wish we got more of Hanna, but I think that will be fixed in the subsequent books. I loved the setting and the mystery. It was well paced and well plotted. I cannot wait for book 2!