A great second book in a series. It kept me guessing as to how the mystery would play out. Can’t wait to continue on with the series.

Mint Chocolate Murder is a sweet treat of a cozy mystery, perfect for fans of lighthearted crime-solving and charming small-town settings. Set in the whimsical world of an ice cream shop, this novel serves up a fun, frothy mystery with a side of delectable desserts.

The story follows the owner of the Sweet Treats Ice Cream Shop, who finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation when a local resident turns up dead. With a cast of quirky characters and a picturesque setting, the book offers plenty of cozy vibes. The mystery itself is engaging enough, though it unfolds in a fairly predictable manner. If you’re looking for a complex, twisty plot, this one might leave you wanting a bit more.

The protagonist is an endearing amateur sleuth, and her love for ice cream adds a delightful touch to the story. The small-town charm and the way the community rallies around the ice cream shop create a comforting backdrop for the mystery. The romantic subplot is light and sweet, much like the ice cream flavors that feature prominently in the story.

While the book is enjoyable and offers a pleasant escape, it sometimes feels a bit too simplistic, and the resolution of the mystery didn’t quite deliver the punch I was hoping for. The characters are fun but not particularly deep, and the plot moves along at a leisurely pace.

Overall, Mint Chocolate Murder is a delightful, easy read that’s perfect for curling up with on a lazy afternoon. It might not offer the most complex mystery, but it’s a fun, cozy escape with a sprinkle of sweetness. Ideal for fans of light cozy mysteries and those who enjoy a side of ice cream with their crime-solving.

The ice cream shop has its biggest event yet. Riley gets to showcase Udderly Delicious at a real life castle where art is life. The owner and former model has invited a photographer to record the event. Alas he is found in the castle dungeon murdered. It is a real life locked room mystery that Riley is determined to solve.

I love a good cozy mystery! One that incorporates all of my favorite topics (i.e. genealogy, bookstores, libraries, cooking, painting, inn keeping, animals, etc.), throwing in some action-suspense, a who-done-it, interesting characters, and a plot that keeps me guessing, then you’ve got me hooked. I will say, I am one of those people who like to read a series from the beginning, but I often find you don’t have to… either way I highly recommend reading Lineage Mint Chocolate Murder by Meri Allen.

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.*

"Mint Chocolate Murder" is the second book in Meri Allen's Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. A Gilded Age mansion has been renovated into an artist colony by Maud Monaco, a former supermodel. To celebrate the grand opening, Maud hired Riley to create ice cream flavors and desserts for the event.

Moy Mull has a dark history. The wife of its first owner ran away with the chauffeur, never to be seen again by polite society. Abandoned for decades before its rebirth as an artist colony, it developed a dark reputation. Another blemish on its history is the body of the photographer, who was exhibiting at the event, being found dead in a locked room. To make matters worse, he was Maud’s ex-husband.

Enjoy the plot, characters, and setting. I really want to try my hand at making some of the ice cream recipes in the book. It wasn’t hard to guess which real-life person inspired one of the characters in the book, and it wasn’t that hard to suspend my disbelief.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The owner of Moy Mull is hosting an artist event for artist and photographer Adam. She had invited Udderly to make fancy ice cream for the event. When the artist goes missing and is found dead. Riley starts to research and investigate.

I found this mystery well thought out and fun to figure out whodunnit. I can't wait to read the next in the series. I'm still craving ice cream after reading this book.

A delightful cozy mystery! I enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy mysteries or stories with an amateur sleuth, and do not need the graphic reality with descriptions of gore and violence, this is a good choice. You can follow the clues to solve the mystery without any threat of nightmares.

Book two in a super cozy series. Ice cream, mystery, murder and some good writing and tap me in! I can't believe I found another cozy author to add to my list! Well done Ms. Meri!

This is #2 in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I have not read the first book but will be continuing with this series. The main character Riley is so interesting, she’s a former librarian for the CIA and now manages an ice cream shop! Throw in a murder and you have all the ingredients for a great cozy mystery! Definitely check out this series, and have some ice cream while you do!

This was the perfect sequel in this series! Riley is back and she's working full time at Udderly Ice Cream Shop. And once again, there's been a murder. Her best friend, Caroline, is dating the police chief, and they both do their best to "help" his investigation. All the amazing family and friends are back in this sequel and the story is a little bit darker than the first one, which I really liked. On to the third book! I truly hope there are more!

This is the second book I have read in this series and I enjoyed reading it. This one takes place at a castle turned into a an artist colony. Riley has been hired to cater the dessert portion of the meal. When a body is found in a locked room Riley set out to solve the crime. I really enjoy the small town setting and the ice cream background. The castle setting was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the mysteries and the solutions made sense. I was able to figure them out. I look for word to reading the next book. Enjoy

I loved the mystery and had no idea who the culprit was until the end. I loved the castle setting but it was slow paced, too many charachters and there was no mention of Mint Chocolate ice cream at all.

In every cozy mystery series, the second book has the hardest job. The first book has the benefit of newness, and it's fairly easy to make even the most mundane of introductions exciting by exploring a fresh world. The third book and beyond have the benefit of familiarity. As a reader, if you've made it that far, you're probably in for the long haul. The second, though? That's where a series finds out if its poison is potent. Fortunately for author Meri Allen, Mint Chocolate Murder suggests her Ice Cream Shop Mysteries series should have a long, healthy life ... murder aside.

Former CIA librarian Riley Rhodes is back on the case—of ice cream, anyway. When former model Maud Monaco needs a sweet treat for her arts festival at Penniman's Moy Mull Castle, Riley throws herself into whipping up new fall flavors as the manager of Udderly Delightful Ice Cream. However, when star photographer Adam Blasco is found dead, Riley can't help but wonder if he was murdered and just what other mysteries the castle might be hiding.

By plopping Riley and the bulk of the investigation into the castle, Allen immediately gives this second book an exciting jolt. Outside of the shop, Riley gets to explore a fun setting while stretching her sleuthing skills. Even so, she's one of the more grounded detectives in contemporary mysteries. Mostly calm and collected, she doesn't rush into danger without assessing the situation, giving this book a quieter feel.

That's not to suggest it's without thrills. A castle with a tainted history, a photographer with complicated relationships, and some slightly chaotic cats all keep Riley busy. Add in a genuinely likable cast of secondary characters, tight pacing, and a twisty mystery and altogether Mint Chocolate Murder is a solid second book in the series.

If it was ice cream, it'd be the perfect scoop.

Riley is thrown into a murder investigation when she provides ice cream desserts for an event at which the guest of honor is found dead. This is a nice twisty cozy mystery with interesting characters and nice storytelling. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

This has been one of my favorite cozy mysteries that I've read so far this year!
Riley Rhodes who is a former CIA Librarian (can I just say that sounds like an awesome library job!), and now a manager of a small town ice cream store due to needing a change of pace. The ice cream shop is going to be catering at an event at a local castle, but while there someone ends up dying. This leads to Riley using her CIA librarian skills to use and trying to find out who did it as the small-town police are spread thin and don't have a suspect.

Overall this story was so fun and a nice change of pace for me. Riley was a fun character who was so good at both her management job, as well as being a good friend, and a pretty good detective too. I loved all the little side characters and how they added so much to the story and made it even better. From the owner of the castle, to the person who died assistant, to other people in the community there were just so many that helped bring it all together and showed how much can be going on at once without anyone realizing it until they start looking into a murder.
I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series before I start the third book!



(I read a finished copy from the library)

This book is part of a series bit can be enjoyed as a standalone. An enjoyable cozy mystery featuring an amateur sleuth and characters that represent ordinary, everyday people. The case was interesting and kept me reading as I wanted to know how it would be solved. I did struggle, though, to connect with the characters though.

The Ice Cream Shop Mysteries by Meri Allen is a great series! I love the wiriting and the Charaters.

What i thought was great about the Mint Chocolate Murder how the story uses the castle. It was a great setting for the book and gave alot of fun details to the story. I really hope we see Maud and Prentiss in the next book. I really enjoyed the new characters. I also loved how sprinkles the cat was having a break down. She is always laying traps for people to fall and how she's wreck the house.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgallery, for the ARC

This is the first book in the Ice Cream Shop series that I have read. But I enjoyed it so much that I will go back and read the first one. There are wonderful characters and an interesting location for the story. You will enjoy getting to know Riley, a former CIA librarian. She and the rest of the individuals who are part of the Moy Mull’s Fall Arts Festival will keep you entertained. There are a lot of relationships among the characters and you will be left wondering who really committed the murder. Riley does a fabulous job of sorting out the clues and not giving up until she has solved the case. What a wonderful whodunit! And I was left guessing until the very end. How can you go wrong with a murder, ice cream, and a castle! I can’t wait to get involved in the next adventure with Riley and the rest of the people in Penniman.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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I chalk it up to Allen's writing and characters that I was glued to this book even with a basic plot that reads like something you've read before. At its core, it's a small-town murder mystery with the prerequisite nosy single lady who helps solve it, but Riley is charming and all the different elements make for a complex case that keeps adding elements all the way up to the exciting conclusion.
Riley worked for the CIA with a cover of being a librarian who traveled the world, but now she runs her best friend's ice cream shop in the little town they grew up. When she's asked to provide ice cream for a gallery opening and event at the town's remodeled castle, now owned by a famous supermodel who was once married to a prince, it's exciting for more than one reason. But things get complicated when the famous artist being celebrated is found murdered in a locked room.
There are so many twists and little elements in the story that keep mudding up the true culprit, so it was a pleasant surprise that it turned out to be not who I expected. Allen keeps tossing things into the mix even when she could have let things coast and played it simpler. I really liked that.
It's book two in the series, but you can easily jump right in and enjoy this one.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for the fun read!

This was really a good book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. This book was well written and had just the right mystery and suspense in it! I would definitely recommend it.