The Chocolate Cupid Killings

Table of Contents

 

 

“Deliciously cozy.
The Chocolate Cupid Killings
is richly entertaining and has no calories.”

—Elaine Viets, author of
The Fashion Hound Murders

“A chocolate-drenched page-turner! JoAnna Carl satisfies your sweet tooth along with your craving for a tasty whodunit.”

—Cleo Coyle, author of
Holiday Grind

“Anyone who loves chocolate—and who doesn't?—will love this delicious, fast-paced addition to the Chocoholic Mystery series. It has more twists and turns than a chocolate-covered pretzel, but this treat won't add any pounds, so you can indulge without guilt!”

—Leslie Meier, author of
Mother's Day Murder

“A deft mix of truffles and trouble. Chocaholics—this book is for you!”

—Laura Childs, author of the Tea Shop mysteries

“A delicious treat for cozy fans.... JoAnna Carl is an author that never disappoints.”

—Fresh Fiction

“A sweet mystery of how helping others can at times come back and bite you in the backside. JoAnna Carl definitely knows how to pen a sweet read.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

“Dollops of chocolate lore add to the cozy fun.”

 

“[A] fun, very readable book, with likable characters that are knowable whether you've read all seven novels in the series or whether this is your first.”

—Suite 101

 

“Entertaining and stylish.... Reading this on an empty stomach is hazardous to the waistline because the chocolate descriptions are . . . sensuously enticing. Lee is very likable without being too sweet.”

“The sixth delicious mix of chocolate and crime.”

—Writerspace

“Everything about Joanna Carl's books is delicious treats, from the characters to the snippets of chocolate trivia . . . fantastic characters who have come to feel like good friends.
The Chocolate Bridal Bash
stands alone, but once you've read it, you'll be craving the other books in this series.”

—Roundtable Reviews

 

“A fine tale.”

“I've been a huge fan of the Chocoholic Mystery series from the start. I adore the mix of romance, mystery, and trivia . . . satisfying.”

—Roundtable Reviews

 

“The pacing is perfect for the small-town setting, and the various secondary characters add variety and interest. Readers may find themselves craving chocolate, yearning to make their own.... An interesting mystery, fun characters, and, of course, chocolate make this a fun read for fans of mysteries and chocolates alike.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

“A JoAnna Carl mystery will be a winner. The trivia and vivid descriptions of the luscious confections are enough to make you hunger for more!”

—Roundtable Reviews

“A fast-paced, light read, full of chocolate facts and delectable treats. Lee is an endearing heroine.... Readers will enjoy the time they spend with Lee and Joe in Warner Pier and will look forward to returning for more murder dipped in chocolate.”

—The Mystery Reader

 

“Descriptions of exotic chocolate will have you running out to buy gourmet sweets . . . a delectable treat.”

—The Best Reviews

 

“A mouthwatering debut and a delicious new series! Feisty young heroine Lee McKinney is a delight in this chocolate treat. A real page-turner, and I got chocolate on every one! I can't wait for the next.”

—Tamar Myers

“One will gain weight just from reading [this] . . . delicious . . . the beginning of what looks like a terrific new cozy series.”

“Enjoyable . . . entertaining . . . a fast-paced whodunit with lots of suspects and plenty of surprises . . . satisfies a passion for anything chocolate. In the fine tradition of Diane Mott Davidson.”

—The Commercial Record
(MI)

ALSO BY JOANNA CARL

OBSIDIAN

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First Printing, October 2010

Copyright © Eve K. Sandstrom, 2009

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ISBN : 978-1-101-55845-4

As ever, thanks are due to many people who helped with this book. Foremost are my Michigan neighbors: Susan McDermott, Tracy Paquin, and Dick Trull. Lawmen Jim Avance and Robert “Officer Bob” Swartz were kind and informative. My daughters and sons-in-law, Betsy and Sam Peters and Ruth and Bart Henson, and my son, John Sandstrom, answered many questions at moments that were convenient for me, but not always for them. Holland, Michigan, librarian Robin Williams-Voight, was a great help. And Dr. Marty Ludlum purchased the right to have his name—not his appearance or personality!—used in this book with a generous contribution to the Lawton, Oklahoma, Arts for All drive.

I'd also like to thank my agent, Maureen Walters, and my editor, Tracy Bernstein, for their unfailing help and encouragement.

The name on the stranger's ID card may have read Valentine, but he was no cupid.

Cupid is little, round, and cute, and this guy was tall, skinny, and ugly. He definitely didn't look as if he could flit around on a tiny pair of wings; he clunked into TenHuis Chocolade in heavy snow boots that seemed to be bigger than they needed to be. And he wasn't wearing Cupid's airy draperies. His scrawny neck stuck out of a parka shaped like a turtle's shell covered with cheap nylon and trimmed with fur from some polyester beast.