Amber Royer

A Study in Chocolate by Amber Royer was not an enjoyable story to read. It is the fifth a Bean to Bar Mystery and I recommend reading the series in order. There are numerous mentions to the past murders that Felicity helped solve. My trouble with the story began with the first chapter. I had trouble with the writing style. The story is told in the first person. Felicity’s thoughts seemed to tumble around from subject to subject. The descriptions are detailed (which slows down the pacing). The mystery was interesting. The killer seems to be a fan of Sherlock Holmes. A Study in Scarlet is at the center of the puzzle. The mystery was higgledly piggledy. I wish the whodunit had been more of a challenge to solve. The whodunit can be cracked before the murder takes place. Felicity also has two love interests (my biggest pet peeve). She cannot decide between her two beaus. Felicity told the gentlemen that she will make a choice before her friend’s wedding. It does not help that both men are going to be groomsmen. Felicity with help from her investor has purchased the shop next door. This will allow customers to view how chocolates are created (the process from start to finish). I am surprised that a small chocolate shop owner would invest money in such an endeavor. I could see allowing customers to view the dipping of chocolates or the making of fudge at the front of the shop but not utilizing a whole shop for the purpose. Especially with the shop being on an island where your income relies on tourists. My favorite character was Satchmo, the retired police dog who is now a therapy dog. I did enjoy the lushing descriptions of the chocolates (highlight of the book). While A Study in Chocolate was not for me, I suggest you download a sample so you can judge it for yourself. A Study in Chocolate is a molten mystery with a private party, a cat companion, pocketed chocolates, a book clue, a paramour predicament, and a scarlet solution.… (meer)

Thank you to the author and LSBBT for providing a copy of this book for review. This is the second Bean to Bar Mystery Book that I’ve read. I recommend readers begin with the first book in the series, but this book can be read as a stand-alone.

I love that this series is set in Galveston, Texas, a city I know well. Felicity and her partner, Logan, run a chocolate shop on the Strand, making all their product from scratch. Readers are treated to lots of delicious descriptions of chocolate bars and baked goods. Warning: don’t read hungry!

Felicity has a thing for Logan. Unfortunately, she also has a thing for local cop, Arlo. This has been an ongoing love triangle, which keeps Felicity in a state of perpetual indecision and readers hoping she’ll put us out of our misery. BTW I’m team Logan!

Felicity and her friends attend a tea hosted at the historical home of a art dealer, new to town. After he is found murdered the following morning, Felicity realizes his killer is taunting her, using clues from a Sherlock Holmes book. When they threaten the life of someone close to her, she becomes desperate to solve the murder and unmask the mastermind behind the crime.

The pace of this book is lightning fast with little time to breath between scenes. There is a crowd of suspects and red herrings galore. Royer will keep you guessing to the end, leading you down secret tunnels and underground rooms. At times I felt overwhelmed by the action and had to slow down my reading to absorb all the details.

This is a fun cozy murder mystery in a great setting with a host of great characters. I recommend it to readers who enjoy this genre.

I rate this book: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars… (meer)

Another clever chocolate-forward puzzler from the pen of Amber Royer

A Study in Chocolate is another well-done addition to author Amber Royer's virtually delicious Bean-to-Bar Mystery series. Picking up only a short time after the conclusion of the previous novel, Felicity Koerber's renown as a sleuth may be outpacing her reputation for creating gourmet chocolate fantasies. Although understandably pleased that she's been able to help bring killers to justice, her true focus remains on her culinary and, more recently, artistic culinary endeavors. That is, until Logan is threatened.

The book's title serves as a teasing reference to the Sherlock Holmes puzzler, A Study in Scarlet, and learning the literary ties in each of the books in the series is something I look forward to as each new story drops. In this instance, Royer enhances her story with Holmes-like elements, making for a fun and entertaining mystery.

The question of the Logan-Felicity-Arlo love triangle is ongoing. I enjoy the drawing out of Felicity making a choice, though, as I have waffled from Team Arlo to Team Logan and back again over the course of the series.

Besides the clever tie-ins, romantic tension, and solid mystery, the starring feature of the entire series continues to be the chocolate. I always learn something new and interesting about it and always seek out and devour every morsel I can find in the house while reading one of these books.I recommend A STUDY IN CHOCOLATE to cozy mystery readers who enjoy culinary-themed stories and fans of the previous books in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.… (meer)