Thursday, May 21, 2009

Candy Apple Dead ~ Sammi Carter


Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Pub. Date: September 2005
ISBN-13: 9780425205327
240pp
Series: A Candy Shop Mystery

Synopsis

Abby Shaw has returned to her hometown of Paradise, Colorado--leaving behind a career in corporate law and a cheating husband--to take over her aunt's candy shop, Divinity. But her sweet new life quickly turns sour when a fellow merchant dies in a fire. With all clues pointing to arson--and Abby's brother as the number one suspect--she must sink her teeth into finding the killer.



What could be more delish than a mystery series that takes place in a candy shop? Adding pizza, cheese & baked goods is the only thing that comes to mine. Oh, talk about sheer deliciousness.

Sammi Carter's Abby Shaw is the latest amateur sleuth to join the ranks in the cozy mystery genre.

Candy Apple Dead is a luscious read.

I enjoyed getting to know Abby in this tempting debut. I loved the small town feel of life in Paradise, Colorado.

Carter created a likable heroine who has chutzpah. Abby seems to have no fear & thrusts herself right into the thick of things.

While Abby does stick herself into the midst of some precarious situations & you often wonder,"what the heck is she doing?" it makes sense.

Granted, it is a bit frustrating but you can't help but root for her as she tries to get to the bottom of the murder. Which is what makes her a believable & endearing protagonist. You just want Abby to persevere.

The characters are interesting & not all syrupy sweet. Love that!

The family dynamics between Abby & her brother are intriguing. You want to know more about what lies beneath all of their tension. You want to know what makes Wyatt behave the way he does. Why two children growing up under the same roof veer off into two very different paths.

Carter pens Wyatt in a way where you want to know what makes him tick ~ you just want to know more about him, his wife & children.

As for Abby, you want her to have it all. She is charming, sassy & smart.

Candy Apple Dead
is an entertaining mystery. The clues are drizzled about evenly & it is a fast, fun read.

Carter's Candy Apple Dead kicks off the Candy Shop Mystery series & this series shows bright promise.

My only gripe was the ending. It seemed to end a tad too abruptly. For me, the big reveal was more like, "Huh?" it just didn't click well enough for me.

Perhaps, a few more pages would of done the trick?!

So, grab a copy of Candy Apple Dead & enjoy the savory goodness.


Large Print Edition










3 comments:

  1. I haven't posted my review yet but I loved this book! I'm planning on making a few of the recipes...

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  2. Let me know when you post yours! Let me know how your recipes turn out... I may stop by. lol.

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  3. Lol, took me forever but it's posted and the recipe for the toffee turned out pretty good!

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