Review: The Chocolate Book Bandit by Joanna Carl

The Chocolate Book Bandit:
A Chocoholic Mystery 13th in Series
Cozy Mystery
An Obsidian Mystery (October 1, 2013)
Published by The Penguin Group
Hardcover: 240 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0451239549
E-Book File Size: 978 KB
ASIN: B00BDQ394E

In this installment of the Chocoholic Mysteries we meet new library director, Henry “Butch” Cassidy. Our protagonist, Lee McKinney Woodyard, has been asked to serve on the library board so she decides to attend a meeting before she commits herself. Before the director can even start to talk about his proposed changes for the library the meeting is interrupted by someone’s terrified screams. One of the library staff has found the lifeless body of Abigail VanRoostock at the bottom of the basement stairs. Abigail is the woman Lee has been asked to replace on the board due to her decision to retire. Lee soon determines this was no simple fall – it was murder and everyone in the meeting including her is now a suspect. It’s going to take more than a truffle or a bon-bon to solve this mystery.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have been a confirmed Chocoholic my entire life and I have loved this series from The Chocolate Cat Caper to the The Chocolate Moose Motive and every book in between. I anxiously await each new story and they never disappoint.

Much of The Chocolate Book Bandit takes place away from TenHuis Chocolade where Lee does the managing and her Aunt Nettie and her staff make the chocolate.  It takes place in the old library which would probably tie with a chocolate shoppe for my favorite place on earth.

Everyone in this story seems to be hiding something and the reader follows the clues with Lee to determine which one’s secret connects to the death of prim and proper Abigail. 

Carl’s sense of humor shines through in the story as Lee has several things running through her mind as she tries to solve the mystery.  That new library director sure is a handsome guy and that makes it hard for her to concentrate and her slips of the tongue, which Lee is known for, are going to get her in trouble one of these days. A few had me giggling out loud.

Joanna Carl writes sweet tasty mysteries, that include fun characters and she always includes some interesting chocolate trivia.  As weather turns cool, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and curl up with this captivating cozy. A wonderful way to chase the chills away.

Find out more about Joanna Carl and her books here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”