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A review by kimdavishb
A Study in Chocolate by Amber Royer
4.0
A STUDY IN CHOCOLATE is the fifth book in the Bean to Bar Mystery series by Amber Royer. This delicious new release had me drooling over the descriptions and kept me engrossed in the Sherlockian-style murder mystery. While I haven’t read any of the previous books, Ms. Royer does a fantastic job introducing the characters and the setting, so I never felt at a loss. The protagonist, chocolatier Felicity Koerber, comes across as relatable and someone you’d love to spend time with… especially when she’s working in her bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic strand. My only little quibble is her love triangle, which detracted a bit from my overall enjoyment of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the bits and pieces woven into the story about the process of making chocolate from the cacao bean until it was turned into a delectable truffle. And I was especially intrigued by the mention of chocolate sculpturing and painting portraits with chocolate. These aspects easily segued into the theme of artists and the art world, setting the stage for the murder of a local artist and collector.
Even though Felicity attended the tea hosted by the artist, she really didn’t know him. It comes as a complete shock when the killer contacts her later and tells her she has only a short time to save his life… but she receives the message too late. The killer tries to pull Felicity into the game by leaving her A Study in Scarlet, with the threat that someone Felicity loves will be killed next unless she can solve the crime before it happens. The fast-paced plot kept me guessing and the clues are there for a sharp reader to follow. With a 100-year-old cold case thrown in the mix, I’ll admit I didn’t guess correctly. The edge-of-your-seat reveal was electrifying and unsure what the final outcome would be, I turned the pages faster and faster. Ms. Royer writes a compelling mystery that is sure to appeal to fans of both chocolate and intriguing plotlines.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Even though Felicity attended the tea hosted by the artist, she really didn’t know him. It comes as a complete shock when the killer contacts her later and tells her she has only a short time to save his life… but she receives the message too late. The killer tries to pull Felicity into the game by leaving her A Study in Scarlet, with the threat that someone Felicity loves will be killed next unless she can solve the crime before it happens. The fast-paced plot kept me guessing and the clues are there for a sharp reader to follow. With a 100-year-old cold case thrown in the mix, I’ll admit I didn’t guess correctly. The edge-of-your-seat reveal was electrifying and unsure what the final outcome would be, I turned the pages faster and faster. Ms. Royer writes a compelling mystery that is sure to appeal to fans of both chocolate and intriguing plotlines.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.