Dollycas's Thoughts
Fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy is up to her neck in another murder. The quiet tourist destination has had a real crime wave since she came to town. Her dog, Mal, has found yet another body. A body the killer wanted Allie to find because he left her a note with the deceased.
She really doesn't have time for another murder mystery. Frances and Mr. Devaney are off on their honeymoon so the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is understaffed and some unusual and scary things are happening at the hotel. Allie doesn't know if they are connected to the murder, but she needs to find out.
It doesn't help that a film crew has set up on the island for a new murder mystery show and the town is running a contest to see which side of the street can come up with the most money. The winner will be a featured backdrop for the film which could be great publicity. The hotel and fudge shop had a good year, but Allie has other plans for her profits. This does not make the mayor happy.
Her personal life is in flux too and her BFF is leaving the island for a great job in Chicago. The idea of a peaceful offseason is not going to happen unless she helps find a killer and the film crew leaves town. Fudge! She is going to have to get involved in another investigation!
Escaping to Mackinac Island with Allie and the gang is always so much fun. This time the author has really stirred up a sweet mystery. Life at the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is never dull. There is always something happening. The characters she has created are so engaging. It makes me want to pack my bags and head there right away. I missed having Frances there especially but it is after Labor Day and the newlyweds deserve some time off for their honeymoon.
Ms. Coco added an interesting element to the mystery this time. The killer is leaving clues stating chess moves. The problem is Allie doesn't play chess so she tries to learn. But before she gets even a novice handle on the game another body is found and she realizes the killer knows her well, knows the previous crimes she has helped solve, and the people she cares about may be in danger. This adds a nice twist to the entire story.
Forever Fudge is a well-written cozy mystery with well-developed characters. The author blends the intrigue with a little romance and humor. I am team Rex all the way but looking forward to the next installment in the series to see if Allie finally makes up her mind.
The fudge recipes throughout the book are an added bonus.
This was an entertaining escape and a fine addition to this series.
Fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy is up to her neck in another murder. The quiet tourist destination has had a real crime wave since she came to town. Her dog, Mal, has found yet another body. A body the killer wanted Allie to find because he left her a note with the deceased.
She really doesn't have time for another murder mystery. Frances and Mr. Devaney are off on their honeymoon so the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is understaffed and some unusual and scary things are happening at the hotel. Allie doesn't know if they are connected to the murder, but she needs to find out.
It doesn't help that a film crew has set up on the island for a new murder mystery show and the town is running a contest to see which side of the street can come up with the most money. The winner will be a featured backdrop for the film which could be great publicity. The hotel and fudge shop had a good year, but Allie has other plans for her profits. This does not make the mayor happy.
Her personal life is in flux too and her BFF is leaving the island for a great job in Chicago. The idea of a peaceful offseason is not going to happen unless she helps find a killer and the film crew leaves town. Fudge! She is going to have to get involved in another investigation!
Escaping to Mackinac Island with Allie and the gang is always so much fun. This time the author has really stirred up a sweet mystery. Life at the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is never dull. There is always something happening. The characters she has created are so engaging. It makes me want to pack my bags and head there right away. I missed having Frances there especially but it is after Labor Day and the newlyweds deserve some time off for their honeymoon.
Ms. Coco added an interesting element to the mystery this time. The killer is leaving clues stating chess moves. The problem is Allie doesn't play chess so she tries to learn. But before she gets even a novice handle on the game another body is found and she realizes the killer knows her well, knows the previous crimes she has helped solve, and the people she cares about may be in danger. This adds a nice twist to the entire story.
Forever Fudge is a well-written cozy mystery with well-developed characters. The author blends the intrigue with a little romance and humor. I am team Rex all the way but looking forward to the next installment in the series to see if Allie finally makes up her mind.
The fudge recipes throughout the book are an added bonus.
This was an entertaining escape and a fine addition to this series.
Forever Fudge is the sixth installment in the Candy-Coated Mystery series set on Mackinac Island and featuring hotelier and fudge maker, Allie McMurphy. The tourist season is coming to a close and a TV production crew has arrived to shoot the exterior shots for the pilot of an upcoming mystery series.
The hunky Dirk Benjamin has been cast as the leading character, a police detective, and is shadowing local Mackinac detective Rex Manning for the week. The leading writer for the series Jeffrey Jenas, has been living on the island incognito for most of the season gathering background information on the earlier cases that Allie and her adorable sidekick, the fluffy Mal, have been involved.
When Mal discovers the body of a man in the alley behind the McMurphy and later finds a sock with the dead man's toe, the hunt for a killer begins. Someone is also playing nasty pranks on Allie and with each gruesome discovery the killer is leaving a taunting note addressed to her containing a chess clue. Unfortunately, Allie doesn't really play chess so she must rely on her friends at the Senior Center to help decipher the clues.
A fast paced plot with well developed, recurring characters, delightful pets and mouthwatering fudge recipes. The only drawback for me in this series is the dreaded love triangle - I really hope that the author will choose the man for Allie before too long.
The hunky Dirk Benjamin has been cast as the leading character, a police detective, and is shadowing local Mackinac detective Rex Manning for the week. The leading writer for the series Jeffrey Jenas, has been living on the island incognito for most of the season gathering background information on the earlier cases that Allie and her adorable sidekick, the fluffy Mal, have been involved.
When Mal discovers the body of a man in the alley behind the McMurphy and later finds a sock with the dead man's toe, the hunt for a killer begins. Someone is also playing nasty pranks on Allie and with each gruesome discovery the killer is leaving a taunting note addressed to her containing a chess clue. Unfortunately, Allie doesn't really play chess so she must rely on her friends at the Senior Center to help decipher the clues.
A fast paced plot with well developed, recurring characters, delightful pets and mouthwatering fudge recipes. The only drawback for me in this series is the dreaded love triangle - I really hope that the author will choose the man for Allie before too long.
Forever Fudge by Nancy Coco is the sixth book in A Candy-Coated Mystery series. Allie McMurphy is the owner of the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop on Mackinac Island. Labor Day is behind them and so is tourist season. It seems, though, that a film crew has invaded the island to film the pilot of a mystery show starring Dirk Benjamin. Dirk will be portraying a Rex Manning type character and will be shadowing him before production starts (lucky Rex). Allie is out walking Mal, her bichon poo, when he sniffs out a dead body in the alley. A note was left with the body with Allie's name on it. Inside the note is written âkf3â which sounds like a chess move according to Mr. Beechum. The killer is challenging Allie to a battle of the wits. While Francis and her new hubby are on their honeymoon, Allie has extra responsibilities at the hotel. In addition, she is dealing with her breakup from Trent who is not ready to give up on their relationship and Rex who asks her out on a date. Out on another walk with Mal when he digs up a sock and a toe under a tree. The culprit left another chess clue carved into the tree. Who is behind the crimes and why are they singling out Allie? Join Allie are her most challenging and personal case yet in Forever Fudge.
Forever Fudge contains well-developed and established characters as well as a beautiful location. I enjoy learning more about Mackinac Island with its historic locations including the Grand Hotel which was used as a location in my favorite film Somewhere in Time. I thought the pace was a little slower Forever Fudge as Allie deals with making fudge, the day-to-day running of the hotel, Jenn departing for Chicago, her romantic woes, a prankster and the whodunit. I missed Frances and her wit in this tale. Frances is off enjoying her honeymoon and does not return until the end. The main mystery may seem complicated on the surface, but I thought it was straightforward. I quickly pinpointed the culprit and then kept reading to see if I was correct. There is a limited suspect list, but there are good clues and a red herring. The secondary mysteries resolution comes out of left field and the motive was weak. The chess clues did not resonate with me since I do not play the game (I lack the patience for the game). I would have preferred Allie to actively investigate the crime instead of information being passed along to her. I could have done with less romance. Allie loves Trent, but he does not wish to live on Mackinac Island full time. I am rooting for Rex who seems to have more in common with Allie. However, his marital history stands in their way. My rating for Forever Fudge is 3 out of 5 stars. It is not my favorite book in A Candy-Coated Mystery series. There a luscious fudge recipes included in the book and a preview of Fudge Bites.
Forever Fudge contains well-developed and established characters as well as a beautiful location. I enjoy learning more about Mackinac Island with its historic locations including the Grand Hotel which was used as a location in my favorite film Somewhere in Time. I thought the pace was a little slower Forever Fudge as Allie deals with making fudge, the day-to-day running of the hotel, Jenn departing for Chicago, her romantic woes, a prankster and the whodunit. I missed Frances and her wit in this tale. Frances is off enjoying her honeymoon and does not return until the end. The main mystery may seem complicated on the surface, but I thought it was straightforward. I quickly pinpointed the culprit and then kept reading to see if I was correct. There is a limited suspect list, but there are good clues and a red herring. The secondary mysteries resolution comes out of left field and the motive was weak. The chess clues did not resonate with me since I do not play the game (I lack the patience for the game). I would have preferred Allie to actively investigate the crime instead of information being passed along to her. I could have done with less romance. Allie loves Trent, but he does not wish to live on Mackinac Island full time. I am rooting for Rex who seems to have more in common with Allie. However, his marital history stands in their way. My rating for Forever Fudge is 3 out of 5 stars. It is not my favorite book in A Candy-Coated Mystery series. There a luscious fudge recipes included in the book and a preview of Fudge Bites.
