Twenty-eight-year-old ex-Texas beauty queen, Lee McKinney, always thought that money was the solution to everything. After witnessing the downfall of her parents marriage over finances it seemed that nothing could be more true. However, after surviving five years of marriage with money-hungry millionaire, Rich Godfrey (aka Mr. Gottrocks), Lee is fed up, and decides to leave behind her trademark Texas trophy wife coiffed hair, and bright red lipstick, along with everything else she has accumulated during her marriage, and head back to Warner Pier, Michigan. Armed with nothing more than a suitcase full of clothes, Lee makes her way back to the tiny resort town, where she'll act as accountant to her Aunt Nettie's booming business, TenHuis Chocolade. Lee is thrilled to finally have the opportunity to show off her smarts for numbers, and, forming a quick bond with her spunky Aunt, dives headfirst into the world of chocolate making. However, after little less than a week on the job, Lee quickly realizes that not everything in the world of chocolate creations is as sweet as it appears. When Clementine Ripley, a celebrity defense attorney with a penchant for getting even the guilty acquitted, contacts TenHuis Chocolade with an order for thousands of dollars worth of custom chocolates that resemble her champion cat, Champion Myanmar Chocolate Yonkers, Lee knows that they can't refuse the order - no matter how much Aunt Nettie fusses over having nothing to do with the woman who, in her opinion, is responsible for her husband's death. So, with word that she will collect payment before dropping off the scrumptious looking chocolates, Lee heads to the Ripley mansion, where she finds herself in awe of her surroundings. Those surroundings, of course, do not include the demanding, downright rude Clementine, who appears to have nothing but unkind words for everyone she comes in contact with. So it's truly no surprise when the woman who everyone loves to hate ends up dead at her charity shindig. The surprising part comes, however, when Lee learns that the cause of death was none other than a cyanide-laced chocolate from TenHuis Chocolade. Lee knows that her Aunt had nothing to do with the crime. But that leaves very few other suspects who would have had time to inject cyanide into the box of chocolates that did Clementine in. Now, in an attempt to protect TenHuis Chocolade from the bad press that is about to befall the hometown sweet shop, Lee decides that it is up to her to do a little snooping around Clementine's cohorts to pinpoint the real culprit. But the deeper Lee moves into her investigation, the more that she realizes that Clementine had more enemies than the average person, and fingering the correct person for murder may prove harder than she originally expected. Lee won't give up, however, for if she does, the police may just throw her and Aunt Nettie behind bars, where the taste of chocolate will evade them for the rest of their days.
o I learned my lesson after reading "The Cat Who..." series and I decided to read the first book in the series first. I will definitely read more in this series. The main character, Lee McKinney, certainly has lead a busy life... accountant, trophy wife, divorcee, Texas beauty queen, etc. And while typing this it seems a little crazy, she does seem to pull off all these roles. She "comes home" to Michigan after divorcing her rich husband (role of trophy wife) to get a fresh start. She explains that as a child she came to this quiet vacation town in Michigan to help her aunt run her chocolate shop, so it seems natural that in a time in her life she in which she needs to rebuild, she finds herself here again.This particular story sets the scene for how and why she came to work with her aunt. It also introduces you to all of the quaint characters in this town including some from her past. While working for her aunt (and she is there to be the business minded person... remember role of accountant), she talks her aunt into taking any order for Clementine Ripley, the famous... or should I saw infamous... defense attorney. There apparently is a long list of people that hate this woman (hello: she is rich, pretty, and a successful lawyer... duh). Naturally, she has to die in mysteriously in the story... and she does. This the mystery. With so many suspects, anyone could have killed her. Also the way that she dies is by eating a piece of cyanide laced chocolate that Lee delivered and her aunt made, which is how she gets drawn into the mystery.For the most part, I enjoyed almost all of the characters in this book. And while Lee has this annoying (I think it is suppose to be funny) habit of saying the wrong words when she talks when she is nervous, I do really like her. Like I said, I actually like everyone which is why I will read more in this series. Unlike other mysteries like this, I didn't really feel any connection with the town (setting), but perhaps that will come as I read more.
What do You think about The Chocolate Cat Caper (2002)?
I may have been that my inner Lady Godiva was offering some unconscious input when I bought this title. I do love chocolate!Carl (a pseudonym for author Eve K. Sandstrom) has created in this debut series a charming Michigan town where everybody takes turns being mayor, talks like the people in Fargo, and loves chocolate. Only these people don't settle for foil-wrapped kisses - Aunt Nettie TenHuis has the corner on the sweets market here. She makes the goodies while her niece, former trophy wife Lee McKinney, handles the books.Caper opens with a delicious delivery that turns soon turns deadly. When high-powered attorney Clementine Ripley (think F. Lee Bailey in heels) falls dead after biting into one of Aunt Nettie's concoctions, Lee decides to sleuth on her own to find out who framed the family business by spiking the candy with an extra, unwanted ingredient. Finding the culprit, she discovers, is not easy, even in a small town. The residents do like each other, yes, and they also agree upon one thing: Clementine deserved her just desserts.For a light and at-times humorous read, The Chocolate Cat Caper delivers; this promises to be an entertaining series, one that needs not wait until after dinner to enjoy. Lee McKinney is, contrary to her ex-husband's beliefs, a capable and bright woman, even if her tongue does get a bit tied (you'll see).
—Kathryn
Following her divorce, Lee returns to Michigan and the love of her aunt Nettie while she tries to get her life back in order. Nettie owns a luxury chocolate shop in the small tourist town. When a customer dies after eating a chocolate laces with Cyanide, Lee feels that she must get involved in the investigation to protect her aunt, herself and and the reputation of the shop. This is a charming book. The first person narration is very chatty and readable. The characters are well developed and likeable. There is just a touch of romance. This is a very traditional cozy but unlike many cozies, the mystery is very good. The only problem I had was that the descriptions of the chocolates left me with a need for a late night candy fix.
—Jan
#1 in the Chocoholic Mystery series. This started out slow, but it ended up getting much better as it went along, perhaps we get to know the characters better and start to have an liking for them. Lee has returned to her home town in Michigan after her divorce, living with her Aunt Nettie. Nettie just happens to own the local chocolate shop, and Lee acts as her bookkeeper. But when Lee is helping waitress at a local wealthy woman's home, the woman (the controversial and universally unlikeable Clementine Ripley) is killed by cyanide found in the chocolates from Nettie's store. Lee spends some time trying to figure out what's happening, but she doesn't do anything crazy like some cozy heroines do. What I didn't really understand was why Lee suffered from malapropism (the problem of using the wrong but similar word) sometimes when she got excited, like saying Sergeant Underling instead of Underwood or suspenders instead of dispenser. It didn't add anything to the story and wasn't funny, if that was the intent, it was just kind of sad. Other than that, the characters are nice. I like the potential relationship with Joe, Clem's ex-husband. And I look forward to reading more in this series.
—Connie N.
