The Chocolate Book Bandit (Chocoholic Mystery) - Hardcover

Carl, JoAnna

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0451239547 ISBN 13: 9780451239549

Publisher: Berkley, 2013

Synopsis

When it turns out a member of Warner Pier’s library board has been living on borrowed time, Lee is determined to discover who wrote the victim’s final chapter…

Running TenHuis Chocolade keeps Lee McKinney Woodyard busy enough, but now she’s been offered two different positions in the town of Warner Pier—one on the tourism committee and another on the library board. To decide between the two, she goes to Warner Pier’s historic library to check out the board’s monthly meeting.

As usual, rumors are flying through the small town—this time, they’re about the rugged new library director, Henry “Butch” Cassidy, and the changes he allegedly plans to make. Butch is indeed attractive—but Lee doesn’t get a chance to find out about his proposed changes. A few minutes into the meeting, the discussion is interrupted by the terrified screams of the library clerk.

She has discovered the lifeless body of Abigail VanRoostock, a prim and proper retiring member of the board, crumpled in a heap at the bottom of the basement stairs. Suddenly, everyone in attendance, including Lee, is suspected in her murder. And as Lee finds out, they’ve all got something to hide…

INCLUDES TASTY CHOCOLATE TRIVIA!

About this title

About the Author

JoAnna Carl is the pseudonym for a multipublished mystery writer. She spent more than twenty-five years in the newspaper business as a reporter, feature writer, editor, and columnist. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and also studied in the OU Professional Writing Program.

Reviews

Lee Woodyard, the business manager of TenHuis Chocolade, her aunt&'s sweet shop in Warner Pier, Mich., has an important choice to make in Carl&'s appealing 13th chocoholic mystery (after 2012&'s The Chocolate Moose Motive). Does she join the library board or the chamber of commerce&'s tourism committee? She&'s too busy to take on two new jobs. Before committing herself, Lee decides to attend the library board&'s next meeting, the first for the library&'s handsome new director, Henry Butch Cassidy. At the meeting, just as Butch raises the issue of Sunday hours, a scream from another part of the building interrupts the proceedings. Library clerk Betty Blake has just discovered the body of retiring board member Abigail Montgomery at the bottom of the basement stairs. Everyone on the committee becomes a suspect in Abigail&'s murder, as does Lee. Realistic characters, an engaging plot, and lots of local color distinguish this superior cozy. Agent: Maureen Walters, Curtis Brown. (Oct.)

Lee Woodyard does not expect to find a body at a library board meeting. She also does not expect to be attracted to the new library director. Lee’s personal confusion makes it all the harder to keep up with her sleuthing and, of course, with running the finances of her chocolate shop. When a library staff member is found under a shelving unit of books, Lee knows it’s time to put other concerns aside and dig into the library board and its secrets. The combination of the library setting and the chocolate trivia give this straightforward mystery additional appeal, though one “secret” regarding censorship stretches believability. An entertaining series, especially apt for Joanne Fluke fans. --Amy Alessio

Edition details

• Publisher: Berkley
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0451239547
• ISBN 13: 9780451239549
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240