The story line is good and the pace of the book moves along nicely. The recipes are a sweet (!) touch and the description of this real island makes me want to visit. However, while the first few books described a reluctant heroine, she's now morphed into a know-it-all who apparently can investigate better than the police. After a while it becomes tiresome and I ended up disliking her immensely. Not sure if I care to continue the series.
Oh, Fudge! is the fifth installment in the Candy-Coated Mystery series set on Mackinac Island and featuring Allie McMurphy, proprietor of the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Allie is settling in to life on the island and working hard to keep up the hotel reputation her grandfather, Papa Liam had spent his entire life building.
Allie sets out with her trusty sidekick and adorable dog Mal, to meet with Blake Gilmore, owner of the Butterfly House to discuss a planned fund raiser. Allie is shocked to discover her estranged cousin Tori crouched over the body of Barbara Smart and holding the handle of a gardening trowel embedded in the woman's chest. Despite their differences, Allie is certain that her cousin is not a murderer and sets out to find the real killer and clear her cousin's name.
Aiding Allie in her snooping is best friend Jenn, McMurphy employees Francis and Mr. Devaney and local police chief Rex. Allie uncovers a diamond smuggling operation and ruffles a lot of feathers delving into the lives of many of the prominent citizens residing on Mackinac Island.
A fast paced storyline with delightful characters that will have you smiling from the first to the last pages. The only drawback is the ongoing love triangle between Allie, Rex and Trent but it seems as though there may be a resolution in the next installment of the series. Although it is not necessary, I recommend starting this series from the beginning (mostly, so you don't miss the mouth-watering fudge recipes).
Allie sets out with her trusty sidekick and adorable dog Mal, to meet with Blake Gilmore, owner of the Butterfly House to discuss a planned fund raiser. Allie is shocked to discover her estranged cousin Tori crouched over the body of Barbara Smart and holding the handle of a gardening trowel embedded in the woman's chest. Despite their differences, Allie is certain that her cousin is not a murderer and sets out to find the real killer and clear her cousin's name.
Aiding Allie in her snooping is best friend Jenn, McMurphy employees Francis and Mr. Devaney and local police chief Rex. Allie uncovers a diamond smuggling operation and ruffles a lot of feathers delving into the lives of many of the prominent citizens residing on Mackinac Island.
A fast paced storyline with delightful characters that will have you smiling from the first to the last pages. The only drawback is the ongoing love triangle between Allie, Rex and Trent but it seems as though there may be a resolution in the next installment of the series. Although it is not necessary, I recommend starting this series from the beginning (mostly, so you don't miss the mouth-watering fudge recipes).
Oh, Fudge by Nancy Coco is the fifth story in A Candy-Coated Mystery series. Allie McMurphy arrives at The Mackinac Island Butterfly House when she hears a scream. She rushes in to find her cousin, Tori kneeling over a woman with a trowel in her chest. The victim is Barbara Smart with whom Tori was meeting with to discuss an upcoming fundraiser for the butterfly house. Tori, who lives in California, resents that Allie inherited The Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop from Papa Liam. When it is discovered that Tori argued with the victim, she ends up the prime suspect. Allie knows Tori did not commit the crime and sets out to find the real killer. She soon discovers that Tori is conducting her own investigation. Can Tori and Allie team up to discover who murdered Barbara and why? They will need to work quickly, because Allie has a wedding to attend (Frances is getting married).
Oh, Fudge is easy to read and has a nice pace. I thought the murder and secondary mystery were intriguing. However, the killer can be identified early in the book and the secondary crime is equally easy to solve (insert disappointed sigh here). I kept hoping there would be a twist that would catch me by surprise. I was not a fan of Tori and her attitude. She quickly grated on my nerves. My rating for Oh, Fudge is 3 out of 5 stars. There was a definite repetition of details regarding the crimes and some inconsistencies (could have used another going over by the editor). While Oh, Fudge is the fifth book in in A Candy-Coated Mystery series, it can easily be a stand-alone. The author provided all the necessary background details on Allie, how she inherited the hotel, and some of the crimes she has solved. I wish the author had not devoted so much time to Allie and her romantic entanglements. There is a love triangle (of course), and I tired of the jealousy (it was ridiculous and unrealistic). I like the cute animals included in the story, the beautiful setting, and the delicious fudge descriptions. There are fudge recipes included in the novel. The next story in A Candy-Coated Mystery series is a Christmas novella titled Deck the Halls with Fudge.
Oh, Fudge is easy to read and has a nice pace. I thought the murder and secondary mystery were intriguing. However, the killer can be identified early in the book and the secondary crime is equally easy to solve (insert disappointed sigh here). I kept hoping there would be a twist that would catch me by surprise. I was not a fan of Tori and her attitude. She quickly grated on my nerves. My rating for Oh, Fudge is 3 out of 5 stars. There was a definite repetition of details regarding the crimes and some inconsistencies (could have used another going over by the editor). While Oh, Fudge is the fifth book in in A Candy-Coated Mystery series, it can easily be a stand-alone. The author provided all the necessary background details on Allie, how she inherited the hotel, and some of the crimes she has solved. I wish the author had not devoted so much time to Allie and her romantic entanglements. There is a love triangle (of course), and I tired of the jealousy (it was ridiculous and unrealistic). I like the cute animals included in the story, the beautiful setting, and the delicious fudge descriptions. There are fudge recipes included in the novel. The next story in A Candy-Coated Mystery series is a Christmas novella titled Deck the Halls with Fudge.
