3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Can Molly Brewster, the local cafe' owner, find out who killed Jim Grist, an award-winning fisherman, before the police arrest her for his murder? This is just one of the questions that need to be addressed in the Peppermint Mocha Murder by Pam Moll.
Molly is implicated in the murder because she finds the fisherman's body on the beach outside of her cafe'. She investigates the murder on her own with her sidekick, Snickers, her dog, uncovering various clues and suspects as the story evolves. Concurrently, the local deputies amass clues against Molly, and she has to prove her innocence.
Before the story starts, there is a 'Cast of Characters' list like Agatha Christie included in her novels. The point of view is from the main character, Molly, and doesn't change throughout the book. There are plenty of possible suspects, and numerous clues and red herrings. One of the most significant clues is Molly's allergy to mint.
There are some suspenseful scenes, as well as some humorous moments of banter between the characters. I especially liked the close relationship that Molly had with her grandmother, Granny Dee. Another aspect of the book that I liked was the use of coffee quotes at the beginning of each chapter, such as, "Behind every successful person is a substantial amount of coffee".
There is a brewing romance between Molly and Deputy Drew. This is an engaging side tale that develops as the story unwinds, or does it? All of the questions are answered in the last pages of the book. The final loose ends are tied up in the epilogue; after the epilogue, there are some recipes that are relevant to the story which is a nice touch.
I really enjoyed reading this story written in the style of traditional cozy mysteries. Anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit will like this book. There isn't any graphic violence, so I would recommend it for both teens and adults.
All in all, I found the book very entertaining and easy to read. Unfortunately, there were some editorial issues. There was uneven spacing between some words (apparently in order to make the margins straight), some singular words that should have been plural, and some errors with verb tense. Even though there were these problems, I still liked the story very much and would rate it a 3 out of 4 stars.
This story is only one in a group of books written by Pam Moll known as the 'Holidays are Murder Series'. I look forward to reading the next installment in this set!
******
Peppermint Mocha Murder
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like BookReader+6's review? Post a comment saying so!
when I get a little money I buy books; and if I have any left l buy food and clothes
