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Chocolate Covered Death by Gemma Halliday is the second book in the Wine & Dine Mysteries Series. I read the first book in the series last year but for some reason didn’t continue the series. But I decided to read book two and am happy I did.
In order to boost her struggling family winery’s reputation, Emmy Oak throws a Wine and Chocolate party for the Sonoma Valley elite—featuring her delicious drinks alongside her friend Leah’s decadently chocolaty desserts. But when Leah’s ex-husband’s new trophy wife turns up dead after the party, the police paint Leah in the role of main suspect and the only thing anyone in town can talk about is the murder at the Chocolate Bar.
In order to save face and her friend, Emmy finds herself infiltrating high society and sorting among the catty and cantankerous for her killer. Did the victim’s rare-wine brokering business have anything to do with it? Or was it the hot new golf pro at the club or the frenemy with a jealous streak? Or maybe her husband found a less messy way than divorce to end their short and unhappy marriage? Emmy isn’t sure, but she knows a mysterious man in a cowboy had has something to do with it, and the deeper she digs, the more trouble seems to follow her. Between crashing the country club, dodging danger, and trying to stay one step ahead of the sexy Detective Christopher Grant, Emmy has her work cut out for her to catch a killer…before hers is the next death by chocolate!
I like the main character in the book Emmy Oaks. She is strong and family oriented. She is trying to save her family winery and I like that she works hard to do that. Her best friend is also funny. I like the addition of some characters from book one and will be happy to see how things progress. Now, a typical cozy mystery has no romance (maybe a kiss) but this series is a little more spicy than that. You get a little more than a kiss but no sex. If that isn’t your cup of tea I would avoid the series.
The mystery was good. There were a lot of different suspects that kept me guessing which is always a plus. I hate figuring out the killer from the start. Although this is the second book in the series, you did not need to read book one before starting it. I definitely would recommend this book for anyone that likes cozy mysteries with a little more romance.
Have you read this series? What’s your favorite wine?
The Spinny Bookworm Mama 