Status
Available
Publication
New York, NY : Kensington Pub Corp, 2014.
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML:USA Today bestselling author "Fun characters, quaint setting, mouth-watering recipes." �??RT Book Reviews Life is sweet for Allie McMurphy, proud owner of Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop on Mackinac Island�??until murder and deception leave a bitter taste. . . Mulch Ado About Murder With summer in bloom and tourists afoot, Allie is out walking her pup, Mal, when the curious canine digs up a bone from under a flowering lilac bush. The bone leads to a toe that's missing a body. For the successful confectionaire it's only the first in a series of sour events in the middle of the island's Lilac Fest. When her stint on a cooking reality show swirls up a trail of foul play, Allie will have to outwit a cunning killer if she wants to continue living la dolce vida. . . Praise for All Fudged Up "Fun, lively." �??JoAnna Carl "A sweet treat with memorable characters, a charming locale, and satisfying mystery." �??Barbara Allan "A sweet confection of a book." �??Joanna Campbell Slan Help Support Pet Adoption�??S… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
To Fudge or Not to Fudge by Nancy Coco is the second book in the Candy Coated Mystery series. Allie McMurphy is running the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shoppe on Mackinac Island. Allie went to culinary school and is now making delicious fudge for the shop. She has some great help who is
Allie and the staff are also getting ready for the Lilac Festival. Jenn (Jennifer Christensen) is Allie's best friend and is an event planner. Jenn is helping out at the McMurphy during Allie’s first season. Allie is going to make a lilac fudge, and Jenn suggests that they old lilac teas. While Allie is on her way to the newspaper to place an ad (while walking her adorable dog, Marshmallow-Mal for short) he starts digging under a lilac tree next to the newspaper. He comes out with a bone between his teeth. Before Allie can react, Mal dives back under the tree. When the police arrive (Office Rex Manning), they agree that they are human bones. Mal is not the only dog who found bones. Daisy, the St. Bernard, is running around the island and has found bones. But Daisy does not want to give them up. Daisy ends up getting put in jail after swallowing a bone. Her owner, Mrs. Finch, keeps Daisy company.
Allie is busy recording the fudge contest reality show (all of the contestants are actors) at night and then up early making fudge. It seems every time Allie takes Mal out for a walk, Mal is finding more bones. Who do these bones belong to and why were they killed? Then one of the contestants in the show turns up dead. Unfortunately, Allie was the last person (before the killer) to see her alive. Then Chef Peter Thomas is hurt and has to be flown out to a mainland hospital. Jenn (Jennifer Christensen), is Allie’s best friend and an event planner. Jenn finds herself attracted to crime scene tech, Shane Carpenter. With all the bones being found, there are plenty of crime scenes and chances to Jenn to see Shane.
Allie and the gang will have their work cut out for them trying to find the killer. To Fudge or Not to Fudge is a cute and fun cozy mystery. It even includes some fudge recipes that sound delightful (especially the peanut butter fudge). I give To Fudge or Not to Fudge 4.25 out of 5 stars. The book needed an epilogue to wrap up some of the storylines. It was never announced who won the contest on the reality show. There also was not a conclusion with Chef Thomas. We know he got better, but I think Chef Thomas should have come back to the island, stayed at McMurphy, we find out how he is doing and they watch the finale of the bogus fudge making show. The mystery was very easy to solve. I do like the characters in the book (especially the adorable little puppy) and the mystery had some twists and turns (always love that).
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teaching her how to run the hotel (since her grandfather passed away unexpectedly). Chef Peter Thomas is visiting the island. He is Allie’s former instructor and mentor from culinary school. Chef Thomas is the judge of a reality television show featuring fudge. They are short a contestant and he wants Allie to audition for the show. When Allie hears the salary, she agrees to audition (reluctantly). Unfortunately for Allie, she does great and is now a contestant on the show (the salary will come in handy for renovations she wants to make to the hotel). Tammy Gooseworthy (that is really her name) is the new pastry chef at the new Grander Hotel. She wants on the show and is being very persistent.Allie and the staff are also getting ready for the Lilac Festival. Jenn (Jennifer Christensen) is Allie's best friend and is an event planner. Jenn is helping out at the McMurphy during Allie’s first season. Allie is going to make a lilac fudge, and Jenn suggests that they old lilac teas. While Allie is on her way to the newspaper to place an ad (while walking her adorable dog, Marshmallow-Mal for short) he starts digging under a lilac tree next to the newspaper. He comes out with a bone between his teeth. Before Allie can react, Mal dives back under the tree. When the police arrive (Office Rex Manning), they agree that they are human bones. Mal is not the only dog who found bones. Daisy, the St. Bernard, is running around the island and has found bones. But Daisy does not want to give them up. Daisy ends up getting put in jail after swallowing a bone. Her owner, Mrs. Finch, keeps Daisy company.
Allie is busy recording the fudge contest reality show (all of the contestants are actors) at night and then up early making fudge. It seems every time Allie takes Mal out for a walk, Mal is finding more bones. Who do these bones belong to and why were they killed? Then one of the contestants in the show turns up dead. Unfortunately, Allie was the last person (before the killer) to see her alive. Then Chef Peter Thomas is hurt and has to be flown out to a mainland hospital. Jenn (Jennifer Christensen), is Allie’s best friend and an event planner. Jenn finds herself attracted to crime scene tech, Shane Carpenter. With all the bones being found, there are plenty of crime scenes and chances to Jenn to see Shane.
Allie and the gang will have their work cut out for them trying to find the killer. To Fudge or Not to Fudge is a cute and fun cozy mystery. It even includes some fudge recipes that sound delightful (especially the peanut butter fudge). I give To Fudge or Not to Fudge 4.25 out of 5 stars. The book needed an epilogue to wrap up some of the storylines. It was never announced who won the contest on the reality show. There also was not a conclusion with Chef Thomas. We know he got better, but I think Chef Thomas should have come back to the island, stayed at McMurphy, we find out how he is doing and they watch the finale of the bogus fudge making show. The mystery was very easy to solve. I do like the characters in the book (especially the adorable little puppy) and the mystery had some twists and turns (always love that).
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery. This is the second book in the Candy Coated Mystery series but I had no trouble following the story even though I had not read the first one.
Allie McMurphy is the proprietress of the McMurtry Inn on Mackinac Island. She also makes all the fudge they sell and
Allie McMurphy is the proprietress of the McMurtry Inn on Mackinac Island. She also makes all the fudge they sell and
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performs story telling and fudge cooking daily. Her mentor Chef Peter Thomas shows up on the island and persuades Allie to audition for his fudge making reality show. She does not have time, but decides to do him a favour. Of course she is successful and cast in the show. While trying to run the inn, make the fudge for the storefront and participate in the reality show, she is also trying to assist in solving the mystery of whose bones her dog, Mal, dug up. When people start dying on the set, Allie is suspected of being involved. A cute story that keeps your interest. The fudge recipes scattered throughout the book are a bonus. Show Less
LibraryThing member Vesper1931
On Mackinac Island Allie McMurphy, owner of a hotel and fudge shop is out walking with her dog when the dog unearths bones.
More bones are find by her dog and when she participates in a cooking reality show bodies start appearing.
(There are also recipes for making fudge throughout the book, though
More bones are find by her dog and when she participates in a cooking reality show bodies start appearing.
(There are also recipes for making fudge throughout the book, though
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nobody should use corn syrup in their cooking). Show Less
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
My first thought about this book: I hate the title. It's dumb. Not cute, just dumb.
Happily, that's the worst thing about this book. Everything beyond the title is well done: it's well written, it has strong, likeable characters and the murder plot was un-predictable. The MC Allie doesn't run
This series has surprised me: it's setting of the "fudge capital" on Mackinac Island had me dreading a tacky-tourist vibe and the first book's cover and this book's title made my blood sugar spike. But there's nothing tacky-tourist or overly cute/sweet about the story; Allie is well-educated, running a hotel that aims for tasteful. There is a definite love triangle developing - Allie's single and has two eligible men declaring their interest. I found it irritating, since it started feeling like a competition between the two men and it just wasn't interesting.
A solid 4-star read though and I'd recommend to anyone who likes cozies, but doesn't like "Cute" to overlook the title and art and give the books a try.
Happily, that's the worst thing about this book. Everything beyond the title is well done: it's well written, it has strong, likeable characters and the murder plot was un-predictable. The MC Allie doesn't run
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around questioning people like a rude, obnoxious, nosy git. This is so damn refreshing it makes me want to hug the author. This series has surprised me: it's setting of the "fudge capital" on Mackinac Island had me dreading a tacky-tourist vibe and the first book's cover and this book's title made my blood sugar spike. But there's nothing tacky-tourist or overly cute/sweet about the story; Allie is well-educated, running a hotel that aims for tasteful. There is a definite love triangle developing - Allie's single and has two eligible men declaring their interest. I found it irritating, since it started feeling like a competition between the two men and it just wasn't interesting.
A solid 4-star read though and I'd recommend to anyone who likes cozies, but doesn't like "Cute" to overlook the title and art and give the books a try.
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Subjects
Language
Physical description
344 p.; 17 cm
ISBN
9780758287120