The Chocolate Cat Caper (Chocoholic Mystery)

The Chocolate Cat Caper (Chocoholic Mysteries, book 1) by JoAnna Carl

Even if the books end up getting awful like Fluke's series did, at least I would have some to fill up the time or help me when I feel slumpy. Two of my favorite things are present here: I am beyond disappointed and honestly, I'm downright irritated. Whoever let this get published, let it get published with SO many typos. One of the characters Ever since giving up on the Hannah Swensen murder mystery series, I have been looking for a replacement. One of the characters got a bob job.

There were at least 6 or 7 typos that I caught. Some my brain rearranged correctly, I'm sure. I don't know how to feel about the MC's speech impediment where she mixes up words I found it strange and out of place and never really handled well at all. Almost all of the characters were described in a condescending, negative manner. Most of the characters were described as being overweight One girl who really has no weight no pun intended in the plot is described as having stringy hair. It all seems so vicious for absolutely no reason. The MC finds the character Joe to be rude and I honestly did not see any poor manners or rudeness from him.

The only clues given that he was rude were in how the MC reacted Then there were the accents. I was NOT a fan of how dumbed down the Texas accent was made I have family members from Texas and friends from Texas and none of them sound like a redneck, Hills Have Eyes type. The author spelled out the drawl in such an exaggerated manner and it seemed super offensive. But that doesn't even touch on the local man of Mexican descent, who when nervous, had more of his accent come out. All-in-all, I could not stand the main character, Lee, and the story didn't have enough draw to really pull me in.

The Chocolate Cat Caper

Aug 04, Talia Colley rated it liked it Shelves: When a famous criminal attorney falls over a balcony dead after eating one of Aunt Nettie's chocolates that Lee delivered, the chocolate shop and its employees are under suspicion. So Lee starts to investigate to find out who really killed Clementine Ripley. This is book one in the Chocoholic cozy mystery series, so there are lots of tidbits about chocolate included. I just wish I actually liked chocolates! That would have made this a little more enjoyable. But it was still an okay mystery. The main character was annoying with her penchant for saying the wrong words, but I enjoyed the Michigan setting as I will be moving there next month!

So I might keep reading the series just to learn more about my future home state. Sep 13, Jennifer rated it liked it Shelves: Recently divorced Lee McKinney has moved from Texas to the small resort town of Warner Pier, Michigan on Lake Michigan to get a fresh start in life and do the bookkeeping for her Aunt Nettie's gourmet chocolate shop. While helping to cater an event at a well known attorney's home, the attorney takes a tumble off a balcony and ends up dead.

Everyone at the event is now a suspect, including Lee, as well as the attorney's ex-husband, Joe Woodyard, who Lee once had a crush on many years ago while vi Recently divorced Lee McKinney has moved from Texas to the small resort town of Warner Pier, Michigan on Lake Michigan to get a fresh start in life and do the bookkeeping for her Aunt Nettie's gourmet chocolate shop. Everyone at the event is now a suspect, including Lee, as well as the attorney's ex-husband, Joe Woodyard, who Lee once had a crush on many years ago while visiting her Aunt Nettie for the summer.

Sep 11, Nicole Brown rated it really liked it. A cozy mystery that involves the delciousness of chocolate alongside a tongue-tied quirky heroine, Lee who proves that she's strong enough to meet the challenge. There are three things every mystery needs: The Chocolate cat caper's plot is plausible, sometimes it's not that compelling and overall it's not surprising. The main character, Lee McKinney, is a Texas blonde that sometimes passes as a bit dumb and has tendency for malapropisms that's supposed to be funny but mostly distracts from the story.

With the exception of the lovable and funny Aunt Nettie and her teenage employees, the rest of the characters ar There are three things every mystery needs: With the exception of the lovable and funny Aunt Nettie and her teenage employees, the rest of the characters are mostly flat and lack bite. The mystery is not resolved through detection or wits, and the characters are drawn in as puppets for a mystery story, rather than lively characters who find themselves in a mystery like the ones in Charlaine Harris' novels.

For that reason, the book lacks surprise, you know who are the red herrings, who are the good guys and who is the culprit, because that character has no reason to be there other than be the bad guy and it becomes obvious. The premise looked great on the back of the book but the execution was below the average. It's still fun but don't expect to be pinning for the sequel. I'm not going ahead on this series.

Jan 07, Dawn Michelle rated it liked it Shelves: Loves all the chocolate talk. Enjoyed the facts about it as well. And the mystery wasn't half bad either. I knew who had done it before the book ended though it was a guess , but I didn't know why. And it took me awhile to get there because she wrote the story so well and through in a lot of red herrings.

Lee has moved back to Michigan from Texas she left her rich husband and needed a new place to live and has moved into her Aunt's house and has taken over the business end of her Aunt's chocolate business. A rich woman, but not liked woman in town has ordered thousands of dollars of chocolates for a party she is throwing and its up to Lee to get them there unscathed. But when Clementine turns up dead, literally at Lee's feet and it seems the chocolate she was eating was the cause, Lee takes off her accounting hat and puts on a detective hat and scrambles to find out who did it before death strikes again and she and her aunt end up behind bars!

I am anxious to read the next one because I think this series will just get better as the books go on!! Mar 16, Jennifer rated it liked it Shelves: Looking for more culinary inspired mysteries. All you ever wanted to know about chocolate and more. For all that this book lacked in character development, it certainly proved the author's knowledge about chocolate, both its origins and the candy-making process.

While I'll never be motivated enough to make my own chocolate, I really enjoyed reading about others doing it. This was a very short, and therefore not all that in-depth, book. The romance angle felt both rushed and a bit forced as well. Yes, but only if you really love cozy culinary mysteries and chocolate. I already own the next 5 books in this series, so I'm going to give it another shot.

Apr 12, Jan rated it liked it Shelves: Following her divorce, Lee returns to Michigan and the love of her aunt Nettie while she tries to get her life back in order. Nettie owns a luxury chocolate shop in the small tourist town. When a customer dies after eating a chocolate laces with Cyanide, Lee feels that she must get involved in the investigation to protect her aunt, herself and and the reputation of the shop. This is a charming book. The first person narration is very chatty and readable. The characters are well developed and lik Following her divorce, Lee returns to Michigan and the love of her aunt Nettie while she tries to get her life back in order.

The characters are well developed and likeable. There is just a touch of romance. This is a very traditional cozy but unlike many cozies, the mystery is very good. The only problem I had was that the descriptions of the chocolates left me with a need for a late night candy fix.

Nov 07, Laura rated it liked it. Ok, I'm giving this 3 stars, because when I finished reading I felt fairly entertained. I knew who the killers were from the very beginning of the book read: But, while that frustration makes me w Ok, I'm giving this 3 stars, because when I finished reading I felt fairly entertained. But, while that frustration makes me want to grade it lower, I feel that since I was actually able to feel entertained at the end of it, that I have to give it 3 stars.

Mar 01, Wendy rated it really liked it. This was the first book in the Chocoholic series which was recommended to me by a friend. The main character makes these word mistakes when she is nervous. At first I found it annoying but the author stressed it less as the book went on which made the character more enjoyable for me. I have the second and third books and am planning on reading them next. Feb 09, Kim rated it it was ok Shelves: I felt that the characters were flat an not that interesting. I thought the ending was stupid, but as this is the first book in the series, I will consider reading at least book 2 and seeing if it get's better.

This may simply been a case of "first book I ever wrote" syndrome and may get better as it goes on, or perhaps it never does. Apr 10, Connie rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was a very good book. I really like the chocolate facts. I am hoping for a few small recipes, though, in future books. Sep 01, Heather rated it really liked it. This is a fun mystery series. Easy read and fast. Makes me laugh right out loud! Eleven in the series so in the back of my mind I'm saying how many mysteries is one girl from a small town going to solve but JoAnna Carl keeps putting them out! Aug 30, Deborah rated it really liked it.

I got a free copy of this book at a book fair.

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I chose it because it had chocolate and cat in the title - two things I love. I didn't expect much from it, but have to say that it was a fun read. I look forward to reading more in this series. Love the candy connection and the quirky characters. Dec 28, Jennifer rated it really liked it. I read this on the recommendation of my friend. It was an enjoyable story. I will read the next book soon.

Apr 08, Zuzana rated it liked it Shelves: A bit too predictable but not bad. Lee's speech impediment was supposed to be funny but after a while it became annoying. This was the book selected for the October read for my cozy mystery book club. It did not appeal to me. Several things put me off this book. The main character, Lee, frequently says the wrong word.

I found that grating. I suppose it makes her flawed, which is good, but it was awkward. And that affliction seemed to disappear at the end of the book. There were many typographic errors in the text. The story was not compelling. While I pretty much figured the culprit out ea This was the book selected for the October read for my cozy mystery book club.

While I pretty much figured the culprit out early and then pieced together some of the other parts of the plot, it really took to the reveal to figure out the "Why? That could not be figured out from the story. We had the standard cozy set up: I find the beauty queen aspect of Lee not endearing. She's 28, which I guess is now getting too young for me to care much for.

All in all, blah. I will not return to this series at all. Jun 11, Jennifer rated it liked it. First in the chocoholic mystery series. In the debut Lee goes back to small town Michigan from Texas after her marriage fizzles to work with her aunt at her chocolate shop. Lee finished her degree in accounting and takes over the business side of the chocolate shop. Lee also goes back later to help serve at the party, and the attorney falls to her death during the party. But the fall w First in the chocoholic mystery series. But the fall was just a fall, because she was poisoned - from one of the chocolates!

I liked the book ok. Lee apparently has some sort of speech impediment or brain fart which causes her to use the wrong words when she speaks too fast or gets excited. That made for a couple of amusing paragraphs, but overall did not add a lot to the book. No recipes, but a few chocolate facts sprinkled through the book. Feb 23, Crystal Hart rated it liked it Shelves: Lee McKinney moves to Michigan and starts working at her aunt's luxury chocolate shop. While there, she delivers a huge custom order to Clementine Ripley, a famous lawyer, for a party.

When Clementine drops dead after eating one of the chocolates, the police discover it was injected with cyanide. So Lee has to figure out who really killed Clementine before their chocolate business is ruined. This book was just okay. I don't know what's going on with Lee.

She has a speech impediment or something w Lee McKinney moves to Michigan and starts working at her aunt's luxury chocolate shop. She has a speech impediment or something where she says the wrong word sometimes. As for the rest of a review It just wasn't good. I probably won't continue the series. Feb 07, Denise rated it liked it Shelves: After giving up on a stifling trophy wife existence and divorcing her husband, Lee has temporarily moved in with her Aunt Nettie in a small Michigan town and helps her run her chocolate business.

Delivering an order to universally despised defense attorney Clementine Ripley, Lee becomes a witness to Clementine's death. It seems like a perfect situation, so Lee leaves her native Texas to return to the town where she spent a few summers as a kid. But Lee's only been back in town for a week when famous defense lawyer Clementine Ripley is poisoned while eating one of their chocolates. Clementine was ruthless and had made lots of enemies over the years, both in her profession as among the residents of the town.

Naturally, the first place the police look is Lee and Aunt Nettie. Now Lee must sort through the suspects and motives to find the real killer before she and her aunt get framed for a murder they didn't commit. The book worked for me on every level. The characters are well developed, and I fell in love with them right away.

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Lee is smart and strong, actually glad to be rid of her ex-husband. She has a habit of mixing up words when she's upset or nervous, but its fun and not so overused that it becomes annoying. In fact, it makes her more human. Equally appealing is Aunt Nettie who is trying her hardest to put her life back together after her husband's unexpected death.

Then there's Joe, obviously the series love interest. He's a very appealing character and it's easy to root for him and Lee to get together. Of course, characters only get you so far. The story is equal to the characters. It's tightly plotted and moves along at a brisk pace. Maybe it just shows how dense I am, but I didn't have the killer pegged at all.