They call Hayden Mundy Moore the "chocolate whisperer."
She
does consulting work for chocolatiers world-wide. Hayden
is
just finishing a consulting job for Maison Lamaitre
Chocolates and is enjoying a weekend at their chocolate-
themed resort spa, attending a chocolate industry retreat.
The retreat is about all things chocolate: food, drink,
spa
amenities and cosmetics.
At the opening event, Lamaitre's head chocolatier falls
over dead on the patio. Hayden knew Adrienne Dowling quite
well and is very disturbed by her death. The police rule
the death a suicide, but Hayden isn't buying it. Adrienne
had just shared the healthy green drink, containing the
poison that killed her, with Hayden in the kitchen minutes
before her death. Was it really meant for Hayden rather
than Adrienne? Was she the real target, and why? Hayden
begins a little sleuthing of her own to find Adrienne's
killer.
Hayden has an array for suspects including Christian, the
current owner of Lamaitre Chocolates, Bernard, the former
owner, Rex Rader, a competitor, and even Bernard's young
French model wife, Isabelle. Her sleuthing partner, Danny
Jamieson, is a long-time friend who came to San Francisco
at Hayden's beckon. Danny is acting as her bodyguard,
trying to keep Hayden out of too much trouble, but trouble
seems to be following her everywhere. Can she find the
killer before they have a chance to off her too?
Colette London writes this story in first person, as if
Hayden was having a personal conversation with you, the
reader. Hayden bares her heart and soul as she speaks, and
sometimes I'm not sure she should let us know everything
that's on her mind. She's a rather whimsical character and
not afraid of anything or anyone. The plot is fast-paced
and full of action. I never knew there were so many
different kinds of chocolate. Hayden tells us all the
health benefits of eating the decadent brown stuff, so
don't hold back. CRIMINAL CONFECTIONS is the first book in
Ms. London's new Chocolate Whisperer cozy mystery
series.
I can't wait to read the next one!
Hayden Mundy Moore is an expert on everything chocolate,
helping clients develop new products and revamp recipes
until they're irresistible. But sometimes, a dash of
murder
finds its way into the mix. . .
Hayden Mundy Moore has bushwhacked through African jungles
and haggled in exotic markets to find the finest cacao
beans
and the most flavorful blends. It's thrilling work but
rarely dangerous--until a colleague turns up dead at the
exclusive chocolate-themed Lemaître resort spa in San
Francisco.
Adrienne Dowling's heart attack is blamed on an accidental
overdose of the secret ingredient used in Lemaître
Chocolates' new line. Hayden can't believe that
conscientious Adrienne would make that mistake. And
between
chocolate body scrubs, cocoa mud baths, and a non-stop
frenzy of chocolate-based treats, Hayden starts to suspect
that she, not Adrienne, was the intended target. Finding a
killer among the rival chocolatiers and potential suspects
won't just be satisfying--it might save her life. . .
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