Synopsis
A frantic late-night phone call from her right-hand woman Dolly Jolly brings Lee Woodyard to the scene of a break-in at the Warner Pier jewelry store next door to TenHuis Chocolade. To her shock, the suspect being held at gunpoint by police is Dolly's boyfriend, Mike Westerly, who was recently hired as a night watchman specifically to prevent break-ins. Dolly hopes Lee can help straighten out the crazy misunderstanding.
Even crazier? The thieves took nothing of value from the jewelry store, only swiping some snacks. It's another in a series of break-ins by burglars the media has dubbed the Cookie Monsters. They've been hitting shops selling everything from sunglasses to shoes but stealing only sweets: lollipops, cookies, even chewing gum!
It all seems pretty funny--until the discovery of a dead body. With her friends and community in danger, Lee must stop one very sour killer before someone else comes to a bitter end.
Review
Lee can't help but be involved given her history of solving mysteries, and now with Dolly implicated. At first neither Dolly nor Mike want to explain why his truck was parked down the street from the burglary, when he claims he wasn't there. This was a pattern the sweet-toothed burglar must have figured out. As the situation becomes more tense, additional measures and varying Mike's schedule are put in place. Lee puts it all together from her vantage point at the TenHuis Chocolade.
This is a fun read and then there's the chocolate. The characters are easy to relate to, with a touch of suspense and romance. For sure, if you've enjoyed the rest of the series, you will enjoy this one. I think I've only read one other in the series, some time ago, and it was easy to pick up on the histories of the characters and relationships. This can easily be read as a stand alone mystery, and is the newest addition to the series.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
