Playing With Bonbon Fire: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery

Dorothy St. James

$16.79

Publication Date: August 7th, 2018

Publisher:

Crooked Lane Books

ISBN:

9781683317302

Pages:

352

Description

Charity Penn must smoke out a killer to stop her beachside chocolate shop from going up in flames in this “addictive” culinary cozy mystery series “that keeps you up late reading” (San Francisco Book Review)

Chocolate shop owner Charity Penn is finally settling into life in the quirky South Carolina seaside town of Camellia Beach cooking up chocolate treats. She’s even helped organize the town’s lively beach music festival which has brought rollicking crowds eager to dance the Carolina shag. That is, until one of the band’s lead singers is found dead beside a beach bonfire.

While also trying to balance the amorous attention of music star Bixby Lewis, in town for the festival, and her quest to perfect a new hot flavored bonbon, Charity dives into the investigation. Though it’s more spice than sugar when she discovers a threatening note, comes across decades of age-old secrets, and Bixby comes into the line of fire when a gas grill explodes on the deck of a beachfront house.

Now Charity must turn up the heat and catch the killer before her chance melts away in Playing With Bonbon Fire, the delightful second Southern Chocolate Shop mystery served up just right for fans of JoAnna Carl and Joanne Fluke.

About the Author

Dorothy St. James is the author of the White House Gardener mysteries. For the past twenty years she made her home on Folly Beach, an artsy island community in South Carolina with her sculptor husband. Dorothy is a member of Mystery Writers of America (MWA) and the International Thriller Writers (ITW). This is her second Southern Chocolate Shop mystery.

Praise for Playing With Bonbon Fire: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery

Praise for Playing with Bonbon Fire:
“This is a well-written mystery that immediately grabbed my attention and I could not put the book down, quickly becoming a page-turner.”
—Dru’s Book Musings

Praise for Asking for Truffle:
“Compulsively readable...readers will cheer Penn every step of the way.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Dorothy St. James has crafted a delicious concoction of murder and mayhem in her debut title Asking for Truffle. The spunky heroine, Penn, makes a refreshingly no nonsense amateur sleuth, working to discover who murdered her longtime friend while taking on the delicious task of learning how to make artisan chocolates with her adorable dog Stella at her side. I enjoyed every bite.”
—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Cupcake Bakery mysteries

"Asking for Truffle is a splendid twist on the cozy, offering a complex heroine, a coastal town full of secrets, and surprises around every corner. A heady delight for chocolate lovers and an enticing beginning to a new mystery series. I look forward to many more installments from St. James and her heroine, Penn.”
—Bailey Cates, New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Bakery mysteries

“Yum! Wear a bib when you read this one! The chocolate descriptions and the recipes will definitely have you drooling. An interesting heroine and a town filled with quirky characters, plus chocolate—what’s not to like? Dorothy St. James did a super job.”
—JoAnna Carl, national bestselling author of the Chocoholic mysteries

“Asking for Truffle is a story as richly layered as the rare chocolate it features, with interesting and quirky characters readers will love, all wrapped in a lush setting that made me want to stake out a spot in town and stay there. Readers will definitely wish they could visit the Chocolate Box after reading this story.”
—Jacklyn Brady, national bestselling author of the Piece of Cake mysteries

“An intriguing premise that will draw you in and keep you guessing, a spunky protagonist turned reluctant chocolatier, and the perfect blend of exotic chocolate makes St. James’s new series sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. The mystery of Penn’s past looms in this tightly plotted page-turner. Asking for Truffle will leave you hungry for a cup of creamy, rich hot chocolate and wanting to know what’s next for Penn and her new found family.”
—Ellie Alexander, author of the Bakeshop mysteries

“The first in a new series for St. James features an appealingly reflective heroine and a varied roster of suspects.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Splendid...An easy reading cozy mystery that keeps you hooked from page one with delicious characters and a delightful story.”
—Fresh Fiction

“All that’s enjoyable about a cozy mystery: quirkiness, danger, feisty pets, humor, and chocolate...An addictive mystery that keeps you up late reading.”
—San Francisco Book Review

“I couldn’t put the book down...I highly recommend Asking for Truffle as your go-to book for a great September read.”
—MyShelf