A Game of Cones

A Game of Cones by Abby Collette, 352 pages

Just six months after the village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, experienced its first murder investigation, another dead body turns up. This time, it's the representative of an out-of-state corporation that's planning on buying up real estate in the central business district to create a vertical mini-mall. Having had her fill of amateur sleuthing, ice cream shop owner Win Crewse would love to pass this investigation by, but when a friend visiting her from out of town becomes implicated, Win and her pals must start sleuthing once again.

This is the second book in the Ice Cream Parlor mystery series by Collette, and while it's still full of the quirky fun side characters of the first book, this one doesn't quite hold up as well. That said, it's so nice to see a cozy mystery series centering on a young Black woman and her family. I hope that Collette's series continues, and that the stories tighten up a bit as they go. The characters and location have so much potential!

*This book is scheduled to be released March 2, 2021

A Deadly Inside Scoop

A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette, 375 pages

Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over the family ice cream parlor and is preparing to reopen after a massive renovation when she discovers a dead body by the falls behind the shop. When it turns out that the deceased has a rocky history with her family, Bronwyn's father becomes a suspect, and Bronwyn is on the hunt to clear his name and catch the real killer. But can she do it while getting the ice cream parlor back up and running?

A cozy mystery and an ice cream parlor? This book was calling my name. Collette has created a winning heroine with a family full of strong supporting characters, and a pretty darn believable plot. Bonus points for having a young Black woman at the center of a cozy mystery, which is almost so rare as to be unheard of. An excellent start to what will hopefully be a long and fruitful series.