Mint Chocolate Murder is the second book in Meri Allen’s wonderful Ice Cream Shop Mysteries. I’m a huge fan of this series featuring ice cream shop manager and ex-CIA librarian Riley Rhodes.
Title: Mint Chocolate Murder
Author: Meri Allen
Series: Ice Cream Shop Mysteries #2
First Published: July 26, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genres: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher via Netgalley
*** Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
When Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is summoned to Penniman’s Moy Mull Castle, it’s the cherry on top of a successful summer season. The gothic pile built by an eccentric New England Gilded Age millionaire has been transformed into a premiere arts colony by Maud Monaco, a reclusive former supermodel. As part of Moy Mull’s Fall Arts Festival, Maud is throwing a fantasy ice cream social and hires Riley to whip up unique treats to celebrate the opening of an exhibit by Adam Blasco, a photographer as obnoxious as he is talented.
As Penniman fills up with Maud’s art-world friends arriving for the festival, gossip swirls around Blasco, who has a dark history of obsession with his models. Riley’s curiosity and instincts for sleuthing are piqued, and she wonders at the hold the cold-hearted photographer has over the mistress of Moy Mull.
But when Adam is found dead behind the locked door of Moy Mull’s dungeon, Riley realizes there’s more than one suspect who’d wanted put the malicious photographer on ice.
A wonderful new cast of characters
As I discovered in Rocky Road to Ruin, the first book in the series (you can read my review here), I find Riley Rhodes a very likeable protagonist. She has an incredibly interesting background (as a disgraced CIA librarian) and has a very practical personality. Her background means that she makes a solid amateur sleuth as you would except someone to have worked for the CIA to have some relevant skills. But she has some weaknesses – which was evident when a thief took advantage of her in italy, resulting in her “hiatus” from the CIA. However, I think her failings make her more human and more relatable. Even Jack Voelker, the new Penniman Police Chief, is tarting to respect Riley’s detecting skills (albeit begrudgingly).
Several of the supporting characters that were featured prominently in the first book (including Riley’s best friend Caroline, and farm managers Darin & Pru) are pretty much MIA in this book but it gives others that were just introduced in the first book to get more involved this time around, including Willow (Darin & Pru’s daughter), and sisters Flo & Gerri.
Plus, there are lots of new characters to meet, including retired model Maud Monaco, Luca (a farm intern from Italy that is romantically involved with Willow) and Maud’s assistant, Prentiss Love. I really liked Prentiss – he’s a bit over-exuberant, but he seems like a lot of fun and I felt like we were able to get to know him (and the other new characters) fairly well considering they’ve only appeared in this one story. I do hope several of them appear in future instalments.
Who knew ice cream and murder would go so well together?
Of course, the ice cream could count as a supporting character on its own. There are lots of traditional flavours, but as someone who has often made her own ice cream, I absolutely drooled over the inventive ice cream flavours that were mentioned. My favourite flavour was the “Cherry Vanilla with Luxardo Cherries Poached in Bourbon and Cinnamon”. YUM. And I DEFINITELY want to try to recreate the Cranachan (a traditional Scottish dessert) that Riley gave her own twist to.
Since I read mysteries pretty carefully and with an eye on trying to figure out the perpetrator, I did figure out who did it very early on, HOWEVER, the motive was a lot harder figure out. There were several viable suspects and lots of red herrings and it was a really enjoyable ride to watch the story play out.
The only thing that would have made the story even enjoyable for me was that I wanted to hear more about the beekeeping aspect as I find bees and beekeeping fascinating. Since two of the suspects were beekeepers, I thought we’d spend more time on that subject.
This is quickly becoming a favourite series of mine. While the ice cream gig is currently temporary for Riley, I obviously hope that it will be something she decides to do on a longer term basis. There hasn’t been any romance for her yet either and, while I don’t need a lot of romance in my mysteries, I feel like this is an area that could be developed in the future.
Oh, and by the way, I know some of you will vehemently disagree with me, but I’m totally with Riley – there are so many amazing flavours out there, but so many people seem obsessed with the flavour that I often lament “What was it with Pumpkin Spice?” as she does. LOL. I may not be a fan of of Pumpkin Spice, but I’m huge fan of this series and I’m looking forward to the next scoop!
Quote from Mint Chocolate Murder
