A Christmas Candy Killing (Killer Chocolate Mystery 1), by Christina Romeril

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This month, I was all about Christmas in July in books and movies. I was interested in reading a clean, cozy mystery that had all the Christmas feels. A Christmas Candy Killing (Killer Chocolate Mystery 1), by Christina Romeril, certainly delivered.

Alex and Hanna are twin sisters who own a combination mystery bookshop and chocolate shop in Montana, in which all of the chocolates are named after poisons. Unfortunately, the festive holiday season is marred by the discovery of a dead body. With Alex being a prime suspect in this murder investigation, the amateur sister sleuths set out to find out who really killed their neighbor and friend.

I really enjoyed this first in series. It was a great mystery that had all the Christmas feels I was looking for. There were lots of twists and turns, with several viable suspects to consider. It had me guessing until close to the end. I was able to identify the culprit before the big reveal, but not until I was deep into the book. Speaking of the big reveal, I had a feeling what was coming, but it still gave me chills when it happened!

Because there were several viable suspects, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. It felt overwhelming for several chapters. However, as I kept reading and got to know them a little better, it was easier to remember them. 

The main characters in this book are a little older than what I'm used to reading and I really enjoyed the refreshing change. While they were very likeable and I could easily envision myself spending time with them, I did feel like one of the sister sleuths made some poor and potentially dangerous decisions while she was sleuthing. There were times when I wished she wasn't so naive. She also seemed to jump to irrational conclusions at times, especially concerning a secondary mystery within the family.  I do like that she has room to grow, which I hope happens in future books in the series.

There is just a hint of romance, which I appreciated. It didn't overpower the mystery at all and there is potential for it to develop more. There's also an adorable dog who plays a fairly minor, but important and entertaining role in the book.

If you're a fan of recipes in cozies and you like chocolate, you'll be happy to know there are a few in the back of the book. I most likely won't be making them (I rarely do), but I did enjoy reading about them in the context of the story. You might want to have a box of chocolates on hand while reading this book.

I am very happy I read A Christmas Candy Killing for Christmas in July and I can't wait to read the next one, A Nutcracker Nightmare, when it's released later this year. Don't you just love those titles? I have already asked my local library to pre-order the second one. That's how I was able to obtain a copy of the first one.

Does this sound like a book you would like to read during the holiday season or any time of year? Tell me in the comments!