Chocolate Bunny Betrayal (Holiday Cozy Mystery 5), by Tonya Kappes

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Chocolate Bunny Betrayal is the fifth installment in the Holiday Cozy Mystery series, by Tonya Kappes. It's springtime in Holiday Junction, and the town is gearing up for the Hip Hop Hurray Festival. During the festival, journalist and amateur sleuth, Violet Rhinehammer, stumbles upon a dead body. When her mama is the prime suspect in this murder investigation, Violet is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of this mystery and bring the real killer to justice. While doing so, she must keep her identity as the town's Merry Maker a secret.

This book reminded me why I love this series so much. It may even be my favorite in the series so far. As with all of the books in the series, the atmosphere is festive with the holiday vibes in full swing. It really made me wish I lived in a town like that. A town where they go all out to celebrate all the holidays. 

We are given just enough background to understand the setup for the mystery and Violet's motivation for wanting to solve it. It isn't long before we find ourselves knee-deep in the murder investigation. I loved how the description of the holiday vibes played heavily into the plot throughout the book. It doesn't just take place around Easter; the bunnies play a significant role in the mystery.

I did identify the killer very early in the book, but that was solely based on a hunch. There were no real giveaways. There were enough suspects to consider, but not too many to overwhelm the reader. It could have been any of them. The big reveal was fun and it made perfect sense.

If you like romance in your cozies, you'll be happy to know there is a romantic development in this installment. It felt like a natural progression and I'm pleased with where this subplot is going. I enjoyed visiting with all of the recurring characters again as well.

As with most cozies, this is a self-contained mystery, but if you want to follow the character development and their stories throughout the series, I recommend starting with the first one, Four Leaf Felony, and reading them in order. This is a spin-off series from Camper and Criminals. I have read a few of those, but not the entire series. The Holiday Cozy Mysteries can certainly be enjoyed as its own series. It's one that I will definitely continue as each holiday rolls around. However, it can certainly be read at any time of the year when you want to feel those festive vibes.