Monday, May 4, 2015

Review/Giveaway: Oh Say Can You Fudge by Nancy Coco


Allie McMurphy is busy making yummy fudge for the summer holiday–until murder gives her something else to chew on. . .

Red, White, And Boom

It’s not Fourth of July on Mackinac Island without fireworks and fudge. The Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop is supplying the treats–and Allie has hired Rodney Rivers, the biggest name in aerial displays, to create an unforgettable spectacle. Unfortunately, Allie finds him dead, covered with screaming chicken fireworks, just before the entire warehouse of pyrotechnics goes up in smoke. Is it arson or is it murder? Allie and her bichonpoo, Mal, must sift through the suspects until the killer is caught and the island can enjoy a star-spangled celebration.




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REVIEW

Oh Say Can You Fudge represents several firsts for me:  my first experience with this author, the first book I've read set in Michican, and the first series featuring fudge.  Now, I know a thing or two about fudge (more from the eating than the making side), but I had no idea Mackinac Island was known for its fudge.  About the only thing I do know about the island is that its name does NOT rhyme with 'back'.

I like to see 'take-charge' women in books, and Allie McMurphy is certainly that.  Not only does she run a B&B, but also the attached fudge shop.  Add to that this year, she has volunteered to arrange the island's big 4th of July fireworks display.  Everything is apparently going well until: 1) the technician winds up dead and, 2) the building housing the fireworks explodes shortly thereafter.

So now she has the head of the local Chamber of Commerce breathing down her neck as well.  Luckily, our heroine has some stalwart friends who help her find more fireworks and a qualified technician to design and run the display.  No small feat the the week before Independence Day.

But with a killer on the loose, the official celebration will not have the only 'fireworks' display in town.

Oh Say Can You Fudge is the 3rd book in Coco's (aka Parra's) 'Candy-Coated Mysteries' and reads quite well as a standalone.  How does an author write such a book, that works well on its own, but makes people want to read the rest of the series.  Well, I don't know.  But whatever the process is, Coco has that recipe memorized, because this book has whetted my appetite for some more of her sweet reads!

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AUTHOR INFORMATION



Best known for writing plucky heroines Nancy Coco AKA Nancy J. Parra has 15 books published.  Most recently Nancy has three cozy mystery book series going:

-Gluten for Punishment and Murder Gone A-Rye are both part of the Gluten Free Baker’s Treat Mystery series. (Berkley Prime Crime)

-All Fudge Up and To Fudge or Not To Fudge are part of the Candy Coated Mystery series (Kensington) -which Nancy writes as Nancy Coco

-Then there is Engaged in Murder- the first in the Perfect Proposal series from Berkley Prime Crime.

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GIVEAWAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click the link above to go to the tour page, where you can find more reviews, as well as guest posts and interviews with the author.  You can also apply to become a review for Great Escapes while you are there!

(Disclosure:  I received an e-copy of this book from the author and publisher via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)

8 comments:

  1. Love fudge, and this is a fun series. Mal is adorable.

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    1. True. Those little dogs have a HUGE spirit. (Ok, and the fudge sounded heavenly too!) *LOL* Thanks for stopping by. Good luck with the contest!

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  2. Fudge and murder. Hmmmmmmmmm....

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    1. Yah, you may be able to get the bad guy to postpone killing you by feeding him (or her) different kinds of fudge, leaving your handsome lawman more time to come rescue you! ;)

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  3. Sounds intriguing. The only reason I know how to pronounce Mackinac is because of the show Dirty Jobs. Are her two food related series the type that have recipes in them?

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    1. I don't know about the other series, but the fudge one does. Maybe if Ms. Coco (I wonder if that is a special pseudonym for the fudge books) stops by she can tell us for sure!

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  4. Sounds like a good cozy, especially with the fudge recipes.

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    1. I know, right? I've been toying with the idea of making at least one of the recipes when I review a cozy with recipes in the book! :O)

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