Sequel to: Death by chocolate cherry cheesecake.

While Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree has moved on from fixing up houses, she still can't resist the urge to snoop into the occasional murder. Something sinister is brewing in the kitchen of The Chocolate Moose - retired health inspector Alan Blake is found murdered. Jake's best friend Ellie never made a secret of her distaste for Alan. Now, with no alibi for the night of the murder, she's in a sticky situation with the police - and it's up to Jake to catch the real killer and keep Ellie living in the land of the free.

Summer guests are eager to sink their teeth into tantalizing desserts at The Chocolate Moose, Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White’s bakeshop in the island village of Eastport, Maine. But attracting the wrong kind of attention can be deadly . . . With the August heat strong enough to melt solid chocolate into syrup, Jake and Ellie crave a break from the bakery ovens, despite tourist season promising a sweet payday. But they never envisioned spending the last weeks of summer drifting around Passamaquoddy Bay searching for pirate’s treasure—and a dead body. Sally Coates believes her husband was murdered off the coast, and begs Ellie, a trusted childhood friend, to locate his remains. It’s unusual that a skilled fisherman would vanish along with the gold doubloon he inherited from his grandfather. And Sally isn’t the only one coveting the valuable heirloom for her own. As Jake and Ellie’s island-hop for answers, they find themselves caught between hungry sharks and hungrier suspects. Can the duo tempt fate and dodge danger before there’s blood in the water—or are they destined to fall into the jaws of a killer’s trap?

From the bestselling author of the Home Repair is Homicide novels comes the latest in this “sharp, smart, and witty” (Crimespree) series set in a charming, real-life Maine fishing village, where chocolate-themed recipes, appealing characters, and an unpredictable mystery make the perfect mix for fans of Joanne Fluke, Leslie Meier, and Diane Mott Davidson. Jake and Ellie are taking a break from perfecting their chocolate pizza recipe to cater a housewarming party hosted by movie icon Ingrid Merryfield. Miss Merryfield is famous for her old-Hollywood glamour. Her new home, Cliff House, has a reputation too—for being haunted. Some of her guests even try to summon a spirit during the party, using a Ouija board. What arrives instead is a freak autumn storm that downs an ancient tree, trapping everyone on the property and setting the stage for a killer’s planned spree . . . Though Jake and Ellie don’t intend to get stirred into the mix, there’s no avoiding it—especially when they witness a guest being shoved over the very precipice that gave Cliff House its forbidding name. As they sift through suspects and motives, their search takes them from a long-lost family graveyard to an herbalist’s deceptively sweet cottage and finally to Cliff House’s overgrown gardens. Is there some ghostly presence involved—or a flesh-and-blood villain? Either way, can they avoid meeting their very own, very permanent Hollywood ending? Praise for the Death by Chocolate Mysteries “A treat for aficionados of shopkeeper-sleuth cozies." —Kirkus Reviews “Entertaining. . . . Cozy fans are sure to have fun.” —Publishers Weekly Includes a Recipe!

"When a pirate festival blows into their small town, bakeshop owners Jacobia Jake Tiptree and her best friend Ellie White expect theyll be busy baking up a storm, but instead they find themselves marooned in a new murder investigation after someone kills a well-known food writer and TV personality"--

Summertime in the quirky island village of Eastport, Maine, is full of delights—including delicious treats from The Chocolate Moose, the waterfront bakery run by Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White. But these amateur sleuths are in for a rocky road when a chocolate shop rivalry turns deadly in the newest Death By Chocolate Mystery from the bestselling author of the Home Repair is Homicide Series! Summer in Eastport means lobsters and blueberries, though tourists and locals alike always leave a little room for baked goods from The Chocolate Moose. This year’s arts festival, featuring food, games, and rollicking local musicians, means even more sweet-toothed customers. But it’s also bringing competition from a new rival, Choco’s, that’s trying to slice into the action. Choco’s owner, Brad Fairway, is pulling sneaky stunts to divert Moose patrons to his own shop, and Ellie finally confronts him about his tactics. But when Brad is found dead next day—and the weapon is a gun that belongs to Ellie—it’s only a matter of time before she is charged with the crime. Sifting through the victim’s connections, Jake and Ellie sense they’re getting close to the real culprit—a little too close. Can they serve up the solution before the killer dishes up another helping of murder?

This fun new story from a rising star of culinary cozies is just what your sweet mystery tooth is craving. The Chocolate Moose Bakeshop and its irresistible pastries are as delicious and delightful as the fourth installment in the Death By Chocolate series by Sarah Graves. As co-owners of Eastport’s beloved waterfront bakery, the Chocolate Moose, Jake and Ellie know their customers expect them to cream the competition at the town’s annual Cookie Baking Contest. But they’re really just in it for fun, hoping to get Jake’s daughter-in-law baking again. Those plans collapse when fearsome local curmudgeon Alvin Carter is murdered, and every crumb of evidence points to Tiptree family friend—and all-around sweet guy—Billy Breyer. Billy’s sisters beg Jake and Ellie to prove his innocence. After all, lots of folks had gone sour on Alvin, whose popularity ranked somewhere between a toothache and the plague. But just as the ladies begin sifting through the suspects, a series of grass fires blaze across the island, threatening catastrophe. Now, Jake and Ellie will need all their courage—and an extra dash of that downeast Maine stubbornness—to sniff out the real killer before anyone else gets burned . . . Includes a Recipe! “A treat for aficionados of shopkeeper-sleuth cozies." —Kirkus Reviews “Entertaining. . . . Cozy fans are sure to have fun.” —Publishers Weekly