Quite an Adventure!
Dollycas's Thoughts
Movie icon Ingrid Merryfield has come to Eastport, Maine and her first stop is the Chocolate Moose Bakery. Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree and Ellie White are a little starstruck and surprised when the actress says she has come "home" to Eastport and purchased Cliff House, a house known for being haunted. She asks Jake and Ellie to cater the desserts for her upcoming party and will pay them handsomely to stay overnight to cater to the guest's food needs as requested. Needing money to keep the bakery open they just can't refuse.
The party starts off okay but soon the Ouija board is pulled out to try to lure some ghosts. The only thing that they seem to conjure up is a terrific storm that brings down a huge tree that blocks the only exit by road from the property leaving Ellie, Jake, Bella, and Mika trapped. Soon thereafter bodies start dropping like flies. One, off the cliff, another in the basement, and more to come. Ellie and Jake want out and go to great lengths to try to do that as soon as they realize there is a killer in their midst or a very angry ghost.
Jake and Ellie find themselves in trouble again and have taken Bella and Mika along for the ride. Mika's husband Sam tries to help and even Jake's dad gets in on the action. We see the supporting characters differently in this story. Everyone played an exciting role and I loved that. A surprising new character stole my heart and attention immediately. Igor, an Irish Wolfhound found himself in danger too and it made my heart skip a beat during a very tense scene.
This story unfolds at breakneck speed so readers have to hold on tight. Jake and Ellie took a lot of risks to free their family and friends from the Cliff House property. The killer was not their only worry. They had to battle a horrendous storm, high tides and big waves, earthquakes, falling trees, missing ladders, and more. They traveled through tunnels, spooky rooms, and hallways at Cliff House trying to find answers. They were in constant motion the entire story. I was exhausted for them and with them by the time I turned the final page.
Ms. Graves plotted out a whirlwind mystery and kept the pedal to the metal from start to finish. I was so caught up in the story I didn't really form my own list of suspects and the actual reveal of the killer was a bit of a surprise. The pieces start to fall into place for me later in the book. This plot really kept me on my toes.
Ms. Graves took her characters on quite an adventure in Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake and in turn her readers. I really enjoyed this book a lot.
I am excited about the upcoming Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie set to hit shelves on April 25, 2023. I think both the characters and myself need a little time to catch our breath before we can handle whatever Ms. Sarah Graves dreams up next. We will all be ready by April.
