"Riley Rhodes...makes a bittersweet return to her childhood home of Penniman, Connecticut for a funeral...But Caroline and her brother Mike have to decide what to do with the assets they've inherited - the ice cream shop as well as the farm they grew up on...Trouble begins to swirl as Riley is spooked by reports of a stranger camping behind the farm...When Mike turns up dead in the barn the morning after the funeral, the peace and quiet of Penniman seems upended for good"--
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"Riley Rhodes...makes a bittersweet return to her childhood home of Penniman, Connecticut for a funeral...But Caroline and her brother Mike have to decide what to do with the assets they've inherited - the ice cream shop as well as the farm they grew up on...Trouble begins to swirl as Riley is spooked by reports of a stranger camping behind the farm...When Mike turns up dead in the barn the morning after the funeral, the peace and quiet of Penniman seems upended for good"--
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Add this copy of The Rocky Road to Ruin: an Ice Cream Shop Mystery (Ice to cart. $0.99, fair condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2021 by St. Martin's Paperbacks.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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In this first book from Meri Allen's Ice Cream Shop Mystery Series, we meet Riley Rhodes. Riley has a cool job working as a CIA librarian using being a travel food blogger as her cover. Her last undercover mission was in Italy and it ended badly. She now has two reasons to return home to Penniman, Connecticut. She needs to regroup after what happened in Italy but also her friend Caroline's mother has passed away. She has so many great memories of spending time with Caroline on her family's farm and working at the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. She always ate her share of ice cream too.
Now she wants to help Caroline in any way she can as she and her brother Mike make plans regarding the farm's and ice cream shop's future. Those two rarely agree on anything so Riley is not surprised they have totally different ideas about what to do with their newly inherited assets. After a bit of a blow-up Mike takes off to a cabin on the property with his girlfriend vowing the hash things out with his sister another day.
But that day doesn't come. Instead, the next day, Riley finds Mike's dead body in the barn and his girlfriend is missing. Knowing the argument between the siblings is going to have Caroline on the hot seat with the police Riley delves into her own investigation. She hopes to get the scoop on the killer before someone else gets creamed.
Riley is a very likable protagonist. I love that she has a CIA connection and that she is a librarian. Librarians are so knowledgeable and know how to ask the right questions. I am sure her CIA training has built upon those skills. Skills a great amateur sleuth needs. I admire her dedication to her friend Caroline who has to deal with so much. First her mother's passing and then her brother's. She also has a regular job she just can't drop to handle the farm and ice cream shop. Riley doesn't think twice, she jumps right in and volunteers to help with no time limits.
Caroline's mother was beloved by so many and revered for all she had accomplished. We learn this from a variety of supporting characters who work and volunteer on the farm and at Udderly Delicious. Riley's dad and stepmom are also introduced. Her dad owns a bookstore. That is just so perfect. It is a large group but the characters are clearly defined and easy to keep straight. That being said the author has left plenty of room for growth. There are also a couple of feline characters. One who thinks her royal highness rules the roost and everything around her. The other is a little ragged but cute and is given a great name.
Ms. Allen has done a fine job of world-building. It's almost time for the Sunflower Festival and all the fields around the farm are filled with sunflowers setting up some great photo ops. The ice cream shop even has sunflower ice cream. As the characters travel up and down Farm Lane there are two farmhouses face to face across the lane. One is the family home behind the ice cream shop where Caroline's mother lived. The other is teamed up with a large barn where the farm manager and his family live. Down the road, there is a cabin that was sometimes rented out called the Love Nest. Keep going and there are more sunflower fields, apple orchards, other neighbors' homes, a cemetery, and a winery. I could picture everything so easily. I could almost taste the ice cream too.
The author has crafted a very intriguing mystery. I had a grand time following along with Riley as she split her time making ice cream and trying to put a killer on ice. She found herself in some heated and scary situations but she kept pressing on. With some marvelous twists, I was drawn deeper and deeper into the story. The final twist was perfect. I was so absorbed in the story I know I missed a clue or two but at least I was in the ballpark with my guess.
The Rock Road to Ruin is a twisty mystery with a leading character that I want to know better and follow wherever she goes. The ice cream theme is just plain sweet and the sunflower backdrop at the farm has me longing for all the sunflower fields close around me that will be blooming and picture-perfect soon.
I am looking forward to reading Mint Chocolate Murder next month! Mint Chocolate Chip! YES!
Kristina
Jul 30, 2021
A sweet treat!
The Rocky Road to Ruin by Meri Allen is the debut of An Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Meri Allen is a descriptive writer. She provided detailed word images of the town, the characters, Buzzy�s farm, and, most importantly, the ice cream. Riley Rhodes is a unique character for cozy mysteries with her occupation. I like that the author took the time to establish Riley and the town. I did feel that we are introduced to a few too many characters in this first book. There are just too many to keep straight (neighbors, relatives, employees, reporters, visitors). We also get to meet Sprinkles, Buzzy�s prima donna cat, and Rocky, a rescue cat. I enjoyed reading about their attitudes and antics. I can tell the author has been around cats. The mystery is multifaceted with multiple suspects and misdirection. There are clues to help readers solve the whodunit before the reveal (if you are an avid cozy mystery reader, you will have no problem unraveling this whodunit). There are delicious descriptions of ice cream that will have you running out for a cold creamy confection. I did feel the pacing was a little slow with the detailed descriptions and the number of characters. I also wanted a little more cozy. I was hoping for a cozy small town with the story focusing around the ice cream shop. I think the author is trying to give us something different. Some things worked and others did not. An example is Riley being a CIA librarian, travel food blogger, and secret spy. I would have been happy with travel food blogger because the CIA aspect seems out of place (except for Riley�s attention to detail). The Rocky Road to Ruin is a good start and I do wish to read the next installment in An Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. The Rocky Road to Ruin is a sweet treat with cat capers, land wrangling, prying reporters, creamy confections, sunflower festival fun, a curious cowboy, and a mysterious murder.
