When Charity Penn receives a letter saying she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina complete with free cooking lessons at the town's seaside chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box, she's immediately skeptical. She never entered any contest. Her former prep school friend offers to look into the phony prize--only to end up drowned in a vat of chocolate. Struck with guilt, Penn heads to the southern beach town to investigate why he was killed. But as wary as she is of the locals, she finds herself lured into their eccentric vibe, letting her defenses melt away and even learning the art of crafting delicious chocolates. That is, until delight turns bittersweet as she steps straight into the midst of a deadly plot to destroy the seaside town. Now, only Penn's quick thinking and a mysterious cask of rare chocolate can save the town she's learning to love. Rich and decadent, Asking for Truffle, the first in a new cozy series by Dorothy St. James, is sure to be a delectable read for fans of JoAnna Carl and Joanne Fluke. (Summary via Goodreads)
I'm going to tell you that NO review or comments will do this book justice ! Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James is a MUST, MUST, MUST read !!
The first sentence "The strange letter I'd received in the mail earlier today had me popping chocolate squares into my mouth as if they were candy." ..... Tell me that doesn't make you want to keep reading. Here is an author with intrigue and humor and its only the first sentence !!
And the main character....the girl is named Charity by a grandmother who hated that fact that her precious son got a girl pregnant in college and the girl took off leaving the baby, Charity, on their front steps. So Charity who hates her name (Obviously !!) goes by her last name Penn.
So this strange letter that she received in sentence one tells her that she won a trip to a chocolate store in a seaside town and cooking lessons at the candy store. Are you in yet ?? Who wouldn't want to win a trip like that !! But she, of course, is skeptical, not because of her upbringing but because she didn't enter the contest. So her good friend Skinny, yes that's right another great nickname, offers to go to the seaside town and check it out for her. Unfortunately he is killed in a vat of chocolate right after he leaves an exciting but mysterious message for Penn. Penn has no other choice but to go there herself to check out the chocolate store and find out why Skinny was killed.
Have you packed your bags yet ?? Okay well once she gets to this rundown seasside town she meets a bunch of interesting people, 2 very attractive brothers, and the owner of the chocolate shop that insists that she take the cooking lessons. She does, of course, take the lessons but because of her upbringing she is extremely skeptical. After all she didn't enter the contest and her friend was killed in the store !!
Once you start reading you will find it hard to stop. And as you get into the story you will begin to think you know who killed Skinny but then you will turn the page and read something else that will change that thought. St. James will have you reclined in the chair turning pages and keep you guessing all the way until the end....and isn't that what you want in a book ??
There is so much to love about this story.... the people, Penn's past, Penn's future, the 2 attractive brothers, the Chocolate Box, the quaint little seaside town, the chocolate, Penn's crazy and vicious dog.... And like I said no review will do it justice.....YOU have to read it for yourself !!!
The only thing that you will not like is that it ends.....but hopefully it won't be long before there is a second book in this AMAZING series.
Review by Missi S.
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