Product Description

Chocolate-shop manager Lee McKinney has had enough of party planner Julie Singletree's cutesy e-mails. Then somebody actually kills the woman, putting everyone on her mailing list on edge. As their connections to the murder emerge, so do more attacks. Lee smells a rat-and it's not made of chocolate. And if she doesn't want to be permanently deleted, it's up to her to trap it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50627 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 228 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780451216359
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"In the fine tradition of Diane Mott Davidson."
-- The Commercial Record (MI)

Customer Reviews

All the Trapping of Another Winner
Lee McKinney has recently joined the Seventh Major Food Group. No, the FDA hasn't added another level to the pyramid; it's a group of local merchants who are involved in fancy food and parties. Organized by Julie Singletree, a woman trying to get a party planning business going, the group exchanges tips via e-mail. Julie also uses their e-mail list to forward inspirational messages several times a day. Lee has had enough of the spam when the news breaks - Julie has been murdered and her computer stolen.

Lee fully intends to stay out of this investigation. After all, Julie lived in a neighboring town. But the morning after the funeral, several members of the group are hit by a computer virus. Another has her shop broken into and her computer's memory erased. As things continue to escalate, Lee can't keep her curiosity to herself and begins nosing around.

As if all this weren't enough, Joe and Lee are trying to work out the details of their upcoming wedding. Joe wants a big fancy affair and Lee just wants a few family members and close friends. Meanwhile, Aunt Nettie's sister-in-law contacts the shop hoping to find a job for her son, making Lee feel very insecure.

This series always entertains, and this book was no exception. The plot was a study in contrast. Some things jumped out and were obvious before the characters saw them; others were smack-your-head-how-could-I-miss-that moments. By the end there were lots of clues pointing to the killer, so chances are the reader will miss some if not all of them. Lee's "tong tangles" are kept to a minimum, mostly sprinkled into a few tense scenes.

The chocolate chats this go around were quotes about chocolate. It might be about time to drop the trivia and focus on the mystery. While it was a fun gimmick, it won't be missed.

Like candy, you can't read just one. I'm already hungry for the next volume.

Computer clues
Lee McKinney has an active e-mail correspondence with other people in her area who work in the food industry. She is getting tired of receiving "inspirational" e-mails from Julie Singletree and is trying to think of a way to cut her out of the chain. Just as she writes a tactful brushoff e-mail, Lee discovers that Julie has been murdered. Full of self-reproach, Lee begins to do her own investigation and she discovers that other people in her e-mail group are having computers stolen or information erased. A subplot in this book has to do with a disagreement on wedding plans between Lee and Joe. Lee wants a small, simple wedding and Joe wants a big bash where he can invite all of his friends and family. As usual, there is chocolate trivia interspersed throughout the book and the descriptions of the chocolates which are produced at Aunt Nettie's chocolate shop are enough to make your mouth water. This is another enjoyable addition to the series.

Cute mystery theme!
The Chocolate Mouse Trap starts out slow but once you get to the middle it gets really interesting! She does a good job of slipping in small clues that mean something later. A good book to read on a cold windy night!