Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle

The annual Cookie-Baking Contest is just a few days away in Graves’s well-crafted fourth Death by Chocolate mystery (after 2020’s Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut), and Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White, the owners of the Chocolate Moose bakery in Eastport, Maine, plan to enter, but they’re sidetracked by the hatchet murder of town curmudgeon Alvin Carter. The two ladies have developed a reputation as snoops, but they have good reason to get involved this time, since a loyal friend of theirs, Billy Breyer, who did yard work for Alvin and found the body, is the Eastport police chief’s prime suspect. Jake and Ellie, who are sure Billy is innocent, come to realize plenty of others might have had it in for Alvin, including Billy’s ramrod-stiff great-aunt, who spent a lot of time arguing with Alvin. More crimes occur, including a shooting, and a dangerous wildfire seems to be a case of arson directed at the bakery partners. Graves does a good job keeping readers guessing with multiple potential motives. Fans of cozies with a dark edge will have fun. [em]Agent: Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Literary. (Mar.) [/em]