Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie

In Graves’s delightful sixth Death by Chocolate mystery (after 2022’s Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake), candy store owner Brad Fairway’s unsavory business tactics leave a bitter taste in the mouths of chocolatiers Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White. Brad’s new shop is competing with Jake and Ellie’s longtime local favorite for summer tourist dollars in the small village of Eastport, Maine, with Brad undercutting Jake and Ellie’s prices and bad-mouthing their baked goods at the annual art fair. To complicate matters, Brad knows about Jake’s past laundering money for the New York mob, which she’d prefer to keep under wraps. When Brad is found dead after a confrontation with Ellie, and the murder weapon is Ellie’s gun, Jake sets out to find the killer and defend the life she’s built for herself in Maine. Before long, she starts to worry she or Ellie could be next. A bevy of memorable characters complement the breezy, intriguing plot. Established fans and newcomers alike will be satisfied. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (May)