by: Christina Romeril
Series: A Killer Chocolate Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: October 17, 2023
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke and Laura Childs, when twin sisters Hanna and Alex help out at the local high school reunion, volunteering takes a turn when they find a former classmate’s dead body.
Hanna and Alex, owners of the Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are busy preparing for the Harriston High School’s reunion weekend. Neighbors will connect with old friends and perhaps try to avoid old foes. One person no one can avoid is Kyle, the former star quarterback, who is busy using his entire playbook to try and score with Hanna, even threatening her if she doesn’t play nice. At the reunion, Alex glimpses more drama than nostalgia as insults are flung around like a football at a Friday night game. The party is put on hold when Alex finds the dead body of none other than Kyle himself, bludgeoned to death by a nutcracker that the sisters admired earlier in the night.
Hanna quickly becomes the prime suspect—someone saw her slap Kyle in the face at the reunion dance. She’ll need her sister, their sleuthing canine, Watson, and their old friends and colleagues to help break this case wide open. While looking through old yearbooks and taking a stroll down memory lane, Alex uncovers a few secrets about Kyle, now, it seems like everyone had a motive to kill him.
But when the suspects start becoming the victims, Alex and Hanna know that they can’t melt under the pressure—they must find the killer before they become just another yearbook memory.
Alex: Hi. It’s great to be here! I’m Alex Wright, the older twin and I’m excited for fall since that means Christmas is approaching. It’s been interesting solving murders these past two Christmases. We had a lot of people stopping by our book and chocolate shop, Murder and Mayhem, because of all the excitement last year. I hope the village doesn’t get a reputation after what happened this year. You know, like a certain little town in Maine.
Hanna: Hi. I’m Hanna Eastam, the younger twin by fifteen minutes. I’m loving fall and all the pumpkin spice goodies. There were more tourists than usual checking out the shop this past summer. I’m not usually quite so busy making chocolates June through August, but this year people couldn’t get enough of our poison-themed chocolates. We’re both happy to be here.
Great. Before we get started, can you please tell us more about yourselves?
Hanna: As I just mentioned, I am the younger twin. I’m forty-six and divorced. I am a chocolatier, and worked for my parents for decades at their gift shop and restaurant in Frankenmuth, Michigan. When my sister told me about her plan to open the bookshop I volunteered to move to Harriston, Montana with her and start a chocolate shop in conjunction with the bookshop. I never dreamed that working with my sister would include real murder and mayhem.
Technically, I’m not involved with anyone at the moment, I broke up with my last boyfriend recently, we weren’t very serious, but you never know what the future holds.
Alex: Hanna and I are the same age of course, but I moved out of my parent’s house right after high school. I went west to go to school and then got a job as a banker. My brief marriage right out of college didn’t last long and I was a bit relationship-shy after that. Last Christmas my neighbor, Tom, and I went out on a few dates, but then he had some family stuff happen and was away quite a bit. It’s been an interesting Christmas since we started dating again.
My main priority at the shop is the book side of the business, but when things get busy I help make the chocolates. I adore chocolate and love it when Hanna’s creating recipes for a new variety because I get to taste test a lot. Hanna and I love getting together with our friends to bake or teach chocolate-making classes. We love giving away the goodies during the holidays.
Can you please tell us about some of the people we’ll meet in your story?
Alex: Currently, our friend and neighbor, Maggie has been helping out at the store quite a bit. Her husband, Drew, is a retired pharmacist and a hypochondriac, but he’s always ready to lend a helping hand when needed. Hanna dated Maggie and Drew’s son, Duncan, a few years ago, but Duncan decided he wanted to be just friends. He’s a deputy and helped solve a couple of murders last year.
Hanna and I have a rescue dog, Miss Watson. When we first got her she was so skittish and shy, but she’s become much more at ease with people this past year. For the most part, we have wonderful friends and neighbors in our community. There is only one exception, Penelope Shaw. She’s been divorced multiple times and is always searching for a new Mr. Right. Unfortunately, she set her sights on, Tom, and she didn’t appreciate it when he and I started dating. So we aren’t exactly besties.
I remember seeing the cover of your first book, A Christmas Candy Killing last year. At the time I remember thinking I loved the cover and Christmas mysteries. It seems your latest mystery centers around Christmas as well. Are you guys fans of Christmas? Why or why not?
Hanna: We love the covers, too. They are so cozy and Christmasy! Alex and I are huge fans of Christmas. We love the decorations, ours are always the first up at home and in the store here in Harriston. Baking is a big part of the holidays for us, as well as making chocolates, of course. I’m not sure why these murders keep happening around the holidays. We’re busy enough without having to try and figure out who the killer is. Thankfully, we have some good friends in the village who are always ready to help us by sharing what they know.
You each have now been accused of murder. What have you learned about yourselves after going through that experience?
Alex: Neither one of us enjoyed being suspected of murder. I mean really, how ridiculous. Duncan never really thought either of us did it, but that sheriff, she is always looking for the easiest solution to a murder. That’s when we have to get involved to clear our names.
I discovered that I’m a bit of a risk taker, which I never would have thought. Sometimes I jump into situations without really thinking about the possible consequences. Hanna has always encouraged me to do more of the sleuthing, but simultaneously wants me to be careful. Lately, I think she’s wanting to get more involved in these investigations. I’m seeing a different side to my twin I didn’t know existed. For example, I thought we were open books to each other, but this year I discovered she was keeping secrets from me. Of course, I don’t always share every single thing in my life either.
When you aren’t investigating murders, what do you like to do?
Hanna: I like to do yoga and spend time with my friends in the village. Alex is a bit more of a homebody. She has been walking Miss Watson, but she’s not super keen on exercise.
What’s next for you?
Alex: We’re just enjoying the aftermath of solving another mystery. They say things come in threes, but I think Duncan would have a fit if we got involved in another murder. And really, what are the chances we’d see that happen again in our tiny village?
I know my Mom would like to see a wedding in the future, but I don’t think that’s going to happen for a while. Hanna and I are happy just making the shop a success, for now. I’ll be looking at taking up a hobby this year, maybe scrapbooking—I couldn’t possibly get in trouble doing that. Hanna would like to enter her chocolates in a few more competitions, so we’ll see what the new year brings.
Hanna and Alex, thank you so much for your time.
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A Killer Chocolate Mystery Series:
Christina Romeril is the author of the Killer Chocolate Mystery series. The series is set in Montana at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, one of her favourite places to visit. She and her husband live a few hours away in a small village in Southern Alberta. When Christina isn’t writing she loves to hike in Waterton Lakes National Park, or just hang out there eating gourmet hot dogs and ice cream. When the former banker isn’t enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections. Not necessarily in that order.
Places to find Christina Romeril:
You can follow The Nutcracker Nightmare Blog Tour here.
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
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