Marshmallow Malice

April 6, 2020
Chocolatier Bailey King is back on the case in Flower’s entertaining fifth Amish Candy Shop Mystery (following Toxic Toffee). Bailey is maid of honor and the cake designer at her boyfriend’s mother’s wedding to Reverend Simon Brook, where an unknown woman barges in and calls the Reverend a traitor. When the woman’s body is found on the front steps of the church the next day, it is up to Bailey and her boyfriend, sheriff’s deputy Aiden Brody, to solve the murder and clear the Reverend’s name of any wrongdoing. The woman, identified as Elizabeth Chupp, was formerly Old Order Amish, and it soon becomes clear that the Amish community knows more about the woman’s relationship with the Reverend than he is letting on. Bailey’s grandmother is Amish, which gives her an in with the reclusive rural Ohio community and allows her to snoop where the deputy can’t. But her investigations may make her the murderer’s next target. Many secondary characters—including Bailey’s mischievous pet pig, a visiting friend from New York City, and Aiden’s ex-girlfriend—keep the plot entertaining. This is Flower’s best Candy Shop Mystery yet.

In this delightful audiobook, Juliet and Reverend Brooks's wedding day has arrived, and it seems that anything that can go wrong does so. The next morning candymaker Bailey King goes to inspect the church and finds the murdered body of a woman who tried to crash the wedding. The murder leads to Bailey's most dangerous investigation yet. Rebecca Mitchell, narrating in the voice of Bailey, stands out with her exceptional portrayals of the characters in this mystery. In particular, she creates a strong distinction between the Amish and the Englishers, not just in portraying their accents but also in providing a sense of their mannerisms. But, listeners, beware! The frequent descriptions of various types of candy will leave you craving Bailey's delicious-sounding sweets. V.M.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine