Tell-Tale Treats by Jennifer J Chow Book Review

About the Book:

Is Felicity to blame when a hotel guest drowns after eating her enchanted cookies? Felicity Jin returns in the third installment of the Magical Fortune Cookie series.

A group of high school alumnae reunite years later and reserve rooms at Pixie Inn for an extended retreat. As part of their pampering package, Felicity delivers a scrumptious assortment of enchanted pastries, including her new almond cookies.

But the queen bee of the group is soon found dead in her bathroom, drowned in the tub, and she recently sampled the delicious baked goods. Could Felicity’s almond cookies have set off a fatal nut allergy? The enchanted pastries are supposed to bring joy, not sorrow―and certainly not death.

Boyfriend, Kelvin Love, is eager to assist, although odd things have been happening to his senses ever since he baked with Felicity. Will his extra sensitivity help or hinder the investigation? Plus, special bunny Whiskers lends a magical paw to the detecting since Felicity can’t and won’t relax until she restores both order and magic to her world.

My Review:

I usually avoid mysteries with any kind of paranormal content but I like this series. It is sort of “magic light,” more like insight into character feelings and actions than spooky stuff. As Felicity's mother says, “Magic is about kindness.” (loc 1686/3135) The plot and investigation is complex but Felicity and her fiancée muddle through to the end. The relationship between the supposed friends from high school is a study in relationships in itself.

I like the addition of Kelvin in this novel with some powers of his own. I learned some about plants and flowers from him too. And what fun to have a rabbit help solve the mystery. Detective Sun is one of my favorite support characters as she is able to see through Felicity's attempts to gather inside information. That adds a little humor to the plot.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery for readers who like something a little different in their characters. The magic used is fun and rather light hearted. This is an entertaining and informative cozy mystery I enjoyed.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of a previous novel in this series, Star-Crossed Egg Tarts.

About the Author:

Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Award-nominated author. Jennifer J. Chow writes cozy mysteries filled with hope and heritage. She lives in Los Angeles.

Minotaur Books, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)