Che-Michelle Tales

Book: A Deadly Scoop

Author: Abby Collette

Published: May 12, 2020

Ice Cream: Dark Chocolate Whiskey Salted Caramel Ice Cream or Red Raspberry Chardonnay Ice Cream

Stand Alone, Series, or Other: Series

Type of book: Novel

Genre: Fiction, Cozy Murder Mystery

How long did it take me to read this book:   2 weeks (thanks Spotify)

Audible/Google / Spotify audiobooks: Spotify

Overall rating: 🍨🍨🍨 out of five

I wanted to read a cozy murder mystery in 2024, but last year felt more like a spicy romance year. I read so many romance novels. So, to end 2024 and start 2025 with a cozy mystery, I smiled at myself. How did I get to this cozy mystery? I looked up Black Authors who wrote mysteries, and this book came up. It was available via Spotify Audiobooks, so I thought, why not? Sidenote:  I read a few mysteries last year, and one that stood out to me was “Glory Be” by Danielle Arceneaux. I was drawn to this ( a deadly scoop) book because of its diverse characters and the unique setting of an ice cream shop, which I found refreshing compared to the typical settings of cozy mysteries I’ve read.

The plot unfolds with Bronwyn Crewse taking over the family business, a seemingly ordinary event that sets the stage for a series of unexpected twists and turns. The engaging plot keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the next clue. We open the book to learn about Bronwyn Crewse taking over the family business from her Aunt Jack, who just up and left. Bronwyn has the chops to handle the family business. She has a background in business and has the vision of returning her family business to the basics. You find out in the book that her aunt wanted to make the family business like every other ice cream shop. Bronwyn takes over, and that is when she encounters a strange man on a Cold Autumn morning asking questions about the neighborhood. Even talking about her family and knowing her grandparents, which Bronwyn does not think much of until she mentions it to her family, the fireworks spark. As the story builds, you find out that Bronwyn is opening the ice cream shop in the off-season, which causes everyone a moment of pause. When the shenanigans occur, she finds a dead body down the hill from the other business. Now, we get into the Murder Mystery aspect of the book.

The book is a rich tapestry of diverse characters, each unique and essential to the story’s progression. The author’s skill in creating such a varied cast is commendable, and it’s a refreshing change from the typical cozy mystery settings. I love the characters in the book; the Author did an excellent job creating diverse characters; no character is similar to another, and they are still the standard characters needed to push the story forward. I love that members of Bronwyn’s family are all successful; her father and brothers are all doctors/ in healthcare. Her close friend Riya is an Emergency Room doctor. The other business owners on the block are either women or a minority, but they are all in the community. Everyone looks out for each other, and at the same time, all know the mystery man, and there is no love lost for his death; his death triggers other issues where you find out that the mystery man caused more problems than a few. My favorite character in the book is Gramps, aka Mr. Aloysius Crewse, who comes off as grumpy but is an old Black man who loves his family and wants to retain his independence. The other character that stood out to me is Riya Amacarelli. She is the definition of beautiful but deadly. I can only describe her because she is a firecracker and intelligent. She is the voice of reason within her friend group and about that life, and she will punch a person in the face. There is a clip on TikTok from a few years ago where, in the song, the rapper says bop, bop, bop, and that clip is Riya to a T.

I did like Bronwyn as a main character, but she took a long time to put the pieces together, and if her best friend Maisie were not pushing her to investigate who Murdered the mystery man, Bronwyn would have left it up to the cops. Bronwyn falls into the troupe of a murder mystery character who does not want to explore the issue until it becomes a problem for her or someone she loves. The story drags, and I stay to find out who killed the mystery man, whom everyone in the book hates. I enjoyed the hint of a romance trying to develop but not a full-on romance bloom. I read so many books, whereby the end, the main character is boo’ ed up, but a murderer is running around the town. No, if a love story develops, you must read the second book because Bronwyn is oblivious in this book. We get a hint about the family dynamics, such as that they love each other. The Crewse family will do anything to protect one another, with a hint of everyone looking out for Bronwyn being the youngest, but not seeing she’s not a weeping willow.

Overall, it was a decent book; I was engaged and enjoyed the characters. The storyline was easy to follow, and it was a good classic misdirected search with the protagonist getting back on track—an array of characters that enhance the story and push the narrative. I would rate this book three ice cream scoops out of five. The author’s writing style is detracted from the storytelling, but it is a solid novel. Because I am unique and know interesting things, I want to challenge you to get some Tipsy Scoop Ice cream. Bronwyn would appreciate ice cream that is infused with different alcohols. I suggest the Dark chocolate whiskey salted caramel ice cream. It is rich and creamy with just enough bite from the whiskey; make this into a milkshake, and you will be set! Another good option is Red Raspberry Chardonnay from Mercer Ice Cream. Chardonnay and Vanilla are best friends; tart and sweet-tasting profiles are top-tier. If you want, make a Raspberry float with ice cream, add some extra wine and raspberries, and sip while you read and figure out who killed the most hated mystery man.

Until Next Time,

Che Michelle