Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry

A Scumble River Mystery

By: Denise Swanson

Narrated by: Christine Leto

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Grandma Sal's Soup-to-Nuts Cooking Challenge is coming to town, and Skye Denison is entering. And though she can't solve the mystery of the perfect mousse, murder is another story. Because a cocky contestant has been found delectably drowned in a chocolate fountain....

©2008 Denise Swanson Stybr (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The best traditional mystery series being written today." (CrimeSpree magazine)
"I enjoy every minute of every book of this series." (Charlaine Harris)

Loved it!

What did you love best about Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry?

Denise Swanson is an author that I wasn't familiar with and I now find myself downloading other books by her. Her books are a fun read!

Watch friends close, and family closer

Where does Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks some what high against all the audiobooks I have listened to. Well again I think it is really the series that makes these books rank high on my scale. when you listen to the books individually without going through the series they are good with the story line and plots that are in each book I like how in the beginning of each book they give you a quick run down of what has happened in the past books. To me you should still go through the whole series vs. just picking a book and listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

I think I like best about all of these stories is that there is not just one mystery going on in each book. These books are even more interesting because you will have 2 - 3 different mysteries in each book, which would include the main murder, then a second mysterious disappearance, then a love mystery, and always a new family secret that comes out about a different family line in Scumble River.

Which scene was your favorite?

I think my favorite scene was not only when Sky won the cooking contest but when Wallies father was trying to set Wallie up and it backfired and Sky had Wallie in her house the whole time. I honestly did not see that coming but I am soo glad that she did tell Wallie and that they handled the situation the way they did.. This book had many family scandals in it, at one point I was thinking that all the scandals, murders, and mysteries were committed by family members. Of course I was wrong but the book was good either way.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This moment didn't move me but it got me a bit frustrated with the main character. During the cooking competition when Sky chose to run and find Earl Dooger instead of actualy cooking. I was frustrated because there are times where I think Sky is sticking her nose into business that doesn't have to do with her, just because she has this need to help everyone. But I guess that is all apart of good writing to get the reader moved in different ways behind the characters actions.

Any additional comments?

None

Enjoyable mystery

Light and entertaining...with multiple strands to the plot, this story has good characterizations and plenty of interest.

A light murder mystery

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I usually like suspenseful murder mysteries and while this book has a few suspenseful moments, it's not my usual read. With that said it was nice to have a more laid back story for a little break. It's cleverly written and there are some funny parts. It wasn't predictable in that I didn't guess who the killer was. Overall, it kept me entertained which is the point.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Cherry is found in the chocolate fountain...pun intended!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

I keep re-listening to the Scumble River Series

Where does Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This whole series is great, characters you like, mysteries that keep you guessing . I wish the first books in the series had an audible version.

What about Christine Leto’s performance did you like?

Solid performance again and again.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story

Recently discovered this series. Thoroughly enjoyed every book so far. Skye Dennison delivers every time.

And Skye bit her lip.

I like the story and overall I believe it is written well, but at least 3 to 4 times a chapter I hear, And Skye bit her lip. It must be bleeding by this time because she is biting her lip or cheek all the time. Other than that I am really enjoying the story and like the series. This is only the second one I have listened to, but I intend to buy more of them on Audible.

Addictive Story Line

Would you listen to Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry again? Why?

Yes, I liked the reader's voice and the pace of the story. She differentiated between the voices of various characters very well.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot kept me guessing till the end as to who the murder was and what were their motivations.

Which character ??? as performed by Christine Leto ??? was your favorite?

I like her as Skye, Ms. Leto's voice hit just the right note for the 34 year old school psychologist.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I love the way that Wally relates to Skye, he knows how to treat a woman properly.

Any additional comments?

I loved this book so much that I've bought the rest of the available series on Audible and the earlier books on Kindle. I'll be listening/reading it again and again.

Good Enough Cozy for Scumble Fans

In the last book the narrator suddenly changed the voices of two characters which was really annoying. In this book, one of them, Skye's mother May, sounds normal again. Thank goodness for that since she has a prominent role in this book. In fact I would say there is way too much May in this book. Bunny still doesn't sound right. The book centers around a cooking contest, which gives us that good small town atmosphere. As usual the victim is a snooty, insulting woman. There is a secondary mystery of a missing teen. I enjoyed the mysteries well enough but I have to say that some of the characters were not strongly drawn enough that I necessarily could tell them apart. That was inconvenient when some of them were suspects. I was very happy to see more maturity from Skye in this book, she was less reckless and at one point I was sure she was going to do something very stupid, and she didn't do it! So I was all around satisfied with this installment and ready for the next.

Light on Mystery

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

This book is okay, easy to get through but has too much drama between Mother and Daughter.

Would you be willing to try another book from Denise Swanson? Why or why not?

Perhaps. There are other mystery writers I prefer.

What three words best describe Christine Leto’s performance?

I was not crazy about her voice.

Was Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry worth the listening time?

Yes because I spend a lot of time in my car and like to listen to audio books to pass the time.