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Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1
A Deadly Inside Scoop
This book kicks off a charming cozy mystery series set in an ice cream shop--with a fabulous cast of quirky characters. Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors--many from her grandmother's original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away. To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win's father is implicated in his death. It's not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she'll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown . . .
375 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 994 reviews
April 14, 2020
This was cute, fun, and exactly what I needed right now. Review to come!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 12, 2020
A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first book to An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery and it's off to a great start. It's light, warm and entertaining read that has scoops of flavours with all those elements in a cozy mystery.
Bronwyn "Win" has taken over the family ice cream shop, and she is off to a rocky start with the weather and then finding a body in the snow. It starts to look like her father is a suspect. Win and her friend Maisie team up and do some amateur sleuthing to find out who killed Stephen Bayard, who has a past with her family.
The characters are quirky and fun, the setting is delightful, and the close relationships in the story are warm and endearing. The mystery is your typical cozy mystery and it is what it is.
If you enjoy a good cozy mystery that will make for a great beach read -- I am going to say backyard read or by yourself by the river or at the lake you get it! I highly recommend!
I received a copy for the publisher
Bronwyn "Win" has taken over the family ice cream shop, and she is off to a rocky start with the weather and then finding a body in the snow. It starts to look like her father is a suspect. Win and her friend Maisie team up and do some amateur sleuthing to find out who killed Stephen Bayard, who has a past with her family.
The characters are quirky and fun, the setting is delightful, and the close relationships in the story are warm and endearing. The mystery is your typical cozy mystery and it is what it is.
If you enjoy a good cozy mystery that will make for a great beach read -- I am going to say backyard read or by yourself by the river or at the lake you get it! I highly recommend!
I received a copy for the publisher
May 13, 2020
Bronwyn (Win) is taking over her family’s ice cream shop, and with that, she has some renovations to do. Sadly, her changes delay the shop’s opening until a snow day, the first of the season, so it’s not as grand as she imagined. On top of that, Win finds a body in the snow, of someone who had a dispute with her family. Win’s father is named as a suspect in the crime. And now Win feels charged with solving the crime and clearing her dad’s name.
A Deadly Inside Scoop is an intriguing mystery. It was just the kind of escape I needed right now!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
A Deadly Inside Scoop is an intriguing mystery. It was just the kind of escape I needed right now!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
July 3, 2022
The important thing to note here is that A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first cozy mystery I’ve ever read, though it’s been a genre I’ve wanted to get into since roughly 2015. So. I am not at all familiar with the tropes and conventions of cozies, so this is an outsider viewpoint.
Collette’s set-up here is cute. Win Crewse is back in Ohio after a stint in New York and ready to re-open her grandparents’ ice cream parlor—except she stumbles over a dead body the very day of the grand reopening. Not to mention the sleepy suburb’s one and only homicide detective has zeroed in on Win’s dad as his main suspect. With her Agatha Raisin-obsessed best friend, Win tries to get to the bottom of the murder and clear her father’s name, while also trying to keep her fledgling business afloat.
It sounds super adorable, right?
Except…no.
My main complaint with this book is that there’s very little “investigation” that goes on. Almost the entire first half of the book is spent showing (in exhausting detail) the day-to-day operations of Win’s ice cream shop. Who works there, what the customers order, what flavors are on sale, what the interior of the parlor looks like, etc. I appreciate that this is the first book in a series, and so Collette wants to establish her protagonist’s “home base,” but goodness. I absolutely did not need an endless recap of how many customers came into the store. It had very little narrative value and just made the plot feel sluggish.
Around the halfway point is when the mystery portion of A Deadly Inside Scoop comes into play. I liked this bit, mostly. The author was good at laying out the evidence and potential suspects, and her writing was clear and easy to follow along with. At the same time…this book is a bit…silly? And overly simplistic? And naive? Police officers do not call up random law professors to ask the professors how to do their jobs. They just don’t. Little things like this were peppered throughout the story, and just made me go “huh???” a lot. And like, yes, I 100% get that cozy mysteries are not meant to attain the same “realism” that a more hard-boiled police procedural novel supposedly achieves, but surely one can tell a light-hearted murder mystery and keep things true to life?
Additionally, I was so disappointed by Win Crewse, our sleuth. The author tells her readers that Win is smart and snappy and has a good head on her shoulders, but this is not evidenced at all in the text. Mostly, Win is led around by the nose by her very silly friend, Maisie, who seems to think that real life is exactly the same as an episode of CSI. Throughout A Deadly Inside Scoop, I saw Win bumble around and ask a lot of question that had (in my opinion) obvious answers. Whatever “clues” she uncovers always seem to be discovered accidentally or to just miraculously fall into her lap. I never saw Win act like a spunky, capable business owner out to solve a crime, which I believe is what most cozy mystery protagonists are supposed to be.
So with a detective who’s no good at detecting, and a story that’s too-focused on loving descriptions of artisanal ice cream, how could this possibly be a satisfying mystery?
Honestly, it wasn’t.
I do really enjoy a good mystery novel from time to time, and I don’t want to write off an entire subgenre, but… I’m wondering if the things I found so frustrating about A Deadly Inside Scoop are supposed to be a feature and not a bug of a good cozy mystery. In any event, this certainly wasn’t a book for me. I loved the set-up of the series as a whole, but on a more fundamental storytelling level, I don’t think Abby Collette succeeded here.
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Collette’s set-up here is cute. Win Crewse is back in Ohio after a stint in New York and ready to re-open her grandparents’ ice cream parlor—except she stumbles over a dead body the very day of the grand reopening. Not to mention the sleepy suburb’s one and only homicide detective has zeroed in on Win’s dad as his main suspect. With her Agatha Raisin-obsessed best friend, Win tries to get to the bottom of the murder and clear her father’s name, while also trying to keep her fledgling business afloat.
It sounds super adorable, right?
Except…no.
My main complaint with this book is that there’s very little “investigation” that goes on. Almost the entire first half of the book is spent showing (in exhausting detail) the day-to-day operations of Win’s ice cream shop. Who works there, what the customers order, what flavors are on sale, what the interior of the parlor looks like, etc. I appreciate that this is the first book in a series, and so Collette wants to establish her protagonist’s “home base,” but goodness. I absolutely did not need an endless recap of how many customers came into the store. It had very little narrative value and just made the plot feel sluggish.
Around the halfway point is when the mystery portion of A Deadly Inside Scoop comes into play. I liked this bit, mostly. The author was good at laying out the evidence and potential suspects, and her writing was clear and easy to follow along with. At the same time…this book is a bit…silly? And overly simplistic? And naive? Police officers do not call up random law professors to ask the professors how to do their jobs. They just don’t. Little things like this were peppered throughout the story, and just made me go “huh???” a lot. And like, yes, I 100% get that cozy mysteries are not meant to attain the same “realism” that a more hard-boiled police procedural novel supposedly achieves, but surely one can tell a light-hearted murder mystery and keep things true to life?
Additionally, I was so disappointed by Win Crewse, our sleuth. The author tells her readers that Win is smart and snappy and has a good head on her shoulders, but this is not evidenced at all in the text. Mostly, Win is led around by the nose by her very silly friend, Maisie, who seems to think that real life is exactly the same as an episode of CSI. Throughout A Deadly Inside Scoop, I saw Win bumble around and ask a lot of question that had (in my opinion) obvious answers. Whatever “clues” she uncovers always seem to be discovered accidentally or to just miraculously fall into her lap. I never saw Win act like a spunky, capable business owner out to solve a crime, which I believe is what most cozy mystery protagonists are supposed to be.
So with a detective who’s no good at detecting, and a story that’s too-focused on loving descriptions of artisanal ice cream, how could this possibly be a satisfying mystery?
Honestly, it wasn’t.
I do really enjoy a good mystery novel from time to time, and I don’t want to write off an entire subgenre, but… I’m wondering if the things I found so frustrating about A Deadly Inside Scoop are supposed to be a feature and not a bug of a good cozy mystery. In any event, this certainly wasn’t a book for me. I loved the set-up of the series as a whole, but on a more fundamental storytelling level, I don’t think Abby Collette succeeded here.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
May 25, 2020
I won an ARC copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I wanted to like this cozy mystery, but the simple writing was repetitive and the story dragged on. The back and forth dialogue was mostly meaningless, and the characters were very flat and boring. I’m not sure if this one felt so dry because it’s slated to be the first in a series and so most of this was setup for that (introducing characters, explaining backstory, etc). I might possibly try the second one before completely writing it off.
July 24, 2022
I read book two out of order so I've been meaning to read the series from the beginning. I really enjoyed this one as well, very much a cozy mystery that I enjoy.
June 29, 2023
Y’all see how long it took me to read this book!!! It has never taken me this long to read a book! Like wow! Every time I picked it up I would fall asleep. But I pushed through so that we could do the review for our podcast. But hunnay!
So first I was excited to read a mystery novel written by a black woman featuring a black lead. I also loved the fact that the center of activity was based around a black owned family business. Like who would not love to see that!!?? I am here for the close knit family and black excellence and success!!
What I did not like was how slow this story line progressed. I appreciated the background on the family but the mystery which is suppose to be the main focus of the novel. I feel like the storyline was more focused on the bumbling of Win and her friend Maisie trying to figure out the mystery. Which was so annoying! The ignorance and total disregard for common sense was beyond me! And the fact that all of their sleuthing lead nowhere until the last two pages was flabbergasting.
This novel was very chaotic to me. Characters with little to no development and a slow moving story line with a minimal climax...I literally can’t! Like I said I only finish it for the podcast. I almost have up but I pushed through.
I very rarely rate a book one star because I can see the potential but this was not it for me.
So first I was excited to read a mystery novel written by a black woman featuring a black lead. I also loved the fact that the center of activity was based around a black owned family business. Like who would not love to see that!!?? I am here for the close knit family and black excellence and success!!
What I did not like was how slow this story line progressed. I appreciated the background on the family but the mystery which is suppose to be the main focus of the novel. I feel like the storyline was more focused on the bumbling of Win and her friend Maisie trying to figure out the mystery. Which was so annoying! The ignorance and total disregard for common sense was beyond me! And the fact that all of their sleuthing lead nowhere until the last two pages was flabbergasting.
This novel was very chaotic to me. Characters with little to no development and a slow moving story line with a minimal climax...I literally can’t! Like I said I only finish it for the podcast. I almost have up but I pushed through.
I very rarely rate a book one star because I can see the potential but this was not it for me.
June 10, 2021
Old school ice cream shop complete with a soda fountain owned and operated by a black woman? I'm not even the biggest ice cream fan but I couldn't wait to salivate over her concoctions! Caramel popcorn, ghoulish blueberry, pumpkin roll, decadent chocolate... Yum!
This was a well written, diverse mystery with a likable cast of characters worth checking out. The mystery does take it's time to start but the story keeps you entertained throughout.
See in depth review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
I received an arc from Netgalley and Berkeley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a well written, diverse mystery with a likable cast of characters worth checking out. The mystery does take it's time to start but the story keeps you entertained throughout.
See in depth review below
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
I received an arc from Netgalley and Berkeley in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2020
This was really… not great. And I’m sad! I was really hoping for a nice modern cozy mystery. Unfortunately the writing style was incredibly simplistic and repetitive, to the point where I feel like half of the book was just people repeating the same things over and over again. Almost nothing happened for over half of the book and then all of a sudden there were random suspects all over the place and a rush to figure out what happened, and not in an exciting conclusion kind of way. I knew I should have quit this back when I first noticed the writing wasn’t working for me. Really wish I didn’t bother.
February 1, 2024
This was an okay read. Like the characters enough. It’s not the best mystery novel out there but at least it kept me company during work.
Also not a drop of romance out here(don’t know why I thought there would be) but disappointed all the same 😭
Also not a drop of romance out here(don’t know why I thought there would be) but disappointed all the same 😭
April 18, 2022
review: https://youtu.be/Yonygqu9iVk
I don't remember if I gave it 2 or 3 stars, I'ma say 2.5
I don't remember if I gave it 2 or 3 stars, I'ma say 2.5
November 30, 2020
A new favorite cozy mystery series for me—Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries have it all! The characters are fantastic, I love the ice cream shop theme and seeing how she grows her business, and the mystery was well-done and compelling. Loved it!
A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first in a new cozy mystery series featuring the Crewse family, one of the only Black families in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and owners of a family ice cream parlor business started by the late and great Grandma Kay. I completely fell in love with the Crewse family and Crewse Creamery! The family is close-knit, supportive, and quirky. I fell in love with the whole family!
Bronwyn “Win” Crewse has been working in marketing in NYC and earning her MBA. When a health scare brings her home, she realizes that her dream is to reopen her family’s ice cream parlor, Crewse Creamery. Her grandparents had owned and operated it for years, before handing it over to her Aunt Jack who changed it to a novelty shop (a change the family was not in support of). When Win’s PopPop gives her the key to the store, Win spends a year restoring it to its former glory with a few key upgrades (seriously, the glass wall overlooking Chagrin waterfalls sounds stunning!).
Now, after some setbacks, Win is finally ready to reopen the store. But on her grand opening day a snowstorm blows through and no one comes in. Dejected, Win draws inspiration from her Grandma Kay and goes to collect some fresh snow to use in her ice cream. But before she can collect the snow, she trips over a dead body.
When it becomes clear that the unique murder weapon and the sordid history of the victim with Win’s own family has made her father the prime suspect, Win decides to help investigate. Afterall, she was the one who discovered the body, and she has a few leads! With help from her PopPop, friend Maisie, and a few other characters, Win hunts a killer all while trying to market her shop and make some ice cream to die for!
Abby Collette has a gift with characters. I have to give my first shout out to Win’s grandfather PopPop, who is just the delight of this entire book from his very first scene to the heart-pounding finale. Win’s two best friends Riya and Maisie are also so much fun. Riya has a bit of a temper in a delightful way, and Maisie… marches to the beat of her own drum. Loved them! There are so many great characters I’m looking forward to learning more about the people of Chagrin Falls in the next installment!
I also appreciated that the mystery was kept at the forefront and the secondary focus was getting to know the characters. We didn’t rush into a love story, or spend too much time pulled away from the mystery, but I also felt I got to know everyone and will know the characters going into the second book. There are a few I’d definitely like to know more about, such as O and Mrs. Deveraux!
The mystery itself totally got me! I didn’t guess the murderer and I also didn’t guess how all the pieces would come together. It was a great mystery and a fun new series!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
A Deadly Inside Scoop is the first in a new cozy mystery series featuring the Crewse family, one of the only Black families in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and owners of a family ice cream parlor business started by the late and great Grandma Kay. I completely fell in love with the Crewse family and Crewse Creamery! The family is close-knit, supportive, and quirky. I fell in love with the whole family!
Bronwyn “Win” Crewse has been working in marketing in NYC and earning her MBA. When a health scare brings her home, she realizes that her dream is to reopen her family’s ice cream parlor, Crewse Creamery. Her grandparents had owned and operated it for years, before handing it over to her Aunt Jack who changed it to a novelty shop (a change the family was not in support of). When Win’s PopPop gives her the key to the store, Win spends a year restoring it to its former glory with a few key upgrades (seriously, the glass wall overlooking Chagrin waterfalls sounds stunning!).
Now, after some setbacks, Win is finally ready to reopen the store. But on her grand opening day a snowstorm blows through and no one comes in. Dejected, Win draws inspiration from her Grandma Kay and goes to collect some fresh snow to use in her ice cream. But before she can collect the snow, she trips over a dead body.
When it becomes clear that the unique murder weapon and the sordid history of the victim with Win’s own family has made her father the prime suspect, Win decides to help investigate. Afterall, she was the one who discovered the body, and she has a few leads! With help from her PopPop, friend Maisie, and a few other characters, Win hunts a killer all while trying to market her shop and make some ice cream to die for!
Abby Collette has a gift with characters. I have to give my first shout out to Win’s grandfather PopPop, who is just the delight of this entire book from his very first scene to the heart-pounding finale. Win’s two best friends Riya and Maisie are also so much fun. Riya has a bit of a temper in a delightful way, and Maisie… marches to the beat of her own drum. Loved them! There are so many great characters I’m looking forward to learning more about the people of Chagrin Falls in the next installment!
I also appreciated that the mystery was kept at the forefront and the secondary focus was getting to know the characters. We didn’t rush into a love story, or spend too much time pulled away from the mystery, but I also felt I got to know everyone and will know the characters going into the second book. There are a few I’d definitely like to know more about, such as O and Mrs. Deveraux!
The mystery itself totally got me! I didn’t guess the murderer and I also didn’t guess how all the pieces would come together. It was a great mystery and a fun new series!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
May 16, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
First of all, it is never too cold for ice cream, in Ohio or Wisconsin or anywhere!!
Crewse Creamery is a family business and recent MBA grad Bronwyn “Win” Crewse has been handed the reins to bring the ice cream shop back to its glory days using her grandmother’s recipes while adding a few of her own. Unfortunately, her opening day was pushed past the summer months and the day she actually opens the snow is flying. So Win decides to embrace it by using her grandmother’s recipe to make Snow Ice Cream. While out gathering the snow she needs she discovers a body of a dead man in the snow. A man that has a bad history with her family and she soon learns many others. She, her friends, and her family, all join in to freeze out the killer and put them on ice for good.
_____
I loved this story!!
Set in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland seems like the ideal place for a cozy mystery series. An area that could be ripe for all kinds of drama. An ice cream parlor theme is just plain delicious too!
Win is a true treasure. She is heartwarming, intelligent, with a great head on her shoulders. Her family is close, but she has a special relationship with her PopPop, which speaks volumes about them both. Maisie Solomon has been her best friend since kindergarten, but that girl is off her rocker, watching too many crime shows, and reading too many mysteries has her coming up with some theories that are way out there. Friend Riya brought her owns ideas and those didn’t go well either. All the core characters Ms. Collette introduced are strong, age and ethnically diverse, and very well-developed for the first book in a series, but she has left them with plenty of room to grow. We also have a regal feline resident at the ice cream shop which is just like a cherry on the top of my sundae!
The mystery was marvelous and I love following along while Win did her sometimes unorthodox and sometimes illegal snooping. The suspect list seemed to grow each step of the way instead of really eliminating anyone for quite a while. It also brought what could be a romantic interest for Win, and maybe even PopPop. I was completely captivated and entertained from beginning to end.
A Deadly Inside Scoop is a truly tasty debut for this series. It strikes all my cozy boxes and then some. It also has recipes in the back of the book!!! For these reasons and more, this book will be on my Best Reads List of 2020. I am craving Book 2!!
First of all, it is never too cold for ice cream, in Ohio or Wisconsin or anywhere!!
Crewse Creamery is a family business and recent MBA grad Bronwyn “Win” Crewse has been handed the reins to bring the ice cream shop back to its glory days using her grandmother’s recipes while adding a few of her own. Unfortunately, her opening day was pushed past the summer months and the day she actually opens the snow is flying. So Win decides to embrace it by using her grandmother’s recipe to make Snow Ice Cream. While out gathering the snow she needs she discovers a body of a dead man in the snow. A man that has a bad history with her family and she soon learns many others. She, her friends, and her family, all join in to freeze out the killer and put them on ice for good.
_____
I loved this story!!
Set in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland seems like the ideal place for a cozy mystery series. An area that could be ripe for all kinds of drama. An ice cream parlor theme is just plain delicious too!
Win is a true treasure. She is heartwarming, intelligent, with a great head on her shoulders. Her family is close, but she has a special relationship with her PopPop, which speaks volumes about them both. Maisie Solomon has been her best friend since kindergarten, but that girl is off her rocker, watching too many crime shows, and reading too many mysteries has her coming up with some theories that are way out there. Friend Riya brought her owns ideas and those didn’t go well either. All the core characters Ms. Collette introduced are strong, age and ethnically diverse, and very well-developed for the first book in a series, but she has left them with plenty of room to grow. We also have a regal feline resident at the ice cream shop which is just like a cherry on the top of my sundae!
The mystery was marvelous and I love following along while Win did her sometimes unorthodox and sometimes illegal snooping. The suspect list seemed to grow each step of the way instead of really eliminating anyone for quite a while. It also brought what could be a romantic interest for Win, and maybe even PopPop. I was completely captivated and entertained from beginning to end.
A Deadly Inside Scoop is a truly tasty debut for this series. It strikes all my cozy boxes and then some. It also has recipes in the back of the book!!! For these reasons and more, this book will be on my Best Reads List of 2020. I am craving Book 2!!
May 29, 2020
Brownwyn “Win” Crewse has done everything to make her family’s ice cream shop a success, starting with a completely renovated space and a new menu courtesy of her grandmother’s favorite recipes. Unfortunately, after unexpected delays extend past the bustling summer season, she’s forced to reopen during an early snow. And while she knows ice cream is the perfect treat no matter the weather, potential customers don’t have the same mindset. Things only go from bad to worse when she discovers a dead body near her shop—a man with a rocky history with her family. When police begin to suspect her father, Win must clear his name by scooping up the real killer … and some new customers.
One of Win’s guiding principles as a businesswoman is that there’s never a bad time for ice cream and, in much the same way, it’s never a bad time to sink into A Deadly Scoop. A richly layered mystery with smooth dialogue and delectable characterizations, it’s much like an irresistible chocolate sundae—with creamy ice cream, some hot fudge, a dash of whipped cream, maybe a few nuts, sprinkles for a hint of color, a cherry on top never hurt … sorry, started drooling for a second.
The point being, author Abby Collette has assembled all the winning ingredients for a solid book—and she knows just how to use them. As any ice cream shop proprietor knows, perhaps the most important element is forming a solid base. Collette has found that in Win, a smart, funny, and levelheaded sleuth whose sole mission is to see her family’s ice cream shop succeed. Her excitement for frozen treats and family tradition is palpable on the page, and reading as she navigates a new chapter in her life is satisfying long before murder gets thrown into the mix. But once she’s embroiled in the case, it’s just as compelling all the way through to a solid ending.
Of course, a good base needs some backup from the mix-ins and toppings. Collette has sprinkled in an abundance of personality from secondary characters like PopPop, Win’s sometimes cantankerous but always bighearted grandfather, and Maisie and Riya, her two best friends with some spontaneous ideas that complicate the mystery. Win is generally calm and collected, but she’s forced to react to the extreme situation and temperaments around her, and the result is some major tension cut up by genuinely funny moments.
An absolute treat, A Deadly Inside Scoop is a great start to a new series.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
One of Win’s guiding principles as a businesswoman is that there’s never a bad time for ice cream and, in much the same way, it’s never a bad time to sink into A Deadly Scoop. A richly layered mystery with smooth dialogue and delectable characterizations, it’s much like an irresistible chocolate sundae—with creamy ice cream, some hot fudge, a dash of whipped cream, maybe a few nuts, sprinkles for a hint of color, a cherry on top never hurt … sorry, started drooling for a second.
The point being, author Abby Collette has assembled all the winning ingredients for a solid book—and she knows just how to use them. As any ice cream shop proprietor knows, perhaps the most important element is forming a solid base. Collette has found that in Win, a smart, funny, and levelheaded sleuth whose sole mission is to see her family’s ice cream shop succeed. Her excitement for frozen treats and family tradition is palpable on the page, and reading as she navigates a new chapter in her life is satisfying long before murder gets thrown into the mix. But once she’s embroiled in the case, it’s just as compelling all the way through to a solid ending.
Of course, a good base needs some backup from the mix-ins and toppings. Collette has sprinkled in an abundance of personality from secondary characters like PopPop, Win’s sometimes cantankerous but always bighearted grandfather, and Maisie and Riya, her two best friends with some spontaneous ideas that complicate the mystery. Win is generally calm and collected, but she’s forced to react to the extreme situation and temperaments around her, and the result is some major tension cut up by genuinely funny moments.
An absolute treat, A Deadly Inside Scoop is a great start to a new series.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
February 3, 2020
I was super excited when I heard about this book deal. Culinary cozies are a favorite of mine, and I've never read an ice cream shop cozy - something I didn't know I needed in my life! Abby Collette's A Deadly Inside Scoop does not disappoint.
There was so much I enjoyed about this well-written mystery: the likable, relatable main character, Bronwyn, her big supportive family, the ice cream - did I mention the ice cream? There's a lot of it: people eating it, people making it... I enjoyed all of the ice cream details, and you'll do well to have a big scoop of ice cream in hand as you read. There's the obligatory charming small town full of interesting shops and quirky characters, and the mystery was well plotted and chock full of fun references to television and literary amateur sleuths.
All in all, a solid start to a new series. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 in An Ice Cream Parlour Mystery.
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, culinary mysteries, ice cream (!) and culturally-diverse characters will enjoy this first in a series.
There was so much I enjoyed about this well-written mystery: the likable, relatable main character, Bronwyn, her big supportive family, the ice cream - did I mention the ice cream? There's a lot of it: people eating it, people making it... I enjoyed all of the ice cream details, and you'll do well to have a big scoop of ice cream in hand as you read. There's the obligatory charming small town full of interesting shops and quirky characters, and the mystery was well plotted and chock full of fun references to television and literary amateur sleuths.
All in all, a solid start to a new series. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 in An Ice Cream Parlour Mystery.
Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, culinary mysteries, ice cream (!) and culturally-diverse characters will enjoy this first in a series.
July 17, 2020
Bronwyn “Win” Crewse is ready to reopen Crewse Creamery, the ice cream parlor founded by her grandparents in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, after some renovations. Unfortunately, opening day sees an early October snow storm and no customers. However, Win’s day gets even worse when she stumbles upon a dead body after she’s closed the shop for the day. The man turns out to be someone who crossed paths with Win’s family years ago, and not for the better. Before Win knows it, the police are looking at her father as the killer. Now, Win needs to figure out what really happened so she can clear him of a crime she knows he didn’t commit. Can she do that and get customers into the ice cream parlor?
I love ice cream, so that was a draw to this series, and the ice cream descriptions definitely made me drool. The delicious sounding recipes at the end will help with that. The mystery started out a little slowly. It did eventually get going, and we had some good suspects and twists before Win figured everything out. The characters were a mixed bag. I loved Win, and her family is wonderful as well. I especially appreciated the close relationship she has with both her parents and her grandfather. Her friends were more caricatures than fully developed characters, and as a result, they amused me at times and annoyed me at others. I can see them getting more developed as the series goes along, however. This is still a tasty treat, and I can see it developing into a favorite series for many.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I love ice cream, so that was a draw to this series, and the ice cream descriptions definitely made me drool. The delicious sounding recipes at the end will help with that. The mystery started out a little slowly. It did eventually get going, and we had some good suspects and twists before Win figured everything out. The characters were a mixed bag. I loved Win, and her family is wonderful as well. I especially appreciated the close relationship she has with both her parents and her grandfather. Her friends were more caricatures than fully developed characters, and as a result, they amused me at times and annoyed me at others. I can see them getting more developed as the series goes along, however. This is still a tasty treat, and I can see it developing into a favorite series for many.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
December 14, 2020
I went in knowing that I would enjoy this story because I'm a fan of this author and I was not disappointed. Now I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 when it releases.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
November 17, 2022
4 solid stars
This was adorable.
A sweet small town full of characters, small businesses, friendly neighbors and a wholesome family make for reasonably interesting murder mystery.
Like most cozy mystery stories the focus of the book seems to be the players more than the clues.
This was a bit slow in places but extremely charming.
This was adorable.
A sweet small town full of characters, small businesses, friendly neighbors and a wholesome family make for reasonably interesting murder mystery.
Like most cozy mystery stories the focus of the book seems to be the players more than the clues.
This was a bit slow in places but extremely charming.
March 16, 2021
You would think that a book with a cover as cute as this one would be charming. Sorry to say you’re completely wrong.
It’s boring, the characters are flat and the development of the mystery is very childlike.
But at least this is the cutest cover ever to a cozy mystery.
It’s boring, the characters are flat and the development of the mystery is very childlike.
But at least this is the cutest cover ever to a cozy mystery.
October 23, 2020
Very disappointed! Slow going, very simple writing. And the main character is almost 30 years old- yes she calls her parents “Mommy and Daddy”. I was too annoyed to even finish the book. Will definitely not be readying any others in this series.
May 11, 2020
This was an awesome first for this new series, and I really love these characters! I think my faves were Maisie and PopPop. It was hilarious to read about Win and Maisie sleuthing together with sensible, non-risk taking Win trying her best to keep Maisie out of trouble. When their other bestie Riya joined in and beat up a guy, sleuthing was just taken to a new level with them. PopPop made a good ice cream shop helper, since he'd founded the place to begin with, but he was also a pretty good snooping partner and drove Win to where he felt like she needed to ask questions.
A few clues toward the end led me to think about guessing who the killer was, and I was on the right track. The showdown was a good one, and PopPop got to help too. I was so happy to see the ice cream shop's success under Win's new management and that a sleuth came home for once just because she wanted to be with her family, not to escape some loser guy she'd broken up with or divorced. I'm anxious to see what other adventures Win and her friends and family get into.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own. The book releases this Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
A few clues toward the end led me to think about guessing who the killer was, and I was on the right track. The showdown was a good one, and PopPop got to help too. I was so happy to see the ice cream shop's success under Win's new management and that a sleuth came home for once just because she wanted to be with her family, not to escape some loser guy she'd broken up with or divorced. I'm anxious to see what other adventures Win and her friends and family get into.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own. The book releases this Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
April 19, 2020
My taste in mystery/thrillers rarely encompasses the "cozy" kind - mostly because the "heroine" typically is a woman who has no common sense and charges ahead to put her own life, and sometimes the lives of others, at risk simply because she won't listen to anyone else. This one spoke to me, though, because it's set in Chagrin Falls, Ohio - almost, but not quite, in my own back yard - I've been there many times.
And then I found out the heroine - in this case, ice cream shop owner Bronwyn Crewse - doesn't fit that typical cozy mold, which kept me interested (well, that and an intriguing story that begins when Bronwyn ("Win" for short) bumps into a friendly stranger who claims to have found a lost puppy and is looking for its owner. Not long thereafter, she finds the guy again next to the town's waterfall - where she'd gone to collect newly fallen snow to make ice cream - only this time he's very dead.
She also learns that the stranger not only isn't friendly, but he's a familiar, if unwelcome, person in town. In fact, he's a con man who pulled some shady deals last time he made an appearance; quite a few folks, including Win's physician father, aren't particularly unhappy that he's dead. But when the police get wind of who the guy was and what he'd done, they zero in on her father. Understandably, Win pledges to gather evidence that will clear his heretofore stellar name.
Woven throughout the rest of the book, besides her attempts at amateur investigation, are her efforts to make the just-renovated long-time family ice cream store a success (even in the middle of winter in Ohio) that include a big catering job for the local college. Alas, in the middle of all this entertaining drama is this: Remember how happy I was that Win didn't exhibit that bull-in-the-china-shop attitude common to most cozy heroines? Well, the same can't be said about her friend and part-time employee, Maisie, who is absolutely insufferable - honestly, she's one of the most annoying characters I've run into in a long, long time. I hope she finds a job in New York or California before the next book in this series is released.
Otherwise, though, this is a very enjoyable - delightful, even - book and I look forward to the next one, especially if the author adds some of those yummy-sounding ice cream recipes at the end as she did here. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
And then I found out the heroine - in this case, ice cream shop owner Bronwyn Crewse - doesn't fit that typical cozy mold, which kept me interested (well, that and an intriguing story that begins when Bronwyn ("Win" for short) bumps into a friendly stranger who claims to have found a lost puppy and is looking for its owner. Not long thereafter, she finds the guy again next to the town's waterfall - where she'd gone to collect newly fallen snow to make ice cream - only this time he's very dead.
She also learns that the stranger not only isn't friendly, but he's a familiar, if unwelcome, person in town. In fact, he's a con man who pulled some shady deals last time he made an appearance; quite a few folks, including Win's physician father, aren't particularly unhappy that he's dead. But when the police get wind of who the guy was and what he'd done, they zero in on her father. Understandably, Win pledges to gather evidence that will clear his heretofore stellar name.
Woven throughout the rest of the book, besides her attempts at amateur investigation, are her efforts to make the just-renovated long-time family ice cream store a success (even in the middle of winter in Ohio) that include a big catering job for the local college. Alas, in the middle of all this entertaining drama is this: Remember how happy I was that Win didn't exhibit that bull-in-the-china-shop attitude common to most cozy heroines? Well, the same can't be said about her friend and part-time employee, Maisie, who is absolutely insufferable - honestly, she's one of the most annoying characters I've run into in a long, long time. I hope she finds a job in New York or California before the next book in this series is released.
Otherwise, though, this is a very enjoyable - delightful, even - book and I look forward to the next one, especially if the author adds some of those yummy-sounding ice cream recipes at the end as she did here. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
May 2, 2021
2.5/5
Excruciating dialogue, the most annoying side characters, and bad plotting. The only thing saving this book from being a one star is how much I loved the descriptions of the ice-cream and the day-to-day goings on of the shop.
Excruciating dialogue, the most annoying side characters, and bad plotting. The only thing saving this book from being a one star is how much I loved the descriptions of the ice-cream and the day-to-day goings on of the shop.
December 28, 2020
A horribly stiff and juvenile attempt at a cozy mystery
Bronwyn Crewse opens a family-run ice cream parlor only to find business stunted by an early snowfall and the nearby discovery of a dead body. When her father becomes a suspect in the murder, she turns reluctant amateur sleuth.
How, how , did this get the green light to become a series ? I really tried, but I could not make it through the first book. The writing is just so bad . It's so bad, it's distracting.
I know cozies aren't meant to provide the same thrill and excitement as other facets of the mystery genre, but they can't all be this boring. Halfway through the book, hardly any actual sleuthing has taken place. We barely even know who the victim is!
So if not a mystery, what do we get to see as we slog through the first half of the book? Introducing a heroine and her dream or goal? Developing the dynamics among her family/friends/neighborhood? It makes an attempt at these things, but none of it is well executed because I still don't feel like I understand or connect to any of these characters.
This disconnect is chiefly because the narrative is very tell, don't show, and the dialogue especially reads as extremely stiff and unnatural. It honestly sounds like a child wrote it. I might have responded better to this if the characters investigating were children, because I just can't buy that grown adults speak this way.
I truly don't believe this is just a case of a genre not being my cup of tea. Though cozies aren't the first thing I'll reach for, I have a great love for Nancy Drew, Miss Marple and I even have a bit of Louise Penny's Armand Gamache on my shelf.
I was prepared for something cute, comforting and warm-hearted, where top-notch quality didn't matter so much because it was just a little light reading before bed, but the dialogue was simply too off-putting and the plot was not progressing enough.
DNF at about 50%
Bronwyn Crewse opens a family-run ice cream parlor only to find business stunted by an early snowfall and the nearby discovery of a dead body. When her father becomes a suspect in the murder, she turns reluctant amateur sleuth.
How, how , did this get the green light to become a series ? I really tried, but I could not make it through the first book. The writing is just so bad . It's so bad, it's distracting.
I know cozies aren't meant to provide the same thrill and excitement as other facets of the mystery genre, but they can't all be this boring. Halfway through the book, hardly any actual sleuthing has taken place. We barely even know who the victim is!
So if not a mystery, what do we get to see as we slog through the first half of the book? Introducing a heroine and her dream or goal? Developing the dynamics among her family/friends/neighborhood? It makes an attempt at these things, but none of it is well executed because I still don't feel like I understand or connect to any of these characters.
This disconnect is chiefly because the narrative is very tell, don't show, and the dialogue especially reads as extremely stiff and unnatural. It honestly sounds like a child wrote it. I might have responded better to this if the characters investigating were children, because I just can't buy that grown adults speak this way.
I truly don't believe this is just a case of a genre not being my cup of tea. Though cozies aren't the first thing I'll reach for, I have a great love for Nancy Drew, Miss Marple and I even have a bit of Louise Penny's Armand Gamache on my shelf.
I was prepared for something cute, comforting and warm-hearted, where top-notch quality didn't matter so much because it was just a little light reading before bed, but the dialogue was simply too off-putting and the plot was not progressing enough.
DNF at about 50%
June 20, 2020
I totally didn't need to begin yet another cozy mystery but I couldn't resist this when I ran across it. The sluether is the owner of an ice cream shop and the cover was neat. Happily, so was the story. Bronwyn Crewse has an already busy and challenging day on the re-launch of the ice cream shop that's been in her family for years. It's winter and her renovations aren't quite complete. On the upside, she is now in possession of her grandmother's handwritten recipes (thanks Granddad) and is in the process of procuring some newly fallen snow to make one of them when she trips over a dead body. It's not the best day and given the snowstorm, opening day is a complete bust. Before too long, Bronwyn is reluctantly pulled into solving the murder along with the help of her grandfather and best friend.
I liked the way the mystery unfolded and did not find the culprit to be obvious. I loved the relationships Bronwyn had with her family most especially her grandfather. He was quite the character. I also liked that Bronwyn came across as a small business owner. So often in cozies, the amateur sleuth is either giving away all their wares or don't even attend to their business as though rent won't be due and profit isn't necessary. The business here never felt like an afterthought so that won points with me. The resolution was well done and I loved that so much hinged on an uninformed and mistaken hotel clerk. It was hilarious. Honorable mention goes to Felice the cat who lives above the shop. That's her on the cover and she had all the aloof regal sassiness one would expect.
Also to the good, there were recipes in the back of this book. I don't foresee myself actually making ice cream but they were nice to read. The Snow Ice Cream sounds very interesting and I'd never heard of such a thing before.
Looking forward to the next installment. Recommended.
I liked the way the mystery unfolded and did not find the culprit to be obvious. I loved the relationships Bronwyn had with her family most especially her grandfather. He was quite the character. I also liked that Bronwyn came across as a small business owner. So often in cozies, the amateur sleuth is either giving away all their wares or don't even attend to their business as though rent won't be due and profit isn't necessary. The business here never felt like an afterthought so that won points with me. The resolution was well done and I loved that so much hinged on an uninformed and mistaken hotel clerk. It was hilarious. Honorable mention goes to Felice the cat who lives above the shop. That's her on the cover and she had all the aloof regal sassiness one would expect.
Also to the good, there were recipes in the back of this book. I don't foresee myself actually making ice cream but they were nice to read. The Snow Ice Cream sounds very interesting and I'd never heard of such a thing before.
Looking forward to the next installment. Recommended.
September 25, 2020
A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette is SO MUCH FUN, and I had such a great time reading it. I'm a big fan of the cozy mystery genre and this made for a great start to the Ice Cream Parlor series. It is lighthearted, entertaining, and pleasantly surprising, especially since I did not have the culprit figured out. Bronwyn (Win) was such a great character as was her friend Maisie. I loved watching them blunder through their investigation of who killed the man Win found dead, and there were lots of parts that had me laughing out loud.
I listened to the audio, and the narrator Chandra Skyye did such a great job that I really hope she'll be back to narrate the next book in this series. She was so easy to listen to and she really made the perfect Win. Collette's writing style sucked me in immediately and I didn't want to put it down. A Deadly Inside Scoop was the perfect escape read (complete with a cat!) and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the cozy genre and looking for something quick. And who doesn't love a book that has ice cream in it? I'll be sure to have some handy for book two!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I listened to the audio, and the narrator Chandra Skyye did such a great job that I really hope she'll be back to narrate the next book in this series. She was so easy to listen to and she really made the perfect Win. Collette's writing style sucked me in immediately and I didn't want to put it down. A Deadly Inside Scoop was the perfect escape read (complete with a cat!) and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the cozy genre and looking for something quick. And who doesn't love a book that has ice cream in it? I'll be sure to have some handy for book two!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
June 9, 2020
Love love loved this book. I have definitely found a new favorite cozy mystery series - I mean what is not to love about a story about ice cream?! Win is re-opening her family's homemade ice cream shop and I love how close knit her family is and reading about the history of the shop and how everyone comes together to help out. Reading about ice cream all day has me craving it, and that is especially due to the descriptions of all the fantastic flavors that Win comes up with. I could really picture the ice cream parlor with it's soda fountain and large glass window overlooking the falls.
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Other than the drool worthy ice cream, what I loved most about this book was the characters. Not only did we get to know Win's family (and I especially adore her PopPop), but also her friends were so vibrant and had me cracking up. Even the suspects were well done and interesting, and I had no idea who was involved with the crime. I appreciated how Win was a reluctant sleuth who only jumped into investigating to protect her family (which played so well opposite of Maisie's determination to become a sleuth like she's seen on tv).
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The mystery was complex and had many twists and turns which had me reluctant to put the book down. I was truly shocked by the culprit and loved the dramatic ending. I cannot wait for more of this series (and will be sure to have some ice cream stocked and ready).
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Thanks to the publishers for a copy of this book; my thoughts are my own.
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Other than the drool worthy ice cream, what I loved most about this book was the characters. Not only did we get to know Win's family (and I especially adore her PopPop), but also her friends were so vibrant and had me cracking up. Even the suspects were well done and interesting, and I had no idea who was involved with the crime. I appreciated how Win was a reluctant sleuth who only jumped into investigating to protect her family (which played so well opposite of Maisie's determination to become a sleuth like she's seen on tv).
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The mystery was complex and had many twists and turns which had me reluctant to put the book down. I was truly shocked by the culprit and loved the dramatic ending. I cannot wait for more of this series (and will be sure to have some ice cream stocked and ready).
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Thanks to the publishers for a copy of this book; my thoughts are my own.
June 18, 2020
A Deadly Inside Scoop has all of the elements of a good cozy mystery: small town, quirky friends and/or family members and just a smidge of crime.
Abby Vandiver, writing as Abby Collette, is no stranger to lovers of mystery, but new fans will appreciate the introduction of Bronwyn Crewse, her friends and parents, her touching relationship with her grandfather and her passionate quest to kickstart the reopening of her grandparents' historic ice cream parlor. Vandiver/Collette's decision to give Win two potential suitors provided a bit of a will she/won't she, at least for me, and I was thankful that romance wasn't at the forefront of the story, but more of a side dish.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Win and the cast of characters who reside in Chagrin Falls, Ohio real soon.
Abby Vandiver, writing as Abby Collette, is no stranger to lovers of mystery, but new fans will appreciate the introduction of Bronwyn Crewse, her friends and parents, her touching relationship with her grandfather and her passionate quest to kickstart the reopening of her grandparents' historic ice cream parlor. Vandiver/Collette's decision to give Win two potential suitors provided a bit of a will she/won't she, at least for me, and I was thankful that romance wasn't at the forefront of the story, but more of a side dish.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Win and the cast of characters who reside in Chagrin Falls, Ohio real soon.
June 26, 2020
AUTHOR Collette, Abby
TITLE A Deadly Inside Scoop
DATE READ 06/22/20
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Cozy Mystery/2020/hoopla-audio/9 hr 52 min
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Ice Cream Parlor Mystery
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 122/120;
GROUP READ Cozy Mysteries Once a Month
TIME/PLACE 2020/Ohio
CHARACTERS Brownwyn Crewes/ manager of Ice Cream Parlor
COMMENTS Delightful debut, like able protaganist and family members. Bronwyn has a degree in marketing and has worked in NYC but has decided what she really wants is to return home and run the family business. Want to read the next one in the series.
TITLE A Deadly Inside Scoop
DATE READ 06/22/20
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Cozy Mystery/2020/hoopla-audio/9 hr 52 min
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Ice Cream Parlor Mystery
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 122/120;
GROUP READ Cozy Mysteries Once a Month
TIME/PLACE 2020/Ohio
CHARACTERS Brownwyn Crewes/ manager of Ice Cream Parlor
COMMENTS Delightful debut, like able protaganist and family members. Bronwyn has a degree in marketing and has worked in NYC but has decided what she really wants is to return home and run the family business. Want to read the next one in the series.
December 23, 2020
I really wanted to like this book, but it just never connected. The author has all the components of a cozy mystery (murder set in a village) and tried valiantly to improve upon the genre by centering Black characters. But the book lacks soul. None of the characters are charming, compelling, or even interesting. The author is clearly trying but it feels overly formulaic.
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