Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Written by Sarah Graves

Narrated by Susan Boyce

Jake and Ellie have been through a lot together, from home repair to homicide investigation. So when they decide to open a chocolate-themed bakery, they figure it'll be a piece of cake. With Ellie's old family recipes luring in customers, they expect to make plenty of dough this Fourth of July weekend. Having family home for the holiday only sweetens the deal for Jake—that is, until the ill wind of an early-season hurricane blows up her family's plans. But as bitter as the storm is, something even more sinister is brewing in the kitchen of The Chocolate Moose—where health inspector Matt Muldoon is found murdered.

Ellie never made a secret of her distaste for Matt, who'd been raining on their parade with bogus talk of health-code violations. But now, with no alibi for the night of the murder, she's in a sticky situation with the police—so it's up to Jake to catch the real killer and keep Ellie living in the land of the free.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Jan 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781520091150

Sarah Graves

Sarah Graves lives with her husband in an 1823 Federal-style house in Eastport, Maine, where her mystery novels are set. When she is not scraping, painting, glazing, sanding, hammering, or otherwise repairing (or failing to repair!) the old house, she is working on her next cozy mystery.

Reviews for Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

[diana.hauser · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE (a Death by Chocolate Mystery Book 1) is by Sarah Graves.I have read her previous series’, The Lizzie Snow series and A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series. Both were excellent. I like Ms. Graves’ sense of humor, her colorful book covers and clever titles. My favorite has been MALLETS AFORETHOUGHT (a Home Repair is Homicide Mystery). The books all have a wonderful sense of place/location - Downeast Maine; with the town of Eastport, Maine prominently featured.I was very happy to see this new series being published.Jacobia (Jake) Tiptree and best friend, Ellie, open a waterfront, chocolate-themed bake shop, The Chocolate Moose. While preparing for Eastport’s 4th of July celebration and an approaching hurricane, a dead (murdered) man is found in the shop’s kitchen, his head inconveniently stuck in a vat of chocolate.A great plot, detailed characters, local color, a tremendous sense of place and lots of humor make this a good book to read and enjoy.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jacobia "Jake" and Ellie open a new bakery in Eastport, Maine. When they arrive to make cherry cheesecakes for a town celebration, they find someone in their chocolate. The state police suspect Ellie. Jake and Ellie set out to find the real person responsible. Although the first in a series, I felt lost on this one because the characters referred to other mysteries they solved. Only after reading another review did I realize the same characters appeared in a previous cozy series and just "got a new job." Unfortunately for those of us who did not read the previous series, nothing helped warm us to the characters, and we missed out on a lot of character development. The plot seemed quite convoluted. The persons who did it were far too obvious as well. While I may eventually read future installments, I will not rush to do so.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first read Ms. Graves Lizzie Snow thrillers and loved them, so when this book popped up, I decided to grab it and see how her cozy mysteries were. I'm glad I did because I loved this book.Jake and Ellie run The Chocolate Moose in Eastport, Maine, a specialty chocolate bakery. Fourth of July is coming up and they've committed to producing a large number of chocolate cherry cheesecakes for auctioning off by the Coast Guard. Plans are delayed when Matt Muldoon, the irritating health inspector, is found dead in their kitchen, his head in a vat of chocolate. Since Ellie fought with Muldoon a lot, she is the immediate suspect. So, it's up to Jake (Jacobia) and a team of her friends and family to find the real culprit and also finish all the cheesecakes.At first, I thought this was going to be a straight-forward mystery, but the further I read, the more I had no idea who the culprit was. There are a lot of suspects, and Ms. Graves does a great job in leading the reader astray. Every time I thought I knew who did it, another path opened up in a very logical way. So, I thought this was a great mystery since nothing was given away yet it all made perfect sense in the end.There's a lot of fun characters, and the Eastport setting is also well described. Ms. Graves captures a lot of the little nuances of living in Maine which I liked as a Mainer myself. I'm glad I tried her cozy books and will read more while I'm waiting for the next Lizzie Snow book.

[arthistorychick · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah GravesBook #1: Death by Chocolate SeriesSource: Overdrive Audio/Public LibraryMy Rating: 3/5 stars**MINI-REVIEW**The Bottom Line: As far as I can tell (and I did a search!) this is my first Sarah Graves book and, in general, I liked the read. Jake and Ellie are fine characters who have been fully and completely developed, are smart and dedicated women, with a tendency to become involved in investigations. As I discovered as I listened along, Jake and Ellie have a history in another Sarah Graves’ series which gave them an entire background and back story I was not privy too. While there were certain aspects of this read where that hindered me, by and large, you don’t have to have read the other series (Home Repair is Homicide) to enjoy the start of this one. Aside from the backstory bit, there is A LOT going on in this first read and I think it fell into some of the pitfalls so common to first-in-a-series books. For example, there are ALL the characters, a plot that became very involved and somewhat unnecessarily complex, and the opening and descriptions of a new business venture for Ellie and Jake. My favorite part of this read, and what’s got me moving on to the second book, is the description of the new business and all the tasty treats that come out of the Chocolate Moose. What’s more, I think, once this series settles in and I get a grip on all the permanent characters, I’m really going to enjoy the sleuthing and chocolating adventures of Jake and Ellie!

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up as it was advertised as the first in a new series. What I didn't know was that these characters were well loved in another series, so there was a lot of character development and relationship information that I was lacking, through no mistake of my own. Jake and Ellie have opened up a bake shop on the waterfront of town Eastport, called Chocolate Moose. Apparently, Jacobia (Jake) has experience helping to solve murders, so when the annoying town inspector ends up murdered in their shop, Ellie is the main suspect. Matt Muldoon has been after them since they opened with one complaint after another, even saying he would report them to his “friends at the Maine State Health Department”. Ellie didn’t kill him but she and Jake will have to find out who did or Ellie may find herself under arrest. In addition to the dead man in the kitchen, there is a hurricane headed toward Eastport and the town is planning for their huge 4th of July celebration. Jake and Ellie have a huge order for Chocolate Cherry Cheesecakes for the silent auction. Also, Jake’s dad checks himself out of the hospital after having a heart attack. There is so much going on that I am not sure how it all gets sorted out.

Jake and Ellie are both strong women and work together very well. Jake's husband, Wade, makes a few appearances in the story, but is not a major player. Bob the sheriff is another good character and he does not want Jake and Ellie investigating on one hand, but feeds Jake information on another. The story rolls along at an okay pace with Jake and Ellie getting themselves in several sticky and dire situations. There were a lot of twists and turns and the conclusion pulling everything together was well done, but I found I did not really get invested in the story. If you are familiar with Sarah Graves' other series and these characters, you will probably love this book. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jake (Jacobia) and her friend Ellie are opening a Bake shop called the Chocolate Moose in their island town of Eastport Maine. They've been asked to make a number of chocolate cherry cheesecakes for the 4th of July auction to raise the funds for the town fireworks. Happy to help out, their timing plans are drowned in chocolate when a disgruntled neighbor is found murdered in their shop literally drowning in the melting chocolate.Since the last person to claim to have seen the victim alive is Ellie, the two bakers set out to clear Ellie's name while at the same time baking those dozens of cheesecakes. Problems co tinue when a hurricane sets its sights on Eastport making the timetable for investigating and baking even tighter.It was interesting to see familiar characters in a new setting (home repair vs. chocolate baker) and hope that they continue to move forward in their new venture.

[darcia_10 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is being marketed as the first in a series, which it is, sort of, but not really. Confused? So was I. When I started reading, I kept stumbling across references to past events that happened between the group of characters in this story. I stopped reading, did some checking, and found that this is the first book in this particular series, but the characters are from a previous series by this author. Consequently, the relationships are all established, so there isn't a lot of character development, but there are a whole lot of references to things that occurred in that other series. Not understanding all this stuff was an irritation. Even so, I got the gist of the tangled relationships and continued onward.I still had high hopes for the story. Then came problem number two. The murder mystery is overshadowed by all the cooking. Jake and Ellie incessantly complain about the number of cheesecakes they have to make. Then they take on more cheesecake baking, despite already being stressed about the deadline, and they continue obsessing over timers and batter and chocolate curls. We spend an excessive amount of time baking cheesecake, which made me hungry for sweets, but didn't entertain me much.The mystery itself is convoluted and ridiculous. Jake and her friends bumble through their own investigation as if they were invisible and/or bulletproof. They're unconcerned with personal boundaries regarding friendships and property. The cops seem fine with Jake's illegal and unethical methods, even encouraging her at one point. In the end, the answer should have been glaringly obvious to the cops, who are apparently too busy getting ready to eat cheesecake during the July 4th celebration to be bothered with a murder investigation. Parts of the story did give me a giggle and I liked some of the characters. I certainly didn't hate the book, but it's not a series I'll stick with.*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via Amazon Vine, in exchange for my honest review.*

[cathyskye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have an embarrassing confession to make. I began reading Sarah Graves' Home Repair is Homicide cozy series, enjoyed it a lot, but didn't keep up with the books. Shame on me, but I am trying to make amends by starting afresh with her Death by Chocolate series. I don't know if you all are aware of it, but there's a group of very talented mystery writers in Maine, and Sarah Graves is one of them. Her series is set in Eastport, Maine, which is a real place on an island within spitting distance of Canada. There is a vibrant sense of place in Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake that adds a great deal to the book. (And should I mention that I love the name of the bakery?)After sixteen books in her previous series, it was obvious that Jake really needed to call a ceasefire on the repairs to her house. After all, they'd taken almost twenty years. (Well, in publishing time, anyway!) But the characters weren't ready to retire just yet, and I'm glad because the characters were the best part of the other series. Jake and Ellie are two strong, intelligent women, Jake has a wonderful relationship with her husband, and Jake's son is a loving, caring young man, but he's not the generic Stepford Kid you usually run into when reading a cozy.There's a good, solid mystery to be found in Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake, and it's a fast-paced, almost exhausting book. Why exhausting? Because Jake and Ellie keep getting more and more demands for those cheesecakes, that's why! And... although the dessert was mouthwatering when the book began, I found myself to be a bit sick of them after witnessing so many being made. However, I know I will recover in plenty of time for the next book in the series.Good mystery, good setting, good characters. Here's a new series to enjoy from the very first book!

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in a spin-off series - old characters, new setting. It begins with Jake and Ellie making cheesecakes to auction off in a fund-raiser for the Fourth of July fireworks display. That seems simple enough for these experienced bakers. But there is a fly in the ointment, or rather, a dead body in their chocolate. And it’s the bothersome health inspector. Suspion falls on Ellie, but that’s not all. A huricane is about to fall on this busy community, chock full of tourists for the Fourth. Much happens in this twisty tale. Jake is coping with a murder in her own shop, a son who is incommunicado, a sick father, a friend who is waiting to be arrested, a huge storm bearing down on them, but worst of all? They don’t have enough chocolate for the steadily increasing order of cheesecakes! It’s a compelling tale with established characters in a fresh setting. This audio version is well performed by Susan Boyce.

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read the books in the Home Repair is Homicide series, though some of them not in years. On the other hand, I've recently listened again to books one and two, The Dead Cat Bounce and Triple Witch. Too bad Ms. Graves didn't reread them before she wrote Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake. After being reminded about Ellie being so competent and daring with boats in those earlier books, Ellie's relationship with her current boat in this book seems a different person. I can't recall being this jarred by a reduction in competence for a book character since the change in 1939-1947 girls sleuth Penny Parker between books 10 and 11. I'll need to reread Bats in the Belfry to find out if Monday the black lab, Prill the Doberman, and Cat Dancing the cross-eyed Siamese had already gone to dog/cat heaven. Wade and Belle's attitude toward getting a dog was hard to believe, given Wade didn't seem bothered by Jacobia's dogs and Belle had acquired an elderly dog of her own at the end of Trap Door, which I just finished listening to again. I was glad to read that 'Lee' (short for Leonora) was at summer camp in chapter seven. Before that I was wondering if Ms. Graves had forgotten that Ellie and George had a daughter.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves is the first book in A Death by Chocolate Mystery series. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree co-owns The Chocolate Moose in Eastport, Maine with her best friend, Ellie White. They have agreed to make a dozen chocolate cherry cheesecakes to be auctioned off by the Coast Guard to pay for the town’s fireworks. Jake received an early morning call from Miss Halligan who owns Second Hand Rose that the door to the chocolate shop was ajar. When Jake arrives at The Chocolate Moose, she finds Matt Muldoon dead in the kitchen with his head in a pot of melted chocolate (what a waste of good chocolate). Matt had been trying to get the ladies out of their shop with baseless (and ridiculous) accusations that he would report to the health department as violations. Ellie is at the top of the suspect list thanks to her recent altercation with the victim. Jake needs to prove that Ellie is innocent of the crime while trying to get the cheesecakes baked in time for the auction without their commercial ovens. Then they discover a hurricane is heading towards Maine, and they need to batten down the hatches. Jake is also worried about her son, Sam who failed to arrive home from Boston (afraid he fell off the wagon) and her father who has left the hospital against medical advice (and he refuses to stay in bed). Even with a hurricane heading their way and the threat of Ellie being arrested, they must get the cheesecakes done. Thanks to overwhelming demand, they now need to make twenty-eight instead of twelve (the town is not canceling their Fourth of July celebration). Can Jake prove that Ellie did not kill Matt Muldoon? Will they get the cheesecakes done in time for the auction? Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake is the first book in A Death by Chocolate Mystery series, but it is technically a continuation of A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series (there are sixteen books in that series). I was not aware of this until I started the book, and I felt like I had been plopped into the middle of a series. I wish the author had taken the time to introduce her readers to her characters in the beginning of the book, because I felt lost and confused. We are given more details on the characters as the book progresses (thankfully). However, I never fully connected with the characters and I felt out of step (there were still holes not filled in). Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake is packed full of action. There is one situation after another throughout the story. The action starts with the murder in the first chapter, then Jake and Ellie almost get hit by another boat when fog strands them in the water, Jake’s father disappearing from hospital, Jake’s father takes off with car (and with his medications, he should not be driving), Marla and her dog attacked, lack of chocolate to make cheesecakes, Jake and Ellie breaking into Marla’s house, someone shoots at the duo, Sam is missing, Hurricane Amber and so much more. I wish the author had cut down on the zany incidents. It was too much and I beginning to wonder if Jake had a death wish. I wanted more solid content. I did find some aspects of the book to be unrealistic. Most mystery readers will have no problem figuring out the identity of the culprit long before it is revealed in the book. There is a repetition of information in the story especially regarding the stepmom’s attitude towards cleaning (the same details are repeated over and over). I know it is a culinary mystery, but the author did not need to include so many scenes on the baking of the cheesecakes. The ending felt rushed (take away a baking scene and the ending could have been less abrupt). For readers who love Sarah Graves A Home Repair is Homicide Mystery series, you will enjoy the continuing antics of Ellie and Jake.

[jlslipak · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Life just got a little sweeter in the island fishing village of Eastport, Maine. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and her best friend Ellie are opening a waterfront bake shop, The Chocolate Moose, where their tasty treats pair perfectly with the salty ocean breeze. But while Jake has moved on from fixing up houses, she still can’t resist the urge to snoop into the occasional murder. Jake and Ellie have been through a lot together, from home repair to homicide investigation. So when they decide to open a chocolate-themed bakery, they figure it’ll be a piece of cake. With Ellie’s old family recipes luring in customers, they expect to make plenty of dough this Fourth of July weekend. Having family home for the holiday only sweetens the deal for Jake—until the ill wind of an early-season hurricane blows up her plans. When the storm hits, Jake’s grown son Sam is stranded in a Boston bus station, and her husband Wade is stuck on a cargo ship. But as bitter as the storm is, something even more sinister is brewing in the kitchen of The Chocolate Moose—where health inspector Matt Muldoon is found murdered. Ellie never made a secret of her distaste for Matt, who had been raining on their parade with bogus talk of health code violations. Now, with no alibi for the night of the murder, she’s in a sticky situation with the police—and it’s up to Jake to catch the real killer and keep Ellie living in the land of the free.Sarah GravesSarah Graves lives with her husband John, a musician and luthier, and their black Labrador Retriever in a house very much like the one Jacobia Tiptree is remodeling in Eastport, Maine. When she’s not writing Jake’s adventures, Sarah works with her husband on the house and she plays the 5-string banjo.MY THOUGHTS:Although this is supposed to be book one of a new series, I found myself reading references to other books of another series. This was very frustrating and confusing. I know this was supposed to be a cozy mystery, but there were some really strange elements to the plot. The fact that the Protagonist had no boundaries or fear of being harmed, really didn’t seem realistic to me. It made the main character’s actions hard to like or believe for someone like me who didn’t have the satisfaction of reading more about her character development in another series. This left many holes in the entire section of character development for all the characters of this book, who participated in the previous series.The other problem I had with this story was how useless the police seemed and especially how incompetent the author wrote them. Again, this didn’t seem very realistic. The whole part of the cooking/baking throughout the book didn’t bother me really, and in fact, reminded me of the cozy bake mysteries I’ve seen aired on television that center around a bakeshop/restaurant. The only difference, the book focused a lot more on baking.All the zany incidents that occurred one after the other kept the story moving forward, almost in a whirlwind frenzy and this could have been done with less chaos and more lead-in. The ending popped up before I knew it and I was left breathless from the craziness of the writing and the story, not to mention from the smell of chocolate, recipe included…I think less speed and more quality of writing this author is known for would have been preferred. But I did finish the book, it was mildly enjoyable

[aztwinmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sarah Graves has moved Jake Tiptree and her best friend Ellie to a new series..Death by Chocolate Mysteries. Jake has most of the renovations completed on her old house and she and Ellie have opened a bake shop called the Chocolate Moose. (Love the name!) Soon Jake discovers a body in their shop and Ellie is the only suspect. Between baking cheesecake for an auction, preparing for a coming hurricane, worrying about her father’s recent heart attack and why she hasn’t heard from her son Sam, Jake is investigating the murder. Lots of action and activity keep this book moving quickly and the pages turning! Grab a chocolate cookie, a cup of coffee and enjoy!