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Ruby Russell has reached her limit. When she discovers her hipster husband has a dirty little secret, she whips him up a Viagra-infused-chocolate mousse punishment, but in the morning, her husband's a stiff. Armed with a lifetime of crime show reruns and Arsenic and Old Lace on DVD, Ruby and her best friend Charlotte try to lay low until after Ruby's son's wedding, but a nosy therapist, meddling minister and local news reporter are making it very difficult to get away with murder.
Despite the growing chaos, bristling conflicts, and a mounting body count, these delightfully unstable girlfriends are determined to get away with murder come what may.
Originally posted on my blog: The Bibliophile's Corner
Ruby Russell is a hoot. She is such a character. My favorite quirk about her is her curse words. She uses food words like ‘crepes’ and ‘biscuits’. And also to note, she is certifiably crazy. For real. After discovering her husband has been a cheating bastard, she concocts some Viagra infused chocolate mousse.
As for other characters, Charlotte really takes the cake. She is also, certifiably crazy. She is constantly frazzled, clumsy, and as Ruby’s best friend they are stirring up all kinds of trouble. Then we have Michael, Ruby’s son. I still have no idea how I feel about him though.
The only problems I had with this book were strictly formatting. Julie warned me ahead of time that the NOOK books were kind of funky and they were. The change of scenes and the dialogue were a little weird. I had a hard time figuring out who was taking every now and then.
Now for the plot. Holy moly. It’s crazy! Seriously. I think I counted 20 something murders. In one book! When I was reading this book I felt that parts were so surreal. That there was just no way in hell this stuff could be happening. And at times, things were so over the top. But that’s why I liked it so much. It was so refreshing.
I definitely recommend this book to lovers of cozy mysteries. The twists, turns, and drama will keep you wanting more.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Beware the Desserts.
I received this book from the author, Julie Anne Lindsey.
Ruby Russell just can’t get it right. She discovers that her husband is supplementing the spending side of his mid-life crisis with a sexual side – and that with a woman half her age, at best. Her attempt to embarrass him goes fatally wrong. Then she tries to prove her baking prowess and to exact revenge, with equally disastrous results. Turning to Charlotte, her best friend, for help only makes things worse. As they try to “fix” the situation, the body count mounts and people become suspicious. The only thing that might save Ruby’s sanity is the devotion she and her son have for each other – until he announces his engagement to a girl she’s never met, that is. Now doubting his devotion, Ruby spirals further into her mental instability and takes Charlotte along for the ride.
Reading Death by Chocolate was difficult and, at times, uncomfortable for me. Not because of the content, but because of the writing. It felt a lot like riding down a rough dirt road in the back seat of a car with no shocks or springs; very bumpy with sudden swerves to avoid potholes. The storyline was choppy and often disjointed. Several times, I had to go back a page or two to make sure I hadn’t skipped something. I sensed that the story was supposed to be humorous, but the humor had trouble breaking through. None of the characters were likable, even in a humorously evil sort of way. Despite all that, I liked the story. The suspense built pretty well throughout – especially as Ruby’s therapist and the reporter trying to snag a seat at the anchor desk began to connect the desserts and the murders. The destination is pretty good, if you can handle the rough ride to get there.
Anonymous
Posted June 22, 2012
Loved it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 22, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Ruby Russell has reached her limit. When she discovers her hipster husband has a dirty little secret, she whips him up a Viagra-infused-chocolate mousse punishment, but in the morning, her husband's a stiff. Armed with a lifetime of crime show reruns and Arsenic and Old Lace on DVD, Ruby and her best friend Charlotte try to lay low until after Ruby's son's wedding, but a nosy therapist, meddling minister and local news reporter are making it ...