Death by Chocolate Books In Order

Publication Order of Death by Chocolate Books

Death by Chocolate series by Sally Berneathy

Author Sally Berneathy writes the “Death by Chocolate” series that stars Lindsay Powell, who is an amateur sleuth and the owner of a chocolate shop called Death by Chocolate. The series is set in Kansas City.

Helping Lindsay on her cases is her neighbor, Fred, who is her reluctant partner. Lindsay tries to divorce Rick, her husband, but Rick does his best in the early part of the series to drag things out. The marriage finally ends, but only after Rick dies when his car explodes in his driveway.

The series began publication in the year 2011, when “Death by Chocolate” was released.

“Death by Chocolate” is the first novel in the “Death by Chocolate” series, which was released in the year 2011. The only secret Lindsay Powell has is the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies, but her neighbors have some deadly secrets. Quickly Lindsay finds herself fighting poisoned chocolate, a psycho stalker, and a dead guy that does not seem to be very dead. Paula (Lindsay’s best friend and co-worker who dyes her blond hair, brown) hides from everyone and insists she have an emergency exit from each and every room. Secrets have come to light from her past that put lives in jeopardy.

Lindsay is determined to help Paula out and to save her own skin, she asks another of her neighbors, Fred (an OCD computer nerd) to help out. In spite of Fred’s mundane existence, he has pieces of knowledge about certain things such as guns, hidden microphones, and what the inside of maximum security prisons look like. Lindsay needs more than a fix of chocolate to get through this chaos alive.

Berneathy has created a sassy and likable protagonist, vivid descriptions, an engaging plot, and some captivating secondary characters in this one. It all makes for a fun and fast paced book.

“Murder, Lies, and Chocolate” is the second novel in the “Death by Chocolate” series, which was released in the year 2012. Rodney Bradford enters Lindsay’s restaurant and offers to buy her tiny house for twice its worth, eats some of her brownies, and dies on the sidewalk out front. Someone breaks into her house, and they try to dig up her basement. Her soon to be ex husband offers to sign the divorce papers, but she has to give him that small and old house in exchange for his new and larger house.

Suddenly everyone wants Lindsay’s house. Is there pirate treasure, plans to bring the railroad through, or oil under the basement? Another break-in happens and makes her cat, King Henry, launch into full on attack mode and he is able to take a few chunks out of the intruder.

She gets some help from Fred, her enigmatic neighbor, to help her solve this mystery. All while trying to make sure her boyfriend Trent (a police detective) from getting in their way with insistence on a bunch of silly cop rules.

On the plus side, sales skyrocket for Murdered Man Brownies, the special dessert Lindsay has been making.

This is a great book with some laugh out loud moments in it, and a great pace to it. Here is a top notch cozy mystery that is hard to put down, and continues with Berneathy’s feisty and hilarious heroine. Lindsay is a relatable character whose thoughts are honest at all times.

“The Great Chocolate Scam” is the third novel in the “Death by Chocolate” series, which was released in the year 2012. Rick has finally agreed to sign the papers to give Lindsay her freedom. She is in her lawyer’s office waiting for him to turn up when she gets the call. Rick is dead. He was murdered by a bomb that blew up in his vehicle in his driveway.

Lindsay is Rick’s sole heir. Is she really, though? She has never met a single member of Rick’s family. She was told some conflicting stories about them, and came to believe they didn’t really exist, that Rick was some sort of alien stranded here when the mother ship took off without him. Then Rick’s two brothers and his mother turn up, along with a woman that claims to be his ex-wife and a son she claims is Rick’s kid. Everybody but Lindsay wants to inherit Rick’s estate. What could be so valuable that someone was ready to murder for it and is ready to kill again?

Sally Berneathy has penned another fun and hilarious book with lovable characters to boot. This is an excellent addition to a superb cozy mystery series that readers hope continues for quite some time. Each of these books have been enjoyable and a great way to spend your reading time.

“Chocolate Mousse Attack” is the fourth novel in the “Death by Chocolate” series, which was released in the year 2013. Getting a phone call at two in the morning is never good news. There is a difference between bad news and odd news. The call Lindsay gets is a plea for help. There is a woman stuck in Fred’s closet and he is unable to get her out.

Sophie Fleming, their new neighbor, has begun sleepwalking and gone right into Fred’s house and right to his bedroom closet. She keeps having nightmares about the brutal stabbing of a child named Carolyn. Carolyn was the name of her imaginary friend from childhood.

Lindsay, Trent, Fred, and Henry have to solve a twenty year old killing with no DNA, no bodies, no proof of the victims’ existence. Is it possible for someone that never lived to be killed? Why is Sophie having visions of it happening in Fred’s bedroom? Why is she even in his closet? Are his clothes even going to fit her?

This is a great series and readers are sure that when they pick one of these up, they are sure they will be entertained and have some laugh inducing moments waiting for them. Lindsay’s wisecracking and wise voice is an excellent part of this book. Another fast pace and solid plot mixed with an engaging narrative from Lindsay make for a hard to put down read with this one.