Candy Apple Dead by Sammi Carter revolves around Abby, a corporate lawyer who returned to her hometown after her marriage failed and took over her great aunt's candy shop. When a friend's store burns down and his body is found in the rubble, her brother is the townspeople's main suspect. Assuming, of course, that the man didn't burn the shop down himself and get caught in the blaze. Abby can't believe either could be thought guilty, but soon finds out many things about both of them that she didn't know.
The book was published by Berkley Prime Crime and has a 2005 copyright. For subgenre, it is probably somewhere between a regular cozy and the newer class "culinary," which seems to simply be a cozy with a food aspect. Candy recipes are included (not something that would make me buy a book, but who knows).
I really liked this one. Even better than the previously read one in the project. I may partly prefer it because the POV is more like my own work. The characters were real and I could relate to them easily. The woman's need to find the answers herself were very understandable. Even analyzing it closely, I didn't find any real problems with the book. Just one spot where it says she turns on the flame then half a page later starts the burner--for the same pot. Not a big deal and probably not very noticeably problematic if reading just for fun.
The play between what the narrator thought of characters versus what the town thought added to the enjoyment. Abby made you sympathize with the dead guy even when the rest of the town had a grudge. She had a great sense of humor and personality as well.
POV
First person. Abby herself narrates the story and I found nothing that even hinted at a possible POV break.
Tense
Past.
Deaths
The victim fails to turn up for a date with Abby already just a little way into the book. Then the fire happens soon after (p. 18). An unidentified body is found under the rubble of the fire on page 42, but is not identified as Brandon until page 62.
Suspects
Although Abby tries to suspect pretty much everyone, the police only appear to suspect Wyatt, her brother, and Brandon himself of starting the fire. Abby turns up hints of other possible suspects on her own.
Other
Page 9 foreshadows events to come as the end of chapter hook. This makes sense when it is written in past tense--as if Abby herself wrote the tale once it was completed. But I am not sure I like that as much--I think I prefer to believe the narrator is just as ignorant of what's going to happen as I am.
Chapter 1 has minimal back story but Ch. 2 has plenty of it.
In the earlier chapters, I played close attention to the EOC hooks and found them very effective. I forgot to pay as much attention later on. Also by that time you are so far into the book that you want to know what happens anyway, even if the EOCs had been a little weak (not saying they were--I didn't notice).
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