A midsummer nights fudge, p.1
A Midsummer Night's Fudge, page 1
Mouthwatering Praise for Nancy Coco’s Mysteries
Death Bee Comes Her
“Personable characters and lots of honey lore.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Sprinkled with delightful notes on honey and its various uses, this debut novel in the Oregon Honeycomb Mystery series is a fun introduction to both a new cozy series. Everett, the Havana Brown cat, is an animal delight, often proving to be smarter than the humans around him.”
—Criminal Element
“The author writes a captivating story with interesting characters. Naturally, Everett [the cat] contributes to the solution. A charming read.”
—Reviewingtheevidence.com
“This warm-hearted book is fast-paced, with realistic dialogue and a captivating plot.”
—Mystery and Suspense Magazine
Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas
“Two nasty murders, charming surviving characters, plenty of Christmas cheer, and enough fudge recipes for a major sugar rush.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Forever Fudge
“Nancy Coco paints us a pretty picture of this charming island setting where the main mode of transportation is a horse-drawn vehicle. She also gives us a delicious mystery complete with doses of her homemade fudge ... a perfect read!”
—Wonder Women Sixty
Oh, Fudge!
“Oh, Fudge! is a charming cozy, the sixth in the Candy-Coated Mystery series. But be warned: there’s a candy recipe at the end of each chapter, so don’t read this one when you’re hungry!”
—Suspense Magazine
Oh Say Can You Fudge
“Beautiful Mackinac Island provides the setting for a puzzling series of crimes. Now that Allie McMurphy has taken over her grandparents’ hotel and fudge shop, life on Mackinac is good, although her little dog, Mal, does tend to nose out trouble.... Allie’s third offers plenty of plausible suspects and mouthwatering fudge recipes.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“WOW. This is a great book. I loved the series from the beginning, and this book just makes me love it even more. Nancy Coco draws the reader in and makes you feel like you are part of the story.”
—Bookschellves.com
To Fudge or Not to Fudge
“To Fudge or Not to Fudge is a superbly crafted, classic, culinary cozy mystery. If you enjoy them as much as I do, you are in for a real treat.”
—Examiner.com (5 stars)
“We LOVED it! This mystery is a vacation between the pages of a book. If you’ve never been to Mackinac Island, you will long to visit, and if you have, the story will help you to recall all of your wonderful memories.”
—Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and Meows
“A five-star delicious mystery that has great characters, a good plot, and a surprise ending. If you like a good mystery with more than one suspect and a surprise ending, then rush out to get this book and read it, but be sure you have the time, since once you start, you won’t want to put it down.”
—Mystery Reading Nook
“A charming and funny culinary mystery that parodies reality-show competitions and is led by a sweet heroine, eccentric but likable characters, and a skillfully crafted plot that speeds toward an unpredictable conclusion. Allie stands out as a likable and engaging character. Delectable fudge recipes are interspersed throughout the novel.”
—Kings River Life
All Fudged Up
“A sweet treat with memorable characters, a charming locale, and satisfying mystery.”
—Barbara Allan, author of the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mystery Series
“A fun book with a lively plot, and it’s set in one of America’s most interesting resorts. All this plus fudge!”
—JoAnna Carl, author of the Chocoholic Mystery Series
“A sweet confection of a book. Charming setting, clever protagonist, and creamy fudge—a yummy recipe for a great read.”
—Joanna Campbell Slan, author of the Scrap-N-Craft Mystery Series and the Jane Eyre Chronicles
“Nancy Coco’s All Fudged Up is a delightful mystery delivering suspense and surprise in equal measure. Her heroine, Alice McMurphy, owner of the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop (as much of a mouthful as her delicious fudge), has a wry narrative voice that never falters. Add that to the charm of the setting, Michigan’s famed Mackinac Island, and you have a recipe for enjoyment. As an added bonus, mouthwatering fudge recipes are included. A must-read for all lovers of amateur sleuth classic mysteries.”
—Carole Bugge (Elizabeth Blake), author of the Jane Austen Society Mystery Series
“You won’t have to ‘fudge’ your enthusiasm for Nancy Parra’s first Mackinac Island Fudge Shop Mystery. Indulge your sweet tooth as you settle in and meet Allie McMurphy, Mal the bichon/poodle mix, and the rest of the motley crew in this entertaining series debut.”
—Miranda James, author of the Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series
“The characters are fun and well-developed, the setting is quaint and beautiful, and there are several mouthwatering fudge recipes.”
—RT Book Reviews (3 stars)
“Enjoyable ... All Fudged Up is littered with delicious fudge recipes, including alcohol-infused ones. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and look forward to reading more in this series.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Cozy mystery lovers who enjoy quirky characters, a great setting, and fantastic recipes will love this debut.”
—The Lima News
“The first Candy-Coated Mystery is a fun cozy due to the wonderful location filled with eccentric characters.”
Midwest Book Review
Also by Nancy Coco
The Oregon Honeycomb Mystery Series
Death Bee Comes Her
A Matter of Hive and Death
The Candy-Coated Mystery Series
All Fudged Up
To Fudge or Not to Fudge
Oh Say Can You Fudge
All I Want for Christmas Is Fudge
All You Need Is Fudge
Oh, Fudge!
Deck the Halls with Fudge
Forever Fudge
Fudge Bites
Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas
Here Comes the Fudge
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S FUDGE
Nancy Coco
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Praise
Also by
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Acknowledgments
Teaser chapter
About the Author
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2022 by Nancy J. Parra
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
The K and Teapot logo is a trademark of Kensington Publishing Corp.
ISBN: 978-1-4967-3553-9
ISBN: 978-1-4967-3554-6 (ebook)
This book is dedicated to my dad, Thaddeus J. Kozicki Jr., who was always the smartest man in the room. God took you too soon. You are loved and missed and always in our hearts.
Chapter 1
I’d much rather make fudge and
“Mrs. Higer really outdid herself with this ball,” I said as Jenn and I exited the dance floor. Jenn was my best friend and sometimes partner in sleuthing. Recently married, Jenn was gorgeously slim, wearing a black jumpsuit and large blue butterfly wings. Her wide brown eyes were half hidden behind a black eye mask made of lace.
“I think Mayor Boatman is trying to take some credit for the event,” Jenn said and pointed to where the mayor stood beside Winona Higer as people congratulated her. The mayor wore a long gown and a Marie Antoinette wig. She had a beauty patch on her cheek and a silver eye mask. There was no mistaking Mayor Boatman, even in costume. Winona also stood out in a lovely white gown with rainbow hair and a unicorn headdress.
It was Jenn’s idea to have a masquerade ball and we loved how people went all in with fairy costumes and general midsummer fun. We set up the festivities on the beach with the big bonfire nearby, seating for anyone who wanted it, and then the dance area where people moved energetically. The dance floor itself was a ten-by-ten-foot deck that rested on the sandy beach, while a live band played. There were cash bars on either side of the event area and the large bonfire to the left, where people sat in grouped lawn chairs while others put out picnic blankets and coolers.
There was a long buffet table and Porter’s meats had roasted a pig. Little kids dressed as fairies and unicorns ran through the sand, laughing and squealing as they chased each other. Brave souls swam in the cool water of Lake Michigan, running out to dry off by the fire and jumping back into the water.
I was not swimming. Not that I didn’t like to swim, but I had recently gotten a cast off my arm and was happy to dress fancy for the ball in a floaty, green gown with a kerchief hem and huge fairy wings. My bichon-poo pup, Mal, was in the mix dressed as a dragon. She loved festivals and people. Thankfully, my boyfriend Rex Manning didn’t mind watching her while I danced.
We returned to our spot where Rex and Jenn’s new husband, Shane Carpenter, sat drinking beer and watching the flames grow and pop as people added fuel to the bonfire.
Mal barked and jumped up on me and I picked her up, giving her a quick squeeze as she licked my face.
“Hurry up and take a seat,” Shane said. “They’re about to pick the queen and her court.”
I sat down in a lawn chair next to Rex. My boyfriend was a police officer and with his shaved head and gorgeous blue eyes, he had that action-hero look to him. Shane, on the other hand, was lanky with thick glasses and caramel-colored hair. Both of the men had indulged us by wearing black T-shirts, jeans, and eye masks. After all, the event was a masquerade.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please,” Winona said, her voice loud through the microphone in her hand. We all turned to look at the main stage. Five young ladies stood on the stage in long, flowing gowns complete with fairy wings and pointed ears. “As you know, these girls have been competing for the last three days in various portions of the contest: talent, health, and interview. Now the scores have been calculated and are currently being verified by the local accountants of Bradford Accounting. Mr. Bradford, could you please bring up the results.”
Everyone clapped as the accountant in black-tie attire and a black mask walked up and handed her an envelope. He then motioned for her to bend down and whispered in her ear.
“I see,” Winona said. “Thank you. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, you see five girls in front of you, but due to a disqualification, there will only be four places awarded for the queen and her court. Your queen will receive a five-hundred-dollar scholarship to the school of her choice and she and her court will ride in the queen’s float in tomorrow’s parade.”
As the crowd clapped, the girls looked at each other, puzzled. Who was disqualified?
“The third runner-up is ... Alicia Newhouse.” Everyone clapped as the lovely blonde received flowers and a sash. “The second runner-up is ... Lakesha Smith.” The beautiful girl with the chocolate skin stepped up and received her sash. “There are three girls left,” Winona said. “And only one winner. The first runner-up is ... Madison Oustand.” Everyone clapped as the curvy brunette received her flowers and sash and the two remaining girls stood together and held hands.
“Two girls stand before us. Each one lovely. Each one receiving high marks for community service, health, and interview. Unfortunately, only one is the queen. And the winner is ... Julie Vanderbilt!” Everyone clapped as the tall brunette clasped her hands over her mouth and cried. “Unfortunately, that means Natasha Alpine has been disqualified. You may leave the stage.”
“There must be some kind of mistake,” Natasha said. “I’m a queen. Why would I be disqualified?”
“We’ve been made aware of an error in your community service hours,” Winona said. “Now let’s crown our queen.” She shooed Natasha off the stage and took the tiara out of the hands of her assistant, Michelle Bell, and pinned it into Julie’s hair. Then placed a sash around her dress and handed her roses. With a flourish, Winona waved the crowd to clap over their queen. But Natasha had not left the stage, so Winona attempted to encourage her out of the way. But Natasha continued to argue that the crown was hers, until Bill Blachek grabbed her by the waist and pulled her off the stage.
“Now it’s time for the fireworks,” Winona said into the microphone.
“Seems like there were a lot of fireworks already,” Jenn said with a laugh.
We turned to the sky as the fireworks shot up over the straits of Mackinac and exploded into the air with loud booms. Mal was not a fan and jumped into my lap. I wrapped her tightly in a blanket, but she still shivered.
“I’m going to run Mal home,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Rex asked.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
I lived at the top of the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. It was on Main Street just a few blocks from the beach. Hugging Mal as fireworks exploded and people oohed and aahed, I scurried through the crowd. As I passed by, I noticed that Winona was busy arguing with Natasha and what appeared to be her mother and her grandmother about the disqualification. I shook my head and headed up from the beach and onto the sidewalk, past the school and onto Main.
The festival drew most of the people from the island, so Main Street was unusually quiet. I unbundled Mal and let her walk/run back to the McMurphy with me. Hurrying down the alley around the back, I saw that Mal was better, since we were no longer right in front of the fireworks. Poor pup, I hadn’t realized how terrible fireworks were for pets. Thankfully, I had a comfort shirt for her, so I took her upstairs, put her in her shirt, gave her a chew bone, checked on my kitty, Mella, and then locked the door. The fireworks were slowing down as I left Main Street and walked the footpath to the beach.
