Three Fudges and a Baby by Nancy Coco is the twelfth A Candy-Coated Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who are new to the series or who have missed a book or two. Tourist season is getting ready to begin on Mackinac Island and Allie has still not found an assistant to help make fudge. Allie’s bestie, Jenn Carpenter is two weeks overdue which has Jenn and her husband, Shane on edge. Allie’s mother decides to make a surprise visit with Allie’s ex-boyfriend. I did not like that the mother expected Allie to drop everything to entertain her. The mother also kept pushing the ex-boyfriend at Allie knowing that she is dating someone. The mystery was simple. I was able to identity the killer before the murder took place. Allie manages to do a little sleuthing in between making fudge, helping Jenn, trying to please her mother, and walking Mal. There is a good wrap up at the end. There are continuity issues in the book. Allie gets told the same detail repeatedly, but she acts like she never heard this bit of information previously. I would expect continuity issues to be caught during editing (there are several of them). I was glad that we finally got to know whether Jenn and Shane have a girl or boy. Three Fudges and a Baby is a nice story, but it lacked substance. It makes me wonder if A Candy-Coated Mysteries is winding down (it feels like it). Three Fudges and a Baby is a lighthearted tale with an emotional friend, surprise visitors, an accused doula, a meddling mother, boyfriend brouhaha, and scrumptious fudge. ( )

Three Fudges and a Baby by Nancy Coco is the twelfth A Candy-Coated Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who are new to the series or who have missed a book or two. Tourist season is getting ready to begin on Mackinac Island and Allie has still not found an assistant to help make fudge. Allie’s bestie, Jenn Carpenter is two weeks overdue which has Jenn and her husband, Shane on edge. Allie’s mother decides to make a surprise visit with Allie’s ex-boyfriend. I did not like that the mother expected Allie to drop everything to entertain her. The mother also kept pushing the ex-boyfriend at Allie knowing that she is dating someone. The mystery was simple. I was able to identity the killer before the murder took place. Allie manages to do a little sleuthing in between making fudge, helping Jenn, trying to please her mother, and walking Mal. There is a good wrap up at the end. There are continuity issues in the book. Allie gets told the same detail repeatedly, but she acts like she never heard this bit of information previously. I would expect continuity issues to be caught during editing (there are several of them). I was glad that we finally got to know whether Jenn and Shane have a girl or boy. Three Fudges and a Baby is a nice story, but it lacked substance. It makes me wonder if A Candy-Coated Mysteries is winding down (it feels like it). Three Fudges and a Baby is a lighthearted tale with an emotional friend, surprise visitors, an accused doula, a meddling mother, boyfriend brouhaha, and scrumptious fudge. ( )

Three Fudges And A Baby is the twelfth book in the A Candy Coated Mystery series by Nany Coco.

Allie’s BFF, Jenn, is two weeks overdue for the birth of her first child. Jenn has decided to have her child on Mackinac Island and has engaged a doula, Hannah, and a midwife to be there for the delivery. Jenn has an appointment with her doula, and Allie decides to walk Mel and walk part of the way with Jenn. They soon find Jenn’s doula sitting on the stairs to her apartment holding a gun and her fiance lying dead close by. Allie carefully removes the weapon from Hannah’s hands and places it safely out of reach. When the police interviewed nearby residents, no one had heard a gunshot, but one person had heard them having a loud argument that morning. When Hannah is arrested and jailed, Jenn pleads with Aliie to investigate and get Hannah out of jail.

Allie has to manage her hotel, make fudge for her fudge shop, and try to solve the recent murder case. She also has to deal with her mother showing up for a visit with Allie’s former boyfriend. Her mother thinks that Allie should marry her ex-boyfriend. Her mother explains that he has plans for a career in politics and would be a much better choice than the chief of police of Mackinac Island. Allie continuously tells her mother there is no way she will start seeing her ex again, but her mother does not seem to know what NO means.

I love this series and am always looking forward to reading the next book. The story is well-written and plotted so you feel you are right there with Allie and the island residents. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable.

The book also includes delicious-sounding recipes for the fudges that Allie produces at her shop.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful series. ( )