Book Review: “A Deadly Inside Scoop” (Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1) by Abby Collette

“A Deadly Inside Scoop” (Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1) by Abby Collette (2020)

Genre: Fiction, Mystery

Page Length: 375 pages (paperback review edition)

Synopsis:

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family’s ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she’s going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors–many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away. To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It’s not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she’ll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown . . . 

Review:

When I heard of this ice-creamed themed cozy mystery debut, I knew that I had to read A Deadly Inside Scoop. What a delightful start to the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series. The first installment follows the main character, Bronwyn, as she takes over her family’s ice cream shop and tackles all of the whirlwind emotions of becoming a new business owner. Her nervous excitement about the shop’s grand re-opening is soon shattered once a family foe who reappears, ends up dead near her shop. Bronwyn is determined with the help of friends to solve the mystery and clear her family’s name before it’s too late.

This novel was a fun read from beginning to end. I love that it was a cozy mystery with a Black protagonist (please send more recs if you know of more series like this!) and it even touches on the issues only the struggles of owning a business but also being a person of color/family in her town. Bronwyn is not only determined to find the mystery to clear her family’s name but also because of how much this shop meant to her grandmother. Seeing this strong attachment to the shop was heartwarming especially when the novel has its quieter moments of reflection. The scenes between her and Pop-Pop were the sweetest. I loved when they recalled memories of old recipes and her childhood memories.

Additionally, this novel has everything readers are looking for in a cozy mystery series: the zany best friend/sidekicks, wacky amateur sleuths, and even a potential romantic interest. It’s so entertaining with it’s colorful cast of characters and trying to solve the mystery along with Browyn. And the ice cream! So many fantastic ice cream recipes mentioned in this book (some of which are included in the back of the book). My only complaint is that the latter part (third act) of the story seemed to drag a bit at times and I think the book could have been a bit shorter. I enjoyed this first installment thoroughly and can’t wait to see what ice cream adventures arise in the rest of the series.

Final Verdict: