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Sherri Bryan
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Tapas, Carrot Cake and a Corpse (A Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Sherri Bryan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 10,212 ratings
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What happens when small-town murder meets a big-hearted café owner?

St Eves is a town with real community spirit. It's a town where residents leave their doors open all day so that neighbours can pop in for a cup of tea and a chat. No one's ever too busy for a cup of tea and a chat in St Eves.

But then a stranger is murdered and everything changes. The townsfolk close ranks -- and their doors -- as the hunt for a killer gathers pace, and it's not long before inquisitive café owner Charlotte Denver is desperate for a return to carefree, small-town life.

Determined to do whatever she can to see the killer behind bars, she starts poking around in things she shouldn't and discovers a secret that rocks the bustling coastal town to its core, and a twist in the tale that no one saw coming.

Small town murder was never so calculated...

Grab a cuppa, get settled in your favourite reading spot, and come and solve the mystery in this fun cozy with engaging characters, a little romance, and recipes to try for yourself. And you can settle back for a flinch-free read, because you won't find any strong language, graphic violence, sex, or pesky cliffhangers!

This book is written using British English spelling and terminology.

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 10
    A Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery
  2. Print length
    165 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    May 23, 2015
  6. File size
    693 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review


"This was such a good Mystery... Made me laugh throughout the book and had a surprise motive at the end." Debra Birkholz - Amazon reviewer
"I prefer books whose locale is in the United States. The title of this book caught my attention and I downloaded it from Amazon not knowing it was based in England. I'm glad I did. I felt like I was there with them! I love the characters and want them for my friends. Charlotte's cafe/bar is my kind of place to hang out with friends and family." Kindle Customer
"Thoroughly enjoyed the book from page one. Unique characters, page turning mastering and best of all void of sex, violence and profanity. Very refreshing to read a murder master that keeps your attention and as you solve the mystery find out you're wrong. Yes it has a murder, cops good people and bad and still didn't miss all the roughness other writers may have chosen to insert or felt necessary to have in the story. Bottom line, love it and look forward to reading her again." Worduser - Amazon reviewer
"This book is written in British English but does not detract from the story line at all. As a matter of fact it was a refreshing difference. It is a simple and clean cozy mystery that most will enjoy. It took me no time at all to read. The characters really are like people we would know--with all their ups and downs and insecurities. Small town living---is nothing ever a secret? Well except for one--who killed that handsome stranger and why? You won't expect the answer to that one--for real you won't!! This is the first book I have read by this author--but it won't be the last." Miki Hope - Amazon reviewer
"Just found this author and absolutely love her books. This was a quick easy read with a great beginning and ending. It had me from the first page. I couldn't put it down. I was sure I knew who had killed the young man, but WOW was I shocked. I love an ending that surprises me and this one did. I look forward to reading more of her books and would recommend this one to everyone that likes a cute mystery. Needless to say, I am looking forward to trying the recipes she listed at the end of the book as well. Great job, Sherri Bryan." Phyllis F. McManus - Amazon reviewer
"This author does a good job of describing characters and giving the reader a feel for the setting in which the story takes place. What she is able to do is make you like the characters so that you want to find out what happens. I like the simplicity of the writing and find it relaxing. I will look forward to more in her series. Thanks to the author for the recipes." Cactus Cackler - Amazon reviewer
"Loved this book! It had many twists and turns throughout the book. It took me almost to the end to figure out who did it. However the reason was a total surprise! Great writing. Thank you! Can't wait to read the next one!" Joan Dieter - Amazon reviewer
"What a nice romantic mystery. The characters are warm and real." Carol B - Amazon reviewer!
"Entertaining, well written, quirky and a slight change in genre for me as a romantic mystery." Eugenia P Dean - Amazon reviewer
"Be sure to read to the end. Interesting read!" Michael B. White - Amazon reviewer

From the Author

I'm from the UK but I now live in Spain. Both countries have had a huge influence on  my life, so I wanted to include a little of both in my books.  

Over the years, I've enjoyed so many happy holidays in Cornwall and Devon in the south-west of England, so I decided to use them as the main inspiration for my fictional coastal town setting. That said, as St. Eves only exists in my imagination, I've used a little creative licence here and there and added a few Spanish elements to it!

With regard to my protagonist, I didn't have to look too far to find the inspiration for her.  I'm an animal-loving, avid cook and I owned a marina-front café in a Spanish coastal town for six years. Charlotte Denver is also an animal-loving, avid cook, but she owns a marina-front café, in a UK coastal town, albeit a fictional one.

I love that cozy mysteries allow me to write about murder, villains, dastardly deeds and twisty plots without the need for gory details, excessive violence, sex or bad language. I also always try to bring a little romance and humour to the books and it's important to me that each one has a happy ending, and everything's wrapped up ready to go on to the next book with a clean slate.

Foreshadowing plays a big part in my stories, in that I try to leave clues which point to answers, which I hope will keep readers guessing and involved in solving the mystery as they go. I try not to make them too obvious, though - it wouldn't be much fun for readers to have established the murderer and the motive long before the end of the book!

I'll be writing more books in this series, my other series, and am also starting a new series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00Y7XAX26
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sherri Bryan; 4th edition (May 23, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 23, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 693 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 165 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 10,212 ratings

About the author

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Sherri Bryan

Sherri Bryan

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Give me a cup of tea, a good book, and a comfortable chair, and I'm happy!

I have two series: The Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery Series and The Bliss Bay Village Mystery Series. If you've read and enjoyed my stories, and would like to receive an early notification of new releases, discounts and other book-related news, please sign up to my Readers' Group at https://sherribryan.com.

Thank you, and happy reading!

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
10,212 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

ansel
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Little English Who-Done-It
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2015
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Sherri Bryan wrote a charming first cozy murder mystery called “Tapas, Carrot Cake and a Corpse". From cover to cover an admirable little English Who-Done-It taking place in a picturesque fishing village called St.Eves filled with delightful and eccentric characters. The Story is about Charlotte a cafe owner who caters to the locals open for breakfast and dinner (our lunch), who helps Nathan the Chief Inspector solve the murder. The two main characters Charlotte and Nathan were well developed, however Sherri did not stop there. All of the villagers added to the story and kept the interest going. Overall Sherri’s writing flows smoothly keeping you intrigued and guessing until the very end with numerous twits and turns plus more than one suspect. No one could ask for more.

I enjoyed immensely reading this well crafted cozy murder mystery, and recommend it to all. A bonus were all the recipes of the scrumptious dishes served at Charlotte’s Plaice as if she herself were giving them to you at the very end. Again, great job Sherri, and I look forward to future adventures with Charlotte and the wonderful villagers of St.Eves.
One person found this helpful
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Judi Easley for a thoughtful reveal
4.0 out of 5 stars Fish and Chips Anyone?
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2017
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My Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book by the author’s representative. I am providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.

~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

My Review: ✭✭✭⭑

I decided I needed to read more cozies, but I really haven’t had a lot of time to look around to see what’s available. Yes, I have that whole board on Pinterest, but I haven’t had time to really LOOK. I seem to go for the ones with food on the cover. Is it possible to gain weight from just looking at the cover? I’ll have to switch my theme.

For the most part, the characters were pretty well developed. Charlotte and Jess were good. Nathan needs some personality work, I think. He’s a bit flat. Samantha was outrageous.

The story was good. I knew who had to be involved, but I couldn’t figure out why. What a surprise! The last scene with Samantha and her husband was crude and cruel, but I suppose that really reflected the person doing most of the talking. The pace was very fast. The concept is really cute for Charlotte and Charlotte’s Plaice where she sells the catch of the day fresh off her godfather’s boat. But the execution needs some work. I found it a bit uneven in areas. Needing a bit of smoothing out. Perhaps if it were a bit longer, the characters would have been a bit more developed and the book would have had a bit more depth to it. Are all cozies so short? I’ll have to check that out. Perhaps that’s a characteristic of the genre.

I love the idea of Charlotte’s Plaice, so I’ll go the series one more book to see if I get more comfortable with the regular characters. The titles are absolutely wonderful, too! So, at some point, you’ll be seeing a review for Fudge Cake, Felony, and a Funeral here. See what I mean about the titles? They all make me smile!
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Katherine Holom
3.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Sweet Cozy Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2019
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Tapas, Carrot Cake and A Corpse was a fun and sweet cozy mystery. Based in St. Eves, England, Charlotte Denver owns and runs a marina front café. This is the first in the Charlotte Denver series.

I enjoyed visiting St. Eves, a fun and sweet small town. The characters were interesting and worked well together. I look forward to seeing where the story and characters go from here.
My only complaint with the book is that occasionally the point of view changes within a scene in an omniscient fashion. I generally do not like this point of view. In this case, the interesting characters and storyline outweighed my point of view misgivings.

Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries based in interesting small towns will enjoy this mystery.
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Electric Drive
5.0 out of 5 stars Light Read
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024
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Enjoyed they very light easy read. Good read when someone is looking for nothing to “deep” Mystery and love is a good combination.
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Kaylin Hart
4.0 out of 5 stars Cozy small town mystery
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2023
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Cute, quick cozy mystery. Small town vibes. Great cast of supporting characters. Charlotte, the main character does get a little romance moment too.
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Necklace
5.0 out of 5 stars Tapas, Carrot Cake and a Corpse - Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery #1
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
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Charlotte Denver is a café owner in the small coastal town of St. Eves when a stranger is murdered in town. Nathan Costello is the towns Chief Inspector and ex-firefighter. Charlotte wants to help investigate the murder and find the killer before they strike again. There are twists and turns in this story. I really enjoyed this fascinating cozy mystery novel. There are delicious recipes at the end of the book.
One person found this helpful
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One or more of us
4.0 out of 5 stars A fun, clean mystery with recipes!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2016
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My mom was an avid reader, leaving books around her apartment like little treasures. When she entered a room, she would start reading that book. It was like channel surfing on a television, but with novels. She loved reading mysteries most of all. Sadly, my dear mom passed away four years ago. Since then I have become a ferocious reader, but I have resisted reading mysteries (perhaps because I associate them so closely with my mom?).

Recently though, I have started reading more books from this genre, and I am really starting to enjoy them (oh God! I AM becoming my mother!) Tapas, Carrot Cake and a Corpse was a fun start to this series written by Sherri Bryan.

What I Liked:

Characters:
Charlotte Denver has a bit of a tragic past, but finds comfort in running a cafe that has been embraced by her small seaside community. I enjoyed that Charlotte was interested in the murder, but didn't think she just had to solve the case. I think in older mystery books, the main character artificially insert themselves in the investigation. I loved that Charlotte didn't do that. Although she did solve the case, she didn't do it completely on her own.

Nathan:
I appreciated that the police detective, Nathan, was not some bumbling cop. He was good at his job, but wasn't seeing the whole picture, as Charlotte did. He also didn't act condescending towards Charlotte when she made suggestions. He was mostly concerned with her safety. I also think the budding romance between Charlotte and Nathan was cute.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on September 13, 2021
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Quick and engaging read. We'll written and love a mystery
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Fiona Colston
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful light easy read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2023
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A wonderful light easy read that leaves you wanting more. Easy to pick up and put down and not lose the plot. With a twist at the end, this was a most enjoyable read.
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Paradijsvogel
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice, intelligently written and cosy.
Reviewed in the Netherlands on March 31, 2022
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Nice South-Englandish athmosphere. Story is good, and inventive and the twist at the and is a classic but very effective.
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Duncan und Rhona Bell
3.0 out of 5 stars This book was written using British English spelling and terminology.
Reviewed in Germany on June 21, 2021
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Sie können beruhigt lesen, denn Sie werden keine starke Sprache, grafische Gewalt, sexuelle oder fiese Zügel in der Klippe finden!
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Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Una historia sonriente de cara, me encanta.
Reviewed in Spain on May 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
Esta historia es divertida de 5 estrellas con personajes que amarás y una historia llena de torceduras que te mantienen adivinando hasta el final.
Recibí este libro gratis de #Bookcave y quería dar una crítica honesta.
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