Now I may be overly picky but I really didn't like the main character Charity Penn (or just Penn, not Penny). She was antagonistic, rude and not all likable. I get she has a horrible backstory/childhood but honestly, I was hoping she was the one who fell into the chocolate vat instead of her best friend from childhood. She hates her dog and instead of rehoming it, she lets it run wild.
When Penn finds out that she won a contest from a chocolate store in South Carolina---one she's never entered, her bestie surfer dude volunteers to head down toward Folly Beach. He calls her and leaves her with a mysterious "you've got to know" this message. Sadly, he dies and local police and community members think it was a drug related death. Penn immediately goes down there from Wisconsin and manages to insult a New Age shopkeeper who happens to be the daughter of one of the ladies who owns the candy store where the bestie died. Then there's a confusing relationship with the "Cheese King", Gretchen and Penn. It involves inherited money, investments and some cheating.
It's like the author opened the middle of the book in the first chapter. I didn't understand the first two chapters because of the history and my instant dislike of Penn. The actual plot/mystery was pretty darn good and the setting was colorful so kudos to the author for that.
When Penn finds out that she won a contest from a chocolate store in South Carolina---one she's never entered, her bestie surfer dude volunteers to head down toward Folly Beach. He calls her and leaves her with a mysterious "you've got to know" this message. Sadly, he dies and local police and community members think it was a drug related death. Penn immediately goes down there from Wisconsin and manages to insult a New Age shopkeeper who happens to be the daughter of one of the ladies who owns the candy store where the bestie died. Then there's a confusing relationship with the "Cheese King", Gretchen and Penn. It involves inherited money, investments and some cheating.
It's like the author opened the middle of the book in the first chapter. I didn't understand the first two chapters because of the history and my instant dislike of Penn. The actual plot/mystery was pretty darn good and the setting was colorful so kudos to the author for that.