Cocoa, Chaos, and Conspiracy: A Snowfall Sleuth Mystery (The Snowfall Sleuth Mysteries Book 5)
By Hailey Hartley
Ivy Frost’s Hot Cocoa Corner is the coziest spot on Main Street in Evergreen Ridge, where her signature peppermint cocoa and twinkling holiday lights have made her stand a beloved fixture in the small mountain town. But when a wealthy real estate developer drops dead minutes after drinking Ivy’s famous cocoa, the cheerful holiday season takes a dark turn. With her business sealed off as a crime scene and the entire town whispering “murderer,” Ivy finds herself the prime suspect in a case that threatens to destroy everything she’s built. Her only allies are her loyal best friend Zara, her scrappy Jack Russell terrier Nutmeg, and a growing list of people who also had reasons to want the victim gone.
Determined to clear her name before the sheriff finds enough evidence to arrest her, Ivy starts asking questions that lead her deep into Evergreen Ridge’s secrets. From a vintage bookshop owner with a bitter grudge to a nervous stepson with mysterious motives, everyone seems to have something to hide. As Nutmeg sniffs out clues and Ivy pieces together the puzzle, she discovers that someone went to elaborate lengths to frame her for murder—and they’re not finished yet. When threatening notes and vandalism escalate the danger, Ivy realizes the killer is watching her every move.
With Christmas approaching and her reputation in tatters, Ivy must untangle a web of blackmail, stolen dreams, and revenge before she ends up behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit. Armed with determination, her grandmother’s secret cocoa recipe, and one very clever terrier, she’ll prove that sometimes the sweetest justice comes in the most unexpected packages. But confronting a murderer who planned the perfect crime means risking everything—including her life.
Ivy Frost’s Hot Cocoa Corner is the coziest spot on Main Street in Evergreen Ridge, where her signature peppermint cocoa and twinkling holiday lights have made her stand a beloved fixture in the small mountain town. But when a wealthy real estate developer drops dead minutes after drinking Ivy’s famous cocoa, the cheerful holiday season takes a dark turn. With her business sealed off as a crime scene and the entire town whispering “murderer,” Ivy finds herself the prime suspect in a case that threatens to destroy everything she’s built. Her only allies are her loyal best friend Zara, her scrappy Jack Russell terrier Nutmeg, and a growing list of people who also had reasons to want the victim gone.
Determined to clear her name before the sheriff finds enough evidence to arrest her, Ivy starts asking questions that lead her deep into Evergreen Ridge’s secrets. From a vintage bookshop owner with a bitter grudge to a nervous stepson with mysterious motives, everyone seems to have something to hide. As Nutmeg sniffs out clues and Ivy pieces together the puzzle, she discovers that someone went to elaborate lengths to frame her for murder—and they’re not finished yet. When threatening notes and vandalism escalate the danger, Ivy realizes the killer is watching her every move.
With Christmas approaching and her reputation in tatters, Ivy must untangle a web of blackmail, stolen dreams, and revenge before she ends up behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit. Armed with determination, her grandmother’s secret cocoa recipe, and one very clever terrier, she’ll prove that sometimes the sweetest justice comes in the most unexpected packages. But confronting a murderer who planned the perfect crime means risking everything—including her life.